On March 1, 2012, the Chinese government implemented the Administrative Measures on Heatstroke Prevention (AMHP2012) to combat the occupational health impacts of extreme heat, and reducing occupational injury was one of the main purposes. This study aimed at quantifying the intervention effects of the AMHP2012 on extreme heat-related occupational injuries and subsequent insurance payouts in Guangzhou, China. Data on occupational injuries and insurance payouts were collected from March 1, 2011, to February 28, 2013, from the occupational injury insurance system of Guangzhou. A quasi-experimental design with before-after control was adopted. Interrupted time series analysis was performed to quantify the change of occupational injuries and insurance payouts after policy implementation. The distributed lag non-linear model was used to explore whether injury claims and insurance payouts due to extreme heat decreased. A total of 9851 injury claims were included in the analysis. After policy implementation, the risk of occupational injuries and insurance payouts decreased by 13% (RR = 0.87, 95%CI 0.75, 0.99) and 24% (RR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.58, 0.94), respectively. The attributable fraction of extreme heat-related occupational injuries decreased from 3.17% (95%eCI 1.35, 4.69) to 1.52% (95%eCI -0.36, 3.15), which contributed to 0.86 million USD reduction of insurance payouts. Both males and females, low-educated, young and middle-aged workers, workers at small or medium-sized enterprises, engaging in manufacturing, and with both minor and severe injuries were apparently associated with decreased rates of extreme heat-related occupational injuries. The AMHP2012 policy contributed to the reduction of extreme heat-related occupational injuries and insurance payouts in Guangzhou, China, and this research provided novel evidence for decision-makers to better understand the necessity of implementing health protection policies among laborers under climate change. Coral reefs are one of the most diverse, complex and productive marine ecosystems on the planet. Global climate change and other anthropogenic impacts have had a strong impact on the equilibrium of these ecosystems and causing the denominated "coral reef crisis". One consequence of coral reef crisis is the phase shift in reef communities, where scleractinian corals responsible for the bioconstruction of the coralline building are replaced by macroalgae or soft corals. In Todos os Santos Bay (TSB) there is a rare case of phase shift caused by the soft coral Palythoa cf. variabilis. When in population outbreak, this coral species becomes dominant and leads to loss of scleractinian coral cover. Palythoa genus establishes a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellate algae of the genus Symbiodinium, that is changed in phase shift coral reefs, but other alterations remain unknown. In this study, the metabolism (oxidative damage, antioxidant and biotransformation enzymes, electron transport chain activity and photosynthetic pigments) of P. cf. variabilis from reefs in different conservation states was studied to identify and relate if changes that may occur in the biochemical and metabolism of the coral might trigger the population outbreak, identify parameters recognizing if corals are in stress and assess if one or more parameters can reflect the level of stress organisms are experiencing. The results obtained evidenced a clear distinction in the biochemistry and metabolism of corals from conserved sites and sites in phase shift, and these changes may be the trigger for population outbreak. Some of the parameters were able to discriminate the level of stress corals are experiencing and may allow to recognize the most at-risk coral reefs that need immediate intervention and prevent the entry into or revert P. cf. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/nf-kb-activator-1.html variabilis outbreak and phase shift in coral reefs. Actions like these can be of vital importance for the preservation of TSB coral reefs and possibly for other threatened reefs worldwide. Fifty-five household dust samples collected within six settlements surrounding oil production complexes along the Ecuadorian Amazonia were analysed to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, alkylphenols (APs), bisphenol A (BPA), nicotine, organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and organophosphorus pesticides. Studied areas are mainly affected by gas flares emissions and oil spilling coming from extractivist operations and pesticides used in agriculture. Median ΣPAHs values ranged from 739 to 1182 ng g-1 and up to 52% of the PAH dust concentrations were associated to petrogenic activities from crude oil extraction, according to diagnostic ratios. ΣPAHs and toxic equivalents based on benzo[a]pyrene concentration (ΣTEQBaP, ng g-1) suggested similar toxicities among the different areas. Individual lifetime cancer risk (ILCRdust) was calculated for ingestion and dermal contact expod children up to 16 years-old. The efficiency of common sludge electro-dewatering (EDW) is restrained by the following issues 1, the near-anode sludge dries out quickly, causing a rapid increase in electrical resistance; 2, the pH at anode decreases by the accumulation of H+ from the electrolysis of moisture, resulting in a decrease in Zeta potential (ζ). Alleviating the negative impact of these problems is the key to improving the dewatering efficiency of EDW. Therefore, in this study, calcium oxide (CaO) was used for near-anode sludge modification to increase its pH and electrical conductivity. With increasing CaO dosage, pH rose from 6.0 to 12.2, electrical conductivity increased from 368 ± 16 μS/cm to 6285 ± 21 μS/cm and the ζ declined from -15.3 ± 0.6 mV to -8.8 ± 0.4 mV. The EDW tests were conducted at 30 V and 25.5 kPa. The results indicate near-anode sludge modification with CaO weighing 3%-5% mass of raw sludge (mu(RS)) improved the EDW effect, while the energy consumption increased slightly. When 3%-5% mu(RS) of CaO was added, the final moisture content of sludge was 54.5%-44.3%, below that of the blank group (no CaO added), which was 57.9%; the time to obtain target moisture content (60%) was 910 s-590 s, lower than the blank group's 1060 s; and the energy consumption to obtain target moisture content was 0.233 kW h/kg H2O-0.271 kW h/kg H2O, higher than the blank group's 0.157 kW h/kg H2O. A quantitative criterion (KsiEDW) was adopted to assess the feasibility of EDW. Economically and energetically, the experiment with 4% mu(RS) of CaO added for near-anode modification was the optimal condition in this research, due to its second smallest KsiEDW, the best sludge reduction effect (67.2%), lower final moisture content (46.2%) and less time (640 s) to obtain target moisture content. The results show some mechanisms of EDW and provide experience for practical application.