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The role of the focal company in sustainable development goals: A Brazilian food poultry supply chain case study

Food supply chains face challenges of sustainable supply chain management, such as waste management and environmental issues. Vertical integration or system integration is a corporate strategy for chicken production managed by the focal company. This research study discusses the role of the focal company for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in a Brazilian food poultry supply chain. The research consisted of a single case study with the following steps: literature review, identification of the gaps, concepts synthesis, and case study. The findings indicated theoretical and empirical guidelines for SDGs. The literature review indicated the relevance of exploring some approaches to achieve sustainable supply chain management: corporate social responsibility, green supply chain management, industrial ecology, stakeholder theory, circular economy (reduce, reuse, and recycle with economic prosperity), and sustainability science. The focal company plays a strategic role in the vertical integration operation of the Brazilian poultry supply chain. The case study findings indicate the role of the focal company toward the actors, including the feed mill supplier, live poultry transport, poultry processor, rendering plant, and distributor. However, much remains to be accomplished to answer the question "how to be sustainable?", especially in environmental and social issues involving all actors in the poultry supply chain. The Brazilian environmental legislation still needs to be revised to be aligned with SDGs because the legislation will not guarantee sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The critical issues and challenges are radical changes in business models, measurement of supply chain impacts, collaboration and network picturing, corporate social responsibility versus supply chain responsibility, stakeholder engagement, frameworks to implement SDGs, education about SDGs and public participation, and food supply chain integrated system forums. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Psychedelic Renaissance in Clinical Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Three Decades of Human Studies with Psychedelics

Psychedelics were used in the treatment of psychiatric conditions prior to their prohibition in the late 1960s. In the past three decades, there is a revived research interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs with expected FDA approvals for treatment of various conditions. Given the exponential scientific growth of this field, we sought to characterize, analyze, and visualize trends in its top-cited articles. Bibliometric analyses are quantitative approaches to characterize a scientific field, including evaluation of the impact of academic literature. The bibliometric analysis and visualizations were conducted with R-tools for comprehensive science mapping. The top-cited 100 articles were cited between 82 and 668 times (median 125; mean 158). Fifty-four percent of the T100 articles were produced in the past decade (2010-2020). Network and author impact analysis highlighted key figures and primary collaboration networks within the top 100 publications. UK, USA, Switzerland, Spain, and Brazil lead the field. Results are discussed in terms of research growth, access, diversity, and the distribution of knowledge and experience in the field. These aggregated data and insights on the second wave of psychedelic research facilitate research evaluation, data-driven funding policies, and a practical map for researchers and clinicians entering the field.

Child Maltreatment and Substance Use: A Behavior Genetic Analysis

Child maltreatment is a pervasive social problem often perpetuated by family members and is related to a wide array of negative life outcomes. Although substance use is an outcome commonly associated with experiences of child maltreatment, not all individuals who experience maltreatment struggle with such issues. Many individuals can positively adapt to experiences of maltreatment based on levels of resilience and susceptibility. Research suggests that genetic differences may partly explain why negative outcomes develop for some, but not for others. Few studies have examined the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence the longitudinal association between child maltreatment and varying forms of substance use, leaving a fundamental gap in our current understanding of this association. The current study aims to address this gap by analyzing a sample of twins from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Findings from a series of univariate and bivariate biometric models reveal that the longitudinal associations between maltreatment, cigarette use, and marijuana use are accounted for by additive genetic and nonshared environmental factors. Moreover, the magnitude of the contribution varies across unique subgroups of cigarette and marijuana use. Directions for future research and theoretical implications are discussed.

Temporal dynamics and spatial differences of household carbon emissions per capita of China's provinces during 2000-2019

To assess the characteristics of household carbon emissions per capita (HCPC), this paper divided China's provinces into 4 groups based on the decoupling relationship between household consumption and related emissions. This classification helped to analyze the correlation and reflected the decoupling status between carbon emissions and household consumption and explored the effect of consumption growth on carbon emissions. Then, according to logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) model, HCPC in China's provinces was decomposed into four drivers including carbon coefficient, energy structure, energy consumption, and population structure effect. Through multi-regional (M-R) analysis, temporal evolution and spatial differences of these four drivers in both national and provincial level were studied. This comparison method introduced temporal and spatial decomposition results into the same framework, which may provide a new perspective for analyzing carbon emission trends. The results showed that (a) the HCPC in all 30 provinces increased significantly especially in Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, and Beijing. Energy consumption effect was the leading factor promoting HCPC growth. Energy structure and population structure also promoted HCPC growth slightly, and carbon coefficient was the effect which had inhibitory effect on HCPC growth at regional level. (b) Spatial differences of HCPC between regions narrowed during this period. This is mainly due to the rapid growth of HCPC in region IV. Energy consumption effect was the dominant factor for the spatial differences. Based on the results, this paper proposed to adopt more effective measures to improve energy efficiency, develop clean energy, and optimize energy structure, especially in the provinces with faster growth in carbon emissions.

Evaluation of water shortage crisis in the Middle East and possible remedies

Water resources in the Middle East region are becoming scarce, while millions of people already do not have access to adequate water for drinking and sanitary purposes. Water resources depletion has become a significant problem in this region that is likely to worsen. Current research by remote sensing analysis indicates a descending trend of water storage in the Middle East region, where agriculture plays a crucial role in socio-economic life. This study introduces an approach quantifying water depletion in the Middle Eastern countries, which are being challenged in the management of their water resources. Furthermore, this paper presents results of a survey assessing the status of water use and supply in Middle Eastern countries and outlines some potential remedies. Specifically, Iran's water use is evaluated and compared with its neighbors'. The water equivalent anomaly (WEA) and total water storage (TWS) depletion are two indexes of water scarcity calculated for Middle Eastern countries surveyed herein. Our analysis reveals that Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran are countries with very negative water scarcity indexes. These estimates prove that international cooperation is needed to manage available regional water resources and reverse depletion of natural water sources. It is demonstrated herein that virtual water trade can help remediate regional water shortage in Middle Eastern countries.

Integrated assessment of sulfate-based AOPs for pharmaceutical active compound removal from wastewater

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been proposed as tertiary treatments for municipal WWTP effluents. UV-activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) are viable technological alternatives for treating secondary WWTP effluent containing PhACs. This article examines the feasibility of applying UV/PDS and UV/PMS technologies at pilot scale, assessing their energy and cost requirements. In addition, life cycle assessment (LCA) impacts associated with the treatment of 1 m(3) of wastewater with an effective average pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) removal of 80% has also been evaluated. Photolysis (UV) treatment alone was not capable of degrading PhACs to a sufficient extent in WWTP secondary effluent. The addition of 0.4 mmol of PDS or PMS, applying 416 mJ/cm(2 )of UV fluence, resulted in average removals of 84% and 85% for UV/PDS and UV/PMS, respectively. The electrical energy (kWh) required to degrade the mix of PhACs by one order of magnitude in 1 m(3) of contaminated water was calculated as 0.9 kWh/m(3)/order and 0.8 kWh/m(3)/order 4 for UV/PDS and UV/PMS, respectively. However, the overall cost, including operation, materials and maintenance, of applying UV/PDS and UV/PMS, based on an average PhAC removal of 80%, was 0.088 (sic)/m(3) and 0.280 (sic)/m(3), respectively. From the sustainability assessment, the factors with the greatest environmental footprint for the UV/PDS process were chemical production (PDS: 52.9%, PMS: 85%) and electricity consumption (UV/PDS: 33.4%, UV/PMS: 11.2). Finally, the normalized environmental impact analysis showed that UV/PDS was associated with an environmental footprint three times lower than UV/PMS. The overall assessment revealed that UV/PDS is preferable to UV/PMS to remove PhACs in secondary effluents of municipal WWTPs having a lower economic and environmental impact. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental energy performance investigation and economic analysis on a cascade heat pump for high-temperature water in cold region

The need of high-temperature water produced by air source heat pump (ASHP) at cold environment (-20 degrees C) is of more importance, such as 'heating by electricity instead of coal (HEIC)' heating system retrofit in northern China. Thus, a cascade ASHP for high-temperature water (such as 75 degrees C) at low ambient temperature (-20 degrees C) is developed. To exam its feasibility and study its energy performance under various hot water temperature, an experiment is carried out within hot water supply temperature from 55 to 75 degrees C and at ambient temperature as low as -21 degrees C. The results show that the cascade heat pump has excellent energy efficient at low ambient temperature and high water-supply temperature and proves the thermodynamic feasibility of the unit to supply high-temperature water for residential heating and industry use. In addition, cascade ASHP and other clean hot water technologies are compared from an economic and environmental perspective. The total economic cost of the cascade heat pump is the lowest, while the carbon dioxide cascade heat pumps is higher than gas boiler. In general, the studied heat pump reveals good energy, economic performance and acceptable environmental performance, proving its feasibility. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric and Logometric Properties of the Armenian Version of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Assessment Questionnaire: Assessing Reliability and Validity

The study describes the development of the AAC-Arm questionnaire and its initial psychometric and logometric testing for reliability and validity. Psychometric and logometric principles were used to develop an assessment questionnaire capable of evaluating the communication state domains important to patients with neurological disorders. The hypothesized domains were to include (1) auditory function, (2) speech function (3) cognitive functions (4) sensorimotor function, and (5) activities of daily living (ADL). An initial pool of 78 questions was pilot-tested for clarity in 10 patients; following factor analysis, the number of questions was reduced to 39-items. Then the questionnaire was subjected to reliability and validity testing. Factor analysis supported the 5 hypothesized domains. Test-retest reliability using Spearman's correlation demonstrated substantial agreement, ranging from 0.72 for the ADL domain to 0.92 for the auditory function domain. In testing for internal consistency, Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.86 for-the ADL domain to 0.96 for the cognitive function domain. Correlation between domains gave evidence of construct validity. In comparing similar domains in the AAC questionnaire, a moderate correlation (range 0.33-0.83) for the ADL and sensorimotor function scales were found. The correlation was more positive between the other domains. Testing of reliability for the phraseological, syntactic and semantic competence indices showed good positive correlation between initial and retest scores. The questions in the AAC questionnaire have undergone rigorous psychometric and logometric testing, and the tool is an appropriate instrument for the assessment of neurological patients with communication deficit. The psycholinguistic assessment provides with the main weight of data for successful communication therapy.

Experimental assessment of cycling ageing of lithium-ion second-life batteries from electric vehicles

The reutilization of batteries from electric vehicles allows to benefit from their remaining energy capacity and to increase their lifespan. The applications considered for the second life of these batteries are less demanding than electric vehicles regarding power and energy density. However, there is still some uncertainty regarding the technical and economic viability of these systems. In this context, the study of the ageing and lifetime of reused batteries is key to contribute to their development. This paper assesses the experimental cycle ageing of lithiumion modules from different Nissan Leaf through accelerated cycling tests on their second life. The evolution of the internal parameters during ageing and the correlation between them are shown, including the analysis of best fitting curves. In addition, a second-life end-of-life criterion is proposed, based on capacity and internal resistance measurements during cells ageing, which can be applied to real application in order to prevent safety issues. By estimating future values from degradation trends and checking latter measurements, the ageing knee is identified. Results show that the modules operate for at least 2033 equivalent full cycles before reaching their ageing knee. This would mean more than 5 years of operation in a real second-life application, such as a photovoltaic self-consumption installation with daily cycling. Moreover, it is shown that a traditional cell characterisation based on capacity and internal resistance measurements is not enough to predict the durability of a cell during its second life.

Extracting Nonlinear Dynamics from Psychological and Behavioral Time Series Through HAVOK Analysis

Analytical methods derived from nonlinear dynamical systems, complexity, and chaos theories offer researchers a framework for in-depth analysis of time series data. However, relatively few studies involving time series data obtained from psychological and behavioral research employ such methods. This paucity of application is due to a lack of general analysis frameworks for modeling time series data with strong nonlinear components. In this article, we describe the potential of Hankel alternative view of Koopman (HAVOK) analysis for solving this issue. HAVOK analysis is a unified framework for nonlinear dynamical systems analysis of time series data. By utilizing HAVOK analysis, researchers may model nonlinear time series data in a linear framework while simultaneously reconstructing attractor manifolds and obtaining a secondary time series representing the amount of nonlinear forcing occurring in a system at any given time. We begin by showing the mathematical underpinnings of HAVOK analysis and then show example applications of HAVOK analysis for modeling time series data derived from real psychological and behavioral studies.

Performance of the UASB reactor during wastewater treatment and the effect of the biogas bubbles on its hydrodynamics

A lab-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor was used as a model for evaluating synthetic and complex industrial wastewater treatment, using a solar heater to control temperature. Also, hydrodynamics was assessed using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. Initially, the UASB reactor was operated with synthetic wastewater at Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 24 h in 20 ± 2 °C and 30 ± 2 °C to measure the biogas bubbles production for CFD study. COD removal efficiencies of 85 ± 3% and 95 ± 3%, respectively, with production of 27 and 39 ml CH4/h, correspondingly, were observed. After that, the reactor was fed with complex industrial wastewater. It was evaluated at 24 h in both temperatures. At 30 °C, low COD removal efficiency was observed, being 48 ± 13%, with methane production of 20 ± 3 ml CH4/h. The plug flow pattern was observed in the CFD modelling at HRT of 24 h and 20 °C without considering biogas bubbles interaction. Similar hydrodynamic behaviour was observed at HRT of 24 h and 30 °C. Nonetheless, when biogas bubbles were considered in the CFD modelling, hydrodynamics significantly changed, passing from a plug flow to a complete mix flow pattern.

Does the inflow of remittances and energy consumption increase CO(2)emissions in the era of globalization? A global perspective

In recent decades, remittances inflow has become a major source of capital which has multidimensional consequences on various economic indicators and potentially associated with CO(2)emissions. This study investigates the impact of remittances, energy use, and globalization on CO(2)emissions using a global sample of 97 countries during 1990-2016. Our findings based on robust system GMM indicate that remittances and energy use increases CO(2)emissions, however, globalization reduces CO(2)emissions. To capture the national difference, this study divides the global sample into two sub-samples: first comprised of developed countries and second developing and emerging countries. Interestingly our findings are similar in both sub-samples. Further, our results are robust to various robustness checks, which ensures the reliability of our findings. Based on our results, we suggest governments, regulators and other stakeholders to mitigate the adverse impact of remittances and energy use on environmental quality by strict market regulations and monitoring, allocating substantial financial resource to research and development for innovating environmental friendly production technologies and renewable energy sources and by giving incentives i.e tax rebates and subsidies on imports of environment-friendly production technology from the advanced countries. Lastly, considering the negative impact of globalization on CO(2)emissions, governments can use globalization as a tool to reduce CO(2)emissions and promote environmental quality.

Another outlook to sector-level energy consumption in Pakistan from dominant energy sources and correlation with economic growth

The present study seeks to investigate the sector-level energy consumption of oil and natural gas and to explore the linkage between economic growth, households, agriculture, industry, power, fertilizers, and commercial sector in Pakistan for the period of 1980-2016. The energy sector of Pakistan is facing severe crisis from the last few years due to inadequate production and supply. Long-lasting deficits of natural gas and oil, the two supreme types of fuel in Pakistan, had detrimental consequences for the growth as well as for the economic development. An autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method and Granger causality test under vector error correction model (VECM) were employed to check the association among the variables. Furthermore, the innovative accounting method was used to investigate the responsiveness of each variable to another within the study framework. Empirical results show long-run association among the variables, as oil consumption in the agriculture and power sector show a positive effect on Pakistan's economic growth. Similarly, energy consumption from natural gas in the households and fertilizers as well as in the industry sector has had a constructive association with economic growth. In contrast, energy consumption from oil in the households and industry sectors has adverse association with economic growth, while natural gas consumption in the commercial sector has negative linkage with economic growth. Possible steps should be taken by the Government of Pakistan to enhance the production of oil and natural gas from other alternatives to meet the requirements of these sectors.

Multi-effect distillation plants for small-scale seawater desalination: thermodynamic and economic improvement

The growing global demand for fresh water coupled to the increasing interest in renewable energies and waste heat recovery has resulted in flourishing attention to the multi-effect distillation process for seawater desalination. The low operating temperature makes this technology attractive in the case of low temperature heat sources such as geothermal, solar or waste heat recovery. The low energy density of these heat sources requires small-scale desalination systems whose layout and operation may differ from large-scale plant. In this work, new plant configurations for a small-scale multi-effect distillation system are proposed and analyzed from a thermodynamic and economic point of view. Each configuration tends to better exploit the energy content of the various streams by improving heat recovery, according to an increasing layout complexity. These configurations were studied in two layouts, differing in the way seawater and brine fed the various effect. The feed mass flow in each effect was varied to maximize the recovery ratio by imposing the maximum salt concentration in the brine related to calcium sulphate precipitation. Numerical simulations were conducted in Aspen Plus environment by varying the top brine temperature with a fixed bottom brine temperature of 40 degrees C. The electrolyte non-random two liquid equation of state was adopted to evaluate saltwater properties and an inter-model comparison with a validated algebraic model was carried out. The configurations implementing seawater preheating increased the performance ratio up to 10% due to the better exploitation of the energy content of distillate streams. The proposed solutions with the maximization of the recovery ratio demonstrated to be cost-effective with respect to the base multi-effect distillation configuration when thermal energy cost became relevant. In the case of negligible thermal energy cost (waste heat recovery) the base configuration was the preferable solution in terms of water cost, despite the lower performance ratio.

Effect of palmitic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids on blood cells count and interleukin-4, 8 genes expression in lambs experimentally infected with foot and mouth disease virus

The current research was conducted to study the effects of different saturated and poly-unsaturated fatty acid sources in diets on immune responses of lambs experimentally infected with foot and mouth disease virus. A total of fifteen Sangsari male lambs with an average body weight of 48 ± 2 kg and an average age of 8 ± 1 months were randomly allocated to one of three experimental treatments: (1) PalOil group received a calcium soap of palm oil fatty acids in the diet as source of palmitic acid (16:0), (2) SunOil group received a calcium soap of sunflower oil fatty acids in the diet as source of linoleic acid (n-6 18:2), and (3) LinOil group received a calcium soap of linseed oil fatty acids in the diet as source of α-linolenic acid (n-3 18:3). The greatestand the least expression of IL-4 mRNA were measured in SunOil and LinOil groups, respectively. Expression of IL-8 mRNA was greater in SunOil treatment when compared with PalOil and LinOil groups. In conclusion, the results of the study confirmed that inclusion of α-linolenic acid in virally infected lambs'diet results in lower expression of IL-4 and IL-8 mRNA.

Factors driving oil price - from the perspective of United States

This paper chooses monthly data covering the period from 1990:M1 to 2018:M12 to investigate the contributions of partisan conflicts (PCI), the dollar index (USDX) and U.S. oil production (PRO) on the oil price (OP) by applying the time-varying parameter-stochastic volatility-vector autoregression (TVP-SV-VAR) model. The empirical results are consistent with the general equilibrium model, which states that the PCI has certain influences on the OP. However, the impact of the PCI is less than that of the USDX, and the negative effect of the USDX was strengthened after the global economic crisis. Moreover, the PRO is less important to the oil market than the PCI and USDX. In general, we can conclude that there are important roles that U.S. factors play in the oil market, especially those of partisan conflicts and the dollar value. Understanding the effects of U.S. factors on the oil market can provide revelations for countries, allowing them to formulate energy policies and stabilize the oil market. Additionally, an understanding of these factors can allow investors to adjust their investment decisions and diversify their assets. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A three-stage optimization methodology for envelope design of passive house considering energy demand, thermal comfort and cost

Due to reducing the reliance of buildings on fossil fuels, Passive House (PH) is receiving more and more attention. It is important that integrated optimization of passive performance by considering energy demand, cost and thermal comfort. This paper proposed a set three-stage multi-objective optimization method that combines redundancy analysis (RDA), Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT) and Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) for PH design. The method has strong engineering applicability, by reducing the model complexity and improving efficiency. Among then, the GBDT algorithm was first applied to the passive performance optimization of buildings, which is used to build meta-models of building performance. Compared with the commonly used meta-model, the proposed models demonstrate superior robustness with the standard deviation at 0.048. The optimization results show that the energy-saving rate is about 88.2% and the improvement of thermal comfort is about 37.8% as compared to the base-case building. The economic analysis, the payback period were used to integrate initial investment and operating costs, the minimum payback period and uncomfortable level of Pareto frontier solution are 0.48 years and 13.1%, respectively. This study provides the architects rich and valuable information about the effects of the parameters on the different building performance. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spread of SARS-CoV-2 through Latin America and the Caribbean region: A look from its economic conditions, climate and air pollution indicators

We have evaluated the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region by means of a correlation between climate and air pollution indicators, namely, average temperature, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, rainfall, average relative humidity, wind speed, and air pollution indicators PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 with the COVID-19 daily new cases and deaths. The study focuses in the following LAC cities: Mexico City (Mexico), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Bogota (Colombia), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Manaus (Brazil), Lima (Pertu), Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The results show that average temperature, minimum temperature, and air quality were significantly associated with the spread of COVID-19 in LAC. Additionally, humidity, wind speed and rainfall showed a significant relationship with daily cases, total cases and mortality for various cities. Income inequality and poverty levels were also considered as a variable for qualitative analysis. Our findings suggest that and income inequality and poverty levels in the cities analyzed were related to the spread of COVID-19 positive and negative, respectively. These results might help decision-makers to design future strategies to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in LAC and around the world.

Sex Specific Effects of Prunella vulgaris on Longevity Regulation

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 in over 200 countries globally, brought serious effects on our daily lives. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in combination with regional characteristics has achieved remarkable results in China. Prunella vulgaris is one of the ingredients of commercially available canned Chinese herbal tea which demonstrated lifespan extending effect on Drosophila in our previous study, whereas it is unknown which ingredients contribute to it. This study used Drosophila as the model to explore whether Prunella vulgaris is the component taking effect on Drosophila longevity. Results showed that Prunella vulgaris can extend the lifespan of female flies by 10.42%, and improve their endurance under heat stress by 18.46%.

Effect of 2400 MHz mobile phone radiation exposure on the behavior and hippocampus morphology in Swiss mouse model

Electromagnetic field exposure to the nervous system can cause neurological changes. The effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields, such as second-generation and third-generation radiation, have been studied in most studies. The current study aimed to explore fourth-generation cellular phone radiation on hippocampal morphology and behavior in mice. Swiss albino male mice (n = 30) were randomly categorized into 3 groups; control, 40 min, and 60 min exposure to 2400 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) daily for 60 days. The control mice were housed in the same environments but were not exposed to anything. Anxiety-like behaviors were tested using the elevated plus-maze. For histological and stereological examination, the brain was dissected from the cranial cavity. On Cresyl violet stained brain slices, the number of pyramidal neurons in the cornu ammonis of the hippocampus were counted. In exposed mice compared to control mice, a significant increase in anxiety-like behavior has been observed. Histological observations have shown many black and dark blue cytoplasmic cells with shrunken morphology degenerative alterations in the neuronal hippocampus in the radiation exposed mice. In the RF-EMR mouse hippocampus, stereological analyses revealed a significant decrease in pyramidal and granule neurons compared to controls. Our findings suggest that 2400-MHz RF-EMR cell phone radiation affects the structural integrity of the hippocampus, which would lead to behavioral changes such as anxiety. However, it alerts us to the possible long-term detrimental effects of exposure to RF-EMR.

Techno-economic and life cycle assessment of an integrated hydrothermal carbonization system for sewage sludge

The need of more effective solutions for sewage sludge management is twofold: i) to alleviate the overall operating costs for wastewater treatment and ii) to ensure proper utilization/disposal considering environmental legislation. A comprehensive solution integrating hydrothermal carbonization and anaerobic digestion to treat sewage sludge was analyzed and compared with that of standalone anaerobic digestion. In order to evaluate its performance, a process simulation model in Aspen Plus (R) served as the main data source of the required input-output inventories to perform both techno-economic and life cycle assessment, which follow conventional methodological standards. It was observed that the integrated strategy generally reduces the environmental impacts compared to the standalone configuration due to the recovery of a hydrochar that could replace fossil fuels. In contrast, the standalone option only recovers a digestate that can generate even a higher impact than its counterfactual alternative. The integration of hydrothermal treatments showed an increase of 14% in the gross energy efficiency of the anaerobic digestion. However, economic concerns make the approach to require further optimization, since the estimated cost for the HTC option were 42% higher in comparison to the conventional anaerobic digestion alternative. Although there is a changing regulatory framework around sewage sludge, especially on nutrient recovery, hydrothermal treatments have been proven as a potentially sustainable route for sewage sludge treatment. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community Supported Agriculture, Human Capital, and Community Health

Community supported agriculture (CSA) strengthens the local food system (LFS) and plays a critical role in promoting human capital (HC) and addressing social determinants of health (SDH). Most CSAs develop relationships that build a sense of community, and engage in activities that facilitate access to food and economic opportunities. CSAs may also contribute to personal development, education and income, working experience, and knowledge. CSA principles align with the principles of HC, specifically the pursuit of economic development. While research on the connection between CSA and HC has broadly focused on the economic aspect, the human development dimension has remained at the conceptual level. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential HC contributions by CSA and the implications for health outcomes in central/northern New Mexico. Primary and secondary data were collected through a semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire and an internet search. Purposive sampling was used to select 13 CSAs. Eight (61.5%) responded and reported activities that address HC and SDH such as training, job creation, education, access to healthy food, food security, health education and disease management, social connections, and food justice. Given the potential impact, public health must contribute to CSA by generating evidence on its health and social benefits, training practitioners on supporting local food program, and promoting policy that stimulates the local economy, fosters social relations and food justice, and empowers community members. This study calls for research and practice to take a multilevel perspective on the contribution of LFSs to equity and wellbeing.

Bacterial diversity evolution process based on physicochemical characteristics of sludge treating hydroquinone during acclimation

Hydroquinone is one of the main pollutants in coal-gasification wastewater, which is biologically toxic and difficult to remove. The aerobic biodegradation rate, organic toxicity, and microbial community structure at different acclimation stages of degradation of hydroquinone by activated sludge were investigated. In each acclimation cycle, the removal of hydroquinone reached 100% after 5 days, indicating that high-concentration hydroquinone in the activated sludge could be completely biodegraded. When the microbial flora was inhibited by the influent hydroquinone, the enzyme system experienced stress conditions and led to the secretion of secondary metabolites, extracellular protein of 5-10 kDa mainly contributing to the sludge organic toxicity. Microbial diversity analysis showed that with the increase of the concentration of hydroquinone, β-Proteus bacteria such as Azoarcus and Dechloromonas gradually accumulated, which improved the removal of hydroquinone with aerobic activated sludge in the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system. As the inhibition degree exceeded the appropriate tolerance range of microorganisms, bacteria would secrete much more secondary metabolites, and the organic toxicity of sludge would reach a relatively high level.

Modeling and performance analysis of a fully solar-powered stand-alone sweeping gas membrane distillation desalination system for island and coastal households

Solar-powered membrane distillation is a promising desalination technology. This study newly proposed a solar-powered stand-alone sweeping gas membrane distillation desalination system to provide flexible fresh water for remote island households without reliable infrastructure, such as water and power supplies. Solar energy is the only source of energy to drive the system. A solar thermal collector is installed to provide thermal energy and a solar photovoltaic array is installed to supply direct current power respectively. To evaluate the system performance, a system-scale mathematical model was established and validated by test results under real meteorological conditions. The performance of the major components of the system, including the thermal efficiency of the solar thermal collector, the electrical efficiency of the photovoltaic array, the humidification efficiency of the hollow-fiber-membrane module and the dehumidification efficiency of the condenser, was analyzed. The effects of structural parameters, such as solar collector area, solar photovoltaic area, and desalination operating parameters, on system freshwater yield and Gained Output Ratio were investigated. In addition, the system's daily freshwater production in each month was predicted under local weather conditions of Hong Kong. In summary, for the proposed system, the average daily freshwater production is between 9.98 kg/d and 23.26 kg/d (9.98 kg/d in January and 23.26 kg/d in July), which is enough to meet the daily drinking water demand of a typical family of four (two adults and two children). The ratio of solution flow rate to air flow rate should be selected in the range of 4.0-6.0 to obtain the optimal freshwater yield. The average thermal efficiency of the solar thermal collector is 50%, which is about three times as much as the power conversion efficiency of the solar photovoltaic panels (about 15%). Thus, the solar collector area shows a more significant impact on the system performance than the photovoltaic area. The final water production cost of the system is about 18.34 $/m(3). The system proposed in this paper as a small-scale fully solar-powered desalination system is attractive to provide a flexible and reliable fresh water supply for island and coastal households.

Musical and linguistic syntactic processing in agrammatic aphasia: An ERP study

Language and music rely on complex sequences organized according to syntactic principles that are implicitly understood by enculturated listeners. Across both domains, syntactic processing involves predicting and integrating incoming elements into higher-order structures. According to the Shared Syntactic Integration Resource Hypothesis (SSIRH; Patel, 2003), musical and linguistic syntactic processing rely on shared resources for integrating incoming elements (e.g., chords, words) into unfolding sequences. One prediction of the SSIRH is that people with agrammatic aphasia (whose deficits are due to syntactic integration problems) should present with deficits in processing musical syntax. We report the first neural study to test this prediction: event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured in response to musical and linguistic syntactic violations in a group of people with agrammatic aphasia (n=7) compared to a group of healthy controls (n=14) using an acceptability judgement task. The groups were matched with respect to age, education, and extent of musical training. Violations were based on morpho-syntactic relations in sentences and harmonic relations in chord sequences. Both groups presented with a significant P600 response to syntactic violations across both domains. The aphasic participants presented with a reduced-amplitude posterior P600 compared to the healthy adults in response to linguistic, but not musical, violations. Participants with aphasia did however present with larger frontal positivities in response to violations in both domains. Intriguingly, extent of musical training was associated with larger posterior P600 responses to syntactic violations of language and music in both groups. Overall, these findings are not consistent with the predictions of the SSIRH, and instead suggest that linguistic, but not musical, syntactic processing may be selectively impaired in stroke-induced agrammatic aphasia. However, the findings also suggest a relationship between musical training and linguistic syntactic processing, which may have clinical implications for people with aphasia, and motivates more research on the relationship between these two domains.

Monitoring the incidence of Xylella fastidiosa infection in olive orchards using ground-based evaluations, airborne imaging spectroscopy and Sentinel-2 time series through 3-D radiative transfer modelling

Outbreaks of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) in Europe generate considerable economic and environmental damage, and this plant pest continues to spread. Detecting and monitoring the spatio-temporal dynamics of the disease symptoms caused by Xf at a large scale is key to curtailing its expansion and mitigating its impacts. Here, we combined 3-D radiative transfer modelling (3D-RTM), which accounts for the seasonal background variations, with passive optical satellite data to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of Xf infections in olive orchards. We developed a 3D-RTM approach to predict Xf infection incidence in olive orchards, integrating airborne hyperspectral imagery and freely available Sentinel-2 satellite data with radiative transfer modelling and field observations. Sentinel-2A time series data collected over a two-year period were used to assess the temporal trends in Xf-infected olive orchards in the Apulia region of southern Italy. Hyperspectral images spanning the same two-year period were used for validation, along with field surveys; their high resolution also enabled the extraction of soil spectrum variations required by the 3D-RTM to account for canopy background effect. Temporal changes were validated with more than 3000 trees from 16 orchards covering a range of disease severity (DS) and disease incidence (DI) levels. Among the wide range of structural and physiological vegetation indices evaluated from Sentinel-2 imagery, the temporal variation of the Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (ARVI) and Optimized Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (OSAVI) showed superior performance for DS and DI estimation (r(VALUES)(2) > 0.7, p < 0.001). When seasonal understory changes were accounted for using modelling methods, the error of DI prediction was reduced 3-fold. Thus, we conclude that the retrieval of DI through model inversion and Sentinel-2 imagery can form the basis for operational vegetation damage monitoring worldwide. Our study highlight the value of interpreting temporal variations in model retrievals to detect anomalies in vegetation health.

Causal chain of haze decoupling efforts and its action mechanism: Evidence from 30 provinces in China

Under the premise of ensuring economic growth, how to achieve the maximum reduction of PM2.5 has become one of the important tasks in China. In this study, we investigated the influencing factors of PM2.5 by employing the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI). The sensitivity of PM2.5 to various emission reduction factors was also explored. Then, by constructing an indicator of PM2.5 decoupling efforts (PDE), PDE of different regions and the degree of efforts caused by various factors were explored. Finally, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of internal and external factors influencing PDE was explored using the Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression Model (GTWR). The main results are as follows. (1) The emission coefficient was the main negative driving factor of changes in PM2.5, and per capita GDP was the main positive driving factor. (2) The sensitivity of PM2.5 to emission reduction factors in most regions followed the ranking: emission coefficient > energy intensity > population. In the analysis of the sensitivity of PM2.5 to various emission reduction factors throughout the country, the sensitivity of the emission coefficient was highest in Shandong province. (3) From 2000 to 2014, all provinces made decoupling efforts (PDE>0), among which PDE in Guizhou province were the largest. According to various indicators of decoupling efforts, the contribution of decoupling effort of emission coefficient was the largest. (4) All influencing factors exhibited spatiotemporal heterogeneity. In most regions, the interaction between environmental regulation and industrial structure had a positive impact on PDE, which verifies the existence of the "Porter Hypothesis". However, in some central and western regions, this interaction exhibited a dynamic change from negative to positive. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing the environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for E-waste in the EU28+2 countries

This paper investigates the Kuznets Curve hypothesis for e-waste using a balanced panel of 30 European countries (EU28 + 2) over the period 2000e2016. To account for the dynamic and the time-invariant characteristics, we employed the generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator as a core method and used the 2SLS estimator and cross-section method to analyze the robustness of results. We found that the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is well supported for e-waste generated in the EU28 + 2 area. In addition, this relationship is robust and is not sensitive to the choice of control variables and the estimation methods. All three methods evidenced EKC in e-waste for the studied European area. This reveals that e-waste generation increases with an increasing GDP up to a certain GDP level (turning point), but thereafter decreases despite further economic growth. While this suggests that ewaste generation and the related adverse environmental impacts will decline at elevated GDP levels, the results of this study highlight that the turning point occurs at rather exceptionally high levels of GDP. The evidence of EKC in e-waste contributes to better understanding the interlinkage between economic growth and e-waste generation, but it does not diminish the urgent need to implement effective e-waste collection and valorization schemes. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urbanization and energy consumption effects on carbon dioxide emissions: evidence from Asian-8 countries using panel data analysis

The developing world is facing pivotal challenges in recent times. Among these, global warming has ominous repercussions on every segment of society, thus tracing its underlying causes is imperative. This research attempts to investigate the impact of urbanization and energy consumption on carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) for a panel of 8 Asian countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) over the period 1982 to 2017. The analyses are executed using panel co-integration and Granger causality techniques. The main findings of panel co-integration reveal a long-run relationship between urbanization, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the results indicate a positive and significant impact of urbanization and energy consumption on CO2 emissions, indicating that urban development and high energy consumptions are barriers to improve environmental quality in the long run. The results also highlight bi-directional causality between energy consumption and urbanization, while unidirectional causality exists between energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Based on the obtained results, this study offers useful policy implications for plummeting carbon emissions.

Developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity assessment of R-, S-, and RS-propylene glycol enantiomers in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Propylene glycol (PG) is widely used in the foods, pharmaceuticals, oil industry, animal feed, cosmetics and other industries. Because of the existence of a chiral carbon center, PG forms R (Rectus)- and S (Sinister)-enantiomers. Currently, the toxicity study of its R-, S-enantiomers is still very scarce. In this study, we have assessed the developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity of the R-, S-, and RS-PG enantiomers in zebrafish larvae. We found that exposure to R-, S-, and RS-PG enantiomers did not significantly affect the basic developmental endpoints of embryos or larvae (i.e., embryonic movement, hatching, mortality, malformation, heartbeat, body length), indicating that R-, S-, and RS-PG exposures did not exhibit the basic developmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae. The toxicity of three enantiomers was lower than that of ethanol, and there was no significant difference between them. However, R-, S-, and RS-PG exposures with high doses could significantly change the eye diameter and locomotor activity of larval zebrafish, indicating that R-, S-, and RS-PG enantiomers of high doses could potentially exhibit the neurotoxicity and ocular developmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae. Therefore, the potential neurotoxicity and ocular developmental toxicity of R-, S-, and RS-PG enantiomers for infants and toddlers should be considered.

Highly active Fenton-like catalyst derived from solid waste-iron ore tailings using wheat straw pyrolysis

The pollutants degradation rate of iron ore tailings-based heterogeneous catalysts is the main factor limiting its application. Herein, an iron ore tailings-based Fenton-like catalyst (I/W(3:1)-900-60) with a relatively fast catalysis rate was constructed by co-pyrolysis (900°C, 60 min holding time) of iron ore tailings and wheat straw with a mass ratio of 3:1. With wheat straw blending, the generated I/W(3:1)-900-60 presented a larger surface area (24.53 m2/g), smaller pore size (3.76 nm), reduced iron species (Fe2+ from magnetic), and a higher catalytic activity (0.0229 min-1) than I-900-60 (1.32 m2/g, 12.87 nm, 0.012 min-1) pyrolyzed using single iron ore tailing under the same pyrolysis conditions. In addition, biochar and iron ore tailings in I/W(3:1)-900-60 were tightly combined through chemical bonding. The optimal catalyst remains active after three cycles, indicating its catalytic stability and recyclability. The good Fenton-like methylene blue degradation efficiency of I/W(3:1)-900-60 was ascribed to the sacrificial role of biochar, as well as the electron transfer between biochar and iron active sites or the redox cycles of ≡Fe3+/Fe2+. This finding provides a facile construction strategy for highly active iron ore tailings-based Fenton-like catalyst and thereby had a great potential application in wastewater treatment.

Low carbon roadmap of residential building sector in China: Historical mitigation and prospective peak

Fast-growing carbon emissions from the residential building sector are a hindrance for China to achieve its 2030 emission peak goal. To identify future low carbon roadmaps of residential buildings, this study is the first to assess the historical carbon mitigation and simulate the energy and emission peaks of China's residential building sector using a dynamic emission scenario. It shows that the emission mitigation of the residential building sector during 2000-2015 is 1.817 (+/- 0.643) billion tons of carbon dioxide (BtCO(2)), and the normal distribution-based scenario simulation demonstrates that the residential building sector will achieve its carbon emission peak in 2037 (+/- 4) with a peak value of 1.419 (+/- 0.081) BtCO(2). The sensitivity analysis reveals that the impacts of floor space per capita and energy intensity of urban residential buildings are the most significant for the uncertainty of emission peaks. A strict energy demand benchmark of the residential building sector suggests a control at 0.661 billion tons of standard coal equivalent (Btce), and its peaking time is estimated for 2035, which is 5 years ahead of the business-as-usual scenario, with energy savings of 0.042 Btce. For the earliest peaking time, if the residential building sector aims to achieve its emission peak before 2030, the emission peak should be controlled at 1.258 BtCO(2). Overall, this paper can assist the government in more accurate and feasible building emission mitigation strategies. Moreover, the results provide a more powerful decision-making reference in issuing targeted and feasible strategies for future residential building emission mitigation.

Harnessing the potential of machine learning for advancing "Quality by Design" in biomanufacturing

Ensuring consistent high yields and product quality are key challenges in biomanufacturing. Even minor deviations in critical process parameters (CPPs) such as media and feed compositions can significantly affect product critical quality attributes (CQAs). To identify CPPs and their interdependencies with product yield and CQAs, design of experiments, and multivariate statistical approaches are typically used in industry. Although these models can predict the effect of CPPs on product yield, there is room to improve CQA prediction performance by capturing the complex relationships in high-dimensional data. In this regard, machine learning (ML) approaches offer immense potential in handling non-linear datasets and thus are able to identify new CPPs that could effectively predict the CQAs. ML techniques can also be synergized with mechanistic models as a 'hybrid ML' or 'white box ML' to identify how CPPs affect the product yield and quality mechanistically, thus enabling rational design and control of the bioprocess. In this review, we describe the role of statistical modeling in Quality by Design (QbD) for biomanufacturing, and provide a generic outline on how relevant ML can be used to meaningfully analyze bioprocessing datasets. We then offer our perspectives on how relevant use of ML can accelerate the implementation of systematic QbD within the biopharma 4.0 paradigm.

Magnetic adsorbent developed with alkali-thermal pretreated biogas slurry solids for the removal of heavy metals: optimization, kinetic, and equilibrium study

Discharge of effluents containing heavy metal without adequate treatment causes contamination of water resources and creates environmental and health issues. Adsorption could be applied to remediate heavy metals from wastewater effectively. In this study, a low-cost adsorbent was prepared by magnetic modification of pretreated biogas slurry solids (BSS) to remove heavy metals such as Cu2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+. The temperature (423 K) and time (1.5 h) of pretreatment, the BSS to KOH ratio (1:10 w/v), and the ratio of magnetic iron nanoparticle (MIN) to pretreated BSS (PSS) (1:2 w/w) were optimized for the preparation of adsorbent. The magnetically modified pretreated biogas slurry solid (MMPSS) adsorbent was characterized by BET isotherm, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, VSM, and EDX analysis. MMPSS attained equilibrium at 60 min and showed an adsorption capacity of 26.84 mg/g, 24.79 mg/g, and 23.86 mg/g with removal percentages 89.46%, 82.63%, and 79.54% for Cu2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+, respectively, at 310 K and pH 6 with an initial concentration of 150 mg/L. The adsorption process followed a pseudo second-order model with an R2 value above 0.9 for all metals with a well-approaching equilibrium pattern. The good fit of experimental data by the Langmuir isotherm model implied monolayer adsorption. The metal ions adsorbed onto MMPSS were able to desorb effectively in the presence of HCl and retained 83.01%, 84.66%, and 81.83% of the initial adsorption capacity for Cu2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ respectively after 5 consecutive cycles.

Is a liveable city a healthy city? Health impacts of urban and transport planning in Vienna, Austria

Each year, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) computes the Global Liveability Index and determines the most liveable cities around the world. Vienna, Austria, was ranked by the EIU as the most liveable city worldwide in 2018 and 2019. However, the relationship between a liveable as well as healthy and environmentally-just city has not been previously explored. To explore whether the most liveable city is also a healthy and environmentally-just one, we estimated the premature mortality burden related to non-compliance with international exposure level recommendations for physical activity (PA), air pollution (PM2.5 and NO2), road traffic noise, green space and heat for Vienna, as well as its distribution by socioeconomic status (SES). We applied the Urban and TranspOrt Planning Health Impact Assessment (UTOPHIA) methodology and estimated the annual mortality, life expectancy (LE) and economic impact of non-compliance with exposure guidelines for the Viennese adult population >= 20 years. We compared current with recommended exposure levels, quantified the association between exposures and mortality and calculated attributable health impact fractions. Eight percent of premature mortality (i.e. 1239 deaths, 95% CI: 679-1784) was estimated to be attributable to non-compliance with the recommended exposure levels. Seventy-six percent of the attributable premature mortality was due to PM2.5 exposure and insufficient PA. Non-compliance also resulted in an average of 199 days of LE lost for the adult population (95% CI: 111-280) and an economic impact of 4.6 (95% CI: 2.5-6.7) billion 2015(sic) annually. Overall, residents of lower SES neighbourhoods faced higher risk of premature mortality due to higher exposure to NO2, road traffic noise, heat and less green space. Despite high liveability standards according to EIU definition, a considerable premature mortality burden was attributable to non-compliance with exposure recommendations, and socioeconomic inequalities were estimated. Although the exposure attributable mortality burden was lower than in other European cities and local Viennese policies favour the reduction of motorized traffic, alongside the promotion of active and public transport and urban greening, there is room for further alignment of liveability, environmental health and justice objectives.

Insect Farming for Feed and Food Production from a Circular Business Model Perspective

The studies focused on the use of insects have outlined numerous reasons for using insects as food and feed as an important method to increase food opportunities for consumers. Insects have been emphasized as a food source with a low environmental impact due to the limited requirement for arable land and water, low ecological cost, and high-quality protein provision. In Europe and Western countries, insect farming is a growing business in which, however, some critical economic aspects must be recognized. The sector needs to be adequately promoted to rationally exploit the huge amount of potential. As such, the aim of this study was to analyze the recent research on economic aspects related to insect farming for feed and food production with the purpose of providing evidence of the critical economic points in this emerging sector. The focus was mainly oriented to understanding how insect farming can foster virtuous circular economic processes, specifically considering economic aspects on the basis of the limited literature currently available and the circular economic principles. A circular business model approach was proposed to address the entire insect-based feed and food supply chain from a circular economic perspective. In our opinion, the findings underline some economic research questions that need to be addressed in the near future, and the conceptual approach can be individualized to help increase cost- and eco-effectiveness from a circular economic perspective.

What are the critical barriers to the development of hydrogen refueling stations in China? A modified fuzzy DEMATEL approach

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is one of the important modalities of the next generation of new energy vehicles. As the basic infrastructure of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) have drawn attention from all social circles. However, hindered by various barriers, the development of HRSs is much slower than the Chinese government's expectation. Hence, this study aims to explore critical barriers of the HRS development in China based on a modified fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Firstly, a barrier list is identified through a literature survey and expert consultation, which consists of four categories (economic, technological, social and political-regulatory aspect) and 12 potential barriers. Later, considering the subjectivity of threshold setting in the traditional fuzzy DEMATEL method, the K-means clustering algorithm is utilized to optimize the threshold value, and thus a modified fuzzy DEMATEL approach is proposed to investigate the prominence of these barriers and the cause-effect relationships among them. The results show that six barriers are regarded as key barriers to China's HRS development, and corresponding policy measures are formulated to mitigate or eliminate these critical barriers.

Feasibility of incorporating autoclaved aerated concrete waste for cement replacement in sustainable building materials

Autoclaved aerated concrete waste (AACW) is a common low-strength cement-based construction and demolition waste, which is currently disposed by landfills and hard to be directly used as supplementary cementitious material. The present work proposed a potential approach incorporating AACW for cement substitution in sustainable building materials. Wet-milling technique was used to dispose and improve the fineness of AACW (median particle size, as low as 2.3 mu m). It was proved that AACW is suitable for wet-milling treatment due to its porous texture and low-strength. The pH value and electrical conductivity of the AACW slurry was notably improved. Water requirement was increased by the ultrafine AACW. Both setting time and the main hydration heat location were obviously brought forward by ultrafine AACW, indicating its early hydration acceleration. Compressive strength of ultrafine AACW replaced cement pastes present higher or equivalent value compared with pure cement paste, within 30% replacement level. Pore structure was effectively refined by the ultrafine wet-milling AACW. It was proved that AACW could be efficiently used as an alternative cementitious material in cement and concrete after wet-milling treatment, thus bring environmental and economic benefits. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal optimization of shell and tube heat exchanger using porous baffles

In this study, total heat transfer rate and pressure drop along a shell and tube heat exchanger (STHX) with 6 porous baffles are numerically investigated. To study the impacts of segmental porous baffles, three values for the permeability (10(-9) m(2), 10(-12) m(2), and 10(-15) m(2)), porosity (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8), and baffle cut (25%, 35%, 50%) were considered, and the output parameters were calculated. Low baffle cuts provided the highest heat transfer; however, it generated a considerable amount of pressure drop as well. Although the porosity of 0.2 was superior in terms of heat transfer, higher pressure drop at lower baffle cut is the obstacle to consider it as the optimum value. The data was then utilized to train an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to characterize the STHX and perform the sensitivity analysis. Baffle cut had the highest impact on the heat transfer as well as pressure drop while the porosity had the least in both by having 5% contribution. Finally, using genetic algorithm (GA), the optimum values for permeability, porosity, and baffle cut are calculated to gain the maximum heat transfer and minimum pressure drop in the system.

Computational model to explore the endocrine response to trastuzumab action in HER-2/neu positive breast cancer

Breast cancer is a very frequent type of cancer and much attention is paid to therapy with considerable efforts both in the pharmacological and clinical fields.The present work aims to create a non-linear dynamic model of action of the drug Trastuzumab against HER-2 + breast cancer, mainly considering its action of ADCP (antibody-dependent phagocytosis) killing of cancer cells. The model, while also considering the other therapeutic effects induced by Trastuzumab, shows how the action of this monoclonal antibody in the induction of ADCP through the action of macrophages, is strictly connected to the formation of a multi-complex "Trastuzumab -HER-2 - macrophage" that shows a prolonged action over time, responsible for the increase in the Overall Survivor (OS) parameter reported in various. The model shows the correlation between the various therapeutic effects and the killing action of cancer cells through the variation of the dynamic fluctuation of the representative "c" parameter.

Dominant follicle and gonadotropin dynamics before ovulation in postpartum lactating mares

The aim of this study was to compare the dominant follicle (DF) and gonadotropin dynamics for 9 days before ovulation in postpartum lactating (PP Lactating) versus non-postpartum cycling (N-PP Cycling) mares. Every PP Lactating mare on the day of parturition was paired with a N-PP Cycling mare, and the data analyses considered the partum-ovulation interval (POI) and the postpartum interovulatory interval (PPIOI) in PP Lactating mares and two interovulatory intervals in N-PP Cycling mares. The results of the present study revealed several novel and unique aspects of DF development and FSH and LH dynamics before ovulation in PP Lactating mares when compared with N-PP Cycling mares. The most remarkable differences between both groups of mares were the following: (1) a shorter interval to ovulation in PP Lactating mares during the foal heat (POI ≤22 days) compared with all other intervals; (2) a larger DF in PP Lactating mares, and an earlier day of DF at maximum diameter during the foal heat; and (3) lower gonadotropin levels in PP Lactating mares. Regarding the particularities, PP Lactating mares had lower LH levels during the POI than the PPIOI, demonstrating a strong partum effect; spring-foaled mares had longer POIs, larger DF diameters, and lower LH levels; and lower body condition scores and higher body-weight loss led to longer POIs and smaller DF diameters in PP Lactating mares. This study contributes to a broad understanding of ovarian function in the postpartum mare.

The use of black pepper (Piper guineense) as an ecofriendly antimicrobial agent to fight foodborne microorganisms

Consumers demand clean-label food products, necessitating the search for new, natural antimicrobials to meet this demand while ensuring food safety. This review aimed at investigating the antimicrobial properties of black pepper (Piper guineense) against foodborne microorganisms. The existence of foodborne illness, food spoilage, food waste, the resulting negative economic impact of these issues, and consumer interests have all pushed the food industry to find alternative, safe, and natural antimicrobials to be used in foods and beverages. Consumers have also influenced the demand for novel antimicrobials due to the perceived association of current synthetic preservatives with diseases and adverse effects on children. They also have a desire for clean-label products. These combined concerns have prompted researchers at investigating plant extracts as potential sources for antimicrobials. Plants possess many antimicrobial properties; therefore, evaluating these plant extracts as a natural source of antimicrobials can lead to a preventative control method in reducing foodborne illness and food spoilage, inclusively meeting consumer needs. In most regions, P. guineense is commonly utilized due to its potent and effective medicinal properties against foodborne microorganisms.

Testing the role of aerobic exercise in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in U.S. active duty military personnel: a pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the efficacy of imaginal exposure for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could be improved by adding aerobic exercise. We hypothesized that aerobic exercise would enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy. Active duty service members with clinically significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSD Checklist-Stressor-Specific Version, [PCL-S], ≥25) were randomized into one of four conditions: exercise only; imaginal exposure only; imaginal exposure plus exercise; no exercise/no exposure therapy (control). Participants (N = 72) were primarily male, Army, noncommissioned officers ranging in age from 22 to 52. PTSD symptom severity decreased over time (p < .0001); however, there were no significant differences between the experimental conditions. The prediction that imaginal exposure augmented with aerobic exercise would be superior to either imaginal exposure alone or aerobic exercise alone was not supported, suggesting that engaging in exercise and imaginal exposure simultaneously may not be any better than engaging in either activity alone. A better understanding of individually administered and combined exercise and exposure therapy interventions for PTSD is warranted.

Dramatic decrease of flood frequency in the Mekong Delta due to river-bed mining and dyke construction

Here we present a proof of concept evaluation of the impacts of riverbed-mining on river-wetland connectivity by analyzing the temporal trends of the flood frequencies in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), while accounting for the effect of dyke constructions. We focus on the Long Xuyen Quadrangle (LXQ), which is significant in terms of biodiversity and economic contribution to the VMD as it is one of the most important food baskets of Southeast Asia that depends on seasonal flooding. Our results indicate that the flood frequency in LXQ has decreased significantly over the past 20 years (1995-2015). Time-series analyses of water level data at Chau Doc, Tan Chau, and Can Tho stations confirmed that the overall descending trend is statistically significant (p-value < 0.001 and tau similar to 0.1). However, the river discharge at Kratie showed no significant trend (p-value = 0.98) over the same period. This indicates that the flood frequency is associated with the lowering of the riverbed (incision) other than climatic factors. The connectivity analysis also revealed a remarkable drop in the inundation duration after early 2000, which corresponds to the previous observations of the shifting shoreline of the VMD from construction to shrinking. Finally, regression and principal component analyses underpinned the strong causality between the riverbed-mining and the decreased seasonal flooding patterns in LXQ, while accounting for the effect of the dyke system over the last decades (R-2 = 0.75). This study offers compelling evidences on the relationship between sand-mining in the river and the disrupted flood regimes in VMD. The reduction in water and sediments that is necessary for sustaining current rates of agricultural production in the long term would endanger the livelihoods of millions of VMD inhabitants. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Employment and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers: An evaluation of the Fathers Advancing Community Together program

Prior research underscores the importance of fathers' involvement in their children's lives. However, there is mixed evidence about the degree to which fatherhood programs improve economic stability and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers. We attempted to address some of these gaps in the literature by evaluating the Fathers Advancing Community Together (FACT) program. FACT was implemented by Rubicon Programs, a community-based nonprofit organization in the Bay Area, California known for providing services to help move people out of poverty. The program provided parents economic stability, responsible parenting, and healthy relationship workshops, as well as support services and intensive case management. We relied on data from the Department of Child Support Services to assess whether FACT increased the likelihood of employment, child support modifications, and child support payments among noncustodial fathers during a 6-month post-enrollment period. Using 3:1 coarsened exact matching procedures, the total sample resulted in 744 fathers (186 in the intervention group and 558 in the comparison group). Results from logistic regression models indicate that FACT participants were more likely to be employed and more likely to receive a child support modification during the post-enrollment period than their comparison counterparts, though we found no significant relationship between FACT participation and whether fathers made a child support payment.

Five Tips for Becoming an Ideal General Hospitalist

Owing to the social structure issues caused by Japan's super-aged society, health-care roles have become more complex, and the need for general physicians has increased. General hospitalists in Japan perform various roles. Thus, the ideal image of general hospitalists there has been unclear. We summarize the 10 key skills for Japanese hospitalists indicated in the specialty programs of the Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine. We identified the following five crucial points for ideal general hospitalists: general mindset; leadership and management; community-based comprehensive care and cooperation with various professions; appropriate medical interviewing, physical examination, and diagnostic reasoning; and proactive education and academic activities. This paper presents five tips, which deal with why those items are necessary and how they should be learned.

Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model

Background: Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate change. We estimated the health impacts of implementing this urban model across Barcelona. Methods: We carried out a quantitative health impact assessment (HIA) study for Barcelona residents >= 20 years (N= 1,301,827) on the projected Superblock area level (N= 503), following the comparative risk assessment methodology. We 1) estimated expected changes in (a) transport-related physical activity (PA), (b) air pollution (NO2), (c) road traffic noise, (d) green space, and (e) reduction of the urban heat island (UHI) effect through heat reductions; 2) scaled available risk estimates; and 3) calculated attributable health impact fractions. Estimated endpoints were preventable premature mortality, changes in life expectancy and economic impacts. Results: We estimated that 667 premature deaths (95% CI: 235-1,098) could be prevented annually through implementing the 503 Superblocks. The greatest number of preventable deaths could be attributed to reductions in NO2 (291, 95% PI: 0-838), followed by noise (163, 95% CI: 83-246), heat (117, 95% CI: 101-137), and green space development (60, 95% CI: 0-119). Increased PA for an estimated 65,000 persons shifting car/motorcycle trips to public and active transport resulted in 36 preventable deaths (95% CI: 26-50). The Superblocks were estimated to result in an average increase in life expectancy for the Barcelona adult population of almost 200 days (95% CI: 99-297), and result in an annual economic impact of 1.7 billion EUR (95% CI: 0.6-2.8). Discussion: The Barcelona Superblocks were estimated to help reduce harmful environmental exposures (i.e. air pollution, noise, and heat) while simultaneously increase PA levels and access to green space, and thereby provide substantial health benefits. For an equitable distribution of health benefits, the Superblocks should be implemented consistently across the entire city. Similar health benefits are expected for other cities that face similar challenges of environmental pollution, climate change vulnerability and low PA levels, by adopting the Barcelona Superblock model.

A Life Less than Ordinary: The Schooner Ocean (1821-1865)

The East Winner Bank Shipwreck takes its name from the southern sandbank on Hayling Island near Portsmouth, UK. Examination of the wreck indicates a 19th-century carvel-built vessel. The sandbank is an active environment, meaning the wreck is rarely exposed to its full extent. Discussed here is work completed on the site before and during the social-distancing restrictions imposed by COVID-19. Documentary sources and previous detailed surveys suggest a possible identification for the wreck. The site appears to be an example of an everyday 19th-century coastal trading vessel, rarely explored archaeologically in the UK, with potential to contribute to discussions of the maritime technologies and maritime cultural landscape of regular folk. The investigation represents an excellent example of combining historical and archaeological data sets to further the interpretation of both sources, revealing details about the ship and its lasting impact on this stretch of coastline.

Inhibitory effect of CC chemokine ligand 23 (CCL23)/ transcription factor activating enhancer binding protein 4 (TFAP4) on cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized solid tumor with a fast growth rate. According to bioinformatics analysis, CC chemokine ligand 23 (CCL23) has clinical significance for survival and prognosis in HCC. The online databases TCGA and CCLE were used to analyze the expression level of CCL23, and its expression was also measured in HCC cell lines by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The STRING database and co-immunoprecipitation were employed to evaluate the association between CCL23 and transcription factor activating enhancer binding protein 4 (TFAP4). Overexpression plasmids for CCL23 (Ov-CCL23) and TFAP4 (Ov-TFAP4) were transfected into Huh-7 cells to detect TFAP4 expression. Huh-7 cells injected with OV-negative control (NC)/Ov-CCL23 or OV-NC/Ov-CCL23 plus Ov-TFAP4 were utilized to study the function of CCL23/TFAP4. Cell proliferation, invasion and human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation assays were conducted. The database revealed decreased expression of CCL23 in HCC and that it was commonly downregulated in HCC cell lines. TFAP4 expression was negatively correlated with CCL23. The overexpression of CCL23 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of Huh-7 cells, whereas TFAP4 blocked these effects. Similarly, the supernatant of CCL23-upregulated cells exhibited significantly lower tube formation potential, and low vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), VEGFRs expression compared with those of non-transfected Huh-7 cells, while TFAP4 plasmid co-transfected markedly increased these. Taken together, the present study suggests that CCL23 is expressed at low levels in HCC; it inhibits HCC cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in vitro; and its action is negatively associated with and can be blocked by TFAP4.

European commitment to COP21 and the role of energy consumption, FDI, trade and economic complexity in sustaining economic growth

The nexus between economic growth and energy consumption has been exhaustively explored, yet the empirical evidence and the theoretical points of view remain at odds. This study contextualises and capitalises on this discrepancy and examines the connection between non-renewable and renewable energy consumption and economic growth, considering the moderating impact of economic complexity, trade openness, FDI and institutional quality. We use a panel quantile regression model and data from 32 European countries in the period 1995-2014. Our key results show that economic complexity, renewable energy consumption, trade openness, FDI and institutional quality enhance economic growth. The results for non-renewable energy consumption showed both a positive and a negative impact in different quantiles, indicating that the consumption of renewable energy is in fact more effective for economic growth than the use of non-renewables. Our findings have far-reaching implications for stakeholders and policymakers working on sustainable economic growth and energy policy with a view to meeting the commitments made under the Paris Agreement (COP21).

Chlorophyll- and anthocyanin-rich cell organelles affect light scattering in apple skin

Apple skin contains several groups of strongly absorbing cell organelles with pigments that change dynamically in type and concentration during fruit maturation. Chlorophylls and carotenoids, both primarily involved in photosynthesis, are found in the grana of chloroplasts, while anthocyanin vacuolar inclusions (AVIs) accumulate for light protection in red-skinned cultivars. A Mie model describing light scattering by absorbing spherical particles in a non-absorbing medium allowed to theoretically investigate the explicit influence of grana and AVIs on the effective scattering coefficient [Formula: see text] and the absorption coefficient [Formula: see text]. The reconstruction of the complex refractive indices of the organelles predicted anomalous dispersion, i.e., a local increase in the real part of the refractive index in the spectral regions with high chlorophyll and anthocyanin absorption, in agreement with the Kramers-Kronig relations. As a result, peaks in [Formula: see text] were predicted to be shifted to longer wavelengths compared to the corresponding [Formula: see text] bands. This selective scattering effect was confirmed experimentally with integrating sphere measurements for red- or green-skinned apple samples of the cultivars 'Elstar', 'Gala' or 'Jonagold'. Comparison between simulations and measurements indicated that the Soret bands of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are at 435 nm and 469 nm, respectively, and overlap with the absorption of carotenoids, whose red-most edge is at 488 nm. For anthocyanin absorption, a pronounced blue shift from 550 to 520 nm was observed, indicating structural or chemical changes of AVIs.

A survey of polar stationary phases for hydrophilic interaction chromatography and recent progress in understanding retention and selectivity

Various polar stationary phases are available for hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and help drive continuous applications in biomedical, environmental, and pharmaceutical areas in the past decade. Although the stationary phases for HILIC have been reviewed previously, it is an appropriate time to take another look at the progresses made during the past 5 years. The current review provides an overview of the polar stationary phases commercially available for HILIC applications in an effort to assist scientists in selecting suitable columns. New types of stationary phases that were published in literature in the past 5 years are summarized and discussed. The trend in stationary phase research and development is also highlighted. Of particular interest is the experimental evidence for direct interactions of polar analytes with the ligands of the stationary phases under HILIC conditions. In addition, two different approaches have been developed to delineate the relative significance of the partitioning and adsorption mechanisms in HILIC, representing an important advancement in our understanding of the retention mechanisms in HILIC.

Countermeasures for Health Care Disruptions During Lockdowns

Many countries did not have alternative healthcare arrangements during their initial coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdowns. This is surprising as partial and full lockdowns have been previously used to manage terrorism and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2002-2003. This paper examines how lockdowns disrupt normal health care services and discusses countermeasures that can be used during lockdowns regardless of the emergency that engendered them. Solutions for consultations and pharmacy operations are discussed pragmatically with frontline clinicians, health care managers, and policy-makers in mind. Mental health services are used as a case in point with generalizable lessons for other healthcare specialties.

One novel naphthalene derivative and other constituents with anti-complementary activities from the aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica

One novel naphthalene derivative, 2-octa-2',4',6'-atriynenaphthalene (1), together with eighteen known compounds (2-19) were isolated from the aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. Compounds 2, 8, 10, 13, 15-17 and 19 were obtained from the family Lamiaceae for the first time, and compounds 11 and 18 were firstly identified from the genus of Dracocephalum. All the isolates were evaluated for anti-complementary activities through the classical and alternative pathways, and the targets of the most active compounds on the complement activation cascade were also investigated.

Enhancing digital literacy with an intelligent conversational agent for senior citizens in Thailand

Intelligent conversational agents have been implemented as virtual assistants in mobile applications to facilitate, engage, and interact with users for optimal learning experiences. With 24/7 availability, providing instant and consistent responses, chatbots, as a type of intelligent conversational agent, will help benefit the learning communication, makes the entire learning experience more engaging for the learners. They have also been successfully used by the elderly to encourage behavioral change for their intended purpose. This study investigated baseline data on the use of digital platforms of senior citizens in Bangkok Metropolitan and the six regions of Thailand and developed a chatbot from the derived data. The chatbot contained learning media and service function, served as a platform to enhance digital literacy for the senior citizens in Thailand. The study was conducted in 3 phases, the baseline survey on the use of digital platforms of the senior citizens in Thailand, the development of the chatbot and learning media, and the pre-experimental expert validation. The samples were 422 senior citizens. The data were collected by questionnaires, focused group discussion, and interviews with experts, and analyzed by percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis. Results were incorporated in the design and development of the chatbot innovation following the software development life cycle (SDLC) framework. Expert feedback revealed that this chatbot innovation was easy to access, convenient to request for operations, artistically appealing, and comprehensive in content and functionality for enhancing digital literacy skills, which are to access, analyze, evaluate, participate, and act. In the next research sequence, this innovation will subsequently be experimented with more senior citizens to prepare and improve their digital competence to consequently equip them with the necessary capacities to keep up with Thailand's transition towards a full-blown aging society.

Extracellular polymeric substance decomposition linked to hydrogen recovery from waste activated sludge: Role of peracetic acid and free nitrous acid co-pretreatment in a prefermentation-bioelectrolysis cascading system

Free nitrous acid (FNA) has been recently reported to be an effective and eco-friendly inactivator for waste activated sludge (WAS), while the limited decomposition of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix hampers resource recovery from WAS. This work employed peracetic acid (PAA) to assist FNA and explored the contribution of co-pretreatment to hydrogen recovery in a prefermentation-bioelectrolysis cascading system. The results showed that co-pretreatment led to approximately 8.8% and 20.4% increases in the exfoliation of particulate proteins and carbohydrates, respectively, from tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) over that of sole FNA pretreatment. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis verified that the synergistic effect of FNA, PAA and various generated free radicals was the essential process. This effect further promoted the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) after 96 h of prefermentation, and the peak concentration in co-pretreatedWAS (AD-FPWAS) was approximately 2.5-fold that in sole FNA-pretreated WAS (AD-FWAS). Subsequently, the cascading utilization of organics in the bioelectrolysis step contributed to efficient hydrogen generation. A total of 10.8 +/- 0.3 mg H-2/g VSS was harvested in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) fed with AD-FPWAS, while 6.2 +/- 0.1 mg H-2/g VSS was obtained from AD-FWAS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the effective decomposition of the phospholipid bilayer in the cytomembrane and the transformation of macromolecular organics into VFAs and hydrogen in the cascading system. Further microbial community analysis demonstrated that co-pretreatment enhanced the accumulation of functional consortia, including anaerobic fermentative bacteria (AFB, 28.1%), e.g., Macellibacteroides (6.3%) and Sedimentibacter (6.9%), and electrochemically active bacteria (EAB, 57.0%), e.g., Geobacter (39.0%) and Pseudomonas (13.6%), in the prefermentation and MEC steps, respectively. The possible synergetic and competitive relationships among AFB, EAB, homo-acetogens, nitrate-reducing bacteria and methanogens were explored by molecular ecological network analysis. From an environmental and economic perspective, this promising FNA and PAA co-pretreatment approach provides new insight for energy recovery from WAS biorefineries. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental regulation and industrial capacity utilization: An empirical study of China

China's current economic development is faced with the two major problems of environmental pollution and production overcapacity. Environmental regulation is not only an effective means of controlling polluting emissions but is also an important factor which can affect industrial capacity utilization (ICU). For this work, 2004 to 2015 panel data from 30 provinces in China was employed to verify the evolution and spatial correlation of both environmental regulation intensity and industrial capacity utilization. The dynamic spatial panel model (DSPM) was then used to examine not only the impact of environmental regulation intensity on industrial capacity utilization but also the compliance cost effect and the innovation offset effect through which the environmental regulation intensity influences industrial capacity utilization. It was found that striking differences exist between provinces with respect to China's environmental regulation intensities and industrial capacity utilization, with a fluctuating but rising trend emerging over time. In parallel with this, there is also a significant spatial correlation in industrial capacity utilization. The results from the DSPM show that increases in environmental regulation intensity can significantly improve industrial capacity utilization. Environmental regulations can also improve industrial capacity utilization through the innovation offset effect, although the compliance cost effect of environmental regulation not significant. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategies for designing proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs)

Proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) is a cutting edge and rapidly growing technique for new drug discovery and development. Currently, the largest challenge in the molecular design and drug development of PROTACs is efficient identification of potent and drug-like degraders. This review aims to comprehensively summarize and analyse state-of-the-art methods and strategies in the design of PROTACs. We provide a detailed illustration of the general principles and tactics for designing potent PROTACs, highlight representative case studies, and discuss the advantages and limitations of these strategies. Particularly, structure-based rational PROTAC design and emerging new types of PROTACs (e.g., homo-PROTACs, multitargeting PROTACs, photo-control PROTACs and PROTAC-based conjugates) will be focused on.

Evaluation of city sustainability using multi-criteria decision-making considering interaction among criteria in Liaoning province China

City sustainability is a complex system affected by economic, social, and environmental dimensions, with the existence of interaction and conflict among factor. However, there is a lack of real methodology on the measurement of interaction. Then, this article presents a method to calculate the interaction among multiple criteria, including static interaction and dynamic trend similarity, and to compute the weigh coefficient of each indicator induced by this interaction. In addition, the applicability of the proposed method is demonstrated by evaluating the sustainability performance of 14 cities in Liaoning province China in the context of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. Our results show that the sustainable development of 14 cities in Liaoning province experienced dramatically downward and has a crucial condition from 2013 to 2017. Only Dalian, Shenyang, Panjin, Benxi, and Yingkou could be classified as a Good level (Level.), and none of cities was an Excellent level (Level.). From spatial-temporal perspective, regional disparities of sustainability are demonstrated by spatial distributions of city sustainability. In detail, the comprehensive sustainability and subsystem exhibit a "cold-spot in West" feature. The scores for indicators reveal that the shortage of science expenditure, declining investment in fixed asset, lack of economic growth, and lagging public transportation are the main limit factor faced by most cities. Meanwhile, tertiary industry development, energy efficiency improvement, increase green coverage, and reduce pollutant emissions are primary driving factors for improving sustainability. Comparing with other methods, MCDM considering interaction among criteria is an appropriate method to evaluate city sustainability.

Early onset X-linked female limited high myopia in three multigenerational families caused by novel mutations in the ARR3 gene

This study describes the clinical spectrum and genetic background of high myopia caused by mutations in the ARR3 gene. We performed an observational case series of three multigenerational families with high myopia (SER≤-6D), from the departments of Clinical Genetics and Ophthalmology of a tertiary Dutch hospital. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) with a vision-related gene panel was performed, followed by a full open exome sequencing. We identified three Caucasian families with high myopia caused by three different pathogenic variants in the ARR3 gene (c.214C>T, p.Arg72*; c.767+1G>A; p.?; c.848delG, p.(Gly283fs)). Myopia was characterized by a high severity (<-8D), an early onset (<6 years), progressive nature, and a moderate to bad atropine treatment response. Remarkably, a female limited inheritance pattern was present in all three families accordant with previous reports. The frequency of a pathogenic variant in the ARR3 gene in our diagnostic WES cohort was 5%. To conclude, we identified three families with early onset, therapy-resistant, high myopia with a female-limited inheritance pattern, caused by a mutation in the ARR3 gene. The singular mode of inheritance might be explained by metabolic interference due to X-inactivation. Identification of this type of high myopia will improve prompt myopia treatment, monitoring, and genetic counseling.

Choking under pressure: Does it get easier with age? How loneliness affects social monitoring across the life span

Previous experimental work showed that young adults reporting loneliness performed less well on emotion recognition tasks (Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy [DANVA-2]) if they were framed as indicators of social aptitude, but not when the same tasks were framed as indexing academic aptitude. Such findings suggested that undergraduates reporting loneliness possessed the social monitoring skills necessary to read the emotions underlying others' facial expressions, but that they choked under social pressure. It has also been found that undergraduates reporting loneliness have better recall for both positive and negative social information than their non-lonely counterparts. Whether those effects are evident across different age groups has not been examined. Using data from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Loneliness Experiment that included participants aged 16-99 years (N = 54,060), we (i) test for replication in a larger worldwide sample and (ii) extend those linear model analyses to other age groups. We found only effects for participants aged 25-34 years: In this age group, loneliness was associated with increased recall of negative individual information, and with choking under social pressure during the emotion recognition task; those effects were small. We did not find any such effects among participants in other age groups. Our findings suggest that different cognitive processes may be associated with loneliness in different age groups, highlighting the importance of life-course approaches in this area.

Emerging roles of SWI/SNF remodelers in fungal pathogens

Fungal pathogens constantly sense and respond to the environment they inhabit, and this interaction is vital for their survival inside hosts and exhibiting pathogenic traits. Since such responses often entail specific patterns of gene expression, regulators of chromatin structure contribute to the fitness and virulence of the pathogens by modulating DNA accessibility to the transcriptional machinery. Recent studies in several human and plant fungal pathogens have uncovered the SWI/SNF group of chromatin remodelers as an important determinant of pathogenic traits and provided insights into their mechanism of function. Here, we review these studies and highlight the differential functions of these remodeling complexes and their subunits in regulating fungal fitness and pathogenicity. As an extension of our previous study, we also show that loss of specific RSC subunits can predispose the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans cells to filamentous growth in a context-dependent manner. Finally, we consider the potential of targeting the fungal SWI/SNF remodeling complexes for antifungal interventions.

A study on China's economic growth, green energy technology, and carbon emissions based on the Kuznets curve (EKC)

China's rapid economic development is unavoidably characterized by environmental pitfalls, especially the carbon dioxide emissions of greenhouse gases from the use of energy. Since there is a relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon emission, it is important to note that the continuous improvement and application of solar energy technology will play an active role in carbon emission reduction. Therefore, this paper uses the Kuznets curve to probe the relationship between economic growth, solar energy technology, and carbon emissions. The results show that solar energy technology, economic development level, and carbon emissions are all integrated at the second order with a long-run cointegration relationship. In the long-run, the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions is inverted "U," which suggest that there is a turning point of carbon emissions, where the carbon emissions first increase with economic growth and then gradually decrease, which is reflected in the image as an inverted "U" curve. Also, the impact of economic factors on carbon emissions and the innovation of solar technology can negatively influence carbon emissions, and enhancing the innovation of solar technology has a positive effect on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Fragile X Premutation: Medications, Therapy and Lifestyle Advice

The fragile X premutation is characterized by 55-200 CGG repeats in the 5' untranslated region of FMR1, whereas full fragile X mutation has greater than 200 repeats and full methylation, which manifests as fragile X syndrome (FXS). The premutation spectrum of clinical involvement includes fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI), and fragile X-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (FXAND). In addition, premutation carriers also suffer from various other health problems such as endocrine abnormalities and autoimmune problems. In this paper, we have discussed different health issues faced by the carriers and interventions including medications, therapy and lifestyle changes that could improve their health.

Does COVID-19 predispose patients to type 1 diabetes mellitus?

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged as a global pandemic. This was a prospective, case-control study conducted in Izmir, Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between COVID-19 and new-onset T1DM. We included pediatric patients (aged 6 mo-18 yr) with new-onset type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic, between April 2020 and January 2021. Polymerase chain reaction was used to diagnose COVID-19 after hospital admission. An enzyme-linked immunoassay for IgM and IgG against SARS-CoV-2 was performed after the diagnosis was confirmed. In the control group, the blood antibody test was conducted as close as possible to the time of the T1DM patient referral. A total of 118 participants were included in the study, comprising 57 (48%) patients with new-onset T1DM and 61 (52%) healthy controls. Of the 57 patients, 36 (63.2%) presented with DKA, 17 (29.7%) with diabetic ketosis, and four (7%) incidentally. The SARS-CoV-2 antibody test was positive in five (8.7%) patients with T1DM and six (10%) controls. The rate of positivity did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.901). It was not possible to demonstrate a clear association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and new-onset T1DM. Whether SARS-CoV-2 increases susceptibility to diabetes by triggering islet cell autoimmunity and affects the timing of overt diabetes in patients with existing autoimmunity should be studied in large cohorts.

Association of blood APMAP content and meat quality trait in Rex rabbits

APMAP is single transmembrane arylesterase which plays a cardinal role in adipogenesis. In this experiment, three tissue and blood samples of Rex rabbits at 3 growing periods were selected. The expression levels of APMAP gene in different tissues were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and the content of APMAP in the blood was detected by Elisa. The results showed that fat deposition, the expression of APMAP in muscle and the content of APMAP in the blood increased rapidly during the growth of Rex rabbits. The correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficient between APMAP content in the blood and the expression level of APMAP gene in longissimus lumborum muscle was 0.75(p < 0.05); the correlation coefficients between APMAP content in the blood and intramuscular fat and 24-hour pH were 0.90 (p < 0.01) and 0.75 (p < 0.05), respectively. According to the analysis results, we inferred APMAP content in the blood in Rex rabbits may influence meat quality and the meat quality of high APMAP content in the blood in Rex rabbits is better. These results revealed APMAP content in the blood may be one of the important signs for meat quality traits of molecular markers.

Adolescents' Use of Sexually Explicit Internet Material Over the Course of 2019-2020 in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-wave Panel Study

Recently, sexual health scholars have expressed concerns regarding adolescents' use of sexually explicit internet materials (SEIM) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, using latent growth curve modeling, the current study explored adolescents' changes in the frequency of SEIM use before, during, and after a strict lockdown period was established in Belgium. Attention was given to individual differences (i.e., gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pubertal timing, and sensation seeking). A three-wave panel study over a 15-month period among 522 adolescents was used (Mage = 15.36, SD = 1.51, 67.1% girls). In general, SEIM use did not significantly increase over a 15-month period in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only gender predicted a change in SEIM use frequencies with girls showing a greater, increasing change of SEIM use than boys. When addressing why adolescents used SEIM during a strict lockdown period, sexual arousal, stress, and boredom regulation motivations emerged as the most prevalent motivations. Loneliness regulation was the least prominent motivation. Individual differences were found regarding the gratifications sought according to adolescents' gender, pubertal timing, and sensation seeking. The findings offer a response to sexual scholars' worries in terms of adolescents' SEIM use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Use of mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus fertilization to improve the yield of onion ( Allium cepa L.) plant

Improving the economical yield of commonly cultivated crops is one of the most pressing social and scientific issues in modern agriculture. This paper was conducted to investigate the bio-efficacy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in improving phosphorous (P) utilization and increasing the yield of onion plant grown in sandy soil under a drip irrigation system. The obtained results showed that AMF inoculation of onion and application of 120 kg P fertilizer ha-1 significantly increased the fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll content of onion as well as P concentration in the root, shoot, and bulb during two growing seasons. Moreover, AMF increased the bioavailability of P in the rhizosphere and significantly enhanced the N-utilization by the inoculated plant. The economic yield of the onion plant inoculated by AMF and fertilized by different doses of P fertilizer was much higher than that obtained by the control (without AMF). These findings indicated that inoculating the onion plant in the field with AMF could be very effective in increasing the yield of the onion plant. Additionally, this study suggests AMF as a low-cost and promising candidate for the sustainable production of the onion crop using reclaimed sandy soils and a drip irrigation system.

Testing for the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for CO(2)emissions in Ghana: evidence from the bootstrap rolling window Granger causality test

This paper investigates the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve for carbon dioxide emissions in Ghana. The causal relationship between economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions being examined and the short-run and long-run parameters of the estimated vector autoregressive models are found to be unstable. This necessitated the use of a time-varying approach and the rolling window Granger causality test to investigate the causal relationship between economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions. We find that GDP has a positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions in the sample periods where GDP Granger causes carbon dioxide emissions. Significant feedbacks from the environment to the economy are observed, with carbon dioxide emissions having a positive effect on GDP in most of the subsample periods. The empirical results show that the Environmental Kuznets Curve for carbon dioxide emissions for Ghana is upward sloping, contrary to the standard Environmental Kuznets Curve theory which postulates an inverted "U"-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. The implication of the result is that carbon dioxide emissions increase with increases in GDP. The study recommends that existing policies designed to ensure environmental sustainability and hence control carbon dioxide emissions need to be strengthened and enforced to ensure that the rapid urbanization and industrialization of the Ghanaian economy does not come at a cost to the quality of the environment

A Maximum Caliber analysis of the Foldon Hypothesis

Different models of protein folding favor different mechanisms. Some models rely on a defined pathway, while other models rely on a more heterogeneous set of pathways. The Foldon Hypothesis is based on the concept of a defined pathway. According to the Foldon Hypothesis, protein folding is characterized by the stepwise assembly of small, cooperative units called foldons. The Maximum Caliber (Max Cal) method provides an opportunity to test this model. The Max Cal method gives the probabilities for dynamical trajectories, in much the same way that the maximum entropy principle gives the probabilities for equilibrium states. In this study, the Max Cal method was applied to folding data for the protein cytochrome c (cyt c; Hu W, Kan ZY, Mayne L, Englander SW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016;113:3809-3814). The overall picture to emerge from this analysis is that the data do not require a dominant, defined pathway. The folding of cytochrome c is likely a heterogeneous process that includes multiple pathways.

Modeling tumor plasticity in organoid models of human cancer

Due to its inherent plasticity and heterogeneity, cancer is a difficult disease to model both in vitro and in vivo. However, recent advances in organoid technology hold great promise for future research into the mechanisms underlying tumor plasticity in human cancers.

The Effect of the Covid-19 Lockdown on Air Quality in Three Italian Medium-Sized Cities

Despite the societal and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown measures put in place by the Italian government provided an unprecedented opportunity to increase our knowledge of the effect transportation and industry-related emissions have on the air quality in our cities. This study assessed the effect of reduced emissions during the lockdown period, due to COVID-19, on air quality in three Italian cities, Florence, Pisa, and Lucca. For this study, we compared the concentration of particulate matter PM10, PM2.5, NO2, and O-3 measured during the lockdown period, with values obtained in the same period of 2019. Our results show no evidence of a direct relationship between the lockdown measures implemented and PM reduction in urban centers, except in areas with heavy traffic. Consistent with recently published studies, we did, however, observe a significant decrease in NO2 concentrations among all the air-monitoring stations for each city in this study. Finally, O-3 levels remained unchanged during the lockdown period. Of note, there were slight variations in the meteorological conditions for the same periods of different years. Our results suggest a need for further studies on the impact of vehicular traffic and industrial activities on PM air pollution, including adopting holistic source-control measures for improved air quality in urban environments.

Primary Testicular Lymphoma with Central Nervous System Relapse Was Successfully Treated by a Chemo-Free Regimen: A Case Report and Literature Review

Primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) is a rare malignancy of testis. Although the multimodality treatment (including orchiectomy, systemic chemotherapy, scrotal radiotherapy, and preventive central nervous system (CNS)-targeted treatment) is widely used to treat PTL, recurrence, especially CNS recurrence, occurred frequently. Patients with relapsed PTL have a dismal prognosis and limited treatment options. In this report, we described the case of a 63-year-old man with early-stage PTL. The patient received the multimodality treatment, but CNS relapse occurred 3 months following the front-line therapy. We gave him a combined chemo-free regimen treatment, including rituximab, ibrutinib, and lenalidomide (RIL), based on the tumor's gene mutation profile and the patient's preference. A complete response was achieved after the first cycle of treatment. Whole-brain radiotherapy was delivered as consolidative treatment following three more cycles of RIL. Thereafter, ibrutinib and lenalidomide continued as maintenance treatment. As of the submission of this manuscript, the response has lasted for more than 16 months. Based on the case, we believe chemo-free regimen RIL might be a favorable approach for PTL patients with CNS relapse, especially those frail elderly patients, when alternative treatments are not available.

A new grading system for evaluating China's cultivated land quality

Cultivated land is crucial to food security, social and economic stability, environmental quality, and sustainable urban-rural development in China and around the world. However, most of the current grading systems for evaluating cultivated land quality in China tend to generate homogeneous results and inadequate spatial descriptions mainly due to the use of a composite index method that often fails to recognize the matching relationship between land use needs and the quality of cultivated land. The purpose of this study is to propose a new grading system for evaluating China's cultivated land quality that involves two index systems and a scoring and grading scheme. In the proposed system, cultivated land quality is redefined in terms of production capacity quality and environmental quality, and the minimum limiting factor method and the weighted linear model are coupled for factor scoring and grading. The new system is demonstrated by a case-study in Yimen Town, a loess plateau region in western China's Shaanxi Province. The results of this study clearly indicate that the new grading system is superior to the current system when compared using two methods: the spatial pattern comparison method and the crop performance validation method. The results are also favorable in terms of matching relationships between the subclasses of cultivated land quality versus soil types and landforms. The new grading system not only helps to better understand the cultivated land quality but also provides a clear direction for science-based remediation and amelioration of cultivated land.

Mapping ecosystem services bundles for analyzing spatial trade-offs in inner Mongolia, China

Managing multiple ecosystem services (ESs) to facilitate synergy benefits is a crucial but challenging task for sustainable development, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In this paper, the Inner Mongolia was used as a case study to systematically analyze the spatial trade-offs and synergies between 12 ESs consisting of 88 counties using the framework of ecosystem service bundle. We mapped ES distribution and then analyzed the relationships between ESs using Spearman correlation and hotspot/coldspot overlay analysis. In addition, ES bundles were identified using a self-organizing mapping network and the socio-ecological variables that drive the different ESs were explored using redundancy analysis. The results revealed complex spatial interactions between various ESs in Inner Mongolia due to water limitations. ES distribution and ES relationships correlated with gradients in biophysical and socioeconomic factors such as slope, precipitation, temperature, soil properties, and population density, and formed five types of ES bundles. These findings not only promote a clear understanding of the complex relationships among regional ESs, but lay a foundation for exploring win-win management strategies of ecological conservation and social-economic development in arid and semi-arid regions. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of FDI characteristics on high-quality development of China's economy

The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stated: "We should focus on the construction of One Belt and one road, insist on introducing and going out, implement high-level trade and investment liberalization and facilitation policies, and promote the formation of a new pattern of the comprehensive opening." Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), as part of its opening-up, has a direct impact on the quality of China's economic development. This paper studies the impact of FDI quality on the economic development of the provinces in the 30 inland provinces of China, excluding Tibet, from 2007 to 2015. This paper does not find that comprehensive FDI quality has a significant impact on China's high-quality economic development. The further study sample is divided into three texts in the East and West, and found that the export capacity of the eastern provinces of FDI significantly promote high-quality economic development in the region; the technical level of the central provinces of FDI significantly promotes high-quality economic development in the region, but then the actual size of the FDI has a significant inhibitory effect on central provinces.

How does high-speed railway affect green innovation efficiency? A perspective of innovation factor mobility

Growth effects of high-speed railway (HSR) have received increasing attention from scholars. However, little attention has been paid to HSR's effect on green innovation. To bridge this gap, using the difference in differences method, this paper aims to provide insights on how HSR affects green innovation from the perspective of innovation factor mobility, by employing the 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China in 2005-2016. The main findings are as follows: (1) Although the effects derived from HSR are heterogeneous, HSR significantly drives green innovation efficiency by 11.3%, which reveals that HSR is a critical variable for understanding the growth of green innovation. (2) This paper presents evidence that HSR promotes the mobility of innovative factors and then contributes to green innovation efficiency, based on which heterogeneity is explored. (3) HSR's effect on green innovation efficiency has a dynamic experience over time and shows an inverted U-shaped curve characterized by "increased first and then decreased," which peaks in the 5th or 6th year. (4) Green innovation growth effects of HSR have spatial proximity: for every 1% increase in distance, the green innovation effect decreases by 0.0061%-0.0124%. A farther distance to an HSR station induces a lower growth effect. (5) This paper concludes with recommendations to improve green innovation through HSR construct and innovative factor mobility.

The psychological role of music and attentional control for religious experiences in worship

This study investigated the psychological dynamics during worship experiences under the influence of different music conditions. In total, 60 believers were recruited to participate in experiments where they were asked to engage in worship and to connect with God while continuously ranking how strongly they sensed the presence of the divine. After each condition, they were asked to rate how well they were able to focus on God during the worship procedure. Based on a previously published Feedback Loop Model that portrays global psychological mechanisms in worship, we deduced two hypotheses: (1) the ability to focus on God is positively associated with how strong the subjective religious experience becomes, and (2) the different musical conditions yield varying degrees in the intensity of the felt presence of God. Our statistical analyses on the current sample demonstrate that both alternative hypotheses can be accepted. For the latter thesis, two further assumptions were at play: (1) we speculated that religious worship songs were associated with stronger divine experiences than with secular ones, and (2) it was assumed that if they could worship to their own selection of songs, the experience would be more powerful than with the ones that were provided by the research team. Whereas upon our investigation the former assumption can be deemed correct, the latter shows a positive but insignificant association.

Remanufacturing for the circular economy: Study and evaluation of critical factors

Remanufacturing is the vital component of the circular economy, which helps in harnessing the environmental, economic, and social benefits by extending the life cycle of end-of-life and end-of-use items. Remanufacturing is being practiced successfully in the developed states like the USA, UK, and Germany for various products while developing nations such as India, Brazil, and China are attempting to begin the remanufacturing on an enormous scale. This paper intends to identify and evaluate the critical factors which possess a significant influence on the remanufacturing. Authors have employed fuzzy DEMATEL method to establish the causal relationship among the critical factors and to determine the degree of importance of a factor. The results reveal that design for the manufacturing, collection strategy, management prescience, and purchase intention are the top factors which impact the remanufacturing most. Moreover, government policies, technology, sorting policies, and identity of the remanufacturer also possess a notable influence on the remanufacturing. It is also observed that design for remanufacturing and government regulations show the maximum number of relationships with other factors while inventory control and scheduling do not exhibit any relationships. Further, this paper provides valuable insights to the decision makers so that a firm may spearhead the remanufacturing business to maintain the circularity in the economy.

Energy, exergy, environmental and economic comparison of various solar thermal systems using water and Thermia Oil B base fluids, and CuO and Al2O3 nanofluids

Recently, the use of solar thermal collectors has increased significantly. In the present work, energy, exergy, enviroeconomic and exergoeconomic analyses of various solar thermal collectors are investigated. These solar thermal collectors include flat-plate solar collector, linear Fresnel solar reflector, parabolic trough solar collector and solar parabolic dish collector. To examine the performance of these solar collectors two different working fluids, i.e. water and Thermia Oil B are considered. Furthermore, evaluation of the performance of solar collectors using nanofluids consisting of Al2O3 and CuO nanoparticles is presented. Also, in this paper, parameters such as exergy destruction rate, entropy generation rate, Sustainability index and Levelized Cost of Electricity for solar collectors are discussed. The performance of solar collectors in two different cities located in Iran (Tehran and Tabriz) is discussed for two different days (a winter day (2-Feb) and a summer day (14-Jun)). MATLAB software is used for mathematical modeling of solar thermal collectors. The results revealed that, the best and weakest performance from energy and energy points of view in all cases are related to the dish collector and flat-plate collector, respectively. Furthermore, the obtained results of the use of nanofluids as well as economic analysis may present new insights to the operation and development of such solar thermal systems. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessing the energy dynamics of Pakistan: Prospects of biomass energy

The energy needs of Pakistan have increased many folds in recent years due to improved lifestyle, ever-increasing population, and economic development. Biomass energy has emerged as a promising renewable energy source and has an enormous potential to fulfill the energy requirements of the country. This paper aims to assess the current situation and future projections of electricity generation by using biomass energy resources. For this purpose, we critically reviewed extensive literature i.e., research papers, energy reports, official statistical data, relevant regulations, and government policies. Research findings reveal that the abundant biomass resources of the country include fuelwood, agricultural residues, animal dung, and municipal solid waste. 48% of the domestic energy needs are being fulfilled from fuelwood, while another 32% by crop and animal residues. 85 sugar industries of the country produce enough bagasse to generate 5800 GWh of electricity. Corn stalk, sugarcane trash, rice straw, wheat straw, and cotton stalks are the major crop residues having a production of 6.43, 8.94, 17.86, 35.6, and 50.6 Mt, respectively. The power generation potential from animal dung is 4800-5600 MW. Similarly, the electricity generation potential of municipal solid waste by thermochemical and biochemical conversion is 560 kWh/t and 220 kWh/t, respectively. As envisioned by the Pakistani government to enhance the share of renewables in the total energy mix of the country from 1.1% to 5% by 2030, biomass energy has high prospects to achieve this target. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A techno-economic sizing method for grid-connected household photovoltaic battery systems

Battery storage provides an effective solution to alleviate the burden of the intermittent photovoltaic production on the grid and increase photovoltaic penetration in residential houses. Despite several existing work dedicated to the evaluation of photovoltaic battery system, the research on system sizing and operation strategy of the household system still has substantial areas to be explored such as techno-economic analysis under different electricity tariffs and comprehensive parametric analyses. In this paper, the mathematical model of a photovoltaic battery system is developed to investigate system performance, based on the various economic and technical indicators. This study demonstrates that the integration of battery energy storage could increase the value of self-consumption and self-sufficiency rates while making payback period longer. Substantial photovoltaic battery systems have been simulated under practical dynamic electricity tariffs in a typical electricity market. Eight cases with different technical performances from the recommended reference combinations are compared and studied in detail. The energy flows among photovoltaic, battery bank, grid and household user are discussed, revealing that systems with high self-sufficiency rate lead to more schedulable photovoltaic production, sold electricity and lower battery usage rate than those with high self-consumption rate. Besides, the entire lifecycle economic analysis indicates that a higher self-sufficiency rate refers to higher initial investment but shorter payback period and larger profit. The revenues breakdown of the cases shows that subsidies have a significant impact, especially for cases with high self-sufficiency rate. The levelized cost of electricity of photovoltaic and photovoltaic battery systems ranges from 0.373 to 0.628 CNY/kWh, demonstrating the possibility of partial grid parity under the current situation in Shanghai.

Industry 4.0 and circular economy: Operational excellence for sustainable reverse supply chain performance

The present research proposes a roadmap to the excellence of operations for sustainable reverse supply chain/logistics by the joint implementation of principles of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and ReSOLVE model of circular economy (CE) approaches. The connection between I4.0 and CE is unveiled by addressing the case-based model affecting the economic and environmental performances imparting two important dimensions: (i) the information sharing with the reverse logistics system is in real-time mode, and (ii) diffusion of green product in the market. The effectiveness of the virtual world in I4.0 environment is explored using simulation of reverse logistics model involving operations such as inventory and production planning policy, family-based dispatching rules of remanufacturing, and additive manufacturing. The remanufacturing model examines the trade-off between set-up delays and the availability of green transportation. For managerial insights, Taguchi experimental design framework has been used for the analysis. Based on the trade-off analysis between environmental and economic performances, the findings of the paper suggest appropriate combinations of information-sharing and family-based dispatching rules. Further, the findings suggest that, given the I4.0 and circular capabilities, it is necessary to focus on the cost of the socially influenced operations involving factors such as collection investment and size of the end-user market that governs the product returns. Therefore, in the present paper, the integration of I4.0 and CE represents a real-time decision model for the sustainable reverse logistics system.

Maternal Signatures of Cortisol in First Trimester Small-for-Gestational Age

The objective of this study was to identify predictable maternal serum signatures of cortisol metabolism during the first trimester of women who are expected to deliver small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates. This prospective cohort study included 112 pregnant women (with and without SGA, n = 56 each). Maternal serum samples were collected at 10-14 gestational weeks to quantify the levels of cortisol and its precursors and metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Increased maternal serum levels of tetrahydrocortisol (11.82 ± 8.16 ng/mL vs. 7.51 ± 2.90 ng/mL, P < 0.005) and decreased 21-deoxycortisol (2.98 ± 1.36 ng/mL vs. 4.33 ± 2.06 ng/mL, P < 0.0001) were observed in pregnant women carrying SGA fetus. In conjunction with individual steroid levels, metabolic ratios corresponding to the activity of related enzymes were calculated. In addition to increased tetrahydrocortisol/cortisol ratio (P < 0.006), the SGA group showed a significant increase in the two metabolic ratios including cortisol/11-deoxycortisol (P < 0.03) and cortisol/21-deoxycortisol (P < 0.0003). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve generated in combination with three variables of 21-deoxycortisol concentration and two metabolic ratios of cortisol/21-deoxycortisol and tetrahydrocortisol/cortisol resulted in an area under the ROC curve = 0.824 (95% confidence interval, 0.713-0.918). A significant decrease in maternal serum levels of 21-deoxycortisol and an increase in two metabolic ratios of cortisol/21-deoxycortisol and tetrahydrocortisol/cortisol, indicating cortisol biosynthetic rate, represent potential biomarkers for the prediction of SGA in the first trimester.

Phlegmonous gastritis in 2 yearling horses

Phlegmonous gastritis was diagnosed in 2 yearling fillies that were presented with a 1-wk history of fever, lethargy, and hypoproteinemia, associated with a previous diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy based on clinical signs and PCR assay detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in fecal samples. Abdominal ultrasound revealed enlargement of the stomach and expansion of its submucosal layer with hypoechoic fluid, as well as thickened hypomotile small intestinal segments. Given the poor prognosis and poor response to treatment, both horses were euthanized, one on the day of presentation and the other after 3 wk of intensive medical management including a combination of antimicrobials, analgesics, and intravenous colloids. At autopsy, acute mural gastritis characterized by severe submucosal edema with suppurative inflammation (i.e., phlegmonous gastritis) and necroulcerative enteritis compatible with the necrotizing form of equine proliferative enteropathy were identified in both horses. The gastric inflammation was associated with thrombosis and mixed bacterial populations, including Clostridium perfringens, that were confined to the submucosa without evidence of mucosal involvement; toxin genes compatible with C. perfringens type C were identified in one case. Human phlegmonous gastritis is an uncommon, often-fatal pyogenic infection that is often associated with mucosal injury, bacteremia, or immunocompromise. Our finding of this unusual gastric lesion in 2 horses with similar signalment, clinical disease, and spectrum of postmortem lesions suggests a similar etiopathogenesis that possibly involves local, regional, or distant hematogenous origin, and should be considered a potential complication of gastrointestinal mucosal compromise in horses.

Acute peri-operative neurocognitive disorders: a narrative review

Peri-operative neurocognitive disorders are the most common complication experienced by older individuals undergoing anaesthesia and surgery. Peri-operative neurocognitive disorders, particularly postoperative delirium, result in long-term poor outcomes including: death; dementia; loss of independence; and poor cognitive and functional outcomes. Recent changes to the nomenclature of these disorders aims to align peri-operative neurocognitive disorders with cognitive disorders in the community, with consistent definitions and clinical diagnosis. Possible mechanisms include: undiagnosed neurodegenerative disease; inflammation and resulting neuroinflammation; neuronal damage; and comorbid systemic disease. Pre-operative frailty represents a significant risk for poor postoperative outcomes; it is associated with an increase in the incidence of cognitive decline at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. In addition to cognitive decline, frailty is associated with poor functional outcomes following elective non-cardiac surgery. It was recently shown that 29% of frail patients died or experienced institutionalisation or new disability within 90 days of major elective surgery. Identification of vulnerable patients before undergoing surgery and anaesthesia is the key to preventing peri-operative neurocognitive disorders. Current approaches include: pre-operative delirium and cognitive screening; blood biomarker analysis; intra-operative management that may reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium such as lighter anaesthesia using processed electroencephalography devices; and introduction of guidelines which may reduce or prevent delirium and postoperative neurocognitive disorders. This review will address these issues and advocate for an approach to care for older peri-operative patients which starts in the community and continues throughout the pre-operative, intra-operative, postoperative and post-discharge phases of care management, involving multidisciplinary medical teams, as well as family and caregivers wherever possible.

"New White Ethnics" or "New Latinos"?: Hispanic/Latino Pan-Ethnicity and Ancestry Reporting among South American Immigrants to the United States

This article explores the identification patterns of South American immigrants to the United States, as measured via Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and ancestry reporting on the US Census. Using data from the 2006-2010 and 2011-2015 American Community Survey, my analysis reveals four main findings. First, I show significant heterogeneity in identity patterns and in sociodemographic, immigration, and geographic characteristics between South American and Mexican immigrants in the United States. Second, I find that Southern Cone immigrants do not report Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and "birth-country" ancestry (ancestry that is concordant with birth country, such as Colombian or Chilean) to a greater extent than Andean immigrants, in favor of reporting more distal "ancestral-origin" ancestries (i.e., Spanish, Japanese, etc.). Third, I show that those immigrants who do report Hispanic/Latino ethnicity are more likely to report "birth-country" ancestry than "ancestral-origin" ancestry, net of other factors. Finally, my analysis demonstrates that Brazilian immigrants chart a different path of identification among South American immigrants and almost unanimously do not report Hispanic/Latino ethnicity while overwhelmingly reporting "Brazilian" ancestry. Taken together, variation in Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and ancestry reporting across South American immigrant groups has implications for their incorporation into US society, as well as for the degree to which these immigrants see themselves as racialized actors in the United States. Some South American immigrant groups (Southern Cone immigrants) appear to be incorporating as "New White ethnics," and others (Andean immigrants) appear to be incorporating as "New Latinos." Researchers of international migration should carefully consider these identification differences and their implications for the measurement and study of "Hispanic/Latino" immigrants and their descendants in the United States.

A review on experimental and numerical investigations of cortical bone fracture

This paper comprehensively reviews the various experimental and numerical techniques, which were considered to determine the fracture characteristics of the cortical bone. This study also provides some recommendations along with the critical review, which would be beneficial for future research of fracture analysis of cortical bone. Cortical bone fractures due to sports activities, climbing, running, and engagement in transport or industrial accidents. Individuals having different diseases are also at high risk of cortical bone fracture. It has been observed that osteon orientation influences cortical bone fracture toughness and fracture mechanisms. Apart from this, recent studies indicate that fracture parameters of cortical bone also depend on many factors such as age, sex, temperature, osteoporosis, orientation, location, loading condition, strain rate, and storage facility, etc. The cortical bone regains its fracture toughness due to various toughening mechanisms. Owing to these factors, several experimental, clinical, and numerical investigations have been carried out to determine the fracture parameters of the cortical bone. Cortical bone is the dense outer surface of the bone and contributes to 80%-82% of the skeleton mass. Cortical bone experiences load far exceeding body weight due to muscle contraction and the dynamics of motion. It is very important to know the fracture pattern, direction of fracture, location of the fracture, and toughening mechanism of cortical bone. A basic understanding of the different factors that affect the fracture parameters and fracture mechanisms of the cortical bone is necessary to prevent the failure and fracture of cortical bone. This review has summarized the advancement considered in the various experimental techniques and numerical methods to get complete information about the fracture mechanisms of cortical bone.

Fiscal decentralization, environmental regulation, and pollution: a spatial investigation

To investigate the effects of regulation on environmental pollution under Chinese-style fiscal decentralization, this research analyzes annual data over the period 2003 to 2017 covering 30 provinces in China with the spatial economic model. The empirical results show significant spatial agglomeration effects on the emissions of wastewater, sulfur dioxide, and solid waste. Environmental regulation helps reduce discharge of wastewater and solid waste, but does not help reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide; because there is significantly positive externality in treating pollutants with high fluidity, cost is larger than revenue for local governments. The relationship between fiscal decentralization and pollutants shapes an inverted U-shaped curve. We finally offer some implications in accordance with our empirical finding, such as the intensity of environmental regulation should be suitable for economic development, different measures should be taken based on the fluidity of pollutants, and a new evaluation system should be established.

Techno-economic analysis of a hybrid power system based on the cost-effective hydrogen production method for rural electrification, a case study in Iran

Rural electrification challenges in Iran are the most important obstacle to achieve electricity access for the entire population. The current study focuses on finding an optimal renewable energy system to meet the load of a small village by renewable resources. This village faces frequent power outages, common in many far-off villages in Iran. A hybrid photovoltaics/wind turbine/biogas generator/fuel cell renewable energy system is proposed and analyzed for both stand-alone and on-grid application. Fuel cells are used alongside a hydrogen tank, batteries, and a reformer or an electrolyzer, to act as storage devices and backup component. The main goal is to find an optimal configuration that can meet the electricity demand and be satisfactory from both an economic and environmental point of view. The results indicated that using solar, wind and biogas is the most affordable method and that adding fuel cell to this configuration would increase costs by 33-37%, but also improve system flexibility. Using a reformer is more efficient and about 6% less costly, but also creates more pollution. The cost of energy for a stand-alone system with reformer was calculated to be 0.164 to 0.233 $/kWh, while the on-grid system cost of energy was 0.096-0.125 $/kWh. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing changes to adolescent health-promoting behaviors following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-methods exploration of the role of within-person combinations of trait perfectionism

The current work provides a multi-methods exploration of how within-person subtypes of self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) were related to shifts in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Study One tested the 2 × 2 and tripartite models of perfectionism through a quantitative test of how such subtypes predicted changes in health behaviors pre-pandemic to intra-pandemic among 202 adolescents (M = 17.86, SD = 1.421). Results indicated that the combination of high SOP/high SPP was linked to the most maladaptive changes to health-promoting behaviors, supporting the tripartite model. Study Two aimed to contextualize these findings by analyzing semi-structured interviews with 31 adolescent self-identified perfectionists (M = 15.97, SD = 1.991) during the initial lockdown mandate. Results indicated that participants experienced a welcome break and found more time to engage in health-promoting behaviors. However, those high in SOP - regardless of their level of SPP - had more difficulty relaxing due to a resistance to relenting their perfectionistic standards. Altogether, these findings support the exacerbating role of SOP when combined with SPP posited by the tripartite model of perfectionism with respect to adolescents' health-promoting behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Optical Fibers for Environment Sensing and Short-Range Optical Signal Transmission

Optical fibers are a key component in modern photonics, where conventionally used polymer materials are derived from fossil-based resources, causing heavy greenhouse emissions and raising sustainability concerns. As a potential alternative, fibers derived from cellulose-based materials offer renewability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In the present work, we studied the potential of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to prepare optical fibers with a core-only architecture. Wet-spun CMC hydrogel filaments were cross-linked using aluminum ions to fabricate optical fibers. The transmission spectra of fibers suggest that the light transmission window for cladding-free CMC fibers was in the range of 550-1350 nm, wherein the attenuation coefficient for CMC fibers was measured to be 1.6 dB·cm-1 at 637 nm. CMC optical fibers were successfully applied in touch sensing and respiratory rate monitoring. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate high-speed (150 Mbit/s) short-distance signal transmission using CMC fibers (at 1310 nm) in both air and water media. Our results establish the potential of carboxymethyl cellulose-based biocompatible optical fibers for highly demanding advanced sensor applications, such as in the biomedical domain.

Multi-functional Potential of Five Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains Derived from Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

The multi-functional properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on host health have been a popular research topic. The aim of present study was to assess the multi-functional potential of five LAB strains isolated from giant panda. In this study, we analyzed five giant panda LAB strains (Weissella confuse WJ202003 (W3), WJ202009 (W9), WJ202021 (W21), BSP201703 (X3); Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BSGP201683 (G83)) and found that they exhibited rapid growth as well as strong acid production capacity. The five LAB strains possessed high cell surface hydrophobicity to the four tested solvents (xylene, hexadecane, chloroform, ethyl acetate; except strain W9), auto-aggregation ability, co-aggregation ability with three pathogens (Escherichia coli, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella), adhesion ability to Caco-2 cell line, and strongly biofilm formation ability, suggesting an adhesion property. As investigated for their antioxidative potential, all the strains showed good tolerance to H2O2, high scavenging ability against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and hydroxyl (OH-), and reduction ability. Furthermore, the five LAB strains could produce multiple probiotic substances, including exopolysaccharide (EPS), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), bile salt hydrolase (BSH), cellulase (only strain G83), and protease (except strain X3), which was the first to report the production of EPS, GABA, BSH, cellulase, and protease in giant panda-derived LAB strain. These results demonstrated that strains W3, W9, W21, X3, and G83 had multi-functional potential and could be utilized as potential probiotics for giant panda.

Acute Presentation of a High-Grade Myxofibrosarcoma Originating in the Thoracic Wall: A Case Report

We report the first case of a patient with myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) who presented acutely with a rib fracture and developed a rapidly expanding loculated hemothorax after chest trauma. The patient was taken to the operating room for evacuation of hemothorax, and samples and biopsy specimens were taken for cytologic and pathologic examination. Final report with immunohistochemical staining showed a high-grade MFS. After the procedure, there was clinical and radiological improvement, and the patient was followed up as an outpatient. Myxofibrosarcoma is a very rare and aggressive connective tissue neoplasm with variable presentations. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment. Prompt diagnosis and adequate management of these tumors are important to reduce their high local recurrence and distant metastasis rates. Therefore, it is important to be aware of its common and uncommon presentations.

Self-disclosure during the COVID-19 emergency: Effects of narcissism traits, time perspective, virtual presence, and hedonic gratification

During the COVID-19 emergency, people must face the invisible threat of uncertain death and comply with social distancing and other related protective measures. But social networking sites (SNSs) like WeChat have emerged as alternative contexts where people can maintain self and obtain gratification, despite the disclosure of self to others often being a challenging issue. To examine the effect of personality factors on people's self-disclosure on SNSs, we develop a model based on the time perspective theory and the socioemotional selectivity theory. We suggest that people's narcissism traits and two types of time perspective (i.e. future and present-hedonistic) have positive effects on their self-disclosure. In addition, we propose that virtual presence and hedonic gratification mediate the effects of both future time perspective and present-hedonistic time perspective. We obtain a sample of 516 WeChat users in China and take ex-ante and post-hoc measures to deal with common method variance. By means of partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) methods, we validate both our measurement model and the structural model, so we confirm all the hypothesized causal paths in the proposed model. Our study broadens the boundaries of the time perspective theory and the socioemotional selectivity theory, and offers new insights for addressing some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intranasal delivery of Clozapine using nanoemulsion-based in-situ gels: An approach for bioavailability enhancement

Limited solubility and hepatic first-pass metabolism are the main causes of low bioavailability of anti-schizophrenic drug, Clozapine (CZP). The objective of the study was to develop and validate nanoemulsion (NE) based in-situ gel of CZP for intranasal administration as an approach for bioavailability enhancement. Solubility of CZP was initially investigated in different oils, surfactants and co-surfactants, then pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed to select the optimized ratio of oil, surfactant and co-surfactant. Clear and transparent NE formulations were characterized in terms of droplet size, viscosity, solubilization capacity, transmission electron microscopy, in-vitro drug release and compatibility studies. Selected NEs were incorporated into different in-situ gel bases using combination of two thermosensitive polymers; Pluronic® F-127 (PF127) and F-68 (PF68). NE-based gels (NG) were investigated for gelation temperature, viscosity, gel strength, spreadability and stability. Moreover, selected NGs were evaluated for ex-vivo permeation, mucoadhesive strength and nasal ciliotoxicity. Peppermint oil, tween 80 and transcutol P were chosen for NE preparation owing to their maximum CZP solubilization. Clear NE points extrapolated from tween 80:transcutol P (1:1) phase diagram and passed dispersibility and stability tests, demonstrated globule size of 67.99 to 354.96 nm and zeta potential of -12.4 to -3.11 mV with enhanced in-vitro CZP release (>90% in some formulations). After incorporation of the selected N3 and N9 formulations of oil:Smix of 1:7 and 2:7, respectively to a mixture of PF127 and PF68 (20:2% w/w), the resultant NG formulations exhibited optimum gelation temperature and viscosity with enhanced CZP permeation and retention through sheep nasal mucosa. Ciliotoxicity examinations of the optimum NGs displayed no inflammation or damage of the lining epithelium and the underlying cells of the nasal mucosa. In conclusion, NE-based gels may be a promising dosage form of CZP for schizophrenia treatment.

Construction and validation of the diagnostic model of keloid based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential expression analysis

Keloid is a disease that seriously affects the aesthetic appearance of the body. In contrast to normal skin or hypertrophic scars, keloid tissue extends beyond the initial site of injury. Patients may complain of pain, itching, or burning. Although multiple treatments exist, none is uniformly successful. Genetic advances have made it possible to explore differences in gene expression between keloids and normal skin. Identifying the biomarker for keloid is beneficial to the mechanism exploration and treatment development of keloid. In this study, we identified seven genes with significant differences in keloids through weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) and differential expression analysis. Then, by the Lasso regression, we constructed a keloid diagnostic model using five of these genes. Further studies found that keloids could be divided into high-risk and low-risk groups by this model, with differences in immunity, m6A methylation, and pyroptosis. Finally, we verified the accuracy of the diagnostic model in clinical RNA-sequencing data.

Reliability and usefulness of maximum soccer-specific jump test: a valid and cost-effective system to measure on soccer field

The aims of this study were (a) to assess intra-session reliability and usefulness of the soccer-specific maximum vertical jump (heading test, HT) and (b) to analyse the validity of the easy-to-use and cost-effective instrument (smartphone camera, MOB) compared with gold-standard instrument (3D motion capture system, MOCAP) to obtain the vertical jump performance during HT. Twelve semi-professional high-level and fifteen amateur soccer male players (23.9 ± 3.6 years) performed three HT attempts, and kinematic data were recorded with MOB and MOCAP. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used as measures of intra-session reliability. T-test with Cohen's effect size (ES), Pearson's product moment and Bland-Altman analysis were used to obtain MOB validity. Regarding intra-session reliability, the CV was 1.13%, and ICC was 0.98, considered acceptable. Respecting validity criteria did not reveal significant differences (p < 0.05; effect size = 0.06, considered trivial), 'almost perfect' correlation (Pearson) (r = 0.98; p < 0.05), and strong agreement were obtained between MOB and MOCAP. This finding showed a test (HT) with a specific character, using cost-effective instrument and applicable to all soccer fields (adjusted to the standardised lines in the soccer field), all of them backed-up by reliability, usefulness and validity criteria.

Does financial agglomeration promote the increase of energy efficiency in China?

Whether financial agglomeration is conducive to the improvement of energy efficiency is of great significance for China to better follow the path of energy conservation and emission reduction, and green sustainable development. Based on the balanced panel data of 285 cities in China from 2005 to 2017, this paper analyzes the impact of financial agglomeration on energy efficiency. Theoretical analysis shows that financial agglomeration can influence energy efficiency through scale economy effect, innovation driving effect, information spillover effect and structural adjustment effect. Dynamic spatial econometric results show that, from a national perspective, financial agglomeration has a positive impact on energy efficiency. However, from the perspective of different regions and different city sizes, it is found that financial agglomeration can have different effects on energy efficiency. Financial agglomeration has a significant positive impact on energy efficiency in eastern and central regions, megacities and big cities. Financial agglomeration has a significant negative impact on energy efficiency in western China, and has no significant effect on energy efficiency in medium-sized and small cities. Finally, based on the conclusions of the study, specific proposals for financial agglomeration to improve energy efficiency are proposed.

The relationship between energy consumption and fiscal decentralization and the importance of urbanization: Evidence from Chinese provinces

This study examines the provincial impact of fiscal decentralization, in the form of shifting fiscal responsibilities of expenditures and revenues and others from the central government to lower local governments, as well as rapidly rising urbanization, on energy consumption for 31 Chinese provinces subject to relevant important control variables over the period 2006 to 2015. This analysis has implications for economic growth, efficiency and equality in China. To this end, the study employs multiple panel data analyses and panel quantile regressions to analyse this impact. Our findings show that fiscal decentralization has a non-linear relationship with energy consumption, which confirms the concave behaviour of fiscal decentralization in the Chinese provinces and underscores the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in those provinces, given the control variables. Moreover, increasing Chinese urbanization leads to high demand for energy consumption. Provincial governments can support eco-innovation and eco-investment by pursuing green growth strategies such as the expansion of the service sector and the boosting of the renewable energy sector: particularly when taking into account that coal, at one end of the spectrum, generates a 20 times greater carbon impact than renewables at the other.