The Payra River is one of the large coastal rivers in Bangladesh which supports incredible fish species and has been affected by extensive human disturbance due to huge fishing pressure. The present study provides information about the temporal diversity of finfish and shellfish concerning climatological variables and ecological pollution along with threat assessment in the Payra River, Patuakhali. During the entire study, a total of 61 fish species including 56 finfish and 5 shellfish species were recorded under 22 families belonging to 11 orders. The order-wise fish species availability showed that the Perciformes (29.49%) was the dominant order based on species richness. Among them, 4 endangered, 6 vulnerable, 4 near threatened, 42 least concern, and 5 data deficient species were found. During the study period, the average Shannon-Weaver diversity index value was (3.33±0.12) indicates a good spread of fish population in the Payra river. Average Margalef richness index value was found (7.60±0.32), Pielou's evenness index (0.48±0.05), and Simpson dominance index (0.93±0.02) in Payra river. Dominance and Richness index value indicates clear water environment to slight pollution in the Payra river. Ten different kinds of fishing gears were identified under 3 major groups including 5 nets, 3 hooks and lines, and 2 traps. The phytoplanktonic genus and species revealed moderate pollution. Canonical correspondence analysis ordination plot showed that rainfall was the most influencing driving force among the meteorological parameters. The cluster analysis based on the Bray-Curtis similarity matrix showed that the winter season formed a separate cluster. In the recapitulation, the Payra River is a highly productive system that provides a favorable environment for a large variety of finfish and shellfish species assemblages. Findings of the conducted study are expected to be helpful for the respective researchers, policymakers, managers, and conservationists for the sustainable management of this water body and the interconnected surrounding neighboring countries.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifactorial lung inflammatory disease affecting 174 million people worldwide, with a recently reported increased incidence in female patients. Patients with COPD are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of environmental exposures, especially from air particulate and gaseous pollutants. Exposure to air pollution severely influences COPD outcomes, resulting in acute exacerbations, hospitalizations, and death. In the current study, we conducted a review of the literature addressing air pollution induced acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in order to determine whether air pollution affects COPD patients in a sex-specific manner. We found that while the majority of studies enrolled both male and female patients, only a few reported results disaggregated by sex. Most studies had a higher enrollment of male patients, only four compared AECOPD outcomes between sexes, and only one study identified sex differences in AECOPD, with females displaying higher rates. Overall, our analysis of the literature confirmed that air pollution exposure is a trigger for AECOPD hospitalizations and revealed a significant gap in our knowledge of sex-specific effects of air pollutants on COPD outcomes, highlighting the need for more studies considering sex as a biological variable.

Background: Exposure in utero to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is associated with maladaptive health outcomes. Although exposure to prenatal PM2.5 and PM10 have cord blood DNA methylation signatures at birth, signature persistence into childhood and saliva cross-tissue applicability has not been tested. Methods: In the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a United States 20-city birth cohort, average residential PM2.5 and PM10 during pregnancy was estimated using air quality monitors with inverse distance weighting. Saliva DNA methylation at ages 9 (n=749) and 15 (n=793) was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation 450k BeadArray. Cumulative DNA methylation scores for particulate matter were estimated by weighting participant DNA methylation at each site by meta-analysis effect estimates from Gruzieva et al. 2019 and standardizing the sums. Using mixed effects regression analysis, we tested the associations between cumulative DNA methylation scores at ages 9 and 15 and PM exposure during pregnancy, adjusted for child sex, age, race/ethnicity, maternal income to needs ratio, nonmartial birth status, and saliva cell type proportions. Results: Our study sample was 50.5% male, 56.3% non-Hispanic Black, and 19.8% Hispanic, with median income to needs ratio of 1.4. In the third trimester, mean PM2.5 exposure levels were 27.9 ug/m3/day (standard deviation: 7.0, 23.7% of observations exceeded safety standards) and PM10 were 15.0 ug/m3/day (standard deviation: 3.1). An interquartile range increase in PM2.5 exposure (10.73 g/m3/day) was associated with -0.0287 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM2.5 (95% CI: -0.0732, 0.0158, p=0.20) across all participants. An interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure (3.20 g/m3/day) was associated with -0.1472 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: -0.3038, 0.0095, p=0.06) across all participants. The PM10 findings were driven by the age 15 subset where an interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure was associated with -0.024 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: -0.043, -0.005, p=0.012). Findings were robust to adjustment for PM exposure at ages 1 and 3. Conclusion: In utero PM10 associated DNA methylation differences persist until age 15 and can be detected in saliva. Benchmarking the persistence and cell type generalizability is critical for epigenetic exposure biomarker assessment.

The interest in spatial analysis has been growing in recent years, mainly due to communication technology advance, economic globalization, and the development of new statistical and econometric methods. The main aim of this article is to contribute to the dissemination of spatial econometric applications by presenting some basic theoretical aspects and a literature review of articles that address the socio-economic drivers that lead to environmental pollution. Three spatial regression models are reviewed here: the spatial lag model (SLM), the spatial error model (SEM), and the spatial Durbin model (SDM). A literature search was conducted using specific terms of interest in eight databases, from 1996 to February 2021, where 22 articles were considered for analysis. The results showed that most articles studied environmental problems in China. The most used exploratory spatial analysis model was Moran Index and the most used explanatory spatial analysis models were SDM and SLM.

Concerns about China’s air quality, and its impact on the important tourism industry have been on the debate in recent years. This article aims to investigate the potential effect of air pollution on direct economic impact of tourism, using the case of Beijing and Shanghai. The results indicate that air pollution negatively affects China's inbound tourism, resulting in huge loss of tourist arrivals and receipts, and Beijing suffers a greater loss in comparison with Shanghai, its loss in tourist number amounts to 1569,700 persons, equal to CNY 10264.268 million in tourism receipts, and the GDP losses ranges from CNY 20528.536 to 41057.072 across major source countries. This study provides a quantification of the impact helpful to generate a social awareness of air pollution detrimental impacts on inbound tourism and hence the economy.

Water and water habitats are essential to life and to the wellness of the communities that rely on them, as the Danube river is subject to human impact and vice versa, periodic surveys are required to determine the status of its pollution levels. In this work we used known microbiological indicators as well as physico-chemical ones to assess the ecotoxicological status of the Danube river from eleven locations partially forming the “Romanian–Bulgarian Danube Sector”. Most of the microbial communities found, and their densities, could be explained by point and diffuse sources scattered along the sector such as discharged household and farm wastewater, as well as nearby agricultural areas where fertilizers have been used and then leaked in the water stream during rainfalls. However, microbial data on non-point sources that lead to diffuse pollution of surface waters could be linked to such parameters and furthermore shown a slight correlation with the current status of fish communities.

Seagrasses are considered as efficient bioindicators of coastal trace element contamination. This chapter provides an overview on the trace element accumulation, tolerance and biomonitoring capacity of the various seagrass species distributed along the coast of India. A total of 10 trace elements are reported in seagrasses, 11 in sediment and nine in the water column from India. From the 11 seagrass species studied, 60% of research have focused on Syringodium isoetifolium, Cymodocea serrulata, Cymodocea rotundata and Halophila ovalis. 78% of seagrass trace element research in India is from Palk bay and Gulf of Mannar (GOM), Tamil Nadu and 16% from Lakshadweep Islands. Out of the 10 trace elements, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn are the most studied in seagrass, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb in sediment and Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni and Zn in the water column. Accumulation capacity of various trace elements in seagrass were species-specific. S. isoetifolium have the highest concentration of Cd and Mg at Palk bay and Lakshadweep Islands respectively. The concentration of Cu was higher in C. serrulata at GOM. Halodule uninervis and Halophila decipens have the highest concentration of Co, and Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn from Lakshadweep Islands. The highest concentration of Fe and Mn were highest in Halophila beccarii and H. ovalis from the coast of Goa and Palk bay respectively. Threshold levels (>10 mg L^-1) of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were observed for C. serrulata, H. ovalis, H. uninervis and T. hemprichii, that can affect the Photo System -II of these seagrasses and exert cellular stress leading to seagrass loss and die-off. High concentration of these elements can exert negative impacts on seagrass associated trophic assemblages and ecosystem functioning. Seagrasses of India can be utilized as bioindicators of coastal trace element contamination but the associated toxicity and human health risks needs further investigation.

Market air quality is very important to the economic lives of the people which is rarely researched, however, market activities particularly pedestrian traffic releases particulates which is detrimental to the health of the users and stakeholders. Thermo scientific MIE pDR-1500 particulate was used to monitor the quality of air within the market for eight (8) weeks, air pollutant of concern is PM2.5. ten (10) sample points were located in the market which covers ten (10) sample points for pedestrian traffic to represent the entire market environment spectrum. The analysis of PM2.5 measured daily during dry and wet season shows a clear seasonal variation of this particular pollutant as elevated concentration was measured during the dry season than the wet season. The assessment of PM2.5 concentration shows exceedances of the standards stated by WHO and NAAQS during the dry season which ranges from 47.9 μg/m3- 231.88 μg/m3 in the morning and 65.17 μg/m3- 1806.33 μg/m3 in the afternoon. From the findings, pedestrian traffic contributes immensely to air pollution in an open market, with this elevated concentration, prolonged exposure is highly detrimental to health. This study creates awareness to the pedestrians in an open market about air pollution and informs policy changes.

Background: Covid-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China in Dec 2019. Since then, it has been transmitted rapidly in China and the rest of the world. While Covid-19 transmission rate has been declining in China, it is increasing exponentially in Europe and America. Although there are numerous studies examining Covid-19 infection, including an archived paper looking into the meteorological effect, the role of outdoor air pollution has yet to be explored rigorously. It has been shown that air pollution will weaken the immune system, and increase the rate of respiratory virus infection. We postulate that outdoor air pollution concentrations will have a negative effect on Covid-19 infections in China, whilst lockdowns, characterized by strong social distancing and home isolation measures, will help to moderate such negative effect. Methods: We will collect the number of daily confirmed Covid-19 cases in 31 provincial capital cities in China during the period of 1 Dec 2019 to 20 Mar 2020 (from a popular Chinese online platform which aggregates all cases reported by the Chinese national/provincial health authorities). We will also collect daily air pollution and meteorology data at the city-level (from the Chinese National Environmental Monitoring Center and the US National Climatic Data Center), daily inter-city migration flows and intra-city movements (from Baidu). City-level demographics including age distribution and gender, education, and median household income can be obtained from the statistical yearbooks. City-level co-morbidity indicators including rates of chronic disease and co-infection can be obtained from related research articles. A regression model is developed to model the relationship between the infection rate of Covid-19 (number of confirmed cases/population at the city level) and outdoor air pollution at the city level, after taking into account confounding factors such as meteorology, inter- and intra-city movements, demographics, and co-morbidity and co-infection rates. In particular, we shall study how air pollution affects infection rates across different cities, including Wuhan. Our model will also study air pollution would affect infection rates in Wuhan before and after the lockdown. Expected findings: We expect there be a correlation between Covid-19 infection rate and outdoor air pollution. We also expect that reduced intra-city movement after the lockdowns in Wuhan and the rest of China will play an important role in reducing the infection rate. Interpretation: Infection rate is growing exponentially in major cities worldwide. We expect Covid-19 infection rate is related to the air pollution concentration, and is strongly dependent on inter- and intra-city movements. To reduce the infection rate, the international community may deploy effective air pollution reduction plans and social distancing policies.

China is not only short of fresh water resources per capita, but also faces a serious problem of water pollution in recent years, with 190 million people suffering from excessive levels of harmful substances in their drinking water. Such as arsenic poisoning and fluorosis and other endemic water diseases high incidence. As a series of water pollution prevention plan of action by the Chinese government announced that, this paper uses the modified Undesirable Dynamic Network model empirical analysis of China's 31 provincial administrative region economic growth, wastewater treatment, and water disease control efficiency between 2013 and 2017. The results show that the efficiency of water pollution disease in all four regions of China and the total efficiency in the three regions of east, west and central China all show a decreasing trend, and the efficiency scores and rankings of all provinces and cities within the region fluctuate greatly. The eastern region with the most developed economy has the best overall performance, with higher efficiency in Water consumption and Water disease control. However, the efficiency of wastewater treatment in northeast China is stable and better. Given the high level of economic development in China and the results of the above mentioned efficiency in water pollution and water diseases, improving the efficiency and quality of wastewater treatment in China is regarded as an important factor in achieving the strategic goal of green growth.

The study of the distribution and health risk assessment is meaningful to provide basic data for environmental management．To investigate the pollution of potential toxic organics and their health risk to human beings, water samples were collected at 7 sites of main surface water of Beijing during wet and dry seasons respectively. The targeted 92 organics were detected, including phthalates (PAEs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenols. The results showed that: there were 56 organics detected out, and the number ratios of detected compounds to the total compounds of the same kind increased as the following: VOCs, phthalates, phenols, PAHs. 8 VOCs were detected in wet season, and 3 in dry season. The concentration of 2,2-Dichloropropane was highest as 10.62ug/L, while the concentrations of other VOCs were below 5ug/L; There were 11 phthalates detected during dry season. The content of Bis(2-methoxyethyl) phthalate was highest as 188.47ng/L; 17 phenols were found in samples during wet season, and the highest concentration was 1244.73ng/L for 4-nitrophenol; PAHs could be detected in all samples, and the detected compounds and the corresponding average concentrations were higher in wet seasons than those in dry seasons, which indicated that non-point pollution was possibly the main pollution source. The health risk assessment of the detected 56 pollutants by using a model from US EPA showed that, the risk caused by the four kinds of toxic organics in this study was in the acceptable ranges.

Introduction: Ambient air pollution is major global health problem and commercial drivers are particularly exposed to it. No systematic assessment of the health risks associated with occupational exposure to ambient air pollution in this population has been carried out. Methods: We conducted a systematic review using a protocol-driven strategy. Papers published from inception to 20th April 2018 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, African journals online, Cochrane library, ISRCTN and WHO ICTRP databases were screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Original articles with at least an available abstract in English or French were included. Results: The initial search retrieved 1454 published articles of which 20 articles were included. 3 Studies reported a significant difference in white blood cells (106/L) among commercial motorcyclists compared to rural inhabitants (5.041±1.209 vs 5.900±1.213,p=0.001), an increased risk of lung cancer (RR=1.6, 95%CI 1.5-1.8) in bus drivers and an increased standardized mortality ratio (SMR) in bus drivers from Hodgkin’s lymphoma (SMR 2.17, 95%CI 1.19-3.87) compared to white collar workers. Other studies also found that drivers had more oxidative DNA damage and chromosome breaks. 4 papers failed to demonstrate that the drivers were more exposed to air pollution than the controls. 3 other studies also reported no significant difference in lung function parameters and respiratory symptoms. The genetic polymorphisms of detoxifying enzymes were not also homogeneously distributed compared to the controls. Conclusion: There is some evidence that occupational exposure to ambient air pollution among commercial drivers is associated with adverse health outcomes but the existing literature is limited with few studies of small sample size, methodological weaknesses and contradictory findings. Further research is recommended.

We use a regional scale photochemical transport model to investigate the surface concentrations and column integrated amounts of ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) during a pollution event that occurred in the St. Louis metropolitan region in 2012. These trace gases will be two of the primary constituents that will be measured by TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution), an instrument on a geostationary platform, which will result in a dataset that has hourly temporal resolution during the daytime and ~4 km spatial resolution. Although air quality managers are most concerned with surface concentrations, satellite measurements provide a quantity that reflects a column amount, which may or may not be directly relatable to what is measured at the surface. Our model results provide reasonably good agreement with observed surface O3 concentrations (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.69 to 0.87 at each of the nine monitoring stations in the St. Louis region), which is the only trace gas dataset that can be used for verification. The model shows that a plume of O3 extends downwind from St. Louis and contains an integrated amount of ozone of ~ 16 Dobson Units (DU; 1 DU = 2.69 x 1016 molecules cm-2), an amount lower than what was observed during two massive pollution episodes in the 1980s. Based on the smaller isolatable emissions coming from St. Louis, this quantity is not unreasonable, but may also reflect the reduction of photochemical ozone production due to the implementation of emission controls that have gone into effect since the 1980s.

Air pollution has created a lot of problems in the developed and developing countries. To avoid or reduce these problems, constant monitoring of the air should be ensured. The conventional techniques is costly because it requires a lot of money and time consuming. Biomonitoring has been the alternative method. Moss, lichens and plants are biomonitors available to entrap air pollutants. The aim of this paper is to discuss one of the ways of monitoring air pollution – Moss bag technique. To do this, types, choice, preparation, handling of bags after preparation of moss were discussed. From the literatures consulted, it was discovered that there were differences in the techniques used by the researchers. In all, the use of mosses with emphasis on the employment of moss bag have proved to be a powerful tool in airborne particulate and toxic elements. To conclude, developing countries should focus more on this technique because it will reduce cost of air monitoring.

Environmental estrogen pollution and estrogen effects on the female reproduction system are well-recognized scientifically. Among the estrogens, 17 β-estradiol is a priority in environmental estrogen pollution, and it is also a major contributor to estrogen which regulates the female reproduction system. 17 β-estradiol is carcinogen and has a tumor promotion effect relating to breast cancer, lung cancer and others. It also affects the psychological well-being such as depression, fatigue and others. Thus, a simple method of detection of 17 β-estradiol will be important for both environmental estrogen pollution and women’s health care. This study demonstrates a simple-use, cost effective 17 β-estradiol biosensor system which can be used for both environment and women’s health care applications. The bio-recognition mechanism is based on the influence of the redox couple, K₃Fe (CN) ₆/K₄Fe (CN) ₆ by the interaction between 17 β-estradiol antigen and its α-receptor (ER- α; α-estrogen antibody). The transduction mechanism is an electrochemical analytical technique, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The levels of 17 β-estradiol antigen studied was between 2.25 pg/mL to 2,250 pg/mL, Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), tap water from the Cleveland regional water district, and simulate urine were used as the test media covering the potential application areas for 17 β-estradiol detection. An interference study by testosterone which has a similar chemical structure and molecular weight as those of 17 β-estradiol was carried out, and this 17 β-estradiol biosensor showed excellent specificity without any interference by similar chemicals.

The DnaA protein has long been considered to play the key role in the initiation of chromosome replication in modern bacteria. Many questions about this role, however, remain unanswered. Here, we raise these questions within a framework based on the dynamics of hyperstructures alias large assemblies of molecules and macromolecules that perform a function. In this dynamics, hyperstructures can (1) emit and receive signals or (2) fuse and separate from one another. We ask whether the DnaA-based initiation hyperstructure acts as a logic gate receiving information from the membrane, the chromosome and metabolism to trigger replication; we try to phrase some of these questions in terms of DNA supercoiling, strand opening, glycolytic enzymes, SeqA, ribonucleotide reductase, the Macromolecular Synthesis operon, post-translational modifications and metabolic pools. Finally, we ask whether, underpinning the regulation of the cell cycle, there is a physico-chemical clock inherited from the first protocells, and whether this clock emits a single signal that triggers both chromosome replication and cell division.

Abstract: The human race has always innovated, and in a relatively short time went from building fires and making stone-tipped arrows to creating smartphone apps and autonomous robots. Today, technological progress will undoubtedly continue to change the way we work, live, and survive in the coming decades. Since the beginning of the new millennium, the world has witnessed the emergence of social media, smartphones, self-driving cars, and autonomous flying vehicles. There have also been huge leaps in energy storage, artificial intelligence, and medical science. We are facing immense challenges in global warming and food security, among many other issues. While human innovation has contributed to many of the problems we are facing, it is also human innovation and ingenuity that can help humanity deal with these issues “New directions in science are launched by new tools much more often than by new concepts. The effect of a concept-driven revolution is to explain old things in new ways. The effect of a tool-driven revolution is to discover new things that have to be explained”. (F. Dyson, 1997 In this article, we review the impact of technology as evolving at beginning of 21st Century on future prospect of Energy demand either renewable or non-renewable form, Economy, to Ecommerce, Education and any other E-related of Modern Technology.

Abstract: The frequency and intensity of air pollution are two of most critical issues the world faces in dealing with global environmental problems. They are both important areas that need to be improved. Our previous research [20] examines the assessment of fine dust pollution in Baekryeong island by statistical reasoning through one specific example of inland city (Yanggu) in Republic of Korea; however, given that Baekryeong Island is a remote island, there has been little focus on in-depth examination of its effect on the high density of fine dust in Baekryeong Island. The purpose of this article is twofold: (i) to examine the effect of a remote island on the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island using statistical reasoning and to provide a more specific statistical basis for the claim that one of the non-negligible factors influencing the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island is the geographic proximity to China; and (ii) to present brief discussion of fundamental cause of fine dust and global air pollution issues, which are not discussed in [20].

In recent years, marine natural products have become one of the most important resources of novel lead compounds for critical diseases associated with age. Spirulina, a dietary supplement made from blue-green algae (cyanobacteria: scientific name Arthrospira platensis), is particularly rich in phycocyanin, a phycobiliprotein, which accounts for up to 20% of this cyanobacterium’s dry weight and is considered responsible for its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Although the anti-aging activity of phycocyanin has been investigated, how exactly this compound works against aging remains elusive. Aim of our research is to use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to investigate the anti-aging properties of phycocyanin from A. platensis. Our results show that phycocyanin has a powerful anti-aging effect, greatly extending the chronological life span of yeast cells in a dose-dependent way, being the effect pronounced also when cells were grown in SD medium under calorie restriction conditions (0.2% glucose). Both ROS and accumulation of dead cells were followed by staining chronologically aged cells with dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123) and propidium iodide (PI). Interestingly, we found that most of the aged phycocyanin treated cells, which were unable to form colonies, were actually ROS+/PI–. Finally, we show that the moment in which phycocyanin is added to the culture does not substantially influence its effectiveness in counteracting chronological aging.

The application of distributed fiber optic strain and temperature measurement can be utilized to address a multitude of measurement tasks across a diverse range of fields, particularly in the context of structural health monitoring in the domains of building construction, civil engineering, and special foundation engineering. However, a comprehensive understanding of the influences on the measurement method and the sensors is essential to prevent misinterpretations or measurement deviations. In this context, this study investigated the effects of moisture exposure, including various salt solutions and a high pH value, on a distributed strain measurement using Rayleigh backscattering. Three fiber optic sensors with different coating materials and one uncoated fiber were exposed to five different solutions for 24 hours. The study revealed significant discrepancies in deformation between the three coating types depending on the surrounding solution. Furthermore, in contrast to the prevailing literature, which predominantly describes swelling effects, a negative deformation was observed in a magnesium chloride solution. The findings of this study indicate that corresponding effects can impact the precision of measurement, potentially leading to misinterpretations. Conversely, these effects could be used to conduct large-scale monitoring of chemical components using distributed fiber optic sensing.

This paper presents the development and implementation of a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera interfaced with a Jetson processor hosting Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, designed to address the challenges of traditional biometric capture for first-time passport photos of young children. The system enhances the accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability of facial biometric capture by recognizing and accommodating the dynamic and diverse behaviors of children. Utilizing AI, the system detects faces and analyzes facial features using 68 landmark points, ensuring high-quality images that meet ISO standards. These technical specifications, implementation process, and performance evaluations of the developed system are provided in this paper, demonstrating the potential of the proposed AI Face-Capture to advance biometric identification and verification for young children.

Einstein was skeptical of part of quantum mechanics, and he believed that Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle did not reflected the full depth of reality. He famously stated, ”God does not play dice with the universe.” However, since quantum mechanics has passed so many experimental tests, most physicists today assume that Einstein was wrong. Nevertheless, we will demonstrate that Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle must be modified to unify gravity with quantum mechanics. This modification leads to the Certainty-Uncertainty principle where the certainty part is strongly linked to gravity. This means Einstein likely was right in his intuition also on this point. The key is to understand that the de Broglie wavelength is not the actual wavelength of matter but merely a derivative of the true matter wavelength, namely the Compton wavelength. Furthermore, one must understand that the gravitational constant, first introduced in 1873, is simply a composite constant needed to rectify the in- complete definition of kilogram mass introduced into Newtonian gravity in 1873.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an intellectual developmental disorder characterized, inter alia, by deficits in short-term processing of neural information such as sensory processing and working memory. The primary cause of FXS is the loss of fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMRP), which is profoundly involved in synaptic function and plasticity. Short-term synaptic plasticity (STSP) may play important roles in functions that are affected by FXS. Recent evidence points to a crucial involvement of presynaptic calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 in STSP. However, how the loss of FMRP affects STSP and synaptotagmin-7 have been insufficiently studied. Further-more, males and females are affected differently by FXS, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The aim of the present study is to investigate possible changes in STSP and the expres-sion of synaptotagmin-7 along the hippocampus of adult males and females in the Fmr1 knock-out (KO) rat model of FXS. We found that paired-pulse ratio and frequency facilita-tion/depression, two forms of STSP, as well as the expression of synaptotagmin-7, are normal in adult KO males, but paired-pulse ratio is increased in the ventral hippocampus of KO females. Furthermore, we found no gender-related but robust region-dependent difference in STSP. AM-PA receptors are similarly expressed in the two hippocampal segments of the two genotypes and in both genders. Also, basal excitatory synaptic transmission is higher in males compared with females. Interestingly, we found more than twofold higher levels of synaptotagmin-7, not syn-aptotagmin-1, in the dorsal compared with the ventral hippocampus in males of both genotypes and in wild type females. These results point to the susceptibility of the female ventral hippo-campus to FMRP loss. Importantly, the different levels of synaptotagmin-7 that parallel the higher score of synaptic facilitation in the dorsal vs ventral hippocampus suggest that synapto-tagmin-7 may play a pivotal role in defining the striking difference in STSP along the long axis of the hippocampus.

The signs and symptoms of Long COVID can be explained by a shortage of blood in the body and a resulting deficient blood flow through nearly all organs. This shortage arose during the acute phase of COVID19 by an increased breakdown of haematocytes, to which the liver responds by reducing the production of albumin, in order to prevent a too large decrease in haematocrit.In order to ensure the perfusion of organs that are directly necessary for survival, the body takes the emergency measure of diverting blood from other organs and tissues. The perfusion of the blood-producing organs is also affected by this distribution measure, which hinders the smooth recovery of the total blood volume. The body is stuck in this vicious circle: a shortage of circulating blood hinders the recovery of blood production. This explains the long duration of Long COVID. My proposed treatment of Long COVID focuses on the recovery of the correct volume of blood in the body of the right composition by the intravenous administration of donor blood products, starting with albumin concentrate. A trial treatment can be performed in any hospital without much additional preparations, and has a lower associated risk for the patient than analysing the total blood. A diagnosis ex juvantibus, by therapeutic response, is therefore preferable. I suspect that most Long COVID patients will exhibit a high serum ferritin level as a result of internal haemolysis, and haematocrit and albumin values at the high and low extremes of the reference range because the liver can not keep up with the recovery of the red bone marrow.

Undoubtedly, there is a potential impact of large language models like ChatGPT in revolutionizing information retrieval and knowledge discovery, particularly in the context of the vast amount of electronic material available. On another strong note, the current work offers a first time ever mathematical approach to accurately fine tune perplexity AI, which sets a giant step ahead towards accurate next generations AI. Having started this world leading discovery, the upper and lower bounds of perplexity AI, namely , , respectively, are obtained for the first-time ever. Concluding remarks combined with emerging open problems and next research phase are provided.

Intestinal parasitic infections pose a significant public health challenge in Northern Nigeria, with prevalence rates ranging from 20% to 70%. Traditional diagnostic methods, primarily microscopic examination of stool samples, face limitations such as low sensitivity and high costs. This research addresses these challenges by proposing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based platform for the identification and counting of intestinal parasites. A total of 651 samples were collected from the 7 Northern State of Nigeria along with questionnaire collecting data on demographic, socio-economic, hygiene habits and environmental factors. Leveraging the You Only Look Once (YOLO) V8 model, trained on a dataset of 360 pre-processed and 467 annotated images, the AI model demonstrated promising performance metrics. Information-Theory-Based approaches including (CIFE, CMIM, DISR and ICAP) were used on various machine learning models (Naïve Bayes, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and Decision Tree) to analyse the risk factors associated with the parasitic disease. The precision-recall curve, average precision, mean average precision, and F1 score indicated reliable detection and classification across various parasite classes. The accuracy (97%) and AUC (99%) scores shows that CIFE with Random Forest has the best performance indicating the significant risk factors associated with the parasitic diseases. The model exhibited a well-balanced trade-off between precision and recall, showcasing its potential as a cost-effective and accessible tool for improving the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal parasitic infections in resource-limited settings.

This research challenges the traditional perspective on consumer behavior, which focuses on external factors shaping the sequential stages of decision-making. Instead, it proposes a paradigm shift by treating the decision-making process itself as an independent variable, exploring its impact on various outcomes like purchasing behavior, brand loyalty, and post-purchase satisfaction. This novel approach offers deeper insights into the intricacies of consumer behavior, particularly in the digital age. By uncovering the reciprocal relationships between the decision-making process and other variables, the research provides a more nuanced understanding of how consumers navigate today's complex landscape. It further delves into how variations in the decision-making process across diverse consumer groups influence various outcomes, recognizing the unique characteristics and needs of different demographics. The research also acknowledges the interplay of psychological, social, and contextual factors that shape both the decision-making process and its downstream effects, offering a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted influences on consumer behavior. Ultimately, by studying the decision-making process as an independent variable, this research aims to equip businesses and researchers with valuable insights, enabling them to better navigate the ever-evolving world of consumer behavior.

This article describes a novel electrochemical on-chip biosensor that utilizes anti-PSA antibody (Ab) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to enhance the sensing and detection capability of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. The AgNPs are prepared, characterized, and applied onto a silicon photonic on-chip biosensing receptor platform designed to enhance the accurate detection of PSA. The AgNPs were synthesized by a chemical reduction method using silver nitrate (AgNO₃) as the precursor. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and light microscopy were among the methods used in the characterization and analysis of the AgNPs. Each stage of the immunosensor fabrication was characterized using cyclic voltammetry. The proposed immunosensor was applied in the detection of PSA, a prostate cancer biomarker, with a high sensitivity and a limit of detection of 0.17 ng/mL over a linear concentration range of 2.5 to 11.0 ng/mL. The immunosensor displayed good stability and was selective in the presence of interfering species like immunoglobulin (Ig) in human serum, ascorbic acid (AA), and diclofenac (Dic). The detectivity and sensitivity are significantly higher than previous reports on similar or related technologies.

Recently, Mulroney,et.al., demonstrated that Pfizer’s ModRNA Covid vaccine, but not AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, produce aberrant foreign proteins in vivo due to reading frame shift in ribosomes. This phenomenon could elucidate the notable surge in autoimmune diseases following the administration of ModRNA vaccines compared to Influenza vaccines between 2020 and 2023, as found in the VAERS database. These findings bear significant implications for the future application of mRNA technology, emphasizing the necessity of modifying the design of the mRNA sequence to mitigate these defects. Remarkably, Mulroney and collaborators achieved a reduction in frame shift proteins by introducing additional edits to the mRNA sequences. This adjustment is pivotal for rectifying the flawed design of the ModRNA employed by Pfizer. In light of these findings, many advocate for the immediate recall and further investigation of these products. The notion of a "future mRNA-based therapy" should be postponed indefinitely.

Remediation of IT issues encoded into domain-specific or user-defined alerts occurring in cloud environments and customer ecosystems in a vast majority of cases suffers from accurate recommendations which could be timely supplied for recovery of performance degradations. That, of course, is hard to realize through furnishing those abnormality definitions with an appropriate expert knowledge which varies from one environment to another. At the same time, in a large proportion of support cases, the reported problems under Global Support Services (GSS) or Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) treatment ultimately go down to the product teams making them waste costly development hours on investigating self-monitoring metrics of our solutions. Therefore, the mean-time-to-resolution (MTTR) rates of problems/alerts are significantly impacted from lack of a systematic approach towards adopting AI Ops. That would imply building, maintaining, and continuously improving/annotating a data store of insights that ML models are trained and generalized across the whole customer base and corporate cloud services. Our ongoing study is in line with such a vision and validates an approach that learns the alert resolution patterns in such a global setting and explains them using interpretable AI methodologies. The knowledge store of causative rules is then applied in predicting potential sources of the application degradation reflected in an active alert instance. In this communication, we share our experiences with a prototype solution and up to date analysis demonstrating how root conditions are discovered with a high accuracy for a specific type of problem. It is validated against the historical data of resolutions performed by heavy manual development efforts. We also offer a Dempster-Shafer theory-based rule verification framework for experts as a what-if analysis tool to test their hypotheses about underlying environment.

Marine litter, comprising persistent and human-made solid materials discarded in marine environments, poses a severe threat to Nigeria's coastal and marine ecosystems. Despite existing international, regional, and national regulations, ineffective enforcement and compliance have led to widespread environmental degradation (UNEP, 2021). This study examines the factors contributing to the proliferation of marine litter in Nigeria, focusing on regulatory gaps, insufficient waste management infrastructure, and the lack of public awareness. The findings reveal that the marine ecosystem is deteriorating due to inadequate waste disposal practices and limited understanding of the impacts of marine litter on both the environment and human health (UNEP, 2021). The paper concludes with recommendations for improving regulatory enforcement, enhancing public education, and investing in waste management infrastructure to address the growing crisis of marine litter. Throughout this article, the limited information on the impacts of marine pollution across Africa is highlighted, emphasizing the value of these insights despite their scarcity.

This paper presents a methodology for the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to assess the economic implications of designing aging-in-place (AIP) homes at the conceptual stage. With the global increase in the aging population, there is an increased demand for housing solutions tailored to the needs of elderly individuals. Focusing on the importance of the early phase of design, this study aims to improve the process of making efficient decisions by providing a comprehensive assessment of the life cycle costs associated with AIP homes. The study introduces a semi-automated model for the economic evaluation of AIP homes, enabling the estimation of costs throughout the houses’ entire life cycle, from design and construction to operation, maintenance, and eventual renovation or disposal. The said model facilitates the exploration of the long-term economic feasibility of design’s related decisions with an emphasis on the importance of considering the life cycle costs early during the design process to optimize the functionality and economic viability. By investing in accessible and universal design features upfront, the initial costs for modifications can lead to long-term savings by reducing the need for extensive retrofits. The model can easily do comparison between different design alternatives in terms of their lifecycle costs, allowing designers to assess the financial impact of using important features in their design such as wider doorways, accessible bathrooms, and elevators. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for designers and homeowners about the economic aspects of designing AIP homes as a support for efficient decision-making during the early stages of the design process.

In order to solve the problem of large eddy current loss and high temperature rise caused by large amount of permanent magnet, a new type of combined magnetic pole permanent magnet motor is proposed in this paper. The sinusoidal distribution subdomain model of non-uniform air gap rotor is established by using Laplace equation, and the analytical expression of eddy current loss of rotor in uniform air-gap and non-uniform air-gap is derived. The effect of rotor eccentricity on eddy current loss is obtained. According to the characteristics of distributed winding of non-uniform air gap combined pole permanent magnet motor, equivalent treatment is performed to obtain the equivalent thermal conductivity, so as to establish equivalent thermal network model of motor, calculate the temperature value of each component of the motor, and verify the correctness of the thermal network model through the method of magnetothermal bidirectional coupling. Finally, an experimental platform is set up to carry out temperature rise experiments on the two prototypes respectively. Experimental results show that the non-uniform air-gap rotor structure can effectively reduce the rotor eddy current loss and motor temperature rise, and also verify the accuracy of the analytical model calculation results.

Soccer is the leading cause of all sports-related ocular injuries in Europe and Israel and leads to blindness at a disproportionately high rate, especially among children (Thompson et al., 2019). With soccer being the most popular sport in the world, it is surprising the only solution to ocular injuries are sports glasses which can cause direct damage to the eye and impair peripheral vision by 15%, calling for an alternative (Smith & Jones, 2020). This work, based on an imported facial model, focuses on both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of building a personalized, low-cost (through optimizing material needed), superior apparatus to conventional sports glasses. The quantitative side examines a modified and model-validated (through a SRS of thirty unique extrapolated points) multivariate linear regression equation, based on horizontal and vertical rotation angles (n=60) trained with residual and computer simulation data, that can accurately extrapolate and quantify ocular impact from all horizontal and vertical rotation angles and a modified Hertzian Contact Stress Equation to determine the thickness of the apparatus using the elasticity modulus, impact force, and geometrical facial and soccer-ball features. The qualitative side examines where firstly, ocular impact is most prevalent, and secondly, where most impact is seen from rotating the ball horizontally and vertically through analysis of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient at the supraorbital, medial canthus, infraorbital, and lateral canthus regions from both regression equations as well as a cost-benefit analysis for comparison with conventional sports glasses. The findings discovered in this work lay the groundwork for future research to build a customized low-cost ocular injury prevention device which can simultaneously ensure complete ocular safety while enhancing athletic performance for over 250,000,000 players (Johnson & Garcia, 2022).

The continuous flowing spacetime forms a spacetime group G, one of its fundamental groups is the Poincare group PO(1,3), and the matter and interaction fields are representations of its intrinsic spacetime group. As a kind of quantized space-time unit, space-time group elements generate both space-time manifolds and matter. Matter and fields are aggregates of the quantum space-time within them and determine their type: the Lorentz group SO(1,3) represents a rotating spacetime corresponding to visible matter and the translation group P^1,3 represents a translational spacetime corresponding to dark matter and dark energy. The aggregation mode of space-time degrees of freedom in matter reveals that charge conjugation symmetry is the inverse symmetry of internal time of charged particles, and the external parity breaking of neutrinos is also due to their internal spatial aggregation mode.

The Distributed eLearning Center (DeLC) is a portal, providing extensive support in the day-to-day work when it comes to e-learning content – it helps students and teachers organize their learning materials, fill the gaps in knowledge (for students) and educational approaches (for teachers), organize and conduct exams, and overall, with providing proactive and personalized e-learning environment. The scope of DeLC as a project involves many extensions, covering the aspects of learning, teaching, exams, and collecting statistical information. Such extension is an agent-oriented environment, which enriches the functionalities with intelligent components, that are reactive and proactive, referred to as agents or assistants. This paper is focused on presenting the latest step in the evolution of FraudDetector software agent, which started with base functionality for fraud detection, and now it aims at usage of AI to accomplish its tasks, taking advantage not only from its knowledgebase, but from a much larger one, used by ChatGPT – through integration with it, which is the main contribution of this research, although the real results from production environment are still pending. In this process, agent’s architecture should stay open for collaboration with another external AI provider if necessary, trying to decouple the components, responsible for integration. As of now, the experiments show that involving ChatGPT in FraudDetector’s functionality enriches it and the agent’s precision could be improved this way.

By examining Planck's equation E=hν, one finds an analogy with accounting billing for electricity. Frequency and power have a physical dimension T-1, so one obtains an energy value accounted for over a time interval by multiplying them by this time interval. By investigating this analogy, one finds a surprising mistake in Planck's law for the frequency of black body radiation: confusion between two contexts, one for radiation power and one for a timeless energy density. One goes from one to the other by an accounting-type transformation: a multiplication by 4π/c or c/4π. Correcting this mistake makes a Planck constant h timeless, invalidating the photon definition and de Broglie’s wave-particle duality. Despite this mistake, one obtains the same value for the black body radiation; it goes unnoticed. Consequently, the Planck relation becomes P=hν, with the energy of a cycle equal to h, whatever the frequency. One can consider this cycle as a new photon, which behaves like a particle by its radiation pressure. Its energy-mass equivalence h=mɣc2 gives a mass of 4.134883524·10-15 eV, in the range referenced by the Particle Data Group. This correction of Planck's relation calls quantum physics into question.

Collecting and recording physiological parameters and forwarding this data via telemedicine or remote surveys may significantly increase the health and safety of people working under extreme environmental conditions, like firefighters, mountain rescuers, disaster control employees, military personnel, etc. First, ruggedized systems, as small, lightweight, and flexible as possible, are needed to optimize the goal of increasing occupational health and safety of persons at risk and maximizing their performance during missions. Previous systems could only record a very limited number of parameters, and a few could forward the data online to return information to the user. Therefore, in order to record several meaningful, valid, and reliable physiological parameters synchronized, an extension of existing systems is required. This review highlights this problem and gives an overview of the historical development. The actual status of the systems available was listed and described comparatively. In the end, a proven, promising, and innovative solution is presented that can solve the problem and allow people to work more safely in extreme environments, which may represent the future.

The cooking method is extremely important for the production of low-salt, wet-marinated, fermented golden pomfret because it strongly influences its flavor components and organoleptic quality. There are also significant differences in flavor preferences in different populations. The present study analyzed differences in the aroma characteristics of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret after boiling, steaming, microwaving, air frying and baking using a combination of an electronic nose, GC-IMS and SPME-GC-MS. Electronic nose PCA showed that the flavors of the boiled (A), steam (B) and microwave (C) treatment groups were similar, and the flavors of baking (D) and air frying (E) were similar. A total of 72 flavor compounds were detected in the GC-IMS analysis, and comparative analysis of the cooked wet-marinated and fermented golden pomfret yielded a greater abundance of flavor compounds. SPME-GC-MS analysis detected 108 flavor compounds, and the results were similar to the baking and air frying. Twelve key flavor substances, including hexanal, isovaleraldehyde, and (E)-2-dodecenal, were identified by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and VIP analysis. These results show that cooking method is a key factor in the flavor distribution of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret, and consumers can choose the appropriate cooking method accordingly.

Hepatitis E virus is a major etiological agent of chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed individuals. Studies on HEV in the context of liver transplantation have produced mixed results, most of the data coming from studies conducted in high-income countries. This was a prospective cohort study of liver transplant recipients in southeastern Brazil. Recipients were systematically followed for one year, with the objective of determining the prevalence, incidence, genotype, and natural history of HEV infection in this population. We included 107 liver transplant recipients and 83 deceased donors. Positivity for anti-HEV IgG was detected in 11 (10.2%) of the recipients and in eight (9.7%) of the donors. None of the patients tested positive for HEV RNA at baseline or during follow-up. There were no episodes of reactivation or seroconversion, even in cases of serological donor-recipient mismatch or in recipients with acute hepatitis. Acute and chronic HEV infections seem to be rare events in the region studied. That could be attributable to social, economic, and environmental factors. Our data indicate that, among liver transplant recipients, hepatitis E should be investigated only when there are elevated levels of transaminases with no defined cause, as part of the differential diagnosis of seronegative hepatitis after transplantation.

E-waste is considered the fastest-growing global waste stream and has become an emerging environmental challenge. The widespread usage of digital devices has generated a large amount of e-waste. According to the Ministry of Commerce, India annually generates ~14.5 lakh metric tons of e-waste and recycles only ~5 % of e-waste. Annually, the global production of e-waste has been expected to increase by 4–5 %. Advancements in IT and communication divisions have improved the usage of electronic equipment. Heavy metals such as (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), tin (Sn), and organic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are subsequently released from e-wastes and contaminates soil and water sources. These toxic compounds are hazardous to human health and the environment. They are capable of entering various biological systems and causing alterations in respiratory functions of the lungs, DNA damage, impaired functioning of the thyroid, and increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular ailments. Such concerns raise the quintessential need to manage e-waste to prevent future hazards. This manuscript critically reviews the sources, health and environmental impact, disposal techniques, recycling, and regulation of e-waste.

Lignin, and its by-products in the effluent of most agrochemical-based industries like pulp and paper, increase environmental pollution. There is, therefore, an increasing demand to degrade lignin and its derivatives using bacteria-produced ligninolytic enzymes. This study focused on optimizing growth and lignin peroxidase production of ligninolytic potential bacterial strains (E. coli accession no: LR0250096.1 and P. aeruginosa accession no: CP031449.2) for the first time. A submerged fermentation process was used to simultaneously optimize growth and crude lignin peroxidase production using kraft lignin as the substrate. The E. coli and P. aeruginosa were separately cultured under different pH, temperature, lignin (substrate) concentration and incubation periods. It was observed that the enzyme production was growth dependent. The optimum conditions for E. coli were pH 7.5, temperature 30 °C and lignin concentration 1 g/L. For P. aeruginosa the best conditions were pH 6.5, temperature 40 °C and lignin concentration 1 g/L. The enzyme production peaked after 7 days of incubation for both organisms were 21.53 ± 3.11 mg/ml and 18.13 ± 2.1 mg/ml respectively. It is apparent that both E. coli (LR0250096.1) and P. aeruginosa (CP031449.2) are mesophiles bacteria. E. coli function best in alkaline pH while P. aeruginosa prefers a slightly acidic environment. Hence, they are promising candidates in the reduction of lignocellulosic wastes.

Enteric viruses are the major cause of gastroenteritis and enteric hepatitis worldwide, but in some areas like Saudi Arabia little data is known about their presence in water sources. The available information from clinical samples is not enough to figure their actual prevalence. The aim of this study was to gather information for the first time in Saudi Arabia on the presence of Norovirus (NoV) genogroup GI and GII, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in water. For this purpose, thirteen monthly samples were collected in lake Wadi Hanifa and surrounding wells from December 2014 to November 2015. Viruses were detected and quantified by Real-time RT-qPCR. Despite HEV findings were anecdotic, our results highlight interesting behaviors of the other viruses. There was a higher prevalence of noroviruses in Wadi Hanifa samples than in well water samples (46.43% vs12.5% of NoV GI; 66.67% vs8.33% of NoV GII). On the contrary, similar levels of HAV positivity were observed (40.48% in surface water vs 43.06% in well water). Also, a strong influence of flooding events on HAV and NoV GI occurrence was observed in both surface and well water samples, being NoV GII apparently not affected.

As customer demand for green products increases in the digital economic era, this study analyses the green innovation of the e-tailer and supplier in drop shipping models. Moreover, drop shipping e-tailers and suppliers with a drop shipping option need to make choices regarding whether to provide green or normal products to the market. When a supplier with a drop shipping option produces green products, more fees may be invested on the production of green products than on normal products. The drop shipping e-tailers and suppliers with a drop shipping option can also choose to sell normal products at a low cost, as before. This study designs four models of drop shipping e-teilers and suppliers with a drop shipping option under different choices, analyzes their operational process in drop shipping models, and investigates five theorems. The optimal pricings decisions and green degree of drop shipping e-tailers and suppliers with a drop shipping option were evaluated in this study. The impacts of the green innovation factor, green elasticity coefficient, manufacturing and distribution costs on the drop shipping e-tailers and suppliers with a drop shipping option, and the effect of other environmental parameters on the green degree of green products are also analyzed through computer simulation. The findings of the simulation analysis provide valuable guidance for e-tailers and suppliers with green innovation in drop shipping models and offer important academic and practical implications for e-commerce and the digital economy.

Mid-latitude sporadic-E (Es) is an intermittent phenomenon of the lower E region of the ionosphere. Es clouds are thin, transient, and patchy layers of intense ionization, with ionization densities which can be much higher than in the background ionosphere. Oblique reflection of radio signals in the very high frequency (VHF) range is regularly supported, but the mechanism for it has never been clearly established - specular reflection, scattering, and magnetoionic double refraction have all been suggested. This article proposes using the polarization behaviour of signals reflected from intense midlatitude sporadic-E clouds as an indicator of the true reflection mechanism. Results are presented from a measurement campaign in the summer of 2018, which gathered a large amount of data at a receiving station in the UK using 50 MHz amateur radio beacons as signal sources. In all cases the signals received were elliptically polarized, despite being transmitted with linear polarization; there were also indications that polarization behaviour varied systematically with the orientation of the path to the geomagnetic field. This represents, for all the examples recorded, clear evidence that signals were reflected from midlatitude Es by magnetoionic double refraction.

Extremely low concentrations of ciprofloxacin may select for antimicrobial resistance. A recent global survey found that ciprofloxacin concentrations exceded safe levels at 64 sites. We assessed if national median ciprofloxacin concentrations in rivers were associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in Escherichia coli. Methods Spearman’s regression was used to assess the country-level association between the national prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli and the median ciprofloxacin concentration in the countries rivers. Results The prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli was positively correlated with the concentration of ciprofloxacin in rivers (ρ=0.36; P=0.011; N=48). Conclusions Steps to reducing the concentrations of fluoroquinolones in rivers may help prevent the emergence of resistance in E. coli and other bacterial species.

We report on the successful preparation of wet dressings hydrogels based on Chitosan-Poly(N-Vinyl-Pyrrolidone)-Poly(ethylene glycol)-Poly(acrylic acid) and Poly(ethylene oxide) by e-beam cross-linking in weakly acidic media, to be used for rapid healing and pain release of infected skin wounds. The structure and compositions of hydrogels investigated according to sol-gel and swelling studies, network parameters, as well as FTIR and XPS analyses showed the efficient interaction of the hydrogel components upon irradiation, maintaining the bonding environment while the cross-linking degree increasing with the irradiation dose and the formation of a structure with the mesh size in the range 11-67 nm. Hydrogels with gel fraction above 85% and the best-swelling properties in different pH solutions were obtained for hydrogels produced with 15 kGy. The hydrogels are stable in the simulated physiological condition of an infected wound and show appropriate moisture retention capability and the water vapor transmission rate up to 272.67 g m-2 day-1, to ensure fast healing. The hydrogels proved to have a significant loading capacity of ibuprofen (IBU), being able to incorporate a therapeutic dose for the treatment of severe pains. Simultaneously, IBU was released up to 25% in the first 2h, having a release maximum after 8h.

There is an increasing clinical need to develop novel biomaterials that combine regenerative and biocidal properties. In this work, we present the preparation of silver /silica based glassy bioactive (ABG) compositions via a facile, fast (20h), and low temperature (80 °C) approach and their characterization. The fabrication process included the synthesis of the bioactive glass (BG) particles followed by the surface modification of the bioactive glass with silver nanoparticles. The microstructural features of ABG samples before and after exposure to simulated body fluid (SBF) as well as their ion release behavior during SBF test were evaluated using infrared spectrometry (FTIR), ultraviolet- visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopies (TEM and SEM) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The antibacterial properties of the experimental compositions were tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results indicated that the prepared ABG materials possess antibacterial activity against E. coli, which is directly correlated with the glass surface modification.

In recent years information and communication technologies (ICT) play a significant role in all aspects of modern society and impact socioeconomic development in sectors as education, administration, business, medical care and agriculture. The benefits of such technologies in agriculture can be appreciated only if farmers use them. In order to predict and evaluate the adoption of these new technological tools, the technology acceptance model (TAM) can be a valid aid. The paper measures the potential acceptance of an e-learning tool designed for EU farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs. Starting from a literature review of the technology acceptance model, by analyzing the most commonly used external variables in the fields of e-learning, Agriculture, and Virtual reality, the analysis shows that computer self-efficacy, individual innovativeness, computer anxiety, perceived enjoyment, social norm, content and system quality, experience and facilitating conditions are the most common determinants addressing technology acceptance. Furthermore, findings evidenced that the external variables have a different impact on the two main beliefs of the TAM Model, Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU). This study is expected to bring theoretical support for academics when determining the variables to be included in TAM extensions.

Many various using of this new-born fuzzy model for solving real-world problems and urgent requirements involve introducing new concept for analyzing the situations which leads to solve them by proper, quick and ecient method based on statistical data. This gap between the model and its solution cause that we introduce nikfar domination in neutrosophic graphs as creative and eective tool for studying a few selective vertices of this model instead of all ones by using special edges. Being special selection of these edges aect to achieve quick and proper solution to these problems. Domination hasn't ever been introduced. So we don't have any comparison with another de nitions. The most used graphs which have properties of being complete, empty, bipartite, tree and like stu and they also achieve the names for themselves, are studied as fuzzy models for getting nikfar dominating set or at least becoming so close to it. We also get the relations between this special edge which plays main role in doing dominating with other special types of edges of graph like bridges. Finally, the relation between this number with other special numbers and characteristic of graph like order are discussed.

This study was undertaken to derive and analyze the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS (AMSR-E) sea surface temperature (SST) footprint associated with the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) Level-2 (L2) product. The footprint, in this case, is characterized by the weight attributed to each 4  4 km square contributing to the SST value of a given AMSR-E pixel. High-resolution L2 SST fields obtained from the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), carried on the same spacecraft as AMSR-E, are used as the sub-resolution “ground truth“ from which the AMSR-E footprint is determined. Mathematically, the approach is equivalent to a linear inversion problem, and its solution is pursued by means of a constrained least square approximation based on the bootstrap sampling procedure. The method yielded an elliptic-like Gaussian kernel with an aspect ratio  1.58, very close to the AMSR-E 6.93GHz channel aspect ratio,  1.7. (The 6.93GHz channel is the primary spectral frequency used to determine SST.) The semi-major axis of the estimated footprint is found to be alignedwith the instantaneous field-of-view of the sensor as expected fromthe geometric characteristics of AMSR-E. Footprintswere also analyzed year-by-year and as a function of latitude and found to be stable – no dependence on latitude or on time. Precise knowledge of the footprint is central for any satellite-derived product characterization and, in particular, for efforts to deconvolve the heavily oversampled AMSR-E SST fields and for studies devoted to product validation and comparison. A preliminarly analysis suggests that use of the derived footprint will reduce the variance between AMSR-E and MODIS fields compared to the results obtained.

This research assess the effects of training program based on the usage of the digital learning objects in teaching practice at the Northern Borders University staff. E Assessment through the tablets and smart phones and the teachers’ attitudes towards such way of evaluation is the major objective of this study as the researcher expects that the assessment mechanism in the university through utilization of tablets and smart phones and its application will inevitably bring in a systematic improvement in the assessment and evaluation process of the curricula. Moreover, making use of the e learning objects in training will make a significant change in e training program of the university. Hence, the researcher has chosen voluntary random samples from the university teaching staff (men\women) from various different faculties (medicine, medical sciences, science, education and arts, business administration, home economics, and science and literature). These samples included 300 members of the teaching staff. In a group of 20 to 25 members, a personal training was conducted regarding the usage of tablets and smart phones and its applications in the assessment process. Each group participated by producing a complete e-assessment for their students in the Northern Borders University and by the e learning system i.e. Blackboard and Question Mark. The research also depends on the semi-experimental design of multiple groups and on testing the groups’ pre and post achievement tests. In addition, the research identifies the level of the university teaching staff in using the tablets and the smartphones and its applications in the assessment process by the note card that the individuals have during the test.

Vitamin A and E are important during pregnancy, the neonatal period, and childhood. The objective of this study was to assess whether maternal RRR-a-tocopherol supplementation affects serum and breast milk retinol. Serum was collected at baseline and twenty days later, and breast milk, at baseline, and on days 1, 7, and 20 after delivery. After the baseline serum collection, the supplemented group (n=16) received a single 400 IU of RRR-α-tocopherol. The control group (n=18) was only performed collections. Retinol and alpha tocopherol levels were determined by liquid chromatography. Serum retinol and alpha tocopherol at baseline and 20 days after delivery indicated proper vitamin A (> 20 µg/dL) and E (> 516 μg/dL) statuses in the control and supplemented groups (p > 0.05). Colostrum retinol levels on days 1 and 7 after delivery were significantly higher in the supplemented group (p = 0.018 and p = 0.012, respectively). Maternal vitamin E supplementation increased colostrum retinol by 52.23% and 111.2%, 24 hours and 7 days, respectively. However, retinol in mature milk did not differ between the groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation with 400 IU of RRR-α-tocopherol improved vitamin A bioavailability in breast milk.

Lectins are carbohydrate-interacting proteins playing a pivotal role in multiple physiological and developmental aspects of all organisms. They can specifically interact with different bacterial and viral pathogens through the carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRD). In addition, lectins are also of biotechnological interest because of their potential use as biosensor for capturing and identification of bacterial species. In this work, we have characterized the bacterial agglutination properties of three C-type lectins from the Lepidoptera Spodoptera exigua. One of these lectins, BLL2, was able to agglutinate cells from a broad range of bacterial species at an extremely low concentration, becoming a very interesting protein to be used as biosensor or other biotechnological applications involving bacterial capturing.

IgE-mediated wheat allergy is a gluten-related disorder. Wheat is one of the five most common food allergens in children. However, the natural history of IgE-mediated wheat allergy has seldom been described in the research literature. This study presents the current state of knowledge about the IgE-mediated wheat allergy in children.

(1)Background：To date, no studies have epidemiologically examined whether the concentration of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and its ionic components is related to the prevalence of skin symptoms. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify this association in patients with allergic diseases. (2)Methods: From February 1 to May 31, 2020, we evaluated the daily prevalence of skin symptoms in outpatients with allergic diseases being treated at Fukuoka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, and measured the concentration of PM2.5 and its ionic components. （3）Results: Univariate analysis showed a statistically significant association between skin symptoms and the concentration of PM2.5 and the ionic components SO42-, NH4+, K+, and Mg2+, and multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant association between the daily prevalence of skin symptoms and the concentration of the ionic components SO42- or Mg2+. (4)Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the concentration of some PM2.5 ionic components may affect skin symptoms in patients with allergic diseases.

In this paper we present a city-scale (possibly global) air pollution network made of low-cost sensors for particulate matter concentration in the air. The components of presented system are based on our research and experience from previous studies focused on air quality instruments and sensors for addressing urban air pollution. Sensor nodes are produced locally and distributed over a city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The system collects, calibrates and displays particulate metal concentrations in real-time. In comparison to the available measurements from governmental institutions, our system demonstrated good agreement of measured parameters, with several advantages including: higher resolution in space and time, lower costs, both horizontal and vertical measurements and many more. One of the capabilities of the system is the real-time air pollution city map with animations. By installing multiple sensor nodes over a slope (cable car), we receive vertical measurements of temperature, humidity and particulate matter concentration in real time, which gives a valuable insight into the dynamics of temperature inversion episodes and air pollution below the inversion layer.

Air pollution is a situation that negatively affects the health of humans and all living things in nature and causes financial damage to the environment. In the case of air pollution, harmful and foreign substances in the air reach an amount and density above normal values. Air pollution also causes climate change, which affects global warming. Particulate matter is a harmful substance that harms the health of humans and other living things, causes air pollution, increases radiation, and negatively affects cloud formation. Particulate matter is extremely small solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air. PM10, which is less than 10 microns in diameter, is defined as small particles that can remain in the air for a long time and settle in the respiratory tract, damaging the lungs. Many criteria affect PM10 density and changes in density. The main criteria are vehicle traffic and fuel consumption, industrialization, coal, fuel oil and wood-burning heaters, greenhouse gas impact, and unregulated urbanization. It is important to identify the underlying causes of air pollution caused by PM10. In this context, these criteria need to be evaluated to minimize the negative effects of PM10. In the study, monthly average PM10 data between 2019 and 2023 obtained from the Air Monitoring Station in Kocaeli, Türkiye are used. After determining the criteria affecting PM10, the criteria are prioritized with the Intuitionistic Fuzzy AHP (IF-AHP) method by taking expert decision-maker opinions. The proposed decision-making model aims to guide obtaining the important causes of PM10 emission in terms of danger and focusing on these causes. Additionally, PM10 data is analyzed in the context of Covid-19 and a statistical analysis is made. One-way ANOVA is used to evaluate whether there is a significant difference in the average monthly data over the years. Games-Howell test, one of the post-hoc tests, is used for differences between groups (years). The study is important in that it provides a focus on the criteria affecting PM10 with an intuitive fuzzy perspective, along with statistical analysis.

Inhaled particulate matter (PM) is a key player in the millions of yearly deaths worldwide related to air pollution. The oxidative potential of PM provides an indication of its ability to promote an oxidative environment. When the human lungs are exposed to PM, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in such oxidative environment, if excessive, may lead to cell damage via oxidative stress. Inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, airway remodeling, and many different cell death modes (apoptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, among others) can be triggered by oxidative stress via complex molecular pathways, which also involve the adaptive cellular response. But ROS can also directly interact with macromolecules such as proteins and lipids, as well as nucleic acids, having been reported to induce DNA damage and epigenetic modifications, which jeopardizes homeostasis. These facts have been extensively studied in in vitro models and confirmed in in vivo models.In this review, we delve beyond conventional assessments of airborne particles, discussing their oxidative potential and the PM-induced ROS-mediated cellular damage observed in in vitro models. The close link between oxidative stress and inflammation, and the manifestation of different cell death modes is highlighted by reviewing the latest literature. The effects of ROS on the balance of DNA damage and repair, carcinogenicity and epigenetics interplay are then analyzed. Finally, we expand on the latest reports on the antioxidants’ potential to counteract the deleterious effects of ROS, and disclose future perspectives for the topic.

Due to the growth of tourism, mining and manufacturing, economy of the Hainan Island, southern China has swiftly expanded, but also poses a risk of soil pollution by mercury (Hg) due to the traffic and mineral processing. In order to investigate the characteristics of soil Hg pollution in the Hainan Island and assess the health risk, a total of 239 samples were gathered from five representative regions across the island. A vehicle-mounted potable mercury analyzer was used to measure the atmospheric Hg and soil Hg concentrations in the collected samples. The results indicate that the soil Hg concentration of the five sub-study areas exhibits notable fluctuations, which was found to be influenced by various factors, including wind direction, mining activities, and economic development conditions. The degree of Hg pollution was assessed using both the Single Pollution Index Method and the Geoaccumulation Index Method. The results showed that although nearly half of the sampling points were contaminated, the current soil Hg level does not pose a non-carcinogenic risk to human health.

This study aims to elucidate the influence of meteorological conditions on particle levels in Cergy-Pontoise. It explores the temporal variability of PM10 pollution days by associating them with the vertical temperature profile derived from conventional radiosondes from 2013 to 2022 (regional station). The results indicate that nearly 80% of exceedance days were associated with thermal inversions, primarily observed in winter and typically lasting 1 to 3 days. Analysis of winter thermal inversion characteristics suggests that those linked to pollution primarily occur near the ground, with higher intensity in December (12.1°C) and lower in February (10.3°C). Persistent inversions (extended nocturnal by diurnal inversion) account for 91.4% of the total inversions associated with high concentrations. Captive balloon soundings and temperature measurements at different altitudes were conducted during the winter of 2022/2023 to clarify thermal inversion in the Oise Valley at the center of Cergy-Pontoise. The results highlight three nocturnal wind circulation mechanisms in the valley, including downslope flow, circulation influenced by an urban heat island, and mechanical air evacuation under an inversion layer towards the less steep East side of the valley. Analysis of PM with the temperature gradient in the Oise Valley shows a significant correlation, suggesting an increase in concentrations during locally detected inversions and a decrease during atmospheric disturbance.

Air pollution poses a significant risk to public health and ecosystems. The use of sophisticated models to simulate the transformation and dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere is a recognized method to assess air pollution levels and its sources and inform policy decisions for effective mitigation strategies in urban and industrial environments. The reliability of models depends, in part, on the sensitivity to the variance of input parameters, which can introduce uncertainty into the model's predictions. This uncertainty is especially challenging when the input parameters exhibit inherent variability. In this study, we analyse the uncertainty of an integrated emission/dispersion model by evaluating the relationship between input parameters and model outcomes. We uncover new aspects of this relationship while clarifying some previously known dependencies. Wind speed was found to have the most significant effect on calculated concentrations, with small differences leading to substantial concentration variations. The time of day, which reflects prevailing vertical turbulence conditions, was also found to have a notable impact on concentrations, whereas ambient temperature can also significantly influence model’s results. Based on these findings, we offer specific recommendations for regulators and scientists involved in environmental impact assessment to improve the accuracy and reliability of air pollution modelling.

Urban dust samples were taken from the playgrounds of 27 schools located in the urban area of the city of Murcia (S.E. Spain). Their color and degree of magnetism were determined, as well as their heavy metal content (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn) to evaluate contamination by environmental and health indexes. The highest concentration of contaminants is found in dusts of dark color and medium and high magnetism. The concentrations of heavy metals in the dust were, in this order, Zn (453.74 mg kg-1)> Cu (77.44 mg kg-1)> Cr (67.93 mg kg-1)> Pb (55.72 mg kg-1)> Ni (18.56 mg kg-1)> Cd (0.42 mg kg-1). The analysis of the magnetic and non-magnetic fraction indicates that there is a concentration of all heavy metals in the magnetic fraction. According to the geoenvironmental indices used, the ecological risk presented by school playgrounds is moderate. As for the health indices, ingestion was the main route of exposure and entry of dust particles into the body, being the main health risk for adults and children for all metals. The Hazard Index (HI) values for all elements for both adults and children were less than 1, indicating that there is no risk of developing adverse health effects. As for the Cancer Risk (CR), the values of this index indicate that there is no risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate pollution in the playgrounds of schools in the city of Murcia.

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a primary contributor to the entanglement of numerous marine species. Utilizing digital media platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram we conducted an assessment of the detrimental effects of ALDFG and plastic litter, on the biodiversity of Italy's marine ecosystem. Our investigation revealed that plastic litter has adverse consequences on various forms of marine life, including reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, along different Italian geographical sub-areas. Several records of interaction between plastic and endangered and vulnerable marine species have been described. Our reports even highlight the impact on marine turtles, mainly on Caretta caretta. This is the first report of entangled with fishing nets in Cetorhinus maximus, Oblada melanura, Serranus scriba, Homarus gammarus, Octopus vulgaris, and Phoenicopterus roseus. Furthermore, we identified that ghost nets have repercussions for endangered and vulnerable marine species. This update sheds light on the ongoing adverse effects of ghost nets on the Italian marine ecosystem, yet it is crucial to acknowledge that the true extent of the problem remains underestimated.

The protection of all environmental compartments (water, soil, air) is of great interest for the normal functioning of life on Earth. Namely, the environment is systematically polluted with different concentrations of physical, biological and chemical pollutants. For the purpose of environmental protection, numerous in situ and ex situ biological, chemical and physical remediation techniques have been developed. Most techniques have limitations such as high costs, processing time and environmental feasibility. In general, biological techniques have proven to be the most environmentally friendly compared to chemical and physical techniques. Furthermore, remediation is an extremely complex procedure due to the complexity of the pollutant composition. Therefore, the implementation of individual physical, biological or chemical remediation techniques is often not sufficient for adequate remediation of the polluted environment. Accordingly, for more economical and efficient environmental remediation, it is recommended to use a combination of techniques that should meet the requirements of efficiency and treatment duration. Ultimately, this short review presents a concise overview of the recent application of physical, biological and chemical remediation techniques to all compartments of the polluted environment (water, air, soil). A critical review of existing knowledge on environmental remediation through a search of relevant literature helped to assess the basic challenges and limitations that arise in the issue of environmental remediation, as well as providing recommendations and guidelines for future research.

Water resource pollution, particularly in river channels, presents a grave environmental challenge that necessitates a comprehensive and systematic approach encompassing assessment, forecasting, and effective management. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of the methodology and modeling tools employed to scrutinize the process of river channel pollution due to silting, rooted in the fundamental principles of hydrodynamics and pollutant transport dynamics. The study's methodology seamlessly integrates numerical simulations with state-of-the-art neural network techniques, with a specific focus on the Physics-informed neural networks (PINN) method. This innovative approach represents a groundbreaking fusion of artificial neural networks (ANN) and physical equations, offering a more efficient and precise means of modeling a wide array of complex processes and phenomena. The proposed mathematical model, grounded in the Euler equation, has been meticulously implemented using the Ansys Fluent software package, ensuring accuracy and reliability in the computations. In a pivotal phase of the research, a thorough comparative analysis was conducted between the results derived from the PINN method and those obtained through conventional numerical approaches using the Ansys Fluent software package. The outcomes of this analysis revealed the superior performance of the PINN method, characterized by the generation of smoother pressure fluctuation profiles and significantly reduced computation time, underscoring its potential as a transformative modeling tool. The calculated data originating from this study assumes paramount significance in the ongoing battle against river sedimentation. Beyond this immediate application, these findings also serve as a valuable resource for creating predictive materials pertaining to river channel silting, thereby empowering decision-makers and environmental stakeholders with essential information. The utilization of modeling techniques to address pollution concerns in river channels holds the potential to revolutionize risk management and safeguard the integrity of our vital water resources. However, it is imperative to underscore that the effectiveness of such models hinges on ongoing monitoring and frequent data updates, ensuring that they remain aligned with real-world conditions. This research not only contributes to the enhanced understanding and proactive management of river channel pollution due to silting but also underscores the pivotal role of advanced modeling methodologies in the preservation of our invaluable water resources for present and future generations.

In the present study, we implemented species distribution models (SDMs) to determine the potential invasive distribution range of a cichlid fish, Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, in a very sensitive inland water system in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula where it is now established and spreading. By using the “Biomod2” package, and the latest CMIP6 climate data, four single species distribution models and EM were built, and the results were evaluated by operating characteristic (ROC) and the true skill statistic (TSS). Based on the relative importance of climate factor analysis the mean diurnal range and precipitation seasonality were useful predictors of habitat suitability for O. niloticus. The response curve analysis indicated that the presence probability of O. niloticus decreased with increasing mean diurnal range and decreasing precipitation seasonality. The suitable distribution ranges for O. niloticus in the studied area were mainly distributed in the northeast of this region. The ensemble model results specified a significant impact of climate change on O. niloticus distribution, so highly suitable areas for this species will be reduced, while areas with low to moderate suitability increase slightly or remain unchanged. Based on the available data, Nile tilapia fulfills all four criteria to be considered as an invasive species: colonization in a new area, direct or indirect impacts of anthropological activity on its distribution range, geographical discontinuity between its native area (Africa) and the Arabian Peninsula (remote dispersal), and finally, its successful breeding in situ without human assistance resulting establishment of this biopollutant. Species distribution modeling provides insights into the factors that can reduce the risks and negative impacts of this biological pollutant on aquatic ecosystems of the southeastern Arabian Peninsula which harbors about 22 recognized fish species in 16 genera, 10 families, seven orders, and a class including 20 natives (seven endemic) species.

The accumulation of microplastics in the world oceans is one of the main global problems of the modern world. The Black Sea is the main source of seafood for people from several countries, including Bulgaria. The pollution of the Black sea is a result of various factors, especially anthropogenic. The present study demonstrated detailed MPs contamination of five fish species important for the commercial fishing (Garfish, Мullet, Knout goby, Pontic shad and Mediterranean horse mackerel) collected from the Sozopol area on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Within each microplastic morphological group, three size classes were recognized: 100-200 µm, 25-100 µm, and ≤ 25 µm. Microplastics were found in the soft tissues of all studied specimens but in a different ratio of pellets, fibers and fragments. Generally, the pellets were the most often registered particles, followed by irregularly-shaped fragments, whereas fibers were less numerous. The dominant part of the isolated plastics are made of polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Our results pointed out serious pollution with plastic particles in the Bulgarian Black Sea aquatory, which in the future may seriously affect the health of the fish population and also human health.

Pollution of urban surface dust with hazardous elements (HEs) is a serious environmental issue due to its toxicity and potential hazardous effects. Surface dust samples were collected from core urban, urban, and suburban gradients in the Urumqi city of the arid NW China, and the concentrations of six HEs, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and chromium (Cr), were determined. The pollution load index (PLI) and the US EPA health risk assessment model were applied to analyze and compare the pollution levels and potential health risk of HEs in surface dusts in different urbanization gradients. The obtained results indicate that the average concentrations of Hg, Cd, and Ni in surface dust decrease in the order of core urban > urban > suburban, whereas the average concentrations of As, Cr, and Pb decrease in the order of urban > core urban > suburban. The PLI of HEs in surface dust decreased in the order of core urban > urban > suburban. The concentrations of HEs in the core urban and urban gradients are relatively higher than in the suburban gradient. Furthermore, the total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk index of investigated HEs in surface dust decrease in order of urban > core urban > suburban, for both adults and children. In addition, the pollution of surface dust with HEs in all urbanization gradients is more harmful to the children's health than to the adults. Overall, the potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks of the investigated HEs, instigated primarily by oral ingestion of surface dust, are found to be within the acceptable range. However, urbanization can effects the accumulation of HEs in surface dust, and Cr is the main non-carcinogenic risk factor, whereas Cd is the main carcinogenic risk factor among the analyzed HEs in surface dust in all urbanization gradients.

This review evaluates the trajectory and sustainability of the global and Mexican aquaculture industry. Globally, the sector is experiencing rapid growth, catalyzed by evolving consumption patterns and technological advancements. Notwithstanding the benefits, environmental concerns necessitate an urgent shift towards sustainable practices. The focus then narrows to Mexico's aquaculture, tracing its history from the late 19th century. With an emphasis on species diversification, the country's sector demonstrates resilience and potential, with an impressive yield of 249,613.71 tons in 2021 despite regional consolidation. However, persistent challenges such as technological limitations, funding shortages, and access to quality seeds hinder progress. Risks, including disease outbreaks, negative environmental impact, economic volatility, regulatory compliance, and climate change, further underscore the need for sustainable strategies. With government support and unique geographical and climatic advantages, Mexico shows promise for a significant % growth projection of 25% over the next five years. This review underscores the importance of embracing technological innovation, implementing sustainable practices, and enacting supportive legislation for the long-term success of the aquaculture sector worldwide, with a particular focus on Mexico.

DBP and DEHP are two of the most common plasticisers used in modern industries, which have aroused a major concern over their ubiquitous occurrence and hazardous environmental effects. This study presents the first data of phthalates’ occurrence and distribution in the Maltese shoreline sand. DBP and DEHP occurrences’ was investigated in three busy and secluded beaches, respectively. Analytical determination involved quantifying DBP and DEHP from 75 samples using UPLC-MS/MS through triple repeatability. The concentrations ranged between 0.0095–0.07034 µg/g and <LOQ–0.0977 µg/g for DBP and DEHP, respectively. Statistical analysis of the comparison of phthalates in different beaches demonstrated that the occurrence of DBP and DEHP in Maltese shoreline sand varies. The differences in the occurrence of phthalates were attributed to the beaches’ topography and anthropogenic pressures. Analysis of the effects of anthropogenic activities on the occurrence of phthalates showed a positive association. Distribution analysis showed that DBP and DEHP exhibit an uneven distribution along the shoreline. Conversely, different distributions were observed at distances away from the sea. The uneven distributions observed were associated with anthropogenic activities, different chemodynamic properties and wave action. Cluster analysis was performed to prove the interactions between the phthalates’ concentrations and the characteristics of the beaches.

A review of pesticide residues detected in shrimp species of the Mexican Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts is presented. Most studies focus on monitoring organochlorine (OC) and organophosphate (OP) pesticides. The evaluated areas are mainly located in the northwestern zone of Mexico. Studies analyzing pesticides levels in shrimp of Mexico correspond to commercially important species, such as: Penaeus vannamei, Penaeus stylirostris, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, and Trachypenaeus similis pacificus. Extraction methods (sample preparation, extraction technique, solvent, and clean-up procedures) are presented, as well as chromatography and detector type used to quantify the analytes in the shrimp samples from the different ecosystems evaluated. Given that there is an under-evaluation of pesticides residues presence, there was a greater contribution of studies directed to geographical areas in the northwest of the country, with a monitoring gap in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in the southern zone, considering that there are states that are among the main shrimp-producing entities. Hence, it is necessary to carry out recent evaluations, since the most current information is 17 years out of date, so presented data may not be a reflection of the current situation in the country.

Accurate estimation of vehicle emissions is essential and can be helpful in the decision-making process. Thanks to calculation methods, it is possible to accurately estimate the emissions that result from driving a car and to determine their impact on, for example, the health of pedestrians who are on the pavement near an arterial road. Recent years have seen an increase in the use and importance of emission models, as well as vehicle traffic simulation models. Increasingly, emission models are being combined with traffic simulation models, as it is not practical to actually measure the on-road emissions of an entire fleet of vehicles over a given stretch of road. This paper provides an overview of the selected work on the topic of emission modelling and vehicle traffic simulation models. The models are distinguished according to their respective scales of accuracy, i.e., micro, meso, and macro. Selected work combining emission and traffic simulation models is also presented, as well as development trends in the field. In particular, the paper also highlights the fact of proper calibration of vehicle traffic simulation models in order to obtain the most reliable vehicle emissions results from computational models. The review of the works carried out may be helpful for future projects concerning the use of simulation tools for transport and environmental decision-makers in the area of arterial roads.

Water contamination has intensified over the year as the world's population and industrial activities have grown. Heavy metals (HMs) are amongst the environmental contaminants commonly found in water and wastewater. These include Lead, Manganese, Chromium, Mercury, etc. Various techniques have been used to remediate this environmental challenge and adsorption has proven to be more effective because it is simple to use, excellent efficiency, low cost, possibility to operate in several experimental conditions. Regrettably, this method yields waste materials, which represents a scaling restriction. Furthermore, after the HM has been removed and loaded onto the adsorbent, there is still a question of the fate of the metal-loaded adsorbent. Most of the time these metal loaded adsorbents are discarded in the environment and constitute a secondary pollution. New applications for heavy metals laden have been investigated. This review article presents the various applications that had been investigated to reuse the loaded metal adsorbent. A case study on developing tools for combatting gender-based violence (GBV) has also been discussed.

Several studies have identified a relationship between air pollution and depression, particularly in relation to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure. However, the strength of this association appears to be moderated by variables such as age, gender, genetic vulnerability, physical activity and climatic conditions, and has not been assessed at a cross-national level to date. The current study examines the association between the prevalence of depression in each country, based on the most recent Global Burden of Disease Study data, and the average national level of PM2.5 based on the World Health Organization’s database. The observed associations were adjusted for age, gender, level of physical activity, income, education, population density, climate, and type of depression. It was observed that there was a modest but significant positive correlation between PM2.5 level and the prevalence of depression even after adjusting for the above confounders. This association was more marked above a certain threshold and applied chiefly to major depressive episodes. These findings are of significant public health importance in terms of preventive strategies aimed at reducing the population-level burden of depression.

Plastic waste management has become a major problem in the present times, and many countries are struggling to deal with it. The situation has become a crisis in developing nations due to a lack of proper waste management, resources, technology, and political will. The extensive usage of foam-based packaging materials such as Styrofoam as a secondary packaging material has led to environmental pollution both in land and water, in developing countries. It is important to address this problem using a sustainable approach such as biomimetic manufacturing. One such solution that is present in developed nations is mycelium-based packaging, wherein the agricultural and industrial-based cellulose waste is converted into a biocomposite with the help of a fungi root network. Such a process has the potential to convert biomass into useful products but also has an indirect effect on pollution reduction by eliminating stubble burning in nations like India. In this review, we examine the details of the manufacturing process, properties, advantages, and limitations of such composite materials. A comparison of the present status of such materials produced in the market by some of the companies across the world is presented. Finally, the challenges involved with such materials and the future directions are discussed.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is strongly associated with tobacco smoking and it is the increasing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prevalence of COPD among never smokers varies widely across regions, areas, and nations. COPD in smokers has been extensively explored worldwide, however, COPD in non-smokers is under-explored and there is limited data available on non-smoking COPD. We determined the role of environmental pollution and biomass fuel exposure in COPD patients who were non-smokers. We evaluated the clinical profile of non-smokers with COPD in a retrospective observational study. 180 non-smoker COPD patients were selected from the year 2016-to 2018. We found that many patients with COPD are non-smokers and the incidence is higher among the rural population, suggesting that non-smoking COPD is evolving rapidly due to biomass smoke and other environmental pollutant exposures.

TRPOMI instrument aboard Sentinel-5P is a relatively new, high-resolution source of information about atmosphere composition. One of the primary atmospheric trace gases that we can observe through it is nitrogen dioxide. By now, we were using the chemical weather model (GEM-AQ) as a mean for estimating nitrogen dioxide concentration on a regional scale. Although well established in atmospheric science, the GEM-AQ simulations were always based on emission data, which in the case of the energy sector were reported by stack owners. In this paper, we attempted to compare the TROPOMI and GEM-AQ derived VCDs over Poland with a particular focus on large point emitters. We also checked how cloudy conditions influence TROPOMI results. Finally, we tried to link the NO2 column number densities with surface concentration using boundary layer height as an additional explanatory variable

Today, air quality is one of the global concerns that governments are facing. One of the main air pollutants is the particulate matter (PM) that affects human health. This article presents the modeling of a purification system by means of negative air ions (NAIs) for air pollutant removal, using computational intelligence methods. The system uses a high voltage booster output to ionize air molecules from stainless steel electrodes; its particle-capturing efficiency reaches up to 97%. With two devices (5 x 2 x 2.5 cm), 2 trillion negative ions are produced per second, and the particulate matter (PM 2.5) can be reduced from 999 to 0 mg / m3 in a period of approximately 5 to 7 minutes (in a 40 x 40 x 40 cm acrylic chamber). This negative ion generator is a viable and sustainable alternative to reduce polluting emissions, with beneficial effects on human health.

We currently face several, interlinked environmental crises, including climate change, habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. However, many governments seem unwilling to take strong and immediate action to address these threats, preferring to promote neoliberal approaches to allow consumers and the general public to make environmentally friendly choices. This is despite neoliberal approaches being much less likely to be successful than government leadership, taxation, subsidies, and legislation in addressing environmental issues. In this study, we examine public perception of environmental threats and solutions to these threats, in a survey, mainly completed in the UK. Climate change is seen as the biggest issue, likely due to recent activist campaigns and subsequent media attention on the issue. Neoliberal attitudes, such as green consumer choices to environmental concerns, do still dominate in a series of possible presented solutions, and score more highly than lifestyle changes such as changing diet. However, when questioned specifically about plastic pollution, government intervention to ban all unnecessary plastic scored very strongly, indicating a shift from a consumer driven response. Furthermore, most participants think they are at best only partly ‘doing their bit’ to protect the environment. The results demonstrate that the public are aware that not enough is happening to protect the environment and provide evidence that there is willingness for stronger government intervention to address environmental issues, although there is potential resistance to major lifestyle changes.

Understanding the relationships between land cover/urban structure patterns and air pollutants is key to sustainable urban planning and development. In this study, we employ a mobile monitoring method to collect PM_2.5 and BC data in the city of Philadelphia, PA during the summer of 2019 and apply the Structure of Urban Landscapes (STURLA) methodology to examine relationships between urban structure and atmospheric pollution. We find that, while PM_2.5 and BC vary by STURLA class, many of the differences in pollutant concentrations between classes are not significant. However, we also find that the proportions in which STURLA components are present throughout the urban landscape can be used to predict urban air pollution. Among frequently sampled STURLA classes, gpl hosted the highest PM_2.5 concentrations on average (16.60 _± 4.29 µg/m³), while tgbwp hosted the highest BC concentrations (2.31 _± 1.94 µg/m³). Furthermore, STURLA combined with machine learning modeling was able to correlate PM_2.5 (R²= 0.68, RMSE 2.82 µg/m³) and BC (R² = 0.64, RMSE 0.75 µg/m³) concentrations with the urban landscape and spatially interpolate concentrations where sampling did not take place. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the STURLA methodology in modeling relationships between air pollution and land cover/urban structure patterns.

Air pollution contributes to a critical environmental problem in various towns and cities. With the emergence of the smart cities concept, appropriate methods to curb associated with exposure to pollutants must have been a portion of appropriate urban development policy. This study presents a technologically driven air quality solution in smart cities to advertise energy-efficient and cleaner sequestration in these areas. It aims to address the issue of how to integrate the data-based strategies and artificial intelligence into efficient public sector pollution management in smart cities as a core part of the smart city definition. Exploratory research has been used in 152 smart cities, and environmental experts contributed to this study. It further addresses the technical criteria for implementing such a framework that the public administration uses to prepare the renovation of public buildings, minimize energy use and costs, and link these smart police stations to monitor air pollution as a part of integrated cities. Such a digital transition in resource management will increase public governance's energy performance, a higher standard of operation, and a healthier environment.

Recently, we have witnessed a booming development of composites and multi-dopant metal oxides to be employed as novel photocatalysts. Yet the practical application of photocatalysis for environmental purposes is still elusive. Concerns about the unknown fate and toxicity of nanoparticles, unsatisfactory performance in real conditions, mass transfer limitations and durability issues have so far discouraged investments in full-scale applications of photocatalysis. Herein, we provide a critical overview of the main challenges that are limiting large-scale application of photocatalysis in air and water/wastewater purification. We then discuss the main approaches reported in the literature to tackle these shortcomings, such as the design of photocatalytic reactors that retain the photocatalyst, the study of degradation of micropollutants in different water matrices, and the development of gas-phase reactors with optimized contact time and irradiation. Furthermore, we provide a critical analysis of research-practice gaps such as treatment of real water and air samples, degradation of pollutants with actual environmental concentrations, photocatalyst deactivation, and cost and environmental life-cycle assessment.

: During the period of COVID-19, the Chinese government implemented a series of actions to prevent the spread of the virus. It is noticed that these preventive actions have generated positive effects on air pollution in Wuhan and Beijing. And, due to the differences in city functions, geographic locations, meteorological conditions, and preventive action details between the two cities, noticeable difference is observed on how they reduced air pollution. This unfortunate incident has become a social sample for studying the industrial and livelihood activities impact on air pollution, otherwise would be highly impossible. This paper starts from observing data from NASA's real-time fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and NO2, and comparing the air pollution in this special time domain with previous years. It is discovered that both PM2.5 and NO2 have been reduced in Wuhan, while only NO2 has significant reduction in Beijing, during the COVID-19 responses. This suggests that the human activity suppression by the COVID-19 control yields different effects on different pollutants and in different cities. Possible reasons for such effects are analysed by considering the public health control levels as well as the pollutant migration, industrial activities, and the weather conditions.

Air pollution has become the world’s single biggest environmental health risk of the past decade, causing about 7 million yearly deaths worldwide. One of the dominant air pollutants is fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a product of combustion. Exposure to PM2.5 has been associated with decreased lung function, impaired immunity, and exacerbations of lung disease. Accumulating evidence suggests that many of the adverse health effects of PM2.5 exposure are associated with lung inflammation and oxidative stress. While the physical structure and surface chemistry of PM2.5 are surrogate measures of particle oxidative potential, little is known about their contributions to negative health effects. In this study, we used functionalized carbon black particles as surrogates for atmospherically aged combustion formed soot to assess the effects of PM2.5 surface chemistry in lung cells. We exposed the BEAS-2B lung epithelial cell line to different soot at a range of concentrations, and assessed cell viability, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Our results indicate that exposure to soot with varying particle surface composition results in differential cell viability rates, expression of pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress genes, and protein carbonylation. We conclude that particle surface chemistry, specifically oxygen content, in soot modulates lung cell inflammatory and oxidative stress responses.

A new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have determined a pneumonia outbreak in China (Wuhan and Hubei) on December 2019. While pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies are strengthened worldwide, the scientific community has been studying the risk factors associated with SARS-Cov-2, to enrich epidemiological information. For a long time, before the industrialized era, air pollution has been a real and big health concern and it is today a very serious environmental risk for many diseases and anticipated deaths in the world. It has long been known that air pollutants increasing the invasiveness of pathogens for humans by acting as a carrier and making people more sensitive to pathogens through a negative influence on the immune system. Based on scientific evidences, the hypothesis that air pollution, resulting from a combination of factors such as meteorological data, level of industrialization as well as regional topography, can acts both as an infection carrier as a harmful factor of the health outcomes of COVID-19 disease has been raised recently. This hypothesis is turning in scientific evidence, thanks to the numerous studies that have been launched all over the world. With this review, we want to provide a first unique view of all the first epidemiological studies relating the association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2. Major findings are consistent, highlighting the important contribution of air pollution on the COVID-19 spread and with a less extent also PM₁₀.

This review chronicles the indirect transmission method which seems to be overlooked by most people and makes attempts to clearly document the various transmission ways with a hope that such information may strengthen the knowledge base of researchers towards methods of eradicating the pandemic. Current knowledge of transmission and exposure of SARS-CoV-2 has been explained. Various researchers have put forward different ways of exposure and transmission. Literature does not reveal whether the indirect transmission route is the dominant one. However total lockdown could be a veritable means to reduce both direct and indirect transmission routes. In many countries where the indirect transmission has been reduced, the scourge of the virus is less. The work creates awareness on the need to watch out for those routes of transmissions that may not be popular and suggested key knowledge gaps that needs to filled.

Lake Manzala, the largest of the northern Delta lakes of Egypt, has a great economic importance as a major natural resource of fish and salt. Unfortunately, the lake is suffering from the high inputs of pollutants from industrial, domestic, and agricultural sources. The present study aims to develop the proposed water quality management scenarios to assess and control lake pollution, the pollution sources as well as the pollution spread from the lake to the connected Mediterranean Sea. To apply study methodology, the work tasks divided into two main parts, the first part involved in modelling the lake environments by using Delft3D-WAQ hydrodynamic and water quality model to study the current status and predict the dynamic state of the Lake. This model was calibrated and validated by using various water quality datasets to simulate different scenarios. In the second part, the required lake water quality improvement scenarios were developed to solve the lake water quality problems. The study results showed that the first three developed scenarios that focusing on treatment drain effluent using primary, secondary treatment and surface wetland techniques respectively have a limited efficiency on lake water quality improvement. While the fourth scenario that involved on using biological biofilm techniques can improve lake water quality parameters. Moreover, the fifth scenario that proposed adding a new artificial inlet has a limitation due to the noted increases in lake salinity levels. The sixth scenario that proposed a diversion of some drains can improve lake water quality parameters but it can lead to a decrease in Lake water level. From water quality view point, the last scenario that applying a combination biological biofilm activated technique and also adding a new artificial inlet at northern lake region can represent the optimum scenario. Hopefully, this research will preserve the lake environment and contribute to the benefit of the man health as well. This approach could be extended to the hydrodynamic studies in similar large, shallow lakes anywhere in the world.

Microplastics (of size < 5mm) pollution in our environment is of current concern by researchers, public media and non-governmental organizations. Implications by their presence in aquatic and soil ecosystems have been well studied and documented, but less attention has been paid on airborne microplastics (MPs). Studies concerning airborne microplastics started from 2016 and only a few (n=7) have been published till date. Although, studies may increase in the following years, since air is very important for human survival. Microplastics have been observed in atmospheric fallouts in indoor and outdoor environments using a sampling or vacuum pump, rain sampler and/or particulate fallout collector. Identification and quantification have been carried out by visual, spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. Factors such as meterological, climatic and anthropogenic influence the distribution and movement of airborne MP. Human exposure may be through inhalation or dermal route with their potential biopersistence and translocation. Ingestion may cause localized inflammation and cancer due to responses by the immune cells, especially in individuals with compromised metabolism and poor clearance mechanisms. Ecological risks involve possible contamination of the ecosystem through a dynamic relationship of MPs in soil, water and air forming a MP contamination cycle. The present review aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of current knowledge or information regarding microplastics in air, identifies gap in knowledge and give suggestions for future research.

The abundance, distribution and composition of marine debris (> 5 cm) and small microplastics (11 μm) from five rivers in South Eastern, Nigeria was investigated. This study provided the first assessment of the type and quantity of marine litter and microplastics in Nigeria. A total of 3487 macrodebris items/m2 were counted with the following distribution; plastics (59 %) > metal (10 %) > cloth (7 %), paper /cardboard (7 %), rubber (7 %) > glass/ceramics (5 %), medical and agro-based waste (3 %) > wood (2 %). The cleanliness of the river assessed with clean coast index (CCI) ranged from “very clean” at Okumpi and Obiaraedu river to “extremely dirty” at Nwangele river. Microplastics abundance ranged from 440 to 1556 particles/L, with high accumulation at downstream. Fragment shape was most abundant while fiber and film followed. The distribution of plastic types was; PET (29 %) > PE (22 %) > PVC (16 %) > PP (14 %) > other (6 %) respectively. Significant relationship was found between the total abundances of microplastics and different macrodebris groups suggesting that microplastics were abundant in areas where the macrodebris abundance was high. Our results provide baseline information for future assessments. Management actions should focus on input prevention including proper waste management, recycling of plastics, and strict penalties for illegal dumping of wastes.

The purpose of this study is to assess the concentration-response relations between conjunctivitis and exposure to ambient ozone. This retrospective study includes emergency department (ED) visits for conjunctivitis in Edmonton, Canada, for the period April 1992–March 2002. Daily average levels of ozone (range: 1.2–50.9, ppb), of temperature, and of relative humidity were estimated and used for the period of the study. For each of the considered exposure lags, (from 0 to 9 days), six different models were fitted to estimate the concentration-response function. The goodness of fit was assessed using the Akaike information criterion. During the period of the study, 17,211 ED visits for conjunctivitis were recorded and used. For all subjects together, a positive statistically significant association was obtained for the exposure lagged by 5 days. For female subjects, lags 1, 3, and 9 had positive statistically significant associations (lag 2 had negative associations). For male subjects, only lag 5 had a positive statistically significant association. The estimated non-linear concentration-response functions for the considered groups (all, males, females) and lags, revealed the associations along the exposure levels. The fitted shapes are described by algebraic functions and may have various forms. The estimated functions are useful to determine the risk associated with exposure to ground-level ozone.

Rapid urbanization, increasing population and increased industrialization to cater to demands of the growing population has imposed upon us a huge environmental cost. The significantly deteriorated air quality across the globe is associated with a direct and indirect impact on public health. While associated disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, heart failures are well documented, less is known about the biological basis of the process. We hypothesize that the worsening air quality may likely impact common systemic inflammatory processes, thus driving communicable and non-communicable diseases alike.Receptor mediated entry of particulate matter (PM2.5) results in activation of signaling cascades which culminate in production of inflammatory chemokine and cytokine responses, traversing through the blood mediating impacting not only on other organs but also dysbiosis of microflora. For the purpose of the review we choose tuberculosis (TB) as a model for communicable infectious disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as a marker for non-communicable disorder. The increasing prevalence of these co-morbidities and the burdening of public health systems justifies this example. However the hypothesis may be applicable to other inflammation driven disorders also.

Analysis of water resources of this area was carried out in order to assessing the water quality by determining the concentrations of Cations, Anions, Heavy metals, Trace elements, PH, Alkalinity, Total Dissolved Solids and microbial loads in water samples. Ten (10) water samples were collected from the study area - samples each of rain water, two pond waters - 1 and 2, stream water, four (4) hand-dug wells, hand pump water and a motorized borehole. The results obtained were compared with WHO standards and it showed that all the cations in water samples are within the limits. The water samples at locations B, E, F, G, H, I, and J have high alkalinity and HC0^-₃ content. The heavy metals (Pb, Ni and Cd) and trace elements (Fe and Cu) are dominantly high in the surface waters. Microbiological substances in the water samples from the study area revealed indicator organisms higher than the WHO standard for drinking water. Samples obtained from location G, I and J recorded an absence of E. coli and are fit for human consumptions but needed to be treated due to high MPN (Most Probable Number) index of viable microorganisms as against WHO standard. This research showed that the water resources of the study area are gradually polluted and in the near future may not be good for drinking.

An important aspect of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) is a greater emphasis on reducing the health impacts of urban ambient air pollution (AAP) in developing countries. Meanwhile, the burden of disease attributable to AAP in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is growing, yet estimates of its impact in the region are likely underestimated due to a lack of air quality monitoring, the paucity of epidemiological studies, and important population vulnerabilities in the region. The lack of studies in the SSA region also represents an important global health disparity and environmental justice issue because thousands of air pollution health effects studies have been conducted in Europe and North America rather than in some of the most polluted regions of the world, such as SSA. In this review, we synthesize all of the ambient air pollution epidemiological studies that have been conducted in SSA to date. We highlight the gaps in AAP epidemiological studies conducted in different sub-regions of SSA and provide methodological recommendations for future environmental epidemiology studies addressing AAP in the SSA region.

The aim of this short communication is to find out the legal set up that complies with the environmental management in the textile sector of Bangladesh. This sector is the one of the biggest contributor to the economy of the nation. This sector contributes 81% to the total export earnings involving an immense number of stakeholders to its production processes. It is also true that this sector is largely responsible for the overall environmental pollution through its effluent discharge. The findings suggest that there are both international and national legal guidelines exist for environmental management in the said sector. In order to improve the environmental standards rehearsing lawful instruments is compulsory for the said industries.

Outdoor lighting is becoming increasingly widespread, and residents are suffering from serious light pollution as a result. Residents’ awareness of their rights to protection has gradually increased. However, due to the sometimes-inaccessible nature of residential vertical light incidence intensity data and the high cost of obtaining specific measurements, there is no appropriate hierarchic compensation for residents suffering from different degrees of light pollution. It is therefore important to measure light pollution levels and their damage at the neighborhood scale to provide residents with basic materials for proper protection and to create more politically suitable solutions. This article presents a light pollution assessment method that is easy to perform, is low-cost, and has a short data-processing cycle. This method can be used to monitor residential zone light pollution in other cities. We chose three open areas to test the spatial variation pattern of light intensity. The results are in accordance with spatial interpolation patterns and can be fit, with high precision, using the IDW method. This approach can also be used in 3 dimensions to quantitatively evaluate the distribution of light intensity distribution. We use a mixed-use zone in Beijing known as The Place as our case study area. The vertical illumination at the windows of residential buildings ranges from 2 lux to 23 lux; the illumination in some areas is far higher than the value recommended by CIE. Such severe light pollution can seriously interfere with people's daily lives and has a serious influence on their rest and health. The results of this survey will serve as an important database to assess whether the planning of night-time lighting is scientific and whether it provides residents with a basis for the protection of their rights.

The pollution of the bays in Abidjan is a major concern for the Ivorian policy makers. In fact, the pollution of the bays induce high costs to the society while impacting population health dramatically. As a result, pollution reduction management of production activities has been undertaken in the Cocody Bay area. To our knowledge, no study has yet proposed a model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these pollution management strategies. A cost-effectiveness model, based on Monte Carlo simulation, was developed to assess the economic and environmental impacts of various scenarios characterized by a set of production practices, both in the short term and in the long term. The authors discuss the steps and input parameters of the model presented. The proposed model may serve as the basis for identifying an optimal production scenario defined as the scenario with the best incremental cost-effectiveness ratio considering a willingness to pay (WTP) threshold. The WTP, to be estimated based on the gross domestic product of Côte d’Ivoire, represents the opportunity costs associated with selecting the optimal scenario. The current framework can also be applied to other settings facing similar challenge.

Throughout this paper the effects of injuries on athletes are highlighted in different aspects. Exertional compartment syndrome is a specific injury related to athletes that is thoroughly explored in this paper through an analysis of the anatomy, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments of the syndrome. Exertional compartment syndrome is an exercise-induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling as well as disability in the affected muscles of the lower leg. This syndrome commonly develops in young athletes involved in sports with excessive running and repetitive impact such as track and field, soccer, basketball and lacrosse. Exertional compartment syndrome is commonly misdiagnosed as other less severe injuries such as shin splints, which is symptomatic of pain along the tibia bone of the lower leg caused by overuse. The misdiagnosis of exertional compartment syndrome allows the syndrome to worsen and intensify resulting in the only effective treatment to be fasciotomy, a surgical procedure to release the pressure within the compartment of the lower leg. There is no definitive protocol developed for patients after fasciotomy is performed. Athletes experiencing similar symptoms after surgery are usually treated for their symptoms rather than the syndrome as a whole, which does not have a high degree of success. The development of a definitive protocol utilizing the techniques of manual therapy, mobility stretching and corrective strength training can improve the adverse effects of exertional compartment syndrome as well as restore functionality to the athlete. Raising awareness of this syndrome in athletics will be effective in treating the athlete early on in order to avoid severe effects and invasive procedures.

The ocean of the planet Earth, which is as thin as a cicada's wings, play a role of catalyst to the evolving of the ancient plates. The ocean and the ancient plates of the planet Earth formed a magic Whirlpool of the Cross “十” shape with double whirl arms. The central core of the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool is the Hint Black Hole (HBH) located at the Northwestern Pacific Ocean floor which is decorated with invisible geological age distribution of clam shell. The double whirl arms of ancient plates are distinguished to be left and right at Bering Strait and just formed the ring of fire of the Pacific Ocean.The Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool of the planet Earth was born at the equatorial area about 66 Ma ago and is rotating anticlockwise and drifting northward by a mini footprint of spiral at s speed of as slow as a snail moves. Obviously, it would come to an end at the North Pole about 100 Ma in the future. So, the lifespan of the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool would be about 166 Ma, from birth to death on the planet Earth.What is hidden behind of the evolving of the oceans and the ancient plates is the golden law of geometrical progression of ladder pagoda of attributes evolving of them, which is “1➨2➨4➨2➨1”, including upgrading and downgrading process. It seems to hint that what is happening on the planet Earth, including the top-level species of human race, is actually unique in the Milky Way galaxy in essence.The property roles of expanding and shrinking are existing in the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool by face to face and the exchange of property roles took place tens of millions of years ago. And that situation would happen again tens of millions of years in the future. It seems a giant circle of evolving of the exchange of property roles would be drawn by the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool in her lifetime.

The Upper Hunter Valley is a major coal mining area in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Due to the ongoing increase of mining activities, PM10 (air-borne particle with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometres) pollution has become a major air quality concern in local communities. The early part of this study identified two air quality subregions in the valley. This paper aims to provide a holistic summarisation of the relationships between elevated PM10 pollution in two subregions and the local- and synoptic-scale meteorological conditions for spring and summer, when PM10 pollution is relatively high. A catalogue of twelve synoptic types and a set of six local meteorological patterns have been quantitatively derived and linked to each other using the self-organising map (SOM) technique. The complex meteorology-air pollution relationships have been visualised/interpretated on the SOM planes for two representative locations. It was found that the influence of local meteorological patterns differed significantly for mean PM10 levels vs the occurrence of elevated pollution events and between air quality subregions. In contrast, synoptic types showed generally similar relationships with mean vs elevated PM10 pollution in the valley. Two local meteorological patterns, the hot-dry-northwesterly wind conditions and the hot-dry-calm conditions, were found most PM10 pollution conducive in the valley when combined with a set of synoptic counterparts. These synoptic types are featured with the influence of eastward migrating continental high pressure system and westerly troughs, or a ridge extending northwest towards coastal northern NSW or southern Queensland from the Tasman Sea. The method and results can be used in air quality research for other locations of NSW, or similar regions elsewhere.