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From the perspective of Turkish women: intimate partner violence and perceived stress level in the Covid-19 pandemic

Pandemic process increase the vulnerability of women to intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is one of the greatest stress sources a woman can face. This study's purpose to determine effects of the Covid-19 pandemic process on the IPV status and perceived stress levels of women. The population of the descriptive study consisted 834 women working at a state university in Turkey's. 452 women who with intimate partner relationships were included in the sample. Data collection tools were applied via online survey link. The mean age of the women was 30.6 ± 4.20. The The Perceived Stress Scale mean scores of the women were 40.18 ± 3.20. They are not able to cope with stress effectively. It was determined that women participated the study were exposed to more IPV during the pandemic process. It was found that as the frequency of IPV increased, women's perception of stress also increased. Research such as this can be used to help inform decision-makers as they grapple with the adverse negative effects of public health safety measures related to Covid-19.

Discrete field potentials produced by coherent activation of spinal dorsal horn neurons

In addition to the action potentials generated by the ongoing activation of single dorsal horn neurons in the anesthetized cat, we often recorded small negative field potentials with a fast-rising phase and a slow decay (dIFPs). These potentials could be separated in different classes, each with a specific and rather constant shape and amplitude. They were largest in spinal laminae III-V and gradually faded at deeper locations, without showing the polarity reversal displayed at these depths by the focal potentials produced by stimulation of muscle and cutaneous afferents. We propose that the dIFPs are postsynaptic field potentials generated by strongly coupled sets of dorsal horn neurons displaying a spatial orientation that generates closed field potentials in response to stimulation of high-threshold cutaneous and muscle afferents. These neuronal sets could form part of the spinal inhibitory circuitry that mediates presynaptic inhibition and Ib non-reciprocal postsynaptic inhibition and could be involved in the sensory-motor transformations activated by stimulation of high-threshold cutaneous afferents.

Evaluation and governance of green development practice of port: A sea port case of China

Port development is an important driver for global economic growth, and also a main energy user and polluter in the world. Amid the global energy crisis and environmental degradation, the international port community has proposed the concept of green port. Zhuhai Port, an important shipping and logistics platform in southern China, is confronted with key questions of how to effectively conduct environmental pollution control and green development performance evaluation, while its size and business performance continue the rapid growth. To address this problem, this study first suggested a green port indicator system tailored-made for Zhuhai Port, and then uses the fuzzy importance-performance analysis (FIPA) method to determine the performance of Zhuhai Port in green port indicators before putting forward a governance strategy. The study shows that Zhuhai Port should focus on monitoring of energy consumption and pollutant emissions, innovation of scientific research technologies and development of green port schemes to deepen the concept of green development and improve the energy conservation and environmental protection capacity of the port. The research results can serve as a theoretical basis for formulation of Zhuhai's green port policies and the establishment of an effective methodology system. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Gd3+ doping concentration on the properties of Na(Y,Gd)F4:Yb3+, Tm3+ upconverting nanoparticles and their long-term aging behavior

We present a systematic study on the properties of Na(Y,Gd)F4-based upconverting nanoparticles (UCNP) doped with 18% Yb3+, 2% Tm3+, and the influence of Gd3+ (10-50 mol% Gd3+). UCNP were synthesized via the solvothermal method and had a range of diameters within 13 and 50 nm. Structural and photophysical changes were monitored for the UCNP samples after a 24-month incubation period in dry phase and further redispersion. Structural characterization was performed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as dynamic light scattering (DLS), and the upconversion luminescence (UCL) studies were executed at various temperatures (from 4 to 295 K) using time-resolved and steady-state spectroscopy. An increase in the hexagonal lattice phase with the increase of Gd3+ content was found, although the cubic phase was prevalent in most samples. The Tm3+-luminescence intensity as well as the Tm3+-luminescence decay times peaked at the Gd3+ concentration of 30 mol%. Although the general upconverting luminescence properties of the nanoparticles were preserved, the 24-month incubation period lead to irreversible agglomeration of the UCNP and changes in luminescence band ratios and lifetimes.

Relationship between inward FDI and environmental degradation for Pakistan: an exploration of pollution haven hypothesis through ARDL approach

In many developing countries, rising pollution and FDI inflows are positively correlated. This paper explores the existence of pollution haven hypothesis in Pakistan by employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test on yearly data from 1971 to 2014 for foreign direct investment inflow and four pollutants, i.e., CO2 emissions, CO2 emissions from solid fuels, SO2 emissions, and GHG emissions. In each case, eight different models are tested by incorporating different explanatory variables with foreign direct investment inflow. The outcome of this study shows that in some of the models a positive long-term relationship exists between FDI inflow and CO2 emissions, CO2 emissions from solid fuels, and GHG emissions and a negative long-term relationship between FDI inflow and SO2 emissions. Overall, we found no conclusive evidence of the existence of the pollution haven hypothesis for Pakistan. As Pakistan is taking active measures to attract more FDI, it is essential to introduce appropriate environmental policies and institutional reforms that do not hinder FDI inflows.

Evapotranspiration partitioning assessment using a machine-learning-based leaf area index and the two-source energy balance model with sUAV information

Accurate quantification of the partitioning of evapotranspiration (ET) into transpiration and evaporation fluxes is necessary to understanding ecosystem interactions among carbon, water, and energy flux components. ET partitioning can also support the description of atmosphere and land interactions and provide unique insights into vegetation water status. Previous studies have identified leaf area index (LAI) estimation as a key descriptor of biomass conditions needed for the estimation of transpiration and evaporation. LAI estimation in clumped vegetation systems, such as vineyards and orchards, has proven challenging and is strongly related to crop phenological status and canopy management. In this study, a feature extraction model based on previous research was built to generate a total of 202 preliminary variables at a 3.6-by-3.6-meter-grid scale based on submeter-resolution information from a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV) in four commercial vineyards across California. Using these variables, a machine learning model called eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) was successfully built for LAI estimation. The XGBoost built-in function requires only six variables relating to vegetation indices and temperature to produce high-accuracy LAI estimation for the vineyard. Using the six-variable XGBoost-based LAI map, two versions of the Two-Source Energy Balance (TSEB) model, TSEB-PT and TSEB-2T were used for energy balance and ET partitioning. Comparing these results with the Eddy-Covariance (EC) tower data, showed that TSEB-PT outperforms TSEB-2T on the estimation of sensible heat flux (within 13% relative error) and surface heat flux (within 34% relative error), while TSEB-2T outperforms TSEB-PT on the estimation of net radiation (within 14% relative error) and latent heat flux (within 2% relative error). For the mature vineyard (north block), TSEB-2T performs better than TSEB-PT in partitioning the canopy latent heat flux with 6.8% relative error and soil latent heat flux with 21.7% relative error; however, for the younger vineyard (south block), TSEB-PT performs better than TSEB-2T in partitioning the canopy latent heat flux with 11.7% relative error and soil latent heat flux with 39.3% relative error.

Integrated techno-economic modeling, flexibility analysis, and business case assessment of an urban virtual power plant with multi-market co-optimization

The concept of Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is recognized as an effective option to aggregate and operate Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to participate in wholesale energy markets and provide flexibility and associated grid services that are needed in a renewable-rich energy system. Also, as most of the DER are available in urban areas, there are increasing interests in assessing the potential to develop urban VPP, for example in university campuses. However, exploiting the flexibility of VPP and developing robust business cases require advanced considerations on their technical and commercial constraints and trade-offs in deploying the VPP's flexibility when simultaneously participating in multiple markets. In this context, this paper presents a comprehensive, integrated techno-economic modeling approach that assesses the technical and commercial flexibility opportunities and develops a relevant business case framework based on co-optimized participation in multiple markets for an urban VPP. A real-world case study based on the University of Melbourne's new campus under development is used to demonstrate the proposed approach, including the VPP's participation in the energy, frequency control ancillary services, demand response, and hedging contract markets. The technical analysis shows that diversity of DER portfolio results in improved participation of VPP in various markets. From an economic perspective, a multi-market co-optimization model such as the one proposed here, fully exploiting the DER's aggregated flexibility, results in attractive business cases for operating DER in urban areas as a VPP. The proposed approach and examples provided may be seen as a blueprint for more VPP applications and unlocking the great flexibility available in urban areas.

Microalgal Preference and Feeding Density of Selected Microalgae Diets by Blue Swimming Crab Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758)

<b>Background and Objectives:</b> Blue swimming crab, <i>Portunus pelagicus</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) are economically important sources of soft-shell products for export demand. However, increasing over-exploitation and pollution towards the sea resources affected the production of the <i>P. pelagicus</i>. The study aimed to determine the microalgal preference and feeding density of the monospecific (<i>Nannochloropsis oculata</i>, <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>, <i>Isochrysis galbana</i> and <i>Chaetoceros wighamii </i>) by individual <i>P. pelagicus </i>larvae. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> In the microalgal preference study, one polystyrene tray with 100 holes was set up in the experimental tank (200 L) to place the 50 mL centrifuges tube. For feeding density study, the survival rate, Specific Growth Rate (SGR), Body Weight (BW) and Larvae Stage Index (LSI) of each larvae stage were collected from Zoea 1 (Z<sub>1</sub>) till megalopa. <b>Results:</b> Results for mean microalgal preference of individual larvae preferred most <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> during Zoea 1 and 2, the larvae consumed the highest of <i>Nannochloropsis</i> <i>oculata</i>. For Zoea 3 and 4, the highest preference is <i>Isochrysis galbana</i>. For feeding regime, Zoea 1, larvae fed rotifer, <i>Artemia</i> and <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (T<sub>3</sub>), was the highest survival rate, Zoea 2 was larvae fed rotifer, <i>Artemia</i> and <i>Nannochloropsis oculata</i> (T<sub>5</sub>) and both Zoea 3 and Zoea 4, larvae fed rotifer, <i>Artemia</i> and <i>Isochrysis galbana</i> (T<sub>4</sub>) was the highest survival rate. The highest SGR and LSI were obtained in T<sub>4</sub> cultured in 14 days. <b>Conclusion:</b> In conclusion, the microalgal preference and feeding density of the selected microalgae are different depending on each larvae stage.

A novel conformable fractional non-homogeneous grey model for forecasting carbon dioxide emissions of BRICS countries

Nowadays, climate change is one of the most important global issues to the international community. And nearly thirty kinds of greenhouse gases have been found in the atmosphere, of which the carbon dioxide plays a crucial role. In this paper, the carbon dioxide emissions of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries are investigated by using a conformable fractional non-homogeneous grey model. The grey model is systematically studied based on the new definitions of the conformable fractional accumulation and difference. The closed-form solutions of the new model are derived by applying mathematical tools and grey theory. And the meta-heuristic algorithm ant lion optimizer is adopted to search optimal fractional order. With raw data during the period from 2000 to 2018 announced by British Petroleum, the new model is established to forecast the carbon dioxide emissions of BRICS nations from 2019 to 2025. The results show that the trend of the carbon dioxide emissions of Brazil and India is growing year by year, the pattern of Russia is fluctuant but remains stable generally, while China and South Africa reach its peak value in 2019, and then decrease in the next several years. It also demonstrates that the governments of Brazil and India should take more measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, while the governments of China and South Africa should keep up their crucial work on carbon dioxide emissions. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Waste tire recycling assessment: Road application potential and carbon emissions reduction analysis of crumb rubber modified asphalt in China

The rapid growth in automobile production in China during the past few decades has caused numerous tires to be scrapped, and their disposal has become a significant challenge. This study proposes a Triple Exponential Smoothing prediction model to predict the supply of waste tires in 2019-2023, and the demand for these tires in three road construction scenarios. In addition, performance analysis is conducted to evaluate the carbon emissions produced in the production process of crumb rubber, modified asphalt, and styrene-butadiene-styrene modified asphalt. The reduction potential of carbon emissions when using crumb rubber for road construction is measured to contribute to the sustainable management of waste tires. The results demonstrate that the prediction model employed for prediction of waste tire production is robust, and the prediction results can be used to evaluate waste tire recycling. In addition, crumb rubber can be used as an efficient and environmentally friendly method for recycling end-of-life tires. Expanding the proportion of rubber powder asphalt application is an effective method for balancing the supply and demand contradiction of crumb rubber. Moreover, the potential for energy savings and emissions reduction, in addition to the economic benefits of using crumb rubber modified asphalt, are significantly higher than those employing styrene-butadiene-styrene modified asphalt. These results indicate the possibility of a circular economy and decreased dependence on non-renewable asphalt resources. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hookups Among U.S. College Students: Examining the Association Between Hookup Motives and Personal Affect

"Hooking up" is prevalent on college campuses and is related to both positive and negative outcomes for students. The current study was an exploratory examination of hookup motives, and positive and negative affect, related to the most recent hookup experience. Participants were 256 U.S. college students who reported hooking up in the last 12 months. Students completed a 30-min anonymous online survey assessing behaviors and cognitions during their most recent hookup, including alcohol use at the time of the hookup, motives for hooking up, and post-hookup affect. The model demonstrated that gender, conformity motives, and social-relationship motives significantly and positively predicted negative affect, whereas enhancement motives negatively predicted negative affect. Coping and enhancement motives significantly and positively predicted positive affect, whereas alcohol use negatively predicted positive affect. This study was a unique examination of hookup motives, with important findings that explained large portions of variance in post-hookup affect. The overall model explained approximately 23% of the variance in negative affect and 49% of the variance in positive affect. Findings highlight that, depending on the hookup motive, hooking up can be associated with positive outcomes, such as positive affect.

Moving to economic growth without water demand growth - a decomposition analysis of decoupling from economic growth and water use in 31 provinces of China

Increasing water consumption from various economic activities has posed increasing challenges for the sustainability of developing countries. In particular, China is facing a sharp conflict between rapid economic development and water shortage. Evaluating the decoupling state between economic growth and water consumption and exploring the driving factors behind this could serve to develop strategy to moving to economic growth without water use growth. To this end, this work uses the Tapio decoupling and LMDI decomposition methods to evaluate the decoupling performance between China's water consumption and economic growth at the national and provincial levels, and six driving factors are decomposed, namely water consumption intensity, industrial structure, economic development, water resource utilization rate, water resource endowment and population size. Results show that: (1) Only two decoupling states, strong decoupling and weak decoupling, occurred at national level, and the decoupling index shows a decreasing trend. (2) 31 provinces showed only two states of strong decoupling and weak decoupling. More than 60% of the provinces showed strong decoupling after 2011, and the decoupling effect was significantly better than that of 2004-2011. (3) The effects of water consumption intensity and industrial structure drive the occurrence of decoupling. Economic level and population size have a positive incremental effect on water consumption. Finally, we propose policy recommendations such as developing water-saving technologies and optimizing industrial structure to promote water sustainability. The comprehensive methodology in this paper provides a theoretical reference for research in other countries or other environmental issues. Governments in various regions can formulate effective measures to achieve sustainable use of water resources, responding to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A coupling methodology of the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight theory for assessing coastal water quality

Rapid economic development in coastal areas has gradually increased the risk of coastal water quality deterioration. The assessment methods of coastal water quality are multifarious, but many depend on either subjective judgment or objective calculation. We proposed a weighted sum methodology by integrating the subjective analytic hierarchy process and objective entropy theory (AHP-entropy weight methodology) to obtain an overall evaluation of coastal water quality. The mathematical models to transform the biochemical and physical parameter values and soluble substance concentrations into index scores have been formulated in comparison to the national water quality classification scheme. The application of the AHP-entropy weight methodology was demonstrated in the nearshore area of Yangjiang city, China, based on 23 seawater sampling stations in autumn 2017 and spring 2018. Datasets including biochemical and physical parameters, nutrients, and heavy metals have been converted into water quality index scores based on the proposed mathematical model. Results revealed that the overall water quality fell into the "good" class in both sampling seasons. The spatial distribution of the water quality index scores demonstrated that the relatively worse water quality occurred in estuarine and nearshore areas, signifying the negative effect of coastal anthropogenic activities. The statistical analyses like the hierarchical cluster analysis interpreted that the river input acted as a main source of pollutants in the study area. The AHP-entropy weight methodology could be a preferred way to assist decision-makers in properly evaluating the current state of coastal water quality in an unbiased, objective manner.

Revisiting the Dynamics of Tourism, Economic Growth, and Environmental Pollutants in the Emerging Economies-Sustainable Tourism Policy Implications

Tourism contributions to economic growth and well-being have been widely acknowledged; however, its impacts on the environment demand an integrated approach to policy improvement across institutions in the emerging economies for the development of sustainable tourism practices. This study investigates the causal relationship between tourism, economic growth (GDP, capital investment), energy consumption, and environmental pollutants in developing economies, explicitly focusing on the case of Pakistan. Various econometric procedures and techniques were applied to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings suggest that economic growth support tourism development. Tourists' arrivals have a significant positive impact on energy consumption, capital investment, and CO2 emissions; besides, environmental pollutant (CO2) causes negative effects on tourism. The results suggest that a 1 unit increase in tourism increases CO2 emissions metric tons per capita by 0.26 units in the long-run. A 1 unit increase in capital investment increases CO2 emissions metric tons per capita by 0.21 units, and a 1 unit increase in energy consumption increases CO2 emissions metric tons per capita by 0.51 units in the long-run. In the short-run, a 1 unit increase in tourism, capital investment, and energy consumption rises CO2 emissions metric tons per capita by 0.045, 0.04, and 0.08 units, respectively. Sustainable tourism remains a sole option in developing economies to enhance the competitiveness of tourism as a tool for friendly developments. Thus, tourism policies are needed to be integrated with overall economic, environmental, and energy policies to encourage the shift towards sustainable tourism development to minimize environmental pollution.

Shrinking ageing population and other drivers of energy consumption and CO2 emission in the residential sector: A case from Eastern Europe

Energy use and the resulting environmental impacts are interrelated with socioeconomic development of a certain region. What is more, the residential sector plays an important role as a major consumer of the energy. Thus, it is important to identify the underlying patterns of energy consumption and the resulting CO2 emission amidst the external shocks. This paper focuses on the case of residential energy consumption and CO2 emission in Lithuania over 2004-2016. This example is important given the context of shifts in the size and structure of population, economy and energy transformation in Lithuania that occurred over the period covered. The analysis relies on the index decomposition analysis and factorizes the changes in CO2 emission into the effects of population size, household size, dwelling area, energy intensity and carbon factor. The results indicate that decline in energy intensity and population played the most important role in pushing the CO2 emission down, yet these effects were offset by the changes in the lifestyle of the population (i.e. household size and dwelling area) along with increasing carbon factor. These findings are contrasted to the corresponding findings form the earlier studies around the world and the resulting policy implications are delivered.

Multi-step ahead forecasting of regional air quality using spatial-temporal deep neural networks: A case study of Huaihai Economic Zone

Air pollution has endangered both ecological environment and human health. Long-term prediction of air quality index (AQI) is an effective approach to early warning of, and prompt response to, pollution events to support cleaner industrial production. However, existing approaches to forecasting long-term air quality need further improvement. In this paper, we proposed a novel spatial-temporal deep learning algorithm based on bidirectional gated recurrent unit integrated with attention mechanism (BiAGRU), for more accurate air quality forecasting. The historical air quality measurements and meteorological monitoring data were constructed as a spatial-temporal matrix suitable for model input. The performance of the proposed BiAGRU model was evaluated by a series of metrics. The RMSE, MAE, R-2 and Fractional Bias (FB) values of the proposed BiAGRU model are 31.10, 23.06, 0.60, and 0.015, respectively, for 24 h multi-step ahead prediction assignments using Huaihai Economic Zone dataset. Quantitative comparison between models indicates the developed BiAGRU model outperformed various traditional machine learning algorithms and advanced deep neural network methods in term of lower error bias and higher accuracy and regression scores. This work is of importance to strengthen regional prevention and control of air pollution. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robust stochastic optimal dispatching method of multi-energy virtual power plant considering multiple uncertainties

In recent years, with the rapid development of the energy Internet and the deepening of the complementary coupling of various energy sources, the concept of multi-energy virtual power plant comes into being. At the same time, insufficient research on optimal scheduling of multi-energy virtual power plants under multiple uncertainties. Here we propose a robust stochastic optimal dispatching method to solve the scheduling problem under multiple uncertainties. For the source side uncertainties, the uncertain set of cardinalities with a robust adjustable coefficient is adopted to describe the output of wind turbines and photovoltaics. For the load side uncertainties, the Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty is used to generate electric, thermal, cooling, and natural gas load scenarios, and the K-medoids clustering is used to get typical scenes. A two-stage robust stochastic optimal model of the min-max-min structure was established. Based on the dual transformation theory and the column constraint generation algorithm, the original model was solved alternately. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm is verified by simulation analysis. The proposed method can get the scheduling scheme with the lowest operating cost in the worst scenario and is conducive to reducing the overall scheduling cost of the system.

Hormone replacement therapy - Current recommendations

Menopause is a major life event that can affect women in several ways. Its onset marks the end of the reproductive life cycle, and its impact can be both short and long term. Menopause is often a gradual process, preceded by a transitional period known as perimenopause. The average age of menopause in the UK is 51. The clinical manifestations of menopause result from the eventual exhaustion of oocytes within the ovaries. This leads to a chronic hypo-estrogenic state, which in the short term causes menopausal symptoms and over a long term, has an impact on bone and cardiovascular health. There has been a steep drop in the prescription of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) following the publication of the Women's Health Initiative Study and the Million Women Study. It is currently estimated that approximately a million women in the UK are taking HRT for control of their menopausal symptoms. This review summarises the current recommendations for HRT use in menopausal women. The benefits of HRT in improving the symptoms of menopause are discussed as well as the potential role of HRT in managing long-term sequelae is covered. Evidence pertaining to the potential risks associated with HRT is also be reviewed.

Change Point Inference in the Presence of Missing Covariates for Principal Surrogate Evaluation in Vaccine Trials

We consider the use of threshold-based regression models for evaluating immune response biomarkers as principal surrogate markers of a vaccine's protective effect. Threshold-based regression models, which allow the relationship between a clinical outcome and a covariate to change dramatically across a threshold value in the covariate, have been studied by various authors under fully observed data. Limited research, however, has examined these models in the presence of missing covariates, such as the counterfactual potential immune responses of a participant in the placebo arm of a standard vaccine trial had s/he been assigned to the vaccine arm instead. Based on a hinge model for a threshold effect of the principal surrogate on vaccine efficacy, we develop a regression methodology that consists of two components: (1) The estimated likelihood method is employed to handle missing potential outcomes, and (2) a penalty is imposed on the estimated likelihood to ensure satisfactory finite sample performance. We develop a method that allows joint estimation of all model parameters as well as a two-step method that separates the estimation of the threshold parameter from the rest of the parameters. Stable iterative algorithms are developed to implement the two methods and the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators are established. In simulation studies, the proposed estimators are shown to have satisfactory finite sample performance. The proposed methods are applied to analyze a real dataset collected from dengue vaccine efficacy trials to predict how vaccine efficacy varies with an individual's potential immune response if receiving vaccine.

The Marine Plastic Litter Issue: A Social-Economic Analysis

The issue of marine plastic litter pollution is multifaceted, cross-sectoral, and ongoing in the absence of appropriate management measures. This study analysed the issue of marine plastic litter pollution in the context of the Descriptor 10 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Good Environmental Status of the oceans and seas. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was used to assess the causes, effects, and management measures to changes in the marine environment resulting from marine plastics pollution. We noted that less than 10 peer-reviewed publications have applied the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model to the issue of marine plastics pollution. Some basic needs such as food security, movement of goods and services, and shelter are also some of the major drivers of marine plastic pollution. The use of plastics is linked to multiple economic sectors (fisheries, agriculture, transport, packaging, construction) and other human activities. A significant amount of the resulting pressures came from the economic sectors for packaging and construction. State changes occurred at the environmental (contamination and bioaccumulation), ecosystem (ingestion of plastics, ghost fishing) and ecosystem service levels (supply of sea food, salt and cultural benefits), with possible loss of jobs and income being some of the observed impacts on human welfare. Responses as management measures, which are tailored to meet each component of the DPSIR framework, were identified. These included policies, regulations, technological advancement and behavioural change. The research acknowledges the issue of marine plastics pollution as a global environmental problem and recommends a trans-disciplinary approach, involving all types of stakeholders. Future research and analysis applying the DPSIR framework will be useful to provide the information necessary for the effective, adaptive management of litter pollution by marine plastics.

Targeted PET/MRI Imaging Super Probes: A Critical Review of Opportunities and Challenges

Recently, the demand for hybrid PET/MRI imaging techniques has increased significantly, which has sparked the investigation into new ways to simultaneously track multiple molecular targets and improve the localization and expression of biochemical markers. Multimodal imaging probes have recently emerged as powerful tools for improving the detection sensitivity and accuracy-both important factors in disease diagnosis and treatment; however, only a limited number of bimodal probes have been investigated in preclinical models. Herein, we briefly describe the strengths and limitations of PET and MRI modalities and highlight the need for the development of multimodal molecularly-targeted agents. We have tried to thoroughly summarize data on bimodal probes available on PubMed. Emphasis was placed on their design, safety profiles, pharmacokinetics, and clearance properties. The challenges in PET/MR probe development using a number of illustrative examples are also discussed, along with future research directions for these novel conjugates.

Does communicable diseases (including COVID-19) may increase global poverty risk? A cloud on the horizon

Coronavirus epidemic can push millions of people in poverty. The shortage of healthcare resources, lack of sanitation, and population compactness leads to an increase in communicable diseases, which may increase millions of people add in a vicious cycle of poverty. The study used the number of factors that affect poverty incidence in a panel of 76 countries for a period of 2010-2019. The dynamic panel GMM estimates show that the causes of death by communicable diseases, chemical-induced carbon and fossil fuel combustion, and lack of access to basic hand washing facilities menace to increase poverty headcounts, whereas, an increase in healthcare expenditures substantially decreases poverty headcounts across countries. Further, the results show the U-shaped relationship between economic growth and poverty headcounts, as economic growth first decreases and later increase poverty headcount due to rising healthcare disparities among nations. The causality estimates show that lack of access to basic amenities lead to increase of communicable diseases including COVID-19 whereas chemical-induced carbon and fossil fuel emissions continue to increase healthcare expenditures and economic growth in a panel of selected countries. The rising healthcare disparities, regional conflicts, and public debt burden further 'hold in the hand' of communicable diseases that push millions of people in the poverty trap.

Levels and sources of hourly PM2.5-related elements during the control period of the COVID-19 pandemic at a rural site between Beijing and Tianjin

To control the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China, many anthropogenic activities were reduced and even closed on the national scale. To study the impact of this reduction and closing down, hourly concentrations of PMis-related elements were measured at a rural site before (12-25 January 2020), during (26 January-9 February 2020) and after (22 March-2 April 2020) the control period when all people remained socially isolated in their homes and could not return to economic zones for work. Nine major sources were identified by the positive matrix factorization model, including fireworks burning, coal combustion, vehicle emissions, dust, Cr industry, oil combustion, Se industry, Zn smelter, and iron and steel industry. Before the control period, K, Fe, Ca, Zn, Ba and Cu were the main elements, and fireworks burning, Zn smelter and vehicle emissions provided the highest contributions to the total element mass with 55%, 12.1% and 10.3%, respectively. During the control period, K, Fe, Ba, Cu and Zn were the dominating elements, and fireworks burning and vehicle emissions contributed 55% and 27% of the total element mass. After the control period, Fe, K, Ca, Zn and Ba were the main elements, and dust and iron and steel industry were responsible for 56% and 21% of the total element mass. The increased contribution from vehicle emissions during the control period could be attributed to our sampling site being near a town hospital and the fact that the vehicle activities were not restricted. The source apportionment results were also related to air mass backward trajectories. The largest reductions of dust, coal combustion, and the industrial sources (Cr industry, Zn smelter, Se industry, iron and steel industry) were distinctly seen for northwest transport (Ulanqab) and were least significant for northeast transport (Tangshan and Tianjin). (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A spatial econometric empirical research on the impact of industrial agglomeration on haze pollution in China

Based on statistical data on 30 provincial administrative regions in China from 2000 to 2016, this paper conducts an empirical study of the impact of industrial agglomeration on haze pollution using the spatial Dubin model (SDM), spatial lag model (SLM), and spatial error model (SEM). The findings are as follows: (1) Industrial agglomeration can effectively reduce the degree of haze pollution. (2) Haze pollution has an inverted U-shaped relationship with economic development and population agglomeration. (3) The secondary industry has a positive correlation with haze pollution, while the tertiary industry can reduce haze pollution but not in an obvious manner. (4) The level of innovation and urbanization can help to reduce haze pollution, and the level of economic opening up and carbon dioxide emissions can exacerbate haze pollution. (5) Due to the insufficient commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, investment in science and technology is not obviously effective in preventing and controlling haze pollution. The relationship between environmental regulation and haze pollution is still unclear due to regional differences and the varied effectiveness of law enforcement. The study suggests that the government should guide industrial agglomeration in a reasonable manner, improve joint prevention and control across regions, and strengthen environmental regulation to prevent and control haze pollution.

Evaluation of seismic performance factors for tension-only braced frames

The tension-only braced frames (TOBFs) are widely used as a lateral force resisting system (LFRS) in low-rise steel buildings due to their simplicity and economic advantage. However, the system has poor seismic energy dissipation capacity and pinched hysteresis behavior caused by early buckling of slender bracing members. The main concern in utilizing the TOBF system is the determination of appropriate performance factors for seismic design. A formalized approach to quantify the seismic performance factor (SPF) based on determining an acceptable margin of safety against collapse is introduced by FNMA P695. The methodology is applied in this paper to assess the SPFs of the TOBF systems. For this purpose, a trial value of the R factor was first employed to design and model a set of TOBF archetype structures. Afterwards, the level of safety against collapse provided by the assumed R factor was investigated by using the non-linear analysis procedure of FNMA P695 comprising incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) under a set of prescribed ground motions. It was found that the R factor of 3.0 is appropriate for safe design of TOBFs. Also, the system overstrength factor (Omega(0)) was estimated as 2.0 by performing non-linear static analyses.

Do environmental conservation programs contribute to sustainable livelihoods? Evidence from China's grain-for-green program in northern Shaanxi province

Several studies reported that conservation programs worldwide have profoundly reshaped participants' livelihoods and influenced other socio-economic processes. A fully understanding of how such conservation programs influence human lives is, therefore, crucial for their success. There, however, is little robust evidence of the effect of China's grain-for-green program (GGP), the largest conservation program in the world, on participants' livelihoods. That is, we do not know whether the program fulfills its goal of, at the very least, doing no harm to the lives of participants while simultaneously enhancing their environmental perception. To help fill this gap, we used a sustainable livelihood approach and structural equation modeling, based on household survey data from China's northern Shaanxi province, to compare the livelihood components of participants and non-participants in the GGP. We then characterized the interactions and pathways between their livelihood components and environmental perception. We found that the GGP indeed does no harm to participants' lives. Although participants suffer from a small reduction in natural capital due to a sharp decrease in their landholdings, they have much more off-farm income, subsidies, and financial and social assets than non-participants. Respondents commonly held positive attitudes toward the program's environmental benefits, but they had weak perceptions of the social and direct economic benefits of the GGP. Respondents' environmental perceptions of the GGP were significantly influenced by the number of available laborers, their education and health levels, off-farm income, subsidies, and the accessibility of transportation. Therefore, further resources should be dedicated to improving education as well as rural health care and infrastructure in order to create more off-farm job opportunities for GGP participants. In addition, decision makers should carefully redesign supporting policies, such as payments for ecosystem services, to help poor participants rebuild their livelihoods. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The InVEST Habitat Quality Model Associated with Land Use/Cover Changes: A Qualitative Case Study of the Winike Watershed in the Omo-Gibe Basin, Southwest Ethiopia

The contribution of biodiversity to the global economy, human survival, and welfare has been increasing significantly, but the anthropogenic pressure as a threat to the pristine habitat has followed. This study aims to identify habitat suitability, analyze the change in habitat quality from 1988 to 2018, and to investigate the correlation between impact factors and habitat quality. The InVEST habitat quality model was used to analyze the spatiotemporal change in habitat quality in individual land-use types in the Winike watershed. Remote sensing data were used to analyze the land use/land cover changes. Nine threat sources, their maximum distance of impact, mode of decay, and sensitivity to threats were also estimated for each land-use cover type. The analysis illustrates that habitat degradation in the watershed was continuously increasing over the last three decades (1988 to 2018). Each threat impact factor and habitat sensitivity have increased for the last 30 years. The most contributing factor of habitat degradation was the 25.41% agricultural expansion in 2018. Population density, land-use intensity, elevation, and slope were significantly correlated with the distribution of habitat quality. Habitat quality degradation in the watershed during the past three decades suggested that the conservation strategies applied in the watershed ecosystem were not effective. Therefore, this study helps decision makers, particularly regarding the lack of data on biodiversity. It further looks into the conflict between economic development and conservation of biodiversity.

Influence of hybrid SiO2 and CeO2 nanoparticles on diesel engine emission operated with distilled tire oil blend

The objective of this research is to reduce the emission and improve the performance of diesel engine when they operate with distilled tire pyrolysis oil blends (DTPO30). Utilization of tire oil on diesel engine has been an active research field for the last two decades. But, it is still challengeable due to their high emissions. To overcome this, the present study has been attempted to analyze the influence of hybrid silicon oxide (SiO2) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles in tire oil blends. The SiO2 and CeO2 are considered in hybrid nature with proportions of 20 mg/L (sum 40 mg/L), 50 mg/L, and 70 mg/L each. The nanoparticles mixed fuel blends were prepared using an ultrasonication technique. The experiments were conducted with a water-cooled engine with a constant speed of 1500 rpm, a compression ratio of 17.5, and an injection timing of 23° BTDC. The FTIR spectra indicated that all the samples were identified with alkanes and alkenes like diesel. But, DTPO30 + 70 found with many peaks in bending mode, which indicates the changes in chemical functional groups. From the engine testing, the brake thermal efficiency was improved by about 2% and brake specific fuel consumption was reduced up to 0.03 kg/kW h with DTPO30 + 70 (SiO2 + CeO2) than DTPO30. The cylinder pressure and heat release rate were reduced with hybrid nanoparticles blended fuel than with that of individually mixed fuel. Also, the emissions such as NOx, CO, UBHC, and soot were reduced with hybrid nanoparticles, up to 4.8%, 13.5%, 27%, and 10% respectively. The hybrid nature of SiO2 + CeO2 has the potential to adhere to the soot particles around their surface which leads to reducing the duration of suspension in the atmosphere.

A hybrid intelligent system for designing optimal proportions of recycled aggregate concrete

The replacement of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) with recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) in concrete mixtures offers various advantages, including conservation of natural resources, reduction of CO2 emissions, and cost reduction. However, multiple related variables and objectives (e.g., mechanical, economic, and environmental objectives) need to be considered when optimizing mixtures of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). This cannot be achieved through traditional laboratory- or statistics-based methods. This study proposes a hybrid intelligent system based on artificial intelligence (AI) and metaheuristic algorithms for designing optimal mixtures of RAC. To verify the proposed model, a data set containing 344 different RAC mixtures was collected from previous literature. A semi-supervised cotraining algorithm using two k-nearest neighbor (kNN) regressors with different distance metrics is developed to label the unlabeled data in the collected dataset. Different AI models are incorporated into the system for modeling the relationship between RAC strength and its influencing variables. A multi-objective optimization (MOO) model based on AI algorithms and on a multi-objective firefly algorithm is used to search for optimal mixtures of RAC. The results show that kNN-based semi-supervised cotraining can effectively exploit unlabeled data to improve the regression estimates. In the test set, A Random Forest and Backpropagation Neural Network achieve the best prediction accuracy for predicting, respectively, uniaxial compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of RAC, indicated by the highest correlation coefficients (0.9064 and 0.8387, respectively) and lowest root-mean-square errors (6.639 MPa and 0.5119 MPa, respectively). The Pareto fronts of the multi-objective mixture optimization problem are successfully obtained by the MOO model. The proposed system can also be used to optimize mixture proportions of other cementitious materials in civil engineering. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARY) with the intersection of organophosphate flame retardants and diet-induced obesity in adult mice

Previously, organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were demonstrated to dysregulate homeostatic parameters of energy regulation within an adult mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Using the same OPFR mixture consisting of 1 mg/kg/day of each triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate, the current study examined the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) in OPFR-induced disruption by utilizing mice with brain-specific deletion of PPARγ (PPARγKO) fed either a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD). Body weight and composition, feeding behavior, glucose and insulin tolerance, circulating peptide hormones, and expression of hypothalamic genes associated with energy homeostasis were recorded. When fed HFD, the effects of OPFR on body weight and feeding behavior observed in the previous wild-type (WT) study were absent in mice lacking neuronal PPARγ. This posits PPARγ as an important target for eliciting OPFR disruption in a diet-induced obesity model. Interestingly, female PPARγKO mice, but not males, experienced many novel OPFR effects not noted in WT mice, including decreased fat mass, altered feeding behavior and efficiency, improved insulin sensitivity, elevated plasma ghrelin and hypothalamic expression of its receptor. Taken together, these data suggest both direct roles for PPARγ in OPFR disruption of obese mice and indirect sensitization of pathways alternative to PPARγ when neuronal expression is deleted.

From a non-targeted metabolomics approach to a targeted biomarkers strategy to highlight testosterone abuse in equine. Illustration of a methodological transfer between platforms and laboratories

In order to overcome the challenge associated with the screening of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids abuses in animal competitions, a non-targeted liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry based metabolomics approach was implemented on equine urine samples to highlight potential biomarkers associated with the administration of such compounds, using testosterone esters as model steroids. A statistical model relying on four potential biomarkers intensity could be defined to predict the status of the samples. With a routine application perspective, the monitoring of the highlighted potential biomarkers was first transferred into high-throughput liquid chromatography-selected reaction monitoring (LC-SRM). The model's performances and robustness of the approach were preserved and providing a first demonstration of metabolomics-based biomarkers integration within a targeted workflow using common benchtop MS instrumentation. In addition, with a view to the widespread implementation of such biomarker-based tools, we have transferred the method to a second laboratory with similar instrumentation. This proof of concept allows the development and application of biomarker-based strategies to meet current doping control needs.

Development of spectral-phenological features for deep learning to understand Spartina alterniflora invasion

Invasive Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora), a native riparian species in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, has led to serious degradation to the ecosystem and biodiversity as well as economic losses since it was introduced to China in 1979. Although multi-temporal remote sensing offers unique capability to monitor S. alterniflora over large areas and long time periods, three major hurdle exist: (1) in the coastal zone where S. alterniflora occupies, frequent cloud coverage reduces the number of available images that can be used; (2) prominent spectral variations exist within the S. alterniflora due to phonological variations; (3) poor spectral separability between S. alterniflora and its co-dominant native species is often presented in the territories where S. alterniflora intruded in. To articulate these questions, we proposed a new pixel-based phenological feature composite method (PpfCM) based on Google Earth Engine. The Ppf-CM method was brainstormed to battle the aforementioned three hurdles as the basic unit for extracting phonological feature is individual pixel in lieu of an entire image scene. With the Ppf-CM-derived phenological feature as inputs, we took a step further to investigate the performance of the latest deep learning method as opposed to that of the conventional support vector machine (SVM); Lastly, we strive to understand how S. alterniflora has changed its spatial distribution in the Beibu Gulf of China from 1995 to 2017. As a result, we found (1) the developed Ppf-CM method can mitigate the phonological variation and augment the spectral separability between S. alterniflora and the background species regardless of the significant cloud coverage in the study area; (2) deep learning, compared to SVM, presented better potentials for incorporating the new phenological features generated from the Ppf-CM method; and (3) for the first time, we discovered a S. alterniflora invasion outbreak occurred during 1996-2001.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in camelids

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is the cause of a severe respiratory disease with a high case fatality rate in humans. Since its emergence in mid-2012, 2578 laboratory-confirmed cases in 27 countries have been reported by the World Health Organization, leading to 888 known deaths due to the disease and related complications. Dromedary camels are considered the major reservoir host for this virus leading to zoonotic infection in humans. Dromedary camels, llamas, and alpacas are susceptible to MERS-CoV, developing a mild-to-moderate upper respiratory tract infection characterized by epithelial hyperplasia as well as infiltration of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and some macrophages within epithelium, lamina propria, in association with abundant viral antigen. The very mild lesions in the lower respiratory tract of these camelids correlate with absence of overt illness following MERS-CoV infection. Unfortunately, there is no approved antiviral treatment or vaccine for MERS-CoV infection in humans. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop intervention strategies in camelids, such as vaccination, to minimize virus spillover to humans. Therefore, the development of camelid models of MERS-CoV infection is key not only to assess vaccine prototypes but also to understand the biologic mechanisms by which the infection can be naturally controlled in these reservoir species. This review summarizes information on virus-induced pathological changes, pathogenesis, viral epidemiology, and control strategies in camelids, as the intermediate hosts and primary source of MERS-CoV infection in humans.

Surgical Techniques for Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures: WFNS Spine Committee Recommendations

To formulate the specific guidelines for the recommendation of thoracolumbar fracture regarding surgical techniques and nonfusion surgery. WFNS (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies) Spine Committee organized 2 consensus meeting. For nonfusion surgery and thoracolumbar fracture, a systematic literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar database was done from 2010 to 2020. The search was further refined by excluding the articles which were duplicate, not in English or were based on animal or cadaveric subjects. After thorough shortlisting, only 50 articles were selected for full review in this consensus meeting. To generate a consensus, the levels of agreement or disagreement on each item were voted independently in a blind fashion through a Likert-type scale from 1 to 5. The consensus was achieved when the sum for disagreement or agreement was ≥ 66%. Each consensus point was clearly defined with evidence strength, recommendation grade, and consensus level provided. A magnitude of prospective papers were analyzed to formulate consensus on various surgical techniques that can be employed to address different types of thoracolumbar fractures. Surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures can be a better option over the nonoperative approach, especially for those who cannot tolerate months in an orthosis or cast, such as those with multiple extremity injuries, skin lesions, obesity, and so forth. It generally allows early mobilization, less hospital stay, reduced pulmonary complications, and better correction of sagittal balance. Current available literature fails to demonstrate any statistically significant benefit of fusion surgery over nonfusion in thoracolumbar fractures.

The relationship between biomass energy consumption and human development: Empirical evidence from BRICS countries

The impact of biomass energy utilization is still a controversial issue, and there is no consensus among researchers. Previous researches paid attention to the effects of biomass energy consumption on economic growth and environmental. While most studies indicate that the usage of biomass energy enhances economic growth and contributes to environmental protection, some studies show the opposite result. Our research wishes to contribute to the existing literature by discovering the effect of biomass energy consumption on human development in BRICS countries in the period 1990-2015. Using econometric methods which can solve the problem of cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity of slope such as LIPS and CADF unit root tests, LM bootstrap panel cointegration test, Continuously-Updated Fully-Modified (CUP-FM) and Continuously-Updated Bias-Corrected (CUP-BC) estimators, and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality test, our results reveal that biomass energy usage increase human development in BRICS countries and bidirectional causality exists between these two variables. These results may be a suggestion for policymakers to promote the usage of biomass energy. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal Betacoronavirus Antibodies' Expansion Post-BNT161b2 Vaccination Associates with Reduced SARS-CoV-2 VoC Neutralization

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is known to induce antibodies that recognize also variants of concerns (VoCs) of the virus. However, epidemiological and laboratory evidences indicate that these antibodies have a reduced neutralization ability against VoCs. We studied binding and neutralizing antibodies against the Spike protein domains and subunits of the Wuhan-Hu-1 virus and its alpha, beta, delta VoCs and of seasonal betacoronaviruses (HKU1 and OC43) in a cohort of 31 health care workers prospectively followed post-vaccination with BNT162b2-Comirnaty. The study of sequential samples collected up to 64 days post-vaccination showed that serological assays measuring IgG against Wuhan-Hu-1 antigens were a poor proxy for VoC neutralization. In addition, in subjects who had asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 prior to vaccination, the loss of nAbs following disease could be rapid and accompanied by post-vaccination antibody levels similar to those of naïve vaccinees. Interestingly, in health care workers naïve for SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination induced a rapid and transient reactivation of pre-existing seasonal coronaviruses IgG responses that was associated with a subsequent reduced ability to neutralize alpha and beta VoCs.

Does financial development and foreign direct investment improve environmental quality? Evidence from belt and road countries

This study examines the effect of financial development (FD) and foreign direct investment (FDI) on the environmental quality for the panel of 90 belt and road countries from 1990 to 2017. This study advances the knowledge of financial development by using the new comprehensive index, which is based on access, depth, and efficiency of financial markets and financial institutions and incorporated foreign direct investment as an important determinant of environmental quality. By applying the Driscoll-Kraay standard error pooled ordinary least square method, the empirical findings reveal that FD deteriorates the environmental quality by increasing the CO2 emissions, while FDI improves environmental quality and the relationship between economic growth (EG) and CO2 emissions is inverted U-shaped, i.e., presence of EKC hypothesis. The energy consumption and urbanization pollute the environment, while trade openness enhances the quality of the environment. Furthermore, the Dumitrescu-Hurlin (DH) panel causality test result confirms that the bidirectional causality exists among FD, trade openness, energy consumption, and urbanization with CO2 emissions. The empirical results provide new insights for policymakers and also have several implications for the betterment of environmental quality.

Large-scale production and transport of hydrogen from Norway to Europe and Japan: Value chain analysis and comparison of liquid hydrogen and ammonia as energy carriers

Low-carbon hydrogen is considered as one of the key measures to decarbonise continental Europe and Japan. Northern Norway has abundant renewable energy and natural gas resources which can be converted to low-carbon hydrogen. However, Norway is located relatively far away from these markets and finding efficient ways to transport this hydrogen to the end-user is critical. In this study, liquefied hydrogen (LH2) and ammonia (NH3), as H-2-based energy carriers, are analysed and compared with respect to energy efficiency, CO2 footprint and cost. It is shown that the LH2 chain is more energy efficient and has a smaller CO2 footprint (20 and 23 kg-CO2/MWh(th) for Europe and Japan, respectively) than the NH3 chain (76 and 122 kg-CO2/MWh(thY)). Furthermore, the study finds the levelized cost of hydrogen delivered to Rotterdam to be lower for LH2 (5.0 EUR/kg-H-2) compared to NH3 (5.9 EUR/kg-H-2), while the hydrogen costs of the two chains for transport to Japan are in a similar range (about 7 EUR/kg-H-2). It is also shown that under optimistic assumptions, the costs associated with the LH2 chain (3.2 EUR/kg-H-2) are close to meeting the 2030 hydrogen cost target of Japan (2.5 EUR/kg-H-2). (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing waste to hydrogen production through biomass feedstock blending: A techno-economic-environmental evaluation

Concerns related to global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels have propelled the global community to explore alternative renewable energy sources. Biomass is a nonconventional and renewable energy resource that can potentially be utilised for the production of sustainable heat and power. The thermal gasification process is an effective biomass conversion and utilisation method producing syngas as the product gas. This study details a biomass gasification process and subsequent optimisation, considering multiple parameters, including the type of feedstock and gasifying agent (gasifier) to maximise hydrogen production. Aspen Plus software is used to develop three agent-based biomass gasification models considering the characteristics of certain materials from Qatar built environment. The ultimate goal of the study is to optimise the gasification processes to yield different biomass blending options satisfying the maximisation of hydrogen generation through different scenarios. The capabilities of the built-in activated analysis package using Aspen Energy Analyser and Aspen Process Economic Analyser are utilised to evaluate the environmental and economic perspectives. The results demonstrate the excellence of steam-only biomass gasification in providing profitable and cleaner products. The yield of hydrogen production from blending of biomass feedstock achieved a high fraction of 5.23% with the steam-only gasification, while the yield increased from 1.63% to 5.22% for the oxygen/steam gasification when maximising the hydrogen fraction. Moreover, the selective limiting of biomass capacity enhances the quality of syngas through enriching the hydrogen production and lowers the need for subsequent adjustment and the manipulation of gasifying agent quantity and operating energy.

Positive and negative social contacts with immigrants from different groups: Investigating the role of group appraisal and opportunity for contact using network analysis

What can enhance positive inter-group contacts in a world of mass immigration is a subject high on the theoretical and practical agenda. However, there is a lack of research examining how contacts with different immigrant groups are related to characteristics of the group, as perceived by the receiving society. Using Threat-Benefit Theory (Tartakovsky & Walsh, 2016a, 2016b, 2019, 2020), the present study examines how different domains of positive and negative appraisal of a specific immigrant group may relate to contacts with group members. Using a representative sample of 1600 adults in the majority of the Jewish population in Israel, we applied network analysis to examine relationships between threat-benefit appraisal, opportunities for contact and levels of positive and negative contacts with four immigrant groups: diaspora immigrants from Ethiopia, Western countries and the former Soviet Union and asylum seekers. Levels of contact were related to particular domains of appraisal, which differed across immigrant groups. However, opportunities for contact had a stronger association with contact than the appraisal. Results point to a theoretical need to develop nuanced models related to inter-group contact, which consider particular characteristics of the immigrant group as perceived by the local population.

Overview of Sankey flow diagrams: Focusing on symptom trajectories in older adults with advanced cancer

This perspectives paper provides an overview of how to read and interpret a Sankey, examples using symptom data from older adults with advanced cancer, a synopsis of medical literature, and comments on creating and using the diagram for presentation of data. From prior reports and our own, we conclude Sankeys are an excellent tool for visualizing the changing status of older patients with cancer. Older adult symptom data is used as an example with data dispalyed in a range of Sankey flow diagrams. Because there is large heterogeneity in aging, different subgroups can be examined. In a single diagram, Sankey can show both the likelihood and variability of patients' future status from their current status.

Novel biosynthesis, characterization and bio-catalytic potential of green algae ( Spirogyra hyalina) mediated silver nanomaterials

In recent years green nanotechnology gained significant importance to synthesize nanoparticles due to their cost effectiveness and biosafety. In the current study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using extract of Spirogyra hyalina as a capping and reducing agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffractive analysis. Silver nanoparticles give a characteristic Surface Plasmon Resonance peak of 451 nm at 2.21 a.u (arbitrary unit). SEM micrograph revealed the spherical morphology and average grain size of 52.7 nm. Furthermore, antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal, antioxidant and membrane damage activities were determined. The maximum antibacterial and antifungal activity was observed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18 ± 1.2 mm) and Fusarium solani (14.3 ± 0.6 mm), respectively. In membrane damage assay, Pseudomonas aeruginosa absorbed A260 wavelength and gave maximum peak values of 0.286, 0.434 and 0.629 at 25, 35 and 45 µg/mL of silver nanoparticles. The membrane damage assay confirmed that nanoparticles are involved in bacterial cell membrane damage. At 500 ppm silver nanoparticles showed 30% mortality against Tribolium castaneum (a common grain pest). The silver nanoparticles also showed potent antioxidant activity and successfully scavenged the DPPH free radicals upto 53.43 ± 0.17, 43.26 ± 0.97, 31.39 ± 0.33, 24.62 ± 0.85, and 14.13 ± 0.12% at a concentration of 400, 200, 100, 50, and 25 µg/mL of nanoparticles, respectively. It is concluded that silver nanoparticles can easily be synthesized by using green algae Spirogyra hyalina as a capping and reducing agent. Silver nanoparticles showed potent biomedical activities and thus can be used for therapeutic applications invitro and invivo.

Analysis of Compound Climate Extremes and Exposed Population in Africa Under Two Different Emission Scenarios

It is well established that Africa is particularly exposed to climate extremes including heat waves, droughts, and intense rainfall events. How exposed Africa is to the co-occurrence of these events is however virtually unknown. This study provides the first analysis of projected changes in the co-occurrence of five such compound climate extremes in Africa, under a low (RCP2.6) and high (RCP8.5) emissions scenario. These changes are combined with population projections for a low (SSP1) and high (SSP3) population growth scenario, in order to provide estimates of the number of people that may be exposed to such events at the end of the 21st century. We make use of an ensemble of regional climate projections from the Coordinated Output for Regional Evaluations (CORE) project embedded in the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) framework. This ensemble comprises five different Earth System Model/Regional Climate Model (ESM/RCM) combinations with three different ESMs and two RCMs. We show that all five compound climate extremes will increase in frequency, with changes being greater under RCP8.5 than RCP2.6. Moreover, populations exposed to these changes are greater under RCP8.5/SSP3, than RCP2.6/SSP1, increasing by 47- and 12-fold, respectively, compared to the present-day. Regions of Africa that are particularly exposed are West Africa, Central-East Africa, and Northeast and Southeast Africa. Increased exposure is mainly driven by the interaction between climate and population growth, and the effect of population alone. This has important policy implications in relation to climate mitigation and adaptation. Plain Language Summary It is well known that Africa is exposed to a range of different climate hazards including droughts, heat waves, and extreme rainfall events, which cause major social and economic suffering. It is, however, largely unknown how exposed the African population is to the co-occurrence of such climate hazards. This is important because compound events will likely increase the suffering far and above that caused by individual climate hazards. In this study, we provide an analysis of potential changes in five different compound events, and the exposure of the African population to them, at the end of this century. Combining exposure to all compound events, the results show that compared to the present-day, the exposure of the African population may increase by 12- and 47-fold in the best- and worst-case scenarios, respectively. The spatial distribution of changes shows that West Africa and central and eastern regions of Africa may be particularly exposed. Increased exposure is mainly caused by the interaction between climate and population growth, and the effect of population alone. These results imply that any policy response designed to reduce exposure needs to address both climatic and socioeconomic factors. Key Points Five compound climate extremes are projected to be more frequent in Africa under both emission scenarios by the end of the century Populations in West Africa, Central-East Africa, and Northeast and Southeast Africa are projected to be particularly exposed Increased exposure is mainly driven by the interaction between climate and population growth, and the effect of population alone

Energy and economic analysis of a variable-geometry ejector in solar cooling systems for residential buildings

In the present, study two 1-D ejector mathematical models are used to predict the performance of a solar ejector cooling system with fixed and variable geometry ejectors. Thes models are implemented using MATLAB and EES Software. The effect of the mixing efficiencies on the performance of the system was investigated, and two empirical correlations were obtained using experimental data for an ejector cooling cycle with R141b as a refrigerant. The results obtained with varying efficiencies were found to be significantly more accurate than those obtained with previous models, which assumed a constant efficiency. The results showed that the ejector with fixed-geometry was very sensitive to the variations of the operational conditions and could practically be functional only under specific conditions. It was also found that the solar ejector cooling system with a variable area ejector has higher coefficient of performance under a vast range of operational conditions. The new system could be easily implemented in residential building air conditioning systems with solar energy as the driving source of heat. The refrigerant R134a was found to give the best performance considering operational, safety, and environmental factors. The economic analysis revealed that the new system is profoundly better than the conventional systems in terms of payback period and net present value.

SARS-CoV-2 might transmit through the skin while the skin barrier function could be the mediator

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it were reported that COVID-19 patients could have cutaneous symptoms, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was observed on the skin of COVID-19 patients, which indicated that the skin is one target of SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, reports about SARS-CoV-2 transmission through food cold-chain overpacks emerged. With the fact that SARS-CoV-2 could survive on the skin for more than 9 h, the skin could be implicated in SARS CoV-2 transmission. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a critical membrane protein for SARS-CoV-2 that enters a host cell, was recognized to be associated with the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, tissues that express ACE2 might have the potential to be infected by and transmit SARS-CoV-2. The skin is one such tissue that expresses ACE2. However, unlike the lung that expresses ACE2 on the upper-most epithelial layer, the skin is composed of different layers of cells that function as a barrier, and cells under the top epidermal layer express ACE2. Since the skin barrier is the first line of protection, the typical position of ACE2-expressing cells in the skin implies that the skin barrier function could be the mediator of SARS-CoV-2. In our study, we found that ACE2 could be expressed in the skin, and its expression level is increased in psoriasis, an inflammatory disease of the skin with barrier dysfunction. Additionally, by applying the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus on mouse models with or without deteriorated skin barrier, we found that the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus could infect the skin and lungs of mouse models, and when the skin barrier was impaired, more SARS-CoV-2-infected cells could be found. Thus, we hypothesized that a deteriorated condition of the skin barrier might increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection through the skin.

Refining biomass residues for sustainable energy and bio-products: An assessment of technology, its importance, and strategic applications in circular bio-economy

In the circular bio-economy, effective biomass valorization through the strategic use of resources is essential in terms of generating valuable products, sustainable development, and maximizing ecological and socio-economic benefits. Technologies are being developed and improved to optimize the use of abundant biomass and to generate several value-added products. Efficient nutrient recovery requires additional energy-intensive steps for effective valorization. Moreover, appropriate waste collection and pretreatment practices increase the degree of valorization. The use of biomass waste in biorefineries has significant potential to yield biofuels and organic fertilizers. Further research and development are required to develop effective biorefining technologies to enable the efficient exploitation of bioresources. Greater consideration should be applied to energy pathways to support this technology. Therefore, there is a demand for innovation in the integrated biorefining approach in response to changing markets, and novel commercial models should be introduced into the circular economy.

The impact of carbon trading on economic output and carbon emissions reduction in China's industrial sectors

Carbon trading is an important market tool in driving growth and carbon dioxide emissions reduction in industrial sectors in China. This paper attempts to assess the impacts of carbon trading on economic output and carbon dioxide emissions reduction in China's industrial sectors by employing the data envelopment analysis (DEA) based optimization models, based on three carbon trading schemes, i.e., no trading (NT), sectoral trading (ST), and sectoral-and-temporal trading (STT) during 2006-2015. Comparing with the no-trading scheme, the results indicate that, (1) the ST and STT schemes may create potential gains of 268.02 and 612.26 trillion yuan in the whole industrial during the study period, i.e., the industrial value-added would be increased by 55.17% and 73.76%, respectively; (2) the ST and STT schemes could reduce 17.17 and 19.22 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, respectively, accounting for 58.30% and 65.25% of emissions reduction in the whole industry; and (3) if carbon trading were adopted in China since 2006, its carbon intensity of industrial sectors would decrease by 34.89%, 47.44% and 19.80% under the ST scheme, and 58.93%, 31.50% and 10.25% under the STT scheme during the11th, 12th and 13th Five-Year Plan periods, respectively.

Yokenella regensburgei, a novel pathogen in farmed American alligators

Increased acute mortality of farmed American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) was observed in various pens from 2 different farms in Louisiana over 2 years (2019-2021). A total of 14 alligators from multiple events of increased mortality were subjected to postmortem investigations. Except for one alligator with acute neurologic signs, no premonitory signs were observed. All animals had pneumonia (14/14), coelomitis (14/14), and intravascular short Gram-negative bacilli (14/14). Myocarditis (13/14) was common. Yokenella regensburgei was isolated from all alligators tested (13/13). These data suggest the respiratory tract may be a primary target system and could be involved in transmission, either through exhaled bacteria or through swallowing of contaminated respiratory fluids with passage through the feces. Available sensitivity data for Y. regensburgei in this study indicates in vitro sensitivity to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole antibiotics. Yokenella regensburgei should be included in the differential diagnosis of septicemia and acute death in alligators.

Efficient design of cold-formed steel bolted-moment connections for earthquake resistant frames

Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections can be designed in many configurations and, compared to hot-rolled steel elements, can lead to more efficient and economic design solutions. While CFS moment resisting frames can be used as an alternative to conventional CFS shear-wall systems to create more flexible space plans, their performance under strong earthquakes is questionable due to the inherited low local/distortional buckling of thin-walled CFS elements and limited ductility and energy dissipation capacity of typical CFS bolted-moment connections. To address the latter issue, this paper presents a comprehensive parametric study on the structural behaviour of CFS bolted beam-to-column connections with gusset plates under cyclic loading aiming to develop efficient design solutions for earthquake resistant frames. To simulate the hysteretic moment-rotation behaviour and failure modes of selected CFS connections, an experimentally validated finite element model using ABAQUS is developed, which accounts for both nonlinear material properties and geometrical imperfections. Connection behaviour is modelled using a connector element, simulating the mechanical characteristics of a bolt bearing against a steel plate. The model is used to investigate the effects of bolt arrangement, cross-sectional shape, gusset plate thickness and cross-sectional slenderness on the seismic performance of CFS connections under cyclic loading. The results indicate that, for the same amount of material, folded flange beam sections with diamond or circle bolt arrangements can provide up to 100% and 250% higher ductility and energy dissipation capacity, respectively, compared to conventional flat-flange sections with square bolt arrangement. Using gusset plates with the same or lower thickness as the CFS beam may result in a premature failure mode in the gusset plate, which can considerably reduce the moment capacity of the connection. The proposed numerical model and design configurations can underpin the further development and implementation of CFS bolted-moment connections in seismic regions.

Risk Factors, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Vascular Brain Health

Although a relationship between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and stroke has long been recognized, these risk factors likely play a role in other aspects of brain health. Clinical stroke is only the tip of the iceberg of vascular brain injury that includes covert infarcts, white matter hyperintensities, and microbleeds. Furthermore, an individual's risk for not only stroke but poor brain health includes not only these traditional vascular risk factors but also lifestyle and genetic factors. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the state of the evidence on traditional and nontraditional vascular risk factors and their contributions to brain health. Additionally, we will review important modifiers that interact with these risk factors to increase, or, in some cases, reduce risk of adverse brain health outcomes, with an emphasis on genes and biomarkers associated with Alzheimer disease. Finally, we will consider the importance of social determinants of health in brain health outcomes.

The Effect of Renewable and Nuclear Energy Consumption on Decoupling Economic Growth from CO2 Emissions in Spain

This study examines the relationship between renewable and nuclear energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth by using the Granger causality and non-linear impulse response function in a business cycle in Spain. We estimate the threshold vector autoregression (TVAR) model on the basis of annual data from the period 1970-2018, which are disaggregated into quarterly data to obtain robust empirical results through avoiding a sample size problem. Our analysis reveals that economic growth and CO2 emissions are positively correlated during expansions but not during recessions. Moreover, we find that rising nuclear energy consumption leads to decreased CO2 emissions during expansions, while the impact of increasing renewable energy consumption on emissions is negative but insignificant. In addition, there is a positive feedback between nuclear energy consumption and economic growth, but unidirectional positive causality running from renewable energy consumption to economic growth in upturns. Our findings do indicate that both nuclear and renewable energy consumption contribute to a reduction in emissions; however, the rise in economic activity, leading to a greater increase in emissions, offsets this positive impact of green energy. Therefore, a decoupling of economic growth from CO2 emissions is not observed. These results demand some crucial changes in legislation targeted at reducing emissions, as green energy alone is insufficient to reach this goal.

A study on the correlation between spleen volume estimated via cavalieri principle on computed tomography images with basic hemogram and biochemical blood parameters

Considering its hematological and immunological functions, spleen is a very important organ. A change occurs in its size as the spleen performs these functions. This study aims to examine the possible relationships between spleen volume and the basic hemogram and biochemical parameters in serum. Multidetector computed tomography images and basic hemogram and biochemical parameters of 74 adult individuals, 34 male and 40 female, who were found to be healthy, were used in the study. Spleen volume was estimated using the Cavalieri method on multidetector computed tomography images and the correlations between the volume value with basic hemogram and biochemistry parameters were researched. While negative significant correlations were found between the estimated spleen volume and lymphocyte percentage (r=-0.224) and platelet level (r=-0.271); positive significant correlations were found between hemoglobin level (r=0.228), hematocrit level (r=0.237), alanine aminotransferase (r=0.345), and erythrocyte level (r=0.375). As a result of this study, a relationship was found between spleen volume and lymphocyte percentage, hematocrit level, erythrocyte level, platelet level, and alanine aminotransferase level in serum. We believe that the results of the study will provide a larger perspective to clinicians in the diagnosis of diseases associated with spleen.

A Novel Framework of Reservoir Computing for Deterministic and Probabilistic Wind Power Forecasting

The path towards wind power forecasting has yielded huge socio-economic benefits at a global scale. However, most of the previous studies tend to emphasize the improvement of deterministic forecasting, usually losing sight of the significance of probabilistic forecasting. In this paper, a novel forecasting system that can perform deterministic and probabilistic forecasting of wind power simultaneously, composed by the modules of feature selection, forecasting, system optimization, and system evaluation is presented to further supplement the existing studies in this field. Concretely, a hybrid feature selection strategy is proposed in the feature selection module to determine optimal system input; superior to traditional gradient descent algorithm, a dynamic reservoir theory-based recurrent neural network is developed in the forecasting module; an enhanced multi-objective optimization algorithm with the objectives of accuracy and stability is proposed in the system optimization module to provide an optimal scenario for system parameters; the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed system is then validated in the evaluation module. Moreover, the comprehensive performance analysis of the proposed system is investigated in depth. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system has a significant advantage over the benchmarks considered, further verifying its tremendous potential to be used in a practical wind power system.

Evolution of sustainability in global green building rating tools

Green building rating tools (GBRTs) are well-known and important instruments for assessing building sustainability. GBRTs constantly upgrade to meet rapid development, one of which is achieving a reasonable balance among the "three pillars" of sustainability, namely, environmental, social and economic sustainability. This study analyzes the changes and trends in the three sustainability pillars of GBRT and reinforces the previous GBRT longitudinal studies in terms of research sample, time span, equal terms, and research depth. Ten global GBRTs are selected by specific screening principles, and a unified criterion framework is presented to compare these selected GBRTs on equal terms. The changes of GBRTs are then analyzed on three levels, namely, categories, subcategories, and criteria. The results show that in the past three decades, there is a continuous decrease in the weight of the environmental category, an obvious increase in the weight of the social category and a little rise in the wight of the "economic" category. "Pollution," "physical comfort," and "flexibility" are identified as "sensitive criteria" of environmental, social, and economic categories, respectively, given their significant changes; they are also critical factors for the evolution of GBRT for the past three decades. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Experiences of People With Advanced Cancer and Professionals Participating in a Program With Focus on Rehabilitation and Palliative Care

The study's aim is to explore the experiences of people with advanced cancer and professionals participating in a program with focus on rehabilitation and palliative care. The study is based on two adjusted rehabilitation programs for 33 people with advanced cancer and 12 professionals. An observational study was conducted among the participants and two focus group interviews with 10 professionals. The analytic themes were "Lightness and happiness to gain control in everyday life," "Community and closeness," and "Training as a happiness and changing agent." The activities had to support physical functions and everyday activities promoting body identity and well-being as well as emotions like closeness, lightness, and happiness in groups with like-minded people and at home with a partner and other family members. These activities and theory of emotions and body can expand the understanding of palliative care and rehabilitation as separated or integrated perspectives theoretical and in practice.

Value addition in the services sector and its heterogeneous impacts on CO2 emissions: revisiting the EKC hypothesis for the OPEC using panel spatial estimation techniques

This study examines the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in the context of 12 members of the OPEC by utilizing data on both the aggregate gross value added and the services' sectoral value-added between 1992 and 2015. This empirical work contributes to the literature by applying the panel spatial techniques which resulted in the findings as follows. Firstly, the results verify the authenticity of the EKC hypothesis for the aggregate level of gross value added as perceived from its inverted-U shaped association with CO2 emissions. Secondly, the disaggregated analysis affirms the heterogeneity of the validity of the EKC hypothesis across the subsectors within the services sector; this justifies the importance of analyzing the EKC hypothesis from a comprehensive (disaggregated) perspective for unearthing key sector-specific policy implications. The results reveal that the EKC hypothesis holds only in the context of construction services only but not for the cases of restaurant services, tourism and transportation services. These key findings call for effective measures to be undertaken to address the adverse environmental impacts that can be attributed to thse three sub-sectors for which the EKC did not hold. In line with the overall findings from the empirical exercises, it is recommended that the concerned OPEC members reduce their monotonic dependency on the consumption of fossil fuels, oil in particular, and gradually incorporate renewable energy resources into the energy-mix particularly within their respective services sector.

Trade liberalization and haze pollution: Evidence from China

This paper investigates the impacts of trade liberalization on haze pollution using the panel data for 279 Chinese prefecture-level cities during 2007-2016. The relationship of trade liberalization and haze pollution in China was firstly analyzed by using the impulse response function and forecast-error variance decomposition method based on a bivariate vector autoregression model. The results show that trade liberalization is negatively correlated with haze pollution, and the contribution of trade liberalization to the variance of haze pollution exceeds 70% over time. The impact of trade liberalization on haze pollution is further examined applying the two-way fixed effect methods and spatial lag models, concluding that the liberalization of trade has significantly reduced haze pollution. Through mediation effect method, we have found that the haze reduction effect of trade liberalization lies in that the positive influence of technology effect on reducing haze pollution has exceeded the negative influence of scale effect and composition effect on increasing haze pollution. Therefore, in general, trade liberalization has remarkably mitigated haze pollution. The conclusions of this paper will provide a reference for the haze pollution reduction policies and the coordinated development of economic growth and environmental quality.

En bloc resection and vascularized ulnar pedicle graft reconstruction with plate fixation for giant cell tumour of the distal radius

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of ten patients (five men and five women) who were treated in our unit for Campanacci Grade III giant cell tumour of the distal radius between July 2017 and December 2019. Following en bloc resection of a giant cell tumour of the distal radius, the wrist was reconstructed by transposing a vascularized pedicle graft from the ipsilateral ulnar shaft. The graft was fixed to the radial shaft and proximal carpal row with plates. At a mean follow-up of 23.5 months (range 18 to 31), bony union was achieved in all cases and there were no tumour recurrences. All patients had a good range of pronation and supination, but flexion and extension of the wrist was limited. DASH scores ranged from 5 to 11. This reconstruction method is a safe and effective procedure that provides good aesthetic outcomes, removes the need for microvascular techniques and reduces donor site morbidity.Level of evidence: IV.

Co-variance nexus between COVID-19 mortality, humidity, and air quality index in Wuhan, China: New insights from partial and multiple wavelet coherence

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 disease has caused immense damage to our health and economic and social life. This research article helps to determine the impact of climate on the lethality of this disease. Air quality index and average humidity are selected from the family of climate variables, to determine its impact on the daily new cases of COVID-19-related deaths in Wuhan, China. We have used wavelet analysis (wavelet transform coherence (WTC), partial (PWC), and multiple wavelet coherence (MWC), due to its advantages over traditional time series methods, to study the co-movement nexus between our selected data series. Findings suggest a notable coherence between air quality index, humidity, and mortality in Wuhan during a recent outbreak. Humidity is negatively related to the COVID-19-related deaths, and bad air quality leads to an increase in this mortality. These findings are important for policymakers to save precious human lives by better understanding the interaction of the environment with the COVID-19 disease.

Knockdown of forkhead box protein P1 alleviates hypoxia reoxygenation injury in H9c2 cells through regulating Pik3ip1/Akt/eNOS and ROS/mPTP pathway

Forkhead box protein P1 (Foxp1) exerts an extensive array of physiological and pathophysiological impacts on the cardiovascular system. However, the exact function of myocardial Foxp1 in myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury (MIRI) stays largely vague. The hypoxia reoxygenation model of H9c2 cells (the rat ventricular myoblasts) closely mimics myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. This report intends to research the effects and mechanisms underlying Foxp1 on H9c2 cells in response to hypoxia (12 h)/reoxygenation (4 h) (HR) stimulation. Expressions of Foxp1 and Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase interacting protein 1 (Pik3ip1) were both upregulated in ischemia/reperfusion (IR)/HR-induced injury. Stimulation through HR led to marked increases in cellular apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and superoxide generation in H9c2 cells, which were rescued with knockdown of Foxp1 by siRNA. Silence of Foxp1 depressed expression of Pik3ip1 directly activated the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway and promoted nitric oxide (NO) release. Moreover, the knockdown of Foxp1 blunted HR-induced enhancement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, thus alleviating excessive persistence of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening and decreased mitochondrial apoptosis-associated protein expressions in H9c2 cells. Meanwhile, these cardioprotective effects can be abolished by LY294002, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and Atractyloside (ATR), respectively. In summary, our findings indicated that knockdown of Foxp1 prevented HR-induced encouragement of apoptosis and oxidative stress via PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling activation by targeting Pik3ip1 and improved mitochondrial function by inhibiting ROS-mediated mPTP opening. Inhibition of Foxp1 may be a promising therapeutic avenue for MIRI.

The fear of being infected and fired: Examining the dual job stressors of hospitality employees during COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic has posed grave threats to the financial and physical health of hospitality employees, this research unveils details of the dilemma experienced by hospitality employees during the pandemic, namely, their fear of becoming infected and fired. The research data were derived from a sample of 622 hospitality employees in the U.S. and analyzed using PLS-SEM as a new model of COVID-19 stressors are proposed and tested. The findings show that hospitality employees perceive the pandemic as a traumatic event that elevates their perceived job insecurity and infectious risk. It was also found that both job insecurity and infectious risk lead to increased job stress and turnover intentions, while job insecurity alone is a stronger predictor of turnover intentions. This study is among the first to examine the antecedents and consequences of the dual stressors encountered by public-facing occupations, including hospitality, during the pandemic.

Renewable energy, urbanization, and ecological footprint linkage in CIVETS

Emerging economies are mostly plague by a massive consumption of non-renewable energy amidst an ever inceasing urbanization rate with little or no attention to the quality of the environmental. As such, this paper investigates the relationship between renewable energy, urbanization, economic growth, trade openness, and ecological footprint in CIVETS countries, namely, Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa. The study employs augmented mean group estimator, panel cointegration, and causality tests. The findings reveal that renewable energy improves environmental quality, and trade is not particularly harmful to the environment. However, non-renewable energy consumption and urbanization are the chief contributors to environmental degradation in the CIVETS countries. Economic expansion mitigates environmental deterioration in Colombia, South Africa, and Turkey, but contributes to pollution in Egypt, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Finally, the causality test suggests that urbanization drives environmental degradation. Policy directions are discussed.

Remanufacturing oriented multilayer cladding morphology prediction using a new second order fitting method

Due to the strong coating properties, laser cladding is widely used in the remanufacturing of scrap metal parts. Nevertheless, the risk of cladding quality assurance is increased by the complex cladding formation pattern of multiple multilayers and the unpredictable cross-sectional morphology. In this study, the coupling law of laser power, scanning speed, and powder feeding speed on the geometry of cladding layer is deeply analyzed, and the process-dimension model of single-track melting layers is established. The complex process of laser cladding and the intrinsic laws of process parameters and cladding morphology are revealed by the model. Furthermore, based on the characteristics of the cross-sectional morphology of the cladding layer, a parabolic fitting model of the cross-sectional profile of a single-track cladding layer and an analytical model of the influence of the planar lap of multiple cladding trajectories on the melting width are proposed. Finally, the cross-sectional profile curves of the multilayer cladding were derived and the prediction of the multilayer cladding geometry was achieved. Validation experimental data for laser cladding with 304 powder showed that the average relative errors of melting height and width between the predicted results and the experimental samples were 5.18% and 1.53%, respectively, indicating that the proposed model can accurately predict the cross-sectional shape of the multilayered laser cladding. This study provides experimental data and theoretical prediction methods for the laser remanufacturing of coating profiles on used parts.

Exonic variants in multiple myeloma patients associated with relapsed/ refractory and response to bortezomib regimens

Novel treatment in multiple myeloma represented by proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs and monoclonal antibodies have produced a deep response. However, relapses are possible, and all classes of drugs are refractory to patients. Next-generation sequencing has improved our understanding of the multiple myeloma genome related to drug resistance and has discovered many genomic variants. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate new variants associated with drug resistance in MM patients who relapsed and refractory to bortezomib regimen and daratumumab treatment using next-generation sequencing for whole-exome sequencing. Peripheral blood samples were collected in EDTA tubes from six patients; four were in relapsed and refractory to bortezomib regimens and daratumumab; two patients responded to bortezomib regimens. Whole-exome sequencing was performed by the MGI-DNBSEQ-G400 instrument. We identified 21 variants in multiple myeloma patients. Seventeen variants were found in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in 11 genes (GNAQ, PMS1, CREB1, NSUNS2, PIK3CG, ROS1, PMS2, FIT4, KDM5A, STK11 and ZFHX3). And four variants were identified in two patients with response to bortezomib regimens in 4 genes (RAF1, CREB1, ZFHX3 and INSR). We have observed several genetic variants in many genes that may have been associated with the poor prognosis and poor response to treatment in these patients. These values should be further confirmed in large sample studies using the RNA-seq technique to identify genome expression.

Techno-Economical Model Based Optimal Sizing of PV-Battery Systems for Microgrids

Microgrid with integrated photo-voltaics (PV) and battery storage system (BSS) is a promising technology for future residential applications. Optimally sizing the PV system and BSS can maximise self-sufficiency, grid relief, and at the same time can be cost-effective by exploiting tariff incentives. To that end, this paper presents a comprehensive optimisation model for the sizing of PV, battery, and grid converter for a microgrid system considering multiple objectives like energy autonomy, power autonomy, payback period, and capital costs. The proposed approach involves developing a holistic techno-economic microgrid model based on variables like PV system power, azimuth angle, battery size, converter ratings, capital investment and electricity tariffs. The proposed method is applied to determine the optimum capacity of a PV system and BSS for two case residential load profiles in the Netherlands and Texas, US to investigate the effect of meteorological conditions on the relative size of PV and battery. Based on the optimisation results, thumb rules for optimal system sizing are derived to facilitate microgrid design engineers during the initial design phase.

The prominence of renewable and non-renewable electricity generation on the environmental Kuznets curve: A case study of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. During the last three decades, it has been thriving with stupendous efforts for a transition from non-renewable energy use to a renewable energy-dominant economy. It is against this background that this study attempts to highlight the role of renewable energy and non-renewable energy in affecting CO2 emissions under an augmented EKC framework. To achieve this goal, the study exploits data for the period 1981-2015. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is employed and the results surprisingly revealed that both renewable and non-renewable energy use reduce Ethiopia's CO2 emissions. The unexpected inhibiting effect of nonrenewable energy on CO2 emissions might be attributed to the fact that share of non-renewable energy in the overall energy mix of Ethiopia has become insignificant after experiencing decline consistently during the last three decades. The outcome supports the existence of the EKC hypothesis as well as a N-shaped pattern of association between real GDP per capita and CO2 emissions per capita, particularly in the long run. There is evidence for long run causality, especially from the explanatory variables to CO2 emissions per capita. Policy implications are discussed. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic interactive effects of urban land-use efficiency, industrial transformation, and carbon emissions

Clarifying the interactive relationship between urban land-use efficiency (ULUE), industrial transformation, and carbon emissions is of great realistic significance for promoting the coordination of 'resources-economy-environment' and achieving green development. This study used the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), index method (IM), and remote sensing inversion to calculate the ULUE, the industrial transformation degree (ITD), and the carbon emission intensity (CEI) for 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2005 to 2017, and analyzed their spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. The generalized method of moments (GMM) and impulse response function (IRF) in the panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model are used to empirically test the dynamic interactive effects of ULUE, ITD, and CEI. The empirical results show that: (i) During the study period, the ULUE and ITD of the YREB increased year-by-year, showing the pattern characteristics of high in the east and low in the west. The CEI decreased by 50.20% cumulatively, and the low-value areas spread from the center of the urban agglomeration towards the periphery. (ii) The GMM shows that there is a significant dynamic dependence between the ULUE, ITD, and CEI. The ULUE has a positive driving effect on the industrial transformation and a negative effects on the CEI in the short term. (iii) The IRF shows that the ULUE and industrial transformation show a synergistic effect of interactive growth. The improvement of the ULUE and industrial restructuring will force the reduction of CEI. The article proposes that the city should take the new urbanization path of resource-conserving, cost-effective, and environment-friendly. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of sustainable approaches for converting the organic waste to bioenergy

Dependence on fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas are on alarming increase, thereby causing such resources to be in a depletion mode and a novel sustainable approach for bioenergy production are in demand. Successful implementation of zero waste discharge policy is one such way to attain a sustainable development of bioenergy. Zero waste discharge can be induced only through the conversion of organic wastes into bioenergy. Waste management is pivotal and considering its importance of minimizing the issue and menace of wastes, conversion strategy of organic waste is effectively recommended. Present review is concentrated on providing a keen view on the potential organic waste sources and the way in which the bioenergy is produced through efficient conversion processes. Biogas, bioethanol, biocoal, biohydrogen and biodiesel are the principal renewable energy sources. Different types of organic wastes used for bioenergy generation and its sources, anaerobic digestion-biogas production and its related process affecting parameters including fermentation, photosynthetic process and novel nano-inspired techniques are discussed. Bioenergy production from organic waste is associated with mitigation of lump waste generation and its dumping into land, specifically reducing all hazards and negativities in all sectors during waste disposal. A sustainable bioenergy sector with upgraded security for fuels, tackles the challenging climatic change problem also. Thus, intensification of organic waste conversion strategies to bioenergy, specially, biogas and biohydrogen production is elaborated and analyzed in the present article. Predominantly, persistent drawbacks of the existing organic waste conversion methods have been noted, providing consideration to economic, environmental and social development. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Air quality during the COVID-19: PM2.5 analysis in the 50 most polluted capital cities in the world

On December 31, 2019, the Chinese authorities reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) the outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus that causes a serious disease in the city of Wuhan, China. This outbreak was classified as SARS-CoV2 and is the cause of the COVID-19 disease. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declares it a Pandemic and today it is considered the greatest challenge in global health that humanity has faced since World War II and it is estimated that between 40 and 60% of the population worldwide will catch the virus. This has caused enormous challenges in countries around the world in social, economic, environmental and obviously health issues. These challenges are mainly due to the effects of the established quarantines in almost all capitals and major cities around the world, from Asia, Europe to America. However, these lockdown which began worldwide from January 23, have had a significant impact on the environment and on the air quality of cities as recently reported by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ESA (European Space Agency), with reductions according to them of up to 30% in some of the epicenters such as the case of Wuhan. Knowing that air pollution causes approximately 29% of lung cancer deaths, 43% of COPD deaths, and 25% of ischemic heart disease deaths, it is important to know the effects of quarantines in cities regarding air quality to take measures that favor populations and urban ecosystems when the emergency ends. Therefore, this paper describes the behavior of PM2.5 emissions particulate matter from the 50 most polluted capital cities in the world according to the WHO, measured before-after the start of the quarantine. Likewise, the impact at the local and global level of this emissions behavior, which averaged 12% of PM2.5 decrease in these cities. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Moderating Effect of Institutional Quality on the Financial Development and Environmental Quality Nexus

Environmental sustainability is a major concern of contemporary societies, businesses, and governments. However, there is a lack of knowledge as to how countries can achieve the goal to end poverty, whilst protecting the planet. It is the objective of our study to examine the moderating role of institutional quality on the financial development and environmental quality nexus in South Asia. Our sample consists of panel data of five South Asian countries (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan) from 1984 to 2018. We find that financial development increases CO2 emissions in this region, implying that countries in South Asia have utilized financial development for capitalization, instead of improving production technology. Institutional quality moderates the negative impact of financial development on environmental sustainability. An implication of our findings is that efforts to improve institutional quality may help to promote sustainable development in South Asia.

Modulation of growth performance and coordinated induction of ascorbate-glutathione and methylglyoxal detoxification systems by salicylic acid mitigates salt toxicity in choysum (Brassica parachinensis L.)

Salinity represents a serious environmental threat to crop production and by extension, to world food supply, social and economic prosperity of the developing world. Salicylic acid (SA) is an endogenous plant signal molecule involved in regulating various plant responses to stress. In the present study, we characterized the regulatory role of exogenous SA for their ability to ameliorate deleterious effects of salt stress (0, 100, 150, 200 mM NaCl) in choysum plants through coordinated induction of antioxidants, ascorbate glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, and the glyoxalase enzymes. An increase in salt stress dramatically declined root and shoot growth, leaf chlorophyll and relative water content (RWC), subsequently increased electrolyte leakage (EL) and osmolytes accumulation in choysum plants. Salt stress disrupted the antioxidant and glyoxalase defense systems which persuaded oxidative damages and carbonyl toxicity, indicated by increased H2O2 generation, lipid peroxidation, and methylglyoxal (MG) content. However, application of SA had an additive effect on the growth of salt-affected choysum plants, which enhanced root length, plant biomass, chlorophyll contents, leaf area, and RWC. Moreover, SA application effectively eliminated the oxidative and carbonyl stress by improving AsA and GSH pool, upregulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the enzymes associated with AsA-GSH cycle and glyoxalase system. Overall, SA application completely counteracted the salinity-induced deleterious effects of 100 and 150 mM NaCl and partially mediated that of 200 mM NaCl stress. Therefore, we concluded that SA application induced tolerance to salinity stress in choysum plants due to the synchronized increase in activities of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, enhanced efficiency of AsA-GSH cycle and the MG detoxification systems.

Pharmacophore screening to identify natural origin compounds to target RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV2

Several existing drugs have gained initial consideration due to their therapeutic characteristics against COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019). Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was proposed as possible therapy for shortening the duration of COVID-19, but soon after this, it was discarded. Similarly, known antiviral compounds were also proposed and investigated to treat COVID-19. We report a pharmacophore screening using essential chemical groups derived from HCQ and known antivirals to search a natural compound chemical space. Molecular docking of HCQ under physiological condition with spike protein, 3C-like protease (3CLpro), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV2 showed - 8.52 kcal/mole binding score with RdRp, while the other two proteins showed relatively weaker binding affinity. Docked complex of RdRp-HCQ is further examined using 100 ns molecular dynamic simulation. Docking and simulation study confirmed active chemical moieties of HCQ, treated as 6-point pharmacophore to screen ZINC natural compound database. Pharmacophore screening resulted in the identification of potent hit molecule [(3S,3aR,6R,6aS)-3-(5-phenylsulfanyltetrazol-1-yl)-2,3,3a,5,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,2-b]furan-6-yl]N-naphthalen-ylcarbamate from natural compound library. Additionally, a set of antiviral compounds with similar chemical scaffolds are also used to design a separate ligand-based pharmacophore screening. Antiviral pharmacophore screening produced a potent hit 4-[(1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenylpyrazol-4-yl)-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenylpyrazol-3-one containing essential moieties that showed affinity towards RdRp. Further, both these screened compounds are docked (- 8.69 and - 8.86 kcal/mol) and simulated with RdRp protein for 100 ns in explicit solvent medium. They bind at the active site of RdRp and form direct/indirect interaction with ASP618, ASP760, and ASP761 catalytic residues of the protein. Successively, their molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MMPBSA) binding energies are calculated over the simulation trajectory to determine the dynamic atomistic interaction details. Overall, this study proposes two key natural chemical moieties: (a) tetrazol and (b) phenylpyrazol that can be investigated as a potential chemical group to design inhibitors against SARS-CoV2 RdRp.

GAK and PRKCD kinases regulate basal mitophagy

The removal of mitochondria in a programmed or stress-induced manner is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis. To date, much research has focused upon stress-induced mitophagy that is largely regulated by the E3 ligase PRKN, with limited insight into the mechanisms regulating basal "housekeeping" mitophagy levels in different model organisms. Using iron chelation as an inducer of PRKN-independent mitophagy, we recently screened an siRNA library of lipid-binding proteins and determined that two kinases, GAK and PRKCD, act as positive regulators of PRKN-independent mitophagy. We demonstrate that PRKCD is localized to mitochondria and regulates recruitment of ULK1-ATG13 upon induction of mitophagy. GAK activity, by contrast, modifies the mitochondrial network and lysosomal morphology that compromise efficient transport of mitochondria for degradation. Impairment of either kinase in vivo blocks basal mitophagy, demonstrating the biological relevance of our findings.Abbreviations: CCCP: carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone; DFP: deferiprone; GAK: cyclin G associated kinase; HIF1A: hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha; PRKC/PKC: protein kinase C; PRKCD: protein kinase C delta; PRKN: parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase.

Death by waste: Fashion and textile circular economy case

In a circular economy model the way we use the textiles needs to change at a fundamental level. A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional economy (fabrication, use and dispose) in which we keep resources in a loop for as much time as possible, try to maintain their value while in use, and repurpose for generation of new products at the end of utilization. The value of the global fashion industry is 3000 Billion dollars that accounts for more than 2% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (https://fashionunited.corn/global-fash ion-industry-statistics/). In the last two decades not only the textile industry has doubled the production but also an average global annual consumption of textiles has doubled from 7 to 13 kg per person and reached to the threshold of 100 million tonnes of textiles consumption. More than two thirds of the textile goes to landfill at the end of their use and just around 15% is recycled. Various scientific studies confirm that the disposal nature of fast fashion and throwaway culture is resulting in a serious environmental, health, social and economic concern. One of the global environmental challenges arising from micro-plastic and micro-textile waste entering into the oceans that can end up in fish and eventually food chain. Herein, through a systematic literature review, the significance of circular fashion and textile is highlighted and various approaches for reuse, recycle and repurposing of the textiles waste as well as disruptive scientific breakthroughs, innovations and strategies towards a circular textile economy have been discussed. Looking into the future, remarks have been made in regards to tackling the key challenges in recycling of textile materials in different stages of their manufacturing process. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A causal municipal solid waste management model for sustainable cities in Vietnam under uncertainty: A comparison

There are existing inadequate and ineffective practices that are not only common in Vietnam but also explicit in each municipal area. This study compares the municipal solid waste management attributes of cities in Vietnam under uncertainty. The uncertainties include the interrelationships among the attributes, linguistic preferences and qualitative information on the attributes. This study applies exploratory factor analysis to test the validity and reliability of the proposed attributes. Fuzzy set theory is used to translate the linguistic references into the qualitative attributes of municipal solid waste management. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory is used to address the interrelationships among the attributes. This study identifies the causal interrelationships among attributes using qualitative information, and a set of 14 attributes is defined and found to be valid and reliable for measurement. The results show that technical integration and social acceptability are the aspects that drive municipal solid waste management. Treatment innovations, safety and health, economic benefits, and technology functionality and appropriateness are determined to be the linkage criteria. The distinctions between cities are identified, Hanoi focuses on the institutional and organizational administration framework, whereas resource efficiency is an aspect of specific concern in Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City prioritized financial and operational requirements and facilities and infrastructure requirements. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Assessing agricultural eco-efficiency in Italian Regions

Agriculture plays a key role in providing a wide range of ecosystem services, such as food, feed, fiber and biofuel, thus taking part in the economic development of countries. On the other hand, this sector also gives rise to negative externalities. The eco-efficiency has been considered as a meaningful index for assessing how efficient economic activities are in terms of resource-use and environmental pressures: measuring eco-efficiency provides policy makers with important information for developing policies focused on sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources in the agricultural sector. In this context, sustainable development is now one of the most important objectives of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that has a key role in facing the challenges of the new paradigm of sustainability of agriculture. In this direction, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the eco-efficiency of the Italian agricultural sector, as an index useful for emphasizing the differences among some national geographical areas. This paper tries to fill the lack of scientific studies on agricultural eco-efficiency in Italy, despite the strategic role played by Italy in Europe. For this purpose, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology was used, focusing on the integration between agricultural productivity and resource conservation, in order to develop a support tool for policy makers and managers. The analysis had shown a better orientation in saving resources for the Southern Regions and a greater orientation in productivity for the Northern Regions. Overall, Italy seems to have a good capacity for sustainable management of agricultural resources although there is still space for improvement. In this regard, the measurement of eco-efficiency provides a useful index for policy makers to achieve better performances in terms of agricultural sustainability. This means that CAP subsidies should be granted in exchange for specific environmental externalities provided by farmers as a result of more ecologically friendly management with a land use planning avoiding the depleting of Ecosystem Services rich areas, allowing for the achievement of a balance between economic growth and ecosystem protection. Although the paper has expanded the literature on agricultural eco-efficiency, this work has some limitations that could serve as a reference for future studies that can include other ecological variables such as the provision of some ecosystem services that can be enhanced or impacted by agricultural development. Finally, the challenge to realize sustainable agriculture can represent a long-term guarantee of food security as well as societal well-being.

No-till and mulching enhance energy use efficiency and reduce carbon footprint of a direct-seeded upland rice production system

Sustainability of conventional agricultural production systems is threatened by triple challenges of energy and environmental crises, deteriorating natural resources bases, and declining farm profitability. Current agricultural management practices (energy-intensive, inefficient external and natural input use, and crop biomass burning) are negatively impacting the ecosystem services which are the principal drivers for food security and human survival. Hence, there is a need to shift from unsustainable production practices to cleaner production systems. Energy use, carbon footprint (CF), and economic sustainability are important indicators of any clean production systems. Thus, a hypothesis was formulated that no-till (NT) cultivation along with mulching can provide an environmentally clean crop production practice that can enhance energy use efficiency, economic profitability, and reduce the CF. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted for four consecutive years (2012-15) to evaluate the energy budget, CF, and economics of NT along with bio-mulching for a cleaner upland rice production system. The experiment comprised of two tillage practices i.e., conventional tillage (CT) and NT in main plots and four bio- mulches in subplots i.e., rice straw mulch (RSM), Gliricidia sepium mulch (GLM), brown manuring mulch (BMM) of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and no mulch (NM) as a control. Results revealed that the adoption of NT curtailed energy use by 48.50%, specific energy by 49.63%, CF by 16.48%, and cost of cultivation by 35% in addition to enhancing energy use efficiency and benefit to cost ratio in comparison to CT. It was also observed that mulching, particularly the BMM, boosted the energy use efficiency, economic productivity, net returns, and benefit to cost ratio over NM. The results suggested that NT with BMM is an environmentally clean production technology to enhance the energy use efficiency, besides reducing the CF of direct-seeded upland rice production system in the Eastern Himalayas and similar eco-regions of the world. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How fairness perceptions, embeddedness, and knowledge sharing drive green innovation in sustainable supply chains: An equity theory and network perspective to achieve sustainable development goals

The response to increasingly serious environmental issues is no longer limited to companies but is an important issue among supply chains. Green innovation is an essential segment of gaining a competitive advantage in the sustainable supply chain to achieve sustainable development goals. However, boosting sustainable supply chain development through green innovation is a complex network activity in which a large number of partners are embedded, and the need exists to transfer or share knowledge in an equal and reasonable exchange process. This study proposes a novel framework to explore perceptions of fairness that include procedural and distributive approaches as antecedents. We also examine embeddedness, knowledge sharing, and green innovation in the sustainable supply chain in terms of equity theory and a network scenario. This study contributes to the sustainable development goals (SDG's) such as Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8); Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9); Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) and Climate Action (SDG 13). Useable sets of data were collected and used to test our theoretical hypotheses by surveying 225 firms in China's manufacturing supply chain sectors. The research model is analysed by the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) methodology. The empirical findings reveal that perceived fairness constructs that consist of procedural and distributive fairness have a highly positive linkage with embeddedness, while those that do not present significant effects on knowledge sharing directly. Moreover, both embeddedness and knowledge sharing demonstrate significant partial mediating impact on green innovation in the sustainable supply chain; knowledge sharing especially plays a key role in achieving green innovation. This study finds that firm size as a control variable presents a positive effect on green innovation. Finally, conclusions and practical implications are given. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Political economy of renewable energy: Does institutional quality make a difference in renewable energy consumption?

The increasingly severe environmental crisis has become one of the most important issues of international debate at present. The acceleration of environmental problems places considerable pressure on individuals, governments, and policymakers. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by fossil-based energy sources have made clean energy sources, such as renewable energy, a strategic choice. Although renewable energy is a key factor in mitigating environmental problems, analysis of its determinants has certain limitations. Despite studies that focus on macroeconomic and environmental determinants of renewable energy, political and institutional factors are neglected. Therefore, to fill the existing gap, the present study analyzes the connection between renewable energy and institutional quality in 38 countries during the period 1990-2015. Economic growth and CO2 emissions are included in the model as control variables. The findings of this study lead to the conclusion that the institutional quality positively affects renewable energy consumption in the long run. Furthermore, CO2 emission is a positive and important determinant of renewable energy consumption. However, economic growth negatively affects renewable energy. In this context, institutional quality is a key strategic choice in promoting the use of renewable energy and solving environmental problems. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel approach for developing a green Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) with advanced particles packing meso-structure

This paper presents a new approach for designing a green Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) with advanced particles packing meso-structure. To achieve this goal, two mathematical models based on D -Optimal Mixture Design (DOMD) and Genetic Algorithm based Artificial Neural Network (GA-ANN) are firstly established. After detailed comparison, it is demonstrated that the GA-ANN has higher accuracy and practicability compared to DOMD. To experimentally verify that the GA-ANN approach is suitable to be utilized in producing green UHPC, some UHPC specimens are developed based on this model, and their properties (workability, mechanical properties, pore structures and ecological characteristics) are investigated. The obtained experimental results show that the optimized UHPC has higher wet packing density and lower porosity, leading to excellent mechanical properties. Moreover, based on economic and environmental evaluation, the newly developed UHPC exhibits lower cost and environmental impact, something that makes it a sustainable construction product. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome Analysis and Functional Validation Identify a Putative bZIP Transcription Factor, Fpkapc, that Regulates Development, Stress Responses, and Virulence in Fusarium pseudograminearum

Fusarium pseudograminearum is a soilborne, hemibiotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that causes Fusarium crown rot and Fusarium head blight in wheat. The basic leucine zipper proteins (bZIPs) are evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that play crucial roles in a range of growth and developmental processes and the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the roles of bZIP transcription factors remains unknown in F. pseudograminearum. In this study, a bZIP transcription factor Fpkapc was identified to localize to the nucleus in F. pseudograminearum. A mutant strain (Δfpkapc) was constructed to determine the role of Fpkapc in growth and pathogenicity of F. pseudograminearum. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that many genes involved in basic metabolism and oxidation-reduction processes were downregulated, whereas many genes involved in metal iron binding were upregulated in the Δfpkapc strain, compared with the wild type (WT). Correspondingly, the mutant had severe growth defects and displayed abnormal hyphal tips. Conidiation in the Fpkapc mutant was reduced, with more conidia in smaller size and fewer septa than in the WT. Also, relative to WT, the Δfpkapc strain showed greater tolerance to ion stress, but decreased tolerance to H2O2. The mutant caused smaller disease lesions on wheat and barley plants, but significantly increased TRI gene expression, compared with the WT. In summary, Fpkapc plays multiple roles in governing growth, development, stress responses, and virulence in F. pseudograminearum.

Decision-making method of heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing based on AHP-entropy weight and extension theory

Heavy-duty machine tools are mostly used in bottleneck processes of manufacturing companies, which have high value-added, high technical content, and large remanufacturing value. The various alternative solutions directly affect the implementation of heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing as well as its benefits. However, there is currently no scientific and reasonable quantitative method to compare various options and determine the optimal solution. This paper aims to propose a decision-making method of heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing based on the AHP-entropy weight and extension theory. Firstly, an evaluation criteria system of heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing is established, covering economic criteria (including remanufacturing cost and remanufacturing time) and technical performance criteria (including accuracy, reliability, processing efficiency, processing range, and ergonomics). Secondly, the decision-making model is presented to determine the optimal alternative solution for heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing based on extension theory, in which weight for each evaluation criterion is defined by a method of AHP-entropy weight. Finally, combined with the remanufacturing of a heavy-duty horizontal lathe, the proposed decision-making method is verified and analyzed. The results show that the alternative for heavy-duty machine tool remanufacturing determined by this method can obtain better comprehensive benefits and reduce the potential risk of remanufacturing for various stakeholders. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, economic complexity, CO2 emissions, and ecological footprint in the USA: testing the EKC hypothesis with a structural break

The economic complexity index, which indicates the level of knowledge and skills needed in the production of the exported goods, is a measure of economic development. Some researchers have investigated the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis by considering the effect of economic complexity on environmental pollution. This study, for the first time, examines the impact of economic complexity, globalization, and renewable and non-renewable energy consumption on both CO2 emissions and ecological footprint within the framework of the EKC hypothesis in the USA. To this end, the combined cointegration test and three different estimators are utilized for the period from 1980 to 2016. The main finding of the study indicates that the inverted U-shaped EKC relationship between economic complexity and environmental pollution holds for the USA. In addition to this finding, globalization and renewable energy consumption play a dominant role in reducing environmental pollution, while non-renewable energy consumption contributing factor to environmental pressure. Overall, the outcomes indicate that increasing economic complexity helps to minimize environmental degradation after a threshold, and the US government can provide a better environment by using renewable energy sources and globalization.

The influence of renewable energy use, human capital, and trade on environmental quality in South Africa: multiple structural breaks cointegration approach

Recent economic and environmental literature suggests that the current state of eneby the British Petroleum Statisticalrgy use in South Africa amidst rapid growing population is unsustainable. Researchers in this area mostly focus on the effect of fossil energy use on carbon (CO2) emission, which represents only an aspect of environmental quality. In contrast, the current study evaluates the influence of renewable energy use, human capital, and trade on ecological footprint--a more comprehensive measure of environmental quality. To this end, the study employs multiple structural breaks cointegration tests (Maki cointegration tests), dynamic unrestricted error correction model through Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, and VECM Granger causality tests. The results of the Maki cointegration tests reveal the existence of a cointegration between the variables in all the models with evidence of multiple structural breaks. Further, the ARDL results divulge that an increase in renewable energy use, human capital, and trade improves environmental quality through a decrease in ecological footprint, while an increase in income stimulates ecological footprint. Moreover, causal relationship is found, running from all the variables to renewable energy and trade flow in the long run, while in the short run, economic growth causes ecological footprint. Trade is found to Granger-cause human capital, while human capital causes renewable energy. Additionally, human capital, renewable energy, and economic growth are predictors of trade. The study therefore recommends South African policymakers to consider the importance of renewable energy, human capital development, and trade as a policy option to reduce ecological footprint and improve environmental quality.

An update of the benchmark post-combustion CO2-capture technology

This study provides a description of a new benchmark post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC) technology reflecting the publicly reported performances by various technology suppliers. To achieve this several amines and amine formulations have been considered using a process model developed in ProTreat (R). A 40 wt% formulation of PZ (piperazine)/AMP (amino-methyl-propanol) in a 1:2 M ratio was selected as the most representative of the current state of the art. A PCC process configuration with absorber intercooling and rich split flow was selected to reflect the fact that the technology suppliers use a variety of process designs to optimize the process performance. The techno-economic performances were further detailed for the PCC process integrated with an ultra-supercritical coal fired power station and a natural gas fired combined-cycle. The techno-economic evaluation of the PCC process indicated that the costs of capture with respect to 30 wt% MEA for the coal-fired power station were reduced by 22% and for the natural gas fired combined-cycle by 15%.

Nanomedicine formulations for respiratory infections by inhalation delivery: Covid-19 and beyond

For respiratory infections treatment and prevention, we analyze for the first time the possibility of providing a broad range medication based on metallic nanoparticles colloids (NpC) delivery by controlled aerosol inhalation. (i) Based on in-vitro data combined with aerosol deposition characteristics in the respiratory system, we calculate the required effective formulations, dosages and delivery parameters for an aerosol inhalation treatment. The goal is to achieve an effective NpC inhibitory concentration (IC) in the target airway surface liquid (ASL); (ii) We evaluate the clinical safety of such dosages, drawing on information from animal testing data and regulatory limits in the USA for such nanoparticles aerosol inhalation safety. Our analysis indicates a wide range of potentially safe and effective dosages that can be clinically explored, targeting the upper respiratory and bronchial tree system. Similar dosages can also provide antibacterial effectiveness for prophylactic treatment in hospital intensive care units to lower the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Our calculations are phenomenological, independent of mechanisms. Nevertheless, we highlight a mechanism of action by which any suitably designed NpC, with nanoparticles sized 2-10 nm and having a large negative zeta-potential, preferentially bind to viruses with predominantly positively-charged spike proteins. These will be ineffective against viruses with predominantly negatively-charged spike proteins. Accordingly, the popular silver metal base for NpC serves just as a construction ingredient, and other metal or metal-oxides which can serve to construct the noted nanoparticle properties would be similarly effective. We suggest that inhalation delivery of the proposed antiviral formulations could be applied as a first-line intervention while respiratory infections are primarily localized to the upper respiratory system and bronchial tree.

Phytochemical Contents of Different Parts of the Seeded Raisins from the South-East Anatolia: Enzyme Inhibitory Potential of Pulp Extracts

In this study, some phytochemical properties of six seeded raisin species that are mainly cultivated in Southeastern Anatolia were investigated. Additionally, some physical and quality characteristics, phenolic contents (by LC-MS/MS; Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass/Mass Spectrometer System), anticholinesterase, and antioxidant capacities (DPPH; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free-radical scavenging, ABTS; 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid cation-radical scavenging activity and CUPRAC; cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) of the cultivars were investigated on ground raisins. In all three methods, the antioxidant activity values of seed extracts were determined to be higher than those of leaf and pulp extracts. Remarkably, the seed extract of Banazı Siyahı showed the highest antioxidant activity in ABTS (IC50 : 4.35±0.02 μg/mL), DPPH (IC50 : 10.78±0.78 μg/mL), and CUPRAC (A0.5: 9.33±0.45 μg/mL) methods. Additionally, the ethanol extracts of all pulp samples showed higher anticholinesterase activity against acetyl-(AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes than galantamine. According to the LC-MS/MS results, catechin (21.362 mg analyte/g extract) and epicatechin (44.667 mg analyte/g extract) found to be quite rich in Kerküş seed extract and isoquercitrin (116.873 mg analyte/g extract) and astragalin (31.915 mg analyte/g extract) detected to be quite rich in Banazı Siyahı leaf extract. Considering the mineral content of the varieties and the soil samples they grow in, all of the grape varieties analyzed in the study was found to be rich. Based on these findings, it might be suggested that Banazı Siyahı and Kerküş varieties have potential to be utilized in pharmaceutical and food industries, due to their contents of catechins, isoquercitrin and astragalin.

Assessment of vulnerability and hydrogeochemical specifications of Bahabad Yazd Plain aquifer

Available quality groundwater resources are declining globally due to population growth, agricultural activities, industrialization, and urbanization. Wells in Bahabad Plain, located in Yazd Province, Iran, are the primary source of water demanded by humans for drinking and agricultural activities. Hence, it is pivotal to examine the quality of groundwater resources, which is the main objective of this study. To this end, seventeen water samples collected in the region were using standard sampling methods, and ten parameters were examined from the samples, namely pH, TH, TDS, SO4, HCO3, Cl-, K+, Ca+, Mg+, and Na+. Water quality index (WQI) was used to determine water quality, and SI, GODS, and DRASTIC methods were used to examine aquifer vulnerability to contamination. Schoeller's diagram indicated that 11% of the samples were at an excellent level; 33% were at a drinkable level; 20% were at a not-suitable level for drinking; 26% were terrible for drinking; and 10% were at an almost non-drinkable level. According to WQI results, 23.53% of the samples had no limitation for drinking, 35.29 were of low quality, 17.65% were of inferior quality, and 23.53% were non-drinkable. The GODS method results indicated that the eastern, central, western, and small parts sporadically scattered in northern regions of the study area (39.93%) had a moderate vulnerability. Lastly, a significant portion of the northern and southern districts (60.07%) was found to have a low vulnerability to contamination, which was in line with WQI results.

Characteristics of retracted editorial articles in the biomedical literature

The main purpose of this short communication is to identify and analyze retracted editorials in the biomedical literature. Twenty-five of the 33 editorials are chosen for further analysis. All of the editorials were published as commentaries and concise reviews between 1998 and 2021. Due to plagiarism and data-related issues, the majority of the editorial articles were retracted. Alarmingly, one-fifth of the editorials were funded by external agencies, with the USA leading the list of retracted editorials. The average time between the publication of the editorials and their retraction is 2.48 years, and two editorials were retracted with the longest durations; both were written by the same author. The conclusion is that, at the very least, editorial articles should be devoid of research/scientific misconduct.

How Is Mortality Affected by Fossil Fuel Consumption, CO2 Emissions and Economic Factors in CIS Region?

It is widely discussed that GDP growth has a vague impact on environmental pollution due to carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels consumed in production, transportation, and power generation. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between economic growth, fossil fuel consumption, mortality (from cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus (DM), cancer, and chronic respiratory disease (CRD), and environmental pollution since environmental pollution can be a reason for societal mortality rate increases. This study uses the generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation technique for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members for the period from 1993-2018. The major results revealed that the highest variability of mortality could be explained by CO2 variability. Regarding fossil fuel consumption, the estimation proved that this variable positively affects mortality from CVD, DM, cancer, and CRD. Additionally, any improvements in the human development index (HDI) have a negative effect on mortality increases from CVD, DM, cancer, and CRD in the CIS region. It is recommended that the CIS members implement different policies to improve energy transitions, indicating movement from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable sources. Moreover, we recommend the CIS members enhance various policies for easy access to electricity from green sources and increase the renewable supply through improved technologies, sustainable economic growth, and increase the use of green sources in daily social life.

Distinct gene regulatory signatures of dominance rank and social bond strength in wild baboons

The social environment is a major determinant of morbidity, mortality and Darwinian fitness in social animals. Recent studies have begun to uncover the molecular processes associated with these relationships, but the degree to which they vary across different dimensions of the social environment remains unclear. Here, we draw on a long-term field study of wild baboons to compare the signatures of affiliative and competitive aspects of the social environment in white blood cell gene regulation, under both immune-stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. We find that the effects of dominance rank on gene expression are directionally opposite in males versus females, such that high-ranking males resemble low-ranking females, and vice versa. Among females, rank and social bond strength are both reflected in the activity of cellular metabolism and proliferation genes. However, while we observe pronounced rank-related differences in baseline immune gene activity, only bond strength predicts the fold-change response to immune (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Together, our results indicate that the directionality and magnitude of social effects on gene regulation depend on the aspect of the social environment under study. This heterogeneity may help explain why social environmental effects on health and longevity can also vary between measures. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.

Solar energy potential assessment: A framework to integrate geographic, technological, and economic indices for a potential analysis

To develop solar energy as a primary source of electricity supply in China, it is imperative to also develop an overall and complete solar energy potential analysis. Such an analysis technique would be a substantial contribution to solar power generation development both nationally and regionally. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution of solar energy in China and estimates the solar energy potential from three aspects: geography, technology, and economy. The results of this research showed that the solar energy resource in China is substantially rich and stable, but also has notable spatial heterogeneity. A potential estimation indicated that Xinjiang Province was the most optimal site for large-scale photovoltaic station construction, displaying the highest values for all three potentials. It was also found that solar energy potential in western China is greater, while the eastern region is less suitable for solar photovoltaic development. These results can provide support for the large-scale development and utilization of solar energy resources in the future. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic and resource and environmental carrying capacity trade-off analysis in the Haihe River basin in China

Resources and environment provide the fundamental conditions for human beings to live. Coordinating the relationship between resources and environmental protection and economic development is a necessary measure for humans to pursue sustainable development. To explore the Haihe River basin's economic and resource carrying capacity development, 26 indexes from 2000 to 2016 were selected based on pressure state response model selection. Through the TOPSIS model, the entropy method, the exponential smoothing method, and the Hurst index, the comprehensive capacity of the Haihe River is constructed. This study aims to quantify each carrying capacity of the Haihe River basin and analyse their levels and characteristics, with an emphasis on the trade-off analysis between economic carrying capacity and resource and environmental carrying capacity; finally, the study aims to predict the development of each type of carrying capacity. The results showed that in the Haihe River basin, there's dramatic change in comprehensive carrying capacity's level and subsystems from 2000 to 2016. The resource and environmental carrying capacity have negative correlation with economic carrying capacity, while a positive correlation between talent carrying capacity and economic carrying capacity. Based on prediction, from 2017 to 2021, the level of development of each capacity subsystem indicated an increase in sustainability. This research provides a trade-off analysis between the economic and resource and environmental carrying capacity. The study also offers a theoretical basis to the coordinated development of various carrying capacities, which has reference significance for promoting the sustainable development of the river basin. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of technology innovation and people's connectivity in testing environmental Kuznets curve and pollution heaven hypotheses across the Belt and Road host countries: new evidence from Method of Moments Quantile Regression

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is closely linked to the ecological sustainability of the infrastructure ventures that intrinsically include the aspects of climate change and pollution. Though there exists literature on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and pollution haven hypothesis (PHH), very few explore the scope in the light of Belt and Road host countries (B&RCs). Therefore, the study examines the income-induced EKC and Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI)-based PHH in the multivariate framework of people's connectivity and technology innovation in B&RCs from 2003 to 2018. The outcome of the study reveals that the observed relationship is quantile-dependent, which may disclose misleading results in previous studies using traditional methodologies that address the averages. Utilizing the novel "Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR)" of Machado and Silva (J Econom 213:145-173, 2019), the findings confirm an inverted U-shape association between economic growth and CO(2)emissions only at lower to medium emission countries, thus validating the EKC hypothesis. The Chinese outward FDI flows increase carbon emissions at medium to high emission countries, thereby confirming PHH. The findings also indicate that people's connectivity contributes to increasing emissions while innovation mitigates carbon emissions at lower to medium polluted countries. Moreover, the outcomes of Granger causality confirm one-way causality between economic growth and CO(2)emissions, between FDI and CO(2)emissions, between people's connectivity and CO(2)emissions, and between innovation and CO(2)emissions. The results offer valuable insight for legislators to counteract CO(2)emissions in B&RCs through innovation-led energy conservation in infrastructure projects while adopting green and sustainable financing mechanisms to materialize mega construction projects under the BRI.

The long-term spatial and temporal distribution of aerosol optical depth and its associated atmospheric circulation over Southeast Africa

Recent studies have revealed significant impact of anthropogenic aerosols to both climate and human health. Even though significant efforts have been made across the globe, studies related to aerosols over Southeast Africa remain scanty, hence causing high uncertainty in predicting and understanding the impacts of these aerosols. The present study therefore analyzed long-term spatial and temporal distribution of aerosol optical depth at 550 nanometer wavelength (AOD550) over the entire Southeast Africa. Relatively low AOD550 has been detected over the region in comparison to highly polluted regions across the globe. The highest annual average (>0.2) was observed over Lake Malawi, Zambezi valley, and the coastal areas of Central Mozambique while low annual values were recorded over northeast of Mozambique, and the eastern areas of Zimbabwe. In terms of seasonality, AOD550 was observed to be high (>0.3) during the dry months of September-October-November (SON) while being low (<0.1) during March-April-May (MAM) and June-July-August (JJA) in most areas. The seasonality of AOD550 was observed to be highly influenced by changes in seasonal biomass burning and seasonal atmospheric circulation. Statistical analyses revealed an insignificant change of AOD550 between 2002 and 2020 in most areas of the study domain. Regional open burning of biomass like bush fires and burning of crop residues during the dry months are the main sources of aerosol concentration. Therefore, the present study advocates the regulation and institutionalization of proactive and strategic mechanisms that curtail open burning activities within the region.

How do paramedics cope? A scoping review

Exposure to repeated trauma is an inherent component of paramedicine. Additionally, paramedics are exposed to threats that can undermine healthy workplaces, social connectedness, and health behaviour, predisposing them to overwhelming distress and unhealthy coping, including suicidality and psychiatric disorders. This scoping review aimed to identify how paramedics cope. PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched between January 1, 2010, to April 21, 2021. Studies were included if they used any research design to identify specific coping strategies used by paramedics. Three studies met the inclusion criteria-two qualitative and one cross-sectional survey design. There was a high risk of bias across all studies. Studies were conducted in Israel, Poland, and the UK, primarily with males. Two studies only identified healthy coping strategies-self-soothing and social and professional support. Unhealthy strategies identified in the third study were limited to negative self-talk and alcohol use, with no mention of other harmful behaviours, social withdrawal, or suicidality. There is limited research describing how paramedics cope, and in particular, how female paramedics cope. Further research exploring the breadth of coping strategies used by paramedics is needed to understand the impact of the work paramedics undertake on coping and inform prevention and support activities.

Machine learning approaches for spatial modeling of agricultural droughts in the south-east region of Queensland Australia

A quantitative understanding of the hydro-environmental factors that influence the occurrence of agricultural drought events would enable more strategic climate change adaptation and drought management plans. Practical drought hazard mapping remains challenging due to possible exclusion of the most pertinent drought drivers, and to the use of inadequate predictive models that cannot describe drought adequately. This research aims to develop new approaches to map agricultural drought hazard with state-of-the-art machine learning models, including classification and regression trees (CART), boosted regression trees (BRT), random forests (RF), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), flexible discriminant analysis (FDA) and support vector machines (SVM). Hydro-environmental datasets were used to calculate the relative departure of soil moisture (RDSM) for eight severe droughts for drought-prone southeast Queensland, Australia, over the period 1994-2013. RDSM was then used to generate an agricultural drought inventory map. Eight hydro-environmental factors were used as potential predictors of drought. The goodness-of-fit and predictive performance of all models were evaluated using different threshold-dependent and threshold-independent methods, including the true skill statistic (TSS), Efficiency (E), F-score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC). The RF model (AUC-ROC = 97.7%, TSS = 0.873, E = 0.929, F-score = 0.898) yielded the highest accuracy, while the MA model (with AUC-ROC = 73.9%, TSS = 0.424, E = 0.719, F-score = 0.512) showed the worst performance. The plant available water holding capacity (PAWC), mean annual precipitation, and day content were the most important variables to be used for predicting the agricultural drought. About 21.2% of the area is in high or very high drought risk classes, and therefore, warrant drought and environmental protection policies. Importantly, the models do not require data on the precipitation anomaly for any given drought year; the spatial patterns in AGH were consistent for all drought events, despite very different spatial patterns in precipitation anomaly among events. Such machine-learning approaches are able to construct an overall risk map, thus assisting in the adoption of a robust drought contingency planning measure not only for this area, but also, in other regions where drought presents a pressing challenge, including its influence on key practical dimensions of social, environmental and economic sustainability. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on coupling coordination and spatiotemporal heterogeneity between economic development and ecological environment of cities along the Yellow River Basin

The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is an important ecological barrier and an important economic zone in China. Under the new requirements of realizing ecological protection and high-quality development of the YRB, the coordinated development of basin economic development and ecological environment is an urgent research topic. Taking 36 cities along the Yellow River Basin as samples, this paper constructs an evaluation index system of economic development and ecological environment. The coupling coordination model and geographical weighted regression were adopted to analyze the coupling coordination relationship between economic development and ecological environment from 2008 to 2017, and the influencing factors were analyzed. The results showed that (1) the coupling coordination of urban economic development and ecological environment along the YRB showed significant regional heterogeneity, forming a low-value sag of the Loess Plateau; (2) the regional hot spots in the downstream of the YRB continuously extended inland, while these in the midstream converged; (3) the coupling coordination degree between economic development and ecological environment is affected by factors such as population size, openness, and advanced industrial structure, and the intensity varies significantly among regions.

COVID-19, the Food System and the Circular Economy: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper analyzes the causes and effects of the COVID-19 crisis, with a specific focus on the food system. Food consumption and production has not only been impacted by the crisis, but it may have also contributed to causing the pandemic. After providing a brief introductory framework, the paper presents the results of a pilot study on the link between COVID-19 and the food system, as indicated by the social media activity of selected European Union (EU) Twitter accounts, measured using an original "theme popularity" metric. Thereafter, a systematic review of the literature is proposed to identify the causes of the rise in popularity of a sustainable food system theme, the potential consequences of the COVID-19 crisis for the food system (targeting the production, consumption and waste disposal phases) and possible solutions, focusing on the circular economy. Challenges and opportunities for policymakers in the short and long term are discussed. A holistic approach is advocated, as the global food system is intimately connected with society and requires deep cooperation among nation states and economic actors.

Determination of favipiravir in human plasma using homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction followed by HPLC/UV

Background: Favipiravir is an antiviral drug that was recently approved for the management of COVID-19 infection. Aim: This work aimed to develop a new method, using sugaring-out induced homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction followed by HPLC/UV for the determination of favipiravir in human plasma. Materials & methods: The optimum extraction conditions were attained using 500 μl of tetrahydrofuran as an extractant and 1400 mg of fructose as a phase-separating agent. Results: The developed method was validated according to the US FDA bioanalytical guidelines and was found linear in the range of 25-80,000 ng/ml with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. Conclusion: These results showed that the developed method was simple, easy, valid and adequately sensitive for determination of favipiravir in plasma for bioequivalence studies.