Hasil untuk "Special types of environment"

J. Liao, Qiqing Chen

Beate Baensch-Baltruschat, B. Kocher, Christian Kochleus et al.

Tyre and road wear is one of the main emission sources of particulate plastics (microplastics). In this study, the emissions of tyre wear particles (TWP) which are annually generated on the German road network were calculated. Emissions are calculated by applying two different data sets of emission factors and the annual mileage for distinct vehicles and road types (urban roads, rural roads, highways). Environmental entry paths of tyre and road wear particles (TRWP) were considered including releases to ambient air, soils and surface waters. Road runoff treatment was taken into account differentiated into sewage systems in urban areas and at non-urban roads. This study identifies the soundest data available concerning emission factors, data on traffic and road systems as well as comprehensive information on road runoff treatment in Germany. Applying this data and assuming that 5% of the total emissions are 'fine' air-borne particles, the emissions of coarse 'non-airborne' particles are 75,200-98,400 t/a; . the transport to road banks and soils near roads is 57,300-65,400 t/a (66-76%) including runoff and drift; 8700-19,800 t/a (12-20%) are released to surface waters. Due to lack of data, degradation in soils and surface waters was not considered. Besides soils, urban wastewater treatment plants are expected to be an important sink of TRWP assuming that most of the particles are incorporated in the sewage sludge. Due to the application of sewage sludge as a fertilizer, 1400-2800 t/a TWP are currently deposited on agricultural areas. No reliable data was available to estimate the masses of TWP which are transported from freshwaters into the marine environment. Existing mitigation measures should be improved according to the principle of precaution by installation of road runoff treatment systems and retrofitting of existing plants regarding optimum fine particle retention.

Vidya Venkatesan, Aomawa L. Shields, Russell Deitrick et al.

Eccentric planets may spend a significant portion of their orbits at large distances from their host stars, where low temperatures can cause atmospheric CO2 to condense out onto the surface, similar to the polar ice caps on Mars. The radiative effects on the climates of these planets throughout their orbits would depend on the wavelength-dependent albedo of surface CO2 ice that may accumulate at or near apoastron and vary according to the spectral energy distribution of the host star. To explore these possible effects, we incorporated a CO2 ice-albedo parameterization into a one-dimensional energy balance climate model. With the inclusion of this parameterization, our simulations demonstrated that F-dwarf planets require 29% more orbit-averaged flux to thaw out of global water ice cover compared with simulations that solely use a traditional pure water ice-albedo parameterization. When no eccentricity is assumed, and host stars are varied, F-dwarf planets with higher bond albedos relative to their M-dwarf planet counterparts require 30% more orbit-averaged flux to exit a water snowball state. Additionally, the intense heat experienced at periastron aids eccentric planets in exiting a snowball state with a smaller increase in instellation compared with planets on circular orbits; this enables eccentric planets to exhibit warmer conditions along a broad range of instellation. This study emphasizes the significance of incorporating an albedo parameterization for the formation of CO2 ice into climate models to accurately assess the habitability of eccentric planets, as we show that, even at moderate eccentricities, planets with Earth-like atmospheres can reach surface temperatures cold enough for the condensation of CO2 onto their surfaces, as can planets receiving low amounts of instellation on circular orbits.

Chunzhao Chen, Roujia Du, Jian Tang et al.

This study investigated the impacts of light irradiation and polymer types on the leaching behavior of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from microplastics (MPs) in freshwater. Polypropylene had the highest leaching capacity of DOM after photoaging, followed by polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). While similarly low levels of DOM were observed in the remaining 5 MP suspensions under UV irradiation and in almost all MP suspensions (except PA) under darkness. These suggest that the photooxidation of some buoyant plastics may influence the carbon cycling of nature waters. Among 9 MP-derived leachates, PET leachates had the highest chromophoric DOM concentration and aromaticity, probably owing to the special benzene rings and carbonyl groups in PET structures and its fast degradation rate. Protein-like substances were the primary fluorescent DOM in MP suspensions (except PS), especially in darkness no other fluorescent substances were found. Considering the bio-labile properties of proteins together, MPs regardless of floating or suspended in an aquatic environment may have prevalent long-term effects on microbial activities. Besides, from monomers to hexamers with newly formed chemical bonds were identified in UV-irradiated MP suspensions. These results will contribute to a deep insight into the potential ecological effects related to MP degradation.

Sandra Varnaitė-Žuravliova, Julija Baltušnikaitė-Guzaitienė

Regenerated cellulose fibers are a highly adaptable biomaterial with numerous medical applications owing to their inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and robust mechanical properties. In the domain of wound care, regenerated cellulose fibers facilitate a moist environment conducive to healing, minimize infection risk, and adapt to wound topographies, making it ideal for different types of dressings. In tissue engineering, cellulose scaffolds provide a matrix for cell attachment and proliferation, supporting the development of artificial skin, cartilage, and other tissues. Furthermore, regenerated cellulose fibers, used as absorbable sutures, degrade within the body, eliminating the need for removal and proving advantageous for internal suturing. The medical textile industry relies heavily on regenerated cellulose fibers because of their unique properties that make them suitable for various applications, including wound care, surgical garments, and diagnostic materials. Regenerated cellulose fibers are produced by dissolving cellulose from natural sources and reconstituting it into fiber form, which can be customized for specific medical uses. This paper will explore the various types, properties, and applications of regenerated cellulose fibers in medical contexts, alongside an examination of its manufacturing processes and technologies, as well as associated challenges.

Katharina Inholz, J. Anderl, Moritz Klawitter et al.

Immunoproteasomes are a special class of proteasomes, which can be induced with IFN‐γ in an inflammatory environment. In recent years, it became evident that certain immune cell types constitutively express high levels of immunoproteasomes. However, information regarding the basal expression of proteolytically active immunoproteasome subunits in different types of immune cells is still rare. Hence, we quantified standard proteasome subunits (β1c, β2c, β5c) and immunoproteasome subunits (LMP2, MECL‐1, LMP7) in the major murine (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, CD11c+ dendritic cells, CD49d+ natural killer cells, Ly‐6G+ neutrophils) and human immune cell (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, CD1c+CD141+ myeloid dendritic cells, CD56+ natural killer cells, granulocytes) subsets. The different human immune cell types were isolated from peripheral blood and the murine immune cell subsets from spleen. We found that proteasomes of most immune cell subsets mainly consist of immunoproteasome subunits. Our data will serve as a reference and guideline for immunoproteasome expression and imply a special role of immunoproteasomes in immune cells.

Olha Halytsia, M. Vrachioli, J. Sauer

Among all the economic sectors, agricultural production is characterised by intensive natural resource use and a noticeable environmental footprint. The assessment of farm performance has been receiving special attention given the increasing scarcity of natural resources and growing environmental concerns. The nexus approach is particularly useful for such types of analysis since it reflects the complex interconnections among the sectors of water, energy, food and environment (WEFE). One way to explicitly place agricultural production within the WEFE Nexus is to develop a composite indicator at the level of decision-maker - farm - that will reflect the interlinkages between agricultural production and the Nexus pillars of water, energy and environment. Our study aims to operationalise the WEFE Nexus in the agricultural sector and contributes to the existing literature in two main directions: we propose a methodology to calculate the farm-level WEFE Nexus composite indicator using endogenous weights for aggregation, and our composite indicator incorporates the environment component reflecting how the environment and agricultural production interact. Furthermore, we developed an interactive web application that calculates the WEFE Nexus composite indicator values based on uploaded farm-level data (available at: https://sigmanexus.shinyapps.io/sigmanexus/). Our analysis of olive producers in Crete reveals moderate performance from a WEFE Nexus perspective. The average WEFE Nexus composite indicator value stands at 0.74, ranging between 0 and 1. Farmers who produce olives in an environmentally friendly manner and those who are concerned with the negative consequences of climate change tend to perform better from the WEFE Nexus perspective. Thus, the adoption of sustainable intensification activities and climate-smart practices, such as fertigation and pressure-compensated drippers, is recommended to enhance further the olive producers' performance. Monitoring the subsequent changes in farm performance can be achieved through the utilization of the developed methodological approach and the web tool launched as part of this study.

Burkhard Golla, Ricarda Lodenkemper, Saskia Bacher

In agriculture, the application of plant protection products to cropland is important to prevent quality and yield reduction. The use of plant protection products implies negative effects on human health and the environment. Thus, a legal measure towards reducing the use of plant protection products is its restriction or ban especially in sensitive areas. This is the first national study to use publicly and freely available geodata to access the area of agricultural land located in different types of sensitive areas according to the proposal for a new EU Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products (SUR). We assess the impact of different scenarios for a German implementation. In this study we analyse publicly available geodata of CORINE land cover 5 ha of 2018 with geographic information systems (GIS) for different scenarios. The results show that the impact of a pesticide ban or restriction for sensitive areas differs between regions and the type or combination of sensitive area. Using the CLC5-2018 data we estimate 19.6 million hectares of national agricultural area. Landscape Protection Area, Nature Parks and Water Protection Areas contain the largest proportion of agricultural land. A scenario which considers National Parks, Nature Reserves, Biosphere Reserves, Nature Parks, Natural Monuments, Landscape Protection Areas and Natura 2000 sites with Fauna-Flora-Habitat areas and Special Protected Areas for bird sanctuaries and Ramsar sites would affect 46.6% of the agricultural land use in Germany, ranging from 33.4% to 77.9% across different states. Comparing our CLC5-2018 results to a similar study from 2023, which used LBM-DE as land use data, we find that there is little difference between the results of identical scenario definitions when expressed as proportions. Whereas different SUR scenario definitions can lead to significantly different outcomes.

A. Rakhmawati, B. Octavia, S. Marwati et al.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The utilization of disposable masks during and subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of mask waste. The bacteria that thrive on mask waste have special characteristics. The objective of this research was to identify, choose, and analyze the bacteria present in discarded face masks at landfill sites (Piyungan, Yogyakarta and Jatibarang, Semarang), coastal areas (Tanjung Pasir, Tangerang, and Marina, Semarang), as well as mangrove forests (Teluk Naga, Tangerang, and Tirang, Semarang) situated in Java, Indonesia.METHODS: The bacterial isolation was performed using minimal salt medium. Bacterial isolates were screened in a minimal salt medium supplemented with three types of masks (black duckbill, blue medical, white Korean filter) as the sole carbon and energy source at the various potential of hydrogen levels (5, 7, 9), temperatures (10, 30, 50 degrees Celsius), and sodium chloride concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 percent). The bacterial strains with the highest optical density values across all treatments were determined through the sequencing of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene. These selected bacteria were then evaluated for their ability to produce biofilms under different potential of hydrogen and salt concentrations. The resistance to heavy metals (lead, copper, iron) and antibiotics (penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, kanamycin) was also investigated.FINDINGS:  A grand total of 183 bacterial strains were obtained, comprising 80 isolates from landfills, 47 isolates from beaches, and 56 isolates from mangroves. The selected bacteria identified as Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus sciuri, and Staphylococcus arlettae based on 16 svedberg ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene analysis. The chosen strains exhibited the capacity to generate biofilm across various potential of hydrogen and salinity conditions. Furthermore, these strains displayed resilience to heavy metals (such as lead, copper, and iron) as well as resistance to antibiotics (including penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and kanamycin).CONCLUSION: Mask waste discovered in landfills, beaches, and mangroves can promote bacterial growth. This study indicated that the selected bacteria are capable of flourishing through the utilization of various mask types as their exclusive carbon and energy source across a wide range of potential of hydrogen levels, temperatures, and salinity concentrations. The ability to produce biofilms, withstand antibiotics, and endure heavy metal ions provides a protective environment for bacteria, enhancing their resilience against environmental stresses, and antimicrobial agents. Analysis of bacterial profiles reveals the intricate connections between microorganisms and their surroundings. The results of this study have implications for public health, environmental pollution, and ecosystem dynamics.

Shcherbakova Nadiia, Tsypko Victoria, Riaboshtan Liudmyla et al.

The quality of the environment, both natural and anthropogenic, is of great importance for tourism. The tourism sphere includes many types of activities that can have negative environmental consequences. Many of these impacts are related to the construction of public infrastructure such as roads and airports, as well as tourist facilities including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. Methodology is based on scientific and special research methods. Methods are used: analysis, synthesis, systematization, classification, generalization of economic and methodical sources. The study of the features of the sustainable development of tourism based on the application of ecological management necessitated the study of the future of sustainable tourism, because for its development, it is necessary to have, in its practical forms, the reconciliation of antagonistic interests and goals that will affect the partnership and cooperation between decision-makers, operators and consumers, which will contribute to the long-term common interest. The article solves important problems of the tourism sphere through the prism of the analysis of relevant indicators of ecological characteristics for various subjects of the sphere of ecotourism. It is noted that the negative consequences of tourism occur when the level of use of natural resources by tourists exceeds the permissible level of use of the environment. Uncontrolled tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world. It has been proven that rational ecological management of tourist facilities can increase the benefit for natural areas. But this requires careful planning of controlled development based on an analysis of the area's ecological resources.

Minggang Li, Hanxu Sun, Long Ma et al.

Considering the requirements of high scientific return, low cost, less complexity, and more reliability for the robot proposed by the extreme environment exploration task on the planet surface, this article comprehensively reviews the history of the special spherical robot used for extraterrestrial surface exploration and summarizes the environmental characteristics and task difficulties of different planet surface. This article compares the advantages of different types of ground spherical robots and points out the superiority of special spherical robots, such as omni-direction, airtightness, zero-radius turning, under-actuated, swarming, and lightweight. In addition, the research progress of special spherical robots for extraterrestrial exploration, such as wind ball, jumping ball, fly ball, ball with leg, pendulum driven ball, tensegrity structure, are reviewed respectively. Finally, the performance characteristics of all these robots are analyzed, their application scope given.

J. Płotka-Wasylka, Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska, Aleksandra Kurowska-Susdorf et al.

Single-use baby diapers belongs to an important group of products used in the parenting journey because of their high performance and convenience. Single-use baby diapers are normally thrown away after one-time use, resulting in a waste management problem. The goal of this paper was to better understand main environmental concerns of different types of diapers and address how to reduce them, with a special consideration of waste management strategies and user behaviour practices. Furthermore, health and environmental hazards potentially associated with materials included in diapers, or substances formed from diapers during the waste treatment stage, are also analysed (e.g., phthalates, pesticides, dioxins, pesticides). Three main types of baby diapers have been analysed: single-use baby diapers, reusable baby diapers, and biodegradable single-use diapers. Each type of diaper comes with technical characteristics and environmental concerns and challenges, which are discussed in this paper to support the development of measures for the safe(r) and sustainable design, use and end of life management of baby diapers.

Carie Green

Abstract:Past special place studies have been limited to middle childhood, outdoor, and school experiences. This two-phase study breaks new ground indicating the locations and types of special places preschool children claim throughout their home environment. The first phase consisted of book discussions with 20 preschool children. Four children in the second phase participated in home visits which included special place tours, child and parent interviews. The most commonly mentioned special place was the bedroom. Small spaces were also identified within the bedroom and around the home. Similar to middle childhood, the preschool children used special places as hiding places, for dramatic play, and for emotional retreat. The children also identified outdoor special places demonstrating a desire to explore the natural world. The findings suggest that preschool children gain a sense of autonomy in making choices about their place locations, companions, activities, and when they go to their special place.

Pavel Kepezhinskas, Nikolai Berdnikov, Nikita Kepezhinskas et al.

The Paleozoic volcano-sedimentary rocks within the structural basement of the horst-and-graben system of the Catalan Coastal Ranges (CCR) are composed of black shale, volcaniclastic sediments, lava flows, sills and lithocrystalloclastic tuffs. Paleozoic sediments are depleted in high-field strength elements (HFSE) such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and Ti, suggesting their accumulation within the Andean-type active continental margin environment. Volcanic rocks within the Paleozoic CCR sequence belong to shoshonitic and high-K volcanic series and are enriched in Cs, Rb and Ba and depleted in HFSE, which is consistent with their derivation from metasomatized (possibly through deep recycling of pelagic sediments) subduction-related mantle source. The presence of sills (sill-sediment complex) suggests that Paleozoic basement of the CCR was formed within the rifted active continental margin or an arc-back-arc basin system akin to the modern Western Pacific subduction configuration. This complex volcanic terroir hosts world-class wines of the Priorat DOQ region. The presence of framboidal pyrite and magnetite, siderite, sphalerite xenotime, (La–Ce–Nd)-monazite, zircon and baddeleyite, as well as cuprite, tenorite and cupriferous and native silver in volcanic-derived black shale (and consequently in the world-famous “llicorella” soil overlying it) may have had dramatic effects on wine quality and sensory characteristics. These mineral features, together with strong enrichment of Priorat shale in Au, Ag and, to a lesser extent, Pt could have pronounced effects on (1) rates and specific types of chemical reactions; (2) plant metabolism; (3) response to nutrient components and (4) determination of grape flavor. Volcanic wine terroirs, such as the Priorat DOQ region, are special geologic environments for wine growth, capable of producing unique wine aromatic and gustatory characteristics.

Valentina S. Lapshina

The existential and socio-psychological threats to human bodily and emotional existence are observed in the urbanized environment, and the origins of the modern urban crisis are discovered. The author attempts to assess the danger and consequences of urbanization for modern human society. The paper formulates a typology of urban activism in the context of socio-philosophical discourse. The aim of the research is philosophical comprehension of human existence in an urbanized environment. In accordance with the purpose, the tasks are outlined: to characterize the “city man”; to identify the contradictory consequences of urbanization for a modern Human; to determine the influence of urbanization atpeople’s lifestyle; to analyze the typology of the activities of city residents which(the activities) transform the urban environment in the context of modern urbanism. Object: urbanism as a socio-philosophical phenomenon, subject: the existential dimension of Human in an urban environment. Methodology. To achieve this goal, general scientific methods were used: analysis and synthesis, analogies, classifications, as well as philosophical methods of cognition (dialectical and hermeneutic). The method of generalization of philosophical and sociological issueswas applied and in particular by using interdisciplinary approach. The means of visual anthropology (cinematography, photography) are engaged in the study to analyze the documentary series “Homo Urbanus” whichis of special scientific value as a source of important social knowledge. The originality of the study: the existential crisis was studied in the focus of urban anthropology, a classification of types of urban activism was proposed. Practical application. The results of the study can be applied in the future interdisciplinary research, as well as in the urban anthropology studies, in the research of the mutual influence of the city and man, as well as of separate topics of educational courses (“Urban Studies”, “Philosophy”, “Sociology”, “Anthropology”, “Aesthetics of Architecture and Design”, etc.).

Ubaidullah Yashkun, Khairy Zaimi, Liaquat Ali Lund

Andrii Voshchepynets, Oleksiy Agapitov, Lynn Wilson et al.

We present the results of processing the effects of the powerful Gamma Ray Burst GRB221009A captured by the charged particle detectors (electrostatic analyzers and solid-state detectors) onboard spacecraft at different points in the heliosphere on October 9, 2022. To follow the GRB221009A propagation through the heliosphere we used the electron and proton flux measurements from solar missions Solar Orbiter and STEREO-A; Earth magnetosphere and the solar wind missions THEMIS and Wind; meteorological satellites POES15, POES19, MetOp3; and MAVEN - a NASA mission orbiting Mars. GRB221009A had a structure of four bursts: less intense Pulse 1 - the triggering impulse - was detected by gamma-ray observatories at 131659 UT (near the Earth); the most intense Pulses 2 and 3 were detected on board all the spacecraft from the list, and Pulse 4 detected in more than 500 s after Pulse 1. Due to their different scientific objectives, the spacecraft, which data was used in this study, were separated by more than 1 AU (Solar Orbiter and MAVEN). This enabled tracking GRB221009A as it was propagating across the heliosphere. STEREO-A was the first to register Pulse 2 and 3 of the GRB, almost 100 seconds before their detection by spacecraft in the vicinity of Earth. MAVEN detected GRB221009A Pulses 2, 3, and 4 at the orbit of Mars about 237 seconds after their detection near Earth. By processing the time delays observed we show that the source location of the GRB221009A was at RA 288.5 degrees, Dec 18.5 degrees (J2000) with an error cone of 2 degrees

Dilshad Qureshi, S. Nayak, Samarendra Maji et al.

Abstract Over the last few decades, hydrogels have attracted the considerable interest of researchers for crafting potential controlled drug delivery systems. It may be attributed to their high water imbibing capacity, soft and rubbery nature, which enables them to exhibit physical properties resembling that of the body tissues. Recently, the environment-sensitive hydrogels have received the special attention of the researchers because of the alteration in their properties in response to a stimulus. The special focus on the environment-sensitive hydrogels has facilitated breakthrough advances in drug delivery (e.g., decrease in dose frequency, increase in the duration of release with reduced side effects, ease of preparation and administration) for the better treatment of various pathological conditions. This paper provides comprehensive information regarding the types of stimuli (i.e., physical, chemical and biological) which can be used to stimulate drug release from the hydrogels and recent advances in the development of stimulus-sensitive hydrogels for drug delivery applications. Finally, the current challenges and the future scope of research in the field of environment-sensitive hydrogels have also been highlighted.

A. Iravanian, S. O. Ravari

Waste disposal is one of the important problems in the world. In general, wastes are categorized into different groups, and there are some special landfills and methods for disposing of each of these waste materials. However, it should be noted that although there are some rules and regulations that try to reduce the impact of waste disposal, landfills have negative effects on soil, air, water, and natural life. One of the most important sources of pollution in landfills is the leachate that is generated by the decomposition of waste. Leachate can penetrate into the soil and water resources, contaminate them, and can affect human life. Leachate generation has five different phases and each of these phases contains some reactions that have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of leachate. Leachate has four main types of pollution and each of these pollutants can contaminate soil and water resources and be hazardous for aquatic and animals in the soil. In addition, some of these contaminations can enter the food chain and affect the ecosystem and human life. The negative impacts of landfills remain even years after the landfill is closed. Therefore, it is important to consider the short-term and long-term effects of landfills on their surroundings to protect the environment and human health.

G. Nandakumar, N. Ryde, M. Montelius et al.

Phosphorus (P) is considered to be one of the key elements for life, making it an important element to look for in the abundance analysis of spectra of stellar systems. Yet, there exists only a handful of spectroscopic studies to estimate the P abundances and investigate its trend across a range of metallicities. We have observed full HK band spectra at a spectral resolving power of R=45,000 with IGRINS instrument. Abundances are determined using SME in combination with 1D MARCS stellar atmosphere models. The investigated sample of stars have reliable stellar parameters estimated using optical FIES spectra (GILD; Jönsson et al. in prep.). In order to determine the P abundances from the 16482.92 Angstrom P line, we take special care of the CO($ν=7-4$) blend. We determine the C, N, O abundances from atomic carbon and a range of non-blended molecular lines (CO, CN, OH) which are aplenty in the H band region of K giant stars, assuring an appropriate modelling of the blending CO($ν=7-4$) line. We present [P/Fe] vs [Fe/H] trend for 38 K giant stars in the metallicity range of -1.2 dex $<$ [Fe/H] $<$ 0.4 dex. We find that our trend matches well with the compiled literature sample of prominently dwarf stars and limited number of giant stars. Our trend is found to be higher by $\sim$ 0.05 - 0.1 dex compared to the theoretical chemical evolution trend in Cescutti et al. 2012 resulting from core collapse supernova (type II) of massive stars with the P yields from Kobayashi et al. (2006) arbitrarily increased by a factor of 2.75. Thus the enhancement factor might need to be $\sim$ 0.05 - 0.1 dex higher to match our trend. We also find an empirically determined primary behaviour for phosphorus. Furthermore, the phosphorus abundance is found to be elevated by $\sim$ 0.6 - 0.9 dex in two metal poor s-enriched stars compared to the theoretical chemical evolution trend.