Bacterial Biodiversity-Ecosystem Functioning Relations Are Modified by Environmental Complexity

PubMed Central

Langenheder, Silke; Bulling, Mark T.; Solan, Martin; Prosser, James I.

2010-01-01

Background With the recognition that environmental change resulting from anthropogenic activities is causing a global decline in biodiversity, much attention has been devoted to understanding how changes in biodiversity may alter levels of ecosystem functioning. Although environmental complexity has long been recognised as a major driving force in evolutionary processes, it has only recently been incorporated into biodiversity-ecosystem functioning investigations. Environmental complexity is expected to strengthen the positive effect of species richness on ecosystem functioning, mainly because it leads to stronger complementarity effects, such as resource partitioning and facilitative interactions among species when the number of available resource increases. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we implemented an experiment to test the combined effect of species richness and environmental complexity, more specifically, resource richness on ecosystem functioning over time. We show, using all possible combinations of species within a bacterial community consisting of six species, and all possible combinations of three substrates, that diversity-functioning (metabolic activity) relationships change over time from linear to saturated. This was probably caused by a combination of limited complementarity effects and negative interactions among competing species as the experiment progressed. Even though species richness and resource richness both enhanced ecosystem functioning, they did so independently from each other. Instead there were complex interactions between particular species and substrate combinations. Conclusions/Significance Our study shows clearly that both species richness and environmental complexity increase ecosystem functioning. The finding that there was no direct interaction between these two factors, but that instead rather complex interactions between combinations of certain species and resources underlie positive biodiversity ecosystem functioning relationships, suggests that detailed knowledge of how individual species interact with complex natural environments will be required in order to make reliable predictions about how altered levels of biodiversity will most likely affect ecosystem functioning. PMID:20520808

Exploring the development of fourth graders' environmental identity through participation in a semi-formal nature club

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brock, Ryan J.

Nature deficit, where disconnections occur between children and nature have come to the forefront of environmental education in recent years. This study explored how fourth graders in an after-school Nature Club developed or strengthened their environmental identity, thus decreasing nature deficit. Through a program that utilized semi-formal instruction, both classroom learning and direct experiences with nature, took place over a nine week period of time. Six children were followed as qualitative data was collected and analyzed for themes that would reveal how adolescent children in the developmental stage of concrete operations developed environmental identity. The results indicate that all students strengthened their environmental identity when social aspects were embedded. Students who entered Nature Club with low environmental identity required more direct experiences with nature while those with higher environmental identity required a combination of reflective components along with nature experiences. Based upon this study, the nine-week program which combined formal and non-formal means of learning was able to strengthen environmental identity in each of the participants. A strong theme of social learning, not explicitly identified in the literature was found. Additionally, and most importantly, findings also indicate that educators, both formal and non-formal, who teach environmental education and seek to strengthen environmental identity for adolescents for early interventions need to understand the development of environmental identity in concrete operational learners at a theoretical level.

Connections: Combining Environmental Education and Artwork in the Primary Grades for Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Joanne

2004-01-01

This action research study was designed to raise environmental awareness and improve the social responsibility and actions of students in Grades 2 and 3 at Montecito Elementary in Burnaby. Implemented was a strategy pairing environmental education lessons with artwork projects, to engage the students and improve their awareness of aquatic…

The organisational structure of urban environmental stewardship

Treesearch

Dana R. Fisher; Lindsay Campbell; Erika S. Svendsen

2012-01-01

How is the organisational structure of urban environmental stewardship groups related to the diverse ways that civic stewardship is taking place in urban settings? The findings of the limited number of studies that have explored the organisational structure of civic environmentalism are combined with the research on civic stewardship to answer this question. By...

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING METHANOGENESIS IN A SHALLOW ANOXIC AQUIFER: A FIELD AND LABORATORY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The environmental factors influencing methanogenesis in a shallow anoxic aquifer were probed in a combined field and laboratory study. Field data collected over a year revealed that in situ rates of methane production were depressed in winter and elevated in summer. Over the same...

A Search for Identity: Exploring Core Competencies for Interdisciplinary Environmental Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Shirley Gayle

2010-01-01

Scope and method of study: The study is national in scope, exploratory, and utilized a combination of qualitative and quantitative social science methods. Findings and conclusions: Interdisciplinary environmental (IE) programs in higher education in the United States are both diverse and dynamic in their curriculum designs. Though these…

[Environmental Education the Organic Way.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1972

Interdisciplinary teaching resources for environmental studies at all educational levels are combined in this set of materials. Items include: (1) teaching aids for science, health, and nature study entitled: (a) "Insects--Here to Help You and the Environment," an 18-minute color filmstrip, cassette sound track and accompanying teacher's guide for…

General Beliefs and Environmental Concern: Transatlantic Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olofsson, Anna; Ohman, Susanna

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to empirically test whether grouping people according to their general beliefs, combined with positional factors, can explain environmental concern, and whether there are country differences in this respect. The study is based on the United States, Canadian, Norwegian, and Swedish parts of The International Social Survey…

Molecular ecology meets remote sensing: environmental drivers to population structure of humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Mendez, M; Subramaniam, A; Collins, T; Minton, G; Baldwin, R; Berggren, P; Särnblad, A; Amir, O A; Peddemors, V M; Karczmarski, L; Guissamulo, A; Rosenbaum, H C

2011-10-01

Genetic analyses of population structure can be placed in explicit environmental contexts if appropriate environmental data are available. Here, we use high-coverage and high-resolution oceanographic and genetic sequence data to assess population structure patterns and their potential environmental influences for humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA data from 94 dolphins from the coasts of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Oman, employing frequency-based and maximum-likelihood algorithms to assess population structure and migration patterns. The genetic data were combined with 13 years of remote sensing oceanographic data of variables known to influence cetacean dispersal and population structure. Our analyses show strong and highly significant genetic structure between all putative populations, except for those in South Africa and Mozambique. Interestingly, the oceanographic data display marked environmental heterogeneity between all sampling areas and a degree of overlap between South Africa and Mozambique. Our combined analyses therefore suggest the occurrence of genetically isolated populations of humpback dolphins in areas that are environmentally distinct. This study highlights the utility of molecular tools in combination with high-resolution and high-coverage environmental data to address questions not only pertaining to genetic population structure, but also to relevant ecological processes in marine species.

Molecular ecology meets remote sensing: environmental drivers to population structure of humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean

PubMed Central

Mendez, M; Subramaniam, A; Collins, T; Minton, G; Baldwin, R; Berggren, P; Särnblad, A; Amir, O A; Peddemors, V M; Karczmarski, L; Guissamulo, A; Rosenbaum, H C

2011-01-01

Genetic analyses of population structure can be placed in explicit environmental contexts if appropriate environmental data are available. Here, we use high-coverage and high-resolution oceanographic and genetic sequence data to assess population structure patterns and their potential environmental influences for humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA data from 94 dolphins from the coasts of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Oman, employing frequency-based and maximum-likelihood algorithms to assess population structure and migration patterns. The genetic data were combined with 13 years of remote sensing oceanographic data of variables known to influence cetacean dispersal and population structure. Our analyses show strong and highly significant genetic structure between all putative populations, except for those in South Africa and Mozambique. Interestingly, the oceanographic data display marked environmental heterogeneity between all sampling areas and a degree of overlap between South Africa and Mozambique. Our combined analyses therefore suggest the occurrence of genetically isolated populations of humpback dolphins in areas that are environmentally distinct. This study highlights the utility of molecular tools in combination with high-resolution and high-coverage environmental data to address questions not only pertaining to genetic population structure, but also to relevant ecological processes in marine species. PMID:21427750

An overall index of environmental quality in coal mining areas and energy facilities.

PubMed

Vatalis, Konstantinos I; Kaliampakos, Demetrios C

2006-12-01

An approach to measuring environmental quality and trends in coal mining and industrial areas was attempted in this work. For this purpose, the establishment of a reference scale characterizing the status of environmental quality is proposed by developing an Environmental Quality Index (EQI). The methodology involves three main components: social research, the opinion of environmental experts, and the combination of new or existing indices. A survey of public opinion was carried out to identify the main environmental problems in the region of interest. Environmental experts carried out a survey, and the weights of specific environmental problems were obtained through a fuzzy Delphi method and pairwise comparison. The weight attributed to each environmental problem was computed, using new or existing indices (subindices) in the relevant literature. The EQI comprises a combination of the subindices with their own weights. The methodology was applied to a heavily industrialized coal basin in northwestern Macedonia, Greece. The results show that the new index may be used as a reliable tool for evaluating environmental quality in different areas. In addition, the study of EQI trends on an interannual basis can provide useful information on the efficiency of environmental policies already implemented by the responsible authorities.

The combination of an Environmental Management System and Life Cycle Assessment at the territorial level

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazzi, Anna; Toniolo, Sara; Catto, Stella

A framework to include a Life Cycle Assessment in the significance evaluation of the environmental aspects of an Environmental Management System has been studied for some industrial sectors, but there is a literature gap at the territorial level, where the indirect impact assessment is crucial. To overcome this criticality, our research proposes the Life Cycle Assessment as a framework to assess environmental aspects of public administration within an Environmental Management System applied at the territorial level. This research is structured in two parts: the design of a new methodological framework and the pilot application for an Italian municipality. The methodologicalmore » framework designed supports Initial Environmental Analysis at the territorial level thanks to the results derived from the impact assessment phase. The pilot application in an Italian municipality EMAS registered demonstrates the applicability of the framework and its effectiveness in evaluating the environmental impact assessment for direct and indirect aspects. Through the discussion of the results, we underline the growing knowledge derived by this research in terms of the reproducibility and consistency of the criteria to define the significance of the direct and indirect environmental aspects for a local public administration. - Highlights: • The combination between Environmental Management System and LCA is studied. • A methodological framework is elaborated and tested at the territorial level. • Life Cycle Impact Assessment supports the evaluation of aspects significance. • The framework assures consistency of evaluation criteria on the studied territory.« less

"Who Polluted the Potomac?" The Translation and Implementation of a US Environmental Story in Brazilian and Turkish Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Colak, Huseyin; Akerson, Valarie L.

2009-01-01

In this study we examine how elementary teachers in Brazil and Turkey approached the translation and subsequent classroom implementation of an instructional activity that promotes environmental awareness through a combination of student role playing and teacher oral delivery of an environmental story about river pollution. A discourse analysis…

The Role of Green Chemistry Activities in Fostering Secondary School Students' Understanding of Acid-Base Concepts and Argumentation Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpudewan, Mageswary; Roth, Wolff Michael; Sinniah, Devananthini

2016-01-01

In a world where environmental degradation is taking on alarming levels, understanding, and acting to minimize, the individual environmental impact is an important goal for many science educators. In this study, a green chemistry curriculum--combining chemistry experiments with everyday, environmentally friendly substances with a student-centered…

A cost-analysis of complex workplace nutrition education and environmental dietary modification interventions.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Sarah; Kirby, Ann; Murphy, Aileen; Geaney, Fiona; Perry, Ivan J

2017-01-09

The workplace has been identified as a priority setting to positively influence individuals' dietary behaviours. However, a dearth of evidence exists regarding the costs of implementing and delivering workplace dietary interventions. This study aimed to conduct a cost-analysis of workplace nutrition education and environmental dietary modification interventions from an employer's perspective. Cost data were obtained from a workplace dietary intervention trial, the Food Choice at Work Study. Micro-costing methods estimated costs associated with implementing and delivering the interventions for 1 year in four multinational manufacturing workplaces in Cork, Ireland. The workplaces were allocated to one of the following groups: control, nutrition education alone, environmental dietary modification alone and nutrition education and environmental dietary modification combined. A total of 850 employees were recruited across the four workplaces. For comparison purposes, total costs were standardised for 500 employees per workplace. The combined intervention reported the highest total costs of €31,108. The nutrition education intervention reported total costs of €28,529. Total costs for the environmental dietary modification intervention were €3689. Total costs for the control workplace were zero. The average annual cost per employee was; combined intervention: €62, nutrition education: €57, environmental modification: €7 and control: €0. Nutritionist's time was the main cost contributor across all interventions, (ranging from 53 to 75% of total costs). Within multi-component interventions, the relative cost of implementing and delivering nutrition education elements is high compared to environmental modification strategies. A workplace environmental modification strategy added marginal additional cost, relative to the control. Findings will inform employers and public health policy-makers regarding the economic feasibility of implementing and scaling dietary interventions. Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN35108237 . Date of registration: The trial was retrospectively registered on 02/07/2013.

Combined cumulative sum (CUSUM) and chronological environmental analysis as a tool to improve the learning environment for linear-probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) trainees: a pilot study.

PubMed

Norisue, Yasuhiro; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Juarez, Mayrol; Uchimido, Ryo; Fujitani, Shigeki; Stoeckel, David A

2017-02-07

Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis can be used to continuously monitor the performance of an individual or process and detect deviations from a preset or standard level of achievement. However, no previous study has evaluated the utility of CUSUM analysis in facilitating timely environmental assessment and interventions to improve performance of linear-probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of combined CUSUM and chronological environmental analysis as a tool to improve the learning environment for EBUS-TBNA trainees. This study was an observational chart review. To determine if performance was acceptable, CUSUM analysis was used to track procedural outcomes of trainees in EBUS-TBNA. To investigate chronological changes in the learning environment, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare several indices before and after time points when significant changes occurred in proficiency. Presence of an additional attending bronchoscopist was inversely associated with nonproficiency (odds ratio, 0.117; 95% confidence interval, 0-0.749; P = 0.019). Other factors, including presence of an on-site cytopathologist and dose of sedatives used, were not significantly associated with duration of nonproficiency. Combined CUSUM and chronological environmental analysis may be useful in hastening interventions that improve performance of EBUS-TBNA.

LANDSCAPE SCIENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: A NATO FRAMEWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

EPA Science Inventory

An international pilot study has been developed to explore the possibility of quantifying and assessing environmental condition, processes of land degradation, and subsequent impacts on natural and human resources by combining the advanced technologies of remote sensing, geograph...

Field testing of a fenbendazole treatment combined with hygienic and management measures against a natural Giardia infection in calves.

PubMed

Geurden, Thomas; Vercruysse, Jozef; Claerebout, Edwin

2006-12-20

The need of a combination of animal treatment and environmental measures against a natural Giardia infection in calves between the age of 1 and 6 months was emphasized and evaluated. Ten commercial farms with a total of 94 calves suffering from chronic diarrhea, ill thriving and impaired growth, were included in two subsequent studies. The first study indicated that treatment of all animals with fenbendazole at 15 mg/kg during 3 consecutive days combined with environmental measures on the final day of treatment, which were either removal of bedding, thorough cleaning and ammonia 10% disinfection or relocation of the treated animals to a Giardia free environment, resulted in a total reduction in cyst excretion for at least 2 weeks. In the second study, the immunofluorescence assay (Merifluor Cryptosporidium/Giardia; Meridian Diagnostics Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) was used quantitatively and confirmed that the combination of treatment and environmental measures resulted in a total reduction of cyst excretion during 2 weeks and in a significant (P<0.05; >or=98.0%) reduction of the cyst excretion until at least 4 weeks after treatment. Furthermore, there was a noticeable improvement of the clinical symptoms in all animals towards day 28 after treatment and 4 months after treatment health in all calves was normal.

Isolation by environmental distance in mobile marine species: molecular ecology of franciscana dolphins at their southern range.

PubMed

Mendez, Martin; Rosenbaum, Howard C; Subramaniam, Ajit; Yackulic, Charles; Bordino, Pablo

2010-06-01

The assessment of population structure is a valuable tool for studying the ecology of endangered species and drafting conservation strategies. As we enhance our understanding about the structuring of natural populations, it becomes important that we also understand the processes behind these patterns. However, there are few rigorous assessments of the influence of environmental factors on genetic patterns in mobile marine species. Given their dispersal capabilities and localized habitat preferences, coastal cetaceans are adequate study species for evaluating environmental effects on marine population structure. The franciscana dolphin, a rare coastal cetacean endemic to the Western South Atlantic, was studied to examine these issues. We analysed genetic data from the mitochondrial DNA and 12 microsatellite markers for 275 franciscana samples utilizing frequency-based, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian algorithms to assess population structure and migration patterns. This information was combined with 10 years of remote sensing environmental data (chlorophyll concentration, water turbidity and surface temperature). Our analyses show the occurrence of genetically isolated populations within Argentina, in areas that are environmentally distinct. Combined evidence of genetic and environmental structure suggests that isolation by distance and a process here termed isolation by environmental distance can explain the observed correlations. Our approach elucidated important ecological and conservation aspects of franciscana dolphins, and has the potential to increase our understanding of ecological processes influencing genetic patterns in other marine species.

Public opinion and environmental policy output: a cross-national analysis of energy policies in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Brilé; Böhmelt, Tobias; Ward, Hugh

2017-11-01

This article studies how public opinion is associated with the introduction of renewable energy policies in Europe. While research increasingly seeks to model the link between public opinion and environmental policies, the empirical evidence is largely based on a single case: the US. This limits the generalizability of findings and we argue accordingly for a systematic, quantitative study of how public opinion drives environmental policies in another context. Theoretically, we combine arguments behind the political survival of democratic leaders with electoral success and environmental politics. Ultimately, we suggest that office-seeking leaders introduce policies that seem favorable to the domestic audience; if the public prefers environmental protection, the government introduces such policies in turn. The main contribution of this research is the cross-country empirical analysis, where we combine data on the public’s environmental attitudes and renewable energy policy outputs in a European context between 1974 and 2015. We show that as public opinion shifts towards prioritizing the environment, there is a significant and positive effect on the rate of renewable energy policy outputs by governments in Europe. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic, quantitative study of public opinion and environmental policies across a large set of countries, and we demonstrate that the mechanisms behind the introduction of renewable energy policies follow major trends across European states.

Examining the effects of technology-infused issue investigations on high school students' environmental and ocean literacies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plankis, Brian J.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of technology-infused issue investigations on high school students' environmental and ocean literacies. This study explored the effects of a new educational enrichment program termed Connecting the Ocean, Reefs, Aquariums, Literacy, and Stewardship (CORALS) on high school science students. The study utilized a mixed methods approach combining a quantitative quasi-experimental pre-post test design with qualitative case studies. The CORALS program is a new educational program that combines materials based on the Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions (IEEIA) curriculum program with the digital storytelling process. Over an 18-week period four high school science teachers and their approximately 169 students investigated environmental issues impacting coral reefs through the IEEIA framework. An additional approximately 224 students, taught by the same teachers, were the control group exposed to standard curriculum. Students' environmental literacy was measured through the Secondary School Environmental Literacy Instrument (SSELI) and students' ocean literacy was measured through the Students' Ocean Literacy Viewpoints and Engagement (SOLVE) instrument. Two classrooms were selected as case studies and examined through classroom observations and student and teacher interviews. The results indicated the CORALS program increased the knowledge of ecological principles, knowledge of environmental problems/issues, and environmental attitudes components of environmental literacy for the experimental group students. For ocean literacy, the experimental group students' scores increased for knowledge of ocean literacy principles, ability to identify oceanic environmental problems, and attitudes concerning the ocean. The SSELI measure of Responsible Environmental Behaviors (REB) was found to be significant for the interaction of teacher and class type (experimental or control). The students for Teachers A and B reported a statistically significant increase in the self-reported REB subscales of ecomanagement and consumer/economic action. This indicates the students reported an increase in the REBs they could change within their lifestyles. This study provides baseline data in an area where few quality studies exist to date. Recommendations for practice and administration of the research study instruments are explored. Recommendations for further research include CORALS program modifications, revising the instruments utilized, and what areas of students' environmental and ocean literacies warrant further exploration.

Geography and Environmental Education -- Why Aren't We Involved?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towler, John O.; Brenchley, David L.

Little if any attempt has been made to speak to the issue of how geographic education and environmental education can be combined within the framework of geography. One of the major problems has been that people fail to see the relevance of abstract environmental concepts to their own lives and life styles. Studies reflect both a serious lack of…

Integrating environmental gap analysis with spatial conservation prioritization: a case study from Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Sharafi, Seyedeh Mahdieh; Moilanen, Atte; White, Matt; Burgman, Mark

2012-12-15

Gap analysis is used to analyse reserve networks and their coverage of biodiversity, thus identifying gaps in biodiversity representation that may be filled by additional conservation measures. Gap analysis has been used to identify priorities for species and habitat types. When it is applied to identify gaps in the coverage of environmental variables, it embodies the assumption that combinations of environmental variables are effective surrogates for biodiversity attributes. The question remains of how to fill gaps in conservation systems efficiently. Conservation prioritization software can identify those areas outside existing conservation areas that contribute to the efficient covering of gaps in biodiversity features. We show how environmental gap analysis can be implemented using high-resolution information about environmental variables and ecosystem condition with the publicly available conservation prioritization software, Zonation. Our method is based on the conversion of combinations of environmental variables into biodiversity features. We also replicated the analysis by using Species Distribution Models (SDMs) as biodiversity features to evaluate the robustness and utility of our environment-based analysis. We apply the technique to a planning case study of the state of Victoria, Australia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Integrated Approach for the Environmental Characterization of a Wide Potentially Contaminated Area in Southern Italy

PubMed Central

Ducci, Daniela; Albanese, Stefano; Boccia, Lorenzo; Celentano, Egidio; Cervelli, Elena; Corniello, Alfonso; Crispo, Anna; De Vivo, Benedetto; Iodice, Paolo; Langella, Carmela; Lima, Annamaria; Manno, Maurizio; Palladino, Mario; Pindozzi, Stefania; Rigillo, Marina; Romano, Nunzio; Sellerino, Mariangela; Senatore, Adolfo; Speranza, Giuseppe; Fiorentino, Nunzio; Fagnano, Massimo

2017-01-01

This paper deals with the environmental characterization of a large and densely populated area, with a poor reputation for contamination, considering the contribution of environmental features (air, soil, soil hydraulic and groundwater) and the potential effects on human health. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) has made possible a georeferenced inventory and, by overlaying environmental information, an operational synthesis of comprehensive environmental conditions. The cumulative effects on environmental features were evaluated, taking into account superposition effects, by means of the Spatial MultiCriteria Decision Analysis (S-MCDA). The application of the S-MCDA for converging the combination of heterogeneous factors, related to soil, land and water, deeply studied by heterogeneous groups of experts, constitutes the novelty of the paper. The results confirmed an overall higher potential of exposure to contaminants in the environment and higher mortality rates in the study area for some tumours, but hospital admissions for tumours were generally similar to the regional trend. Besides, mortality data may be strictly dependent on the poor socioeconomic conditions, quality of therapy and a lack of welfare in the area relative to the rest of Italy. Finally, as regards the possible relationship between presence of contaminants in the environment and health conditions of the population no definite conclusions can be drawn, although the present study encourages the use of the new proposed methods, that increase the possibilities for studying the combined effect of more environmental factors. PMID:28654005

Improving environmental impact and cost assessment for supplier evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beucker, Severin; Lang, Claus

2004-02-01

Improving a company"s environmental and financial performance necessitates the evaluation of environmental impacts deriving from the production and cost effects of corporate actions. These effects have to be made transparent and concrete targets have to be developed. Such an evaluation has to be done on a regular basis but with limited expenses. To achieve this, different instruments of environmental controlling such as LCA and environmental performance indicators have to be combined with methods from cost accounting. Within the research project CARE (Computer Aided Resource Efficiency Accounting for Medium-Sized Enterprises), the method Resource Efficiency Accounting (REA) is used to give the participating companies new insights into hidden costs and environmental effects of their production and products. The method combines process based cost accounting with environmental impact assessment methodology and offers results that can be integrated into a company"s environmental controlling system and business processes like cost accounting, supplier assessment, etc. Much of the data necessary for the combined assessment can be available within a company"s IT system and therefore can be efficiently used for the assessment process. The project CARE puts a strong focus on the use of company data and information systems for the described assessment process and offers a methodological background for the evaluation and the structuring of such data. Besides the general approach of the project CARE the paper will present results from a case study in which the described approach is used for the evaluation of suppliers.

Fieldwork, Co-Teaching and Co-Generative Dialogue in Lower Secondary School Environmental Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahmawati, Yuli; Koul, Rekha

2016-01-01

This article reports one of the case studies in a 3-year longitudinal study in environmental science education. This case explores the process of teaching about ecosystems through co-teaching and co-generative dialogue in a Year-9 science classroom in Western Australia. Combining with co-teaching and co-generative dialogue aimed at transforming…

Meta-analysis identifies gene-by-environment interactions as demonstrated in a study of 4,965 mice.

PubMed

Kang, Eun Yong; Han, Buhm; Furlotte, Nicholas; Joo, Jong Wha J; Shih, Diana; Davis, Richard C; Lusis, Aldons J; Eskin, Eleazar

2014-01-01

Identifying environmentally-specific genetic effects is a key challenge in understanding the structure of complex traits. Model organisms play a crucial role in the identification of such gene-by-environment interactions, as a result of the unique ability to observe genetically similar individuals across multiple distinct environments. Many model organism studies examine the same traits but under varying environmental conditions. For example, knock-out or diet-controlled studies are often used to examine cholesterol in mice. These studies, when examined in aggregate, provide an opportunity to identify genomic loci exhibiting environmentally-dependent effects. However, the straightforward application of traditional methodologies to aggregate separate studies suffers from several problems. First, environmental conditions are often variable and do not fit the standard univariate model for interactions. Additionally, applying a multivariate model results in increased degrees of freedom and low statistical power. In this paper, we jointly analyze multiple studies with varying environmental conditions using a meta-analytic approach based on a random effects model to identify loci involved in gene-by-environment interactions. Our approach is motivated by the observation that methods for discovering gene-by-environment interactions are closely related to random effects models for meta-analysis. We show that interactions can be interpreted as heterogeneity and can be detected without utilizing the traditional uni- or multi-variate approaches for discovery of gene-by-environment interactions. We apply our new method to combine 17 mouse studies containing in aggregate 4,965 distinct animals. We identify 26 significant loci involved in High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, many of which are consistent with previous findings. Several of these loci show significant evidence of involvement in gene-by-environment interactions. An additional advantage of our meta-analysis approach is that our combined study has significantly higher power and improved resolution compared to any single study thus explaining the large number of loci discovered in the combined study.

Meta-Analysis Identifies Gene-by-Environment Interactions as Demonstrated in a Study of 4,965 Mice

PubMed Central

Joo, Jong Wha J.; Shih, Diana; Davis, Richard C.; Lusis, Aldons J.; Eskin, Eleazar

2014-01-01

Identifying environmentally-specific genetic effects is a key challenge in understanding the structure of complex traits. Model organisms play a crucial role in the identification of such gene-by-environment interactions, as a result of the unique ability to observe genetically similar individuals across multiple distinct environments. Many model organism studies examine the same traits but under varying environmental conditions. For example, knock-out or diet-controlled studies are often used to examine cholesterol in mice. These studies, when examined in aggregate, provide an opportunity to identify genomic loci exhibiting environmentally-dependent effects. However, the straightforward application of traditional methodologies to aggregate separate studies suffers from several problems. First, environmental conditions are often variable and do not fit the standard univariate model for interactions. Additionally, applying a multivariate model results in increased degrees of freedom and low statistical power. In this paper, we jointly analyze multiple studies with varying environmental conditions using a meta-analytic approach based on a random effects model to identify loci involved in gene-by-environment interactions. Our approach is motivated by the observation that methods for discovering gene-by-environment interactions are closely related to random effects models for meta-analysis. We show that interactions can be interpreted as heterogeneity and can be detected without utilizing the traditional uni- or multi-variate approaches for discovery of gene-by-environment interactions. We apply our new method to combine 17 mouse studies containing in aggregate 4,965 distinct animals. We identify 26 significant loci involved in High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, many of which are consistent with previous findings. Several of these loci show significant evidence of involvement in gene-by-environment interactions. An additional advantage of our meta-analysis approach is that our combined study has significantly higher power and improved resolution compared to any single study thus explaining the large number of loci discovered in the combined study. PMID:24415945

INTEGRATING MODELS WITH STAKEHOLDER PREFERENCE OF WATER QUALITY INDICATORS: A CASE STUDY OF LAKE LANIER, GEORGIA, USA

EPA Science Inventory

One important aspect of Integrated Environmental Assessment is combining a scientific expertise and stakeholder concerns. Here, we propose a method to integrate stakeholder preferences, in particular preferences of stakeholders with differing environmental perspectives with a se...

Examining the genetic and environmental associations among spelling, reading fluency, reading comprehension and a high stakes reading test in a combined sample of third and fourth grade students

PubMed Central

Little, Callie W.

2015-01-01

The present study is an examination of the genetic and environmental effects on the associations among reading fluency, spelling and earlier reading comprehension on a later reading comprehension outcome (FCAT) in a combined sample of 3rd and 4th grade students using data from the 2011-2012 school year of the Florida Twin project on Reading (Taylor et al., 2013). A genetically sensitive model was applied to the data with results indicating a common genetic component among all four measures, along with shared and non-shared environmental influences common between reading fluency, spelling and FCAT. PMID:26770052

Combining U.S.-based prioritization tools to improve screening level accountability for environmental impact: the case of the chemical manufacturing industry.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiaoying; Schoenung, Julie M

2009-12-15

There are two quantitative indicators that are most widely used to assess the extent of compliance of industrial facilities with environmental regulations: the quantity of hazardous waste generated and the amount of toxics released. These indicators, albeit useful in terms of some environmental monitoring, fail to account for direct or indirect effects on human and environmental health, especially when aggregating total quantity of releases for a facility or industry sector. Thus, there is a need for a more comprehensive approach that can prioritize a particular chemical (or industry sector) on the basis of its relevant environmental performance and impact on human health. Accordingly, the objective of the present study is to formulate an aggregation of tools that can simultaneously capture multiple effects and several environmental impact categories. This approach allows us to compare and combine results generated with the aid of select U.S.-based quantitative impact assessment tools, thereby supplementing compliance-based metrics such as data from the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory. A case study, which presents findings for the U.S. chemical manufacturing industry, is presented to illustrate the aggregation of these tools. Environmental impacts due to both upstream and manufacturing activities are also evaluated for each industry sector. The proposed combinatorial analysis allows for a more robust evaluation for rating and prioritizing the environmental impacts of industrial waste.

When environmental factors become stressors: interactive effects of vermetid gastropods and sedimentation on corals.

PubMed

Zill, Julie A; Gil, Michael A; Osenberg, Craig W

2017-03-01

Environmental stressors often interact, but most studies of multiple stressors have focused on combinations of abiotic stressors. Here we examined the potential interaction between a biotic stressor, the vermetid snail Ceraesignum maximum , and an abiotic stressor, high sedimentation, on the growth of reef-building corals. In a field experiment, we subjected juvenile massive Porites corals to four treatments: (i) neither stressor, (ii) sedimentation, (iii) vermetids or (iv) both stressors. Unexpectedly, we found no effect of either stressor in isolation, but a significant decrease in coral growth in the presence of both stressors. Additionally, seven times more sediment remained on corals in the presence (versus absence) of vermetids, likely owing to adhesion of sediments to corals via vermetid mucus. Thus, vermetid snails and high sedimentation can interact to drive deleterious effects on reef-building corals. More generally, our study illustrates that environmental factors can combine to have negative interactive effects even when individual effects are not detectable. Such 'ecological surprises' may be easily overlooked, leading to environmental degradation that cannot be anticipated through the study of isolated factors. © 2017 The Author(s).

78 FR 43870 - Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project; Preliminary Staff...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-22

... Combined Cycle Project; Preliminary Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY... Combined Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PSA/DEIS) (DOE... Gasification Combined Cycle Project, which would be designed, constructed, and operated by HECA, LLC. HECA's...

NEUROTOXICITY CHEMICAL MIXTURES: AN EXAMPLE OF OTOTOXICITY PRODUCED BY COMBINED SOLVENTS.

EPA Science Inventory

There are relatively few studies in the experimental literature examining the toxicity of combined exposure to environmental neurotoxicants. In the absence of experimental data, risk assessment evaluations of such exposures typically assume that toxicity is an additive combinati...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined licesne.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

Experimental Investigations of the Energy and Environmental Indices of Operation of a Low-Capacity Combined Gas Producer and Hot-Water Boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodnar, L. A.; Stepanov, D. V.; Dovgal‧, A. N.

2015-07-01

It has been shown that the introduction of combined gas producers and boilers on renewable energy sources is a pressing issue. A structural diagram of a low-capacity combined gas producer and boiler on renewable energy sources has been given; a bench and procedures for investigation and processing of results have been developed. Experimental investigations of the energy and environmental indices of a 40-kW combined gas producer and hotwater boiler burning wood have been carried out. Results of the experimental investigations have been analyzed. Distinctive features have been established and a procedure of thermal calculation of the double furnace of a lowcapacity combined gas producer and boiler burning solid fuel has been proposed. The calculated coefficients of heat transfer from the gases in the convection bank have been compared with the obtained experimental results. A calculation dependence for the heat transfer from the gases in convection banks of low-capacity hot-water boilers has been proposed. The quantities of harmful emissions from the combined gas producer and boiler on renewable energy sources have been compared with the existing Ukrainian and foreign standards. It has been established that the environmental efficiency of the boiler under study complies with most of the standard requirements of European countries.

Life-Cycle Thinking in Inquiry-Based Sustainability Education--Effects on Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry and Environmental Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juntunen, Marianne; Aksela, Maija

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study is to improve the quality of students' environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry teaching by combining the socio-scientific issue of life-cycle thinking with inquiry-based learning approaches. This case study presents results from an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project: an interdisciplinary…

Issues Validation: A New Environmental Scanning Technique for Family Life Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Randy R.; And Others

1992-01-01

Three-state study used Issues Validation, environmental scanning process for family life educators that combines literature reviews, professional and public opinion, and survey research to identify issues facing families and youth. Samples of residents, local advisory committees, and community professionals ranked 30 issues facing families and…

Generalizing genetical genomics: getting added value from environmental perturbation.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Breitling, Rainer; Jansen, Ritsert C

2008-10-01

Genetical genomics is a useful approach for studying the effect of genetic perturbations on biological systems at the molecular level. However, molecular networks depend on the environmental conditions and, thus, a comprehensive understanding of biological systems requires studying them across multiple environments. We propose a generalization of genetical genomics, which combines genetic and sensibly chosen environmental perturbations, to study the plasticity of molecular networks. This strategy forms a crucial step toward understanding why individuals respond differently to drugs, toxins, pathogens, nutrients and other environmental influences. Here we outline a strategy for selecting and allocating individuals to particular treatments, and we discuss the promises and pitfalls of the generalized genetical genomics approach.

Comparing Selections of Environmental Variables for Ecological Studies: A Focus on Terrain Attributes.

PubMed

Lecours, Vincent; Brown, Craig J; Devillers, Rodolphe; Lucieer, Vanessa L; Edinger, Evan N

2016-01-01

Selecting appropriate environmental variables is a key step in ecology. Terrain attributes (e.g. slope, rugosity) are routinely used as abiotic surrogates of species distribution and to produce habitat maps that can be used in decision-making for conservation or management. Selecting appropriate terrain attributes for ecological studies may be a challenging process that can lead users to select a subjective, potentially sub-optimal combination of attributes for their applications. The objective of this paper is to assess the impacts of subjectively selecting terrain attributes for ecological applications by comparing the performance of different combinations of terrain attributes in the production of habitat maps and species distribution models. Seven different selections of terrain attributes, alone or in combination with other environmental variables, were used to map benthic habitats of German Bank (off Nova Scotia, Canada). 29 maps of potential habitats based on unsupervised classifications of biophysical characteristics of German Bank were produced, and 29 species distribution models of sea scallops were generated using MaxEnt. The performances of the 58 maps were quantified and compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the various combinations of environmental variables. One of the combinations of terrain attributes-recommended in a related study and that includes a measure of relative position, slope, two measures of orientation, topographic mean and a measure of rugosity-yielded better results than the other selections for both methodologies, confirming that they together best describe terrain properties. Important differences in performance (up to 47% in accuracy measurement) and spatial outputs (up to 58% in spatial distribution of habitats) highlighted the importance of carefully selecting variables for ecological applications. This paper demonstrates that making a subjective choice of variables may reduce map accuracy and produce maps that do not adequately represent habitats and species distributions, thus having important implications when these maps are used for decision-making.

78 FR 52764 - Extension of Public Comment Period Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-26

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Extension of Public Comment Period Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement... California's Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment/Draft Environmental...

EJSCREEN Version 1, EJ Index Alternatives

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This map service displays alternative environmental justice (EJ) indexes used in EJSCREEN. The alternative EJ indexes combine each of the 12 environmental indicators and one of two demographic indexes using different methods than the Primary EJ Index. EJ Index Alternative 1 is a combination of a blockgroup environmental factor, the populaiton of the blockgroup, and the demographic index. This EJ Index measures how much a particular place contributes to the total burden faced by subpopulations highlighted by the demographic index. EJ Index Alternative 2 is a combination of a blockgroup environmental factor and the demographic index. Two options are presented for both EJ Index Alternative 1 and Alternative 2-- they are combined with the primary demographic index and alternative demographic index. EJSCREEN is an environmental justice screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent approach to screening for potential areas of EJ concern that may warrant further investigation. The EJ indexes are block group level results that combine multiple demographic factors with a single environmental variable (such as proximity to traffic) that can be used to help identify communities living with the greatest potential for negative environmental and health effects. The EJSCREEN tool is currently for internal EPA use only. It is anticipated that as users become accustomed to this new tool, individual programs within the Agency will develop program use guidelines a

*Combining regional - and local-scale air quality models with exposure models for use in environmental health studies - Title changed from Linking air quality and exposure models for use in environmental health studies

EPA Science Inventory

Population-based human exposure models predict the distribution of personal exposures to pollutants of outdoor origin using a variety of inputs, including air pollution concentrations; human activity patterns, such as the amount of time spent outdoors versus indoors, commuting, w...

78 FR 54640 - Extension of Public Comment Period Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-05

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Extension of Public Comment Period Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement... Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental Impact...

Environmental Literacy and Attitudes among Malaysian Business Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Corina; Nichol, Esmie Obrin; Janggu, Tamoi; Madi, Nero

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of environmental literacy among business lecturers in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: A survey, which involved a combination of newly developed items and items adopted from past studies, was used to collect data from 35 respondents (out of 70). Findings: The overall mean score for…

How to Promote Conservation Behaviours: The Combined Role of Environmental Education and Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barata, Raquel; Castro, Paula; Martins-Loução, Maria Amélia

2017-01-01

This study tested the influence of both environmental education (EE) and commitment interventions among teenagers for promoting energy and water conservation at home. Conservation behaviours were measured in two ways--directly and through questionnaires--prior to and after the interventions. Results indicate (1) EE participants may have saved more…

Green Net Value Added as a Sustainability Metric Based on Life Cycle Assessment: An Application to Bounty® Paper Towel

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainability measurement in economics involves evaluation of environmental and economic impact in an integrated manner. In this study, system level economic data are combined with environmental impact from a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a common product. We are exploring a co...

Monitoring Animal Behaviour and Environmental Interactions Using Wireless Sensor Networks, GPS Collars and Satellite Remote Sensing

PubMed Central

Handcock, Rebecca N.; Swain, Dave L.; Bishop-Hurley, Greg J.; Patison, Kym P.; Wark, Tim; Valencia, Philip; Corke, Peter; O'Neill, Christopher J.

2009-01-01

Remote monitoring of animal behaviour in the environment can assist in managing both the animal and its environmental impact. GPS collars which record animal locations with high temporal frequency allow researchers to monitor both animal behaviour and interactions with the environment. These ground-based sensors can be combined with remotely-sensed satellite images to understand animal-landscape interactions. The key to combining these technologies is communication methods such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs). We explore this concept using a case-study from an extensive cattle enterprise in northern Australia and demonstrate the potential for combining GPS collars and satellite images in a WSN to monitor behavioural preferences and social behaviour of cattle. PMID:22412327

Combination of microautoradiography and fluorescence in situ hybridization for identification of microorganisms degrading xenobiotic contaminants.

PubMed

Yang, Yanru; Zarda, Annatina; Zeyer, Josef

2003-12-01

One of the central topics in environmental bioremediation research is to identify microorganisms that are capable of degrading the contaminants of interest. Here we report application of combined microautoradiography (MAR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The method has previously been used in a number of systems; however, here we demonstrate its feasibility in studying the degradation of xenobiotic compounds. With a model system (coculture of Pseudomonas putida B2 and Sphingomonas stygia incubated with [14C] o-nitrophenol), combination of MAR and FISH was shown to be able to successfully identify the microorganisms degrading o-nitrophenol. Compared with the conventional techniques, MAR-FISH allows fast and accurate identification of the microorganisms involved in environmental contaminant degradation.

A study of ecological red-line area partitioning in the Chishui River Basin in Guizhou

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S. F.; An, Y. L.

2016-08-01

Maintaining ecosystem balance and realizing the strategic goal of sustainable development are key objectives in the field of environmental sciences. Accordingly, drawing ecological red lines in sensitive and vulnerable environmental areas and important ecological function areas, determining the distribution range of ecological red-line areas, providing scientific guidance for developmental activities, and effectively managing the ecological environment are significant work tasks supported by policy guidance from the State Council and from knowledge gained in educational circles. Taking the Chishui River Basin in Guizhou as the study object, this research selected water and soil loss sensitivity, as well as assessments of karst rocky desertification sensitivity as background assessments of the eco-environment. Furthermore, the functions of soil conservation, water conservation, and biodiversity protection were integrated with exploitation-prohibited areas, and an organic combination of ecological needs and social service functions was created. Spatial comprehensive overlay analysis and processing revealed that the combination marked nine major ecological red-line areas in a total area of 5,030.58 km2, which occupied 44.16% of the total basin area. By combining the current eco-environmental situation of the Chishui River Basin with the marked out red-line areas, this research proposed corresponding ecological red-line area management suggestions. These suggestions are expected to provide a scientific foundation for eco-environmental protection and subsequent scientific research in Chishui River Basin.

GIS and Game Theory for Water Resource Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganjali, N.; Guney, C.

2017-11-01

In this study, aspects of Game theory and its application on water resources management combined with GIS techniques are detailed. First, each term is explained and the advantages and limitations of its aspect is discussed. Then, the nature of combinations between each pair and literature on the previous studies are given. Several cases were investigated and results were magnified in order to conclude with the applicability and combination of GIS- Game Theory- Water Resources Management. It is concluded that the game theory is used relatively in limited studies of water management fields such as cost/benefit allocation among users, water allocation among trans-boundary users in water resources, water quality management, groundwater management, analysis of water policies, fair allocation of water resources development cost and some other narrow fields. Also, Decision-making in environmental projects requires consideration of trade-offs between socio-political, environmental, and economic impacts and is often complicated by various stakeholder views. Most of the literature on water allocation and conflict problems uses traditional optimization models to identify the most efficient scheme while the Game Theory, as an optimization method, combined GIS are beneficial platforms for agent based models to be used in solving Water Resources Management problems in the further studies.

Understanding the relationships between the physical environment and physical activity in older adults: a systematic review of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Moran, Mika; Van Cauwenberg, Jelle; Hercky-Linnewiel, Rachel; Cerin, Ester; Deforche, Benedicte; Plaut, Pnina

2014-07-17

While physical activity (PA) provides many physical, social, and mental health benefits for older adults, they are the least physically active age group. Ecological models highlight the importance of the physical environment in promoting PA. However, results of previous quantitative research revealed inconsistencies in environmental correlates of older adults' PA that may be explained by methodological issues. Qualitative studies can inform and complement quantitative research on environment-PA relationships by providing insight into how and why the environment influences participants' PA behaviors. The current study aimed to provide a systematic review of qualitative studies exploring the potential impact of the physical environment on older adults' PA behaviors. A systematic search was conducted in databases of various disciplines, including: health, architecture and urban planning, transportation, and interdisciplinary databases. From 3,047 articles identified in the physical activity, initial search, 31 articles published from 1996 to 2012 met all inclusion criteria. An inductive content analysis was performed on the extracted findings to identify emerging environmental elements related to older adults' PA. The identified environmental elements were then grouped by study methodologies [indoor interviews (individual or focus groups) vs spatial methods (photo-voice, observations, walk-along interviews)]. This review provides detailed information about environmental factors that potentially influence older adults' PA behaviors. These factors were categorized into five themes: pedestrian infrastructure, safety, access to amenities, aesthetics, and environmental conditions. Environmental factors especially relevant to older adults (i.e., access to facilities, green open spaces and rest areas) tended to emerge more frequently in studies that combined interviews with spatial qualitative methods. Findings showed that qualitative research can provide in-depth information on environmental elements that influence older adults' PA. Future qualitative studies on the physical environment and older adults' PA would benefit from combining interviews with more spatially-oriented methods. Multidisciplinary mixed-methods studies are recommended to establish quantitative relationships complemented with in-depth qualitative information.

Plastic Membrane Sensor from a Disposed Combined Glass Electrode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marafie, Hayat M.; Shoukry, Adel F.; Alshatti, Laila A.

2007-01-01

The construction of combined plastic membrane electrode for hydralazinium cation from a disposed glass electrode is described. A variety of electrodes could be prepared by students using other types of polymers, plasticizers, or exchangers which could also help to study effects of pH and temperature, or environmental investigations.

Gene-environment interplay in the etiology of psychosis.

PubMed

Zwicker, Alyson; Denovan-Wright, Eileen M; Uher, Rudolf

2018-01-15

Schizophrenia and other types of psychosis incur suffering, high health care costs and loss of human potential, due to the combination of early onset and poor response to treatment. Our ability to prevent or cure psychosis depends on knowledge of causal mechanisms. Molecular genetic studies show that thousands of common and rare variants contribute to the genetic risk for psychosis. Epidemiological studies have identified many environmental factors associated with increased risk of psychosis. However, no single genetic or environmental factor is sufficient to cause psychosis on its own. The risk of developing psychosis increases with the accumulation of many genetic risk variants and exposures to multiple adverse environmental factors. Additionally, the impact of environmental exposures likely depends on genetic factors, through gene-environment interactions. Only a few specific gene-environment combinations that lead to increased risk of psychosis have been identified to date. An example of replicable gene-environment interaction is a common polymorphism in the AKT1 gene that makes its carriers sensitive to developing psychosis with regular cannabis use. A synthesis of results from twin studies, molecular genetics, and epidemiological research outlines the many genetic and environmental factors contributing to psychosis. The interplay between these factors needs to be considered to draw a complete picture of etiology. To reach a more complete explanation of psychosis that can inform preventive strategies, future research should focus on longitudinal assessments of multiple environmental exposures within large, genotyped cohorts beginning early in life.

Conjugal Parkinsonism and Parkinson Disease: A Case Series with Environmental Risk Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Sterling, Callen; Racette, Brad A.

2009-01-01

PD occurring in married couples, “conjugal PD” represents a unique opportunity to study environmental risk factors for PD due to the shared environment. This retrospective study of non-related married individuals who both presented to the Washington University Movement Disorders Center between 1994 and 2005 investigated the clinical presentation, therapy response, and disease course in conjugal PD subjects. In addition, an occupational, residential, and environmental survey was administered to elucidate potential shared environmental risk factors. Eighteen married subjects had a clinical picture suggestive of idiopathic Parkinson disease. Average age of motor symptom onset was 66.1 (±6.22) years in women, 63.4 (±7.87) years in men. Subjects cohabitated an average of 39.9 years prior to motor symptom onset in the first affected spouse and an average of nine years elapsed prior to symptom onset in their partner. Disease course in conjugal pairs varied substantially. Seventeen out of eighteen subjects reported at least one environmental exposure of interest. Concordant exposures were residential, non-occupational pesticide and heavy metal exposure, each reported by 77.8% (7/9) of couples. Multiple exposures were reported by 88.9% (16/18) of subjects, most often residential agricultural chemical and heavy metal in combination. This case series of conjugal PD suggests that combined residential exposures may be important in the pathogenesis of idiopathic PD. Larger conjugal PD studies may permit stratification of concordant environmental exposures to determine dose responsiveness and relative contributions to PD risk. PMID:19818671

Environmental pollutants and dysregulation of male puberty--a comparison among species.

PubMed

Magnusson, Ulf; Ljungvall, Karl

2014-04-01

The scientific literature on altered onset of puberty predominantly involves studies on females. This paper reviews current knowledge on the role of environmental pollutants in dysregulation of male puberty in humans, laboratory rodents and farm animals. The methods used to determine the onset of puberty are well developed in humans and farm animals, and standardized across studies in humans. In laboratory rodents standardized external morphological endpoints are used. There is an increasing weight of evidence from epidemiological studies in humans, as well as from experiments in animals, indicating that environmental pollutants dysregulate puberty in males. Most data are from studies on "classical" persistent environmental pollutants. Assessing the effect of multichemical environmental pollution on dysregulation of puberty in humans is more challenging; further solid epidemiological data would likely contribute most to our understanding, especially if combined with systematically collected field-data from selected wildlife. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The environmental literacy of urban middle school teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, Marcia Allen

This dissertation study assessed the environmental literacy of 292 urban, middle school teachers using the Wisconsin Environmental Literacy Survey (WELS). Environmental literacy may be defined in terms of observable behaviors. Specifically, the study examined four dimensions of participants' environmental literacy: (a) attitudes toward the environment, (b) beliefs about their own power and responsibility to affect environmental change, (c) personal behaviors and actions toward the environment, and (d) knowledge regarding ecology and environmental issues. The WELS measures these components of environmental literacy through a Likert-type attitude survey, a self-reporting behavior instrument, and a multiple choice measure of cognitive learning outcomes or environmental knowledge. These scores were combined to derive a total environmental literacy score. In addition, the study explored differences between African American and European American female teachers' environmental literacy; interactions between demographic variables; and patterns of frequently missed questions, environmental attitudes, or environmental behaviors. Differences in teachers' environmental literacy were examined relative to gender, racial/ethnic background, number of preservice environmental courses taken, number of inservice environmental courses taken, years of teaching experience, and subject area taught. Overall, teachers in the present study demonstrated nominal environmental literacy. Significant differences in scores on various subscales were found among teachers according to racial/ethnic background, subject area taught, and years of teaching experience. Taking preservice and inservice environmental courses appears to have a positive impact on environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity, awareness and values, but not appear to impact environmental knowledge. This study underscores the need for further descriptive environmental literacy research on urban, minority, and poor students and their teachers. In addition, future research should focus on further describing aspects of urban teachers' environmental literacy, and teacher preparation in environmental education as a means to increase the environmental literacy of students through their teachers.

Environmental problem solving

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, A.

Human influences create both environmental problems and barriers to effective policy aimed at addressing those problems. In effect, environmental managers manage people as much as they manage the environment. Therefore, they must gain an understanding of the psychological and sociopolitical dimensions of environmental problems that they are attempting to resolve. The author reappraises conventional analyses of environmental problems using lessons from the psychosocial disciplines. The author combines the disciplines of ecology, political sociology and psychology to produce a more adaptive approach to problem-solving that is specifically geared toward the environmental field. Numerous case studies demonstrate the practical application of theorymore » in a way that is useful to technical and scientific professionals as well as to policymakers and planners.« less

Combining accuracy assessment of land-cover maps with environmental monitoring programs

Treesearch

Stephen V. Stehman; Raymond L. Czaplewski; Sarah M. Nusser; Limin Yang; Zhiliang Zhu

2000-01-01

A scientifically valid accuracy assessment of a large-area, land-cover map is expensive. Environmental monitoring programs offer a potential source of data to partially defray the cost of accuracy assessment while still maintaining the statistical validity. In this article, three general strategies for combining accuracy assessment and environmental monitoring...

Harnessing the Environmental Professional Expertise of Engineering Students--The Course: "Environmental Management Systems in the Industry"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Zvi-Assaraf, Orit; Ayal, Nitzan

2010-01-01

More and more technical universities now advocate integrating sustainability in higher education and including it as a strategic goal for improving education's quality and relevance to society. This study examines 30 fourth-year chemical engineering students, graduates of a university course designed to combine their terminological domain with…

Harnessing the Environmental Professional Expertise of Engineering Students—The Course: ``Environmental Management Systems in the Industry''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben-Zvi-Assaraf, Orit; Ayal, Nitzan

2010-12-01

More and more technical universities now advocate integrating sustainability in higher education and including it as a strategic goal for improving education's quality and relevance to society. This study examines 30 fourth-year chemical engineering students, graduates of a university course designed to combine their terminological domain with sustainability-oriented goals, focusing on topics like corporate sustainability, developing environmental policy, introduction to ISO 14001—Environmental Management Systems (EMS), and environmental legislation. The study explores their perception of industrial-environmental issues and asks—How did the study unit influence the students' ability to use their preexisting scientific knowledge, while relating to industrial-environmental issues? Our findings indicate that engineering students can develop industrial-environmental awareness, and make use of interdisciplinary knowledge beyond that strictly related to the realm of engineering. Regarding the research's particular aim—i.e. determining the study unit's influence on students' ability to relate industrial-environmental issues to their own field of engineering—the findings indeed show a change in the students' conceptions of environmental elements related to industry. The course graduates became more attentive to the environmental aspects associated with building and opening a factory, and the concepts they raised in connection with the topic gained in variety.

Toward a Blended Ontology: Applying Knowledge Systems to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Bionanomedicine and environmental research share need common terms and ontologies. This study applied knowledge systems, data mining, and bibliometrics used in nano-scale ADME research from 1991 to 2011. The prominence of nano-ADME in environmental research began to exceed the publication rate in medical research in 2006. That trend appears to continue as a result of the growing products in commerce using nanotechnology, that is, 5-fold growth in number of countries with nanomaterials research centers. Funding for this research virtually did not exist prior to 2002, whereas today both medical and environmental research is funded globally. Key nanoparticle research began with pharmacology and therapeutic drug-delivery and contrasting agents, but the advances have found utility in the environmental research community. As evidence ultrafine aerosols and aquatic colloids research increased 6-fold, indicating a new emphasis on environmental nanotoxicology. User-directed expert elicitation from the engineering and chemical/ADME domains can be combined with appropriate Boolean logic and queries to define the corpus of nanoparticle interest. The study combined pharmacological expertise and informatics to identify the corpus by building logical conclusions and observations. Publication records informatics can lead to an enhanced understanding the connectivity between fields, as well as overcoming the differences in ontology between the fields. The National Exposure Resea

Environmental Exposures, Epigenetic Changes and the Risk of Lupus

PubMed Central

Somers, Emily C; Richardson, Bruce C

2013-01-01

A dose-dependent combination of environmental exposures, estrogenic hormones and genetic predisposition is thought to be required for lupus to develop and flare, but how the environment modifies the immune system in genetically predisposed people is unclear. Current evidence indicates that environmental agents that inhibit DNA methylation can convert normal antigen-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes into autoreactive, cytotoxic, pro-inflammatory cells that are sufficient to cause lupus-like autoimmunity in animal models, and that the same changes in DNA methylation characterize CD4+ T cells from patients with active lupus. Environmental agents implicated in inhibiting T cell DNA methylation include the lupus-inducing drugs procainamide and hydralazine, as well as diet, and agents causing oxidative stress, such as smoking, UV light exposure, and infections, which have been associated with lupus onset or disease activity. Other studies demonstrate that demethylated T cells cause only anti-DNA antibodies in mice lacking a genetic predisposition to lupus, but are sufficient to cause lupus-like autoimmunity in genetically predisposed mice and likely people, and that estrogens augment the disease. Collectively, these studies suggest that environmental agents that inhibit DNA methylation, together with lupus genes and estrogens or endocrine disruptors, combine in a dose-dependent fashion to cause lupus flares. PMID:24763540

Shared environmental influences on personality: A combined twin and adoption approach

PubMed Central

Matteson, Lindsay K.; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G.

2013-01-01

In the past, shared environmental influences on personality traits have been found to be negligible in behavior genetic studies (e.g., Bouchard & McGue, 2003). However, most studies have been based on biometrical modeling of twins only. Failure to meet key assumptions of the classical twin design could lead to biased estimates of shared environmental effects. Alternative approaches to the etiology of personality are needed. In the current study we estimated the impact of shared environmental factors on adolescent personality by simultaneously modeling both twin and adoption data. We found evidence for significant shared environmental influences on Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) Absorption (15% variance explained), Alienation (10%), Harm Avoidance (14%), and Traditionalism (26%) scales. Additionally, we found that in most cases biometrical models constraining parameter estimates to be equal across study type (twins versus adoptees) fit no worse than models allowing these parameters to vary; this suggests that results converge across study design despite the potential (sometimes opposite) biases of twin and adoption studies. Thus, we can be more confident that our findings represent the true contribution of shared environmental variance to personality development. PMID:24065564

In vitro toxicity and interactions of environmental contaminants (Arochlor 1254 and mercury) and immunomodulatory agents (lipopolysaccharide and cortisol) on thymocytes from lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Gregory G.; Sweet, Leonard I.; Adams, Jean V.; Omann, Geneva M.; Passino-Reader, Dora R.; Meier, Peter G.

2002-01-01

The immunotoxicity of chemical combinations commonly encountered by the lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) immune system was the focus of this study. It was hypothesised that combinations of an environmental contaminant (mercuric chloride or Aroclor 1254) and an immunomodulatory agent (bacterial endotoxin or cortisol) might interact to produce a greater toxicity than that of the environmental contaminant alone at concentrations typically encountered in piscine blood and other tissues. Thus lake trout thymocytes were isolated and treated with mercuric chloride or Aroclor 1254 in the presence and absence of cortisol or lipopolysaccharide. Incubations were performed for 6 or 20 h at 4° C or 10° C. Lipopolysaccharide did not affect the toxicity of either contaminant. In contrast, cortisol enhanced the toxicity of both environmental contaminants. Hence, stressors that lead to increased cortisol production, but not lipopolysaccharide directly, may increase the toxicity of mercury and Aroclor 1254 to lake trout thymocytes.

Integrated Assessment Methodologies For Land Use Changes and Flood Plain Restoration As Alternative Flood Protection Strategies In The River Basins of Rhine and Meuse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brouwer, Roy; van Ek, Remco; Bouma, Jetske

Water policy and management decisions become increasingly better informed. Often a large number of studies is carried out before a decision is taken. In the Netherlands, some of these studies, such as environmental impact assessment, are obligatory by law if serious environmental impacts are expected. However, an integrated assessment based on these separate studies is lacking. In this study, an attempt was made to combine and where possible integrate procedures and methods from environmental, social and economic impact assessment. The main objective of the study is to assess, separately and in combination, the ecological, social and economic consequences of land use changes and floodplain restoration as alternative flood protection strategies in the river basins of the rivers Rhine and Meuse in the Netherlands. Based on scenarios of climate change, land subsidence and sea level rise over the next fifty years the associated hy drological changes are translated into the corresponding ecological, economic and social impacts, using a combination of expert judgement and advanced modelling techniques. These impacts are assessed and evaluated with the help of integrated assessment methods such as cost-benefit and multi-criteria analysis in order to support decision-making towards the implementation of new policy regarding flood protection. The outcome of the integrated assessment is related to other water policy objectives, including restoration of the resilience of water systems and nature conservation.

On Improving the Quality and Interpretation of Environmental Assessments using Statistical Analysis and Geographic Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karuppiah, R.; Faldi, A.; Laurenzi, I.; Usadi, A.; Venkatesh, A.

2014-12-01

An increasing number of studies are focused on assessing the environmental footprint of different products and processes, especially using life cycle assessment (LCA). This work shows how combining statistical methods and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with environmental analyses can help improve the quality of results and their interpretation. Most environmental assessments in literature yield single numbers that characterize the environmental impact of a process/product - typically global or country averages, often unchanging in time. In this work, we show how statistical analysis and GIS can help address these limitations. For example, we demonstrate a method to separately quantify uncertainty and variability in the result of LCA models using a power generation case study. This is important for rigorous comparisons between the impacts of different processes. Another challenge is lack of data that can affect the rigor of LCAs. We have developed an approach to estimate environmental impacts of incompletely characterized processes using predictive statistical models. This method is applied to estimate unreported coal power plant emissions in several world regions. There is also a general lack of spatio-temporal characterization of the results in environmental analyses. For instance, studies that focus on water usage do not put in context where and when water is withdrawn. Through the use of hydrological modeling combined with GIS, we quantify water stress on a regional and seasonal basis to understand water supply and demand risks for multiple users. Another example where it is important to consider regional dependency of impacts is when characterizing how agricultural land occupation affects biodiversity in a region. We developed a data-driven methodology used in conjuction with GIS to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the impacts of growing different crops on different species in various biomes of the world.

Insights into Deep-Sea Sediment Fungal Communities from the East Indian Ocean Using Targeted Environmental Sequencing Combined with Traditional Cultivation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-yong; Tang, Gui-ling; Xu, Xin-ya; Nong, Xu-hua; Qi, Shu-Hua

2014-01-01

The fungal diversity in deep-sea environments has recently gained an increasing amount attention. Our knowledge and understanding of the true fungal diversity and the role it plays in deep-sea environments, however, is still limited. We investigated the fungal community structure in five sediments from a depth of ∼4000 m in the East India Ocean using a combination of targeted environmental sequencing and traditional cultivation. This approach resulted in the recovery of a total of 45 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 20 culturable fungal phylotypes. This finding indicates that there is a great amount of fungal diversity in the deep-sea sediments collected in the East Indian Ocean. Three fungal OTUs and one culturable phylotype demonstrated high divergence (89%–97%) from the existing sequences in the GenBank. Moreover, 44.4% fungal OTUs and 30% culturable fungal phylotypes are new reports for deep-sea sediments. These results suggest that the deep-sea sediments from the East India Ocean can serve as habitats for new fungal communities compared with other deep-sea environments. In addition, different fungal community could be detected when using targeted environmental sequencing compared with traditional cultivation in this study, which suggests that a combination of targeted environmental sequencing and traditional cultivation will generate a more diverse fungal community in deep-sea environments than using either targeted environmental sequencing or traditional cultivation alone. This study is the first to report new insights into the fungal communities in deep-sea sediments from the East Indian Ocean, which increases our knowledge and understanding of the fungal diversity in deep-sea environments. PMID:25272044

Test and Analysis Capabilities of the Space Environment Effects Team at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finckenor, M. M.; Edwards, D. L.; Vaughn, J. A.; Schneider, T. A.; Hovater, M. A.; Hoppe, D. T.

2002-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed world-class space environmental effects testing facilities to simulate the space environment. The combined environmental effects test system exposes temperature-controlled samples to simultaneous protons, high- and low-energy electrons, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation, and near-ultraviolet (NUV) radiation. Separate chambers for studying the effects of NUV and VUV at elevated temperatures are also available. The Atomic Oxygen Beam Facility exposes samples to atomic oxygen of 5 eV energy to simulate low-Earth orbit (LEO). The LEO space plasma simulators are used to study current collection to biased spacecraft surfaces, arcing from insulators and electrical conductivity of materials. Plasma propulsion techniques are analyzed using the Marshall magnetic mirror system. The micro light gas gun simulates micrometeoroid and space debris impacts. Candidate materials and hardware for spacecraft can be evaluated for durability in the space environment with a variety of analytical techniques. Mass, solar absorptance, infrared emittance, transmission, reflectance, bidirectional reflectance distribution function, and surface morphology characterization can be performed. The data from the space environmental effects testing facilities, combined with analytical results from flight experiments, enable the Environmental Effects Group to determine optimum materials for use on spacecraft.

Environmental management and firm performance: a case study.

PubMed

Claver, Enrique; López, María D; Molina, José F; Tarí, Juan J

2007-09-01

This study has as its aim to help to clarify the relationship between environmental management and economic performance by integrating it into a wider framework that includes the relationship between environmental strategy and firm performance, the latter being understood as the combination of environmental performance, competitive advantage and economic performance. A case study of the COATO farming cooperative showed us that its environmental management, focused on prevention logic, has had a positive net effect on its environmental performance. Besides, the order in which these practices were adopted favoured the development of new organisational capabilities that have contributed to the appearance of advantages derived from the greater accumulated experience of employees in creating new projects that are designed to reduce residues and pollution. COATO has also obtained a competitive advantage in differentiation thanks to an improved brand image and to its increased credibility in business relationships. Finally, a positive correlation exists between the pioneering proactive strategy adopted by this cooperative and the improvement of its firm performance with respect to the other firms in its sector.

A Study of the Combined Use of a Hearing Aid and Tactual Aid in an Adult with Profound Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Charlotte M.; Delhorne, Lorraine A.

2006-01-01

This study examined the benefits of the combined used of a hearing aid and tactual aid to supplement lip-reading in the reception of speech and for the recognition of environmental sounds in an adult with profound hearing loss. Speech conditions included lip-reading alone (L), lip-reading + tactual aid (L+TA) lip-reading + hearing aid (L+HA) and…

Gene-environment studies: any advantage over environmental studies?

PubMed

Bermejo, Justo Lorenzo; Hemminki, Kari

2007-07-01

Gene-environment studies have been motivated by the likely existence of prevalent low-risk genes that interact with common environmental exposures. The present study assessed the statistical advantage of the simultaneous consideration of genes and environment to investigate the effect of environmental risk factors on disease. In particular, we contemplated the possibility that several genes modulate the environmental effect. Environmental exposures, genotypes and phenotypes were simulated according to a wide range of parameter settings. Different models of gene-gene-environment interaction were considered. For each parameter combination, we estimated the probability of detecting the main environmental effect, the power to identify the gene-environment interaction and the frequency of environmentally affected individuals at which environmental and gene-environment studies show the same statistical power. The proportion of cases in the population attributable to the modeled risk factors was also calculated. Our data indicate that environmental exposures with weak effects may account for a significant proportion of the population prevalence of the disease. A general result was that, if the environmental effect was restricted to rare genotypes, the power to detect the gene-environment interaction was higher than the power to identify the main environmental effect. In other words, when few individuals contribute to the overall environmental effect, individual contributions are large and result in easily identifiable gene-environment interactions. Moreover, when multiple genes interacted with the environment, the statistical benefit of gene-environment studies was limited to those studies that included major contributors to the gene-environment interaction. The advantage of gene-environment over plain environmental studies also depends on the inheritance mode of the involved genes, on the study design and, to some extend, on the disease prevalence.

Effects of environmental enrichment and paradoxical sleep deprivation on open-field behavior of amphetamine-treated mice.

PubMed

Fukushiro, Daniela Fukue; Calzavara, Mariana Bendlin; Trombin, Thaís Fernanda; Lopez, Giorgia Batlle; Abílio, Vanessa Costhek; Andersen, Monica Levy; Tufik, Sergio; Frussa-Filho, Roberto

2007-11-23

Environmental enrichment or paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) has been shown to modify some responses elicited by drugs of abuse. The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of environmental enrichment and PSD, conducted separately or in association, on open-field behavior elicited by amphetamine (AMP) in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to live in either an enriched environmental condition (EC) or a standard environmental condition (SC) for 12 months since weaning. Some of the EC and SC mice were sleep deprived for 48 h, while others were maintained in their home-cages. Immediately after PSD or home-cage stay, the animals received an ip injection of saline, 2.5 mg/kg AMP or 5.0 mg/kg AMP. Fifteen minutes later, their open-field behavior was quantified. Whereas PSD enhanced total and peripheral locomotor activity of acutely AMP-treated mice, environmental enrichment presented only a trend toward enhancement. When PSD and environmental enrichment were combined, an increase in the total and peripheral locomotion frequencies of AMP-treated animals, similar to that observed after PSD, was revealed. In addition, PSD, environmental enrichment or their combination did not modify the effects of AMP on the other open-field behavioral parameters that were analyzed. The present findings demonstrate that some (but not all) of the behavioral effects caused by AMP acute administration can be similarly and specifically enhanced by both environmental enrichment and PSD in C57BL/6 mice.

Reliability testing across the Environmental Quality Index and national environmental indices.

EPA Science Inventory

One challenge in environmental epidemiology is the exploration of cumulative environmental exposure across multiple domains (e.g. air, water, land). The Environmental Quality Index (EQI), created by the U.S. EPA, uses principle component analyses combining environmental domains (...

Geothermal environmental studies, Heber Region, Imperial Valley, California. Environmental baseline data acquisition. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-02-01

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has been studying the feasibility of a Low Salinity Hydrothermal Demonstration Plant as part of its Geothermal Energy Program. The Heber area of the Imperial Valley was selected as one of the candidate geothermal reservoirs. Documentation of the environmental conditions presently existing in the Heber area is required for assessment of environmental impacts of future development. An environmental baseline data acquisition program to compile available data on the environment of the Heber area is reported. The program included a review of pertinent existing literature, interviews with academic, governmental and private entities, combined with fieldmore » investigations and meteorological monitoring to collect primary data. Results of the data acquisition program are compiled in terms of three elements: the physical, the biological and socioeconomic settings.« less

Sustainability knowledge using “AKASA” model among architecture students from Klang Valley private universities, Malaysia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuppusamy, Sivaraman; Faris Khamidi, Mohd; Sheng, Lee Xia; Salvi Mari, Tamil

2017-12-01

The study intend to investigate sustainability knowledge using “AKASA” model. This model comprises all the literacy level which is the awareness, knowledge, attitude, skills and action. 234 students from 5 selected private universities were surveyed using questionnaires. Students were specifically selected from year 2 and year 3 from private universities in Klang valley, Malaysia. The study intends to investigate the environmental literacy level specifically the knowledge variable. The parametric study was conducted with descriptive analysis and the results shows that the environmental knowledge is at high level compared to other environmental literacy variables among year 2, year 3 and combine year 2 and year 3.

Conceptual design study of a coal gasification combined-cycle powerplant for industrial cogeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloomfield, H. S.; Nelson, S. G.; Straight, H. F.; Subramaniam, T. K.; Winklepleck, R. G.

1981-03-01

A conceptual design study was conducted to assess technical feasibility, environmental characteristics, and economics of coal gasification. The feasibility of a coal gasification combined cycle cogeneration powerplant was examined in response to energy needs and to national policy aimed at decreasing dependence on oil and natural gas. The powerplant provides the steam heating and baseload electrical requirements while serving as a prototype for industrial cogeneration and a modular building block for utility applications. The following topics are discussed: (1) screening of candidate gasification, sulfur removal and power conversion components; (2) definition of a reference system; (3) quantification of plant emissions and waste streams; (4) estimates of capital and operating costs; and (5) a procurement and construction schedule. It is concluded that the proposed powerplant is technically feasible and environmentally superior.

Conceptual design study of a coal gasification combined-cycle powerplant for industrial cogeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.; Nelson, S. G.; Straight, H. F.; Subramaniam, T. K.; Winklepleck, R. G.

1981-01-01

A conceptual design study was conducted to assess technical feasibility, environmental characteristics, and economics of coal gasification. The feasibility of a coal gasification combined cycle cogeneration powerplant was examined in response to energy needs and to national policy aimed at decreasing dependence on oil and natural gas. The powerplant provides the steam heating and baseload electrical requirements while serving as a prototype for industrial cogeneration and a modular building block for utility applications. The following topics are discussed: (1) screening of candidate gasification, sulfur removal and power conversion components; (2) definition of a reference system; (3) quantification of plant emissions and waste streams; (4) estimates of capital and operating costs; and (5) a procurement and construction schedule. It is concluded that the proposed powerplant is technically feasible and environmentally superior.

County‐level cumulative environmental quality associated with cancer incidence

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Cancer risk is affected by a combination of behavioral, genetic, and environmental factors. Individual environmental exposures have been associated with cancer development; however, a variety of environmental exposures may occur simultaneously. The Environmental Quali...

Identifying localized and scale-specific multivariate controls of soil organic matter variations using multiple wavelet coherence.

PubMed

Zhao, Ruiying; Biswas, Asim; Zhou, Yin; Zhou, Yue; Shi, Zhou; Li, Hongyi

2018-06-23

Environmental factors have shown localized and scale-dependent controls over soil organic matter (SOM) distribution in the landscape. Previous studies have explored the relationships between SOM and individual controlling factors; however, few studies have indicated the combined control from multiple environmental factors. In this study, we compared the localized and scale-dependent univariate and multivariate controls of SOM along two long transects (northeast, NE transect and north, N transect) from China. Bivariate wavelet coherence (BWC) between SOM and individual factors and multiple wavelet coherence (MWC) between SOM and factor combinations were calculated. Average wavelet coherence (AWC) and percent area of significant coherence (PASC) were used to assess the relative dominance of individual and a combination of factors to explain SOM variations at different scales and locations. The results showed that (in BWC analysis) mean annual temperature (MAT) with the largest AWC (0.39) and PASC (16.23%) was the dominant factor in explaining SOM variations along the NE transect. The topographic wetness index (TWI) was the dominant factor (AWC = 0.39 and PASC = 20.80%) along the N transect. MWC identified the combination of Slope, net primary production (NPP) and mean annual precipitation (MAP) as the most important combination in explaining SOM variations along the NE transect with a significant increase in AWC and PASC at different scales and locations (e.g. AWC = 0.91 and PASC = 58.03% at all scales). The combination of TWI, NPP and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the most influential along the N transect (AWC = 0.83 and PASC = 32.68% at all scales). The results indicated that the combined controls of environmental factors on SOM variations at different scales and locations in a large area can be identified by MWC. This is promising for a better understanding of the multivariate controls in SOM variations at larger spatial scales and may improve the capability of digital soil mapping. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Landscape genomics in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): searching for gene-environment interactions driving local adaptation.

PubMed

Vincent, Bourret; Dionne, Mélanie; Kent, Matthew P; Lien, Sigbjørn; Bernatchez, Louis

2013-12-01

A growing number of studies are examining the factors driving historical and contemporary evolution in wild populations. By combining surveys of genomic variation with a comprehensive assessment of environmental parameters, such studies can increase our understanding of the genomic and geographical extent of local adaptation in wild populations. We used a large-scale landscape genomics approach to examine adaptive and neutral differentiation across 54 North American populations of Atlantic salmon representing seven previously defined genetically distinct regional groups. Over 5500 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in 641 individuals and 28 bulk assays of 25 pooled individuals each. Genome scans, linkage map, and 49 environmental variables were combined to conduct an innovative landscape genomic analysis. Our results provide valuable insight into the links between environmental variation and both neutral and potentially adaptive genetic divergence. In particular, we identified markers potentially under divergent selection, as well as associated selective environmental factors and biological functions with the observed adaptive divergence. Multivariate landscape genetic analysis revealed strong associations of both genetic and environmental structures. We found an enrichment of growth-related functions among outlier markers. Climate (temperature-precipitation) and geological characteristics were significantly associated with both potentially adaptive and neutral genetic divergence and should be considered as candidate loci involved in adaptation at the regional scale in Atlantic salmon. Hence, this study significantly contributes to the improvement of tools used in modern conservation and management schemes of Atlantic salmon wild populations. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Post-Earthquake Assessment of Nevada Bridges Using ShakeMap/ShakeCast

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

Post-earthquake capacity of Nevada highway bridges is examined through a combination of engineering study and scenario earthquake evaluation. The study was undertaken by the University of Nevada Reno Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering ...

Qualitative methods in environmental health research.

PubMed Central

Brown, Phil

2003-01-01

Public health researchers increasingly turn to qualitative methods either on their own or in combination with quantitative methods. Qualitative methods are especially important to community environmental health research, as they provide a way to produce community narratives that give voice to individuals and characterize the community in a full and complex fashion. This article first traces the legacy of qualitative research in environmental health, then uses a case study of the author's experiences studying the Woburn, Massachusetts, childhood leukemia cluster to provide personal and scholarly insights on qualitative approaches. That material then informs a discussion of important components of qualitative methods in environmental health research, including flexible study design, access, trust, empathy, and personal shifts in the researcher's worldview, bias, and the nature of the researcher's roles. A concluding discussion addresses issues in funding policy and research practices. PMID:14594634

Multiple mechanisms influencing the relationship between alcohol consumption and peer alcohol use.

PubMed

Edwards, Alexis C; Maes, Hermine H; Prescott, Carol A; Kendler, Kenneth S

2015-02-01

Alcohol consumption is typically correlated with the alcohol use behaviors of one's peers. Previous research has suggested that this positive relationship could be due to social selection, social influence, or a combination of both processes. However, few studies have considered the role of shared genetic and environmental influences in conjunction with causal processes. This study uses data from a sample of male twins (N = 1,790) who provided retrospective reports of their own alcohol consumption and their peers' alcohol-related behaviors, from adolescence into young adulthood (ages 12 to 25). Structural equation modeling was employed to compare 3 plausible models of genetic and environmental influences on the relationship between phenotypes over time. Model fitting indicated that one's own alcohol consumption and the alcohol use of one's peers are related through both genetic and shared environmental factors and through unique environmental causal influences. The relative magnitude of these factors, and their contribution to covariation, changed over time, with genetic factors becoming more meaningful later in development. Peers' alcohol use behaviors and one's own alcohol consumption are related through a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors that act via correlated factors and the complementary causal mechanisms of social selection and influence. Understanding these processes can inform risk assessment as well as improve our ability to model the development of alcohol use. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Multiple mechanisms influencing the relationship between alcohol consumption and peer alcohol use

PubMed Central

Edwards, Alexis C.; Maesr, Hermine H.; Prescott, Carol A.; Kendler, Kenneth S.

2014-01-01

Background Alcohol consumption is typically correlated with the alcohol use behaviors of one’s peers. Previous research has suggested that this positive relationship could be due to social selection, social influence, or a combination of both processes. However, few studies have considered the role of shared genetic and environmental influences in conjunction with causal processes. Methods The current study uses data from a sample of male twins (N=1790) who provided retrospective reports of their own alcohol consumption and their peers’ alcohol related behaviors, from adolescence into young adulthood (ages 12–25). Structural equation modeling was employed to compare three plausible models of genetic and environmental influences on the relationship between phenotypes over time. Results Model fitting indicated that one’s own alcohol consumption and the alcohol use of one’s peers are related through both genetic and shared environmental factors and through unique environmental causal influences. The relative magnitude of these factors, and their contribution to covariation, changed over time, with genetic factors becoming more meaningful later in development. Conclusions Peers’ alcohol use behaviors and one’s own alcohol consumption are related through a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors that act via correlated factors and the complementary causal mechanisms of social selection and influence. Understanding these processes can inform risk assessment as well as improve our ability to model the development of alcohol use. PMID:25597346

Effective Reuse of Electroplating Rinse Wastewater by Combining PAC with H2O2/UV Process.

PubMed

Yen, Hsing Yuan; Kang, Shyh-Fang; Lin, Chen Pei

2015-04-01

This study evaluated the performance of treating electroplating rinse wastewater by powder activated carbon (PAC) adsorption, H2O2/UV oxidation, and their combination to remove organic compounds and heavy metals. The results showed that neither the process of PAC adsorption nor H2O2/UV oxidation could reduce COD to 100 mg/L, as enforced by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency. On the other hand, the water sample treated by the combined approach of using PAC (5 g/L) pre-adsorption and H2O2/UV post-oxidation (UV of 64 W, H2O2 of 100 mg/L, oxidation time of 90 min), COD and DOC were reduced to 8.2 mg/L and 3.8 mg/L, respectively. Also, the combined approach reduced heavy metals to meet the effluent standards and to satisfy the in-house water reuse criteria for the electroplating factory. The reaction constant analysis indicated that the reaction proceeded much more rapidly for the combined process. Hence, it is a more efficient, economic and environmentally friendly process.

The Need for an Ecological Approach to Parental Stress in Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Combined Role of Individual and Environmental Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derguy, C.; M'Bailara, K.; Michel, G.; Roux, S.; Bouvard, M.

2016-01-01

This study aimed to identify parental stress predictors in ASD by considering individual and environmental factors in an ecological approach. Participants were 115 parents of children with ASD aged from 3 to 10 years. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the best predictors of parental stress among child-related, parent-related…

Environmental modulation of microcystin and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine as a function of nitrogen availability.

PubMed

Scott, L L; Downing, S; Phelan, R R; Downing, T G

2014-09-01

The most significant modulators of the cyanotoxins microcystin and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine in laboratory cyanobacterial cultures are the concentration of growth-medium combined nitrogen and nitrogen uptake rate. The lack of field studies that support these observations led us to investigate the cellular content of these cyanotoxins in cyanobacterial bloom material isolated from a freshwater impoundment and to compare these to the combined nitrogen availability. We established that these toxins typically occur in an inverse relationship in nature and that their presence is mainly dependent on the environmental combined nitrogen concentration, with cellular microcystin present at exogenous combined nitrogen concentrations of 29 μM and higher and cellular BMAA correlating negatively with exogenous nitrogen at concentrations below 40 μM. Furthermore, opposing nutrient and light gradients that form in dense cyanobacterial blooms may result in both microcystin and BMAA being present at a single sampling site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the combined effects of lanthanum and acid rain, and their mechanisms, on nitrate reductase transcription in plants.

PubMed

Xia, Binxin; Sun, Zhaoguo; Wang, Lihong; Zhou, Qing; Huang, Xiaohua

2017-04-01

Rare earth element (REE) pollution and acid rain are major global environmental concerns, and their spatial distributions overlap. Thus, both forms of pollution combine to act on plants. Nitrogen is important for plant growth, and nitrate reductase (NR) is a key plant enzyme that catalyzes nitrogen assimilation. Studying the combined effects of REEs and acid rain on plant nitrogen-based nutrients has important environmental significance. Here, soybean (Glycine max) plants, commonly used for toxicological studies, were exposed to lanthanum (La), a REE, and acid rain to study the NR activities and NR transcriptional levels in the roots. To explain how the pollution affected the NR transcriptional level, we simultaneously observed the contents of intracellular La and nutrient elements, protoplast morphology, membrane lipid peroxidation and intracellular pH. A combined treatment of 0.08mmol/L La and pH 4.5 acid rain increased the NR activity, decreased the NR transcriptional level, increased the intracellular nutrient elements' contents and caused deformations in membrane structures. Other combined treatments significantly decreased the aforementioned parameters and caused serious damage to the membrane structures. The variation in the amplitudes of combined treatments was greater than those of individual treatments. Compared with the control and individual treatments, combined treatments increased membrane permeability, the malondialdehyde content, and intracellular H + and La contents, and with an increasing La concentration or acid strength, the change in amplitude increased. Thus, the combined effects on NR gene transcription in soybean seedling roots were related to the intracellular nutrient elements' contents, protoplast morphology, membranous lipid peroxidation, intracellular pH and La content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental impact efficiency of natural gas combined cycle power plants: A combined life cycle assessment and dynamic data envelopment analysis approach.

PubMed

Martín-Gamboa, Mario; Iribarren, Diego; Dufour, Javier

2018-02-15

The energy sector is still dominated by the use of fossil resources. In particular, natural gas represents the third most consumed resource, being a significant source of electricity in many countries. Since electricity production in natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants provides some benefits with respect to other non-renewable technologies, it is often seen as a transitional solution towards a future low‑carbon power generation system. However, given the environmental profile and operational variability of NGCC power plants, their eco-efficiency assessment is required. In this respect, this article uses a novel combined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach in order to estimate -over the period 2010-2015- the environmental impact efficiencies of 20 NGCC power plants located in Spain. A three-step LCA+DEA method is applied, which involves data acquisition, calculation of environmental impacts through LCA, and the novel estimation of environmental impact efficiency (overall- and term-efficiency scores) through dynamic DEA. Although only 1 out of 20 NGCC power plants is found to be environmentally efficient, all plants show a relatively good environmental performance with overall eco-efficiency scores above 60%. Regarding individual periods, 2011 was -on average- the year with the highest environmental impact efficiency (95%), accounting for 5 efficient NGCC plants. In this respect, a link between high number of operating hours and high environmental impact efficiency is observed. Finally, preliminary environmental benchmarks are presented as an additional outcome in order to further support decision-makers in the path towards eco-efficiency in NGCC power plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-angle Indicators System of Non-point Pollution Source Assessment in Rural Areas: A Case Study Near Taihu Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lei; Ban, Jie; Han, Yu Ting; Yang, Jie; Bi, Jun

2013-04-01

This study aims to identify key environmental risk sources contributing to water eutrophication and to suggest certain risk management strategies for rural areas. The multi-angle indicators included in the risk source assessment system were non-point source pollution, deficient waste treatment, and public awareness of environmental risk, which combined psychometric paradigm methods, the contingent valuation method, and personal interviews to describe the environmental sensitivity of local residents. Total risk values of different villages near Taihu Lake were calculated in the case study, which resulted in a geographic risk map showing which village was the critical risk source of Taihu eutrophication. The increased application of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), loss vulnerability of pollutant, and a lack of environmental risk awareness led to more serious non-point pollution, especially in rural China. Interesting results revealed by the quotient between the scores of objective risk sources and subjective risk sources showed what should be improved for each study village. More environmental investments, control of agricultural activities, and promotion of environmental education are critical considerations for rural environmental management. These findings are helpful for developing targeted and effective risk management strategies in rural areas.

The Insignificance of Thresholds in Environmental Impact Assessment: An Illustrative Case Study in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Cathryn Clarke; Wong, Janson; Singh, Gerald G.; Mach, Megan; Lerner, Jackie; Ranieri, Bernardo; Peterson St-Laurent, Guillaume; Guimaraes, Alice; Chan, Kai M. A.

2018-06-01

Environmental assessment is the process that decision-makers rely on to predict, evaluate, and prevent biophysical, social, and economic impacts of potential project developments. The determination of significance in environmental assessment is central to environmental management in many nations. We reviewed ten recent environmental impact assessments from British Columbia, Canada and systematically reviewed and scored significance determination and the approaches used by assessors, the use of thresholds in significance determination, threshold exceedances, and the outcomes. Findings of significant impacts were exceedingly rare and practitioners used a combination of significance determination approaches, most commonly relying upon reasoned argumentation. Quantitative thresholds were rarely employed, with less than 10% of the valued components evaluated using thresholds. Even where quantitative thresholds for significance were exceeded, in every case practitioners used a variety of rationales to demote negative impacts to non-significance. These reasons include combinations of scale (temporal and spatial) of impacts, an already exceeded baseline, model uncertainty and/or substituting less stringent thresholds. Governments and agencies can better protect resources by requiring clear and defensible significance determinations, by making government-defined thresholds legally enforceable and accountable, and by requiring or encouraging significance determination through inclusive and collaborative approaches.

Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray (External Review Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

This draft document presents a case study of engineered nanoscale silver (nano-Ag), focusing on the specific example of nano-Ag as possibly used in disinfectant sprays. This case study is organized around a comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) framework, which combines a ...

Archeological/Environmental Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Landsat/Seasat remote sensing was used by Ames Research Center to evaluate environmental influence on ancient Mayan civilization. Over 35 archeological sites were imaged and valuable information concerning Maya settlement patterns, environment, and resource usage resulted. The imagery was also used by Mexican authorities to develop coastal management plans, establish Biosphere Reserves and assess damage from the 1988 Hurricane Gilbert. Imagery showed evidence of ancient coastlines, changes in sea level, an ancient river plain and Mayan canal systems. Previously unknown Mayan reservoirs were discovered. The project is considered a pioneering effort combining remote sensing, environmental studies and archeology.

Performance of Environmental Resources of a Tourist Destination

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Despite the apparent importance of destinations’ environmental resources, there appears to be little theoretical and applied research explicitly focusing on destination environmental supply. This research attempts to address this gap in the literature. First, it reviews and evaluates the body of research in tourism environmental resources and proposes a conceptual model to test their performance. The model combines tourism supply–demand view with importance–performance gaps and was used to survey tourism in Slovenia. The results show that the studied destination uses its environmental resources too extensively and that Slovenian environmental tourism experience does not meet visitors’ expectations. This finding challenges Slovenian policy makers, who position Slovenia as a green destination. The proposed model can form the basis for further conceptual and empirical research into the tourism contributions of environmental resources. In its present form, it can be used to examine environmental performance and to suggest policy implications for any destination. PMID:29901033

Space station environmental control and life support systems conceptual studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphries, W. R.; Powell, L. E.

1985-01-01

It is pointed out that the establishment of a permanent manned Space Station requires the development of a comprehensive approach which combines new technologies and existing spacecraft subsystem capabilities into an optimum design. The present paper is concerned with studies which were conducted in connection with the development of the regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) for the Space Station. Attention is given to the current state of the ECLSS subsystems and system level analytical selection and group studies related to the integrated system conceptual design.

Predictive accuracy of combined genetic and environmental risk scores.

PubMed

Dudbridge, Frank; Pashayan, Nora; Yang, Jian

2018-02-01

The substantial heritability of most complex diseases suggests that genetic data could provide useful risk prediction. To date the performance of genetic risk scores has fallen short of the potential implied by heritability, but this can be explained by insufficient sample sizes for estimating highly polygenic models. When risk predictors already exist based on environment or lifestyle, two key questions are to what extent can they be improved by adding genetic information, and what is the ultimate potential of combined genetic and environmental risk scores? Here, we extend previous work on the predictive accuracy of polygenic scores to allow for an environmental score that may be correlated with the polygenic score, for example when the environmental factors mediate the genetic risk. We derive common measures of predictive accuracy and improvement as functions of the training sample size, chip heritabilities of disease and environmental score, and genetic correlation between disease and environmental risk factors. We consider simple addition of the two scores and a weighted sum that accounts for their correlation. Using examples from studies of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, we show that improvements in discrimination are generally small but reasonable degrees of reclassification could be obtained with current sample sizes. Correlation between genetic and environmental scores has only minor effects on numerical results in realistic scenarios. In the longer term, as the accuracy of polygenic scores improves they will come to dominate the predictive accuracy compared to environmental scores. © 2017 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Predictive accuracy of combined genetic and environmental risk scores

PubMed Central

Pashayan, Nora; Yang, Jian

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The substantial heritability of most complex diseases suggests that genetic data could provide useful risk prediction. To date the performance of genetic risk scores has fallen short of the potential implied by heritability, but this can be explained by insufficient sample sizes for estimating highly polygenic models. When risk predictors already exist based on environment or lifestyle, two key questions are to what extent can they be improved by adding genetic information, and what is the ultimate potential of combined genetic and environmental risk scores? Here, we extend previous work on the predictive accuracy of polygenic scores to allow for an environmental score that may be correlated with the polygenic score, for example when the environmental factors mediate the genetic risk. We derive common measures of predictive accuracy and improvement as functions of the training sample size, chip heritabilities of disease and environmental score, and genetic correlation between disease and environmental risk factors. We consider simple addition of the two scores and a weighted sum that accounts for their correlation. Using examples from studies of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, we show that improvements in discrimination are generally small but reasonable degrees of reclassification could be obtained with current sample sizes. Correlation between genetic and environmental scores has only minor effects on numerical results in realistic scenarios. In the longer term, as the accuracy of polygenic scores improves they will come to dominate the predictive accuracy compared to environmental scores. PMID:29178508

An epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis of educational attainment.

PubMed

Karlsson Linnér, R; Marioni, R E; Rietveld, C A; Simpkin, A J; Davies, N M; Watanabe, K; Armstrong, N J; Auro, K; Baumbach, C; Bonder, M J; Buchwald, J; Fiorito, G; Ismail, K; Iurato, S; Joensuu, A; Karell, P; Kasela, S; Lahti, J; McRae, A F; Mandaviya, P R; Seppälä, I; Wang, Y; Baglietto, L; Binder, E B; Harris, S E; Hodge, A M; Horvath, S; Hurme, M; Johannesson, M; Latvala, A; Mather, K A; Medland, S E; Metspalu, A; Milani, L; Milne, R L; Pattie, A; Pedersen, N L; Peters, A; Polidoro, S; Räikkönen, K; Severi, G; Starr, J M; Stolk, L; Waldenberger, M; Eriksson, J G; Esko, T; Franke, L; Gieger, C; Giles, G G; Hägg, S; Jousilahti, P; Kaprio, J; Kähönen, M; Lehtimäki, T; Martin, N G; van Meurs, J B C; Ollikainen, M; Perola, M; Posthuma, D; Raitakari, O T; Sachdev, P S; Taskesen, E; Uitterlinden, A G; Vineis, P; Wijmenga, C; Wright, M J; Relton, C; Davey Smith, G; Deary, I J; Koellinger, P D; Benjamin, D J

2017-12-01

The epigenome is associated with biological factors, such as disease status, and environmental factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption and body mass index. Although there is a widespread perception that environmental influences on the epigenome are pervasive and profound, there has been little evidence to date in humans with respect to environmental factors that are biologically distal. Here we provide evidence on the associations between epigenetic modifications-in our case, CpG methylation-and educational attainment (EA), a biologically distal environmental factor that is arguably among the most important life-shaping experiences for individuals. Specifically, we report the results of an epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis of EA based on data from 27 cohort studies with a total of 10 767 individuals. We find nine CpG probes significantly associated with EA. However, robustness analyses show that all nine probes have previously been found to be associated with smoking. Only two associations remain when we perform a sensitivity analysis in the subset of never-smokers, and these two probes are known to be strongly associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy, and thus their association with EA could be due to correlation between EA and maternal smoking. Moreover, the effect sizes of the associations with EA are far smaller than the known associations with the biologically proximal environmental factors alcohol consumption, body mass index, smoking and maternal smoking during pregnancy. Follow-up analyses that combine the effects of many probes also point to small methylation associations with EA that are highly correlated with the combined effects of smoking. If our findings regarding EA can be generalized to other biologically distal environmental factors, then they cast doubt on the hypothesis that such factors have large effects on the epigenome.

Environmental benefit analysis of strategies for potable water savings in residential buildings.

PubMed

Marinoski, Ana Kelly; Rupp, Ricardo Forgiarini; Ghisi, Enedir

2018-01-15

The objective of this study is to assess the environmental benefit of using rainwater, greywater, water-efficient appliances and their combinations in low-income houses. The study was conducted surveying twenty households located in southern Brazil, which resulted in water end-uses estimation. Then, embodied energy, potential for potable water savings and sewage reduction when using the different strategies were estimated. The environmental benefit analysis of these strategies was performed using an indicator that includes embodied energy, potable water savings, reduction of sewage and energy consumption in the water utility, and sewage production during the life cycle of the system. The results indicated that the strategy with the greatest environmental benefit is the use of water-efficient appliances, which resulted in substantial water savings and reduction of sewage, causing low environmental impact due to lower embodied energy over the life cycle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sun protection training based on a theater play for preschoolers: an effective method for imparting knowledge on sun protection?

PubMed

Seidel, Nadja; Stoelzel, Friederike; Garzarolli, Marlene; Herrmann, Sandra; Breitbart, Eckhard Wilhelm; Berth, Hendrik; Baumann, Michael; Ehninger, Gerhard

2013-09-01

Sun protection in childhood is important to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. The "Periods-of-Life-Program" for primary prevention of skin cancer introduces a combination of individual and environmental interventions for the preschool period. Within this pilot study, an intervention group received cognitive-behavioral and environmental interventions. A control group had solely received the environmental intervention, and a wait-control group received no intervention. Nursery school children (n = 80, 3 to 6 years of age) of four nursery schools were randomly assigned to these groups on school level. The ability of the cognitive-behavioral intervention (a theater play) to enhance sun protection knowledge was examined. The theater play improved knowledge over all age groups (p < .05 η(2) = .06). Age-specific analyses showed better results for children aged 5 to 6 (p < .05 η(2) = .20) compared to children aged 3 to 4 years (p = .17 η(2) = .04). In combining cognitive-behavioral and environmental interventions, the "Periods-of-Life-Program" is a promising strategy for primary prevention of skin cancer.

Mapping Potential Environmental Impacts from Tourists Using Data from Social Media: A Case Study in the Westfjords of Iceland.

PubMed

Hale, Brack W

2018-05-07

With tourism increasing in remote regions, it is important to be able to estimate potential environmental impacts from the tourists in order to plan and manage natural areas. This study combines measures of ecological sensitivity with data from publicly available geotagged photographs posted on the social media site Flickr to assess the vulnerability of the locations frequented by foreign tourists in the Westfjords region of Iceland between 2014 and 2016. The results suggest that tourists cluster primarily around six hotspots that represented some of the major known tourist destinations of the region. Although tourists generally frequented areas with lower ecological sensitivity and rarely went far beyond the main roads, one of the hotspots was in an area of higher ecological sensitivity. Further, tourists also appeared to have higher intensity stays when they entered areas of higher ecological sensitivity. Overall, these findings highlight the usefulness of combining data from social media in assessing potential environmental impacts of tourism. However, natural resource managers should be aware of limitations in the use of such data.

Integrated landscape planning and remuneration of agri-environmental services. Results of a case study in the Fuhrberg region of Germany.

PubMed

V Haaren, Christina; Bathke, Manfred

2008-11-01

Until now, existing remuneration of environmental services has not sufficiently supported the goals of spending money more effectively on the environment and of motivating farmers. Only a small share of the budgets for agriculture in the EU, as well as in US and other countries, is available for buying environmental goods and services beyond the level of good farming practice (GFP). This combined with the insufficient targeting of compensation payments to areas where special measures are needed leads to an unsatisfactorily low impact of agri-environment measures compared to other driving forces that stimulate the intensification of farming. The goal of this paper is to propose a management concept that enhances the ecological and cost efficiency of agri-environment measures. Components of the concept are a comprehensive environmental information base with prioritised goals and targets (available in Germany from landscape planning) and new remuneration models, which complement conventional compensation payments that are based upon predetermined measures and cost. Comprehensive landscape planning locates and prioritises areas which require environmental action. It contains the information that authorities need to prioritise funding for environmental services and direct measures to sites which need environmental services beyond the level of GFP. Also appropriate remuneration models, which can enhance the cost efficiency of public spending and the motivation of the farmers, can be applied on the base of landscape planning. Testing of the planning methodology and of one of the remuneration models (success-oriented remuneration) in a case study area ("Fuhrberger Feld" north of Hanover, Germany) demonstrated the usability of the concept and led to proposals for future development of the methodology and its application in combination with other approaches.

Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in tie-stall dairy herds using a standardized environmental sampling technique and targeted pooled samples.

PubMed

Arango-Sabogal, Juan C; Côté, Geneviève; Paré, Julie; Labrecque, Olivia; Roy, Jean-Philippe; Buczinski, Sébastien; Doré, Elizabeth; Fairbrother, Julie H; Bissonnette, Nathalie; Wellemans, Vincent; Fecteau, Gilles

2016-07-01

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne's disease, a chronic contagious enteritis of ruminants that causes major economic losses. Several studies, most involving large free-stall herds, have found environmental sampling to be a suitable method for detecting MAP-infected herds. In eastern Canada, where small tie-stall herds are predominant, certain conditions and management practices may influence the survival and transmission of MAP and recovery (isolation). Our objective was to estimate the performance of a standardized environmental and targeted pooled sampling technique for the detection of MAP-infected tie-stall dairy herds. Twenty-four farms (19 MAP-infected and 5 non-infected) were enrolled, but only 20 were visited twice in the same year, to collect 7 environmental samples and 2 pooled samples (sick cows and cows with poor body condition). Concurrent individual sampling of all adult cows in the herds was also carried out. Isolation of MAP was achieved using the MGIT Para TB culture media and the BACTEC 960 detection system. Overall, MAP was isolated in 7% of the environmental cultures. The sensitivity of the environmental culture was 44% [95% confidence interval (CI): 20% to 70%] when combining results from 2 different herd visits and 32% (95% CI: 13% to 57%) when results from only 1 random herd visit were used. The best sampling strategy was to combine samples from the manure pit, gutter, sick cows, and cows with poor body condition. The standardized environmental sampling technique and the targeted pooled samples presented in this study is an alternative sampling strategy to costly individual cultures for detecting MAP-infected tie-stall dairies. Repeated samplings may improve the detection of MAP-infected herds.

Integrating uncertainties to the combined environmental and economic assessment of algal biorefineries: A Monte Carlo approach.

PubMed

Pérez-López, Paula; Montazeri, Mahdokht; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Moreira, María Teresa; Eckelman, Matthew J

2018-06-01

The economic and environmental performance of microalgal processes has been widely analyzed in recent years. However, few studies propose an integrated process-based approach to evaluate economic and environmental indicators simultaneously. Biodiesel is usually the single product and the effect of environmental benefits of co-products obtained in the process is rarely discussed. In addition, there is wide variation of the results due to inherent variability of some parameters as well as different assumptions in the models and limited knowledge about the processes. In this study, two standardized models were combined to provide an integrated simulation tool allowing the simultaneous estimation of economic and environmental indicators from a unique set of input parameters. First, a harmonized scenario was assessed to validate the joint environmental and techno-economic model. The findings were consistent with previous assessments. In a second stage, a Monte Carlo simulation was applied to evaluate the influence of variable and uncertain parameters in the model output, as well as the correlations between the different outputs. The simulation showed a high probability of achieving favorable environmental performance for the evaluated categories and a minimum selling price ranging from $11gal -1 to $106gal -1 . Greenhouse gas emissions and minimum selling price were found to have the strongest positive linear relationship, whereas eutrophication showed weak correlations with the other indicators (namely greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative energy demand and minimum selling price). Process parameters (especially biomass productivity and lipid content) were the main source of variation, whereas uncertainties linked to the characterization methods and economic parameters had limited effect on the results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fitness Effects of Chlorpyrifos in the Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum Strongly Depend upon Temperature and Food Level and Can Bridge Metamorphosis

PubMed Central

Janssens, Lizanne; Stoks, Robby

2013-01-01

Interactions between pollutants and suboptimal environmental conditions can have severe consequences for the toxicity of pollutants, yet are still poorly understood. To identify patterns across environmental conditions and across fitness-related variables we exposed Enallagma cyathigerum damselfly larvae to the pesticide chlorpyrifos at two food levels or at two temperatures and quantified four fitness-related variables (larval survival, development time, mass at emergence and adult cold resistance). Food level and temperature did not affect survival in the absence of the pesticide, yet the pesticide reduced survival only at the high temperature. Animals reacted to the pesticide by accelerating their development but only at the high food level and at the low temperature; at the low food level, however, pesticide exposure resulted in a slower development. Chlorpyrifos exposure resulted in smaller adults except in animals reared at the high food level. Animals reared at the low food level and at the low temperature had a higher cold resistance which was not affected by the pesticide. In summary our study highlight that combined effects of exposure to chlorpyrifos and the two environmental conditions (i) were mostly interactive and sometimes even reversed in comparison with the effect of the environmental condition in isolation, (ii) strongly differed depending on the fitness-related variable under study, (iii) were not always predictable based on the effect of the environmental condition in isolation, and (iv) bridged metamorphosis depending on which environmental condition was combined with the pesticide thereby potentially carrying over from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. These findings are relevant when extrapolating results of laboratory tests done under ideal environmental conditions to natural communities. PMID:23840819

Meta-studies in land use science: Current coverage and prospects.

PubMed

van Vliet, Jasper; Magliocca, Nicholas R; Büchner, Bianka; Cook, Elizabeth; Rey Benayas, José M; Ellis, Erle C; Heinimann, Andreas; Keys, Eric; Lee, Tien Ming; Liu, Jianguo; Mertz, Ole; Meyfroidt, Patrick; Moritz, Mark; Poeplau, Christopher; Robinson, Brian E; Seppelt, Ralf; Seto, Karen C; Verburg, Peter H

2016-02-01

Land use science has traditionally used case-study approaches for in-depth investigation of land use change processes and impacts. Meta-studies synthesize findings across case-study evidence to identify general patterns. In this paper, we provide a review of meta-studies in land use science. Various meta-studies have been conducted, which synthesize deforestation and agricultural land use change processes, while other important changes, such as urbanization, wetland conversion, and grassland dynamics have hardly been addressed. Meta-studies of land use change impacts focus mostly on biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles, while meta-studies of socioeconomic consequences are rare. Land use change processes and land use change impacts are generally addressed in isolation, while only few studies considered trajectories of drivers through changes to their impacts and their potential feedbacks. We provide a conceptual framework for linking meta-studies of land use change processes and impacts for the analysis of coupled human-environmental systems. Moreover, we provide suggestions for combining meta-studies of different land use change processes to develop a more integrated theory of land use change, and for combining meta-studies of land use change impacts to identify tradeoffs between different impacts. Land use science can benefit from an improved conceptualization of land use change processes and their impacts, and from new methods that combine meta-study findings to advance our understanding of human-environmental systems.

Outdoor Education -- Edinburgh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Terry

1974-01-01

In Scotland, outdoor education is seen as a combination of outdoor pursuits and environmental studies. The article describes various centres in the Edinburgh area, outdoor education expeditions, and programs, such as mountaineering, rock climbing, orienteering, and canoeing. (KM)

Techno-environmental assessment of the green biorefinery concept: Combining process simulation and life cycle assessment at an early design stage.

PubMed

Corona, Andrea; Ambye-Jensen, Morten; Vega, Giovanna Croxatto; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Birkved, Morten

2018-09-01

The Green biorefinery (GBR) is a biorefinery concept that converts fresh biomass into value-added products. The present study combines a Process Flowsheet Simulation (PFS) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the technical and environmental performance of different GBR configurations and the cascading utilization of the GBR output. The GBR configurations considered in this study, test alternatives in the three main steps of green-biorefining: fractionation, precipitation, and protein separation. The different cascade utilization alternatives analyse different options for press-pulp utilization, and the LCA results show that the environmental profile of the GBR is highly affected by the utilization of the press-pulp and thus by the choice of conventional product replaced by the press-pulp. Furthermore, scenario analysis of different GBR configurations shows that higher benefits can be achieved by increasing product yields rather than lowering energy consumption. Green biorefining is shown to be an interesting biorefining concept, especially in a Danish context. Biorefining of green biomass is technically feasible and can bring environmental savings, when compared to conventional production methods. However, the savings will be determined by the processing involved in each conversion stage and on the cascade utilization of the different platform products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review Team Focused Modeling Analysis of Radial Collector Well Operation on the Hypersaline Groundwater Plume beneath the Turkey Point Site near Homestead, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oostrom, Martinus; Vail, Lance W.

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory served as members of a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission review team for the Florida Power & Light Company’s application for two combined construction permits and operating licenses (combined licenses or COLs) for two proposed new reactor units—Turkey Point Units 6 and 7. The review team evaluated the environmental impacts of the proposed action based on the October 29, 2014 revision of the COL application, including the Environmental Report, responses to requests for additional information, and supplemental information. As part of this effort, team members tasked with assessing the environmental effects of proposed construction andmore » operation of Units 6 and 7 at the Turkey Point site reviewed two separate modeling studies that analyzed the interaction between surface water and groundwater that would be altered by the operation of radial collector wells (RCWs) at the site. To further confirm their understanding of the groundwater hydrodynamics and to consider whether certain actions, proposed after the two earlier modeling studies were completed, would alter the earlier conclusions documented by the review team in their draft environmental impact statement (EIS; NRC 2015), a third modeling analysis was performed. The third modeling analysis is discussed in this report.« less

A method to associate all possible combinations of genetic and environmental factors using GxE landscape plot.

PubMed

Nagaie, Satoshi; Ogishima, Soichi; Nakaya, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage analysis has identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to disease. There are many unknown SNPs whose minor allele frequencies (MAFs) as low as 0.005 having intermediate effects with odds ratio between 1.5~3.0. Low frequency variants having intermediate effects on disease pathogenesis are believed to have complex interactions with environmental factors called gene-environment interactions (GxE). Hence, we describe a model using 3D Manhattan plot called GxE landscape plot to visualize the association of p-values for gene-environment interactions (GxE). We used the Gene-Environment iNteraction Simulator 2 (GENS2) program to simulate interactions between two genetic loci and one environmental factor in this exercise. The dataset used for training contains disease status, gender, 20 environmental exposures and 100 genotypes for 170 subjects, and p-values were calculated by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi-squared test on known data. Subsequently, we created a 3D GxE landscape plot of negative logarithm of the association of p-values for all the possible combinations of genetic and environmental factors with their hierarchical clustering. Thus, the GxE landscape plot is a valuable model to predict association of p-values for GxE and similarity among genotypes and environments in the context of disease pathogenesis. GxE - Gene-environment interactions, GWAS - Genome-wide association study, MAFs - Minor allele frequencies, SNPs - Single nucleotide polymorphisms, EWAS - Environment-wide association study, FDR - False discovery rate, JPT+CHB - HapMap population of Japanese in Tokyo, Japan - Han Chinese in Beijing.

Decisions and the Environmental-Adventure Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindenmeier, Donna K.

Historically, outdoor recreation/education (ORE) has been associated with environmental recreation/education, but in the past few decades has become increasingly associated with adventure education/recreation. Many outdoor programs have attempted to combine the two elements; others question the combination of the two elements in a single program.…

A life cycle assessment of destruction of ammunition.

PubMed

Alverbro, K; Björklund, A; Finnveden, G; Hochschorner, E; Hägvall, J

2009-10-30

The Swedish Armed Forces have large stocks of ammunition that were produced at a time when decommissioning was not considered. This ammunition will eventually become obsolete and must be destroyed, preferably with minimal impact on the environment and in a safe way for personnel. The aim of this paper is to make a comparison of the environmental impacts in a life cycle perspective of three different methods of decommissioning/destruction of ammunition, and to identify the environmental advantages and disadvantages of each of these destruction methods: open detonation; static kiln incineration with air pollution control combined with metal recycling, and a combination of incineration with air pollution control, open burning, recovery of some energetic material and metal recycling. Data used are for the specific processes and from established LCA databases. Recycling the materials in the ammunition and minimising the spread of airborne pollutants during incineration were found to be the most important factors affecting the life cycle environmental performance of the compared destruction methods. Open detonation with or without metal recycling proved to be the overall worst alternative from a life cycle perspective. The results for the static kiln and combination treatment indicate that the kind of ammunition and location of the destruction plant might determine the choice of method, since the environmental impacts from these methods are of little difference in the case of this specific grenade. Different methods for destruction of ammunition have previously been discussed from a risk and safety perspective. This is however to our knowledge the first study looking specifically on environmentally aspect in a life cycle perspective.

LCA and emergy accounting of aquaculture systems: towards ecological intensification.

PubMed

Wilfart, Aurélie; Prudhomme, Jehane; Blancheton, Jean-Paul; Aubin, Joël

2013-05-30

An integrated approach is required to optimise fish farming systems by maximising output while minimising their negative environmental impacts. We developed a holistic approach to assess the environmental performances by combining two methods based on energetic and physical flow analysis. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a normalised method that estimates resource use and potential impacts throughout a product's life cycle. Emergy Accounting (EA) refers the amount of energy directly or indirectly required by a product or a service. The combination of these two methods was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of three contrasting fish-farming systems: a farm producing salmon in a recirculating system (RSF), a semi-extensive polyculture pond (PF1) and an extensive polyculture pond (PF2). The RSF system, with a low feed-conversion ratio (FCR = 0.95), had lower environmental impacts per tonne of live fish produced than did the two pond farms, when the effects on climate change, acidification, total cumulative energy demand, land competition and water dependence were considered. However, RSF was clearly disconnected from the surrounding environment and depended highly on external resources (e.g. nutrients, energy). Ponds adequately incorporated renewable natural resources but had higher environmental impacts due to incomplete use of external inputs. This study highlighted key factors necessary for the successful ecological intensification of fish farming, i.e., minimise external inputs, lower the FCR, and increase the use of renewable resources from the surrounding environment. The combination of LCA and EA seems to be a practical approach to address the complexity of optimising biophysical efficiency in aquaculture systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Auditor Independence: Beyond the Dilemma of Combining Auditing and Advisory Activities for the Development of Quality Assurance Systems in Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxime, Francoise; Maze, Armelle

2006-01-01

This article aims to study the design and the organization of auditing systems to develop environmental or quality assurance schemes at the farm level and the role that extension services could play in these processes. It starts by discussing the issue of combining auditing and advisory activities and developing auditing competences. Empirical…

The ancient environment of the Beartooth Butte Formation (Devonian) in Wyoming and Montana: combining paleontological inquiry with federal management needs

Treesearch

Anthony R. Fiorillo

2000-01-01

The Beartooth Butte Formation is found in many mountain ranges throughout central Montana and northern Wyoming. This study combines a variety of geologic data to provide a clearer understanding of the fossil fauna and environmental setting of this rock unit. Results show not all exposures of this unit are fossil-bearing and where present, faunal...

Can You Know Me Better? An Exploratory Study Combining Behavioural and Physiological Measurements for an Objective Assessment of Sensory Responsiveness in a Child with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lima, Mariely; Silva, Karine; Magalhaes, Ana; Amaral, Isabel; Pestana, Helena; de Sousa, Liliana

2012-01-01

Background: Sensory assessment of individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) can be difficult for several reasons, including the idiosyncratic reactions that these individuals exhibit to environmental stimuli. This case report presents a combination of behavioural and physiological measurements aimed at providing an…

Effect of Blended Learning Strategy on Achievement in Biology and Social and Environmental Attitude of Students at Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nair, Tara S.; Bindu, R. L.

2016-01-01

Blended Learning is mostly understood as the use of resources which combine e-learning with other educational resources. In this study, a blended learning strategy was designed with a variety of factors addressed to create a meaningful learning environment facilitated by a variety of modes, methods and moments through a combination of Objectives…

[Environmental effects of combined sewage detention tank in central Shanghai].

PubMed

Cheng, Jiang; Lü, Yong-peng; Huang, Xiao-fang; Guo, Sheng

2009-08-15

Through measuring the processes of precipitation, discharge and pollutant concentration over 20 times from 2006 to 2008 in Chendulu combined sewerage system (CSS) along Suzhou Creek in central Shanghai, the environmental effects of Chendulu combined sewage detention tank (CSDT), the first running CSDT in China, were studied. The results show that CSDT could improve CSS discharge capacity effectively with promoted interception ratio from 3.87 to 6.90-9.92. The mean annual combined sewer overflow (CSO) reduction and reduction rate are 9.10 x 10(4) m3 and 9.00%, respectively, and those of sanitary waste discharged directly to Suzhou Creek in non-rain-weather are 8.37 x 10(4) m(3) and 100% , respectively. The mean annual pollutants decrease rate of COD, BOD5, SS, NH4+ -N and TP of CSO are 13.76%, 19.69%, 15.29%, 18.24% and 15.10%, respectively, and those CSO pollutants decrease 41.21 t, 12.37 t, 50.10 t, 2.12 t and 0.29 t annually, respectively. The CSDT also could decrease sanitary waste discharged to Suzhou Creek totally, and those decreased pollutants are 20.75 t, 4.87 t, 14.90 t, 4.49 t and 0.30 t annually, respectively. The analysis shows that the CSDT design standard, running models and rainfall characteristics are the important influencing factors to realize the environmental effects of CSDT.

Bayesian focalization: quantifying source localization with environmental uncertainty.

PubMed

Dosso, Stan E; Wilmut, Michael J

2007-05-01

This paper applies a Bayesian formulation to study ocean acoustic source localization as a function of uncertainty in environmental properties (water column and seabed) and of data information content [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and number of frequencies]. The approach follows that of the optimum uncertain field processor [A. M. Richardson and L. W. Nolte, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 89, 2280-2284 (1991)], in that localization uncertainty is quantified by joint marginal probability distributions for source range and depth integrated over uncertain environmental properties. The integration is carried out here using Metropolis Gibbs' sampling for environmental parameters and heat-bath Gibbs' sampling for source location to provide efficient sampling over complicated parameter spaces. The approach is applied to acoustic data from a shallow-water site in the Mediterranean Sea where previous geoacoustic studies have been carried out. It is found that reliable localization requires a sufficient combination of prior (environmental) information and data information. For example, sources can be localized reliably for single-frequency data at low SNR (-3 dB) only with small environmental uncertainties, whereas successful localization with large environmental uncertainties requires higher SNR and/or multifrequency data.

Exploring trends, sources, and causes of environmental funding: a study of Florida counties.

PubMed

Wang, XiaoHu

2011-11-01

Florida is one of the largest spenders on the environment in the U.S. Employing a database from Florida counties, this study examines two distinct environmental funding areas in government: funding to protect the environment, and funding to develop the environment. These two types of funding serve different purposes, support different activities and operations, and draw from different revenue sources. The results show that environmental funding in government is a response to the environmental pressure generated by economic activities and population growth. Counties with a higher level of manufacturing and farming activity spend more to protect the environment, while counties with higher population densities spend more to develop the environment. Moreover, counties with more funding for public safety and economic development activities spend less on the environment, indicating that environmental funding is influenced by the political processes in public budgeting in which diversified interests compete for resources. These results show that environmental spending in government is the result of combined forces arising from environmental pressure and budgetary politics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental conditions and reproductive health outcomes

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental exposures range across multiple domains to affect human health. In an effort to learn how environmental factors combine to contribute to health outcomes we constructed a multiple environmental domain index (MEDI) for use in health research. We used principal compone...

Combining accuracy assessment of land-cover maps with environmental monitoring programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stehman, S.V.; Czaplewski, R.L.; Nusser, S.M.; Yang, L.; Zhu, Z.

2000-01-01

A scientifically valid accuracy assessment of a large-area, land-cover map is expensive. Environmental monitoring programs offer a potential source of data to partially defray the cost of accuracy assessment while still maintaining the statistical validity. In this article, three general strategies for combining accuracy assessment and environmental monitoring protocols are described. These strategies range from a fully integrated accuracy assessment and environmental monitoring protocol, to one in which the protocols operate nearly independently. For all three strategies, features critical to using monitoring data for accuracy assessment include compatibility of the land-cover classification schemes, precisely co-registered sample data, and spatial and temporal compatibility of the map and reference data. Two monitoring programs, the National Resources Inventory (NRI) and the Forest Inventory and Monitoring (FIM), are used to illustrate important features for implementing a combined protocol.

Life cycle assessment study on polishing units for use of treated wastewater in agricultural reuse.

PubMed

Büyükkamacı, Nurdan; Karaca, Gökçe

2017-12-01

A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used in the assessment of environmental impacts of some polishing units for reuse of wastewater treatment plant effluents in agricultural irrigation. These alternative polishing units were assessed: (1) microfiltration and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, (2) cartridge filter and ultrafiltration (UF), and (3) just UV disinfection. Two different energy sources, electric grid mix and natural gas, were considered to assess the environmental impacts of them. Afterwards, the effluent of each case was evaluated against the criteria required for irrigation of sensitive crops corresponding to Turkey regulations. Evaluation of environmental impacts was carried out with GaBi 6.1 LCA software. The overall conclusion of this study is that higher electricity consumption causes higher environmental effects. The results of the study revealed that cartridge filter and UF in combination with electric grid mix has the largest impact on the environment for almost all impact categories. In general, the most environmentally friendly solution is UV disinfection. The study revealed environmental impacts for three alternatives drawing attention to the importance of the choice of the most appropriate polishing processes and energy sources for reuse applications.

32 CFR 989.11 - Combining EIAP with other documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... documentation. (a) The EPF combines environmental analysis with other related documentation when practicable (40 CFR 1506.4) following the procedures prescribed by the CEQ regulations and this part. (b) The EPF must... the EIAP. Prior to making a decision to proceed, the EPF must analyze the environmental impacts that...

Webinar Presentation: Assessing the Combined Effects of Environmental and Social Stress: A Review of the Evidence and Implications for Research

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Assessing the Combined Effects of Environmental and Social Stress: A Review of the Evidence and Implications for Research, was given at the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2016 Webinar Series: Exposome held on May 11, 2016.

Associations between Macrophyte Life Forms and Environmental and Morphometric Factors in a Large Sub-tropical Floodplain

PubMed Central

Schneider, Berenice; Cunha, Eduardo R.; Marchese, Mercedes; Thomaz, Sidinei M.

2018-01-01

Macrophyte assemblages are composed of species with different life forms and various ecological functions. Our aim was to investigate the potential environmental determinants of changes in the biomass of individual life forms and of the composition of the macrophyte assemblage in terms of life forms diversity. We sampled 23 waterbodies at low and high water levels in the Middle Paraná River floodplain. Macrophyte biomass samples were collected and classified in terms of life forms. We performed a redundancy analysis using the biomass of the various life forms to assess the importance of environmental variables to the composition of macrophyte life forms. Linear regressions were applied to investigate the environmental determinants of the biomasses of individual life forms. The degree of connectivity and the combination of depth, hydrology and nitrate were the main determinants of the composition in terms of life forms. The biomass of each individual life form was explained by different combinations of environmental variables, but the connectivity was the most important one. Our study shows that groups of species with similar life forms respond to environmental factors in particular ways, which might alter the biomass composition of life forms. Given that the ecosystem functioning depends on the functional characteristics of local communities, our findings about the relation between environmental changes and the community composition in terms of life forms (or functional composition) can be a helpful tool for predicting changes on ecosystem processes (such as nutrient cycling) against possible future scenarios. PMID:29515608

Study on the relationship between the opening of environmental tax and the prevention and control of air pollution in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Guilin; Wang, Tianyi

2018-03-01

This article systematically expounds the status quo and sources of air pollution, the experience of foreign environmental tax policy, the advantages and disadvantages of environmental taxes levied in our country through literature research, historical analysis and comparative analysis and put forward recommendations on tax policy of prevention and control of air pollution by combining with the specific national conditions in our country. As one of the basic means of national macro-control, the tax policy is the major countermeasure that cannot be ignored in the prevention and control of air pollution. Studying the tax policy of prevention and control of air pollution will help to effectively control air pollution, develop a green economy and recycle economy and achieve the goal of improving environmental quality.

Constructing, Consuming, and Complicating the Human-Nature Binary: Communication Practices in Forest Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickinson, Elizabeth A.

2010-01-01

This project combines interdisciplinary conversations within the field of communication to examine environmental meaning systems and communication practices in the context of forest environmental education. Due to concerns over children's environmental alienation, there has been a continued push toward place-based environmental education. One such…

Survival of the hermit crab, Clibanarius vittatus, exposed to selenium and other environmental factors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Recent investigations of water quality criteria have frequently examined the effects of a pollutant; however, a more realistic investigation would consider effects of multiple environmental factors and their interactions with the pollutant. Awareness of selenium as a pollutant is increasing. The growing sulfur and petroleum industries are only two of the potential sources of the element on the Texas coast. This study examined the toxicity of selenium to hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc) under twelve different combinations of temperature and salinity. Additionally, the impact of the organisms' original environment was considered as an environmental factor.

Cumulative effects of prenatal-exposure to exogenous chemicals and psychosocial stress on fetal growth: Systematic-review of the human and animal evidence

PubMed Central

Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Sen, Saunak; Zeise, Lauren; Woodruff, Tracey J.

2017-01-01

Background Adverse effects of prenatal stress or environmental chemical exposures on fetal growth are well described, yet their combined effect remains unclear. Objectives To conduct a systematic review on the combined impact and interaction of prenatal exposure to stress and chemicals on developmental outcomes. Methods We used the first three steps of the Navigation Guide systematic review. We wrote a protocol, performed a robust literature search to identify relevant animal and human studies and extracted data on developmental outcomes. For the most common outcome (fetal growth), we evaluated risk of bias, calculated effect sizes for main effects of individual and combined exposures, and performed a random effects meta-analysis of those studies reporting on odds of low birthweight (LBW) by smoking and socioeconomic status (SES). Results We identified 17 human- and 22 animal-studies of combined chemical and stress exposures and fetal growth. Human studies tended to have a lower risk of bias across nine domains. Generally, we found stronger effects for chemicals than stress, and these exposures were associated with reduced fetal growth in the low-stress group and the association was often greater in high stress groups, with limited evidence of effect modification. We found smoking associated with significantly increased odds of LBW, with a greater effect for high stress (low SES; OR 4.75 (2.46–9.16)) compared to low stress (high SES; OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.53–2.48)). Animal studies generally had a high risk of bias with no significant combined effect or effect modification. Conclusions We found that despite concern for the combined effects of environmental chemicals and stress, this is still an under-studied topic, though limited available human studies indicate chemical exposures exert stronger effects than stress, and this effect is generally larger in the presence of stress. PMID:28700705

Cumulative effects of prenatal-exposure to exogenous chemicals and psychosocial stress on fetal growth: Systematic-review of the human and animal evidence.

PubMed

Vesterinen, Hanna M; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Sen, Saunak; Zeise, Lauren; Woodruff, Tracey J

2017-01-01

Adverse effects of prenatal stress or environmental chemical exposures on fetal growth are well described, yet their combined effect remains unclear. To conduct a systematic review on the combined impact and interaction of prenatal exposure to stress and chemicals on developmental outcomes. We used the first three steps of the Navigation Guide systematic review. We wrote a protocol, performed a robust literature search to identify relevant animal and human studies and extracted data on developmental outcomes. For the most common outcome (fetal growth), we evaluated risk of bias, calculated effect sizes for main effects of individual and combined exposures, and performed a random effects meta-analysis of those studies reporting on odds of low birthweight (LBW) by smoking and socioeconomic status (SES). We identified 17 human- and 22 animal-studies of combined chemical and stress exposures and fetal growth. Human studies tended to have a lower risk of bias across nine domains. Generally, we found stronger effects for chemicals than stress, and these exposures were associated with reduced fetal growth in the low-stress group and the association was often greater in high stress groups, with limited evidence of effect modification. We found smoking associated with significantly increased odds of LBW, with a greater effect for high stress (low SES; OR 4.75 (2.46-9.16)) compared to low stress (high SES; OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.53-2.48)). Animal studies generally had a high risk of bias with no significant combined effect or effect modification. We found that despite concern for the combined effects of environmental chemicals and stress, this is still an under-studied topic, though limited available human studies indicate chemical exposures exert stronger effects than stress, and this effect is generally larger in the presence of stress.

Electric and hybrid vehicle environmental control subsystem study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heitner, K. L.

1980-01-01

An environmental control subsystem (ECS) in electric and hybrid vehicles is studied. A combination of a combustion heater and gasoline engine (Otto cycle) driven vapor compression air conditioner is selected. The combustion heater, the small gasoline engine, and the vapor compression air conditioner are commercially available. These technologies have good cost and performance characteristics. The cost for this ECS is relatively close to the cost of current ECS's. Its effect on the vehicle's propulsion battery is minimal and the ECS size and weight do not have significant impact on the vehicle's range.

Manure incorporation reduces environmental nitrogen loss while sustaining crop productivity in the subtropical wheat-maize rotation system: A comprehensive study of nitrogen cycling and balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Minghua; Zhu, Bo; Butterbach-Bahl, klaus; Brüggemann, Nicolas

2016-04-01

Balancing nitrogen (N) budgets of agricultural systems is essential for sustaining yields at lower environmental costs. The knowledge, however, of total N budgets of agricultural systems including all N fluxes is still rare in the literature. Here, we applied a combination of monitoring in situ N fluxes and field 15N tracer and 15N isotope dilution techniques to investigate the effects of different N fertilizers (control, synthetic fertilizer, 60% synthetic fertilizer N plus 40% pig manure N, pig manure only applied at the same N rate 280 kg N ha-1 yr-1) on N pools, cycling processes, fluxes and total N balances in a subtropical wheat-maize rotation system of China. Nitrate leaching and NH3 volatilization were main hydrological and gaseous N loss pathways, respectively. The warm and wet maize season was associated with significantly larger environmental N losses than the cooler and drier wheat season. The field 15N tracing experiment showed that the wheat system had high N retention capacity (˜50% of 15N application) but with short residence time. I.e. 90% of soil residual 15N labelled fertilizer in the wheat system were utilized by plants or lost to the environment in the subsequent maize season. Our annual total N balances of the different treatments revealed that combined synthetic and organic fertilization or manure only maintained the same level of yields and led to significantly lower N losses and higher N retention, even though larger NH3 volatilization losses were caused by manure incorporation. Thus, our study suggests that a combination of synthetic and organic N fertilizers is suitable for sustaining agricultural productivity while reducing environmental N losses through fostering interactions between the soil C and N cycle.

Arsenic and dichlorvos: Possible interaction between two environmental contaminants.

PubMed

Flora, Swaran J S

2016-05-01

Metals are ubiquitously present in the environment and pesticides are widely used throughout the world. Environmental and occupational exposure to metal along with pesticide is an area of great concern to both the public and regulatory authorities. Our major concern is that combination of these toxicant present in environment may elicit toxicity either due to additive or synergistic interactions or 'joint toxic actions' among these toxicants. It poses a rising threat to human health. Water contamination particularly ground water contamination with arsenic is a serious problem in today's scenario since arsenic is associated with several kinds of health problems, such arsenic associated health anomalies are commonly called as 'Arsenism'. Uncontrolled use and spillage of pesticides into the environment has resulted in alarming situation. Moreover serious concerns are being addressed due to their persistence in the environmental matrices such as air, soil and surface water runoff resulting in continuous exposure of these harmful chemicals to human beings and animals. Bio-availability of these environmental toxicants has been enhanced much due to anthropological activities. Dreadfully very few studies are available on combined exposures to these toxicants on the animal or human system. Studies on the acute and chronic exposure to arsenic and DDVP are well reported and well defined. Arsenic is a common global ground water contaminant while dichlorvos is one of the most commonly and widely employed organophosphate based insecticide used in agriculture, horticulture etc. There is thus a real situation where a human may get exposed to these toxicants while working in a field. This review highlights the individual and combined exposure to arsenic and dichlorvos on health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

[Environmental, social, and roadway vulnerability in accidents involving transportation of hazardous products: a case study of the BR-101 highway between Osório and Torres in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil].

PubMed

Tinoco, Maria Auxiliadora Cannarozzo; Nodari, Christine Tessele; Pereira, Kimberllyn Rosa da Silva

2016-09-19

This study aimed to assess the environmental and social vulnerability and identify critical highway stretches for accidents involving transportation of hazardous products on the BR-101 highway between the cities of Osório and Torres in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The study's approach consisted of a multiple-criteria analysis combining highway safety analysis and environmental and social vulnerability analysis in the occurrence of accidents with hazardous products, plus cartographic analysis techniques. Thirty-eight kilometers of the highway showed high vulnerability, of which 8 kilometers with critical vulnerability, associated with bridges over rivers, water uptake points, a tunnel, environmental preservation areas, and an urban area. These stretches should be prioritized when developing action plans for accident mitigation and development of public policies for this highway. This proved to be an unprecedented approach when compared to existing studies and a potentially useful tool for decision-making in emergency operations.

A Synergistic Antiobesity Effect by a Combination of Capsinoids and Cold Temperature Through Promoting Beige Adipocyte Biogenesis

PubMed Central

Ohyama, Kana; Nogusa, Yoshihito; Shinoda, Kosaku; Suzuki, Katsuya

2016-01-01

Beige adipocytes emerge postnatally within the white adipose tissue in response to certain environmental cues, such as chronic cold exposure. Because of its highly recruitable nature and relevance to adult humans, beige adipocytes have gained much attention as an attractive cellular target for antiobesity therapy. However, molecular circuits that preferentially promote beige adipocyte biogenesis remain poorly understood. We report that a combination of mild cold exposure at 17°C and capsinoids, a nonpungent analog of capsaicin, synergistically and preferentially promotes beige adipocyte biogenesis and ameliorates diet-induced obesity. Gain- and loss-of-function studies show that the combination of capsinoids and cold exposure synergistically promotes beige adipocyte development through the β2-adrenoceptor signaling pathway. This synergistic effect on beige adipocyte biogenesis occurs through an increased half-life of PRDM16, a dominant transcriptional regulator of brown/beige adipocyte development. We document a previously unappreciated molecular circuit that controls beige adipocyte biogenesis and suggest a plausible approach to increase whole-body energy expenditure by combining dietary components and environmental cues. PMID:26936964

Relationships of environmental contaminants to reproductive success in red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) from Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinz, G.H.; Haseltine, S.D.; Reichel, W.L.; Hensler, G.L.

1983-01-01

In 1977 and 1978, we studied red-breasted mergansers Mergus serrator nesting on islands in northwestern Lake Michigan to determine whether environmental contaminants were having effects on reproduction. Seventeen contaminants were measured in randomly chosen eggs from 206 nests under study. Using a variety of statistical approaches, we looked for effects of individual contaminants and combinations of contaminants on reproductive measurements such as nest desertion, failure of eggs to hatch, death of newly hatched ducklings, percentage hatching success, number of ducklings leaving the nest and eggshell thickness. We also looked for relationships between the levels of some contaminants in blood samples of 39 incubating females and reproductive success. A small degree of eggshell thinning was attributed to DDE and a few other statistical tests were significant, but no contaminant or combination of contaminants we measured seemed to have a pronounced effect on the aspects of reproduction we followed.

Causal inference between bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors in a large-scale region.

PubMed

Liu, Yuqiong; Du, Qingyun; Wang, Qi; Yu, Huanyun; Liu, Jianfeng; Tian, Yu; Chang, Chunying; Lei, Jing

2017-07-01

The causation between bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors are generally obtained from field experiments at local scales at present, and lack sufficient evidence from large scales. However, inferring causation between bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors across large-scale regions is challenging. Because the conventional correlation-based approaches used for causation assessments across large-scale regions, at the expense of actual causation, can result in spurious insights. In this study, a general approach framework, Intervention calculus when the directed acyclic graph (DAG) is absent (IDA) combined with the backdoor criterion (BC), was introduced to identify causation between the bioavailability of heavy metals and the potential environmental factors across large-scale regions. We take the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in China as a case study. The causal structures and effects were identified based on the concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, As, Cu, Hg, Pb, Cr, Ni and Cd) in soil (0-20 cm depth) and vegetable (lettuce) and 40 environmental factors (soil properties, extractable heavy metals and weathering indices) in 94 samples across the PRD. Results show that the bioavailability of heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni and As) was causally influenced by soil properties and soil weathering factors, whereas no causal factor impacted the bioavailability of Cu, Hg and Pb. No latent factor was found between the bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors. The causation between the bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors at field experiments is consistent with that on a large scale. The IDA combined with the BC provides a powerful tool to identify causation between the bioavailability of heavy metals and environmental factors across large-scale regions. Causal inference in a large system with the dynamic changes has great implications for system-based risk management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The combined use of the PLHC-1 cell line and the recombinant yeast assay to assess the environmental quality of estuarine and coastal sediments.

PubMed

Schnell, Sabine; Olivares, Alba; Piña, Benjamin; Echavarri-Erasun, Beatriz; Lacorte, Silvia; Porte, Cinta

2013-12-15

Sediment contamination poses a potential risk for both ecosystems and human health. Risk assessment is troublesome as sediments contain complex mixtures of toxicants, and traditional chemical analyses can neither provide information about potential hazards to organisms nor identify and measure all present contaminants. This work combines the use of the PLHC-1 cell line and the recombinant yeast assay (RYA) to assess the environmental quality of estuarine and coastal sediments. The application of multiple endpoints (cytotoxicity, generation of oxidative stress, presence of CYP1A inducing agents, micronucleus formation and estrogenicity) revealed that the organic extracts of those sediments affected by industrial activities or collected near harbours and untreated urban discharges showed significant cytotoxicity, micronuclei and CYP1A induction. The study highlights the usefulness of the applied bioassays to identify those sediments that could pose risk to aquatic organisms and that require further action to improve their environmental quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategies to predict rheumatoid arthritis development in at-risk populations

PubMed Central

van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H.

2016-01-01

The development of RA is conceived as a multiple hit process and the more hits that are acquired, the greater the risk of developing clinically apparent RA. Several at-risk phases have been described, including the presence of genetic and environmental factors, RA-related autoantibodies and biomarkers and symptoms. Intervention in these preclinical phases may be more effective compared with intervention in the clinical phase. One prerequisite for preventive strategies is the ability to estimate an individual’s risk adequately. This review evaluates the ability to predict the risk of RA in the various preclinical stages. Present data suggest that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is helpful to identify persons at high risk of RA among first-degree relatives. Furthermore, a combination of symptoms, antibody characteristics and environmental factors has been shown to be relevant for risk prediction in seropositive arthralgia patients. Large prospective studies are needed to validate and improve risk prediction in preclinical disease stages. PMID:25096602

10 CFR 51.50 - Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... costs of the proposed action or an evaluation of alternative energy sources. (3) For other than light... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage. 51.50 Section 51.50 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

10 CFR 51.50 - Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... costs of the proposed action or an evaluation of alternative energy sources. (3) For other than light... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage. 51.50 Section 51.50 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

10 CFR 51.50 - Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... costs of the proposed action or an evaluation of alternative energy sources. (3) For other than light... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage. 51.50 Section 51.50 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

10 CFR 51.50 - Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... costs of the proposed action or an evaluation of alternative energy sources. (3) For other than light... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage. 51.50 Section 51.50 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

10 CFR 51.50 - Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... costs of the proposed action or an evaluation of alternative energy sources. (3) For other than light... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Environmental report-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license stage. 51.50 Section 51.50 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

Environmental Assessment for the Warren Station externally fired combined cycle demonstration project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-04-01

The proposed Penelec project is one of 5 projects for potential funding under the fifth solicitation under the Clean Coal Technology program. In Penelec, two existing boilers would be replaced at Warren Station, PA; the new unit would produce 73 MW(e) in a combined cycle mode (using both gas-fired and steam turbines). The project would fill the need for a full utility-size demonstration of externally fire combined cycle (EFCC) technology as the next step toward commercialization. This environmental assessment was prepared for compliance with NEPA; its purpose is to provide sufficient basis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impactmore » statement or to issue a finding of no significant impact. It is divided into the sections: purpose and need for proposed action; alternatives; brief description of affected environment; environmental consequences, including discussion of commercial operation beyond the demonstration period.« less

Introducing a novel interaction model structure for the combined effect of temperature and pH on the microbial growth rate.

PubMed

Akkermans, Simen; Noriega Fernandez, Estefanía; Logist, Filip; Van Impe, Jan F

2017-01-02

Efficient modelling of the microbial growth rate can be performed by combining the effects of individual conditions in a multiplicative way, known as the gamma concept. However, several studies have illustrated that interactions between different effects should be taken into account at stressing environmental conditions to achieve a more accurate description of the growth rate. In this research, a novel approach for modeling the interactions between the effects of environmental conditions on the microbial growth rate is introduced. As a case study, the effect of temperature and pH on the growth rate of Escherichia coli K12 is modeled, based on a set of computer controlled bioreactor experiments performed under static environmental conditions. The models compared in this case study are the gamma model, the model of Augustin and Carlier (2000), the model of Le Marc et al. (2002) and the novel multiplicative interaction model, developed in this paper. This novel model enables the separate identification of interactions between the effects of two (or more) environmental conditions. The comparison of these models focuses on the accuracy, interpretability and compatibility with efficient modeling approaches. Moreover, for the separate effects of temperature and pH, new cardinal parameter model structures are proposed. The novel interaction model contributes to a generic modeling approach, resulting in predictive models that are (i) accurate, (ii) easily identifiable with a limited work load, (iii) modular, and (iv) biologically interpretable. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Case-Control Study of Writer's Cramp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roze, E.; Soumare, A.; Pironneau, I.; Sangla, S.; de Cock, V. Cochen; Teixeira, A.; Astorquiza, A.; Bonnet, C.; Bleton, J. P.; Vidailhet, M.; Elbaz, A.

2009-01-01

Task-specific focal dystonias are thought to be due to a combination of individual vulnerability and environmental factors. There are no case-control studies of risk factors for writer's cramp. We undertook a case-control study of 104 consecutive patients and matched controls to identify risk factors for the condition. We collected detailed data…

Environmental materials for remediation of soils contaminated with lead and cadmium using maize (Zea mays L.) growth as a bioindicator.

PubMed

Shi, Yu; Huang, Zhanbin; Liu, Xiujie; Imran, Suheryani; Peng, Licheng; Dai, Rongji; Deng, Yulin

2016-04-01

Heavy metal pollution is a severe environmental problem. Remediation of contaminated soils can be accomplished using environmental materials that are low cost and environmentally friendly. We evaluated the individual and combination effects of humic acid (HA), super absorbent polymer (SAP), zeolite (ZE), and fly ash composites (FC) on immobilization of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in contaminated soils. We also investigated long-term practical approaches for remediation of heavy metal pollution in soil. The biochemical and morphological properties of maize (Zea mays L.) were selected as biomarkers to assess the effects of environmental materials on heavy metal immobilization. The results showed that addition of test materials to soil effectively reduced heavy metal accumulation in maize foliage, improving chlorophyll levels, plant growth, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The test materials reduced heavy metal injury to maize throughout the growth period. A synergistic effect from combinations of different materials on immobilization of Pb and Cd was determined based on the reduction of morphological and biochemical injuries to maize. The combination of zeolite and humic acid was especially effective. Treatment with a combination of HA + SAP + ZE + FC was superior for remediation of soils contaminated with high levels of Pb and Cd.

Obesogenic environments: environmental approaches to obesity prevention.

PubMed

Lipek, Tobias; Igel, Ulrike; Gausche, Ruth; Kiess, Wieland; Grande, Gesine

2015-05-01

Childhood obesity is a major concern for public health. There are multiple factors (e.g., genetic, social, and environmental) that contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Drawing from findings on "obesogenic environments" and core principles of preventive strategies to reduce health inequalities, this paper gives an overview of recent childhood prevention programs that target aspects of the physical environment ("environmental changes"). Out of the ten reviews we screened (including more than 300 studies), we identified very few that addressed aspects of the environment. We focus here on 14 programs that follow different approaches to environmental changes (e.g., access to/quality of playgrounds, changes in school cafeterias). Altering the environment offers opportunities for healthier behaviors and seems to be an effective strategy to prevent childhood obesity. However, the evaluation of those (mostly) multidimensional interventions does not allow drawing firm conclusions about the single effect of environmental changes. We conclude that obesity prevention programs should combine person-based and environmental approaches.

DARTAB: a program to combine airborne radionuclide environmental exposure data with dosimetric and health effects data to generate tabulations of predicted health impacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Begovich, C.L.; Eckerman, K.F.; Schlatter, E.C.

1981-08-01

The DARTAB computer code combines radionuclide environmental exposure data with dosimetric and health effects data to generate tabulations of the predicted impact of radioactive airborne effluents. DARTAB is independent of the environmental transport code used to generate the environmental exposure data and the codes used to produce the dosimetric and health effects data. Therefore human dose and risk calculations need not be added to every environmental transport code. Options are included in DARTAB to permit the user to request tabulations by various topics (e.g., cancer site, exposure pathway, etc.) to facilitate characterization of the human health impacts of the effluents.more » The DARTAB code was written at ORNL for the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation Programs.« less

Biochemical leaf traits as indicators of tolerance potential in tree species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest against oxidative environmental stressors.

PubMed

Brandão, Solange E; Bulbovas, Patricia; Lima, Marcos E L; Domingos, Marisa

2017-01-01

The tolerance potential against the oxidative injury in native plants from forest ecosystems affected by environmental stressors depends on how efficiently they keep their pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance. Great variations in plant tolerance are expected, highlighting the higher relevance of measuring biochemical leaf trait indicators of oxidative injury in species with similar functions in the forest than in single species. The use of this functional approach seems very useful in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest because it still holds high plant diversity and was the focus of this study. We aimed at determining the tolerance potential of tree species from the Atlantic Forest remnants in SE Brazil against multiple oxidative environmental stressors. We assumed that pioneer tree species are more tolerant against oxidative stress than non-pioneer tree species and that their tolerance potential vary spatially in response to distinct combined effects of oxidative environmental stressors. The study was carried out in three Atlantic Forest remnants, which differ in physiognomy, species composition, climatic characteristics and air pollution exposure. Leaves of three pioneer and three non-pioneer species were collected from each forest remnant during wet (January 2015) and dry periods (June 2015), for analyses of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants and oxidative injury indicators. Both hypotheses were confirmed. The pioneer tree species displayed biochemical leaf traits (e.g. high levels of ascorbic acid, glutathione and carotenoids and lower lipid peroxidation) that indicate their higher potential tolerance against oxidative environmental stressors than non-pioneer species. The biochemical leaf traits of both successional groups of species varied between the forest remnants, in response to a linear combination of oxidative environmental stressors, from natural (relative humidity and temperature) and anthropogenic sources (ozone and nitrogen dioxide). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of environmental improvement measures using a novel integrated model: a case study of the Shenzhen River catchment, China.

PubMed

Qin, Hua-Peng; Su, Qiong; Khu, Soon-Thiam

2013-01-15

Integrated water environmental management in a rapidly urbanizing area often requires combining social, economic and engineering measures in order to be effective. However, in reality, these measures are often considered independently by different planners, and decisions are made in a hierarchical manner; this has led to problems in environmental pollution control and also an inability to devise innovative solutions due to technological lock-in. In this paper, we use a novel coupled system dynamics and water environmental model (SyDWEM) to simulate the dynamic interactions between the socio-economic system, water infrastructure and receiving water in a rapidly urbanizing catchment in Shenzhen, China. The model is then applied to assess the effects of proposed socio-economic or engineering measures on environmental and development indicators in the catchment for 2011-2020. The results indicate that 1) measures to adjust industry structures have a positive effect on both water quantity and quality in the catchment; 2) measures to increase the labor productivity, the water use efficiency, the water transfer quota or the reclaimed wastewater reuse can alleviate the water shortage, but cannot improve water quality in the river; 3) measures to increase the wastewater treatment rate or the pollutant removal rate can improve water quality in the river, but have no effect on water shortage. Based on the effectiveness of the individual measures, a combination of socio-economic and engineering measures is proposed, which can achieve water environmental sustainability in the study area. Thus, we demonstrate that SyDWEM has the capacity to evaluate the effects of both socio-economic and engineering measures; it also provides a tool for integrated decision making by socio-economic and water infrastructure planners. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined use of SAR and optical data for environmental assessments around refugee camps in semiarid landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, A.; Hochschild, V.

2015-04-01

Over 15 million people were officially considered as refugees in the year 2012 and another 28 million as internally displaced people (IDPs). Natural disasters, climatic and environmental changes, violent regional conflicts and population growth force people to migrate in all parts of this world. This trend is likely to continue in the near future, as political instabilities increase and land degradation progresses. EO4HumEn aims at developing operational services to support humanitarian operations during crisis situations by means of dedicated geo-spatial information products derived from Earth observation and GIS data. The goal is to develop robust, automated methods of image analysis routines for population estimation, identification of potential groundwater extraction sites and monitoring the environmental impact of refugee/IDP camps. This study investigates the combination of satellite SAR data with optical sensors and elevation information for the assessment of the environmental conditions around refugee camps. In order to estimate their impact on land degradation, land cover classifications are required which target dynamic landscapes. We performed a land use / land cover classification based on a random forest algorithm and 39 input prediction rasters based on Landsat 8 data and additional layers generated from radar texture and elevation information. The overall accuracy was 92.9 %, while optical data had the highest impact on the final classification. By analysing all combinations of the three input datasets we additionally estimated their impact on single classification outcomes and land cover classes.

Ensemble learning for spatial interpolation of soil potassium content based on environmental information.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Du, Peijun; Wang, Dongchen

2015-01-01

One important method to obtain the continuous surfaces of soil properties from point samples is spatial interpolation. In this paper, we propose a method that combines ensemble learning with ancillary environmental information for improved interpolation of soil properties (hereafter, EL-SP). First, we calculated the trend value for soil potassium contents at the Qinghai Lake region in China based on measured values. Then, based on soil types, geology types, land use types, and slope data, the remaining residual was simulated with the ensemble learning model. Next, the EL-SP method was applied to interpolate soil potassium contents at the study site. To evaluate the utility of the EL-SP method, we compared its performance with other interpolation methods including universal kriging, inverse distance weighting, ordinary kriging, and ordinary kriging combined geographic information. Results show that EL-SP had a lower mean absolute error and root mean square error than the data produced by the other models tested in this paper. Notably, the EL-SP maps can describe more locally detailed information and more accurate spatial patterns for soil potassium content than the other methods because of the combined use of different types of environmental information; these maps are capable of showing abrupt boundary information for soil potassium content. Furthermore, the EL-SP method not only reduces prediction errors, but it also compliments other environmental information, which makes the spatial interpolation of soil potassium content more reasonable and useful.

Perchlorate exposure is associated with oxidative stress and indicators of serum iron homeostasis among NHANES 2005-2008 subjects

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT Perchlorate (ClO4-), an oxidizing agent, is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Several studies have investigated its thyroid hormone disrupting properties. Its associations with other biological measures are largely unknown. This study, combining 2005-2008 National H...

Case Study: Fuel Cells Provide Combined Heat and Power at Verizon's Garden City Central Office

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-12-01

This case study describes how Verizon's Central Office in Garden City, NY, installed a 1.4-MW phosphoric acid fuel cell system as an alternative solution to bolster electric reliability, optimize the company's energy use, and reduce costs in an environmentally responsible manner.

Fabrication and Qualification of Coated Chip-on-Board Technology for Miniaturized Space Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maurer, R. H.; Le, B. Q.; Nhan, E.; Lew, A. L.; Darrin, M. Ann Garrison

1997-01-01

The results of a study carried out in order to manufacture and verify the quality of chip-on-board (COB) packaging technology are presented. The COB, designed for space applications, was tested under environmental stresses, temperature cycling, and temperature-humidity-bias. Both robustness in space applications and in environmental protection on the ground-complete reliability without hermeticity were searched for. The epoxy-parylene combinations proved to be superior to other materials tested.

Two Linked Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli Outbreaks, Nottingham, UK, June 2014

PubMed Central

MacGregor, Vanessa; Robbins, Vivienne; Bayliss, Laura; Chattaway, Marie Anne; Dallman, Tim; Ready, Derren; Aird, Heather; Puleston, Richard; Hawker, Jeremy

2016-01-01

Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) outbreaks are uncommon in Europe. In June 2014, two EIEC outbreaks occurred in Nottingham, UK, within 2 days; outbreak A was linked to a takeaway restaurant and outbreak B to a wedding party. We conducted 2 analytical studies: a case–control study for outbreak A and a cohort study for outbreak B. We tested microbiological and environmental samples, including by using whole-genome sequencing. For both outbreaks combined, we identified 157 probable case-patients; 27 were laboratory-confirmed as EIEC O96:H19–positive. Combined epidemiologic, microbiological, and environmental findings implicated lettuce as the vehicle of infection in outbreak A, but the source of the organism remained unknown. Whole-genome sequencing identified the same organism in cases from both outbreaks, but no epidemiologic link was confirmed. These outbreaks highlight that EIEC has the capacity to cause large and severe gastrointestinal disease outbreaks and should be considered as a potential pathogen in foodborne outbreaks in Europe. PMID:27314432

Two Linked Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli Outbreaks, Nottingham, UK, June 2014.

PubMed

Newitt, Sophie; MacGregor, Vanessa; Robbins, Vivienne; Bayliss, Laura; Chattaway, Marie Anne; Dallman, Tim; Ready, Derren; Aird, Heather; Puleston, Richard; Hawker, Jeremy

2016-07-01

Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) outbreaks are uncommon in Europe. In June 2014, two EIEC outbreaks occurred in Nottingham, UK, within 2 days; outbreak A was linked to a takeaway restaurant and outbreak B to a wedding party. We conducted 2 analytical studies: a case-control study for outbreak A and a cohort study for outbreak B. We tested microbiological and environmental samples, including by using whole-genome sequencing. For both outbreaks combined, we identified 157 probable case-patients; 27 were laboratory-confirmed as EIEC O96:H19-positive. Combined epidemiologic, microbiological, and environmental findings implicated lettuce as the vehicle of infection in outbreak A, but the source of the organism remained unknown. Whole-genome sequencing identified the same organism in cases from both outbreaks, but no epidemiologic link was confirmed. These outbreaks highlight that EIEC has the capacity to cause large and severe gastrointestinal disease outbreaks and should be considered as a potential pathogen in foodborne outbreaks in Europe.

An Integrated Socio-Environmental Model of Health and Well-Being: a Conceptual Framework Exploring the Joint Contribution of Environmental and Social Exposures to Health and Disease Over the Life Span.

PubMed

Olvera Alvarez, Hector A; Appleton, Allison A; Fuller, Christina H; Belcourt, Annie; Kubzansky, Laura D

2018-06-01

Environmental and social determinants of health often co-occur, particularly among socially disadvantaged populations, yet because they are usually studied separately, their joint effects on health are likely underestimated. Building on converging bodies of literature, we delineate a conceptual framework to address these issues. Previous models provided a foundation for study in this area, and generated research pointing to additional important issues. These include a stronger focus on biobehavioral pathways, both positive and adverse health outcomes, and intergenerational effects. To accommodate the expanded set of issues, we put forward the Integrated Socio-Environmental Model of Health and Well-Being (ISEM), which examines how social and environmental factors combine and potentially interact, via multi-factorial pathways, to affect health and well-being over the life span. We then provide applied examples including the study of how food environments affect dietary behavior. The ISEM provides a comprehensive, theoretically informed framework to guide future research on the joint contribution of social and environmental factors to health and well-being across the life span.

Influence of Multiple Environmental Factors on Organic Matter Chlorination in Podsol Soil.

PubMed

Svensson, Teresia; Montelius, Malin; Andersson, Malin; Lindberg, Cecilia; Reyier, Henrik; Rietz, Karolina; Danielsson, Åsa; Bastviken, David

2017-12-19

Natural chlorination of organic matter is common in soils. The abundance of chlorinated organic compounds frequently exceeds chloride in surface soils, and the ability to chlorinate soil organic matter (SOM) appears widespread among microorganisms. Yet, the environmental control of chlorination is unclear. Laboratory incubations with 36 Cl as a Cl tracer were performed to test how combinations of environmental factors, including levels of soil moisture, nitrate, chloride, and labile organic carbon, influenced chlorination of SOM from a boreal forest. Total chlorination was hampered by addition of nitrate or by nitrate in combination with water but enhanced by addition of chloride or most additions including labile organic matter (glucose and maltose). The greatest chlorination was observed after 15 days when nitrate and water were added together with labile organic matter. The effect that labile organic matter strongly stimulated the chlorination rates was confirmed by a second independent experiment showing higher stimulation at increased availability of labile organic matter. Our results highlight cause-effect links between chlorination and the studied environmental variables in podsol soil-with consistent stimulation by labile organic matter that did overrule the negative effects of nitrate.

USE OF LANDSCAPE SCIENCE FRO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Landscape metrics or indicators are calculated by combining various scientific databases using technologies from geographic information systems. These metrics facilitate the understanding that events that might occur in one ecosystem or resource can affect the conditions of many ...

A critical review on sustainability assessment of recycled water schemes.

PubMed

Chen, Zhuo; Ngo, Huu Hao; Guo, Wenshan

2012-06-01

Recycled water provides a viable opportunity to supplement water supplies as well as alleviate environmental loads. To further expand current schemes and explore new recycled water end uses, this study reviews several environmental assessment tools, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) in terms of their types, characteristics and weaknesses in evaluating the sustainability of recycled water schemes. Due to the limitations in individual models, the integrated approaches are recommended in most cases, of which the outputs could be further combined with additional economic and social assessments in multi-criteria decision making framework. The study also proposes several management strategies in improving the environmental scores. The discussion and suggestions could help decision makers in making a sound judgement as well as recognising the challenges and tasks in the future. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the environmental impact of various dietary patterns combined with different food production systems.

PubMed

Baroni, L; Cenci, L; Tettamanti, M; Berati, M

2007-02-01

Recent studies support the hypothesis that plant-based diets are environmentally better than meat-based diets. This study aims to further explore this topic and to compare different environmental impacts resulting from different dietary patterns (omnivorous, vegetarian, vegan) and methods of production (conventional farming and organic agriculture). Three weekly balanced diets, equivalent to one another for energetic and nutrient content, have been planned: an omnivorous one, a vegetarian one and a vegan one. For each one, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method has been applied in order to calculate the environmental impact, expressed in 'points'. The software we selected to carry out the Inventory Analysis and the Impact Assessment is SimaPro5. The Assessment phase has been conducted using Ecoindicator 99, a damage-oriented method, which analyses the impact according to three large damage categories, each of them subsuming various impact categories.

Closing data gaps for LCA of food products: estimating the energy demand of food processing.

PubMed

Sanjuán, Neus; Stoessel, Franziska; Hellweg, Stefanie

2014-01-21

Food is one of the most energy and CO2-intensive consumer goods. While environmental data on primary agricultural products are increasingly becoming available, there are large data gaps concerning food processing. Bridging these gaps is important; for example, the food industry can use such data to optimize processes from an environmental perspective, and retailers may use this information for purchasing decisions. Producers and retailers can then market sustainable products and deliver the information demanded by governments and consumers. Finally, consumers are increasingly interested in the environmental information of foods in order to lower their consumption impacts. This study provides estimation tools for the energy demand of a representative set of food process unit operations such as dehydration, evaporation, or pasteurization. These operations are used to manufacture a variety of foods and can be combined, according to the product recipe, to quantify the heat and electricity demand during processing. In combination with inventory data on the production of the primary ingredients, this toolbox will be a basis to perform life cycle assessment studies of a large number of processed food products and to provide decision support to the stakeholders. Furthermore, a case study is performed to illustrate the application of the tools.

The effectiveness of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and renewable power in support of holistic environmental goals: Part 2 - Design and operation implications for load-balancing resources on the electric grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarroja, Brian; Eichman, Joshua D.; Zhang, Li; Brown, Tim M.; Samuelsen, Scott

2015-03-01

A study has been performed that analyzes the effectiveness of utilizing plug-in vehicles to meet holistic environmental goals across the combined electricity and transportation sectors. In this study, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) penetration levels are varied from 0 to 60% and base renewable penetration levels are varied from 10 to 63%. The first part focused on the effect of installing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the environmental performance of the combined electricity and transportation sectors. The second part addresses impacts on the design and operation of load-balancing resources on the electric grid associated with fleet capacity factor, peaking and load-following generator capacity, efficiency, ramp rates, start-up events and the levelized cost of electricity. PHEVs using smart charging are found to counteract many of the disruptive impacts of intermittent renewable power on balancing generators for a wide range of renewable penetration levels, only becoming limited at high renewable penetration levels due to lack of flexibility and finite load size. This study highlights synergy between sustainability measures in the electric and transportation sectors and the importance of communicative dispatch of these vehicles.

Bridging environmental and financial cost of dairy production: A case study of Irish agricultural policy.

PubMed

Chen, Wenhao; Holden, Nicholas M

2018-02-15

The Irish agricultural policy 'Food Harvest 2020' is a roadmap for sectoral expansion and Irish dairy farming is expected to intensify, which could influence the environmental and economic performance of Irish milk production. Evaluating the total environmental impacts and the real cost of Irish milk production is a key step towards understanding the possibility of sustainable production. This paper addresses two main issues: aggregation of environmental impacts of Irish milk production by monetization, to understand the real cost of Irish milk production, including the environmental costs; and the effect of the agricultural policy 'Food Harvest 2020' on total cost (combining financial cost and environmental cost) of Irish milk production. This study used 2013 Irish dairy farming as a baseline, and defined 'bottom', 'target' and 'optimum' scenarios, according to the change of elementary inputs required to meet agricultural policy ambitions. The study demonstrated that the three monetization methods, Stepwise 2006, Eco-cost 2012 and EPS 2000, could be used for aggregating different environmental impacts into monetary unit, and to provide an insight for evaluating policy related to total environmental performance. The results showed that the total environmental cost of Irish milk production could be greater than the financial cost (up to €0.53/kg energy corrected milk). The dairy expansion policy with improved herbage utilization and fertilizer application could reduce financial cost and minimize the total environmental cost of per unit milk produced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Unequal exposure to ecological hazards: environmental injustices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

PubMed Central

Faber, Daniel R; Krieg, Eric J

2002-01-01

This study analyzes the social and geographic distribution of ecological hazards across 368 communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Combining census data with a variety of environmental data, we tested for and identified both income-based and racially based biases to the geographic distribution of 17 different types of environmentally hazardous sites and industrial facilities. We also developed a composite measure of cumulative exposure to compare the relative overall risks characteristic of each community. To the best of our knowledge, this point system makes this the first environmental justice study to develop a means for measuring and ranking cumulative exposure for communities. The study also controls for the intensity of hazards in each community by accounting for the area across which hazards are distributed. The findings indicate that ecologically hazardous sites and facilities are disproportionately located and concentrated in communities of color and working-class communities. The implication of this research for policymakers and citizen advocates is that cumulative exposure of residents to environmentally hazardous facilities and sites should receive greater consideration regarding community demographics and environmental health indicators. We conclude that the provision of additional resources for environmental monitoring and ranking, as well as yearly progress reports, is necessary for communities and state agencies to achieve equal access to clean and healthy environments for all residents. PMID:11929739

ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING: AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE U.S. MID-ATLANTIC REGION

EPA Science Inventory

Many of today's environmental problems are regional in scope and their effects overlap and interact. We developed a simple method to provide an integrated assessment of environmental conditions and estimate cumulative impacts across a large region, by combining data on land-cove...

76 FR 31308 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Combined Operational Plan, Miami-Dade...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

... Environmental Impact Statement for the Combined Operational Plan, Miami-Dade County, FL AGENCY: Department of... Operational Plan (COP) is an integrated operational plan for Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3), Everglades... water management operations for the completed MWD and C-111SD projects that are consistent with their...

State Directories in Environmental Education, Volume III, U.S. Office of Education Regions IV and V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Disinger, John F.; Lee, Beverly M.

This compilation is one of a series produced through the combined efforts of the United States Office of Education/Environmental Education, coordinators for environmental education in the various states, and the ERIC Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, in an attempt to collect and detail environmental education efforts…

Cooperative biological effects between ionizing radiation and other physical and chemical agents.

PubMed

Manti, Lorenzo; D'Arco, Annalisa

2010-01-01

Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR), at environmentally and therapeutically relevant doses or as a result of diagnostics or accidents, causes cyto- and genotoxic damage. However, exposure to IR alone is a rare event as it occurs in spatial and temporal combination with several physico-chemical agents. Some of these are of known noxiousness, as is the case with chemical compounds at high dose, hence additive/synergistic effects can be expected or have been demonstrated. Conversely, the cellular toxicity of other agents, such as non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs), is only presumed and their short- and long-term cooperation on IR-induced damage remains undetermined. In this review, we shall examine evidence in support of the interplay between spatially and/or temporally related environmentally relevant stressors. In vitro or animal-based studies as well as epidemiological surveys have generally examined the combined action of no more than a couple of known or potentially DNA-damaging agents. Moreover, most existing research mainly focused on short-term effects of combined exposures. Hence, it is important that quantitative research addresses the issue of the possible cooperation between chronic exposure to environmental trace contaminants and exposure to EMFs, examining not only the modulation of damage acutely induced by IR but also long-term genome stability. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of indoor environmental factors on mass transfer parameters and concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Wei, Wenjuan; Mandin, Corinne; Ramalho, Olivier

2018-03-01

Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in indoor environments can partition among the gas phase, airborne particles, settled dust, and available surfaces. The mass transfer parameters of SVOCs, such as the mass transfer coefficient and the partition coefficient, are influenced by indoor environmental factors. Subsequently, indoor SVOC concentrations and thus occupant exposure can vary depending on environmental factors. In this review, the influence of six environmental factors, i.e., indoor temperature, humidity, ventilation, airborne particle concentration, source loading factor, and reactive chemistry, on the mass transfer parameters and indoor concentrations of SVOCs was analyzed and tentatively quantified. The results show that all mass transfer parameters vary depending on environmental factors. These variations are mostly characterized by empirical equations, particularly for humidity. Theoretical calculations of these parameters based on mass transfer mechanisms are available only for the emission of SVOCs from source surfaces when airborne particles are not present. All mass transfer parameters depend on the temperature. Humidity influences the partition of SVOCs among different phases and is associated with phthalate hydrolysis. Ventilation has a combined effect with the airborne particle concentration on SVOC emission and their mass transfer among different phases. Indoor chemical reactions can produce or eliminate SVOCs slowly. To better model the dynamic SVOC concentration indoors, the present review suggests studying the combined effect of environmental factors in real indoor environments. Moreover, interactions between indoor environmental factors and human activities and their influence on SVOC mass transfer processes should be considered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combining cationic and anionic mixed-mode sorbents in a single cartridge to extract basic and acidic pharmaceuticals simultaneously from environmental waters.

PubMed

Salas, Daniela; Borrull, Francesc; Fontanals, Núria; Marcé, Rosa Maria

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study is to broaden the applications of mixed-mode ion-exchange solid-phase extraction sorbents to extract both basic and acidic compounds simultaneously by combining the sorbents in a single cartridge and developing a simplified extraction procedure. Four different cartridges containing negative and positive charges in the same configuration were evaluated and compared to extract a group of basic, neutral, and acidic pharmaceuticals selected as model compounds. After a thorough optimization of the extraction conditions, the four different cartridges showed to be capable of retaining basic and acidic pharmaceuticals simultaneously through ionic interactions, allowing the introduction of a washing step with 15 mL methanol to eliminate interferences retained by hydrophobic interactions. Using the best combined cartridge, a method was developed, validated, and further applied to environmental waters to demonstrate that the method is promising for the extraction of basic and acidic compounds from very complex samples.

Pore Breathing of Metal-Organic Frameworks by Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Parent, Lucas R; Pham, C Huy; Patterson, Joseph P; Denny, Michael S; Cohen, Seth M; Gianneschi, Nathan C; Paesani, Francesco

2017-10-11

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a versatile platform for the rational design of multifunctional materials, combining large specific surface areas with flexible, periodic frameworks that can undergo reversible structural transitions, or "breathing", upon temperature and pressure changes, and through gas adsorption/desorption processes. Although MOF breathing can be inferred from the analysis of adsorption isotherms, direct observation of the structural transitions has been lacking, and the underlying processes of framework reorganization in individual MOF nanocrystals is largely unknown. In this study, we describe the characterization and elucidation of these processes through the combination of in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) and computer simulations. This combined approach enables the direct monitoring of the breathing behavior of individual MIL-53(Cr) nanocrystals upon reversible water adsorption and temperature changes. The ability to characterize structural changes in single nanocrystals and extract lattice level information through in silico correlation provides fundamental insights into the relationship between pore size/shape and host-guest interactions.

From the LCA of food products to the environmental assessment of protected crops districts: a case-study in the south of Italy.

PubMed

Cellura, Maurizio; Ardente, Fulvio; Longo, Sonia

2012-01-01

In the present study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to evaluate the energy consumption and environmental burdens associated with the production of protected crops in an agricultural district in the Mediterranean region. In this study, LCA was used as a 'support tool', to address local policies for sustainable production and consumption patterns, and to create a 'knowledge base' for environmental assessment of an extended agricultural production area. The proposed approach combines organisation-specific tools, such as Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Product Declarations, with the environmental management of the district. Questionnaires were distributed to producers to determine the life cycle of different protected crops (tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peppers, melons and zucchinis), and obtain information on greenhouse usage (e.g. tunnel vs. pavilion). Ecoprofiles of products in the district were also estimated, to identify supply chain elements with the highest impact in terms of global energy requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, water consumption and waste production. These results of this study enable selection of the 'best practices' and ecodesign solutions, to reduce the environmental impact of these products. Finally, sensitivity analysis of key LCA issues was performed, to assess the variability associated with different parameters: vegetable production; water usage; fertiliser and pesticide usage; shared greenhouse use; substitution of plastics coverings; and waste recycling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cohort change and the diffusion of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis

PubMed Central

Nawrotzki, Raphael J.; Pampel, Fred C.

2013-01-01

This study explores value change across cohorts for a multinational population sample. Employing a diffusion-of-innovations approach, we combine competing theories predicting the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and environmentalism: post-materialism and affluence theories, and global environmentalism theory. The diffusion argument suggests that high-SES groups first adopt pro-environmental views, but as time passes by, environmentalism diffuses to lower-SES groups. We test the diffusion argument using a sample of 18 countries for two waves (years 1993 and 2000) from the International Social Survey Project (ISSP). Cross-classified multilevel modeling allows us to identify a non-linear interaction between cohort and education, our core measure of SES, in predicting environmental concern, while controlling for age and period. We find support for the diffusion argument and demonstrate that the positive effect of education on environmental concern first increases among older cohorts, then starts to level off until a bend-point is reached for individuals born around 1940 and becomes progressively weaker for younger cohorts. PMID:24179313

Cohort change and the diffusion of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis.

PubMed

Nawrotzki, Raphael J; Pampel, Fred C

2013-09-01

This study explores value change across cohorts for a multinational population sample. Employing a diffusion-of-innovations approach, we combine competing theories predicting the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and environmentalism: post-materialism and affluence theories, and global environmentalism theory. The diffusion argument suggests that high-SES groups first adopt pro-environmental views, but as time passes by, environmentalism diffuses to lower-SES groups. We test the diffusion argument using a sample of 18 countries for two waves (years 1993 and 2000) from the International Social Survey Project (ISSP). Cross-classified multilevel modeling allows us to identify a non-linear interaction between cohort and education, our core measure of SES, in predicting environmental concern, while controlling for age and period. We find support for the diffusion argument and demonstrate that the positive effect of education on environmental concern first increases among older cohorts, then starts to level off until a bend-point is reached for individuals born around 1940 and becomes progressively weaker for younger cohorts.

The moderating role of stakeholder management and societal characteristics in the relationship between corporate environmental and financial performance.

PubMed

Dal Maso, Lorenzo; Mazzi, Francesco; Soscia, Manuel; Terzani, Simone

2018-07-15

This study contributes to the debate about the moderating factors that affect the relationship between environmental and financial performance. Combining stakeholder theory, stakeholder salience, and legitimacy theory, and based on a large international sample, we demonstrate that stakeholder prioritization and engagement jointly positively moderate the relationship between environmental and financial performance. However, this moderating effect is only found when both formal and informal societal characteristics are strong and support the business environment surrounding the firm and its stakeholders. Contributions and implications for managers and regulators are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Novel Routes of Biomethane Utilization in a Life Cycle Perspective

PubMed Central

Moghaddam, Elham Ahmadi; Ahlgren, Serina; Nordberg, Åke

2016-01-01

Biomethane, as a replacement for natural gas, reduces the use of fossil-based sources and supports the intended change from fossil to bio-based industry. The study assessed different biomethane utilization routes for production of methanol, dimethyl ether (DME), and ammonia, as fuel or platform chemicals and combined heat and power (CHP). Energy efficiency and environmental impacts of the different pathways was studied in a life cycle perspective covering the technical system from biomass production to the end product. Among the routes studied, CHP had the highest energy balance and least environmental impact. DME and methanol performed competently in energy balance and environmental impacts in comparison with the ammonia route. DME had the highest total energy output, as fuel, heat, and steam, among the different routes studied. Substituting the bio-based routes for fossil-based alternatives would give a considerable reduction in environmental impacts such as global warming potential and acidification potential for all routes studied, especially CHP, DME, and methanol. Eutrophication potential was mainly a result of biomass and biomethane production, with marginal differences between the different routes. PMID:28066762

What environmental factors influence resumption of valued activities post stroke: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative findings.

PubMed

Jellema, Sandra; van Hees, Suzanne; Zajec, Jana; van der Sande, Rob; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria Wg; Steultjens, Esther Mj

2017-07-01

Identify the environmental factors that influence stroke-survivors' reengagement in personally valued activities and determine what specific environmental factors are related to specific valued activity types. PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched until June 2016 using multiple search-terms for stroke, activities, disability, and home and community environments. An integrated mixed-method systematic review of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-design studies was conducted. Two researchers independently identified relevant studies, assessed their methodological quality and extracted relevant findings. To validly compare and combine the various findings, all findings were classified and grouped by environmental category and level of evidence. The search yielded 4024 records; 69 studies were included. Most findings came from low-evidence-level studies such as single qualitative studies. All findings were consistent in that the following factors facilitated reengagement post-stroke: personal adapted equipment; accessible environments; transport; services; education and information. Barriers were: others' negative attitudes and behaviour; long distances and inconvenient environmental conditions (such as bad weather). Each type of valued activity, such as mobility or work, had its own pattern of environmental influences, social support was a facilitator to all types of activities. Although in many qualitative studies others' attitudes, behaviour and stroke-related knowledge were seen as important for reengagement, these factors were hardly studied quantitatively. A diversity of environmental factors was related to stroke-survivors' reengagement. Most findings came from low-evidence-level studies so that evidence on causal relationships was scarce. In future, more higher-level-evidence studies, for example on the attitudes of significant others, should be conducted.

Combined PEST and Trial-Error approach to improve APEX calibration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX), a physically-based hydrologic model that simulates management impacts on the environment for small watersheds, requires improved understanding of the input parameters for improved simulations. However, most previously published studies used the ...

Finding the forest in the trees. The challenge of combining diverse environmental data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Development of analytical and functional guidelines to help researchers and technicians engaged in interdisciplinary research to better plan and implement their supporting data management activities is addressed. An emphasis is on the projects that involve both geophysical and ecological issues. Six case studies were used to identify and to understand problems associated with collecting, integrating, and analyzing environmental data from local to global spatial scales and over a range of temporal scales. These case studies were also used to elaborate the common barriers to interfacing data of disparate sources and types. A number of lessons derived from the case studies are summarized and analyzed.

A comparative study on the environmental impact of supermarket refrigeration systems using low GWP refrigerants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beshr, M.; Aute, V.; Sharma, V.

Supermarket refrigeration systems have high environmental impact due to their large refrigerant charge and high leak rates. Consequently, the interest in using low GWP refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (CO 2) and new refrigerant blends is increasing. In this study, an open-source Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) framework is presented and used to compare the environmental impact of four supermarket refrigeration systems: a transcritical CO 2 booster system, a cascade CO 2/N-40 system, a combined secondary circuit with central DX N-40/L-40 system, and a baseline multiplex direct expansion system utilizing R-404A and N-40. The study is performed for different climatesmore » within the USA using EnergyPlus to simulate the systems' hourly performance. Finally, further analyses are presented such as parametric, sensitivity, and uncertainty analyses to study the impact of different system parameters on the LCCP.« less

A comparative study on the environmental impact of supermarket refrigeration systems using low GWP refrigerants

DOE PAGES

Beshr, M.; Aute, V.; Sharma, V.; ...

2015-04-09

Supermarket refrigeration systems have high environmental impact due to their large refrigerant charge and high leak rates. Consequently, the interest in using low GWP refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (CO 2) and new refrigerant blends is increasing. In this study, an open-source Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) framework is presented and used to compare the environmental impact of four supermarket refrigeration systems: a transcritical CO 2 booster system, a cascade CO 2/N-40 system, a combined secondary circuit with central DX N-40/L-40 system, and a baseline multiplex direct expansion system utilizing R-404A and N-40. The study is performed for different climatesmore » within the USA using EnergyPlus to simulate the systems' hourly performance. Finally, further analyses are presented such as parametric, sensitivity, and uncertainty analyses to study the impact of different system parameters on the LCCP.« less

Assessment of UASB-DHS technology for sewage treatment: a comparative study from a sustainability perspective.

PubMed

Maharjan, Namita; Nomoto, Naoki; Tagawa, Tadashi; Okubo, Tsutomu; Uemura, Shigeki; Khalil, Nadeem; Hatamoto, Masashi; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Harada, Hideki

2018-04-06

This paper assesses the technical and economic sustainability of a combined system of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) for sewage treatment. Additionally, this study compares UASB-DHS with current technologies in India like trickling filters (TF), sequencing batch reactor (SBR), moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), and other combinations of UASB with post-treatment systems such as final polishing ponds (FPU) and extended aeration sludge process (EASP). The sustainability of the sewage treatment plants (STPs) was evaluated using a composite indicator, which incorporated environmental, societal, and economic dimensions. In case of the individual sustainability indicator study, the results showed that UASB-FPU was the most economically sustainable system with a score of 0.512 and aeration systems such as MBBR, EASP, and SBR were environmentally sustainable, whereas UASB-DHS system was socially sustainable. However, the overall comparative analysis indicated that the UASB-DHS system scored the highest value of 2.619 on the global sustainability indicator followed by EASP and MBBR with scores of 2.322 and 2.279, respectively. The highlight of this study was that the most environmentally sustainable treatment plants were not economically and socially sustainable. Moreover, sensitivity analysis showed that five out of the seven scenarios tested, the UASB-DHS system showed good results amongst the treatment system.

Hardened, environmentally disposable composite granules of coal cleaning refuse, coal combustion waste, and other wastes, and method preparing the same

DOEpatents

Burnet, George; Gokhale, Ashok J.

1990-07-10

A hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granule of coal cleaning refuse and coal combustion waste, and method for producing the same, wherein the coal combustion waste is first granulated. The coal cleaning refuse is pulverized into fine particles and is then bound, as an outer layer, to the granulated coal combustion waste granules. This combination is then combusted and sintered. After cooling, the combination results in hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granules having cores of coal combustion waste, and outer shells of coal cleaning refuse. The composite particles are durable and extremely resistant to environmental and chemical forces.

Hardened, environmentally disposable composite granules of coal cleaning refuse, coal combustion waste, and other wastes, and method preparing the same

DOEpatents

Burnet, G.; Gokhale, A.J.

1990-07-10

A hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granule of coal cleaning refuse and coal combustion waste and method for producing the same are disclosed, wherein the coal combustion waste is first granulated. The coal cleaning refuse is pulverized into fine particles and is then bound, as an outer layer, to the granulated coal combustion waste granules. This combination is then combusted and sintered. After cooling, the combination results in hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granules having cores of coal combustion waste, and outer shells of coal cleaning refuse. The composite particles are durable and extremely resistant to environmental and chemical forces. 3 figs.

Studies on Experimental Ontology and Knowledge Service Development in Bio-Environmental Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunliang

2018-01-01

The existing domain-related ontology and information service patterns are analyzed, and the main problems faced by the experimental scheme knowledge service were clarified. The ontology framework model for knowledge service of Bio-environmental Engineering was proposed from the aspects of experimental materials, experimental conditions and experimental instruments, and this ontology will be combined with existing knowledge organization systems to organize scientific and technological literatures, data and experimental schemes. With the similarity and priority calculation, it can improve the related domain research.

Evaluation of coated columbian alloy heat shields for space shuttle thermal protection system application. Volume 1: Phase 1 - Environmental criteria and material characterization, October 1970 - March 1972

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, W. E.

1972-01-01

The studies presented are directed toward establishing criteria for a niobium alloy thermal protection system for the space shuttle. Evaluation of three niobium alloys and two silicon coatings for heat shield configurations culminated in the selection of two coating/substrate combinations for environmental criteria and material characterization tests. Specimens were exposed to boost and reentry temperatures, pressure, and loads simulating a space shuttle orbiter flight profile.

Landscape Changes Influence the Occurrence of the Melioidosis Bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in Soil in Northern Australia

PubMed Central

Kaestli, Mirjam; Mayo, Mark; Harrington, Glenda; Ward, Linda; Watt, Felicity; Hill, Jason V.; Cheng, Allen C.; Currie, Bart J.

2009-01-01

Background The soil-dwelling saprophyte bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei is the cause of melioidosis, a severe disease of humans and animals in southeast Asia and northern Australia. Despite the detection of B. pseudomallei in various soil and water samples from endemic areas, the environmental habitat of B. pseudomallei remains unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed a large survey in the Darwin area in tropical Australia and screened 809 soil samples for the presence of these bacteria. B. pseudomallei were detected by using a recently developed and validated protocol involving soil DNA extraction and real-time PCR targeting the B. pseudomallei–specific Type III Secretion System TTS1 gene cluster. Statistical analyses such as multivariable cluster logistic regression and principal component analysis were performed to assess the association of B. pseudomallei with environmental factors. The combination of factors describing the habitat of B. pseudomallei differed between undisturbed sites and environmentally manipulated areas. At undisturbed sites, the occurrence of B. pseudomallei was found to be significantly associated with areas rich in grasses, whereas at environmentally disturbed sites, B. pseudomallei was associated with the presence of livestock animals, lower soil pH and different combinations of soil texture and colour. Conclusions/Significance This study contributes to the elucidation of environmental factors influencing the occurrence of B. pseudomallei and raises concerns that B. pseudomallei may spread due to changes in land use. PMID:19156200

A modular cell-based biosensor using engineered genetic logic circuits to detect and integrate multiple environmental signals

PubMed Central

Wang, Baojun; Barahona, Mauricio; Buck, Martin

2013-01-01

Cells perceive a wide variety of cellular and environmental signals, which are often processed combinatorially to generate particular phenotypic responses. Here, we employ both single and mixed cell type populations, pre-programmed with engineered modular cell signalling and sensing circuits, as processing units to detect and integrate multiple environmental signals. Based on an engineered modular genetic AND logic gate, we report the construction of a set of scalable synthetic microbe-based biosensors comprising exchangeable sensory, signal processing and actuation modules. These cellular biosensors were engineered using distinct signalling sensory modules to precisely identify various chemical signals, and combinations thereof, with a quantitative fluorescent output. The genetic logic gate used can function as a biological filter and an amplifier to enhance the sensing selectivity and sensitivity of cell-based biosensors. In particular, an Escherichia coli consortium-based biosensor has been constructed that can detect and integrate three environmental signals (arsenic, mercury and copper ion levels) via either its native two-component signal transduction pathways or synthetic signalling sensors derived from other bacteria in combination with a cell-cell communication module. We demonstrate how a modular cell-based biosensor can be engineered predictably using exchangeable synthetic gene circuit modules to sense and integrate multiple-input signals. This study illustrates some of the key practical design principles required for the future application of these biosensors in broad environmental and healthcare areas. PMID:22981411

Environment Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushell, Brenda

Rationale and techniques for incorporating global environmental education into second language instruction are discussed. The approach suggested combines infusion of environmental issues into the curriculum and presentation of a global perspective on environmental problems and their solutions. Six concepts of global education are outlined:…

40 CFR 1500.4 - Reducing paperwork.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the environmental impact statement process accordingly (§ 1501.7). (h) Summarizing the environmental...). (o) Combining environmental documents with other documents (§ 1506.4). (p) Using categorical... effect on the human environment and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an...

40 CFR 1500.4 - Reducing paperwork.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the environmental impact statement process accordingly (§ 1501.7). (h) Summarizing the environmental...). (o) Combining environmental documents with other documents (§ 1506.4). (p) Using categorical... effect on the human environment and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an...

40 CFR 1500.4 - Reducing paperwork.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the environmental impact statement process accordingly (§ 1501.7). (h) Summarizing the environmental...). (o) Combining environmental documents with other documents (§ 1506.4). (p) Using categorical... effect on the human environment and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an...

The influence of camouflage, obstruction, familiarity and spatial ability on target identification from an unmanned ground vehicle.

PubMed

Fincannon, Thomas; Keebler, Joseph R; Jentsch, Florian; Curtis, Michael

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of environmental and cognitive factors on the identification of targets from an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). This was accomplished by manipulating obstruction, camouflage and familiarity of objects in the environment, while also measuring spatial ability. The effects of these variables on target identification were studied by measuring performance of participants that observed pre-recorded video from a 1:35 scaled military operations in urban terrain facility. Analyses indicated that a combination of camouflage and obstruction caused the most detrimental effects on performance, and that there were differences in the recognition of familiar and unfamiliar targets. Further analysis indicated that these detrimental effects could only be overcome with a combination of target familiarity and spatial ability. The findings highlight the degree to which environmental factors hinder performance and the need for a multidimensional approach for improving performance under these conditions. Areas in need of future research are also discussed. Cognitive theory is applied to the problem of perception from UGVs. Results from an experimental study indicate that a combination of camouflage and obstruction caused the most detrimental effects on performance, with differences in the recognition of both familiar and unfamiliar targets. Familiarity and spatial ability interacted to predict the performance.

North End Runway Material Extraction and Transport Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

commercial providers, non -commercial providers, or a combination thereof Material would be transported by public road, commercial rail, ami/or barge...from commercial providers, non -commercial providers, or a combination thereof Material would be transported by public road, commercial rail, ami/or...Terminal Redevelopment NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NFA No further action NFS Non -frost susceptible NHPA National Historic Preservation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sahoo, Satiprasad; Dhar, Anirban, E-mail: anirban.dhar@gmail.com; Kar, Amlanjyoti

Environmental management of an area describes a policy for its systematic and sustainable environmental protection. In the present study, regional environmental vulnerability assessment in Hirakud command area of Odisha, India is envisaged based on Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process method (Grey–AHP) using integrated remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Grey–AHP combines the advantages of classical analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and grey clustering method for accurate estimation of weight coefficients. It is a new method for environmental vulnerability assessment. Environmental vulnerability index (EVI) uses natural, environmental and human impact related factors, e.g., soil, geology, elevation, slope, rainfall, temperature, windmore » speed, normalized difference vegetation index, drainage density, crop intensity, agricultural DRASTIC value, population density and road density. EVI map has been classified into four environmental vulnerability zones (EVZs) namely: ‘low’, ‘moderate’ ‘high’, and ‘extreme’ encompassing 17.87%, 44.44%, 27.81% and 9.88% of the study area, respectively. EVI map indicates that the northern part of the study area is more vulnerable from an environmental point of view. EVI map shows close correlation with elevation. Effectiveness of the zone classification is evaluated by using grey clustering method. General effectiveness is in between “better” and “common classes”. This analysis demonstrates the potential applicability of the methodology. - Highlights: • Environmental vulnerability zone identification based on Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) • The effectiveness evaluation by means of a grey clustering method with support from AHP • Use of grey approach eliminates the excessive dependency on the experience of experts.« less

Maternal Sensitivity and Overt Aggression in Young Children with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niccols, Alison; Milligan, Karen; Chisholm, Vivienne; Atkinson, Leslie

2011-01-01

Children with genetic syndromes offer a unique opportunity to combine genetic and environmental approaches to the study of aggression. Children with genetic syndromes associated with developmental delay are at increased risk for behavior problems, but little is known about risk and resilience factors. In this study, we examined maternal…

Gene-Environment Interactions in Genome-Wide Association Studies: Current Approaches and New Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winham, Stacey J.; Biernacka, Joanna M.

2013-01-01

Background: Complex psychiatric traits have long been thought to be the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and gene-environment interactions are thought to play a crucial role in behavioral phenotypes and the susceptibility and progression of psychiatric disorders. Candidate gene studies to investigate hypothesized…

AN EMPIRICAL BAYES APPROACH TO COMBINING ESTIMATES OF THE VALUE OF A STATISTICAL LIFE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

This analysis updates EPA's standard VSL estimate by using a more comprehensive collection of VSL studies that include studies published between 1992 and 2000, as well as applying a more appropriate statistical method. We provide a pooled effect VSL estimate by applying the empi...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and UV/irradiation exposure change surface and chemical structures of Pre-Production Resin Pellets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, C. N.; Neal, A.; Park, S.; Mielke, R.; Tsapin, A. I.; Bhartia, R.; Salas, E.; Hug, W.; Behar, A. E.; Nadeau, J. L.

2011-12-01

Microbial interactions with synthetic polymers in open ocean is poorly understood. Plastics are a major and persistent contaminant of ocean waters. Many of these plastics are contaminated with toxic and synthetic chemicals that persist in the environment with minimal degradation. The purpose of this study is to look at the effects that microbial biofilm communities have on both surface and chemical structures of pre-production resin pellets (PRPs). Pseudomonas aeruignosa was grown with PRPs under multiple growth and nutrient conditions. These conditions were combined with varying lengths of UV exposures common to ocean environments. Material degradation of the PRPs and the changing surface and chemical structures of these synthetic polymers was evaluated using a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray microtomography, and ArcGIS mapping. This study correlates with previous studies conducted on environmental PRP's , collected on the 2009 Project Kaisei expedition in the Subtropical Convergence Zone of the North Pacific Gyre. Further studies are needed to develop a full understanding of degradation rates of synthetic polymers in oceanic environments.

Toxicity of environmentally realistic concentrations of chlorpyrifos and terbuthylazine in indoor microcosms.

PubMed

Pereira, Ana Santos; Cerejeira, Maria José; Daam, Michiel A

2017-09-01

Few studies have been conducted into the evaluation of environmentally realistic pesticide mixtures using model ecosystems. In the present study, the effects of single and combined environmentally realistic concentrations of the herbicide terbuthylazine and the insecticide chlorpyrifos were evaluated using laboratory microcosms. Direct toxic effects of chlorpyrifos were noted on copepod nauplii and cladocerans and the recovery of the latter was likely related with the decrease observed in rotifer abundances. Terbuthylazine potentiated the effect of chlorpyrifos on feeding rates of Daphnia magna, presumably by triggering the transformation of chlorpyrifos to more toxic oxon-analogs. Possible food-web interactions resulting from multiple chemical (and other) stressors likely to be present in edge-of-field water bodies need to be further evaluated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Project Ranger Adopter's Guide, 1979.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Randi; McCann, Karen, Comp.

Project Ranger is a program providing a combination of classroom study, outdoor survival, and environmental education to students having difficulty adapting to structured learning. The program has three unique features: it tries to reach younger children than most programs for "reluctant learners"; it provides affective counseling…

Effectiveness of interventions to reduce exposure to lead through consumer products and drinking water: A systematic review.

PubMed

Pfadenhauer, Lisa Maria; Burns, Jacob; Rohwer, Anke; Rehfuess, Eva Annette

2016-05-01

The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of regulatory, environmental and educational interventions for reducing blood lead levels (BLLs) and associated health outcomes in children, pregnant women and the general population. Searches were run in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Global Health Library up until August 2015. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they assessed the impact of regulatory, environmental or educational interventions, stand-alone or in combination, on BLLs among children, pregnant women or the general population through randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled before-after (CBA), interrupted time series (ITS), uncontrolled before-after (UBA) or repeated cross-sectional studies. Studies assessing the impact of interventions to reduce exposure to lead in paint or household dust as well as studies concerned exclusively with environmental concentrations of lead were not included. As documented in a detailed protocol, screening, data extraction and quality appraisal were largely undertaken according to Cochrane standards. Harvest plots were used to graphically summarize evidence of effectiveness. The searches yielded 6466 unique records, of which five met our eligibility criteria; two additional eligible studies were identified by experts. We did not find any studies regarding the effectiveness of regulatory, educational or environmental interventions targeting exposure to lead in consumer products. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions in reducing BLLs from exposures through drinking water is limited in both quantity and quality. Stand-alone targeted educational interventions showed no statistically significant reductions in children's BLL (two RCT) when compared to general educational interventions. Likewise, instructing women to reduce or eliminate lead-contaminated drinking water showed no effect on BLL (one RCT). Stand-alone environmental interventions appeared more promising in reducing BLL (three UBA). Combining educational and environmental interventions and targeting multiple settings may be effective in reducing BLL, as suggested by one uncontrolled before-after study. No studies examining the effectiveness of regulatory interventions were found. The limited quantity and quality of the evidence measuring BLL and associated health outcomes points to an urgent need for more robust research into the effectiveness of interventions to reduce lead exposure from consumer products and drinking water, especially for regulatory interventions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 57820 - Luminant Generation Company, LLC.; Combined License Application for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-22

...; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is... NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact. Environmental.... Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and...

Environmental restraints and life strategies: a habitat templet matrix.

PubMed

Holm, E

1988-02-01

Four basic environmental restraints on life are deduced from the requirements of life's inherent order laws. Possible life strategies to contend with these restraints are listed. The various combinations of the restraints are subsequently investigated, and appropriate combinations of life strategies are fitted. This model is finally tested against insect case histories in various environments, and is demonstrated to explain some combinations of characteristics of insects in ecosystems not covered by the r-K or r-K-A continua. The role of heterochrony in achieving appropriate life strategies is briefly discussed.

Synergistic Effects of Heavy Metals and Pesticides in Living Systems.

PubMed

Singh, Nitika; Gupta, Vivek Kumar; Kumar, Abhishek; Sharma, Bechan

2017-01-01

There is a widespread repeated exposure of the population to the pesticides and heavy metals of occupational and environmental origin. Such population is forced to undergo continuous stress imposed by combined exposure of the heavy metals and different classes of the pesticides used in agricultural as well as health practices. The existing reports from several workers have indicated that heavy metals and pesticides in combination may lead more severe impact on the human health when compared to their individual effects. Such a combination of pesticides and heavy metals may also change or influence the detection of exposure. Several studies in past have shown the synergistic toxic effects of heavy metals and pesticides. Such evaluations have revealed the synergistic interactions of various heavy metals and pesticides in animals as well as humans. The aim of the present article is to provide a synthesis of existing knowledge on the synergistic effects of heavy metal and pesticides in living systems. The information included in this article may be useful for different environment protection agencies and policy makers to consider the combined effects of heavy metals and pesticides on humans while designing strategies toward environmental protection and safety regulations about human health.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) PROGRAM: MICROTURBINES AND COMBINED HEAT AND POWER TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Technology Verification(ETV) Program evaluates the performance of innovatiave air, water, pollution prevention and monitoring technologies that have the potential to improve human health and the environment. This techno...

Environmental Inequality and Pollution Advantage among Immigrants in the United States.

PubMed

Bakhtsiyarava, Maryia; Nawrotzki, Raphael J

2017-04-01

Environmental inequality scholarship has paid little attention to the disproportional exposure of immigrants in the United States (U.S.) to unfavorable environmental conditions. This study investigates whether new international migrants in the U.S. are exposed to environmental hazards and how this pattern varies among immigrant subpopulations (e.g., Hispanics, Asian, European). We combine sociodemographic information from the American Community Survey with toxicity-weighted chemical concentrations (Toxics Release Inventory) to model the relationship between toxin exposure and the relative population of recent immigrants across Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs, n=2,054) during 2005-2011. Results from spatial panel models show that immigrants tend to be less exposed to toxins, suggesting resilience instead of vulnerability. This pattern was pronounced among immigrants from Europe and Latin America (excluding Mexico). However, our results revealed that Mexican immigrants are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards in wealthy regions.

The combined effect of physical, psychosocial/organisational and/or environmental risk factors on the presence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and its consequences.

PubMed

Widanarko, Baiduri; Legg, Stephen; Devereux, Jason; Stevenson, Mark

2014-11-01

This study assessed the combined effect of physical and psychosocial/organisational and/or environmental factors on the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) and its consequences (reduced activities and absenteeism due to MSS) in a random sample of 3003 workers in New Zealand. By telephone interview, participants reported their current workplace exposures and MSS (neck/shoulder, arm/elbow, wrist and low back) and its consequences. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Combined exposure to physical and psychosocial/organisational and/or environmental factors increased the odds of MSS in the neck/shoulder (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.79-5.52), arms/elbow regions (OR 4.14, 95% CI 2.21-7.76) and low back (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.28-2.37) and its consequences, i.e. reduced activities due to neck/shoulder symptoms (OR 5.45, 95% CI 2.28-13.00), absenteeism due to neck/shoulder symptoms (OR 5.19, 95% CI 2.24-12.01) and absenteeism due to low back symptoms (OR 4.37, 95% CI 2.92-6.53). In contrast, favourable psychosocial/organisational work conditions reduced the odds of wrist symptoms due to poor physical work conditions (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.44-3.34). We conclude that to reduce MSS and its consequences, employers need to adopt a multifaceted approach: concentrate on improving physical conditions as well as the psychosocial/organisational and environmental aspects of the working environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Ethanol and tobacco smoke increase hepatic steatosis and hypoxia in the hypercholesterolemic apoE-/- mouse: implications for a “multi-hit” hypothesis of fatty liver disease

PubMed Central

Bailey, Shannon M.; Mantena, Sudheer K.; Millender-Swain, Telisha; Cakir, Yavuz; Jhala, Nirag C.; Chhieng, David; Pinkerton, Kent E.; Ballinger, Scott W.

2009-01-01

While epidemiologic studies indicate that combined exposures to cigarette smoke and alcohol increase risk and severity of liver diseases, the molecular mechanisms responsible for hepatotoxicity are unknown. Similarly, emerging evidence indicates a linkage among hepatic steatosis and cardiovascular disease. Herein, we hypothesize that combined exposure to alcohol and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on a hypercholesterolemic background increase liver injury through oxidative/nitrative stress, hypoxia, and mitochondrial damage. To test this, male apoE-/- mice were exposed to an ethanol-containing diet, ETS alone, or a combination, and histology and functional endpoints were compared to filtered air, ethanol-naïve controls. While ethanol consumption induced a mild steatosis, combined exposure to ethanol + ETS resulted in increased hepatic steatosis, inflammation, alpha smooth muscle actin, and collagen. Exposure to ethanol + ETS induced the largest increase on CYP2E1 and iNOS protein, as well as increased 3-nitrotyrosine, mtDNA damage, and decreased cytochrome c oxidase protein compared to all other groups. Similarly, the largest increase in HIF1α expression was observed in the ethanol + ETS group indicating enhanced hypoxia. These studies demonstrate that ETS increases alcohol-dependent steatosis and hypoxic stress. Therefore, ETS may be a key environmental “hit” that accelerates and exacerbates alcoholic liver disease in hypercholesterolemic apoE-/- mice. PMID:19280709

Spatial arrangement overrules environmental factors to structure native and non-native assemblages of synanthropic harvestmen.

PubMed

Muster, Christoph; Meyer, Marc; Sattler, Thomas

2014-01-01

Understanding how space affects the occurrence of native and non-native species is essential for inferring processes that shape communities. However, studies considering spatial and environmental variables for the entire community - as well as for the native and non-native assemblages in a single study - are scarce for animals. Harvestmen communities in central Europe have undergone drastic turnovers during the past decades, with several newly immigrated species, and thus provide a unique system to study such questions. We studied the wall-dwelling harvestmen communities from 52 human settlements in Luxembourg and found the assemblages to be largely dominated by non-native species (64% of specimens). Community structure was analysed using Moran's eigenvector maps as spatial variables, and landcover variables at different radii (500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m) in combination with climatic parameters as environmental variables. A surprisingly high portion of pure spatial variation (15.7% of total variance) exceeded the environmental (10.6%) and shared (4%) components of variation, but we found only minor differences between native and non-native assemblages. This could result from the ecological flexibility of both, native and non-native harvestmen that are not restricted to urban habitats but also inhabit surrounding semi-natural landscapes. Nevertheless, urban landcover variables explained more variation in the non-native community, whereas coverage of semi-natural habitats (forests, rivers) at broader radii better explained the native assemblage. This indicates that some urban characteristics apparently facilitate the establishment of non-native species. We found no evidence for competitive replacement of native by invasive species, but a community with novel combination of native and non-native species.

Spatial Arrangement Overrules Environmental Factors to Structure Native and Non-Native Assemblages of Synanthropic Harvestmen

PubMed Central

Muster, Christoph; Meyer, Marc; Sattler, Thomas

2014-01-01

Understanding how space affects the occurrence of native and non-native species is essential for inferring processes that shape communities. However, studies considering spatial and environmental variables for the entire community – as well as for the native and non-native assemblages in a single study – are scarce for animals. Harvestmen communities in central Europe have undergone drastic turnovers during the past decades, with several newly immigrated species, and thus provide a unique system to study such questions. We studied the wall-dwelling harvestmen communities from 52 human settlements in Luxembourg and found the assemblages to be largely dominated by non-native species (64% of specimens). Community structure was analysed using Moran's eigenvector maps as spatial variables, and landcover variables at different radii (500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m) in combination with climatic parameters as environmental variables. A surprisingly high portion of pure spatial variation (15.7% of total variance) exceeded the environmental (10.6%) and shared (4%) components of variation, but we found only minor differences between native and non-native assemblages. This could result from the ecological flexibility of both, native and non-native harvestmen that are not restricted to urban habitats but also inhabit surrounding semi-natural landscapes. Nevertheless, urban landcover variables explained more variation in the non-native community, whereas coverage of semi-natural habitats (forests, rivers) at broader radii better explained the native assemblage. This indicates that some urban characteristics apparently facilitate the establishment of non-native species. We found no evidence for competitive replacement of native by invasive species, but a community with novel combination of native and non-native species. PMID:24595309

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruize, Hanneke; Driessen, Peter P. J.; Glasbergen, Pieter; van Egmond, Klaas (N. D.)

2007-10-01

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO2, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO2 are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.

Gender differences in autoimmunity associated with exposure to environmental factors

PubMed Central

Pollard, K. Michael

2011-01-01

Autoimmunity is thought to result from a combination of genetics, environmental triggers, and stochastic events. Gender is also a significant risk factor with many diseases exhibiting a female bias. Although the role of environmental triggers, especially medications, in eliciting autoimmunity is well established less is known about the interplay between gender, the environment and autoimmunity. This review examines the contribution of gender in autoimmunity induced by selected chemical, physical and biological agents in humans and animal models. Epidemiological studies reveal that environmental factors can be associated with a gender bias in human autoimmunity. However many studies show that the increased risk of autoimmunity is often influenced by occupational exposure or other gender biased activities. Animal studies, although often prejudiced by the exclusive use of female animals, reveal that gender bias can be strain specific suggesting an interaction between sex chromosome complement and background genes. This observation has important implications because it argues that within a gender biased disease there may be individuals in which gender does not contribute to autoimmunity. Exposure to environmental factors, which encompasses everything around us, adds an additional layer of complexity. Understanding how the environment influences the relationship between sex chromosome complement and innate and adaptive immune responses will be essential in determining the role of gender in environmentally-induced autoimmunity. PMID:22137891

A novel environmental restoration method for an abandoned limestone quarry with a deep open pit and steep palisades: a case study

PubMed Central

Wang, Hanxun; Bai, Xueliang; Shi, Lei

2018-01-01

In general, exploitation of rock materials, such as limestone or granite exploitation, can cause serious damage to the environment near a mine area. With economic development and the ever-increasing demand for ore resources, mining activities have induced very serious environmental issues in China. Therefore, environmental restoration work around mines in China is urgently required. This study explores the Chuankou open-pit limestone quarry in Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, as the engineering case. The environmental issues caused by over 40 years of limestone exploitation, including land degradation, land occupation, dust pollution and potential geological disasters, were investigated. Combining the characteristics of this quarry with a summary of previous studies on environmental restoration work, this paper proposes a novel and systematic method that was comprehensively carried out through engineering and revegetation measures. The engineering measure, that is, the construction of an artificial slope by using local abandoned construction materials, solved the environmental problems in this quarry and provided site conditions favourable for revegetation. The revegetation measure restored the local ecosystem. This method provides both a new idea for the sustainable development of a mining area and a useful reference for analogous engineering cases. PMID:29892461

Aquatic community structure in Mediterranean edge-of-field waterbodies as explained by environmental factors and the presence of pesticide mixtures.

PubMed

Pereira, Ana Santos; Dâmaso-Rodrigues, Maria Luísa; Amorim, Ana; Daam, Michiel A; Cerejeira, Maria José

2018-06-16

Studies addressing the predicted effects of pesticides in combination with abiotic and biotic factors on aquatic biota in ditches associated with typical Mediterranean agroecosystems are scarce. The current study aimed to evaluate the predicted effects of pesticides along with environmental factors and biota interactions on macroinvertebrate, zooplankton and phytoplankton community compositions in ditches adjacent to Portuguese maize and tomato crop areas. Data was analysed with the variance partitioning procedure based on redundancy analysis (RDA). The total variance in biological community composition was divided into the variance explained by the multi-substance potentially affected fraction [(msPAF) arthropods and primary producers], environmental factors (water chemistry parameters), biotic interactions, shared variance, and unexplained variance. The total explained variance reached 39.4% and the largest proportion of this explained variance was attributed to msPAF (23.7%). When each group (phytoplankton, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates) was analysed separately, biota interactions and environmental factors explained the largest proportion of variance. Results of this study indicate that besides the presence of pesticide mixtures, environmental factors and biotic interactions also considerably influence field freshwater communities. Subsequently, to increase our understanding of the risk of pesticide mixtures on ecosystem communities in edge-of-field water bodies, variations in environmental and biological factors should also be considered.

U.S. nanotechnology policy and the decay of environmental law, 1980--2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudd, Jeffrey D.

2009-11-01

Environmental law's authority to protect humans and the environment from pollution and resource exploitation began to deteriorate in the early 1980s. The dissertation is a modest attempt to answer the question, "What caused the gradual erosion in environmental law's normative authority?" It argues that the emergence of a neoliberal, market-centered ideology redefined the relationship between economic and environmental policies, causing environmental law's transformation into an instrument of economic discourse. This ethical transformation weakened environmental law's authority to protect humans and the environment from risks posed by unbridled economic growth policies. It also sparked the rise of an ideology to counter neoliberalism's power over environmental policy: sustainable development or "sustainability." Sustainable development reaffirms environmental law's normative authority and relies upon deliberative democratic principles similar to those that drove the enactment of environmental legislation during the 1960s and 1970s. The dissertation analyzes environmental law's transformation through two complementary case studies. First, it shows how the expansion of regulatory agencies' legislative power has combined with cost-benefit analysis mandates to undermine the goals of environmental law and limit democratic debate about environmental policy. Second, it analyzes the genesis and development of nanotechnology policy in the United States to show how neoliberalism's economic logic subtly erodes environmental law's normative authority. These case studies illuminate pragmatic differences in substance and process between neoliberalism and sustainable development. They also show that the relative balance of institutional authority over risk-related information determines the effectiveness and durability of legislative mandates intended to protect the environment.

Environmental land use conflicts in catchments: A major cause of amplified nitrate in river water.

PubMed

Pacheco, F A L; Sanches Fernandes, L F

2016-04-01

Environmental land use conflicts are uses of the land that ignore soil capability. In this study, environmental land use conflicts were investigated in mainland Portugal, using Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression combined with GIS modeling and a group of 85 agricultural watersheds (with >50% occupation by agriculture) as work sample. The results indicate a dominance of conflicts in a region where vineyards systematically invaded steep hillsides (the River Douro basin), where forests would be the most appropriate use. As a consequence of the conflicts, nitrate concentrations in rivers and lakes from these areas have increased, sometimes beyond the legal limit of 50mg/L imposed by the European and Portuguese laws. Excessive nitrate concentrations were also observed along the Atlantic coast of continental Portugal, but associated to a combination of other factors: large population densities, and incomplete coverage by sewage systems and inadequate functioning of wastewater treatment plants. Before this study, environmental land use conflicts were never recognized as possible boost of nitrate concentrations in surface water. Bearing in mind the consequences of drinking water nitrate for human health, a number of land use change scenarios were investigated to forecast their impact on freshwater nitrate concentrations. It was seen that an aggravation of the conflicts would duplicate the number of watersheds with maximum nitrate concentrations above 50mg/L (from 11 to 20 watersheds), while the elimination of the conflicts would greatly reduce that number (to 3 watersheds). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of temperature and Ca2+ on the larval development of the decapoda crustacean: Eriocheir sinensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bo; Du, Nan-Shan; Lai, Wei

2001-09-01

With increasing demand in China for the mitten crab larvae, understanding its survival mechanism gets more important. This research focused on the effects of temperature and Ca2+ on the larval growth and development. Eriocheir sinensis larvae were reared in laboratory under, 21 different combinations of temperature (15, 20, 25°C) and Ca2+ content (120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 mg/l) and constant salinity (20) and pH (8). The results suggested that the survival rate increases with temperature and Ca2+ content. These combinations of temperature and Ca2+ content maximized survival rate in our study and it may be the optimum water environmental conditions for culturing, the larvae. To predict surviving larvae number under different water environmental conditions, 21 dynamic mathematical models were developed. This for the first time observation of the zoeal VI larvae of the Changjiang River E. sinesis population showed that they occurred under stressed water environmental conditions: temperature of 15°C and Ca2+ content of 120, 130 mg/l.

Pelagic and benthic communities of the Antarctic ecosystem of Potter Cove: Genomics and ecological implications.

PubMed

Abele, D; Vazquez, S; Buma, A G J; Hernandez, E; Quiroga, C; Held, C; Frickenhaus, S; Harms, L; Lopez, J L; Helmke, E; Mac Cormack, W P

2017-06-01

Molecular technologies are more frequently applied in Antarctic ecosystem research and the growing amount of sequence-based information available in databases adds a new dimension to understanding the response of Antarctic organisms and communities to environmental change. We apply molecular techniques, including fingerprinting, and amplicon and metagenome sequencing, to understand biodiversity and phylogeography to resolve adaptive processes in an Antarctic coastal ecosystem from microbial to macrobenthic organisms and communities. Interpretation of the molecular data is not only achieved by their combination with classical methods (pigment analyses or microscopy), but furthermore by combining molecular with environmental data (e.g., sediment characteristics, biogeochemistry or oceanography) in space and over time. The studies form part of a long-term ecosystem investigation in Potter Cove on King-George Island, Antarctica, in which we follow the effects of rapid retreat of the local glacier on the cove ecosystem. We formulate and encourage new approaches to integrate molecular tools into Antarctic ecosystem research, environmental conservation actions, and polar ocean observatories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential Environmental Benefits from Blending Biosolids with Other Organic Amendments before Application to Land.

PubMed

Paramashivam, Dharini; Dickinson, Nicholas M; Clough, Timothy J; Horswell, Jacqui; Robinson, Brett H

2017-05-01

Biosolids disposal to landfill or through incineration is wasteful of a resource that is rich in organic matter and plant nutrients. Land application can improve soil fertility and enhance crop production but may result in excessive nitrate N (NO-N) leaching and residual contamination from pathogens, heavy metals, and xenobiotics. This paper evaluates evidence that these concerns can be reduced significantly by blending biosolids with organic materials to reduce the environmental impact of biosolids application to soils. It appears feasible to combine organic waste streams for use as a resource to build or amend degraded soils. Sawdust and partially pyrolyzed biochars provide an opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of biosolids application, with studies showing reductions of NO-N leaching of 40 to 80%. However, other organic amendments including lignite coal waste may result in excessive NO-N leaching. Field trials combining biosolids and biochars for rehabilitation of degraded forest and ecological restoration are recommended. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Progress in the Analysis of Complex Atmospheric Particles.

PubMed

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K; Knopf, Daniel A; Wang, Bingbing; China, Swarup

2016-06-12

This article presents an overview of recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surface interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multimodal chemical characterization of particles with both molecular and lateral specificity. When combined, these approaches provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore the environmental effects of air-surface interactions.

Total environmental impacts of biofuels from corn stover using a hybrid life cycle assessment model combining process life cycle assessment and economic input-output life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Liu, Changqi; Huang, Yaji; Wang, Xinye; Tai, Yang; Liu, Lingqin; Liu, Hao

2018-01-01

Studies on the environmental analysis of biofuels by fast pyrolysis and hydroprocessing (BFPH) have so far focused only on the environmental impacts from direct emissions and have included few indirect emissions. The influence of ignoring some indirect emissions on the environmental performance of BFPH has not been well investigated and hence is not really understood. In addition, in order to avoid shifting environmental problems from one medium to another, a comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by the processes must quantify the environmental emissions to all media (air, water, and land) in relation to each life cycle stage. A well-to-wheels assessment of the total environmental impacts resulting from direct emissions and indirect emissions of a BFPH system with corn stover is conducted using a hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) model combining the economic input-output LCA and the process LCA. The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) has been used to estimate the environmental impacts in terms of acidification, eutrophication, global climate change, ozone depletion, human health criteria, photochemical smog formation, ecotoxicity, human health cancer, and human health noncancer caused by 1 MJ biofuel production. Taking account of all the indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the net GHG emissions (81.8 g CO 2 eq/MJ) of the biofuels are still less than those of petroleum-based fuels (94 g CO 2 eq/MJ). Maize production and pyrolysis and hydroprocessing make major contributions to all impact categories except the human health criteria. All impact categories resulting from indirect emissions except eutrophication and smog air make more than 24% contribution to the total environmental impacts. Therefore, the indirect emissions are important and cannot be ignored. Sensitivity analysis has shown that corn stover yield and bio-oil yield affect the total environmental impacts of the biofuels more significantly than the biomass transportation distance and biofuel transportation distance. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:139-149. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Environmental microbiology as related to planetary quarantine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pflug, I. J.

1972-01-01

The experimental design of a study to evaluate the effect of different cleaning methods and storage conditions on the dry heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores is described and the results for the first evaluation are reported. Specifically, the synergistic effect which occurs when spores are subjected simultaneously to dry heat and gamma radiation so as to be able to specify thermoradiation sterilization cycles was investigated. Attempts were made to understand the underlying mechanism(s) that lead to spore death from this combination of stresses. Data cover: (1) the survival of spores on surfaces at various temperatures in a precisely controlled environmental system, (2) the rate of destruction of these spores at ambient temperature when subjected to gamma radiation, and (3) the rate of destruction of spores when they are subjected to combined gamma radiation and thermal stresses.

Connecting the dots: Linking quantifiable environmental justice indicators to exposure assessment methodologies

EPA Science Inventory

Cumulative risk assessment (CRA) offers a unique context for addressing Environmental Justice (EJ) issues from scientific perspectives, especially when it comes to examining combined effects of multiple environmental stressors1. Not only chemical stressors (e.g. radon, toluene an...

Implications of sedimentological studies for environmental pollution assessment and management: Examples from fluvial systems in North Queensland and Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyre, Bradley; McConchie, David

1993-05-01

Sedimentology is of increasing importance in environmental research, particularly environmental pollution studies, where past trends in environmental processes need to be combined with data on present conditions to predict likely future changes—the past and present as a key to the future. Two examples are used to illustrate the role of sedimentology in assessing the influence of major processes on the transport, accumulation, deposition and modification of contaminants in fluvial/estuarine systems and in developing environmental management plans. Example 1 shows that when assessing nutrient behaviour in fluvial/estuarine depositional settings, it is important to examine the partitioning of phosphorus between grain size fractions to evaluate the sedimentological processes which control the dispersion and trapping of these contaminants. Example 2 shows that in studies of anthropogenic metal inputs to modern depositional settings, lateral and stratigraphic trends in sediment texture and mineralogy should be examined, in addition to trends in metal loads and evaluation of the prevailing physical, chemical and biological processes that may influence metal mobility and dispersion. Clearly, basic sedimentological data should form part of any assessment of potentially contaminated sites and part of investigations into the dispersion and trapping of contaminants in fluvial systems. These data are also required for rational environmental management to ensure that planning decisions are compatible with natural environmental constraints.

CARD-FISH for Environmental Microorganisms: Technical Advancement and Future Applications

PubMed Central

Kubota, Kengo

2013-01-01

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has become a standard technique in environmental microbiology. More than 20 years have passed since this technique was first described, and it is currently used for the detection of ribosomal RNA, messenger RNA, and functional genes encoded on chromosomes. This review focuses on the advancement and applications of FISH combined with catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD, also known as tyramide signal amplification or TSA), in the detection of environmental microorganisms. Significant methodological improvements have been made in CARD-FISH technology, including its combination with other techniques and instruments. PMID:23124765

Air and surface contamination patterns of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on eight acute hospital wards.

PubMed

Creamer, E; Shore, A C; Deasy, E C; Galvin, S; Dolan, A; Walley, N; McHugh, S; Fitzgerald-Hughes, D; Sullivan, D J; Cunney, R; Coleman, D C; Humphreys, H

2014-03-01

Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be recovered from hospital air and from environmental surfaces. This poses a potential risk of transmission to patients. To investigate associations between MRSA isolates recovered from air and environmental surfaces with those from patients when undertaking extensive patient and environmental sampling. This was a prospective observational study of patients and their environment in eight wards of a 700-bed tertiary care hospital during 2010 and 2011. Sampling of patients, air and surfaces was carried out on all ward bays, with more extended environmental sampling in ward high-dependency bays and at particular times of the day. The genetic relatedness of isolates was determined by DNA microarray profiling and spa typing. MRSA was recovered from 30/706 (4.3%) patients and from 19/132 (14.4%) air samples. On 9/132 (6.8%) occasions both patient and air samples yielded MRSA. In 32 high-dependency bays, MRSA was recovered from 12/161 (7.4%) patients, 8/32 (25%) air samples, and 21/644 (3.3%) environmental surface samples. On 10/132 (7.6%) occasions, MRSA was isolated from air in the absence of MRSA-positive patients. Patient demographic data combined with spa typing and DNA microarray profiling revealed four likely transmission clusters, where patient and environmental isolates were deemed to be very closely related. Air sampling yielded MRSA on frequent occasions, especially in high-dependency bays. Environmental and air sampling combined with patient demographic data, spa typing and DNA microarray profiling indicated the presence of clusters that were not otherwise apparent. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emerging trends in geospatial artificial intelligence (geoAI): potential applications for environmental epidemiology.

PubMed

VoPham, Trang; Hart, Jaime E; Laden, Francine; Chiang, Yao-Yi

2018-04-17

Geospatial artificial intelligence (geoAI) is an emerging scientific discipline that combines innovations in spatial science, artificial intelligence methods in machine learning (e.g., deep learning), data mining, and high-performance computing to extract knowledge from spatial big data. In environmental epidemiology, exposure modeling is a commonly used approach to conduct exposure assessment to determine the distribution of exposures in study populations. geoAI technologies provide important advantages for exposure modeling in environmental epidemiology, including the ability to incorporate large amounts of big spatial and temporal data in a variety of formats; computational efficiency; flexibility in algorithms and workflows to accommodate relevant characteristics of spatial (environmental) processes including spatial nonstationarity; and scalability to model other environmental exposures across different geographic areas. The objectives of this commentary are to provide an overview of key concepts surrounding the evolving and interdisciplinary field of geoAI including spatial data science, machine learning, deep learning, and data mining; recent geoAI applications in research; and potential future directions for geoAI in environmental epidemiology.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CHEMICAL EFFECTS IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (CEBS) TOXICOGENOMICS KNOWLEDGE BASE

EPA Science Inventory

Conceptual Framework for the Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS) T oxicogenomics Knowledge Base

Abstract
Toxicogenomics studies how the genome is involved in responses to environmental stressors or toxicants. It combines genetics, genome-scale mRNA expressio...

USE OF STABLE ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND FORENSIC GEOCHEMISTRY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes have been used for many decades in the petroleum industry, but the development of combined gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCIRMS) has led to a virtual explosion in application of this technique not only in petroleum explora...

A School-Community Inter-City Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demaray, Elois

1976-01-01

This article briefly outlines the objectives and approaches to be instituted in establishing an environmental studies program for the San Francisco Bay area. The project incorporates community and school resources. The approach will be interdisciplinary combining ecologic concepts with socioeconomic concepts in analyzing the past and present…

Multiple site receptor modeling with a minimal spanning tree combined with a Kohonen neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopke, Philip K.

1999-12-01

A combination of two pattern recognition methods has been developed that allows the generation of geographical emission maps form multivariate environmental data. In such a projection into a visually interpretable subspace by a Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Map, the topology of the higher dimensional variables space can be preserved, but parts of the information about the correct neighborhood among the sample vectors will be lost. This can partly be compensated for by an additional projection of Prim's Minimal Spanning Tree into the trained neural network. This new environmental receptor modeling technique has been adapted for multiple sampling sites. The behavior of the method has been studied using simulated data. Subsequently, the method has been applied to mapping data sets from the Southern California Air Quality Study. The projection of a 17 chemical variables measured at up to 8 sampling sites provided a 2D, visually interpretable, geometrically reasonable arrangement of air pollution source sin the South Coast Air Basin.

Space environmental effects on polymeric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiefer, Richard L.; Orwoll, Robert A.

1988-01-01

Two of the major environmental hazards in the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) are energetic charged particles and ultraviolet radiation. The charged particles, electrons and protons, range in energy from 0.1 to 4 MeV and each have a flux of 10 to the 8th sq cm/sec. Over a 30 year lifetime, materials in the GEO will have an absorbed dose from this radiation of 10 to the 10th rads. The ultraviolet radiation comes uninhibited from the sun with an irradiance of 1.4 kw/sq m. Radiation is known to initiate chain sission and crosslinking in polymeric materials, both of which affect their structural properties. The 30-year dose level from the combined radiation in the GEO exceeds the threshold for measurable damage in most polymer systems studied. Of further concern is possible synergistic effects from the simultaneous irradiation with charged particles and ultraviolet radiation. Most studies on radiation effects on polymeric materials use either electrons or ultraviolet radiation alone, or in a sequential combination.

Urban Expansion Modeling Approach Based on Multi-Agent System and Cellular Automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Y. N.; Yu, M. M.; Li, S. N.

2018-04-01

Urban expansion is a land-use change process that transforms non-urban land into urban land. This process results in the loss of natural vegetation and increase in impervious surfaces. Urban expansion also alters the hydrologic cycling, atmospheric circulation, and nutrient cycling processes and generates enormous environmental and social impacts. Urban expansion monitoring and modeling are crucial to understanding urban expansion process, mechanism, and its environmental impacts, and predicting urban expansion in future scenarios. Therefore, it is important to study urban expansion monitoring and modeling approaches. We proposed to simulate urban expansion by combining CA and MAS model. The proposed urban expansion model based on MSA and CA was applied to a case study area of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration, China. The results show that this model can capture urban expansion with good adaptability. The Kappa coefficient of the simulation results is 0.75, which indicated that the combination of MAS and CA offered the better simulation result.

Gene-environment interactions in the aetiology of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Jönsen, Andreas; Bengtsson, Anders A; Nived, Ola; Truedsson, Lennart; Sturfelt, Gunnar

2007-12-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that displays a multitude of symptoms and a vast array of autoantibodies. The disease course may vary substantially between patients. The current understanding of SLE aetiology includes environmental factors acting on a genetically prone individual during an undetermined time period resulting in autoimmunity and finally surpassing that individual's disease threshold. Genetic differences and environmental factors may interact specifically in the pathogenetic processes and may influence disease development and modify the disease course. Identification of these factors and their interactions in the pathogenesis of SLE is vital in understanding the disease and may contribute to identify new treatment targets and perhaps also aid in disease prevention. However, there are several problems that need to be overcome, such as the protracted time frame of environmental influence, time dependent epigenetic alterations and the possibility that different pathogenetic pathways may result in a similar disease phenotype. This is mirrored by the relatively few studies that suggest specific gene-environment interactions. These include an association between SLE diagnosis and glutation S-transferase gene variants combined with occupational sun exposure as well as variants of the N-acetyl transferase gene in combination with either aromatic amine exposure or hydralazine. With increased knowledge on SLE pathogenesis, the role of environmental factors and their genetic interactions may be further elucidated.

Modelling the effect of temperature, water activity and carbon dioxide on the growth of Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata isolated from fresh date fruit.

PubMed

Belbahi, A; Leguerinel, I; Méot, J-M; Loiseau, G; Madani, K; Bohuon, P

2016-12-01

To quantify and model the combined effects of temperature (T) (10-40°C), water activity (a w ) (0·993-0·818) and CO 2 concentration (9·4-55·1%, v/v) on the growth rate of Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata that cause spoilage during the storage and packaging of dates. The effects of environmental factors were studied using the γ-concept. Cardinal models were used to quantify the effect of studied environmental factors on the growth rates. Firstly, the cardinal parameters were estimated independently from experiments carried out on potato dextrose agar using a monofactorial design. Secondly, model performance evaluation was conducted on pasteurized date paste. The boundary between growth and no-growth was predicted using a deterministic approach. Aspergillus niger displayed a faster growth rate and higher tolerance to low a w than Al. alternata, which in turn proved more resistant to CO 2 concentration. Minimal cardinal parameters of T and a w were lower than those reported in the literature. The combination of the a w and CO 2 effects significantly affected As. niger and Al. alternata growth. The γ-concept model overestimated growth rates, however, it is optimistic and provides somewhat conservative predictions. The developed model provides a decision support tool for the choice of the date fruit conservation mode (refrigeration, drying, modified atmospheric packaging or their combination) using T, a w and CO 2 as environmental factors. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Improving Environmental Model Calibration and Prediction

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-18

REPORT Final Report - Improving Environmental Model Calibration and Prediction 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: First, we have continued to...develop tools for efficient global optimization of environmental models. Our algorithms are hybrid algorithms that combine evolutionary strategies...toward practical hybrid optimization tools for environmental models. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 18-01-2011 13

Genetic and environmental factors interact to influence anxiety.

PubMed

Gross, Cornelius; Hen, René

2004-01-01

Both genetic and environmental factors influence normal anxiety traits as well as anxiety disorders. In addition it is becoming increasingly clear that these factors interact to produce specific anxiety-related behaviors. For example, in humans and in monkeys mutations in the gene encoding for the serotonin transporter result in increased anxiety in adult life when combined with a stressful environment during development. Another recent example comes from twin studies suggesting that a small hippocampus can be a predisposing condition that renders individuals susceptible to post traumatic stress disorder. Such examples illustrate how specific mutations leading to abnormal brain development may increase vulnerability to environmental insults which may in turn lead to specific anxiety disorders.

Correlation of crAssphage-based qPCR markers with culturable and molecular indicators of human fecal pollution in an impacted urban watershed.

PubMed

Stachler, Elyse; Akyon, Benay; Aquino de Carvalho, Nathalia; Ference, Christian; Bibby, Kyle

2018-06-06

Environmental waters are monitored for fecal pollution to protect public health. Many previously developed human-specific fecal pollution indicators lack adequate sensitivity to be reliably detected in environmental waters or do not correlate well with viral pathogens. Recently, two novel human sewage-associated source tracking qPCR markers were developed based on the bacteriophage crAssphage, CPQ_056 and CPQ_064. These assays are highly human specific, abundant in sewage, and are viral-based, suggesting great promise for environmental application as human fecal pollution indicators. A 30-day sampling study was conducted in an urban stream impacted by combined sewer overflows to evaluate the crAssphage markers' performance in an environmental system. The crAssphage markers were present at concentrations of 4.02-6.04 log10 copies/100 mL throughout the study period, indicating their high abundance and ease of detection in polluted environmental waters. In addition, the crAssphage assays were correlated with rain events, molecular markers for human polyomavirus and HF183, as well as culturable E. coli, enterococci, and somatic coliphage. The CPQ_064 assay correlated strongly to a greater number of biological indicators than the CPQ_056 assay. This study is the first to evaluate both crAssphage qPCR assays in an extended environmental application of crAssphage markers for monitoring of environmental waters. It is also the first study to compare crAssphage marker concentration with other viral-based indicators.

CT Characteristics of Pleural Plaques Related to Occupational or Environmental Asbestos Exposure from South Korean Asbestos Mines.

PubMed

Kim, Yookyung; Myong, Jun-Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Kim, Jeung Sook; Kim, Yoon Kyung; Jung, Soon-Hee

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the CT characteristics of pleural plaques in asbestos-exposed individuals and compared occupational versus environmental exposure groups. This study enrolled 181 subjects with occupational exposure and 98 with environmental exposure from chrysotile asbestos mines, who had pleural plaques confirmed by a chest CT. The CT scans were analyzed for morphological characteristics, the number and distribution of pleural plaques and combined pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, the CT findings were compared between the occupational and environmental exposure groups. Concerning the 279 subjects, the pleural plaques were single in 2.2% and unilateral in 3.6%, and showed variable widths (range, 1-20 mm; mean, 5.4 ± 2.7 mm) and lengths (5-310 mm; 72.6 ± 54.8 mm). The chest wall was the most commonly involved (98.6%), with an upper predominance on the ventral side (upper, 77.8% vs. lower, 55.9%, p < 0.001) and a lower predominance on the dorsal side (upper, 74.9% vs. lower, 91.8%, p = 0.02). Diaphragmatic involvement (78.1%) showed a right-side predominance (right, 73.8% vs. left, 55.6%, p < 0.001), whereas mediastinal plaques (42.7%) were more frequent on the left (right, 17.6% vs. left, 39.4%, p < 0.001). The extent and maximum length of plaques, and presence and severity of combined asbestosis, were significantly higher in the occupational exposure group (p < 0.05). Pleural plaques in asbestos-exposed individuals are variable in number and size; and show a predominant distribution in the upper ventral and lower dorsal chest walls, right diaphragm, and left mediastinum. Asbestos mine workers have a higher extent of plaques and pulmonary fibrosis versus environmentally exposed individuals.

Parametric correlation functions to model the structure of permanent environmental (co)variances in milk yield random regression models.

PubMed

Bignardi, A B; El Faro, L; Cardoso, V L; Machado, P F; Albuquerque, L G

2009-09-01

The objective of the present study was to estimate milk yield genetic parameters applying random regression models and parametric correlation functions combined with a variance function to model animal permanent environmental effects. A total of 152,145 test-day milk yields from 7,317 first lactations of Holstein cows belonging to herds located in the southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed. Test-day milk yields were divided into 44 weekly classes of days in milk. Contemporary groups were defined by herd-test-day comprising a total of 2,539 classes. The model included direct additive genetic, permanent environmental, and residual random effects. The following fixed effects were considered: contemporary group, age of cow at calving (linear and quadratic regressions), and the population average lactation curve modeled by fourth-order orthogonal Legendre polynomial. Additive genetic effects were modeled by random regression on orthogonal Legendre polynomials of days in milk, whereas permanent environmental effects were estimated using a stationary or nonstationary parametric correlation function combined with a variance function of different orders. The structure of residual variances was modeled using a step function containing 6 variance classes. The genetic parameter estimates obtained with the model using a stationary correlation function associated with a variance function to model permanent environmental effects were similar to those obtained with models employing orthogonal Legendre polynomials for the same effect. A model using a sixth-order polynomial for additive effects and a stationary parametric correlation function associated with a seventh-order variance function to model permanent environmental effects would be sufficient for data fitting.

Environmental risk assessment of selected organic chemicals based on TOC test and QSAR estimation models.

PubMed

Chi, Yulang; Zhang, Huanteng; Huang, Qiansheng; Lin, Yi; Ye, Guozhu; Zhu, Huimin; Dong, Sijun

2018-02-01

Environmental risks of organic chemicals have been greatly determined by their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT) and physicochemical properties. Major regulations in different countries and regions identify chemicals according to their bioconcentration factor (BCF) and octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow), which frequently displays a substantial correlation with the sediment sorption coefficient (Koc). Half-life or degradability is crucial for the persistence evaluation of chemicals. Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) estimation models are indispensable for predicting environmental fate and health effects in the absence of field- or laboratory-based data. In this study, 39 chemicals of high concern were chosen for half-life testing based on total organic carbon (TOC) degradation, and two widely accepted and highly used QSAR estimation models (i.e., EPI Suite and PBT Profiler) were adopted for environmental risk evaluation. The experimental results and estimated data, as well as the two model-based results were compared, based on the water solubility, Kow, Koc, BCF and half-life. Environmental risk assessment of the selected compounds was achieved by combining experimental data and estimation models. It was concluded that both EPI Suite and PBT Profiler were fairly accurate in measuring the physicochemical properties and degradation half-lives for water, soil, and sediment. However, the half-lives between the experimental and the estimated results were still not absolutely consistent. This suggests deficiencies of the prediction models in some ways, and the necessity to combine the experimental data and predicted results for the evaluation of environmental fate and risks of pollutants. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assessment of land suitability for olive mill wastewater disposal site selection by integrating fuzzy logic, AHP, and WLC in a GIS.

PubMed

Aydi, Abdelwaheb; Abichou, Tarek; Nasr, Imen Hamdi; Louati, Mourad; Zairi, Moncef

2016-01-01

This paper presents a geographic information system-based multi-criteria site selection tool of an olive mill wastewater (OMW) disposal site in Sidi Bouzid Region, Tunisia. The multi-criteria decision framework integrates ten constraints and six factors that relate to environmental and economic concerns, and builds a hierarchy model for OMW disposal site suitability. The methodology is used for preliminary assessment of the most suitable OMW disposal sites by combining fuzzy set theory and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The fuzzy set theory is used to standardize factors using different fuzzy membership functions while the AHP is used to establish the relative importance of the criteria. The AHP makes pairwise comparisons of relative importance between hierarchy elements grouped by both environmental and economic decision criteria. The OMW disposal site suitability is achieved by applying a weighted linear combination that uses a comparison matrix to aggregate different importance scenarios associated with environmental and economic objectives. Three different scenarios generated by different weights applied to the two objectives. The scenario (a) assigns a weight of 0.75 to the environmental and 0.25 to the economic objective, scenario (b) has equal weights, and scenario (c) features weights of 0.25 and 0.75 for environmental and economic objectives, respectively. The results from this study assign the least suitable OMW disposal site of 2.5 % when environmental and economic objectives are rated equally, while a more suitable OMW disposal site of 1.0 % is generated when the economic objective is rated higher.

Chronic exposure to combined carcinogens enhances breast cell carcinogenesis with mesenchymal and stem-like cell properties.

PubMed

Pluchino, Lenora Ann; Wang, Hwa-Chain Robert

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women in North America and Europe. More than 85% of breast cancers are sporadic and attributable to long-term exposure to small quantities of multiple carcinogens. To understand how multiple carcinogens act together to induce cellular carcinogenesis, we studied the activity of environmental carcinogens 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) using our breast cell carcinogenesis model. Our study revealed, for the first time, that combined NNK and B[a]P enhanced breast cell carcinogenesis chronically induced by PhIP in both non-cancerous and cancerous breast cells. Co-exposure was more potent than sequential exposure to combined NNK and B[a]P followed by PhIP in inducing carcinogenesis. Initiation of carcinogenesis was measured by transient endpoints induced in a single exposure, while progression of carcinogenesis was measured by acquisition of constitutive endpoints in cumulative exposures. Transient endpoints included DNA damage, Ras-Erk-Nox pathway activation, reactive oxygen species elevation, and increased cellular proliferation. Constitutive endpoints included various cancer-associated properties and signaling modulators, as well as enrichment of cancer stem-like cell population and activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition program. Using transient and constitutive endpoints as targets, we detected that a combination of the green tea catechins ECG and EGCG, at non-cytotoxic levels, was more effective than individual agents in intervention of cellular carcinogenesis induced by combined NNK, B[a]P, and PhIP. Thus, use of combined ECG and EGCG should be seriously considered for early intervention of breast cell carcinogenesis associated with long-term exposure to environmental and dietary carcinogens.

Chronic Exposure to Combined Carcinogens Enhances Breast Cell Carcinogenesis with Mesenchymal and Stem-Like Cell Properties

PubMed Central

Pluchino, Lenora Ann; Wang, Hwa-Chain Robert

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women in North America and Europe. More than 85% of breast cancers are sporadic and attributable to long-term exposure to small quantities of multiple carcinogens. To understand how multiple carcinogens act together to induce cellular carcinogenesis, we studied the activity of environmental carcinogens 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) using our breast cell carcinogenesis model. Our study revealed, for the first time, that combined NNK and B[a]P enhanced breast cell carcinogenesis chronically induced by PhIP in both non-cancerous and cancerous breast cells. Co-exposure was more potent than sequential exposure to combined NNK and B[a]P followed by PhIP in inducing carcinogenesis. Initiation of carcinogenesis was measured by transient endpoints induced in a single exposure, while progression of carcinogenesis was measured by acquisition of constitutive endpoints in cumulative exposures. Transient endpoints included DNA damage, Ras-Erk-Nox pathway activation, reactive oxygen species elevation, and increased cellular proliferation. Constitutive endpoints included various cancer-associated properties and signaling modulators, as well as enrichment of cancer stem-like cell population and activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition program. Using transient and constitutive endpoints as targets, we detected that a combination of the green tea catechins ECG and EGCG, at non-cytotoxic levels, was more effective than individual agents in intervention of cellular carcinogenesis induced by combined NNK, B[a]P, and PhIP. Thus, use of combined ECG and EGCG should be seriously considered for early intervention of breast cell carcinogenesis associated with long-term exposure to environmental and dietary carcinogens. PMID:25372613

Linking Asthma Exacerbation and Air Pollution Data: A Step Toward Public Health and Environmental Data Integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faruque, Fazlay; Finley, Richard; Marshall, Gailen; Brackin, Bruce; Li, Hui; Williams, Worth; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad; Luvall, Jeffrey; Rickman, Doug; Crosson, Bill

2006-01-01

Studies have shown that reducing exposure to triggers such as air pollutants can reduce symptoms and the need for medication in asthma patients. However, systems that track asthma are generally not integrated with those that track environmental hazards related to asthma. Tlvs lack of integration hinders public health awareness and responsiveness to these environmental triggers. The current study is a collaboration between health and environmental professionals to utilize NASA-derived environmental data to develop a decision support system (DSS) for asthma prediction, surveillance, and intervention. The investigators link asthma morbidity data from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) with air quality data from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and remote sensing data from NASA. Daily ambient environmental hazard data for PM2.5 and ozone are obtained from the MDEQ air quality monitoring locations and are combined with remotely sensed data from NASA to develop a state-wide spatial and time series profile of environmental air quality. These data are then used to study the correlation of these measures of air quality variation with the asthma exacerbation incidence throughout the state over time. The goal is to utilize these readily available measures to allow real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbations. GeoMedStat, a DSS previously developed for biosurveillance, will integrate these measures to monitor, analyze and report the real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbation throughout the state.

Eco-Efficient Process Improvement at the Early Development Stage: Identifying Environmental and Economic Process Hotspots for Synergetic Improvement Potential.

PubMed

Piccinno, Fabiano; Hischier, Roland; Seeger, Stefan; Som, Claudia

2018-05-15

We present here a new eco-efficiency process-improvement method to highlight combined environmental and costs hotspots of the production process of new material at a very early development stage. Production-specific and scaled-up results for life cycle assessment (LCA) and production costs are combined in a new analysis to identify synergetic improvement potentials and trade-offs, setting goals for the eco-design of new processes. The identified hotspots and bottlenecks will help users to focus on the relevant steps for improvements from an eco-efficiency perspective and potentially reduce their associated environmental impacts and production costs. Our method is illustrated with a case study of nanocellulose. The results indicate that the production route should start with carrot pomace, use heat and solvent recovery, and deactivate the enzymes with bleach instead of heat. To further improve the process, the results show that focus should be laid on the carrier polymer, sodium alginate, and the production of the GripX coating. Overall, the method shows that the underlying LCA scale-up framework is valuable for purposes beyond conventional LCA studies and is applicable at a very early stage to provide researchers with a better understanding of their production process.

A Twin and Adoption Study of Reading Achievement: Exploration of Shared-Environmental and Gene-Environment-Interaction Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkpatrick, Robert M.; Legrand, Lisa N.; Iacono, William G.; McGue, Matt

2011-01-01

Existing behavior-genetic research implicates substantial influence of heredity and modest influence of shared environment on reading achievement and reading disability. Applying DeFries-Fulker analysis to a combined sample of twins and adoptees (N = 4886, including 266 reading-disabled probands), the present study replicates prior findings of…

POEMS: A Case Study of an Italian Wine-Producing Firm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardente, Fulvio; Beccali, Giorgio; Cellura, Maurizio; Marvuglia, Antonino

2006-09-01

Over the last decade, researchers paid much attention to concepts such as Design for Environment, Extended Producer Responsibility, Responsible Chain Management, and Eco-design. Many management tools and standards (such as EMAS, ISO 14001, LCA, EPD, Ecolabel) have been developed to support companies in the evaluation and management of their environmental performance and to pursue continual environmental improvement. The more recent development of the aforesaid fields looks at interorganizational environmental management. Such an approach can complement the more traditional intraorganizational corporate environmental management approaches and tools. A typical example of this new trend is the Product Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS), which represents the natural evolution of the above-mentioned tools, combining the features of EMS, EPD and Ecolabel. Although the structure of the POEMS is still not standardized, many experimental applications have yet been carried out in Europe. In developing a POEMS, a company needs to determine all of the environmental impacts caused at all life-cycle stages of the product and, ideally, to reduce all of them through a continual commitment. The aim of the present study was to perform a survey of the developed POEMS models and to analyze their peculiarities and drawbacks in the application to Small and Medium Enterprises. A case study regarding an Italian winery company is presented. The study analyzes the structure and the activities of the examined firm, in order to estimate direct and indirect environmental impacts following a life-cycle approach. The chosen functional unit is a 0.75-L bottle of red wine. The article also suggests some solutions to improve the environmental performances of the firm’s products.

POEMS: a case study of an Italian wine-producing firm.

PubMed

Ardente, Fulvio; Beccali, Giorgio; Cellura, Maurizio; Marvuglia, Antonino

2006-09-01

Over the last decade, researchers paid much attention to concepts such as Design for Environment, Extended Producer Responsibility, Responsible Chain Management, and Eco-design. Many management tools and standards (such as EMAS, ISO 14001, LCA, EPD, Ecolabel) have been developed to support companies in the evaluation and management of their environmental performance and to pursue continual environmental improvement. The more recent development of the aforesaid fields looks at interorganizational environmental management. Such an approach can complement the more traditional intraorganizational corporate environmental management approaches and tools. A typical example of this new trend is the Product Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS), which represents the natural evolution of the above-mentioned tools, combining the features of EMS, EPD and Ecolabel. Although the structure of the POEMS is still not standardized, many experimental applications have yet been carried out in Europe. In developing a POEMS, a company needs to determine all of the environmental impacts caused at all life-cycle stages of the product and, ideally, to reduce all of them through a continual commitment. The aim of the present study was to perform a survey of the developed POEMS models and to analyze their peculiarities and drawbacks in the application to Small and Medium Enterprises. A case study regarding an Italian winery company is presented. The study analyzes the structure and the activities of the examined firm, in order to estimate direct and indirect environmental impacts following a life-cycle approach. The chosen functional unit is a 0.75-L bottle of red wine. The article also suggests some solutions to improve the environmental performances of the firm's products.

The effect of complex workplace dietary interventions on employees' dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status: a cluster controlled trial.

PubMed

Geaney, Fiona; Kelly, Clare; Di Marrazzo, Jessica Scotto; Harrington, Janas M; Fitzgerald, Anthony P; Greiner, Birgit A; Perry, Ivan J

2016-08-01

Evidence on effective workplace dietary interventions is limited. The comparative effectiveness of a workplace environmental dietary modification and an educational intervention both alone and in combination was assessed versus a control workplace on employees' dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status. In the Food Choice at Work cluster controlled trial, four large, purposively selected manufacturing workplaces in Ireland were allocated to control (N=111), nutrition education (Education) (N=226), environmental dietary modification (Environment) (N=113) and nutrition education and environmental dietary modification (Combined) (N=400) in 2013. Nutrition education included group presentations, individual consultations and detailed nutrition information. Environmental dietary modification included menu modification, fruit price discounts, strategic positioning of healthier alternatives and portion size control. Data on dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status were obtained at baseline and follow-up at 7-9months. Multivariate analysis of covariance compared changes across the four groups with adjustment for age, gender, educational status and other baseline characteristics. Follow-up data at 7-9months were obtained for 541 employees (64% of 850 recruited) aged 18-64years: control: 70 (63%), Education: 113 (50%), 74 (65%) and Combined: 284 (71%). There were significant positive changes in intakes of saturated fat (p=0.013), salt (p=0.010) and nutrition knowledge (p=0.034) between baseline and follow-up in the combined intervention versus the control. Small but significant changes in BMI (-1.2kg/m(2) (95% CI -2.385, -0.018, p=0.047) were observed in the combined intervention. Effects in the education and environment alone workplaces were smaller and generally non-significant. Combining nutrition education and environmental dietary modification may be an effective approach for promoting a healthy diet and weight loss at work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The combination of environmental quality with increasingly rural residence and associations with adverse birth outcomes

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental quality differs across levels of urbanicity, and both urban and rural residence having been previously associated with better health. To explore these relationships, we constructed an environmental quality index (EQI) with data representing five domains (air, water,...

Integrating mechanistic and polymorphism data to characterize human genetic susceptibility for environmental chemical risk assessment in the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mortensen, Holly M., E-mail: mortensen.holly@epa.gov; Euling, Susan Y.

Response to environmental chemicals can vary widely among individuals and between population groups. In human health risk assessment, data on susceptibility can be utilized by deriving risk levels based on a study of a susceptible population and/or an uncertainty factor may be applied to account for the lack of information about susceptibility. Defining genetic susceptibility in response to environmental chemicals across human populations is an area of interest in the NAS' new paradigm of toxicity pathway-based risk assessment. Data from high-throughput/high content (HT/HC), including -omics (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) technologies, have been integral to the identification and characterization ofmore » drug target and disease loci, and have been successfully utilized to inform the mechanism of action for numerous environmental chemicals. Large-scale population genotyping studies may help to characterize levels of variability across human populations at identified target loci implicated in response to environmental chemicals. By combining mechanistic data for a given environmental chemical with next generation sequencing data that provides human population variation information, one can begin to characterize differential susceptibility due to genetic variability to environmental chemicals within and across genetically heterogeneous human populations. The integration of such data sources will be informative to human health risk assessment.« less

Lessons learned from the U.S. Geological Survey abandoned mine lands initiative: 1997-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimball, Briant A.; Church, Stan E.; Besser, John M.

2006-01-01

Growth of the United States has been facilitated, in part, by hard-rock mining in the Rocky Mountains. Abandoned and inactive mines cause many significant environmental concerns in hundreds of watersheds. Those who have responsibility to address these environmental concerns must have a basic level of scientific information about mining and mine wastes in a watershed prior to initiating remediation activities. To demonstrate what information is needed and how to obtain that information, the U.S. Geological Survey implemented the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Initiative from 1997 to 2002 with demonstration studies in the Boulder River watershed in Montana and the Animas River watershed in Colorado. The AML Initiative included collection and analysis of geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, geophysical, and biological data. The synergy of this interdisciplinary analysis produced a perspective of the environmental concerns that could not have come from a single discipline. Two examples of these perspectives include (1) the combination of hydrological tracer techniques, structural geology, and geophysics help to understand the spatial distribution of loading to the streams in a way that cannot be evaluated by monitoring at a catchment outlet, and (2) the combination of toxicology and hydrology combine to illustrate that seasonal variability of toxicity conditions occurs. Lessons have been learned by listening to and collaborating with land-management agencies to understand their needs and by applying interdisciplinary methods to answer their questions.

A practical guide to environmental association analysis in landscape genomics.

PubMed

Rellstab, Christian; Gugerli, Felix; Eckert, Andrew J; Hancock, Angela M; Holderegger, Rolf

2015-09-01

Landscape genomics is an emerging research field that aims to identify the environmental factors that shape adaptive genetic variation and the gene variants that drive local adaptation. Its development has been facilitated by next-generation sequencing, which allows for screening thousands to millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms in many individuals and populations at reasonable costs. In parallel, data sets describing environmental factors have greatly improved and increasingly become publicly accessible. Accordingly, numerous analytical methods for environmental association studies have been developed. Environmental association analysis identifies genetic variants associated with particular environmental factors and has the potential to uncover adaptive patterns that are not discovered by traditional tests for the detection of outlier loci based on population genetic differentiation. We review methods for conducting environmental association analysis including categorical tests, logistic regressions, matrix correlations, general linear models and mixed effects models. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, provide a list of dedicated software packages and their specific properties, and stress the importance of incorporating neutral genetic structure in the analysis. We also touch on additional important aspects such as sampling design, environmental data preparation, pooled and reduced-representation sequencing, candidate-gene approaches, linearity of allele-environment associations and the combination of environmental association analyses with traditional outlier detection tests. We conclude by summarizing expected future directions in the field, such as the extension of statistical approaches, environmental association analysis for ecological gene annotation, and the need for replication and post hoc validation studies. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A multi-scale spatial approach to address environmental effects of small hydropower development.

PubMed

McManamay, Ryan A; Samu, Nicole; Kao, Shih-Chieh; Bevelhimer, Mark S; Hetrick, Shelaine C

2015-01-01

Hydropower development continues to grow worldwide in developed and developing countries. While the ecological and physical responses to dam construction have been well documented, translating this information into planning for hydropower development is extremely difficult. Very few studies have conducted environmental assessments to guide site-specific or widespread hydropower development. Herein, we propose a spatial approach for estimating environmental effects of hydropower development at multiple scales, as opposed to individual site-by-site assessments (e.g., environmental impact assessment). Because the complex, process-driven effects of future hydropower development may be uncertain or, at best, limited by available information, we invested considerable effort in describing novel approaches to represent environmental concerns using spatial data and in developing the spatial footprint of hydropower infrastructure. We then use two case studies in the US, one at the scale of the conterminous US and another within two adjoining rivers basins, to examine how environmental concerns can be identified and related to areas of varying energy capacity. We use combinations of reserve-design planning and multi-metric ranking to visualize tradeoffs among environmental concerns and potential energy capacity. Spatial frameworks, like the one presented, are not meant to replace more in-depth environmental assessments, but to identify information gaps and measure the sustainability of multi-development scenarios as to inform policy decisions at the basin or national level. Most importantly, the approach should foster discussions among environmental scientists and stakeholders regarding solutions to optimize energy development and environmental sustainability.

Smart City Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Design Based on Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, He; Bohong, Zheng; Qinpei, Kuang

2017-11-01

Due to increasingly serious urban pollution, this paper proposes an environmental pollution prevention and control system in combination with Internet of things. The system transfers data through the Internet, which also utilizes sensor, pH sensor and smoke sensor to obtain environmental data. Besides, combined with the video data acquired through monitoring, the data are transferred to data center to analyze the haze pollution, water pollution and fire disaster in environment. According to the results, multi-purpose vehicles are mobilized to complete the tasks such as spraying water to relieve haze, water source purification and fire fighting in city environment. Experiments show that the environmental pollution prevention and control system designed in this paper can automatically complete the urban environmental pollution detection, prevention and control, which thus reduces human and material resources and improves the efficiency of pollution prevention and control. Therefore, it possesses greatly practical significance to the construction of smart city.

Detection of early changes in lung cell cytology by flow-systems analysis techniques. [Rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinkamp, J.A.; Wilson, J.S.; Svitra, Z.V.

1980-03-01

Ongoing experiments designed to develop automated flow-analysis methods for assaying damage to pulmonary lavage cells in experimental animals exposed by inhalation to environmental pollutants are summarized. Pulmonary macrophages were characterized on their ability to phagocytize polystyrene latex fluorescent spheres. Lung cells consisting primarily of macrophages and leukocytes were analyzed for fluorescence (phagocytosis of spheres) and size using flow cytometric methods. Studies also concentrated on combining phagocytosis with other cellular parameters (DNA content, cell viability, and B-glucuronidase activity). As baseline studies are completed in normal animals, experimental animals will be exposed to gaseous and particulate environmental pollutants. (ERB

Sustainable water cycle design for urban areas.

PubMed

Maher, M; Lustig, T

2003-01-01

This paper presents the argument that the environmental, social and economic benefits of decentralised systems are such that they should present a serious alternative to centralised systems in existing and future planned urban developments. It will be shown that the combination of technical, social and regulatory factors that influenced the popularity of centralised systems has altered, and that decentralised systems should now be considered as well. The environmental, social and economic advantages and disadvantages of several sustainable watercycle case studies are examined and compared with centralised systems. The studies examined will go from large scale down to designs suitable for typical residential houses on standard urban blocks.

A sensitive analytical procedure for monitoring acrylamide in environmental water samples by offline SPE-UPLC/MS/MS.

PubMed

Togola, Anne; Coureau, Charlotte; Guezennec, Anne-Gwenaëlle; Touzé, Solène

2015-05-01

The presence of acrylamide in natural systems is of concern from both environmental and health points of view. We developed an accurate and robust analytical procedure (offline solid phase extraction combined with UPLC/MS/MS) with a limit of quantification (20 ng L(-1)) compatible with toxicity threshold values. The optimized (considering the nature of extraction phases, sampling volumes, and solvent of elution) solid phase extraction (SPE) was validated according to ISO Standard ISO/IEC 17025 on groundwater, surface water, and industrial process water samples. Acrylamide is highly polar, which induces a high variability during the SPE step, therefore requiring the use of C(13)-labeled acrylamide as an internal standard to guarantee the accuracy and robustness of the method (uncertainty about 25 % (k = 2) at limit of quantification level). The specificity of the method and the stability of acrylamide were studied for these environmental media, and it was shown that the method is suitable for measuring acrylamide in environmental studies.

Cyberinfrastructure for End-to-End Environmental Explorations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merwade, V.; Kumar, S.; Song, C.; Zhao, L.; Govindaraju, R.; Niyogi, D.

2007-12-01

The design and implementation of a cyberinfrastructure for End-to-End Environmental Exploration (C4E4) is presented. The C4E4 framework addresses the need for an integrated data/computation platform for studying broad environmental impacts by combining heterogeneous data resources with state-of-the-art modeling and visualization tools. With Purdue being a TeraGrid Resource Provider, C4E4 builds on top of the Purdue TeraGrid data management system and Grid resources, and integrates them through a service-oriented workflow system. It allows researchers to construct environmental workflows for data discovery, access, transformation, modeling, and visualization. Using the C4E4 framework, we have implemented an end-to-end SWAT simulation and analysis workflow that connects our TeraGrid data and computation resources. It enables researchers to conduct comprehensive studies on the impact of land management practices in the St. Joseph watershed using data from various sources in hydrologic, atmospheric, agricultural, and other related disciplines.

Bio-environmental factors associated with myopia: An updated review.

PubMed

Galvis, V; Tello, A; Camacho, P A; Parra, M M; Merayo-Lloves, J

2017-07-01

Experimental studies in animals, as well as observational and intervention studies in humans, seem to support the premise that the development of juvenile myopia is promoted by a combination of the effect of genetic and environmental factors, with a complex interaction between them. The very rapid increase in myopia rates in some parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia, supports a significant environmental effect. Several lines of evidence suggest that humans might respond to various external factors, such as increased activity in near vision, increased educational pressure, decreased exposure to sunlight outdoors, dietary changes (including increased intake of carbohydrates), as well as low light levels indoors. All these factors could be associated with a higher prevalence of myopia. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Environmental pollutants and lifestyle factors induce oxidative stress and poor prenatal development.

PubMed

Al-Gubory, Kaïs H

2014-07-01

Developmental toxicity caused by exposure to a mixture of environmental pollutants has become a major health concern. Human-made chemicals, including xenoestrogens, pesticides and heavy metals, as well as unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, mainly tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and medical drug abuse, are major factors that adversely influence prenatal development and increase susceptibility of offspring to diseases. There is evidence to suggest that the developmental toxicological mechanisms of chemicals and lifestyle factors involve the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular oxidative damage. Overproduction of ROS induces oxidative stress, a state where increased ROS generation overwhelms antioxidant protection and subsequently leads to oxidative damage of cellular macromolecules. Data on the involvement of oxidative stress in the mechanism of developmental toxicity following exposure to environmental pollutants are reviewed in an attempt to provide an updated basis for future studies on the toxic effect of such pollutants, particularly the notion of increased risk for developmental toxicity due to combined and cumulative exposure to various environmental pollutants. The aims of such studies are to better understand the mechanisms by which environmental pollutants adversely affect conceptus development and to elucidate the impact of cumulative exposures to multiple pollutants on post-natal development and health outcomes. Developmental toxicity caused by exposure to mixture of environmental pollutants has become a major health concern. Human-made chemicals, including xenoestrogens, pesticides and heavy metals, as well as unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, mainly tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and medical drug abuse, are major factors that adversely influence prenatal development and increase the susceptibility of offspring to development complications and diseases. There is evidence to suggest that the developmental toxicological mechanisms of human-made chemicals and unhealthy lifestyle factors involve the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular oxidative damage. Overproduction of ROS induces oxidative stress, a state where increased generation of ROS overwhelms antioxidant protection and subsequently leads to oxidative damage of cellular macromolecules. Exposure to various environmental pollutants induces synergic and cumulative dose-additive adverse effects on prenatal development, pregnancy outcomes and neonate health. Data from the literature on the involvement of oxidative stress in the mechanism of developmental toxicity following in vivo exposure to environmental pollutants will be reviewed in an attempt to provide an updated basis for future studies on the toxic effect of such pollutants, particularly the notion of increased risk for developmental toxicity due to combined and cumulative exposure to various environmental pollutants. The aims of such studies are to better understand the mechanisms by which environmental pollutants adversely affect conceptus development and to elucidate the impact of cumulative exposures to multiple pollutants on postnatal development and health outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human biomonitoring in Israel: Recent results and lessons learned.

PubMed

Berman, Tamar; Goldsmith, Rebecca; Levine, Hagai; Grotto, Itamar

2017-03-01

The use of human biomonitoring (HBM) as a tool for environmental health policy and research is developing rapidly in Israel. Despite challenges in securing political and financial support for HBM, the Ministry of Health has initiated national HBM studies and has utilized HBM data in environmental health policy decision making. Currently, the Ministry of Health is collecting urine samples from children and adults in the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Study (MABAT), with the goal of ongoing surveillance of population exposure to pesticides and environmental tobacco smoke, and of combining HBM data with data on diet and health behavior. In academic research studies in Israel, biomarkers are used increasingly in environmental epidemiology, including in three active birth cohort studies on adverse health effects of phthalates, brominated flame retardants, and organophosphate pesticides. Future Ministry of Health goals include establishing HBM analytical capabilities, developing a long term national HBM plan for Israel and participating in the proposed HBM4EU project in order to improve data harmonization. One of the lessons learned in Israel is that even in the absence of a formal HBM program, it is possible to collect meaningful HBM data and use it in an ad hoc fashion to support environmental health policy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A hydrologic tracer study in a small, natural wetland in the humid tropics of Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growing populations combined with increasing food demand are leading to increased environmental pressures on tropical wetland ecosystems, including a greater reliance on natural wetlands for water quality improvement. Effective assessment of their performance requires an improved understanding of h...

Pulmonary Sensitivity to Ozone Exposure in Sedentary Versus Chronically Trained, Female Rats

EPA Science Inventory

Epidemiological data suggest that a sedentary lifestyle may contribute to increased susceptibility to some environmental toxicants. The lack of adequate exercise combined with poor dietary choices are considered to be primary causes of obesity. To study the impact of an active ve...

Autism risk factors: genes, environment, and gene-environment interactions

PubMed Central

Chaste, Pauline; Leboyer, Marion

2012-01-01

The aim of this review is to summarize the key findings from genetic and epidemiological research, which show that autism is a complex disorder resulting from the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Remarkable advances in the knowledge of genetic causes of autism have resulted from the great efforts made in the field of genetics. The identification of specific alleles contributing to the autism spectrum has supplied important pieces for the autism puzzle. However, many questions remain unanswered, and new questions are raised by recent results. Moreover, given the amount of evidence supporting a significant contribution of environmental factors to autism risk, it is now clear that the search for environmental factors should be reinforced. One aspect of this search that has been neglected so far is the study of interactions between genes and environmental factors. PMID:23226953

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsen, A.

This study examines various energy resources in Utah including oil impregnated rocks (oil shale and oil sand deposits), geothermal, coal, uranium, oil and natural gas in terms of the following dimensions: resurce potential and location; resource technology, development and production status; resource development requirements; potential environmental and socio-economic impacts; and transportation tradeoffs. The advantages of minemouth power plants in comparison to combined cycle or hybrid power plants are also examined. Annotative bibliographies of the energy resources are presented in the appendices. Specific topics summarized in these annotative bibliographies include: economics, environmental impacts, water requirements, production technology, and siting requirements.

Evolutionary consequences of multidriver environmental change in an aquatic primary producer.

PubMed

Brennan, Georgina L; Colegrave, Nick; Collins, Sinéad

2017-09-12

Climate change is altering aquatic environments in a complex way, and simultaneous shifts in many properties will drive evolutionary responses in primary producers at the base of both freshwater and marine ecosystems. So far, evolutionary studies have shown how changes in environmental drivers, either alone or in pairs, affect the evolution of growth and other traits in primary producers. Here, we evolve a primary producer in 96 unique environments with different combinations of between one and eight environmental drivers to understand how evolutionary responses to environmental change depend on the identity and number of drivers. Even in multidriver environments, only a few dominant drivers explain most of the evolutionary changes in population growth rates. Most populations converge on the same growth rate by the end of the evolution experiment. However, populations adapt more when these dominant drivers occur in the presence of other drivers. This is due to an increase in the intensity of selection in environments with more drivers, which are more likely to include dominant drivers. Concurrently, many of the trait changes that occur during the initial short-term response to both single and multidriver environmental change revert after about 450 generations of evolution. In future aquatic environments, populations will encounter differing combinations of drivers and intensities of selection, which will alter the adaptive potential of primary producers. Accurately gauging the intensity of selection on key primary producers will help in predicting population size and trait evolution at the base of aquatic food webs.

Ni-H2 cell separator matrix engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, W. E.

1992-01-01

This project was initiated to develop alternative separator materials to the previously used asbestos matrices which were removed from the market for health and environmental reasons. The objective of the research was to find a material or combination of materials that had the following characteristics: (1) resistant to the severe conditions encountered in Ni-H2 cells; (2) satisfactory electrical, electrolyte management, and thermal management properties to function properly; (3) environmentally benign; and (4) capable of being manufactured into a separator matrix. During the course of the research it was discovered that separators prepared from wettable polyethylene fibers along and in combination with potassium titanate pigment performed satisfactory in preliminary characterization tests. Further studies lead to the optimization of the separator composition and manufacturing process. Single ply separator sheets were manufactured with 100 percent polyethylene fibers and also with a combination of polyethylene fibers and potassium titanate pigment (PKT) in the ratio of 60 percent PKT and 40 percent fibers. A pilot paper machine was used to produce the experimental separator material by a continuous, wet laid process. Both types of matrices were produced at several different area densities (grams/sq m).

The ACCEND program: a combined BS and MS program in environmental engineering that includes co-operative work experience.

PubMed

Bishop, P L; Keener, T C; Kukreti, A R; Kowel, S T

2004-01-01

Environmental engineering education has rapidly expanded in recent years and new teaching methods are needed. Many professionals and educators believe that a MS degree in environmental engineering should be the minimum in order to practice the profession, along with practical training. This paper describes an innovative program being offered at the University of Cincinnati that combines an integrated BS in civil engineering and an MS in environmental engineering with extensive practical co-operative education (co-op) experience, all within a five-year period. The program includes distance learning opportunities during the co-op periods. The result is a well-trained graduate who will receive higher pay and more challenging career opportunities, and who will have developed professionalism and maturity beyond that from traditional engineering programs.

NRL Fact Book

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-01

Environmental Studies Geophysical and bathymetric mea- surements taken in the NRL Arctic program from 1971 through 1975 have been combined with...instrumented for investigating acoustic echo characteristics of targets Tank 9.1 m (30 ft) in diameter by 6.7-m (22-ft) deep for precise studies of...34 Underwater Sound Reference Division (Orlando, FL) 2.8-hectare (7-acre) lake with a large pier and instrumentation for underwater acoustic studies

Two Species with an Unusual Combination of Traits Dominate Responses of British Grasshoppers and Crickets to Environmental Change.

PubMed

Beckmann, Björn C; Purse, Bethan V; Roy, David B; Roy, Helen E; Sutton, Peter G; Thomas, Chris D

2015-01-01

There are large variations in the responses of species to the environmental changes of recent decades, heightening interest in whether their traits may explain inter-specific differences in range expansions and contractions. Using a long-term distributional dataset, we calculated range changes of grasshoppers and crickets in Britain between the 1980s and the 2000s and assessed whether their traits (resource use, life history, dispersal ability, geographic location) explain relative performance of different species. Our analysis showed large changes in the distributions of some species, and we found a positive relationship between three traits and range change: ranges tended to increase for habitat generalists, species that oviposit in the vegetation above ground, and for those with a southerly distribution. These findings accord well with the nature of environmental changes over this period (climatic warming; reductions in the diversity and increases in the height of vegetation). However, the trait effects applied mainly to just two species, Conocephalus discolor and Metrioptera roeselii, which had shown the greatest range increases. Once they were omitted from the analysis, trait effects were no longer statistically significant. Previous studies on these two species emphasised wing-length dimorphism as the key to their success, resulting in a high phenotypic plasticity of dispersal and evolutionary-ecological feedback at their expanding range margins. This, combined with our results, suggests that an unusual combination of traits have enabled these two species to undertake extremely rapid responses to recent environmental changes. The fact that our results are dominated by two species only became apparent through cautious testing of the results' robustness, not through standard statistical checks. We conclude that trait-based analyses may contribute to the assessment of species responses to environmental change and provide insights into underlying mechanisms, but results need to be interpreted with caution and may have limited predictive power.

Temporal dynamic of malaria in a suburban area along the Niger River.

PubMed

Sissoko, Mahamadou Soumana; Sissoko, Kourane; Kamate, Bourama; Samake, Yacouba; Goita, Siaka; Dabo, Abdoulaye; Yena, Mama; Dessay, Nadine; Piarroux, Renaud; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Gaudart, Jean

2017-10-23

Even if rainfall and temperature are factors classically associated to malaria, little is known about other meteorological factors, their variability and combinations related to malaria, in association with river height variations. Furthermore, in suburban area, urbanization and growing population density should be assessed in relation to these environmental factors. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of combined environmental, meteorological and hydrological factors on malaria incidence through time in the context of urbanization. Population observational data were prospectively collected. Clinical malaria was defined as the presence of parasites in addition to clinical symptoms. Meteorological and hydrological factors were measured daily. For each factors variation indices were estimated. Urbanization was yearly estimated assessing satellite imaging and field investigations. Principal component analysis was used for dimension reduction and factors combination. Lags between malaria incidences and the main components were assessed by cross-correlation functions. Generalized additive model was used to assess relative impact of different environmental components, taking into account lags, and modelling non-linear relationships. Change-point analysis was used to determine transmission periods within years. Malaria incidences were dominated by annual periodicity and varied through time without modification of the dynamic, with no impact of the urbanization. The main meteorological factor associated with malaria was a combination of evaporation, humidity and rainfall, with a lag of 3 months. The relationship between combined temperature factors showed a linear impact until reaching high temperatures limiting malaria incidence, with a lag 3.25 months. Height and variation of the river were related to malaria incidence (respectively 6 week lag and no lag). The study emphasizes no decreasing trend of malaria incidence despite accurate access to care and control strategies in accordance to international recommendations. Furthermore, no decreasing trend was showed despite the urbanization of the area. Malaria transmission remain increase 3 months after the beginning of the dry season. Addition to evaporation versus humidity/rainfall, nonlinear relationship for temperature and river height and variations have to be taken into account when implementing malaria control programmes.

Introductory comments on the USGS geographic applications program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerlach, A. C.

1970-01-01

The third phase of remote sensing technologies and potentials applied to the operations of the U.S. Geological Survey is introduced. Remote sensing data with multidisciplinary spatial data from traditional sources is combined with geographic theory and techniques of environmental modeling. These combined imputs are subject to four sequential activities that involve: (1) thermatic mapping of land use and environmental factors; (2) the dynamics of change detection; (3) environmental surveillance to identify sudden changes and general trends; and (4) preparation of statistical model and analytical reports. Geography program functions, products, clients, and goals are presented in graphical form, along with aircraft photo missions, geography test sites, and FY-70.

Progress in the analysis of complex atmospheric particles

DOE PAGES

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K.; Knopf, Daniel A.; ...

2016-06-01

This study presents an overview of recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surface interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multimodal chemical characterization of particles with both molecularmore » and lateral specificity. When combined, these approaches provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore the environmental effects of air-surface interactions.« less

43 CFR 3420.3-1 - Area identification process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... combinations to be analyzed in the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; (3) Guide the preparation of the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; and (4) Recommend a regional coal lease... coal lease sale environmental impact statement (see § 3420.3-4(c)); and (4) The regional coal team...

43 CFR 3420.3-1 - Area identification process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... combinations to be analyzed in the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; (3) Guide the preparation of the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; and (4) Recommend a regional coal lease... coal lease sale environmental impact statement (see § 3420.3-4(c)); and (4) The regional coal team...

43 CFR 3420.3-1 - Area identification process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... combinations to be analyzed in the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; (3) Guide the preparation of the regional lease sale environmental impact statement; and (4) Recommend a regional coal lease... coal lease sale environmental impact statement (see § 3420.3-4(c)); and (4) The regional coal team...

10 CFR 51.58 - Environmental report-number of copies; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report-number of copies; distribution. 51.58 Section 51.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR...)(4), each applicant for renewal of an operating or combined license for a nuclear power plant, each...

10 CFR 51.92 - Supplement to the final environmental impact statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Supplement to the final environmental impact statement. 51.92 Section 51.92 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... or its impacts. (b) In a proceeding for a combined license application under 10 CFR part 52...

10 CFR 51.58 - Environmental report-number of copies; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Environmental report-number of copies; distribution. 51.58 Section 51.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR...)(4), each applicant for renewal of an operating or combined license for a nuclear power plant, each...

10 CFR 51.58 - Environmental report-number of copies; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental report-number of copies; distribution. 51.58 Section 51.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR...)(4), each applicant for renewal of an operating or combined license for a nuclear power plant, each...

10 CFR 51.58 - Environmental report-number of copies; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Environmental report-number of copies; distribution. 51.58 Section 51.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR...)(4), each applicant for renewal of an operating or combined license for a nuclear power plant, each...

10 CFR 51.58 - Environmental report-number of copies; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Environmental report-number of copies; distribution. 51.58 Section 51.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR...)(4), each applicant for renewal of an operating or combined license for a nuclear power plant, each...

CHAPTER 14: FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING METHODS TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND COMMUNICATE ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING USING EMERGY

EPA Science Inventory

Development of the concepts of emergy and transformity established a medium (emergy) for accounting that made it possible to express economic and environmental work of all kinds on a common basis as solar emjoules. Environmental accounting using emdollars, a combined emergy-monet...

Genetic differentiation in life history traits and thermal stress performance across a heterogeneous dune landscape in Arabidopsis lyrata.

PubMed

Wos, Guillaume; Willi, Yvonne

2018-05-26

Over very short spatial scales, the habitat of a species can differ in multiple abiotic and biotic factors. These factors may impose natural selection on several traits and can cause genetic differentiation within a population. We studied multivariate genetic differentiation in a plant species of a sand dune landscape by linking environmental variation with differences in genotypic trait values and gene expression levels to find traits and candidate genes of microgeographical adaptation. Maternal seed families of Arabidopsis lyrata were collected in Saugatuck Dunes State Park, Michigan, USA, and environmental parameters were recorded at each collection site. Offspring plants were raised in climate chambers and exposed to one of three temperature treatments: regular occurrence of frost, heat, or constant control conditions. Several traits were assessed: plant growth, time to flowering, and frost and heat resistance. The strongest trait-environment association was between a fast switch to sexual reproduction and weaker growth under frost, and growing in the open, away from trees. The second strongest association was between the trait combination of small plant size and early flowering under control conditions combined with large size under frost, and the combination of environmental conditions of growing close to trees, at low vegetation cover, on dune bottoms. Gene expression analysis by RNA-seq revealed candidate genes involved in multivariate trait differentiation. The results support the hypothesis that in natural populations, many environmental factors impose selection, and that they affect multiple traits, with the relative direction of trait change being complex. The results highlight that heterogeneity in the selection environment over small spatial scales is a main driver of the maintenance of adaptive genetic variation within populations.

Methods to maximise recovery of environmental DNA from water samples.

PubMed

Hinlo, Rheyda; Gleeson, Dianne; Lintermans, Mark; Furlan, Elise

2017-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is a detection technique that is rapidly gaining credibility as a sensitive tool useful in the surveillance and monitoring of invasive and threatened species. Because eDNA analysis often deals with small quantities of short and degraded DNA fragments, methods that maximize eDNA recovery are required to increase detectability. In this study, we performed experiments at different stages of the eDNA analysis to show which combinations of methods give the best recovery rate for eDNA. Using Oriental weatherloach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) as a study species, we show that various combinations of DNA capture, preservation and extraction methods can significantly affect DNA yield. Filtration using cellulose nitrate filter paper preserved in ethanol or stored in a -20°C freezer and extracted with the Qiagen DNeasy kit outperformed other combinations in terms of cost and efficiency of DNA recovery. Our results support the recommendation to filter water samples within 24hours but if this is not possible, our results suggest that refrigeration may be a better option than freezing for short-term storage (i.e., 3-5 days). This information is useful in designing eDNA detection of low-density invasive or threatened species, where small variations in DNA recovery can signify the difference between detection success or failure.

Bayesian Monte Carlo and Maximum Likelihood Approach for Uncertainty Estimation and Risk Management: Application to Lake Oxygen Recovery Model

EPA Science Inventory

Model uncertainty estimation and risk assessment is essential to environmental management and informed decision making on pollution mitigation strategies. In this study, we apply a probabilistic methodology, which combines Bayesian Monte Carlo simulation and Maximum Likelihood e...

Combining data visualization and statistical approaches for interpreting measurements and meta-data: Integrating heatmaps, variable clustering, and mixed regression models

EPA Science Inventory

The advent of new higher throughput analytical instrumentation has put a strain on interpreting and explaining the results from complex studies. Contemporary human, environmental, and biomonitoring data sets are comprised of tens or hundreds of analytes, multiple repeat measures...

APEX simulation of runoff and total phosphorous for three adjacent row-crop watersheds with claypan soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model can simulate crop yields, runoff, and the transport of sediment and nutrients in small watersheds that have combinations of farm level landscapes, cropping systems and/or management practices. The objectives of the study were to parameteri...

Estimated Costs of Sporadic Gastrointestinal Illness Associated with Surface Water Recreation: A Combined Analysis of Data from NEEAR and CHEERS Studies

EPA Science Inventory

BACKGROUND: The ·burden of illness can be described by addressing both incidence and illness severity attributable to water recreation. Monetized as cost. attributable disease burden estimates can be useful for environmental management decisions. OBJECTIVES: We characterize the ...

Antecedents of Substance Use among Mexican American School-Age Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapata, Jesse T.; Katims, David S.

1994-01-01

This study examines the association of demographic, psychological, and environmental characteristics of a sample of low socioeconomic status, Mexican American students and their reported use of nine substances. Results indicate that a specific combination of variables predicted both minor and major substances used. The authors offer suggestions…

Combining Regional- and Local-Scale Air Quality Models with Exposure Models for Use in Environmental Health Studies

EPA Science Inventory

Population-based human exposure models predict the distribution of personal exposures to pollutants of outdoor origin using a variety of inputs, including: air pollution concentrations; human activity patterns, such as the amount of time spent outdoors vs. indoors, commuting, wal...

Promoting Snack Time Interactions of Children with Autism in a Malaysian Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Soo Hoon; Lee, Lay Wah

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a comprehensive social skills intervention package combining peer-mediated strategies and environmental arrangements on the peer interactions of three children with autism in a Malaysian preschool. Following baseline, nine typically developing children participated in social initiation…

COMBINED EFFECTS OF CO2 AND O3 ON ANTIOXIDATIVE AND PHOTOPROTECTIVE DEFENSE SYSTEMS IN NEEDLES OF PONDEROSA PINE

EPA Science Inventory

To determine interactive effects of important environmental stresses on biochemical defense mechanisms of tree seedlings, we studied responses to elevated O3 and elevated atmospheric CO2 on antioxidative and photoprotective systems in needles of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Do...

An Empirical Study of the Construct Validity of Social Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mouchiroud, Christophe; Bernoussi, Aurore

2008-01-01

Creativity can be broadly defined as a combination of interacting individual and environmental resources leading to the production of valuable solutions. This paper concentrates on the type of creativity that can be expressed in solving social problems. After reviewing the potentially relevant psychological and contextual variables intervening in…

COMBINING EVIDENCE ON AIR POLLUTION AND DAILY MORTALITY FROM 20 LARGEST U.S. CITIES: A HIERARCHICAL MODELING STRATEGY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental science and management are fed by individual studies of pollution effects, often focused on single locations. Data are encountered data, typically from multiple sources and on different time and spatial scales. Statistical issues including publication bias and m...

Improving the use of environmental diversity as a surrogate for species representation.

PubMed

Albuquerque, Fabio; Beier, Paul

2018-01-01

The continuous p-median approach to environmental diversity (ED) is a reliable way to identify sites that efficiently represent species. A recently developed maximum dispersion (maxdisp) approach to ED is computationally simpler, does not require the user to reduce environmental space to two dimensions, and performed better than continuous p-median for datasets of South African animals. We tested whether maxdisp performs as well as continuous p-median for 12 datasets that included plants and other continents, and whether particular types of environmental variables produced consistently better models of ED. We selected 12 species inventories and atlases to span a broad range of taxa (plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians), spatial extents, and resolutions. For each dataset, we used continuous p-median ED and maxdisp ED in combination with five sets of environmental variables (five combinations of temperature, precipitation, insolation, NDVI, and topographic variables) to select environmentally diverse sites. We used the species accumulation index (SAI) to evaluate the efficiency of ED in representing species for each approach and set of environmental variables. Maxdisp ED represented species better than continuous p-median ED in five of 12 biodiversity datasets, and about the same for the other seven biodiversity datasets. Efficiency of ED also varied with type of variables used to define environmental space, but no particular combination of variables consistently performed best. We conclude that maxdisp ED performs at least as well as continuous p-median ED, and has the advantage of faster and simpler computation. Surprisingly, using all 38 environmental variables was not consistently better than using subsets of variables, nor did any subset emerge as consistently best or worst; further work is needed to identify the best variables to define environmental space. Results can help ecologists and conservationists select sites for species representation and assist in conservation planning.

Single and combined effects of microplastics and mercury on juveniles of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Changes in behavioural responses and reduction of swimming velocity and resistance time.

PubMed

Barboza, Luís Gabriel Antão; Vieira, Luís Russo; Guilhermino, Lúcia

2018-05-01

Microplastics and mercury are environmental pollutants of great concern. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of these pollutants, both individually and in binary mixtures, on the swimming performance of juvenile European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Microplastics alone, mercury alone and all the mixtures caused significant reduction of the swimming velocity and resistance time of fish. Moreover, changes in behavioural responses including lethargic and erratic swimming behaviour were observed. These results highlight that fish behavioural responses can be used as sensitive endpoint to establish the effects of contamination by microplastics and also emphasizes the need to assess the combined effects of microplastics and other environmental contaminants, with special attention to the effects on behavioural responses in fish and other aquatic species. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Studying the Past for the Future: Managing Modern Biodiversity from Historic and Prehistoric Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foster, Professor Thomas; Olsen, Lisa M; Dale, Virginia H

Management of biodiversity and anthropogenic effects on the environment are some of the most difficult challenges facing humans today. In this paper, we describe how archaeological, historical, and ecological data can be combined to identify metrics of ecological change. Archaeological surveys, historic witness tree data, analysis of ancient pollen, and recent satellite imagery are combined to create indicators of change that are useable by modem environmental managers at Fort Benning Military Reservation in Georgia and Alabama in the United States. Archaeological data were collected at 30 meter intervals, historic vegetation data were collected from early nineteenth century survey maps, andmore » ancient pollen and charcoal were collected from soil cores in lakes. We show how data sets collected with disparate goals from anthropology and ecology can be applied to make policy decisions about environmental management.« less

Environmental impacts and resource use of milk production on the North China Plain, based on life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoqin; Ledgard, Stewart; Luo, Jiafa; Guo, Yongqin; Zhao, Zhanqin; Guo, Liang; Liu, Song; Zhang, Nannan; Duan, Xueqin; Ma, Lin

2018-06-01

Life cycle assessment methodology was used to quantify the environmental impacts and resource use of milk production on the North China Plain, the largest milk production area in China. Variation in environmental burden caused by cow productivity was evaluated, as well as scenario analysis of the effects of improvement practices. The results indicated that the average environmental impact potential and resource use for producing 1kg of fat and protein corrected milk was 1.34kgCO 2 eq., 9.27gPO 4 3- eq., 19.5gSO 2 eq., 4.91MJ, 1.83m 2 and 266L for global warming potential (GWP), eutrophication potential (EP), acidification potential (AP), non-renewable energy use (NREU), land use (LU) and blue water use (BWU; i.e. water withdrawal), respectively. Feed production was a significant determinant of GWP, NREU, LU and BWU, while AP and EP were mainly affected by manure management. Scenario analysis showed that reducing use of concentrates and substituting with alfalfa hay decreased GWP, EP, AP, NREU and LU (by 1.0%-5.5%), but caused a significant increase of BWU (by 17.2%). Using imported soybean instead of locally-grown soybean decreased LU by 2.6%, but significantly increased GWP and NREU by 20% and 6.9%, respectively. There was no single perfect manure management system, with variable effects from different management practices. The environmental burden shifting observed in this study illustrates the importance of assessing a wide range of impact categories instead of single or limited indicators for formulating environmental policies, and the necessity of combining multiple measures to decrease the environmental burden. For the North China Plain, improving milking cow productivity and herd structure (i.e. increased proportion of milking cows), combining various manure management systems, and encouraging dairy farmers to return manure to nearby crop lands are promising measures to decrease multiple environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) mechanism in embryos and larvae of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and studies on its role in tolerance to single and mixture combinations of toxicants.

PubMed

Faria, Melissa; Navarro, Ana; Luckenbach, Till; Piña, Benjamin; Barata, Carlos

2011-01-17

The study of the cellular mechanisms of tolerance of organisms to pollution is a key issue in aquatic environmental risk assessment. Recent evidence indicates that multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) mechanisms represent a general biological defense of many marine and freshwater organisms against environmental toxicants. In this work, toxicologically relevant xenobiotic efflux transporters were studied in early life stages of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Expression of a P-gp1 (ABCB1) transporter gene and its associated efflux activities during development were studied, using qRT-PCR and the fluorescent transporter substrates rhodamine B and calcein-AM combined with specific transporter inhibitors (chemosensitizers). Toxicity bioassays with the model P-gp1 chemotherapeutic drug vinblastine applied singly and in combination with different chemosensitizers were performed to elucidate the tolerance role of the P-gp1 efflux transporter. Results evidenced that the gene expression and associated efflux activities of ABC transporters were low or absent in eggs and increased significantly in 1-3d old trochophora and veliger larvae. Specific inhibitors of Pgp1 and/or MRP transport activities including cyclosporine A, MK571, verapamil and reversin 205 and the musk celestolide resulted in a concentration dependent inhibition of related transport activities in zebra mussel veliger larvae, with IC50 values in the lower micromolar range and similar to those reported for mammals, fish and mussels. Binary mixtures of the tested transporter inhibitors except celestolide with the anticancer drug and P-gp1 substrate vinblastine increased the toxicity of the former compound more than additively. These results indicate that MXR transporter activity is high in early life-stages of the zebra mussel and that may play an important role in the tolerance to environmental contaminants. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental effects on molecular and phenotypic variation in populations of Eruca sativa across a steep climatic gradient

PubMed Central

Westberg, Erik; Ohali, Shachar; Shevelevich, Anatoly; Fine, Pinchas; Barazani, Oz

2013-01-01

Abstract In Israel Eruca sativa has a geographically narrow distribution across a steep climatic gradient that ranges from mesic Mediterranean to hot desert environments. These conditions offer an opportunity to study the influence of the environment on intraspecific genetic variation. For this, we combined an analysis of neutral genetic markers with a phenotypic evaluation in common-garden experiments, and environmental characterization of populations that included climatic and edaphic parameters, as well as geographic distribution. A Bayesian clustering of individuals from nine representative populations based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) divided the populations into a southern and a northern geographic cluster, with one admixed population at the geographic border between them. Linear mixed models, with cluster added as a grouping factor, revealed no clear effects of environment or geography on genetic distances, but this may be due to a strong association of geography and environment with genetic clusters. However, environmental factors accounted for part of the phenotypic variation observed in the common-garden experiments. In addition, candidate loci for selection were identified by association with environmental parameters and by two outlier methods. One locus, identified by all three methods, also showed an association with trichome density and herbivore damage, in net-house and field experiments, respectively. Accordingly, we propose that because trichomes are directly linked to defense against both herbivores and excess radiation, they could potentially be related to adaptive variation in these populations. These results demonstrate the value of combining environmental and phenotypic data with a detailed genetic survey when studying adaptation in plant populations. This article describes the use of several types of data to estimate the influence of the environment on intraspecific genetic variation in populations originating from a steep climatic gradient. In addition to molecular marker data, we made use of phenotypic evaluation from common garden experiments, and a broad GIS based environmental data with edaphic information gathered in the field. This study, among others, lead to the identification of an outlier locus with an association to trichome formation and herbivore defense, and its ecological adaptive value is discussed. PMID:24567822

Nuffield Foundation 'Resources for Learning' Project. A Multi-Media Programmed Approach to Environmental Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kefford, Colin W.

This description of a unit for teaching about the environment at the junior high level is an experimental study. The focus of the program is the integration of several media; films and tapes play a large role in the unit. Students perform a combination of classroom work, field work, and simulated exercises; assessment procedures are described.…

Selected Bibliographies and State-of-the-Art Review for Environmental Health. Volume 2: Environmental Health References. International Health Planning Reference Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Renee White; Shani, Hadasa

Intended as a companion piece to volume 2 in the Method Series, Environmental Health Planning (CE 024 230), this second of six volumes in the International Health Planning Reference Series is a combined literature review and annotated bibliography dealing with environmental factors in health planning for developing countries. The review identifies…

The Genetic and Environmental Factors Underlying Hypospadias

PubMed Central

Pask, Andrew; Heloury, Yves; Sinclair, Andrew H.

2016-01-01

Hypospadias results from a failure of urethral closure in the male phallus and affects 1 in 200–300 boys. It is thought to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The development of the penis progresses in 2 stages: an initial hormone-independent phase and a secondary hormone-dependent phase. Here, we review the molecular pathways that contribute to each of these stages, drawing on studies from both human and mouse models. Hypospadias can occur when normal development of the phallus is disrupted, and we provide evidence that mutations in genes underlying this developmental process are causative. Finally, we discuss the environmental factors that may contribute to hypospadias and their potential immediate and transgen erational epigenetic impacts. PMID:26613581

Family Socioeconomic Status and Consistent Environmental Stimulation in Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Crosnoe, Robert; Leventhal, Tama; Wirth, R. J.; Pierce, Kim M.; Pianta, Robert

2010-01-01

The transition into school occurs at the intersection of multiple environmental settings. This study applied growth curve modeling to a sample of 1,364 American children, followed from birth through age six, who had been categorized by their exposure to cognitive stimulation at home and in preschool child care and first grade classrooms. Of special interest was the unique and combined contribution to early learning of these three settings. Net of socioeconomic selection into different settings, children had higher math achievement when they were consistently stimulated in all three, and they had higher reading achievement when consistently stimulated at home and in child care. The observed benefits of consistent environmental stimulation tended to be more pronounced for low-income children. PMID:20573117

Development of a Real-Time PCR for a Sensitive One-Step Coprodiagnosis Allowing both the Identification of Carnivore Feces and the Detection of Toxocara spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis

PubMed Central

Umhang, Gérald; Poulle, Marie-Lazarine; Millon, Laurence

2016-01-01

Studying the environmental occurrence of parasites of concern for humans and animals based on coprosamples is an expanding field of work in epidemiology and the ecology of health. Detecting and quantifying Toxocara spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis, two predominant zoonotic helminths circulating in European carnivores, in feces may help to better target measures for prevention. A rapid, sensitive, and one-step quantitative PCR (qPCR) allowing detection of E. multilocularis and Toxocara spp. was developed in the present study, combined with a host fecal test based on the identification of three carnivores (red fox, dog, and cat) involved in the life cycles of these parasites. A total of 68 coprosamples were collected from identified specimens from Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus familiaris, Canis lupus, Felis silvestris catus, Meles meles, Martes foina, and Martes martes. With DNA coprosamples, real-time PCR was performed in duplex with a qPCR inhibitor control specifically designed for this study. All the coprosample host identifications were confirmed by qPCR combined with sequencing, and parasites were detected and confirmed (E. multilocularis in red foxes and Toxocara cati in cats; 16% of samples presented inhibition). By combining parasite detection and quantification, the host fecal test, and a new qPCR inhibitor control, we created a technique with a high sensitivity that may considerably improve environmental studies of pathogens. PMID:26969697

Development of a Real-Time PCR for a Sensitive One-Step Coprodiagnosis Allowing both the Identification of Carnivore Feces and the Detection of Toxocara spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis.

PubMed

Knapp, Jenny; Umhang, Gérald; Poulle, Marie-Lazarine; Millon, Laurence

2016-05-15

Studying the environmental occurrence of parasites of concern for humans and animals based on coprosamples is an expanding field of work in epidemiology and the ecology of health. Detecting and quantifying Toxocara spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis, two predominant zoonotic helminths circulating in European carnivores, in feces may help to better target measures for prevention. A rapid, sensitive, and one-step quantitative PCR (qPCR) allowing detection of E. multilocularis and Toxocara spp. was developed in the present study, combined with a host fecal test based on the identification of three carnivores (red fox, dog, and cat) involved in the life cycles of these parasites. A total of 68 coprosamples were collected from identified specimens from Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus familiaris, Canis lupus, Felis silvestris catus, Meles meles, Martes foina, and Martes martes With DNA coprosamples, real-time PCR was performed in duplex with a qPCR inhibitor control specifically designed for this study. All the coprosample host identifications were confirmed by qPCR combined with sequencing, and parasites were detected and confirmed (E. multilocularis in red foxes and Toxocara cati in cats; 16% of samples presented inhibition). By combining parasite detection and quantification, the host fecal test, and a new qPCR inhibitor control, we created a technique with a high sensitivity that may considerably improve environmental studies of pathogens. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Lessons Learned for the Assessment of Children’s Pesticide Exposure: Critical Sampling and Analytical Issues for Future Studies

PubMed Central

Fenske, Richard A.; Bradman, Asa; Whyatt, Robin M.; Wolff, Mary S.; Barr, Dana B.

2005-01-01

In this article we examine sampling strategies and analytical methods used in a series of recent studies of children’s exposure to pesticides that may prove useful in the design and implementation of the National Children’s Study. We focus primarily on the experiences of four of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/ Children’s Centers and include University of Washington studies that predated these centers. These studies have measured maternal exposures, perinatal exposures, infant and toddler exposures, and exposure among young children through biologic monitoring, personal sampling, and environmental monitoring. Biologic monitoring appears to be the best available method for assessment of children’s exposure to pesticides, with some limitations. It is likely that a combination of biomarkers, environmental measurements, and questionnaires will be needed after careful consideration of the specific hypotheses posed by investigators and the limitations of each exposure metric. The value of environmental measurements, such as surface and toy wipes and indoor air or house dust samples, deserves further investigation. Emphasis on personal rather than environmental sampling in conjunction with urine or blood sampling is likely to be most effective at classifying exposure. For infants and young children, ease of urine collection (possible for extended periods of time) may make these samples the best available approach to capturing exposure variability of nonpersistent pesticides; additional validation studies are needed. Saliva measurements of pesticides, if feasible, would overcome the limitations of urinary metabolite-based exposure analysis. Global positioning system technology appears promising in the delineation of children’s time–location patterns. PMID:16203262

Combined Sustainability Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis for the Production of Biomass-Derived High-Octane Gasoline Blendstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Eric C. D.; Talmadge, Michael; Dutta, Abhijit

Conversion technologies for biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels are being actively developed. Converting biomass into advanced hydrocarbon fuels requires detailed assessments to help prioritize research; techno-economic analysis (TEA) is a long established tool used to assess feasibility and progress. TEA provides information needed to make informed judgments about the viability of any given conceptual conversion process; it is particularly useful to identify technical barriers and measure progress toward overcoming those barriers. Expansion of the cellulosic biofuels industry at the scale needed to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard goals is also expected to have environmental impacts. Hence, the success of themore » biofuels industry depends not only on economic viability, but also on environmental sustainability. A biorefinery process that is economically feasible but suffers from key sustainability drawbacks is not likely to represent a long-term solution to replace fossil-derived fuels. Overarching concerns like environmental sustainability need to be addressed for biofuels production. Combined TEA and environmental sustainability assessment of emerging pathways helps facilitate biorefinery designs that are both economically feasible and minimally impactful to the environment. This study focuses on environmental sustainability assessment and techno-economic analysis for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via gasification and methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates. Results from the conceptual process design with economic analysis, along with the quantification and assessment of the environmental sustainability, are presented and discussed. Sustainability metrics associated with the production of high-octane gasoline include carbon conversion efficiency, consumptive water use, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy consumption, energy return on investment and net energy value.« less

Association between environmental predisposing risk factors and leg disorders in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Tullo, E; Fontana, I; Peña Fernandez, A; Vranken, E; Norton, T; Berckmans, D; Guarino, M

2017-04-01

Footpad dermatitis and lameness are a major welfare concern in broiler chicken farming. In general, footpad lesions are linked to poor environmental conditions. Ulcers that arise from advanced lesions can negatively affect the gait of the birds, with effects on the animal welfare, including, in the worst cases, inability to reach the feed or water. In this study, the degree of footpad dermatitis and lameness was manually scored on 4 broiler farms across Europe, as part of an EU-wide welfare assessment program. The welfare of the chickens was assessed 3 times per production cycle (at wk 3, 4, and 5), scoring footpad dermatitis, lameness, and litter quality. In the same broiler farms, variables such as air temperature and relative humidity were automatically measured over the same period. These variables were combined into a widely accepted thermal comfort index and associated to upper and lower thresholds, which made it possible to quantify the percentage of time the birds spent out of the thermal comfort zone (POOC). The data was analyzed by combining data from the welfare assessments with environmental data collected by the automated monitoring systems. Considering the comparison between POOC classes, the highest probabilities of footpad dermatitis and lameness were obtained when POOC values exceeded the 70% threshold. Therefore, the analysis showed that footpad dermatitis and lameness were more frequent when the flock was exposed to poor environmental conditions for prolonged periods ( < 0.001). Since environmental conditions can be continuously measured, and the risk factor for footpad dermatitis and lameness increases with poor environmental conditions, there is the possibility to develop a detection and control system of severe lesions.

Beneficial effects of environmental enrichment and food entrainment in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Skillings, Elizabeth A; Wood, Nigel I; Morton, A Jennifer

2014-09-01

In addition to their cognitive and motor deficits, R6/2 mice show a progressive disintegration in circadian rhythms that mirrors the problems associated with sleep-wake disturbances experienced by patients with Huntington's disease (HD). It has been shown previously that motor and cognitive performance, as well as survival, can be improved in transgenic mouse models of HD through the provision of environmental enrichment. We compared the effect of two different overnight entrainment paradigms presented either separately or in combination. The first was environmental enrichment, the second was temporal food-entrainment. Environmental enrichment was provided in the dark period (the natural active period for mice) in the form of access to a Perspex playground containing running wheels, tunnels, climbing frame, ropes and chew blocks. Food entrainment was imposed by allowing access to food only during the dark period. We assessed a number of different aspects of function in the mice, measuring general health (by SHIRPA testing, body temperature and body weight measurements), cognitive performance in the touchscreen and locomotor behavior in the open field. There were no significant differences in cognitive performance between groups on different schedules. Environmental enrichment delayed the onset of general health deterioration, while food entrainment slowed the loss of body weight, aided the maintenance of body temperature and improved locomotor behavior. Effects were limited however, and in combination had deleterious effects on survival. Our results support previous studies showing that environmental enrichment can be beneficial and might be used to enhance the quality of life of HD patients. However, improvements are selective and 'enrichment' per se is likely to only be useful as an adjunct to a more direct therapy.

Synergistic interactions of biotic and abiotic environmental stressors on gene expression.

PubMed

Altshuler, Ianina; McLeod, Anne M; Colbourne, John K; Yan, Norman D; Cristescu, Melania E

2015-03-01

Understanding the response of organisms to multiple stressors is critical for predicting if populations can adapt to rapid environmental change. Natural and anthropogenic stressors often interact, complicating general predictions. In this study, we examined the interactive and cumulative effects of two common environmental stressors, lowered calcium concentration, an anthropogenic stressor, and predator presence, a natural stressor, on the water flea Daphnia pulex. We analyzed expression changes of five genes involved in calcium homeostasis - cuticle proteins (Cutie, Icp2), calbindin (Calb), and calcium pump and channel (Serca and Ip3R) - using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in a full factorial experiment. We observed strong synergistic interactions between low calcium concentration and predator presence. While the Ip3R gene was not affected by the stressors, the other four genes were affected in their transcriptional levels by the combination of the stressors. Transcriptional patterns of genes that code for cuticle proteins (Cutie and Icp2) and a sarcoplasmic calcium pump (Serca) only responded to the combination of stressors, changing their relative expression levels in a synergistic response, while a calcium-binding protein (Calb) responded to low calcium stress and the combination of both stressors. The expression pattern of these genes (Cutie, Icp2, and Serca) were nonlinear, yet they were dose dependent across the calcium gradient. Multiple stressors can have complex, often unexpected effects on ecosystems. This study demonstrates that the dominant interaction for the set of tested genes appears to be synergism. We argue that gene expression patterns can be used to understand and predict the type of interaction expected when organisms are exposed simultaneously to natural and anthropogenic stressors.

Investigating the Distribution of Medical Services among Socioeconomic Groups in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, A.; Zhao, Ph D., S.; O'Keefe, Ph D., CRNP, RN, L.

2016-12-01

The Environmental Justice (EJ) literature generally focuses on negative environmental externalities and disamenities found around certain types of demographic conditions such as poor and ethnic groups. This study aims to identify any relationships among environmental risks, communities, and access to hospital services. Community demographic variables will be defined by census tracts and units based on a geographic information system, such as buffer tools. Empirical analyses of the relationships between demographics and environmental burdens take a prominent position in the large EJ literature. However, there is a dearth of research regarding exposed communities and access to hospitals for medical services. Leveraging a dataset that combines hospital locations, pollution sources, and demographic information, the authors will analyze whether different social groups (defined by gender, age, income, and education level) have equal access to hospitals. The research team consists of researchers from Earth system science, public policy, and nursing, and adopts an interdisciplinary approach including ArcGIS analysis and statistical modeling. This project also bridges the literature of health, air pollution, and environmental policy.

The Contribution of Environmental Assessment to Sustainable Development: Toward a Richer Empirical Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cashmore, Matthew; Bond, Alan; Cobb, Dick

2007-09-01

It has long been suggested that environmental assessment has the potential to contribute to sustainable development through mechanisms above and beyond informing design and consent decisions, and while theories have been proposed to explain how this might occur, few have been subjected to rigorous empirical validation. This research advances the theoretical debate by building a rich empirical understanding of environmental assessment’s practical outcomes, from which its potential to contribute to sustainable development can be gauged. Three case study environmental assessment processes in England were investigated using a combination of data generated from content analysis, in-depth interviews, and a questionnaire survey. Four categories of outcomes are delineated based on the research data: learning outcomes; governance outcomes; attitudinal and value changes; and developmental outcomes. The data provide a robust critique of mainstream theory, with its focus on design and consent decisions. The article concludes with an examination of the consequences of the context-specific nature of environmental assessment practices in terms of developing theory and focusing future research.

Making healthy behaviors the easy choice for employees: a review of the literature on environmental and policy changes in worksite health promotion.

PubMed

Kahn-Marshall, Jennifer L; Gallant, Mary P

2012-12-01

As employers look for ways to reduce rising health care costs, worksite health promotion interventions are increasingly being used to improve employee health behaviors. An alternative approach to traditional worksite health promotion programs is the implementation of environmental and/or policy changes to encourage employees to adopt healthier behaviors. This review examines the evidence for the effectiveness of worksite health promotion programs using environmental and/or policy changes either alone or in combination with individually focused health behavior change strategies. A review of the relevant literature, published between 1995 and 2010, identified 27 studies that met all inclusion criteria. Limited evidence was found for the effectiveness of environmental and/or policy changes alone (n = 11) to change employee behavior, but more promising results were identified with multicomponent interventions (n = 16). There is a strong need for improvement in the design and evaluation of future health promotion programs focusing solely on environmental and/or policy changes at the worksite.

Modeling Wildfire Hazard in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bylow, D.

2012-12-01

Wildfire regimes are a leading driver of global environmental change affecting a diverse array of global ecosystems. Particulates and aerosols produced by wildfires are a primary source of air pollution making the early detection and monitoring of wildfires crucial. The objectives of this study were to model regional wildfire potential and identify environmental, topological, and sociological factors that contribute to the ignition of wildfire events in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas of South Asia. The environmental, topological, and sociological factors were used to model regional wildfire potential through multi-criteria evaluation using a method of weighted linear combination. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and geographic information systems (GIS) data were integrated to analyze regional wildfires and construct the model. Model validation was performed using a holdout cross validation method. The study produced a significant model of wildfire potential in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas.; Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas ; Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas Wildfire Potential

Environmental and Biological Factors Influencing Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) Vector Competence for Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus

PubMed Central

Richards, Stephanie L.; Lord, Cynthia C.; Pesko, Kendra; Tabachnick, Walter J.

2009-01-01

Complex interactions between environmental and biological factors influence the susceptibility of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus to St. Louis encephalitis virus and could affect the epidemiology of virus transmission. Similar interactions could have epidemiologic implications for other vector-virus systems. We conducted an experiment to examine four such factors in combination: mosquito age, extrinsic incubation temperature (EIT), virus dose, and colony. The proportion of mosquitoes with body infections or disseminated infections varied between colonies, and was dependant on age, EIT, and dose. We also show that the probability of a body or leg infection interacted in complex ways between colonies, ages, EITs, and doses. The complex interactive effects of environmental and biological factors must be taken into account for studies of vector competence and epidemiology, especially when laboratory studies are used to generalize to natural transmission dynamics where the extent of variation is largely unknown. PMID:19635881

Monitoring biodiversity in libraries: a pilot study and perspectives for indoor air quality.

PubMed

Valeriani, F; Cianfanelli, C; Gianfranceschi, G; Santucci, S; Romano Spica, V; Mucci, N

2017-09-01

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in libraries is influenced by the presence of specific factors which can impact on both paper storage as well as people health. Microclimatic conditions induce and support a biodiversity pattern involving environmental and anthropic microorganisms. We used a multidisciplinary monitoring model to characterize microflora biodiversity by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Biodiversity indexes were adapted to evaluate anthropic vs environmental pollution by combining Shannon mean index (H), species representativeness (E H ), human/environmental pollution ratio (SA) to better characterize the NGS output and acquire synthetic information on Indoor Air Microbial Biodiversity (IAMB). Results indicate a frequently low microbial load (IGCM/m 3 < 1000) characterized by different species (n = 102), including several cellulose metabolizing bacteria. Workers and visitors appeared a relevant source of microbial contamination. Air biodiversity assayed by NGS seems a promising marker for studying IAQ.

Environmental and biological factors influencing Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) vector competence for Saint Louis encephalitis virus.

PubMed

Richards, Stephanie L; Lord, Cynthia C; Pesko, Kendra; Tabachnick, Walter J

2009-08-01

Complex interactions between environmental and biological factors influence the susceptibility of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus to St. Louis encephalitis virus and could affect the epidemiology of virus transmission. Similar interactions could have epidemiologic implications for other vector-virus systems. We conducted an experiment to examine four such factors in combination: mosquito age, extrinsic incubation temperature (EIT), virus dose, and colony. The proportion of mosquitoes with body infections or disseminated infections varied between colonies, and was dependant on age, EIT, and dose. We also show that the probability of a body or leg infection interacted in complex ways between colonies, ages, EITs, and doses. The complex interactive effects of environmental and biological factors must be taken into account for studies of vector competence and epidemiology, especially when laboratory studies are used to generalize to natural transmission dynamics where the extent of variation is largely unknown.

Environmental filtering and phylogenetic clustering correlate with the distribution patterns of cryptic protist species.

PubMed

Singer, David; Kosakyan, Anush; Seppey, Christophe V W; Pillonel, Amandine; Fernández, Leonardo D; Fontaneto, Diego; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique

2018-04-01

The community composition of any group of organisms should theoretically be determined by a combination of assembly processes including resource partitioning, competition, environmental filtering, and phylogenetic legacy. Environmental DNA studies have revealed a huge diversity of protists in all environments, raising questions about the ecological significance of such diversity and the degree to which they obey to the same rules as macroscopic organisms. The fast-growing cultivable protist species on which hypotheses are usually experimentally tested represent only a minority of the protist diversity. Addressing these questions for the lesser known majority can only be inferred through observational studies. We conducted an environmental DNA survey of the genus Nebela, a group of closely related testate (shelled) amoeba species, in different habitats within Sphagnum-dominated peatlands. Identification based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene, allowed species-level resolution as well as phylogenetic reconstruction. Community composition varied strongly across habitats and associated environmental gradients. Species showed little overlap in their realized niche, suggesting resource partitioning, and a strong influence of environmental filtering driving community composition. Furthermore, phylogenetic clustering was observed in the most nitrogen-poor samples, supporting phylogenetic inheritance of adaptations in the group of N. guttata. This study showed that the studied free-living unicellular eukaryotes follow to community assembly rules similar to those known to determine plant and animal communities; the same may be true for much of the huge functional and taxonomic diversity of protists. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Environmental justice: An issue for states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murakami, L.K.; Davis, S.; Starkey, D.

1996-12-01

Environmental justice combines the social justice and the environmental movements. The very term environmental justice is often and inaccurately used interchangeably with environmental racism and environmental equity. Environmental racism refers to any policy, practice or directive, intentional or not, that differentially affects the environment of individuals, groups or communities based on their race. The concept of environmental equity holds that all populations should bear a proportionate share of environmental pollution and health risks. Environmental justice is a broader term that encompasses both these concepts and connotes the laws must be applied with fairness and impartiality. Environmental justice is defined asmore » the achievement of equal protection from environmental and health hazards for all people regardless of race, income, culture or social class.« less

Characterizing environmental risk factors for West Nile virus in Quebec, Canada, using clinical data in humans and serology in pet dogs.

PubMed

Rocheleau, J P; Michel, P; Lindsay, L R; Drebot, M; Dibernardo, A; Ogden, N H; Fortin, A; Arsenault, J

2017-10-01

The identification of specific environments sustaining emerging arbovirus amplification and transmission to humans is a key component of public health intervention planning. This study aimed at identifying environmental factors associated with West Nile virus (WNV) infections in southern Quebec, Canada, by modelling and jointly interpreting aggregated clinical data in humans and serological data in pet dogs. Environmental risk factors were estimated in humans by negative binomial regression based on a dataset of 191 human WNV clinical cases reported in the study area between 2011 and 2014. Risk factors for infection in dogs were evaluated by logistic and negative binomial models based on a dataset including WNV serological results from 1442 dogs sampled from the same geographical area in 2013. Forested lands were identified as low-risk environments in humans. Agricultural lands represented higher risk environments for dogs. Environments identified as impacting risk in the current study were somewhat different from those identified in other studies conducted in north-eastern USA, which reported higher risk in suburban environments. In the context of the current study, combining human and animal data allowed a more comprehensive and possibly a more accurate view of environmental WNV risk factors to be obtained than by studying aggregated human data alone.

Chemical mixtures and environmental effects: a pilot study to assess ecological exposure and effects in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buxton, Herbert T.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Kolpin, Dana W.; Bradley, Paul M.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Mills, Marc A.

2015-01-01

Assessment and management of the risks of exposure to complex chemical mixtures in streams are priorities for human and environmental health organizations around the world. The current lack of information on the composition and variability of environmental mixtures and a limited understanding of their combined effects are fundamental obstacles to timely identification and prevention of adverse human and ecological effects of exposure. This report describes the design of a field-based study of the composition and biological activity of chemical mixtures in U.S. stream waters affected by a wide range of human activities and contaminant sources. The study is a collaborative effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists sampled 38 streams spanning 24 States and Puerto Rico. Thirty-four of the sites were located in watersheds impacted by multiple contaminant sources, including industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, crop and animal agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and other point and nonpoint contaminant sources. The remaining four sites were minimally development reference watersheds. All samples underwent comprehensive chemical and biological characterization, including sensitive and specific direct analysis for over 700 dissolved organic and inorganic chemicals and field parameters, identification of unknown contaminants (environmental diagnostics), and a variety of bioassays to evaluate biological activity and toxicity.

Some environmental and attitudinal characteristics as predictors of mathematical creativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanhai, Abhishek; Singh, Bhoodev

2017-04-01

There are many things which can be made more useful and interesting through the application of creativity. Self-concept in mathematics and some school environmental factors such as resource adequacy, teachers' support to the students, teachers' classroom control, creative stimulation by the teachers, etc. were selected in the study. The sample of the study comprised 770 seventh grade students. Pearson correlation, multiple correlation, regression equation and multiple discriminant function analyses of variance were used to analyse the data. The result of the study showed that the relationship between mathematical creativity and each attitudinal and environmental characteristic was found to be positive and significant. Index of forecasting efficiency reveals that mathematical creativity may be best predicted by self-concept in mathematics. Environmental factors, resource adequacy and creative stimulation by the teachers' are found to be the most important factors for predicting mathematical creativity, while social-intellectual involvement among students and educational administration of the schools are to be suppressive factors. The multiple correlation between mathematical creativity and attitudinal and school environmental characteristic suggests that the combined contribution of these variables plays a significant role in the development of mathematical creativity. Mahalanobis analysis indicates that self-concept in mathematics and total school environment were found to be contributing significantly to the development of mathematical creativity.

Shared-environmental contributions to high cognitive ability.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Robert M; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G

2009-07-01

Using a combined sample of adolescent twins, biological siblings, and adoptive siblings, we estimated and compared the differential shared-environmentality for high cognitive ability and the shared-environmental variance for the full range of ability during adolescence. Estimates obtained via multiple methods were in the neighborhood of 0.20, and suggest a modest effect of the shared environment on both high and full-range ability. We then examined the association of ability with three measures of the family environment in a subsample of adoptive siblings: parental occupational status, parental education, and disruptive life events. Only parental education showed significant (albeit modest) association with ability in both the biological and adoptive samples. We discuss these results in terms of the need for cognitive-development research to combine genetically sensitive designs and modern statistical methods with broad, thorough environmental measurement.

Sonochemistry in environmental remediation. 1. Combinative and hybrid sonophotochemical oxidation processes for the treatment of pollutants in water.

PubMed

Adewuyi, Yusuf G

2005-05-15

Sonoprocessing is the utilization of sonic and ultrasonic waves in chemical synthesis and processes. It is a new and rapidly growing research field with broad applications in environmental engineering, green chemical synthesis, and processing. The application of this environmentally benign technique in environmental remediation is currently under active research and development. Sonochemical oxidation is effective in treating toxic effluents and reducing toxicity. However, the ultrasonic treatment is highly energy intensive since sonication is relatively inefficient with respect to total input energy and is therefore not economically attractive or feasible alone. Hence, sonochemistry has not yet received much attention as an alternative for industrial and large-scale chemical and environmental processes. One of the most interesting topics in the recent advances in sonochemistry is the possibility of double or more excitations with ultrasound and other types of energy. The coupling of ultrasound with other free energy sources (i.e., UV) or chemical oxidation utilizing H2O2, O3, or ferrous ion presents interesting and attractive approaches. Therefore, many recent efforts have been devoted to improving the efficiency of sonochemical reactions by exploiting the advantages of combinative or hybrid processes involving the simultaneous or sequential use of ultrasonic irradiation and other advanced oxidation processes, electrochemical processes, and biological treatment. This paper provides a critical review of the applications of ultrasound in environmental remediation, focusing on recent developments and unifying analysis of combinative or hybrid systems, namely, sonophotochemical oxidation processes.

3D chemical mapping: application of scanning transmission (soft) X-ray microscopy (STXM) in combination with angle-scan tomography in bio-, geo-, and environmental sciences.

PubMed

Obst, Martin; Schmid, Gregor

2014-01-01

The identification of environmental processes and mechanisms often requires information on the organochemical and inorganic composition of specimens at high spatial resolution. X-ray spectroscopy (XAS) performed in the soft X-ray range (100-2,200 eV) provides chemical speciation information for elements that are of high biogeochemical relevance such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen but also includes transition metals such as iron, manganese, or nickel. Synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) combines XAS with high resolution mapping on the 20-nm scale. This provides two-dimensional (2D) quantitative information about the distribution of chemical species such as organic macromolecules, metals, or mineral phases within environmental samples. Furthermore, the combination of STXM with angle-scan tomography allows for three-dimensional (3D) spectromicroscopic analysis of bio-, geo-, or environmental samples. For the acquisition of STXM tomography data, the sample is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the X-ray beam. Various sample preparation approaches such as stripes cut from TEM grids or the preparation of wet cells allow for preparing environmentally relevant specimens in a dry or in a fully hydrated state for 2D and 3D STXM measurements. In this chapter we give a short overview about the principles of STXM, its application to environmental sciences, different preparation techniques, and the analysis and 3D reconstruction of STXM tomography data.

Future water quality monitoring--adapting tools to deal with mixtures of pollutants in water resource management.

PubMed

Altenburger, Rolf; Ait-Aissa, Selim; Antczak, Philipp; Backhaus, Thomas; Barceló, Damià; Seiler, Thomas-Benjamin; Brion, Francois; Busch, Wibke; Chipman, Kevin; de Alda, Miren López; de Aragão Umbuzeiro, Gisela; Escher, Beate I; Falciani, Francesco; Faust, Michael; Focks, Andreas; Hilscherova, Klara; Hollender, Juliane; Hollert, Henner; Jäger, Felix; Jahnke, Annika; Kortenkamp, Andreas; Krauss, Martin; Lemkine, Gregory F; Munthe, John; Neumann, Steffen; Schymanski, Emma L; Scrimshaw, Mark; Segner, Helmut; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; Smedes, Foppe; Kughathas, Subramaniam; Teodorovic, Ivana; Tindall, Andrew J; Tollefsen, Knut Erik; Walz, Karl-Heinz; Williams, Tim D; Van den Brink, Paul J; van Gils, Jos; Vrana, Branislav; Zhang, Xiaowei; Brack, Werner

2015-04-15

Environmental quality monitoring of water resources is challenged with providing the basis for safeguarding the environment against adverse biological effects of anthropogenic chemical contamination from diffuse and point sources. While current regulatory efforts focus on monitoring and assessing a few legacy chemicals, many more anthropogenic chemicals can be detected simultaneously in our aquatic resources. However, exposure to chemical mixtures does not necessarily translate into adverse biological effects nor clearly shows whether mitigation measures are needed. Thus, the question which mixtures are present and which have associated combined effects becomes central for defining adequate monitoring and assessment strategies. Here we describe the vision of the international, EU-funded project SOLUTIONS, where three routes are explored to link the occurrence of chemical mixtures at specific sites to the assessment of adverse biological combination effects. First of all, multi-residue target and non-target screening techniques covering a broader range of anticipated chemicals co-occurring in the environment are being developed. By improving sensitivity and detection limits for known bioactive compounds of concern, new analytical chemistry data for multiple components can be obtained and used to characterise priority mixtures. This information on chemical occurrence will be used to predict mixture toxicity and to derive combined effect estimates suitable for advancing environmental quality standards. Secondly, bioanalytical tools will be explored to provide aggregate bioactivity measures integrating all components that produce common (adverse) outcomes even for mixtures of varying compositions. The ambition is to provide comprehensive arrays of effect-based tools and trait-based field observations that link multiple chemical exposures to various environmental protection goals more directly and to provide improved in situ observations for impact assessment of mixtures. Thirdly, effect-directed analysis (EDA) will be applied to identify major drivers of mixture toxicity. Refinements of EDA include the use of statistical approaches with monitoring information for guidance of experimental EDA studies. These three approaches will be explored using case studies at the Danube and Rhine river basins as well as rivers of the Iberian Peninsula. The synthesis of findings will be organised to provide guidance for future solution-oriented environmental monitoring and explore more systematic ways to assess mixture exposures and combination effects in future water quality monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanometer-sized alumina packed microcolumn solid-phase extraction combined with field-amplified sample stacking-capillary electrophoresis for the speciation analysis of inorganic selenium in environmental water samples.

PubMed

Duan, Jiankuan; Hu, Bin; He, Man

2012-10-01

In this paper, a new method of nanometer-sized alumina packed microcolumn SPE combined with field-amplified sample stacking (FASS)-CE-UV detection was developed for the speciation analysis of inorganic selenium in environmental water samples. Self-synthesized nanometer-sized alumina was packed in a microcolumn as the SPE adsorbent to retain Se(IV) and Se(VI) simultaneously at pH 6 and the retained inorganic selenium was eluted by concentrated ammonia. The eluent was used for FASS-CE-UV analysis after NH₃ evaporation. The factors affecting the preconcentration of both Se(IV) and Se(VI) by SPE and FASS were studied and the optimal CE separation conditions for Se(IV) and Se(VI) were obtained. Under the optimal conditions, the LODs of 57 ng L⁻¹ (Se(IV)) and 71 ng L⁻¹ (Se(VI)) were obtained, respectively. The developed method was validated by the analysis of a certified reference material of GBW(E)080395 environmental water and the determined value was in a good agreement with the certified value. It was also successfully applied to the speciation analysis of inorganic selenium in environmental water samples, including Yangtze River water, spring water, and tap water. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

78 FR 58526 - Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Scientific Advisory Board; Notice of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-24

..., Recontamination (FY14 New Start). Austin, TX. 1:45 p.m 14 ER03-028 (ER-2429): Combining Mass Balance Dr. Philip... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Strategic Environmental Research and Development... following meeting of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Scientific Advisory Board...

The Delaware River Basin Collaborative Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative: Foundation Document

Treesearch

Peter S. Murdoch; Jennifer C. Jenkins; Richard A. Birdsey

2008-01-01

The U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Park Service formed the Collaborative Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative (CEMRI) to test strategies for integrated environmental monitoring among the agencies. The initiative combined monitoring and research efforts of the participating Federal programs to evaluate health and...

An Integrated Environmental Assessment of the US Mid-Atlantic Region

Treesearch

James D. Wickham; K.B. Jones; Kurt H. Riitters; R.V. O' Neill; R.D. Tankersley; E.R. Smith; A.C. Neale; D.J. Chaloud

1999-01-01

Many of today's environmental problems are in scope and their effects overlap and interact. We developed a simple method to provide an integrated assessment of environmental conditions and estimate cumulative impacts across a large region, by combining data on land-cover, population, roads, streams, air pollution, and topography. The integrated assessment...

A heuristic approach using multiple criteria for environmentally benign 3PLs selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kongar, Elif

2005-11-01

Maintaining competitiveness in an environment where price and quality differences between competing products are disappearing depends on the company's ability to reduce costs and supply time. Timely responses to rapidly changing market conditions require an efficient Supply Chain Management (SCM). Outsourcing logistics to third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) is one commonly used way of increasing the efficiency of logistics operations, while creating a more "core competency focused" business environment. However, this alone may not be sufficient. Due to recent environmental regulations and growing public awareness regarding environmental issues, 3PLs need to be not only efficient but also environmentally benign to maintain companies' competitiveness. Even though an efficient and environmentally benign combination of 3PLs can theoretically be obtained using exhaustive search algorithms, heuristics approaches to the selection process may be superior in terms of the computational complexity. In this paper, a hybrid approach that combines a multiple criteria Genetic Algorithm (GA) with Linear Physical Weighting Algorithm (LPPW) to be used in efficient and environmentally benign 3PLs is proposed. A numerical example is also provided to illustrate the method and the analyses.

Eco-innovation of a wooden childhood furniture set: an example of environmental solutions in the wood sector.

PubMed

González-García, Sara; García Lozano, Raúl; Moreira, M Teresa; Gabarrell, Xavier; Rieradevall i Pons, Joan; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Murphy, Richard J

2012-06-01

The environmental profile of a set of wood furniture was carried out to define the best design criteria for its eco-design. A baby cot convertible into a bed, a study desk and a bedside table were the objects of study. Two quantitative and qualitative environmental approaches were combined in order to propose improvement alternatives: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Design for Environment (DfE). In the first case Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was applied to identify the hot spots in the product system. As a next step, LCA information was used in eco-briefing to determine several improvement alternatives. A wood products company located in Catalonia (NE Spain) was assessed in detail, dividing the process into three stages: assembly, finishing and packaging. Ten impact categories were considered in the LCA study: abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity and photochemical oxidant formation. Two processes can be considered the key environmental factors: the production of the wooden boards and electricity, with contributions of 45-68% and 14-33% respectively depending on the impact categories. Subsequently, several improvement alternatives were proposed in the eco-design process (DfE) to achieve reductions in a short-medium period of time in the environmental impact. These eco-design strategies could reduce the environmental profile of the setup by 14%. The correct methodological adaptation of the concept of eco-briefing, as a tool for communication among environmental technicians and designers, the simplification of the analytical tool used and the LCA, could facilitate the environmental analysis of a product. The results obtained provide information that can help the furniture sector to improve their environmental performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Payload advisory panel recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Berrien, III

1991-01-01

The Payload Advisory Panel proposes a restructured Earth Observing System (EOS) mission to address high-priority science and environmental policy issues in Earth System Science. These issues have been identified through studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES). The restructured EOS defers efforts to improve the understanding of the middle and upper stratosphere and solid earth geophysics. The strategy of the mission combines high priority new measurements with continuation of critical data sets begun by missions which precede EOS. Collaborative arrangements with international partners are an essential part of the program and additional arrangements are posed. The need for continuity in Earth observations and the urgency of environmental questions require launch of some EOS elements as soon as possible. They further require maintenance of the EOS objective of obtaining consistent 15-year measurement records.

Payload advisory panel recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Berrien, III

1991-11-01

The Payload Advisory Panel proposes a restructured Earth Observing System (EOS) mission to address high-priority science and environmental policy issues in Earth System Science. These issues have been identified through studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES). The restructured EOS defers efforts to improve the understanding of the middle and upper stratosphere and solid earth geophysics. The strategy of the mission combines high priority new measurements with continuation of critical data sets begun by missions which precede EOS. Collaborative arrangements with international partners are an essential part of the program and additional arrangements are posed. The need for continuity in Earth observations and the urgency of environmental questions require launch of some EOS elements as soon as possible. They further require maintenance of the EOS objective of obtaining consistent 15-year measurement records.

[Environmental impact assessment based on planning support system].

PubMed

Chen, Wen-Bo; Carsjens, Gerrit-Jan

2011-02-01

How to assess environmental impact is one of the keys in land use planning. This article described in detail the concepts of activities, impact zones, functions, and sensitivities, as well as the development of STEPP (strategic tool for integrating environmental aspects in planning procedures) based on Avenue, the secondary developing language of ArcView GIS. The system makes it convenient for planning practitioners exchanging information, and can spatially, visually and quantitatively describe environmental impact and its change. In this study, the urban-rural combination area located between EDE and Veenendaal of The Netherlands was taken as case, and the results indicated that the environment was incorporated well in the planning procedure based on the concepts, and could also demonstrate the effects of planning measures on environment spatially, explicitly, and in real-time, facilitating the participation of planning practitioners and decision-making. Some proposals of how to promote STEEP application in China were suggested.

Protease inhibitors: changing the way AIDS case management does business.

PubMed

Merithew, M A; Davis-Satterla, L

2000-09-01

The purpose of the qualitative evaluation study discussed in this article was to examine the AIDS case management model under which five nonprofit AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in Midcity were operating. The study was organized around 40 qualitative interviews with executive directors, directors, and case managers. The finding was that AIDS case management is evolving to accommodate the changing environmental/contextual conditions that have resulted from combination drug therapies (protease inhibitors) introduced in 1996. The agencies are responding to the changes individually rather than as a network, and responses vary among the agencies. Institutional theory, an examination of the interconnectedness of clients, the ASOs, and their environmental context guided the analysis of the findings.

The impact of environmental pollution on public health expenditure: dynamic panel analysis based on Chinese provincial data.

PubMed

Hao, Yu; Liu, Shuang; Lu, Zhi-Nan; Huang, Junbing; Zhao, Mingyuan

2018-05-01

In recent years, along with rapid economic growth, China's environmental problems have become increasingly prominent. At the same time, the level of China's pollution has been growing rapidly, which has caused huge damages to the residents' health. In this regard, the public health expenditure ballooned as the environmental quality deteriorated in China. In this study, the effect of environmental pollution on residents' health expenditure is empirically investigated by employing the first-order difference generalized method of moments (GMM) method to control for potential endogeneity. Using a panel data of Chinese provinces for the period of 1998-2015, this study found that the environmental pollution (represented by SO 2 and soot emissions) would indeed lead to the increase in the medical expenses of Chinese residents. At the current stage of economic development, an increase in SO 2 and soot emissions per capita would push up the public health expenditure per capita significantly. The estimation results are quite robust for different types of regression specifications and different combinations of control variables. Some social and economic variables such as public services and education may also have remarkable influences on residential medical expenses through different channels.

Assessment of environmental impacts following alternative agricultural policy scenarios.

PubMed

Bárlund, I; Lehtonen, H; Tattari, S

2005-01-01

Abstract Finnish agriculture is likely to undergo major changes in the near and intermediate future. The ifuture policy context can be examined at a general level by strategic scenario building. Computer-based modelling in combination with agricultural policy scenarios can in turn create a basis for the assessments of changes in environmental quality following possible changes in Finnish agriculture. The analysis of economic consequences is based on the DREMFIA model, which is applied to study effects of various agricultural policies on land use, animal production, and farmers' income. The model is suitable for an impact analysis covering an extended time span--here up to the year 2015. The changes in land use, obtained with the DREMFIA model assuming rational economic behaviour, form the basis when evaluating environmental impacts of different agricultural policies. The environmental impact assessment is performed using the field scale nutrient transport model ICECREAM. The modelled variables are nitrogen and phosphorus losses in surface runoff and percolation. In this paper the modelling strategy will be presented and highlighted using two case study catchments with varying environmental conditions and land use as an example. In addition, the paper identifies issues arising when connecting policy scenarios with impact modelling.

Automobile Politics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paterson, Matthew

2006-11-01

The car, and the range of social and political institutions which sustain its dominance, play an important role in many of the environmental problems faced by contemporary society. But in order to understand the possibilities for moving towards sustainability and 'greening cars', it is first necessary to understand the political forces that have made cars so dominant. This book identifies these forces as a combination of political economy and cultural politics. From the early twentieth century, the car became central to the organization of capitalism and deeply embedded in individual identities, providing people with a source of value and meaning but in a way which was broadly consistent with social imperatives for mobility. Projects for sustainability to reduce the environmental impacts of cars are therefore constrained by these forces but must deal with them in order to shape and achieve their goals. Addresses the increasingly controversial debate on the place of the car in contemporary society and its contribution to environmental problems Questions whether automobility is sustainable and what political, social and economic forces might prevent this Will appeal to scholars and advanced students from a wide range of disciplines including environmental politics, political economy, environmental studies, cultural studies and geography

Impact of environmental variables on Dubas bug infestation rate: A case study from the Sultanate of Oman

PubMed Central

Al-Kindi, Khalifa M.; Andrew, Nigel; Welch, Mitchell

2017-01-01

Date palm cultivation is economically important in the Sultanate of Oman, with significant financial investment coming from both the government and from private individuals. However, a global infestation of Dubas bug (Ommatissus lybicus Bergevin) has impacted the Middle East region, and infestations of date palms have been widespread. In this study, spatial analysis and geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial distribution of Dubas bug infestations to (a) identify correlations between Dubas bug densities and different environmental variables, and (b) predict the locations of future Dubas bug infestations in Oman. Firstly, we considered individual environmental variables and their correlations with infestation locations. Then, we applied more complex predictive models and regression analysis techniques to investigate the combinations of environmental factors most conducive to the survival and spread of the Dubas bug. Environmental variables including elevation, geology, and distance to drainage pathways were found to significantly affect Dubas bug infestations. In contrast, aspect and hillshade did not significantly impact on Dubas bug infestations. Understanding their distribution and therefore applying targeted controls on their spread is important for effective mapping, control and management (e.g., resource allocation) of Dubas bug infestations. PMID:28558069

Impact of environmental variables on Dubas bug infestation rate: A case study from the Sultanate of Oman.

PubMed

Al-Kindi, Khalifa M; Kwan, Paul; Andrew, Nigel; Welch, Mitchell

2017-01-01

Date palm cultivation is economically important in the Sultanate of Oman, with significant financial investment coming from both the government and from private individuals. However, a global infestation of Dubas bug (Ommatissus lybicus Bergevin) has impacted the Middle East region, and infestations of date palms have been widespread. In this study, spatial analysis and geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial distribution of Dubas bug infestations to (a) identify correlations between Dubas bug densities and different environmental variables, and (b) predict the locations of future Dubas bug infestations in Oman. Firstly, we considered individual environmental variables and their correlations with infestation locations. Then, we applied more complex predictive models and regression analysis techniques to investigate the combinations of environmental factors most conducive to the survival and spread of the Dubas bug. Environmental variables including elevation, geology, and distance to drainage pathways were found to significantly affect Dubas bug infestations. In contrast, aspect and hillshade did not significantly impact on Dubas bug infestations. Understanding their distribution and therefore applying targeted controls on their spread is important for effective mapping, control and management (e.g., resource allocation) of Dubas bug infestations.

Analysis of environmental dispersion in a wetland flow under the effect of wind: Extended solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huilin; Huai, Wenxin

2018-02-01

The accurate analysis of the contaminant transport process in wetland flows is essential for environmental assessment. However, dispersivity assessment becomes complicated when the wind strength and direction are taken into consideration. Prior studies illustrating the wind effect on environmental dispersion in wetland flows simply focused on the mean longitudinal concentration distribution. Moreover, the results obtained by these analyses are not accurate when done on a smaller scale, namely, the initial stage of the contaminant transport process. By combining the concentration moments method (the Aris' method) and Gill's expansion theory, the previous researches on environmental dispersion in wetland flows with effect of wind have been extended. By adopting up to 4th-order moments, the wind effect-as illustrated by dimensionless parameters Er (wind force) and ω (wind direction)-on kurtosis and skewness is discussed, the up to 4th-order vertical concentration distribution is obtained, and the two-dimensional concentration distribution is illustrated. This work demonstrates that wind intensity and direction can significantly affect the contaminant dispersion. Moreover, the study presents a more accurate analytical solution of environmental dispersion in wetland flows under various wind conditions.

Environmental strategies: A case study of systematic evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherman, Douglas J.; Garès, Paul A.

1982-09-01

A major problem facing environmental managers is the necessity to effectively evaluate management alternatives. Traditional environmental assessments have emphasized the use of economic analyses. These approaches are often deficient due to difficulty in assigning dollar values to environmental systems and to social amenities. A more flexible decisionmaking model has been developed to analyze management options for coping with beach erosion problems at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey. This model is comprised of decision-making variables which are formulated from a combination of environmental and management criteria, and it has an accept-reject format in which the management options are analyzed in terms of the variables. Through logical ordering of the insertion of the variables into the model, stepwise elimination of alternatives is possible. A hierarchy of variables is determined through estimating work required to complete an assessment of the alternatives for each variable. The assessment requiring the least work is performed first so that the more difficult evaluation will be limited to fewer alternatives. The application of this approach is illustrated with a case study in which beach protection alternatives were evaluated for the United States National Park Service.

Variation in Latent Classes of Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by Sex and Environmental Adversity.

PubMed

Ebejer, Jane L; Medland, Sarah E; van der Werf, Julius; Lynskey, Michael; Martin, Nicholas G; Duffy, David L

2016-11-01

The findings of genetic, imaging and neuropsychological studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are mixed. To understand why this might be the case we use both dimensional and categorical symptom measurement to provide alternate and detailed perspectives of symptom expression. Interviewers collected ADHD, conduct problems (CP) and sociodemographic data from 3793 twins and their siblings aged 22 to 49 (M = 32.6). We estimate linear weighting of symptoms across ADHD and CP items. Latent class analyses and regression describe associations between measured variables, environmental risk factors and subsequent disadvantage. Additionally, the clinical relevance of each class was estimated. Five classes were found for women and men; few symptoms, hyperactive-impulsive, CP, inattentive, combined symptoms with CP. Women within the inattentive class reported more symptoms and reduced emotional health when compared to men and to women within other latent classes. Women and men with combined ADHD symptoms reported comorbid conduct problems but those with either inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity only did not. The dual perspective of dimensional and categorical measurement of ADHD provides important detail about symptom variation across sex and with environmental covariates. © The Author(s) 2013.

Winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting system based on remote sensing and environmental factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haiyang, Yu; Yanmei, Liu; Guijun, Yang; Xiaodong, Yang; Dong, Ren; Chenwei, Nie

2014-03-01

To achieve dynamic winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting in larger scale regions, the objective of this study was to design and develop a winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting system by using a remote sensing index and environmental factors. The winter wheat quality trend was forecasted before the harvest and quality was monitored after the harvest, respectively. The traditional quality-vegetation index from remote sensing monitoring and forecasting models were improved. Combining with latitude information, the vegetation index was used to estimate agronomy parameters which were related with winter wheat quality in the early stages for forecasting the quality trend. A combination of rainfall in May, temperature in May, illumination at later May, the soil available nitrogen content and other environmental factors established the quality monitoring model. Compared with a simple quality-vegetation index, the remote sensing monitoring and forecasting model used in this system get greatly improved accuracy. Winter wheat quality was monitored and forecasted based on the above models, and this system was completed based on WebGIS technology. Finally, in 2010 the operation process of winter wheat quality monitoring system was presented in Beijing, the monitoring and forecasting results was outputted as thematic maps.

ABA Is Required for Plant Acclimation to a Combination of Salt and Heat Stress.

PubMed

Suzuki, Nobuhiro; Bassil, Elias; Hamilton, Jason S; Inupakutika, Madhuri A; Zandalinas, Sara Izquierdo; Tripathy, Deesha; Luo, Yuting; Dion, Erin; Fukui, Ginga; Kumazaki, Ayana; Nakano, Ruka; Rivero, Rosa M; Verbeck, Guido F; Azad, Rajeev K; Blumwald, Eduardo; Mittler, Ron

2016-01-01

Abiotic stresses such as drought, heat or salinity are a major cause of yield loss worldwide. Recent studies revealed that the acclimation of plants to a combination of different environmental stresses is unique and cannot be directly deduced from studying the response of plants to each of the different stresses applied individually. Here we report on the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to a combination of salt and heat stress using transcriptome analysis, physiological measurements and mutants deficient in abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid or ethylene signaling. Arabidopsis plants were found to be more susceptible to a combination of salt and heat stress compared to each of the different stresses applied individually. The stress combination resulted in a higher ratio of Na+/K+ in leaves and caused the enhanced expression of 699 transcripts unique to the stress combination. Interestingly, many of the transcripts that specifically accumulated in plants in response to the salt and heat stress combination were associated with the plant hormone abscisic acid. In accordance with this finding, mutants deficient in abscisic acid metabolism and signaling were found to be more susceptible to a combination of salt and heat stress than wild type plants. Our study highlights the important role abscisic acid plays in the acclimation of plants to a combination of two different abiotic stresses.

ABA Is Required for Plant Acclimation to a Combination of Salt and Heat Stress

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Nobuhiro; Bassil, Elias; Hamilton, Jason S.; Inupakutika, Madhuri A.; Zandalinas, Sara Izquierdo; Tripathy, Deesha; Luo, Yuting; Dion, Erin; Fukui, Ginga; Kumazaki, Ayana; Nakano, Ruka; Rivero, Rosa M.; Verbeck, Guido F.; Azad, Rajeev K.; Blumwald, Eduardo; Mittler, Ron

2016-01-01

Abiotic stresses such as drought, heat or salinity are a major cause of yield loss worldwide. Recent studies revealed that the acclimation of plants to a combination of different environmental stresses is unique and cannot be directly deduced from studying the response of plants to each of the different stresses applied individually. Here we report on the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to a combination of salt and heat stress using transcriptome analysis, physiological measurements and mutants deficient in abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid or ethylene signaling. Arabidopsis plants were found to be more susceptible to a combination of salt and heat stress compared to each of the different stresses applied individually. The stress combination resulted in a higher ratio of Na+/K+ in leaves and caused the enhanced expression of 699 transcripts unique to the stress combination. Interestingly, many of the transcripts that specifically accumulated in plants in response to the salt and heat stress combination were associated with the plant hormone abscisic acid. In accordance with this finding, mutants deficient in abscisic acid metabolism and signaling were found to be more susceptible to a combination of salt and heat stress than wild type plants. Our study highlights the important role abscisic acid plays in the acclimation of plants to a combination of two different abiotic stresses. PMID:26824246

Application of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for combined chemosensing.

PubMed

He, Wei; Yuan, Sheng; Zhong, Wen-Hui; Siddikee, Md Ashaduzzaman; Dai, Chuan-Chao

2016-02-01

The progress of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for chemosensing and monitoring has been developed in the last 20 years. Those biosensors respond to target chemicals and produce output signals, which offer a simple and alternative way of assessment approaches. As actual pollution caused by human activities usually contains a combination of different chemical substances, how to employ those biosensors to accurately detect real contaminant samples and evaluate biological effects of the combined chemicals has become a realistic object of environmental researches. In this review, we outlined different types of the recent method of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for combined chemical evaluation, epitomized their detection performance, threshold, specificity, and application progress that have been achieved up to now. We also discussed the applicability and limitations of this biosensor technology and analyzed the optimum conditions for their environmental assessment in a combined way.

Relationships Between Neighbourhood Physical Environmental Attributes and Older Adults' Leisure-Time Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Van Cauwenberg, Jelle; Nathan, Andrea; Barnett, Anthony; Barnett, David W; Cerin, Ester

2018-05-02

Activity-friendly neighbourhood physical environments with access to recreational facilities are hypothesised to facilitate leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults (≥ 65 years old). The aim of the current study was to systematically review and quantitatively summarise study findings on the relationships between physical environmental attributes and LTPA among older adults. An extensive search of literature, including grey literature, yielded 72 articles eligible for inclusion. The reported associations between seven categories of environmental attributes and six LTPA outcomes were extracted, weighted by sample size and study quality, and quantitatively summarised. Reported moderating effects of individual and environmental characteristics and neighbourhood definition were also examined. We observed positive associations for walkability (p = 0.01), land-use mix-access (p = 0.02) and aesthetically pleasing scenery (p < 0.001) with leisure-time walking. For leisure-time walking within the neighbourhood, evidence was found for positive associations with land-use mix-access (p = 0.03) and access to public transit (p = 0.05), and a negative association with barriers to walking/cycling (p = 0.03). Evidence for positive relationships between overall LTPA and access to recreational facilities (p = 0.01) and parks/open space (p = 0.04) was found. Several environmental attribute-LTPA outcome combinations were insufficiently studied to draw conclusions. No consistent moderating effects were observed for individual and environmental characteristics and neighbourhood definition. The observed significant relationships can be used to inform policy makers and planners on how to (re-)design neighbourhoods that promote LTPA among older adults. Many environmental attribute-LTPA outcome relationships have been studied insufficiently and several methodological issues remain to be addressed. PROSPERO 2016:CRD42016051180.

Environmental Compliance Assessment Management Program (ECAMP) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

and Wildlife Service, began research on the Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program (ECAMP). The concept was to combine Code of ... The number of environmental laws and regulations have continued to grow in the United States and worldwide, making compliance with these regulations...Service has adopted an environmental compliance program that identifies compliance problems before they are cited as violations by the U.S

Host tolerance, not symbiont tolerance, determines the distribution of coral species in relation to their environment at a Central Pacific atoll

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicks, L. C.; Gardner, J. P. A.; Davy, S. K.

2012-06-01

Tolerance of environmental variables differs between corals and their dinoflagellate symbionts ( Symbiodinium spp.), controlling the holobiont's (host and symbiont combined) resilience to environmental stress. However, the ecological role that environmental variables play in holobiont distribution remains poorly understood. We compared the drivers of symbiont and coral species distributions at Palmyra Atoll, a location with a range of reef environments from low to high sediment concentrations (1-52 g dry weight m-2 day-1). We observed uniform holobiont partnerships across the atoll (e.g. Montipora spp. with Symbiodinium type C15 at all sites). Multivariate analysis revealed that field-based estimates of settling sediment predominantly explained the spatial variation of coral species among sites ( P < 0.01). However, none of the environmental variables measured (sedimentation, temperature, chlorophyll concentration, salinity) affected symbiont distribution. The discord between environmental variables and symbiont distributions suggests that the symbionts are physiologically tolerant of the variable environmental regime across this location and that the distribution of different host-symbiont combinations present is largely dependent on coral rather than Symbiodinium physiology. The data highlight the importance of host tolerance to environmental stressors, which should be considered simultaneously with symbiont sensitivity when considering the impact of variations in environmental conditions on coral communities.

Introduction to environmental engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šalić, Anita; Zelić, Bruno

2018-02-01

Nowadays we can easily say that environmental engineering is truly an interdisciplinary science. Combining biology, ecology, geology, geography, mathematics, chemistry, agronomy, medicine, economy, etc. environmental engineering strives to use environmental understanding and advancements in technology to serve mankind by decreasing production of environmental hazards and the effects of those hazards already present in the soil, water, and air. Major activities of environmental engineer involve water supply, waste water and solid management, air and noise pollution control, environmental sustainability, environmental impact assessment, climate changes, etc. And all this with only one main goal - to prevent or reduce undesirable impacts of human activities on the environment. To ensure we all have tomorrow.

The study on working fluids of airborne power generation system based on Rankine cycle by heat energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yuan

2017-05-01

This paper proposed a new concept named airborne power generation system based on Rankine cycle by heat energy, namely, the presented system combined the Rankine cycle with environmental control system in aircraft to recycle the waste heat of engine bleed air with high temperature and generate power. This paper mainly discussed the choosing of optimum working fluid which could apply in the combined power generation system mentioned above when the temperature of the coming bleed air was about 400 degree centigrade.

Static yields and quality issues: Is the agri-environment program the primary driver?

PubMed

Peltonen-Sainio, Pirjo; Salo, Tapio; Jauhiainen, Lauri; Lehtonen, Heikki; Sieviläinen, Elina

2015-10-01

The Finnish agri-environmental program (AEP) has been in operation for 20 years with >90 % farmer commitment. This study aimed to establish whether reduced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) use has impacted spring cereal yields and quality based on comprehensive follow-up studies and long-term experiments. We found that the gap between genetic yield potential and attained yield has increased after the AEP was imposed. However, many contemporary changes in agricultural practices, driven by changes in prices and farm subsidies, also including the AEP, were likely reasons, together with reduced N, but not phosphorus use. Such overall changes in crop management coincided with stagnation or decline in yields and adverse changes in quality, but yield-removed N increased and residual N decreased. Further studies are needed to assess whether all the changes are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, and acceptable, in the long run. The concept of sustainable intensification is worth considering as a means to develop northern European agricultural systems to combine environmental benefits with productivity.

Progress in the Analysis of Complex Atmospheric Particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2016-06-16

This manuscript presents an overview on recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surfaces interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multi-modal chemical characterization of particles with both molecularmore » and lateral specificity. When combined, they provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore environmental effects of air-surface interactions.« less

N plus 3 Advanced Concept Studies for Supersonic Commercial Transport Aircraft Entering Service in the 2030-2035 Period

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welge, H. Robert; Bonet, John; Magee, Todd; Tompkins, Daniel; Britt, Terry R.; Nelson, Chet; Miller, Gregory; Stenson, Douglas; Staubach, J. Brent; Bala, Naushir;

Effects and mechanisms of the combined pollution of lanthanum and acid rain on the root phenotype of soybean seedlings.

PubMed

Sun, Zhaoguo; Wang, Lihong; Zhou, Qing; Huang, Xiaohua

2013-09-01

Rare earth pollution and acid rain pollution are both important environmental issues worldwide. In regions which simultaneously occur, the combined pollution of rare earth and acid rain becomes a new environmental issue, and the relevant research is rarely reported. Accordingly, we investigated the combined effects and mechanisms of lanthanum ion (La(3+)) and acid rain on the root phenotype of soybean seedlings. The combined pollution of low-concentration La(3+) and acid rain exerted deleterious effects on the phenotype and growth of roots, which were aggravated by the combined pollution of high-concentration La(3+) and acid rain. The deleterious effects of the combined pollution were stronger than those of single La(3+) or acid rain pollution. These stronger deleterious effects on the root phenotype and growth of roots were due to the increased disturbance of absorption and utilization of mineral nutrients in roots. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of exposure-response relationships for health effects of microbial bioaerosols - A systematic review.

PubMed

Walser, Sandra M; Gerstner, Doris G; Brenner, Bernhard; Bünger, Jürgen; Eikmann, Thomas; Janssen, Barbara; Kolb, Stefanie; Kolk, Annette; Nowak, Dennis; Raulf, Monika; Sagunski, Helmut; Sedlmaier, Nadja; Suchenwirth, Roland; Wiesmüller, Gerhard; Wollin, Klaus-Michael; Tesseraux, Irene; Herr, Caroline E W

2015-10-01

Studies suggest adverse health effects following exposure to bioaerosols in the environment and in particular at workplaces. However, there is still a lack of health-related exposure limits based on toxicological or epidemiological studies from environmental health or from the working environment. The aim of this study was to derive health-based exposure limits for bioaerosols that can protect the general population as group "at risk" via environmental exposure using analysis of peer-reviewed studies related to occupational medicine, indoor air and environmental health. The derivation of exposure limits should be conducted by the members of a bioaerosol expert panel according to established toxicological criteria. A systematic review was performed in Medline (PubMed) including studies containing both data on exposure measurements and observed health outcomes. In addition, literature recommended by the experts was considered. A comprehensive search strategy was generated and resulted in a total of n=1569 studies in combination with the literature recommendations. Subsequently, abstracts were screened using defined exclusion criteria yielding a final number of n=44 studies. A standardized extraction sheet was used to combine data on health effects and exposure to different bioaerosols. After full-text screening and extraction according to the defined exclusion criteria n=20 studies were selected all related to occupational exposures comprising the working areas wood processing, farming, waste processing and others. These studies were analyzed in collaboration with the bioaerosol expert network in terms of suitability for derivation of health-related exposure limits. The bioaerosol expert network concluded that none of the analyzed studies provided suitable dose-response relationships for derivation of exposure limits. The main reasons were: (1) lack of studies with valid dose-response data; (2) diversity of employed measuring methods for microorganisms and bioaerosol-emitting facilities; (3) heterogeneity of health effects; (4) insufficient exposure assessment. However, several indicator parameters and exposure concentrations could be identified for different bioaerosol-emitting facilities. Nevertheless, health-related exposure limits are urgently needed especially in approval procedures of facilities like composting plants or livestock farms emitting bioaerosols in the neighbourhood of residents. In the regulatory toxicology framework, it is common to use animal experimental studies for derivation of general exposure limits if appropriate environmental epidemiological studies on harmful substances are lacking. This might be another possibility to obtain health-related exposure limits for specific bioaerosol parameters. Furthermore, we recommend to use suitable measurable outcome parameters related to bioaerosols; to measure bioaerosols according to a protocol representative for exposure pattern and duration at the particular work place; to develop standardized detection methods for indicator parameters; to combine different detection methods to compensate for the limitations of each method; to apply new analysis methods to identify the real risk potential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Organic supplemental nitrogen sources for field corn production after a hairy vetch cover crop

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The combined use of legume cover crops and animal byproduct organic amendments could provide agronomic and environmental benefits to organic farmers by increasing corn grain yield while optimizing N and P inputs. To test this hypothesis we conducted a two-year field study and a laboratory soil incu...

Polymeric Additives For Graphite/Epoxy Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourtides, D. A.; Nir, Z.

1990-01-01

Report describes experimental studies of properties of several graphite/epoxy composites containing polymeric additives as flexibilizing or toughening agents. Emphasizes effects of brominated polymeric additives (BPA's) with or without carboxy-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile rubber. Reviews effects of individual and combined additives on fracture toughnesses, environmental stabilities, hot/wet strengths, thermomechanical behaviors, and other mechanical properties of composites.

Application of Markov Models for Analysis of Development of Psychological Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuravsky, Lev S.; Malykh, Sergey B.

2004-01-01

A technique to study combined influence of environmental and genetic factors on the base of changes in phenotype distributions is presented. Histograms are exploited as base analyzed characteristics. A continuous time, discrete state Markov process with piece-wise constant interstate transition rates is associated with evolution of each histogram.…

Can Playscapes Promote Early Childhood Inquiry towards Environmentally Responsible Behaviors? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wight, R. Alan; Kloos, Heidi; Maltbie, Catherine V.; Carr, Victoria W.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates young children's exploratory play and inquiry on playscapes: playgrounds specifically designed to connect children with natural environments. Our theoretical framework posits that playscapes combine the benefits of nature and play to promote informal science exploration of natural materials. This, in turn, is expected to…

Student Action for the Valley Environment (SAVE).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phoenix Union High School District, AZ.

A multi-disciplinary approach to environmental studies for high school students, combining the areas of earth science, social science, and health education, is developed in this guide. Student Action for the Valley Environment (SAVE) is primarily a simulation program concerned with a serious problem of today--the survival of life in the cities. It…

An integrated approach for identifying priority contaminant in the Great Lakes Basin -Investigations in the Lower Green Bay/Fox River and Milwaukee Estuary areas of concern

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental assessment of complex mixtures typically requires integration of chemical and biological measurements. This study demonstrates the use of a combination of instrumental chemical analyses, effects-based monitoring, and bio-effects prediction approaches to help identi...

An Attempt at Applying Prompting and Reinforcement Toward Pollution Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geller, E. Scott; And Others

The effectiveness of a procedure which combined prompting and reinforcement principles to modify behavior relevant to environmental pollution was studied. During treatment customers entering a grocery store were handed a circular which urged them to buy drinks in returnable bottles (i.e., prompting); after making a purchase, customers were given…

Grazing supplementation and crop diversification on beef farm simulations in southern Brazil: a case study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Economics and environmental footprints of beef cattle raised on natural pasture or combined with soybean in specific biomes are still not well evaluated. The objective of this research was to simulate and evaluate the economics of three common pastured beef grazing systems in southern Brazil along w...

Molecular crosstalk between a chemical and a biological stressor and consequences on disease manifestation in rainbow trout

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The aim of the present study was to examine the molecular and organism reaction of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, to the combined impact of two environmental stressors. The two stressors were the myxozoan parasite, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, which is the etiological agent of proliferative k...

Economic and environmental transportation effects of large-scale ethanol production and distribution in the United States

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-25

The combination of current and planned 2007 U.S. ethanol production capacity is 50 billion L/yr, one-third of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) target of 136 billion L of biofuels by 2022. In this study, we evaluate transportati...

Should We Use Wood for Energy? An Education for Sustainable Development Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Jessica J. T.; Monroe, Martha C.

2015-01-01

Local issues that combine economic, environmental, and equity impacts make excellent contexts for interdisciplinary teaching. An instructional unit, "Should We Use Wood for Energy? A High School Education Program," was developed by the University of Florida's School of Forest Resources and Conservation to engage high school students in…

Education for Survival: Ecology in Science and Social Studies. Curriculum Guide for Grade V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Morristown.

Fifth grade students compare and evaluate their attitudes, values, and concepts regarding the interrelatedness of man, his social, cultural, and bio physical environment, and examine decisions, plans, and actions affecting environmental quality. The purpose of this interdisciplinary curriculum guide is to combine text material with the wealth of…

Economic and environmental transportation effects of large-scale ethanol production and distribution in the United States.

PubMed

Wakeley, Heather L; Hendrickson, Chris T; Griffin, W Michael; Matthews, H Scott

2009-04-01

The combination of current and planned 2007 U.S. ethanol production capacity is 50 billion L/yr, one-third of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) target of 136 billion L of biofuels by 2022. In this study, we evaluate transportation impacts and infrastructure requirements for the use of E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) in light-duty vehicles using a combination of corn and cellulosic ethanol. Ethanol distribution is modeled using a linear optimization model. Estimated average delivered ethanol costs, in 2005 dollars, range from $0.29 to $0.62 per liter ($1.3-2.8 per gallon), depending on transportation distance and mode. Emissions from ethanol transport estimated in this work are up to 2 times those in previous ethanol LCA studies and thus lead to larger total life cycle effects. Long-distance transport of ethanol to the end user can negate ethanol's potential economic and environmental benefits relative to gasoline. To reduce costs, we recommend regional concentration of E85 blends for future ethanol production and use.

Exploitation of multi-temporal Earth Observation imagery for monitoring land cover change in mining sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petropoulos, G.; Partsinevelos, P.; Mitraka, Z.

2012-04-01

Surface mining has been shown to cause intensive environmental degradation in terms of landscape, vegetation and biological communities. Nowadays, the commercial availability of remote sensing imagery at high spatiotemporal scales, has improved dramatically our ability to monitor surface mining activity and evaluate its impact on the environment and society. In this study we investigate the potential use of Landsat TM imagery combined with diverse classification techniques, namely artificial neural networks and support vector machines for delineating mining exploration and assessing its effect on vegetation in various surface mining sites in the Greek island of Milos. Assessment of the mining impact in the study area is validated through the analysis of available QuickBird imagery acquired nearly concurrently to the TM overpasses. Results indicate the capability of the TM sensor combined with the image analysis applied herein as a potential economically viable solution to provide rapidly and at regular time intervals information on mining activity and its impact to the local environment. KEYWORDS: mining environmental impact, remote sensing, image classification, change detection, land reclamation, support vector machines, neural networks

Explaining variation in tropical plant community composition: influence of environmental and spatial data quality.

PubMed

Jones, Mirkka M; Tuomisto, Hanna; Borcard, Daniel; Legendre, Pierre; Clark, David B; Olivas, Paulo C

2008-03-01

The degree to which variation in plant community composition (beta-diversity) is predictable from environmental variation, relative to other spatial processes, is of considerable current interest. We addressed this question in Costa Rican rain forest pteridophytes (1,045 plots, 127 species). We also tested the effect of data quality on the results, which has largely been overlooked in earlier studies. To do so, we compared two alternative spatial models [polynomial vs. principal coordinates of neighbour matrices (PCNM)] and ten alternative environmental models (all available environmental variables vs. four subsets, and including their polynomials vs. not). Of the environmental data types, soil chemistry contributed most to explaining pteridophyte community variation, followed in decreasing order of contribution by topography, soil type and forest structure. Environmentally explained variation increased moderately when polynomials of the environmental variables were included. Spatially explained variation increased substantially when the multi-scale PCNM spatial model was used instead of the traditional, broad-scale polynomial spatial model. The best model combination (PCNM spatial model and full environmental model including polynomials) explained 32% of pteridophyte community variation, after correcting for the number of sampling sites and explanatory variables. Overall evidence for environmental control of beta-diversity was strong, and the main floristic gradients detected were correlated with environmental variation at all scales encompassed by the study (c. 100-2,000 m). Depending on model choice, however, total explained variation differed more than fourfold, and the apparent relative importance of space and environment could be reversed. Therefore, we advocate a broader recognition of the impacts that data quality has on analysis results. A general understanding of the relative contributions of spatial and environmental processes to species distributions and beta-diversity requires that methodological artefacts are separated from real ecological differences.

Transferring mixtures of chemicals from sediment to a bioassay using silicone-based passive sampling and dosing.

PubMed

Mustajärvi, Lukas; Eriksson-Wiklund, Ann-Kristin; Gorokhova, Elena; Jahnke, Annika; Sobek, Anna

2017-11-15

Environmental mixtures of chemicals consist of a countless number of compounds with unknown identity and quantity. Yet, chemical regulation is mainly built around the assessment of single chemicals. Existing frameworks for assessing the toxicity of mixtures require that both the chemical composition and quantity are known. Quantitative analyses of the chemical composition of environmental mixtures are however extremely challenging and resource-demanding. Bioassays may therefore serve as a useful approach for investigating the combined toxicity of environmental mixtures of chemicals in a cost-efficient and holistic manner. In this study, an unknown environmental mixture of bioavailable semi-hydrophobic to hydrophobic chemicals was sampled from a contaminated sediment in a coastal Baltic Sea area using silicone polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an equilibrium passive sampler. The chemical mixture was transferred to a PDMS-based passive dosing system, and its applicability was demonstrated using green algae Tetraselmis suecica in a cell viability assay. The proportion of dead cells increased significantly with increasing exposure level and in a dose-response manner. At an ambient concentration, the proportion of dead cells in the population was nearly doubled compared to the control; however, the difference was non-significant due to high inter-replicate variability and a low number of replicates. The validation of the test system regarding equilibrium sampling, loading efficiency into the passive dosing polymer, stability of the mixture composition, and low algal mortality in control treatments demonstrates that combining equilibrium passive sampling and passive dosing is a promising tool for investigating the toxicity of bioavailable semi-hydrophobic and hydrophobic chemicals in complex environmental mixtures.

Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors Influencing Mercury Dynamics During the Past Century in Floodplain Lakes of the Tapajós River, Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Oestreicher, Jordan Sky; Lucotte, Marc; Moingt, Matthieu; Bélanger, Émilie; Rozon, Christine; Davidson, Robert; Mertens, Frédéric; Romaña, Christina A

2017-01-01

In the Tapajós River region of the Brazilian Amazon, mercury (Hg) is a prevalent contaminant in the aquatic ecosystem. Few studies have used comprehensive chronological analyses to examine the combined effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on Hg accumulation in sediments. Total mercury (THg) content was measured in sediments from eight floodplain lakes and Pb 210 isotope analysis was used to develop a timeline of THg accumulation. Secondary data representing environmental and anthropogenic factors were analyzed using geo-spatial analyses. These include land-cover change, hydrometeorological time-series data, lake morphology, and watershed biophysical characteristics. The results indicate that THg accumulation and sedimentation rates have increased significantly at the surface of most sediment cores, sometimes doubling since the 1970s. Human-driven land-cover changes in the watershed correspond closely to these shifts. Tropical deforestation enhances erosion, thereby mobilizing the heavy metal that naturally occurs in soils. Environmental factors also contribute to increased THg content in lacustrine sediments. Climate shifts since the 1980s are further compounding erosion and THg accumulation in surface sediments. Furthermore, variations in topography, soil types, and the level of hydrological connectivity between lakes and the river explain observed variations in THg fluxes and sedimentation. Although connectivity naturally varies among sampled lakes, deforestation of sensitive floodplain vegetation has changed lake-river hydrology in several sites. In conclusion, the results point to a combination of anthropogenic and environmental factors as determinants of increased THg accumulation in tropical floodplain sediments in the Tapajós region.

Social and ethical issues in environmental risk management.

PubMed

Oughton, Deborah H

2011-07-01

The recognition of the social and ethical aspects of radiation risk management has been an important part of international projects following the Chernobyl accident of 1986. This study comments on the science and policy issues in environmental risk assessment, including the social and ethical dimensions of emergency preparedness and remediation experiences gained from the Chernobyl accident. While the unique situation of Fukushima, combined with an earthquake and tsunami, raises its own social and political challenges, it is hoped that some of the lessons learnt from Chernobyl will be relevant to long-term management of the Fukushima site. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

A study of environmental characterization of conventional and advanced aluminum alloys for selection and design. Phase 1: Literature review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sprowls, D. O.

1984-01-01

A review of the literature is presented with the objectives of identifying relationships between various accelerated stress corrosion testing techniques, and for determining the combination of test methods best suited to selection and design of high strength aluminum alloys. The following areas are reviewed: status of stress-corrosion test standards, the influence of mechanical and environmental factors on stress corrosion testing, correlation of accelerated test data with in-service experience, and procedures used to avoid stress corrosion problems in service. Promising areas for further work are identified.

Applications of geographic information systems (GIS) data and methods in obesity-related research.

PubMed

Jia, P; Cheng, X; Xue, H; Wang, Y

2017-04-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) data/methods offer good promise for public health programs including obesity-related research. This study systematically examined their applications and identified gaps and limitations in current obesity-related research. A systematic search of PubMed for studies published before 20 May 2016, utilizing synonyms for GIS in combination with synonyms for obesity as search terms, identified 121 studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found primary applications of GIS data/methods in obesity-related research included (i) visualization of spatial distribution of obesity and obesity-related phenomena, and basic obesogenic environmental features, and (ii) construction of advanced obesogenic environmental indicators. We found high spatial heterogeneity in obesity prevalence/risk and obesogenic environmental factors. Also, study design and characteristics varied considerably across studies because of lack of established guidance and protocols in the field, which may also have contributed to the mixed findings about environmental impacts on obesity. Existing findings regarding built environment are more robust than those regarding food environment. Applications of GIS data/methods in obesity research are still limited, and related research faces many challenges. More and better GIS data and more friendly analysis methods are needed to expand future GIS applications in obesity-related research. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

Environmental and Biological Data of the Nutrient Enrichment Effects on Stream Ecosystems Project of the National Water Quality Assessment Program, 2003-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brightbill, Robin A.; Munn, Mark D.

2008-01-01

In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began the process of developing regional nutrient criteria for streams and rivers. In response to concerns about nutrients by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program began studying the effects of nutrient enrichment on agricultural stream ecosystems to aid in the understanding of how nutrients affect the biota in agricultural streams. Streams within five study areas were sampled either in 2003 or 2004. These five study areas were located within six NAWQA study units: the combined Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (ACFB) and Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain Drainages (GAFL), Central Columbia Plateau?Yakima River Basin (CCYK), Central Nebraska Basins (CNBR), Potomac River?Delmarva Peninsula (PODL), and the White-Miami River Basin (WHMI). Data collected included nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) and other chemical parameters, biological samples (chlorophyll, algal assemblages, invertebrate assemblages, and some fish assemblages), stream habitat, and riparian and basin information. This report describes and presents the data collected from these study areas.

Accumulated environmental risk determining age at schizophrenia onset: a deep phenotyping-based study.

PubMed

Stepniak, Beata; Papiol, Sergi; Hammer, Christian; Ramin, Anna; Everts, Sarah; Hennig, Lena; Begemann, Martin; Ehrenreich, Hannelore

2014-11-01

Schizophrenia is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, as first evidenced by twin studies. Extensive efforts have been made to identify the genetic roots of schizophrenia, including large genome-wide association studies, but these yielded very small effect sizes for individual markers. In this study, we aimed to assess the relative contribution of genome-wide association study-derived genetic versus environmental risk factors to crucial determinants of schizophrenia severity: disease onset, disease severity, and socioeconomic measures. In this parallel analysis, we studied 750 male patients from the Göttingen Research Association for Schizophrenia (GRAS) dataset (Germany) with schizophrenia for whom both genome-wide coverage of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and deep clinical phenotyping data were available. Specifically, we investigated the potential effect of schizophrenia risk alleles as identified in the most recent large genome-wide association study versus the effects of environmental hazards (ie, perinatal brain insults, cannabis use, neurotrauma, psychotrauma, urbanicity, and migration), alone and upon accumulation, on age at disease onset, age at prodrome, symptom expression, and socioeconomic parameters. In this study, we could show that frequent environmental factors become a major risk for early schizophrenia onset when accumulated (prodrome begins up to 9 years earlier; p=2·9×10(-10)). In particular, cannabis use-an avoidable environmental risk factor-is highly significantly associated with earlier age at prodrome (p=3·8×10(-20)). By contrast, polygenic genome-wide association study risk scores did not have any detectable effects on schizophrenia phenotypes. These findings should be translated to preventive measures to reduce environmental risk factors, since age at onset of schizophrenia is a crucial determinant of an affected individual's fate and the total socioeconomic cost of the illness. German Research Foundation (Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain), Max Planck Society, Max Planck Förderstiftung, EXTRABRAIN EU-FP7, ERA-NET NEURON. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semantic classification of urban buildings combining VHR image and GIS data: An improved random forest approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Shihong; Zhang, Fangli; Zhang, Xiuyuan

2015-07-01

While most existing studies have focused on extracting geometric information on buildings, only a few have concentrated on semantic information. The lack of semantic information cannot satisfy many demands on resolving environmental and social issues. This study presents an approach to semantically classify buildings into much finer categories than those of existing studies by learning random forest (RF) classifier from a large number of imbalanced samples with high-dimensional features. First, a two-level segmentation mechanism combining GIS and VHR image produces single image objects at a large scale and intra-object components at a small scale. Second, a semi-supervised method chooses a large number of unbiased samples by considering the spatial proximity and intra-cluster similarity of buildings. Third, two important improvements in RF classifier are made: a voting-distribution ranked rule for reducing the influences of imbalanced samples on classification accuracy and a feature importance measurement for evaluating each feature's contribution to the recognition of each category. Fourth, the semantic classification of urban buildings is practically conducted in Beijing city, and the results demonstrate that the proposed approach is effective and accurate. The seven categories used in the study are finer than those in existing work and more helpful to studying many environmental and social problems.

Capabilities of the Environmental Effects Branch at Marshall Space Flight Cente

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Jan; Finckenor, Miria; Nehls, Mary

2016-01-01

The Environmental Effects Branch at the Marshall Space Flight Center supports a myriad array of programs for NASA, DoD, and commercial space including human exploration, advanced space propulsion, improving life on Earth, and the study of the Sun, the Earth, and the solar system. The branch provides testing, evaluation, and qualification of materials for use on external spacecraft surfaces and in contamination-sensitive systems. Space environment capabilities include charged particle radiation, ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen, impact, plasma, and thermal vacuum, anchored by flight experiments and analysis of returned space hardware. These environmental components can be combined for solar wind or planetary surface environment studies or to evaluate synergistic effects. The Impact Testing Facility allows simulation of impacts ranging from sand and rain to micrometeoroids and orbital debris in order to evaluate materials and components for flight and ground-based systems. The Contamination Control Team is involved in the evaluation of environmentally-friendly replacements for HCFC-225 for use in propulsion oxygen systems, developing cleaning methods for additively manufactured hardware, and reducing risk for the Space Launch System.

Which Features of the Environment Impact Community Participation of Older Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Vaughan, Molly; LaValley, Michael P; AlHeresh, Rawan; Keysor, Julie J

2016-09-01

The objective of this study is to identify features of the environment associated with community participation of older adults. A systematic review of studies that examined associations between environment and community participation in older adults was conducted. Environmental features were extracted and grouped using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health's environmental categories. Meta-analysis of environmental categories was conducted by calculating combined effect size (ES) estimates. Significant, small to moderate, random ESs were found for six of seven environmental categories: neighborliness (ES = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.18, 0.87]), social support (ES = 0.38, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.62]), land-use diversity (ES = 0.29, 95% CI = [0.16, 0.42]), transportation (ES = 0.29, 95% CI = [0.15, 0.43]), civil protection (e.g., safety; ES = 0.27, 95% CI = [0.0, 0.54]), and street connectivity/walkability (ES = 0.20, 95% CI = [0.15, 0.26]). Community initiatives that address specific features of the social environment and street-level environment may increase community participation of older adults. © The Author(s) 2015.

Spatial analysis of falls in an urban community of Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Lai, Poh C; Low, Chien T; Wong, Martin; Wong, Wing C; Chan, Ming H

2009-01-01

Background Falls are an issue of great public health concern. This study focuses on outdoor falls within an urban community in Hong Kong. Urban environmental hazards are often place-specific and dependent upon the built features, landscape characteristics, and habitual activities. Therefore, falls must be examined with respect to local situations. Results This paper uses spatial analysis methods to map fall occurrences and examine possible environmental attributes of falls in an urban community of Hong Kong. The Nearest neighbour hierarchical (Nnh) and Standard Deviational Ellipse (SDE) techniques can offer additional insights about the circumstances and environmental factors that contribute to falls. The results affirm the multi-factorial nature of falls at specific locations and for selected groups of the population. Conclusion The techniques to detect hot spots of falls yield meaningful results that enable the identification of high risk locations. The combined use of descriptive and spatial analyses can be beneficial to policy makers because different preventive measures can be devised based on the types of environmental risk factors identified. The analyses are also important preludes to establishing research hypotheses for more focused studies. PMID:19291326

Combining Technical Competence and Stakeholder Impact in Environmental Education: The Gambia All Schools Nursery Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulete, Francisca E.; Orr, Blair

2010-01-01

Under the guidance of the Department of Forestry, the Regional Education Directorate, and Peace Corps/The Gambia, the Gambia All Schools Tree Nursery Competition, an environmental education program, was developed to introduce practical environmental education in The Gambia. Data for this report were collected using a rapid appraisal approach.…

76 FR 5198 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Salt Wells Energy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

...), for proposed geothermal energy projects covering a combined area of approximately 24,152 acres in the... Environmental Impact Statement for the Salt Wells Energy Projects, Churchill County, NV AGENCY: Bureau of Land... Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Salt Wells Energy Projects and by this notice is announcing the...

Project-Based Learning in Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory: Using EPA Methods to Guide Student Method Development for Pesticide Quantitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Eric J.; Pauls, Steve; Dick, Jonathan

2017-01-01

Presented is a project-based learning (PBL) laboratory approach for an upper-division environmental chemistry or quantitative analysis course. In this work, a combined laboratory class of 11 environmental chemistry students developed a method based on published EPA methods for the extraction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its…

MCDM analysis of wind energy in Turkey: decision making based on environmental impact.

PubMed

Değirmenci, Sinem; Bingöl, Ferhat; Sofuoglu, Sait C

2018-05-08

Development of new wind energy projects require complex planning process involving many social, technical, economic, environmental, political concerns, and different agents such as investors, utilities, governmental agencies, or social groups. The aim of this study is to develop a tool combining Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodologies, and its application for Turkey as a case study. A variety of constraints and criteria were identified based on a literature review and regulations gathered from variety of agencies, use of which resulted in determination of infeasible sites. Then, pairwise comparisons were carried out using analytic hierarchy process as the MCDM method to estimate relative importance of the criteria, and to visualize a suitability map with three classes. As the final stage, decision making was carried out based on environmental impact where 45.5% of the Turkish territory was found as infeasible area. Sixty percent of the remaining area are covered by the moderate suitability class, followed by the highly suitable area (20.3%) and low suitable area (19.8%). The output of this study can be used by energy planners to estimate the extent that wind energy can be developed based on public perception, administrative, and environmental aspects.

A life cycle assessment of distributed energy production from organic waste: Two case studies in Europe.

PubMed

Evangelisti, Sara; Clift, Roland; Tagliaferri, Carla; Lettieri, Paola

2017-06-01

By means of the life cycle assessment methodology, the purpose of this study is to assess the environmental impact when biomethane from organic waste produced at residential level is used to supply energy to a group of dwellings in the distributed generation paradigm. Three different Combined Heat and Power systems, such as fuel cells, Stirling engine and micro gas turbine, installed at household level are assessed in two different settings: one in Northern Europe (UK) and one in Southern Europe (Italy). Different operating strategies are investigated for each technology. Moreover, marginal electricity production technologies are analysed to assess their influence on the results. This study has demonstrated that the type of bio-methane fed micro-CHP technology employed has a significantly different environmental impact: fuel cells are the most environmentally friendly solution in every category analysed; Stirling engines, although can supply heat to the largest number of dwellings are the least environmentally friendly technology. However, key factors investigated in the model presented in this paper influence the decision making on the type of technology adopted and the operating strategy to be implemented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What causes autism? Exploring the environmental contribution.

PubMed

Landrigan, Philip J

2010-04-01

Autism is a biologically based disorder of brain development. Genetic factors--mutations, deletions, and copy number variants--are clearly implicated in causation of autism. However, they account for only a small fraction of cases, and do not easily explain key clinical and epidemiological features. This suggests that early environmental exposures also contribute. This review explores this hypothesis. Indirect evidence for an environmental contribution to autism comes from studies demonstrating the sensitivity of the developing brain to external exposures such as lead, ethyl alcohol and methyl mercury. But the most powerful proof-of-concept evidence derives from studies specifically linking autism to exposures in early pregnancy - thalidomide, misoprostol, and valproic acid; maternal rubella infection; and the organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos. There is no credible evidence that vaccines cause autism. Expanded research is needed into environmental causation of autism. Children today are surrounded by thousands of synthetic chemicals. Two hundred of them are neurotoxic in adult humans, and 1000 more in laboratory models. Yet fewer than 20% of high-volume chemicals have been tested for neurodevelopmental toxicity. I propose a targeted discovery strategy focused on suspect chemicals, which combines expanded toxicological screening, neurobiological research and prospective epidemiological studies.

Direct and indirect effects of child abuse and environmental stress: A lifecourse perspective on adversity and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Sousa, Cindy; Mason, W Alex; Herrenkohl, Todd I; Prince, Dana; Herrenkohl, Roy C; Russo, M Jean

2018-01-01

There is a great deal of evidence about the mental health implications of physical child abuse and environmental stressors, or hardships that people experience at the household and neighborhood level (e.g., neighborhood violence; economic hardship, substance abuse, or conflict among family members). Yet, studies often focus on either abuse or environmental stress, not both, or examine abuse and environmental stressors as a combined set of experiences. Less is known, therefore, about how child abuse and environmental stress might work as either distinct or interrelated risks to diminish mental health over time. In this longitudinal study, we used path analyses to examine the cumulative effects of physical child abuse and environmental stressors on adult depressive symptoms among a sample of children followed into adulthood (N = 356). The goal was to assess whether chronic physical child abuse remains an independent predictor of adult outcomes once we accounted for the cumulative effects of household and neighborhood stressors across the lifecourse. Cumulative measures of physical child abuse and environmental stress each independently predicted a higher likelihood of adult depressive symptoms (ß = .122, p < .01 and ß = .283, p < .001, respectively). After accounting for adolescent depressive symptoms, only cumulative environmental stressors independently predicted depressive symptoms (ß = .202, p < .001). Tests of the indirect effect of cumulative environmental stress on the relationship between cumulative physical abuse and adult depressive symptoms were marginally statistically significant. Results add to literature that examines child abuse, adversity, and lifecourse perspectives on health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Managing the environmental impacts of land transport: integrating environmental analysis with urban planning.

PubMed

Irving, Paul; Moncrieff, Ian

2004-12-01

Ecological systems have limits or thresholds that vary by pollutant type, emissions sources and the sensitivity of a given location. Human health can also indicate sensitivity. Good environmental management requires any problem to be defined to obtain efficient and effective solutions. Cities are where transport activities, effects and resource management decisions are often most focussed. The New Zealand Ministry of Transport has developed two environmental management tools. The Vehicle Fleet Model (VFM) is a predictive database of the environmental performance of the New Zealand traffic fleet (and rail fleet). It calculates indices of local air quality, stormwater, and greenhouse gases emissions. The second is an analytical process based on Environmental Capacity Analysis (ECA). Information on local traffic is combined with environmental performance data from the Vehicle Fleet Model. This can be integrated within a live, geo-spatially defined analysis of the overall environmental effects within a defined local area. Variations in urban form and activity (traffic and other) that contribute to environmental effects can be tracked. This enables analysis of a range of mitigation strategies that may contribute, now or in the future, to maintaining environmental thresholds or meeting targets. A case study of the application of this approach was conducted within Waitakere City. The focus was on improving the understanding of the relative significance of stormwater contaminants derived from land transport.

Improving spatial prediction of Schistosoma haematobium prevalence in southern Ghana through new remote sensors and local water access profiles.

PubMed

Kulinkina, Alexandra V; Walz, Yvonne; Koch, Magaly; Biritwum, Nana-Kwadwo; Utzinger, Jürg; Naumova, Elena N

2018-06-04

Schistosomiasis is a water-related neglected tropical disease. In many endemic low- and middle-income countries, insufficient surveillance and reporting lead to poor characterization of the demographic and geographic distribution of schistosomiasis cases. Hence, modeling is relied upon to predict areas of high transmission and to inform control strategies. We hypothesized that utilizing remotely sensed (RS) environmental data in combination with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) variables could improve on the current predictive modeling approaches. Schistosoma haematobium prevalence data, collected from 73 rural Ghanaian schools, were used in a random forest model to investigate the predictive capacity of 15 environmental variables derived from RS data (Landsat 8, Sentinel-2, and Global Digital Elevation Model) with fine spatial resolution (10-30 m). Five methods of variable extraction were tested to determine the spatial linkage between school-based prevalence and the environmental conditions of potential transmission sites, including applying the models to known human water contact locations. Lastly, measures of local water access and groundwater quality were incorporated into RS-based models to assess the relative importance of environmental and WASH variables. Predictive models based on environmental characterization of specific locations where people contact surface water bodies offered some improvement as compared to the traditional approach based on environmental characterization of locations where prevalence is measured. A water index (MNDWI) and topographic variables (elevation and slope) were important environmental risk factors, while overall, groundwater iron concentration predominated in the combined model that included WASH variables. The study helps to understand localized drivers of schistosomiasis transmission. Specifically, unsatisfactory water quality in boreholes perpetuates reliance of surface water bodies, indirectly increasing schistosomiasis risk and resulting in rapid reinfection (up to 40% prevalence six months following preventive chemotherapy). Considering WASH-related risk factors in schistosomiasis prediction can help shift the focus of control strategies from treating symptoms to reducing exposure.

IMMUNOCHEMICAL APPLICATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

EPA Science Inventory

Immunochemical methods are based on selective antibodies combining with a particular target analyte or analyte group. The specific binding between antibody and analyte can be used to detect environmental contaminants in a variety of sample matrixes. Immunoassay methods provide ...

The drivers of corporate environment inputs: Based on neo-institution theory evidence from Chinese listed biological and other companies.

PubMed

Guo, Rui; Tao, Lan; Yan, Liang; Chen, Lianfang; Wang, Haijun

2014-09-01

From corporate internal governance structure and external institutional environment, this study uses a legitimacy perspective of intuitional theory to analyze the main influence factors on corporate environmental protection inputs and propose some hypotheses. With the establishment of empirical models, it analyzes the data of 2004-2009 listed biological and other companies in China to test the hypotheses. The findings are concluded that in internal institutional environment, the nature of the controlling shareholder, the proportion of the first shareholder in the ownership structure, the combination of chairman and general manager in board efficiency and the intensity of environmental laws and regulations of the industry in external institutional environment have an significant impact on the behaviors of corporate environmental protection inputs.

Environmental exposures as a risk factor for fibrolamellar carcinoma.

PubMed

Graham, Rondell P; Craig, John R; Jin, Long; Oliveira, Andre M; Bergquist, John R; Truty, Mark J; Mounajjed, Taofic; Greipp, Patricia T; Torbenson, Michael S

2017-06-01

Fibrolamellar carcinoma was first described in 1956. Subsequent large studies failed to identify cases before 1939 (the start of the World War II). This finding, combined with the presence of aryl hydrocarbon receptors on the tumor cells, have suggested that fibrolamellar carcinomas may be caused by environmental exposures that are new since World War II. To investigate this possibility, the surgical pathology files before 1939 were reviewed for hepatocellular carcinomas resected in young individuals. Two cases of fibrolamellar carcinoma were identified, from 1915 to 1924. The diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma was confirmed at the histologic, ultrastructural and proteomic levels. These two fibrolamellar carcinoma cases clarify a key aspect of fibrolamellar carcinoma biology, reducing the likelihood that these tumors result exclusively from post World War II environmental exposures.

Graphene oxide alleviates the ecotoxicity of copper on the freshwater microalga Scenedesmus obliquus.

PubMed

Hu, Changwei; Hu, Naitao; Li, Xiuling; Zhao, Yongjun

2016-10-01

The extensive industrial application of graphene oxide (GO), has increased its exposure risk to various aquatic organisms and its potential to affect the toxicity of other environmental pollutants. In this study, we investigated the combined toxicity of GO and copper on the freshwater microalga Scenedesmus obliquus, using the MIXTOX model. The effects of low concentration (1mg/L) exposure to GO were investigated with environmentally relevant concentrations of copper by using a 12-d subacute toxicity test, with pre- and post-GO treatment. Results showed that there were significant antagonistic effects between GO and copper on S. obliquus, and GO was found to reduce ecotoxicity of copper even at low and environmentally relevant concentrations (1mg/L). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the environmental and genetic factors influencing prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Gosadi, Ibrahim M.

2016-01-01

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a combination of factors that increases the risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases including diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the adult Saudi population where the increase in cardiovascular-related mortality is augmented by the rise in the prevalence of MS. Metabolic syndrome is a multi-factorial disorder influenced by interactions between genetic and environmental components. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of studied environmental and genetic factors explaining the prevalence of MS in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, this review aims to illustrate factors related to the population genetics of Saudi Arabia, which might explain a proportion of the prevalence of MS. PMID:26739969

PubMed Central

Valeriani, F.; Cianfanelli, C.; Gianfranceschi, G.; Santucci, S.; Romano Spica, V.

2017-01-01

Summary Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in libraries is influenced by the presence of specific factors which can impact on both paper storage as well as people health. Microclimatic conditions induce and support a biodiversity pattern involving environmental and anthropic microorganisms. We used a multidisciplinary monitoring model to characterize microflora biodiversity by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Biodiversity indexes were adapted to evaluate anthropic vs environmental pollution by combining Shannon mean index (H), species representativeness (EH), human/environmental pollution ratio (SA) to better characterize the NGS output and acquire synthetic information on Indoor Air Microbial Biodiversity (IAMB). Results indicate a frequently low microbial load (IGCM/m3 < 1000) characterized by different species (n = 102), including several cellulose metabolizing bacteria. Workers and visitors appeared a relevant source of microbial contamination. Air biodiversity assayed by NGS seems a promising marker for studying IAQ. PMID:29123371

A case study of the Australian Plague Locust Commission and environmental due diligence: why mere legislative compliance is no longer sufficient for environmentally responsible locust control in Australia.

PubMed

Story, Paul G; Walker, Paul W; McRae, Heath; Hamilton, John G

2005-07-01

The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) manages locust populations across 2 million square kilometers of eastern Australia using the aerial application of chemical and biological control agents to protect agricultural production. This occurs via a preventative control strategy involving ultralow-volume spray equipment to distribute small droplets of control agent over a target area. The economic costs of, and potential gains stemming from, locust control are well documented. The application of insecticides, however, to fragile arid and semiarid ecosystems is a task that brings with it both real and perceived environmental issues. The APLC is proactive in addressing these issues through a combination of targeted environmental operational research, an ISO-14001-aligned Environmental Management System (EMS), and links with environmental regulatory and research institutions. Increasing due diligence components within Australian environmental legislation dictate that mere legislative compliance is no longer sufficient for industries to ensure that they meet their environmental obligations. The development of external research links and the formulation of an EMS for locust control have enabled the APLC to identify environmental issues and trends, quantify objective environmental targets and strategies, and facilitate continuous improvement in its environmental performance, while maintaining stakeholder support. This article outlines the environmental issues faced by the APLC, the research programs in place to address these issues, and the procedures in place to incorporate research findings into the organization's operational structure.

Linking metabolite production to taxonomic identity in environmental samples by (MA)LDI-FISH

PubMed Central

Kaltenpoth, Martin; Strupat, Kerstin; Svatoš, Aleš

2016-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in microbial ecology remains to link the metabolic activity of individual cells to their taxonomic identity and localization within environmental samples. Here we combined mass-spectrometric imaging (MSI) through (matrix-assisted) laser desorption ionization time-of-flight MSI ([MA]LDI-TOF/MSI) with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to monitor antibiotic production in the defensive symbiosis between beewolf wasps and ‘Streptomyces philanthi' bacteria. Our results reveal similar distributions of the different symbiont-produced antibiotics across the surface of beewolf cocoons, which colocalize with the producing cell populations. Whereas FISH achieves single-cell resolution, MSI is currently limited to a step size of 20–50 μm in the combined approach because of the destructive effects of high laser intensities that are associated with tighter laser beam focus at higher lateral resolution. However, on the basis of the applicability of (MA)LDI-MSI to a broad range of small molecules, its combination with FISH provides a powerful tool for studying microbial interactions in situ, and further modifications of this technique could allow for linking metabolic profiling to gene expression. PMID:26172211

Generating daily high spatial land surface temperatures by combining ASTER and MODIS land surface temperature products for environmental process monitoring.

PubMed

Wu, Mingquan; Li, Hua; Huang, Wenjiang; Niu, Zheng; Wang, Changyao

2015-08-01

There is a shortage of daily high spatial land surface temperature (LST) data for use in high spatial and temporal resolution environmental process monitoring. To address this shortage, this work used the Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (STARFM), Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM), and the Spatial and Temporal Data Fusion Approach (STDFA) to estimate high spatial and temporal resolution LST by combining Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) LST and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST products. The actual ASTER LST products were used to evaluate the precision of the combined LST images using the correlation analysis method. This method was tested and validated in study areas located in Gansu Province, China. The results show that all the models can generate daily synthetic LST image with a high correlation coefficient (r) of 0.92 between the synthetic image and the actual ASTER LST observations. The ESTARFM has the best performance, followed by the STDFA and the STARFM. Those models had better performance in desert areas than in cropland. The STDFA had better noise immunity than the other two models.

Preliminary Surficial Geology of the Dove Spring Off-Highway Vehicle Open Area, Mojave Desert, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David M.; Amoroso, Lee

2007-01-01

Introduction As part of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring plan to evaluate the environmental impact of off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in California, this report presents results of geologic studies in the Dove Spring OHV Open Area. This study produced baseline data, which when combined with historic and current patterns of land use, forms the basis for vegetation and wildlife monitoring designed to address the following questions: 1. Is the density and length of OHV routes increasing? 2. Are there cumulative effects of past and current OHV use associated with changes in the environmental integrity of soils, plants, and wildlife? 3. Is the spread of invasive species associated with levels of OHV use? 4. Is there a threshold of OHV impact that might be translated to management action by the BLM? The monitoring studies will be used to collect baseline environmental information to determine levels of environmental impact of OHV use. This approach will use a low-impact area as a proxy for pre-impact conditions (substituting space for time) to determine thresholds of OHV impacts beyond which environmental integrity is affected. Indicators of environmental integrity will emphasize factors that are fundamental to ecosystem structure and function and likely to be sensitive to OHV impacts. Surficial geology is studied because material properties such as texture and chemistry strongly control soil moisture and nutrient availability and therefore affect plant growth and distribution. An understanding of surficial geology can be used to predict and extrapolate soil properties and improve understanding of vegetation assemblages and their distribution. In the present study, vegetation associations may be examined as a function of surficial geology as well as other environmental variables such as slope, aspect, NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service) soil classification, elevation, and land-use history. Ground measurements of vegetation, biological soil crusts, compaction, and other information may be correlated with land use to identify possible ecological thresholds in OHV use that require monitoring. Surficial geology is relevant for several other studies of OHV impact, such as soil compaction, dust emissions, and acceleration of erosion. Compaction, reduced infiltration, and accelerated erosion have been documented in Dove Spring Canyon because of OHV use (Snyder and others, 1976) and elsewhere in the Mojave Desert (e.g., Webb, 1983; Langdon, 2000). A surficial geologic map enables the use of geomorphic process models, which when combined with measured soil properties, such as texture, nutrient chemistry, and bulk density, allows spatial extrapolation of the properties. Maps can be produced that predict compaction susceptibility, moisture conditions, dust emissions, flood hazards, and erodibility, among other applications.

Environmental impact assessment of mountain tourism in developing regions: A study in Ladakh, Indian Himalaya

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geneletti, Davide, E-mail: davide.geneletti@ing.unitn.i; Dawa, Dorje, E-mail: dorje.dawa@gmail.co

Mountain tourism in developing countries is becoming a growing environmental concern due to extreme seasonality, lack of suitable infrastructures and planning, and interference with fragile ecosystems and protected areas. This paper presents a study devoted to assess the adverse environmental impacts of tourism, and in particular of trekking-related activities, in Ladakh, Indian Himalaya. The proposed approach is based on the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) modeling and remote sensing imageries to cope with the lack of data that affect the region. First, stressors associated with trekking, and environmental receptors potentially affected were identified. Subsequently, a baseline study on stressorsmore » (trail use, waste dumping, camping, pack animal grazing and off-road driving) and receptors (soil, water, wildlife, vegetation) was conducted through field work, data collection, and data processing supported by GIS. Finally, impacts were modeled by considering the intensity of the stressors, and the vulnerability and the value of the receptors. The results were spatially aggregated into watershed units, and combined to generate composite impact maps. The study concluded that the most affected watersheds are located in the central and southeastern part of Ladakh, along some of the most visited trails and within the Hemis and the Tsokar Tsomoriri National parks. The main objective of the study was to understand patterns of tourism-induced environmental degradation, so as to support mitigation interventions, as well as the development of suitable tourism policies.« less

Developing models that analyze the economic/environmental trade-offs implicit in water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howitt, R. E.

2016-12-01

Hydro-economic models have been used to analyze optimal supply management and groundwater use for the past 25 years. They are characterized by an objective function that usually maximizes economic measures such as consumer and producer surplus subject to hydrologic equations of motion or water distribution systems. The hydrologic and economic components are sometimes fully integrated. Alternatively they may use an iterative interactive process. Environmental considerations have been included in hydro-economic models as inequality constraints. Representing environmental requirements as constraints is a rigid approximation of the range of management alternatives that could be used to implement environmental objectives. The next generation of hydro-economic models, currently being developed, require that the environmental alternatives be represented by continuous or semi-continuous functions which relate water resource use allocated to the environment with the probabilities of achieving environmental objectives. These functions will be generated by process models of environmental and biological systems which are now advanced to the state that they can realistically represent environmental systems and flexibility to interact with economic models. Examples are crop growth models, climate modeling, and biological models of forest, fish, and fauna systems. These process models can represent environmental outcomes in a form that is similar to economic production functions. When combined with economic models the interacting process models can reproduce a range of trade-offs between economic and environmental objectives, and thus optimize social value of many water and environmental resources. Some examples of this next-generation of hydro-enviro- economic models are reviewed. In these models implicit production functions for environmental goods are combined with hydrologic equations of motion and economic response functions. We discuss models that show interaction between environmental goods and agricultural production, and others that address alternative climate change policies, or habitat provision.

[Genetic and environmental factors of asthma and allergy: Results of the EGEA study].

PubMed

Bouzigon, E; Nadif, R; Le Moual, N; Dizier, M-H; Aschard, H; Boudier, A; Bousquet, J; Chanoine, S; Donnay, C; Dumas, O; Gormand, F; Jacquemin, B; Just, J; Margaritte-Jeannin, P; Matran, R; Pison, C; Rage, E; Rava, M; Sarnowski, C; Smit, L A M; Temam, S; Varraso, R; Vignoud, L; Lathrop, M; Pin, I; Demenais, F; Kauffmann, F; Siroux, V

2015-10-01

The EGEA study (epidemiological study on the genetics and environment of asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy), which combines a case-control and a family-based study of asthma case (n=2120 subjects) with three surveys over 20 years, aims to identify environmental and genetic factors associated with asthma and asthma-related phenotypes. We summarize the results of the phenotypic characterization and the investigation of environmental and genetic factors of asthma and asthma-related phenotypes obtained since 2007 in the EGEA study (42 articles). Both epidemiological and genetic results confirm the heterogeneity of asthma. These results strengthen the role of the age of disease onset, the allergic status and the level of disease activity in the identification of the different phenotypes of asthma. The deleterious role of active smoking, exposure to air pollution, occupational asthmogenic agents and cleaning products on the prevalence and/or activity of asthma has been confirmed. Accounting for gene-environment interactions allowed the identification of new genetic factors underlying asthma and asthma-related traits and better understanding of their mode of action. The EGEA study is contributing to the advances in respiratory research at the international level. The new phenotypic, environmental and biological data available in EGEA study will help characterizing the long-term evolution of asthma and the factors associated to this evolution. Copyright © 2015 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Culture-independent analysis of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial communities in environmental samples during oil-bioremediation.

PubMed

Dashti, Narjes; Ali, Nedaa; Salamah, Samar; Khanafer, Majida; Al-Shamy, Ghada; Al-Awadhi, Husain; Radwan, Samir S

2018-04-15

To analyze microbial communities in environmental samples, this study combined Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of amplified 16S rRNA-genes in total genomic DNA extracts from those samples with gene sequencing. The environmental samples studied were oily seawater and soil samples, that had been bioaugmented with natural materials rich in hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria. This molecular approach revealed much more diverse bacterial taxa than the culture-dependent method we had used in an earlier study for the analysis of the same samples. The study described the dynamics of bacterial communities during bioremediation. The main limitation associated with this molecular approach, namely of not distinguishing hydrocarbonoclastic taxa from others, was overcome by consulting the literature for the hydrocarbonoclastic potential of taxa related to those identified in this study. By doing so, it was concluded that the hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial taxa were much more diverse than those captured by the culture-dependent approach. The molecular analysis also revealed the frequent occurrence of nifH-genes in the total genomic DNA extracts of all the studied environmental samples, which reflects a nitrogen-fixation potential. Nitrogen fertilization is long known to enhance microbial oil-bioremediation. The study revealed that bioaugmentation using plant rhizospheres or soil with long history of oil-pollution was more effective in oil-removal in the desert soil than in seawater microcosms. © 2018 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trans-generational plasticity in response to immune challenge is constrained by heat stress.

PubMed

Roth, Olivia; Landis, Susanne H

2017-06-01

Trans-generational plasticity (TGP) is the adjustment of phenotypes to changing habitat conditions that persist longer than the individual lifetime. Fitness benefits (adaptive TGP) are expected upon matching parent-offspring environments. In a global change scenario, several performance-related environmental factors are changing simultaneously. This lowers the predictability of offspring environmental conditions, potentially hampering the benefits of TGP. For the first time, we here explore how the combination of an abiotic and a biotic environmental factor in the parental generation plays out as trans-generational effect in the offspring. We fully reciprocally exposed the parental generation of the pipefish Syngnathus typhle to an immune challenge and elevated temperatures simulating a naturally occurring heatwave. Upon mating and male pregnancy, offspring were kept in ambient or elevated temperature regimes combined with a heat-killed bacterial epitope treatment. Differential gene expression (immune genes and DNA- and histone-modification genes) suggests that the combined change of an abiotic and a biotic factor in the parental generation had interactive effects on offspring performance, the temperature effect dominated over the immune challenge impact. The benefits of certain parental environmental conditions on offspring performance did not sum up when abiotic and biotic factors were changed simultaneously supporting that available resources that can be allocated to phenotypic trans-generational effects are limited. Temperature is the master regulator of trans-generational phenotypic plasticity, which potentially implies a conflict in the allocation of resources towards several environmental factors. This asks for a reassessment of TGP as a short-term option to buffer environmental variation in the light of climate change.

Public participation GIS for improving wood burning emissions from residential heating and urban environmental management.

PubMed

López-Aparicio, Susana; Vogt, Matthias; Schneider, Philipp; Kahila-Tani, Maarit; Broberg, Anna

2017-04-15

A crowdsourcing study supported by a public participation GIS tool was designed and carried out in two Norwegian regions. The aim was to improve the knowledge about emissions from wood burning for residential heating in urban areas based on the collection of citizens' localized insights. We focus on three main issues: 1) type of dwelling and residential heating source; 2) wood consumption and type of wood appliances; and 3) citizens' perception of the urban environment. Our study shows the importance of wood burning for residential heating, and of the resulted particle emissions, in Norwegian urban areas. Citizens' localized insights on environmental perception highlight the areas in the city that require particular attention as part of clean air strategies. Information about environmental perception is combined with existing environmental data showing certain correlation. The results support the urban environmental management based on co-benefit approaches, achieving several outcomes from a single policy measure. Measures to reduce urban air pollution will have a positive impact on the citizens' environmental perception, and therefore on their quality of life, in addition to reducing the negative consequences of air pollution on human health. The characterization of residential heating by fuelwood is still a challenging activity. Our study shows the potential of a crowdsourcing method as means for bottom-up approaches designed to increase our knowledge on human activities at urban scale that result on emissions. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Sparking Thinking: Studying Modern Precision Medicine Will Accelerate the Progression of Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns.

PubMed

Liu, Bao-Cheng; Ji, Guang

2017-07-01

Incorporating "-omics" studies with environmental interactions could help elucidate the biological mechanisms responsible for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patterns. Based on the authors' own experiences, this review outlines a model of an ideal combination of "-omics" biomarkers, environmental factors, and TCM pattern classifications; provides a narrative review of the relevant genetic and TCM studies; and lists several successful integrative examples. Two integration tools are briefly introduced. The first is the integration of modern devices into objective diagnostic methods of TCM patterning, which would improve current clinical decision-making and practice. The second is the use of biobanks and data platforms, which could broadly support biological and medical research. Such efforts will transform current medical management and accelerate the progression of precision medicine.

Combining HJ CCD, GF-1 WFV and MODIS Data to Generate Daily High Spatial Resolution Synthetic Data for Environmental Process Monitoring.

PubMed

Wu, Mingquan; Huang, Wenjiang; Niu, Zheng; Wang, Changyao

2015-08-20

The limitations of satellite data acquisition mean that there is a lack of satellite data with high spatial and temporal resolutions for environmental process monitoring. In this study, we address this problem by applying the Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM) and the Spatial and Temporal Data Fusion Approach (STDFA) to combine Huanjing satellite charge coupled device (HJ CCD), Gaofen satellite no. 1 wide field of view camera (GF-1 WFV) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to generate daily high spatial resolution synthetic data for land surface process monitoring. Actual HJ CCD and GF-1 WFV data were used to evaluate the precision of the synthetic images using the correlation analysis method. Our method was tested and validated for two study areas in Xinjiang Province, China. The results show that both the ESTARFM and STDFA can be applied to combine HJ CCD and MODIS reflectance data, and GF-1 WFV and MODIS reflectance data, to generate synthetic HJ CCD data and synthetic GF-1 WFV data that closely match actual data with correlation coefficients (r) greater than 0.8989 and 0.8643, respectively. Synthetic red- and near infrared (NIR)-band data generated by ESTARFM are more suitable for the calculation of Normalized Different Vegetation Index (NDVI) than the data generated by STDFA.

Combining HJ CCD, GF-1 WFV and MODIS Data to Generate Daily High Spatial Resolution Synthetic Data for Environmental Process Monitoring

PubMed Central

Wu, Mingquan; Huang, Wenjiang; Niu, Zheng; Wang, Changyao

2015-01-01

The limitations of satellite data acquisition mean that there is a lack of satellite data with high spatial and temporal resolutions for environmental process monitoring. In this study, we address this problem by applying the Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM) and the Spatial and Temporal Data Fusion Approach (STDFA) to combine Huanjing satellite charge coupled device (HJ CCD), Gaofen satellite no. 1 wide field of view camera (GF-1 WFV) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to generate daily high spatial resolution synthetic data for land surface process monitoring. Actual HJ CCD and GF-1 WFV data were used to evaluate the precision of the synthetic images using the correlation analysis method. Our method was tested and validated for two study areas in Xinjiang Province, China. The results show that both the ESTARFM and STDFA can be applied to combine HJ CCD and MODIS reflectance data, and GF-1 WFV and MODIS reflectance data, to generate synthetic HJ CCD data and synthetic GF-1 WFV data that closely match actual data with correlation coefficients (r) greater than 0.8989 and 0.8643, respectively. Synthetic red- and near infrared (NIR)-band data generated by ESTARFM are more suitable for the calculation of Normalized Different Vegetation Index (NDVI) than the data generated by STDFA. PMID:26308017

The Use of Virtual Reality in Craving Assessment and Cue-Exposure Therapy in Substance Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Hone-Blanchet, Antoine; Wensing, Tobias; Fecteau, Shirley

2014-01-01

Craving is recognized as an important diagnosis criterion for substance use disorders (SUDs) and a predictive factor of relapse. Various methods to study craving exist; however, suppressing craving to successfully promote abstinence remains an unmet clinical need in SUDs. One reason is that social and environmental contexts recalling drug and alcohol consumption in the everyday life of patients suffering from SUDs often initiate craving and provoke relapse. Current behavioral therapies for SUDs use the cue-exposure approach to suppress salience of social and environmental contexts that may induce craving. They facilitate learning and cognitive reinforcement of new behavior and entrain craving suppression in the presence of cues related to drug and alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, craving often overweighs behavioral training especially in real social and environmental contexts with peer pressure encouraging the use of substance, such as parties and bars. In this perspective, virtual reality (VR) is gaining interest in the development of cue-reactivity paradigms and practices new skills in treatment. VR enhances ecological validity of traditional craving-induction measurement. In this review, we discuss results from (1) studies using VR and alternative virtual agents in the induction of craving and (2) studies combining cue-exposure therapy with VR in the promotion of abstinence from drugs and alcohol use. They used virtual environments, displaying alcohol and drugs to SUD patients. Moreover, some environments included avatars. Hence, some studies have focused on the social interactions that are associated with drug-seeking behaviors and peer pressure. Findings indicate that VR can successfully increase craving. Studies combining cue–exposure therapy with virtual environment, however, reported mitigated success so far. PMID:25368571

The use of virtual reality in craving assessment and cue-exposure therapy in substance use disorders.

PubMed

Hone-Blanchet, Antoine; Wensing, Tobias; Fecteau, Shirley

2014-01-01

Craving is recognized as an important diagnosis criterion for substance use disorders (SUDs) and a predictive factor of relapse. Various methods to study craving exist; however, suppressing craving to successfully promote abstinence remains an unmet clinical need in SUDs. One reason is that social and environmental contexts recalling drug and alcohol consumption in the everyday life of patients suffering from SUDs often initiate craving and provoke relapse. Current behavioral therapies for SUDs use the cue-exposure approach to suppress salience of social and environmental contexts that may induce craving. They facilitate learning and cognitive reinforcement of new behavior and entrain craving suppression in the presence of cues related to drug and alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, craving often overweighs behavioral training especially in real social and environmental contexts with peer pressure encouraging the use of substance, such as parties and bars. In this perspective, virtual reality (VR) is gaining interest in the development of cue-reactivity paradigms and practices new skills in treatment. VR enhances ecological validity of traditional craving-induction measurement. In this review, we discuss results from (1) studies using VR and alternative virtual agents in the induction of craving and (2) studies combining cue-exposure therapy with VR in the promotion of abstinence from drugs and alcohol use. They used virtual environments, displaying alcohol and drugs to SUD patients. Moreover, some environments included avatars. Hence, some studies have focused on the social interactions that are associated with drug-seeking behaviors and peer pressure. Findings indicate that VR can successfully increase craving. Studies combining cue-exposure therapy with virtual environment, however, reported mitigated success so far.

Environmental assessment of packaging: Sense and sensibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kooijman, Jan M.

1993-09-01

The functions of packaging are derived from product requirements, thus for insight into the environmental effects of packaging the actual combination of product and package has to be evaluated along the production and distribution system. This extension to all related environmental aspects adds realism to the environmental analysis and provides guidance for design while preventing a too detailed investigation of parts of the production system. This approach is contrary to current environmental studies where packaging is always treated as an independent object, neglecting the more important environmental effects of the product that are influenced by packaging. The general analysis and quantification stages for this approach are described, and the currently available methods for the assessment of environmental effects are reviewed. To limit the workload involved in an environmental assessment, a step-by-step analysis and the use of feedback is recommended. First the dominant environmental effects of a particular product and its production and distribution are estimated. Then, on the basis of these preliminary results, the appropriate system boundaries are chosen and the need for further or more detailed environmental analysis is determined. For typical food and drink applications, the effect of different system boundaries on the outcome of environmental assessments and the advantage of the step-by-step analysis of the food supply system is shown. It appears that, depending on the consumer group, different advice for reduction of environmental effects has to be given. Furthermore, because of interrelated environmental effects of the food supply system, the continuing quest for more detailed and accurate analysis of the package components is not necessary for improved management of the environmental effects of packaging.

Regional-scale drivers of marine nematode distribution in Southern Ocean continental shelf sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauquier, Freija; Verleyen, Elie; Tytgat, Bjorn; Vanreusel, Ann

2018-07-01

Many marine meiofauna taxa seem to possess cosmopolitan species distributions, despite their endobenthic lifestyle and restricted long-distance dispersal capacities. In light of this paradox we used a metacommunity framework to study spatial turnover in free-living nematode distribution and assess the importance of local environmental conditions in explaining differences between communities in surface and subsurface sediments of the Southern Ocean continental shelf. We analysed nematode community structure in two sediment layers (0-3 cm and 3-5 cm) of locations maximum 2400 km apart. We first focused on a subset of locations to evaluate whether the genus level is sufficiently taxonomically fine-grained to study large-scale patterns in nematode community structure. We subsequently used redundancy and variation partitioning analyses to quantify the unique and combined effects of local environmental conditions and spatial descriptors on genus-level community composition. Macroecological patterns in community structure were highly congruent at the genus and species level. Nematode community composition was highly divergent between both depth strata, likely as a result of local abiotic conditions. Variation in community structure between the different regions largely stemmed from turnover (i.e. genus/species replacement) rather than nestedness (i.e. genus/species loss). The level of turnover among communities increased with geographic distance and was more pronounced in subsurface layers compared to surface sediments. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that both environmental and spatial predictors significantly explained variation in community structure. Moreover, the shared fraction of both sets of variables was high, which suggested a substantial amount of spatially structured environmental variation. Additionally, the effect of space independent of environment was much higher than the effect of environment independent of space, which shows the importance of including spatial descriptors in meiofauna and nematode community ecology. Large-scale assessment of free-living nematode diversity and abundance in the Southern Ocean shelf zone revealed strong horizontal and vertical spatial structuring in response to local environmental conditions, in combination with (most likely) dispersal limitation.

Environmental Control on Microbial Turnover of Leaf Carbon in Streams – Ecological Function of Phototrophic-Heterotrophic Interactions

PubMed Central

Fabian, Jenny; Zlatanović, Sanja; Mutz, Michael; Grossart, Hans-Peter; van Geldern, Robert; Ulrich, Andreas; Gleixner, Gerd; Premke, Katrin

2018-01-01

In aquatic ecosystems, light availability can significantly influence microbial turnover of terrestrial organic matter through associated metabolic interactions between phototrophic and heterotrophic communities. However, particularly in streams, microbial functions vary significantly with the structure of the streambed, that is the distribution and spatial arrangement of sediment grains in the streambed. It is therefore essential to elucidate how environmental factors synergistically define the microbial turnover of terrestrial organic matter in order to better understand the ecological role of photo-heterotrophic interactions in stream ecosystem processes. In outdoor experimental streams, we examined how the structure of streambeds modifies the influence of light availability on microbial turnover of leaf carbon (C). Furthermore, we investigated whether the studied relationships of microbial leaf C turnover to environmental conditions are affected by flow intermittency commonly occurring in streams. We applied leaves enriched with a 13C-stable isotope tracer and combined quantitative and isotope analyses. We thereby elucidated whether treatment induced changes in C turnover were associated with altered use of leaf C within the microbial food web. Moreover, isotope analyses were combined with measurements of microbial community composition to determine whether changes in community function were associated with a change in community composition. In this study, we present evidence, that environmental factors interactively determine how phototrophs and heterotrophs contribute to leaf C turnover. Light availability promoted the utilization of leaf C within the microbial food web, which was likely associated with a promoted availability of highly bioavailable metabolites of phototrophic origin. However, our results additionally confirm that the structure of the streambed modifies light-related changes in microbial C turnover. From our observations, we conclude that the streambed structure influences the strength of photo-heterotrophic interactions by defining the spatial availability of algal metabolites in the streambed and the composition of microbial communities. Collectively, our multifactorial approach provides valuable insights into environmental controls on the functioning of stream ecosystems.

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION AND EQUITY IN SOUTHWESTERN DETROIT

EPA Science Inventory

This project supplements current regulations with creative mitigation strategies, and requires interdisciplinary thinking in order to achieve a balance between local economic, social, and environmental needs by combining scientific knowledge, community engagement and education...

An expert-based approach to forest road network planning by combining Delphi and spatial multi-criteria evaluation.

PubMed

Hayati, Elyas; Majnounian, Baris; Abdi, Ehsan; Sessions, John; Makhdoum, Majid

2013-02-01

Changes in forest landscapes resulting from road construction have increased remarkably in the last few years. On the other hand, the sustainable management of forest resources can only be achieved through a well-organized road network. In order to minimize the environmental impacts of forest roads, forest road managers must design the road network efficiently and environmentally as well. Efficient planning methodologies can assist forest road managers in considering the technical, economic, and environmental factors that affect forest road planning. This paper describes a three-stage methodology using the Delphi method for selecting the important criteria, the Analytic Hierarchy Process for obtaining the relative importance of the criteria, and finally, a spatial multi-criteria evaluation in a geographic information system (GIS) environment for identifying the lowest-impact road network alternative. Results of the Delphi method revealed that ground slope, lithology, distance from stream network, distance from faults, landslide susceptibility, erosion susceptibility, geology, and soil texture are the most important criteria for forest road planning in the study area. The suitability map for road planning was then obtained by combining the fuzzy map layers of these criteria with respect to their weights. Nine road network alternatives were designed using PEGGER, an ArcView GIS extension, and finally, their values were extracted from the suitability map. Results showed that the methodology was useful for identifying road that met environmental and cost considerations. Based on this work, we suggest future work in forest road planning using multi-criteria evaluation and decision making be considered in other regions and that the road planning criteria identified in this study may be useful.

Fuzzy decision analysis for integrated environmental vulnerability assessment of the mid-Atlantic Region.

PubMed

Tran, Liem T; Knight, C Gregory; O'Neill, Robert V; Smith, Elizabeth R; Riitters, Kurt H; Wickham, James

2002-06-01

A fuzzy decision analysis method for integrating ecological indicators was developed. This was a combination of a fuzzy ranking method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The method was capable of ranking ecosystems in terms of environmental conditions and suggesting cumulative impacts across a large region. Using data on land cover, population, roads, streams, air pollution, and topography of the Mid-Atlantic region, we were able to point out areas that were in relatively poor condition and/or vulnerable to future deterioration. The method offered an easy and comprehensive way to combine the strengths of fuzzy set theory and the AHP for ecological assessment. Furthermore, the suggested method can serve as a building block for the evaluation of environmental policies.

The effect of combined therapies on recovery after acquired brain injury: Systematic review of preclinical studies combining enriched environment, exercise, or task-specific training with other therapies.

PubMed

Malá, Hana; Rasmussen, Camilla Pihl

2017-01-01

Acquired brain injuries (ABI) have devastating effects for the affected individual as well as society. Many studies have investigated the effect of different monotherapies. However, functional recovery is typically only partial. One possible strategy to promote a greater degree of recovery is to apply monotherapies in combination with one or more treatments. The objective of this systematic review is to investigate if approaches combining enriched environment (EE), exercise, or task-specific training with other monotherapies, further enhance the degree of recovery after ABI. Scopus, PsychINFO, and PubMed databases were searched in March 2016 with the following search strings: exercise (or) enriched environment (or) environmental enrichment (or) rehabilitation (and) traumatic brain injury (or) ischemia (or) stroke (and) rat (or) rodent. Studies were included if they (1) were in English, (2) used adult animals subjected to brain injury, (3) included EE, and/or exercise, and/or task-specific training as post-injury treatment strategies, (4) included at least one group receiving another monotherapy. Out of 2.168 hits, 29 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Despite several trends for enhanced recovery after combined therapies, this systematic review of 29 studies does not indicate that combined therapies confer consistent combined effects on motor, cognitive, or cerebral recovery according to present criteria for combined effect. Combined treatments continue to provide hope for enhanced recovery after ABI, however, the research area is in its infancy. This systematic review does not provide conclusive evidence. This is likely due to sparse knowledge regarding optimal treatment parameters. Combined treatments, however, hold the best promise regarding treatment of the complex changes induced by ABI.

Using exposomics to assess cumulative risks and promote health.

PubMed

Smith, Martyn T; de la Rosa, Rosemarie; Daniels, Sarah I

2015-12-01

Under the exposome paradigm all nongenetic factors contributing to disease are considered to be 'environmental' including chemicals, drugs, infectious agents, and psychosocial stress. We can consider these collectively as environmental stressors. Exposomics is the comprehensive analysis of exposure to all environmental stressors and should yield a more thorough understanding of chronic disease development. We can operationalize exposomics by studying all the small molecules in the body and their influence on biological pathways that lead to impaired health. Here, we describe methods by which this may be achieved and discuss the application of exposomics to cumulative risk assessment in vulnerable populations. Since the goal of cumulative risk assessment is to analyze, characterize, and quantify the combined risks to health from exposures to multiple agents or stressors, it seems that exposomics is perfectly poised to advance this important area of environmental health science. We should therefore support development of tools for exposomic analysis and begin to engage impacted communities in participatory exposome research. A first step may be to apply exposomics to vulnerable populations already studied by more conventional cumulative risk approaches. We further propose that recent migrants, low socioeconomic groups with high environmental chemical exposures, and pregnant women should be high priority populations for study by exposomics. Moreover, exposomics allows us to study interactions between chronic stress and environmental chemicals that disrupt stress response pathways (i.e., 'stressogens'). Exploring the impact of early life exposures and maternal stress may be an interesting and accessible topic for investigation by exposomics using biobanked samples. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human-caused environmental change: Impacts on plant diversity and evolution

PubMed Central

Tilman, David; Lehman, Clarence

2001-01-01

Human-caused environmental changes are creating regional combinations of environmental conditions that, within the next 50 to 100 years, may fall outside the envelope within which many of the terrestrial plants of a region evolved. These environmental modifications might become a greater cause of global species extinction than direct habitat destruction. The environmental constraints undergoing human modification include levels of soil nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and pH, atmospheric CO2, herbivore, pathogen, and predator densities, disturbance regimes, and climate. Extinction would occur because the physiologies, morphologies, and life histories of plants limit each species to being a superior competitor for a particular combination of environmental constraints. Changes in these constraints would favor a few species that would competitively displace many other species from a region. In the long-term, the “weedy” taxa that became the dominants of the novel conditions imposed by global change should become the progenitors of a series of new species that are progressively less weedy and better adapted to the new conditions. The relative importance of evolutionary versus community ecology responses to global environmental change would depend on the extent of regional and local recruitment limitation, and on whether the suite of human-imposed constraints were novel just regionally or on continental or global scales. PMID:11344290

Environmental filtering structures tree functional traits combination and lineages across space in tropical tree assemblages.

PubMed

Asefa, Mengesha; Cao, Min; Zhang, Guocheng; Ci, Xiuqin; Li, Jie; Yang, Jie

2017-03-09

Environmental filtering consistently shapes the functional and phylogenetic structure of species across space within diverse forests. However, poor descriptions of community functional and lineage distributions across space hamper the accurate understanding of coexistence mechanisms. We combined environmental variables and geographic space to explore how traits and lineages are filtered by environmental factors using extended RLQ and fourth-corner analyses across different spatial scales. The dispersion patterns of traits and lineages were also examined in a 20-ha tropical rainforest dynamics plot in southwest China. We found that environmental filtering was detected across all spatial scales except the largest scale (100 × 100 m). Generally, the associations between functional traits and environmental variables were more or less consistent across spatial scales. Species with high resource acquisition-related traits were associated with the resource-rich part of the plot across the different spatial scales, whereas resource-conserving functional traits were distributed in limited-resource environments. Furthermore, we found phylogenetic and functional clustering at all spatial scales. Similar functional strategies were also detected among distantly related species, suggesting that phylogenetic distance is not necessarily a proxy for functional distance. In summary, environmental filtering considerably structured the trait and lineage assemblages in this species-rich tropical rainforest.

Elodea nuttallii exposure to mercury exposure under enhanced ultraviolet radiation: Effects on bioaccumulation, transcriptome, pigment content and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Regier, Nicole; Beauvais-Flück, Rebecca; Slaveykova, Vera I; Cosio, Claudia

2016-11-01

The hypothesis that increased UV radiation result in co-tolerance to Hg toxicity in aquatic plants was studied at the physiological and transcriptomic level in Elodea nuttallii. At the transcriptomic level, combined exposure to UV+Hg enhanced the stress response in comparison with single treatments, affecting the expression level of transcripts involved in energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, nutrition, and redox homeostasis. Single and combined UV and Hg treatments dysregulated different genes but with similar functions, suggesting a fine regulation of the plant to stresses triggered by Hg, UV and their combination but lack of co-tolerance. At the physiological level, UV+Hg treatment reduced chlorophyll content and depleted antioxidative compounds such as anthocyanin and GSH/GSSG in E. nuttallii. Nonetheless, combined exposure to UV+Hg resulted in about 30% reduction of Hg accumulation into shoots vs exposure to Hg alone, which was congruent with the level of expression of several transporter genes, as well as the UV effect on Hg bioavailability in water. The findings of the present work underlined the importance of performing experimentation under environmentally realistic conditions and to consider the interplay between contaminants and environmental variables such as light that might have confounding effects to better understand and anticipate the effects of multiple stressors in aquatic environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined licesne.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... storage of spent fuel for the nuclear power plant within the scope of the generic determination in § 51.23..., and 51.73. The contribution of the environmental effects of the uranium fuel cycle activities....71, 51.72, 51.73, and this section. The contribution of the environmental effects of the uranium fuel...

Detection of gene-environment interaction in pedigree data using genome-wide genotypes.

PubMed

Nivard, Michel G; Middeldorp, Christel M; Lubke, Gitta; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Abdellaoui, Abdel; Boomsma, Dorret I; Dolan, Conor V

2016-12-01

Heritability may be estimated using phenotypic data collected in relatives or in distantly related individuals using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. We combined these approaches by re-parameterizing the model proposed by Zaitlen et al and extended this model to include moderation of (total and SNP-based) genetic and environmental variance components by a measured moderator. By means of data simulation, we demonstrated that the type 1 error rates of the proposed test are correct and parameter estimates are accurate. As an application, we considered the moderation by age or year of birth of variance components associated with body mass index (BMI), height, attention problems (AP), and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The genetic variance of BMI was found to increase with age, but the environmental variance displayed a greater increase with age, resulting in a proportional decrease of the heritability of BMI. Environmental variance of height increased with year of birth. The environmental variance of AP increased with age. These results illustrate the assessment of moderation of environmental and genetic effects, when estimating heritability from combined SNP and family data. The assessment of moderation of genetic and environmental variance will enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture of complex traits.

Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-Ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Preliminary strategic environmental assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: safeguarding ecological security for a new western China.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Quantitative cancer risk assessment based on NIOSH and UCC epidemiological data for workers exposed to ethylene oxide.

PubMed

Valdez-Flores, Ciriaco; Sielken, Robert L; Teta, M Jane

2010-04-01

The most recent epidemiological data on individual workers in the NIOSH and updated UCC occupational studies have been used to characterize the potential excess cancer risks of environmental exposure to ethylene oxide (EO). In addition to refined analyses of the separate cohorts, power has been increased by analyzing the combined cohorts. In previous SMR analyses of the separate studies and the present analyses of the updated and pooled studies of over 19,000 workers, none of the SMRs for any combination of the 12 cancer endpoints and six sub-cohorts analyzed were statistically significantly greater than one including the ones of greatest previous interest: leukemia, lymphohematopoietic tissue, lymphoid tumors, NHL, and breast cancer. In our study, no evidence of a positive cumulative exposure-response relationship was found. Fitted Cox proportional hazards models with cumulative EO exposure do not have statistically significant positive slopes. The lack of increasing trends was corroborated by categorical analyses. Cox model estimates of the concentrations corresponding to a 1-in-a-million extra environmental cancer risk are all greater than approximately 1ppb and are more than 1500-fold greater than the 0.4ppt estimate in the 2006 EPA draft IRIS risk assessment. The reasons for this difference are identified and discussed. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is Self-Regulation "All in the family"? Testing Environmental Effects using Within-Family Quasi-Experiments.

PubMed

Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-05-01

Most of the individual difference variance in the population is found within families, yet studying the processes causing this variation is difficult due to confounds between genetic and nongenetic influences. Quasi-experiments can be used to test hypotheses regarding environment exposure (e.g., timing, duration) while controlling for genetic confounds. To illustrate, two studies of cognitive self-regulation in childhood (i.e., working memory [WM], effortful control [EC], attention span/persistence [A/P]) are presented. Study 1 utilized an identical twin differences design ( N = 85 to 98 pairs) to control for genetic differences while using relative twin birth weight difference to predict relative twin difference in WM and EC. Larger relative twin difference in WM and EF was predicted by the combination of shorter gestation and larger relative birth weight difference. Study 2 utilized an adoptive sibling relative difference design ( N = 123 same-sex pairs) to control for genetic similarity while using relative sibling difference in the age at time of adoption to predict relative sibling difference in A/P. Larger relative sibling difference in A/P was predicted by the combination of larger relative difference in time in the adoptive home and age at adoption. Within-family quasi-experimental designs allow stronger inferences about hypothesized environmental influences than between-family designs permit.

Coping with Challenge and Hindrance Stressors in Teams: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Affective Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearsall, Matthew J.; Ellis, Aleksander P. J.; Stein, Jordan H.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to utilize the challenge-hindrance framework to examine the discrete and combined effects of different environmental stressors on behavioral, cognitive, and affective outcomes at the team level. Results from 83 teams working on a command and control simulation indicated that the introduction of a challenge stressor…

Youth Sports Participation and Attitudes toward Societal Competition, Concern for Material Items, and the Consequences of Manipulative Advertising

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denham, Bryan E.

2009-01-01

Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study examines how a combination of personal, behavioral and environmental factors among youth populations correspond with attitudes toward competition, concern for material items, and the effects of advertising practices in the United States. Of particular interest was whether school-sponsored sports…

Interactive effects of fertilization and throughfall exclusion on the physiological responses and whole-tree carbon uptake of mature loblolly pine

Treesearch

Zhenmin Tang; Mary A. Sword Sayer; Jim L. Chambers; James P. Barnett

2004-01-01

Few studies have examined the combined effects of nutrition and water exclusion on the canopy physiology of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Understanding the impacts of forest management on plantation productivity requires extensive research on the relationship between silvicultural treatments and environmental constraints to growth. We...

Why Forest Gardening for Children? Swedish Forest Garden Educators' Ideas, Purposes, and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almers, Ellen; Askerlund, Per; Kjellström, Sofia

2018-01-01

Utilizing forest gardens as urban settings for outdoor environmental education in Sweden is a new practice. These forest gardens combine qualities of a forest, e.g., multi-layered polyculture vegetation, with those of a school garden, such as accessibility and food production. The study explores both the perceived qualities of forest gardens in…

Does Negative Mood Influence Self-Report Assessment of Individual and Relational Measures? An Experimental Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heene, Els; De Raedt, Rudi; Buysse, Ann; Van Oost, Paulette

2007-01-01

The present study was designed to test the influence of negative mood on the self-report of individual and relational correlates of depression and marital distress. The authors applied a combined experimental mood induction procedure, based on music, autobiographical recall, and environmental manipulation. Results showed that the mood manipulation…

Microbiome and mental health in the modern environment.

PubMed

Deans, Emily

2016-06-27

A revolution in the understanding of the pathophysiology of mental illness combined with new knowledge about host/microbiome interactions and psychoneuroimmunology has opened an entirely new field of study, the "psychobiotics". The modern microbiome is quite changed compared to our ancestral one due to diet, antibiotic exposure, and other environmental factors, and these differences may well impact our brain health. The sheer complexity and scope of how diet, probiotics, prebiotics, and intertwined environmental variables could influence mental health are profound obstacles to an organized and useful study of the microbiome and psychiatric disease. However, the potential for positive anti-inflammatory effects and symptom amelioration with perhaps few side effects makes the goal of clarifying the role of the microbiota in mental health a vital one.

Energy taxation as a policy instrument to reduce CO{sub 2} emissions: A net benefit analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, R.; Krutilla, K.; Viscusi, W.K.

1995-07-01

This study evaluates the costs and benefits of energy taxation as a policy instrument to conserve energy and reduce CO{sub 2} emissions. The study combines economic cost estimates generated with a CGE model and monetary estimates of environmental damages in a comprehensive cost/benefit framework. We find that optimal CO{sub 2} emissions reductions range from 5 to 38%, depending on different assumptions about energy substitution elasticities and environmental damages. CO{sub 2} emissions reductions of between 8 and 64% can be attained at no additional welfare cost relative to a policy of not undertaking any action to control CO{sub 2} emissions. 33more » refs., 7 figs., 8 tabs.« less

Lessons learned from international comparative crosscultural studies on dementia.

PubMed

Hendrie, Hugh C

2006-06-01

International and crosscultural comparative studies of Alzheimer disease (AD) offer significant advantages in elucidating risk factors for the disease by providing a wider diversity of environmental exposures as well as greater genetic diversity than do studies confined to a single ethnic group in a developed country. They also present with major methodological problems. The problems and their possible solutions are discussed in this article by describing three projects involving the Cree and English-speaking residents of Manitoba, blacks from Indianapolis, Indiana, and Yoruba from Ibadan and residents of Chinese villages. In this review, the development and harmonization of a culture fair screening instrument for dementia, the CSID, is described. The advantage of a scientific paradigm that can incorporate genetic and environmental factors as well as their interactions to explore the etiology of AD is presented. The importance of developing strategies for recruitment and retention in international community-based studies is emphasized as is the necessity of establishing academic partnerships between the countries. The unique opportunity provided by geopolitical and sociocultural influences to study environmental exposures is exemplified by the ongoing study of the influence of selenium levels on cognition in Chinese villagers. Results from the Indianapolis, Indiana-Ibadan dementia project are presented suggesting that the incidence of AD is lower in Yoruba than in blacks and that this lower rate may be the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Assessment and application of national environmental databases and mapping tools at the local level to two community case studies.

PubMed

Hammond, Davyda; Conlon, Kathryn; Barzyk, Timothy; Chahine, Teresa; Zartarian, Valerie; Schultz, Brad

2011-03-01

Communities are concerned over pollution levels and seek methods to systematically identify and prioritize the environmental stressors in their communities. Geographic information system (GIS) maps of environmental information can be useful tools for communities in their assessment of environmental-pollution-related risks. Databases and mapping tools that supply community-level estimates of ambient concentrations of hazardous pollutants, risk, and potential health impacts can provide relevant information for communities to understand, identify, and prioritize potential exposures and risk from multiple sources. An assessment of existing databases and mapping tools was conducted as part of this study to explore the utility of publicly available databases, and three of these databases were selected for use in a community-level GIS mapping application. Queried data from the U.S. EPA's National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment, Air Quality System, and National Emissions Inventory were mapped at the appropriate spatial and temporal resolutions for identifying risks of exposure to air pollutants in two communities. The maps combine monitored and model-simulated pollutant and health risk estimates, along with local survey results, to assist communities with the identification of potential exposure sources and pollution hot spots. Findings from this case study analysis will provide information to advance the development of new tools to assist communities with environmental risk assessments and hazard prioritization. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

Data supporting the comparative life cycle assessment of different municipal solid waste management scenarios

PubMed Central

Ali Rajaeifar, Mohammad; Tabatabaei, Meisam; Ghanavati, Hossein

2015-01-01

Environmental assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) management scenarios would help to select eco-friendly scenarios. In this study, the inventory data in support of life cycle assessment of different MSW are presented. The scenarios were defined as: anaerobic digestion (AD, Sc-0), landfilling combined with composting (Sc-1), incineration (Sc-2), incineration combined with composting (Sc-3), and AD combined with incineration (Sc-4). The current article contains flowcharts of the different scenarios. Additionally, six supplementary files including inventory data on the different scenarios, data on the different damage assessment categories, normalization, and single scores are presented (Supplementary files 1–6). The analysis of the different scenarios revealed that the most eco-friendly scenario to be implemented in the future would be the combination of AD and incineration (Sc-4). PMID:26217743

Airborne Dust Monitoring Activities at the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, G.; McNamara, D.; Taylor, J.

2002-12-01

Wind blown dust can be a hazard to transportation, industrial, and military operations, and much work has been devoted to its analysis and prediction from a meteorological viewpoint. The detection and forecasting of dust outbreaks in near real time is difficult, particularly in remote desert areas with sparse observation networks. The Regional Haze Regulation, passed by Congress in 1999, mandates a reduction in man made inputs to haze in 156 Class I areas (national parks and wilderness areas). Studies have demonstrated that satellite data can be useful in detection and tracking of dust storms. Environmental satellites offer frequent coverage of large geographic areas. The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates a system of polar orbiting and geostationary environmental satellites, which sense data in two visible and three infrared channels. Promising results in the detection of airborne dust have been obtained using multispectral techniques to combine information from two or more channels to detect subtle spectral differences. One technique, using a ratio of two thermal channels, detects the presence of airborne dust, and discriminates it from both underlying ground and meteorological clouds. In addition, NESDIS accesses and is investigating for operational use data from several other satellites. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer on board NASA's Earth Probe mission provides an aerosol index product which can detect dust and smoke, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites provide several channels which can detect aerosols in multispectral channel combinations. NESDIS, in cooperation with NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory, produces a daily smoke transport forecast, combining satellite derived smoke source points with a mathematical transport prediction model; such a scheme could be applied to other aerosol particles such as dust. Techniques effective for the monitoring of airborne dust are used operationally by NESDIS and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction at the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which monitors the presence of airborne volcanic ash, optically similar to airborne dust.

Quantifying Exposure and Risk Disproportionality in Environmental Justice Populations

EPA Science Inventory

Disproportionate risk suggests a predisposition within an individual or population to be either differentially exposed or affected by a given stressor or combination of stressors, which are especially prevalent in Environmental Justice (EJ) communities. Research gaps remain in ac...

Application of Green Infrastructure for Combined Sewer Overflow, Kansas City, MO

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages communities to adopt environmentally friendly design practices and other “green” management techniques when addressing stormwater control and management. Advanced design concepts such as Low Impact Development (LID) and Gr...

SPATIAL PREDICTION USING COMBINED SOURCES OF DATA

EPA Science Inventory

For improved environmental decision-making, it is important to develop new models for spatial prediction that accurately characterize important spatial and temporal patterns of air pollution. As the U .S. Environmental Protection Agency begins to use spatial prediction in the reg...

Environmental Biochemistry--A New Approach for Teaching the Cycles of the Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricci, Juan C. Diaz; And Others

1988-01-01

Presents three dimensional models of biological pathways for the following cycles: carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and a combination of the three. Discusses steps involved in each cycle and breaks each cycle into trophic and environmental regions. (MVL)

Flow cytometry combined with viSNE for the analysis of microbial biofilms and detection of microplastics

PubMed Central

Sgier, Linn; Freimann, Remo; Zupanic, Anze; Kroll, Alexandra

2016-01-01

Biofilms serve essential ecosystem functions and are used in different technical applications. Studies from stream ecology and waste-water treatment have shown that biofilm functionality depends to a great extent on community structure. Here we present a fast and easy-to-use method for individual cell-based analysis of stream biofilms, based on stain-free flow cytometry and visualization of the high-dimensional data by viSNE. The method allows the combined assessment of community structure, decay of phototrophic organisms and presence of abiotic particles. In laboratory experiments, it allows quantification of cellular decay and detection of survival of larger cells after temperature stress, while in the field it enables detection of community structure changes that correlate with known environmental drivers (flow conditions, dissolved organic carbon, calcium) and detection of microplastic contamination. The method can potentially be applied to other biofilm types, for example, for inferring community structure for environmental and industrial research and monitoring. PMID:27188265

Combined scanning transmission X-ray and electron microscopy for the characterization of bacterial endospores.

PubMed

Jamroskovic, Jan; Shao, Paul P; Suvorova, Elena; Barak, Imrich; Bernier-Latmani, Rizlan

2014-09-01

Endospores (also referred to as bacterial spores) are bacterial structures formed by several bacterial species of the phylum Firmicutes. Spores form as a response to environmental stress. These structures exhibit remarkable resistance to harsh environmental conditions such as exposure to heat, desiccation, and chemical oxidants. The spores include several layers of protein and peptidoglycan that surround a core harboring DNA as well as high concentrations of calcium and dipicolinic acid (DPA). A combination of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy was used for the direct quantitative characterization of bacterial spores. The concentration and localization of DPA, Ca(2+) , and other elements were determined and compared for the core and cortex of spores from two distinct genera: Bacillus subtilis and Desulfotomaculum reducens. This micro-spectroscopic approach is uniquely suited for the direct study of individual bacterial spores, while classical molecular and biochemical methods access only bulk characteristics. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Environmental factors of longevity].

PubMed

Christen, Yves

2003-03-01

A PROBABLE ROLE: The great increase in life expectancy over the past decades and too short a time lapse for any major genetic mutations to intervene, are arguments in favour of the intervention of environmental factors in longevity. A FAIRLY LONG LIST: Various environmental factors can be envisaged: prenatal environment, pollution, radiation and oncogenic agents, notably tobacco, food (quantitatively and qualitatively), medicinal products, stress, education and socio-professional life style, isolation, number of children and sexual activity, sports and exercising, etc. It is highly likely that all these factors, or at least some of them, have a real effect on longevity, although this is difficult to demonstrate directly. A COMBINED EFFECT: The basic idea of this paper is that these environmental factors should be seen as agents, the effects of which would be combined with those of genetic factors, considered as agents of radically different nature. We suggest that, in order to have any real effect, these environmental factors have to work on the same cell mechanisms as those that affect the genetic process, notably the mechanisms related to oxidative stress and genetic expression.

A Spatio-Temporal Algorithmic Procedure for Environmental Policymaking in the Municipality of Arkalochori in the Greek Island of Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batzias, F. A.; Sidiras, D. K.; Giannopoulos, Ch.; Spetsidis, I.

2009-08-01

This work deals with a methodological framework designed/developed under the form of a spatio-temporal algorithmic procedure for environmental policymaking at local level. The procedure includes 25 activity stages and 9 decision nodes, putting emphasis on (i) mapping on GIS layers water supply/demand and modeling of aquatic pollution coming from point and non-point sources, (ii) environmental monitoring by periodically measuring the main pollutants in situ and in the laboratory, (iii) design of environmental projects, decomposition of them into sub-projects and combination of the latter to form attainable alternatives, (iv) multicriteria ranking of alternatives, according to a modified Delphi method, by using as criteria the expected environmental benefit, the attitude of inhabitants, the priority within the programme of regional development, the capital required for the investment and the operating cost, and (v) knowledge Base (KB) operation/enrichment, functioning in combination with a data mining mechanism to extract knowledge/information/data from external Bases. An implementation is presented referring to the Municipality of Arkalochori in the Greek island of Crete.

Integrated presentation of ecological risk from multiple stressors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goussen, Benoit; Price, Oliver R.; Rendal, Cecilie; Ashauer, Roman

2016-10-01

Current environmental risk assessments (ERA) do not account explicitly for ecological factors (e.g. species composition, temperature or food availability) and multiple stressors. Assessing mixtures of chemical and ecological stressors is needed as well as accounting for variability in environmental conditions and uncertainty of data and models. Here we propose a novel probabilistic ERA framework to overcome these limitations, which focusses on visualising assessment outcomes by construct-ing and interpreting prevalence plots as a quantitative prediction of risk. Key components include environmental scenarios that integrate exposure and ecology, and ecological modelling of relevant endpoints to assess the effect of a combination of stressors. Our illustrative results demonstrate the importance of regional differences in environmental conditions and the confounding interactions of stressors. Using this framework and prevalence plots provides a risk-based approach that combines risk assessment and risk management in a meaningful way and presents a truly mechanistic alternative to the threshold approach. Even whilst research continues to improve the underlying models and data, regulators and decision makers can already use the framework and prevalence plots. The integration of multiple stressors, environmental conditions and variability makes ERA more relevant and realistic.

Integrated presentation of ecological risk from multiple stressors.

PubMed

Goussen, Benoit; Price, Oliver R; Rendal, Cecilie; Ashauer, Roman

2016-10-26

Current environmental risk assessments (ERA) do not account explicitly for ecological factors (e.g. species composition, temperature or food availability) and multiple stressors. Assessing mixtures of chemical and ecological stressors is needed as well as accounting for variability in environmental conditions and uncertainty of data and models. Here we propose a novel probabilistic ERA framework to overcome these limitations, which focusses on visualising assessment outcomes by construct-ing and interpreting prevalence plots as a quantitative prediction of risk. Key components include environmental scenarios that integrate exposure and ecology, and ecological modelling of relevant endpoints to assess the effect of a combination of stressors. Our illustrative results demonstrate the importance of regional differences in environmental conditions and the confounding interactions of stressors. Using this framework and prevalence plots provides a risk-based approach that combines risk assessment and risk management in a meaningful way and presents a truly mechanistic alternative to the threshold approach. Even whilst research continues to improve the underlying models and data, regulators and decision makers can already use the framework and prevalence plots. The integration of multiple stressors, environmental conditions and variability makes ERA more relevant and realistic.

[Development of technologies of population health management in Kazakhstan based on an integrated assessment of the combined exposure to environmental factors].

PubMed

Sraubaev, E N; Serik, B

2013-01-01

At present there is overdue necessity of an integral approach to the assessment of health status and the impact of environmental factors on it, in the development of science-based management decisions and programs on improvement of the health status of the population of Kazakhstan and in the increase in life expectancy from the birth and healthy life expectancy. The purpose of the proposed program--improving health and increasing life expectancy from the birth and healthy life expectancy of the population of Kazakhstan. Based on a meta-analysis to justify the target age group in which an implementation of complex of preventive measures will increase both the life expectancy from the birth and healthy life expectancy, to perform a comprehensive health screening for the basic classes of diseases and behavioral characteristics of the target group in the course of a multicentre studies to give a comprehensive hygienic characteristics of the ecological status of the studied regions and to develop the Health Passport of the region, to develop a model of the combined effects of environmental factors on health; to create a theoretical model for the calculation of life expectancy from the birth and healthy life expectancy, taking into account the limits of modifiability of factors that affect them, and justify a comprehensive program of management decisions on modification of factors, to carry out pilot studies on the development and validation technological (managemental) solutions to control modifiable factors that affect life expectancy from the birth and healthy life expectancy.

Continuity of Genetic and Environmental Influences on Cognition across the Life Span: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Studies

PubMed Central

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.; Briley, Daniel A.

2014-01-01

The longitudinal rank-order stability of cognitive ability increases dramatically over the lifespan. Multiple theoretical perspectives have proposed that genetic and/or environmental mechanisms underlie the longitudinal stability of cognition, and developmental trends therein. However, the patterns of stability of genetic and environmental influences on cognition over the lifespan largely remain poorly understood. We searched for longitudinal studies of cognition that reported raw genetically-informative longitudinal correlations or parameter estimates from longitudinal behavior genetic models. We identified 150 combinations of time points and measures from 15 independent longitudinal samples. In total, longitudinal data came from 4,538 monozygotic twin pairs raised together, 7,777 dizygotic twin pairs raised together, 34 monozygotic twin pairs raised apart, 78 dizygotic twin pairs raised apart, 141 adoptive sibling pairs, and 143 non-adoptive sibling pairs, ranging in age from infancy through late adulthood. At all ages, cross-time genetic correlations and shared environmental correlations were substantially larger than cross-time nonshared environmental correlations. Cross-time correlations for genetic and shared environmental components were low during early childhood, increased sharply over child development, and remained relatively high from adolescence through late adulthood. Cross-time correlations for nonshared environmental components were low across childhood and increased gradually to moderate magnitudes in adulthood. Increasing phenotypic stability over child development was almost entirely mediated by genetic factors. Time-based decay of genetic and shared environmental stability was more pronounced earlier in child development. Results are interpreted in reference to theories of gene-environment interaction and correlation. PMID:24611582

Genetic and environmental continuity in personality development: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Briley, Daniel A; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M

2014-09-01

The longitudinal stability of personality is low in childhood but increases substantially into adulthood. Theoretical explanations for this trend differ in the emphasis placed on intrinsic maturation and socializing influences. To what extent does the increasing stability of personality result from the continuity and crystallization of genetically influenced individual differences, and to what extent does the increasing stability of life experiences explain increases in personality trait stability? Behavioral genetic studies, which decompose longitudinal stability into sources associated with genetic and environmental variation, can help to address this question. We aggregated effect sizes from 24 longitudinal behavioral genetic studies containing information on a total of 21,057 sibling pairs from 6 types that varied in terms of genetic relatedness and ranged in age from infancy to old age. A combination of linear and nonlinear meta-analytic regression models were used to evaluate age trends in levels of heritability and environmentality, stabilities of genetic and environmental effects, and the contributions of genetic and environmental effects to overall phenotypic stability. Both the genetic and environmental influences on personality increase in stability with age. The contribution of genetic effects to phenotypic stability is moderate in magnitude and relatively constant with age, in part because of small-to-moderate decreases in the heritability of personality over child development that offset increases in genetic stability. In contrast, the contribution of environmental effects to phenotypic stability increases from near zero in early childhood to moderate in adulthood. The life-span trend of increasing phenotypic stability, therefore, predominantly results from environmental mechanisms. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Genetic and Environmental Continuity in Personality Development: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Briley, Daniel A.; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.

2014-01-01

The longitudinal stability of personality is low in childhood, but increases substantially into adulthood. Theoretical explanations for this trend differ in the emphasis placed on intrinsic maturation and socializing influences. To what extent does the increasing stability of personality result from the continuity and crystallization of genetically influenced individual differences, and to what extent does the increasing stability of life experiences explain increases in personality trait stability? Behavioral genetic studies, which decompose longitudinal stability into sources associated with genetic and environmental variation, can help to address this question. We aggregated effect sizes from 24 longitudinal behavioral genetic studies containing information on a total of 21,057 sibling pairs from six types that varied in terms of genetic relatedness and ranged in age from infancy to old age. A combination of linear and nonlinear meta-analytic regression models were used to evaluate age-trends in levels of heritability and environmentality, stabilities of genetic and environmental effects, and the contributions of genetic and environmental effects to overall phenotypic stability. Both the genetic and environmental influences on personality increase in stability with age. The contribution of genetic effects to phenotypic stability is moderate in magnitude and relatively constant with age, in part because of small-to-moderate decreases in the heritability of personality over child development that offset increases in genetic stability. In contrast, the contribution of environmental effects to phenotypic stability increases from near-zero in early childhood to moderate in adulthood. The lifespan trend of increasing phenotypic stability, therefore, predominantly results from environmental mechanisms. PMID:24956122

Methods for environmental change; an exploratory study.

PubMed

Kok, Gerjo; Gottlieb, Nell H; Panne, Robert; Smerecnik, Chris

2012-11-28

While the interest of health promotion researchers in change methods directed at the target population has a long tradition, interest in change methods directed at the environment is still developing. In this survey, the focus is on methods for environmental change; especially about how these are composed of methods for individual change ('Bundling') and how within one environmental level, organizations, methods differ when directed at the management ('At') or applied by the management ('From'). The first part of this online survey dealt with examining the 'bundling' of individual level methods to methods at the environmental level. The question asked was to what extent the use of an environmental level method would involve the use of certain individual level methods. In the second part of the survey the question was whether there are differences between applying methods directed 'at' an organization (for instance, by a health promoter) versus 'from' within an organization itself. All of the 20 respondents are experts in the field of health promotion. Methods at the individual level are frequently bundled together as part of a method at a higher ecological level. A number of individual level methods are popular as part of most of the environmental level methods, while others are not chosen very often. Interventions directed at environmental agents often have a strong focus on the motivational part of behavior change.There are different approaches targeting a level or being targeted from a level. The health promoter will use combinations of motivation and facilitation. The manager will use individual level change methods focusing on self-efficacy and skills. Respondents think that any method may be used under the right circumstances, although few endorsed coercive methods. Taxonomies of theoretical change methods for environmental change should include combinations of individual level methods that may be bundled and separate suggestions for methods targeting a level or being targeted from a level. Future research needs to cover more methods to rate and to be rated. Qualitative data may explain some of the surprising outcomes, such as the lack of large differences and the avoidance of coercion. Taxonomies should include the theoretical parameters that limit the effectiveness of the method.

Environmental politics in the 1990s: The tension between liberalism and environmental quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cahn, M.A.

1991-01-01

There are two structural tensions between liberalism and environmental quality. First, liberalism's emphasis on individual self-interest creates a problematic concept of communal good. Society, as manifest in liberal contract theory, exists not to find some higher good, but to protect individual rights. Individual and corporate property rights have consistently overshadowed community claims on resource management. Second, capitalism has been characterized by a constant drive for expansion in search of increased productivity and profit. The impact of that expansionary ethic has been overuse of limited resources and the poisoning of the physical environment. This study combines normative theory with case studiesmore » of the substantive policy areas of air, water, and waste. Environmental policy's analyzed with attention to the parameters of American political culture and the inherent limitations the language of liberalism places on policy choices. The literature on symbolic policy is then applied exploring the role of symbolic politics in easing the tension between liberalism and environmental quality. Ultimately, substantive policy areas are explored in a effort to explain the evolution of specific policies.« less

The Effects of Vegetative Type, Edges, Fire History, Rainfall and Management in Fire-Maintained Ecosystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breininger, David R.; Foster, Tammy E.; Carter, Geoffrey M.; Duncan, Brean W.; Stolen, Eric D.; Lyon, James E.

2017-01-01

The combined effects of repeated fires, climate, and landscape features (e.g., edges) need greater focus in fire ecology studies, which usually emphasize characteristics of the most recent fire and not fire history. Florida scrub-jays are an imperiled, territorial species that prefer medium (1.2-1.7 m) shrub heights. We measured short, medium, and tall habitat quality states annually within 10 ha grid cells that represented potential territories because frequent fires and vegetative recovery cause annual variation in habitat quality. We used multistate models and model selection to test competing hypotheses about how transition probabilities between states varied annually as functions of environmental covariates. Covariates included vegetative type, edges, precipitation, openings (gaps between shrubs), mechanical cutting, and fire characteristics. Fire characteristics not only included an annual presenceabsence of fire covariate, but also fire history covariates: time since the previous fire, the maximum fire-free interval, and the number of repeated fires. Statistical models with support included many covariates for each transition probability, often including fire history, interactions and nonlinear relationships. Tall territories resulted from 28 years of fire suppression and habitat fragmentation that reduced the spread of fires across landscapes. Despite 35 years of habitat restoration and prescribed fires, half the territories remained tall suggesting a regime shift to a less desirable habitat condition. Measuring territory quality states and environmental covariates each year combined with multistate modeling provided a useful empirical approach to quantify the effects of repeated fire in combinations with environmental variables on transition probabilities that drive management strategies and ecosystem change.

Multiple environmental stressors elicit complex interactive effects in the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis).

PubMed

McFarland, Craig A; Talent, Larry G; Quinn, Michael J; Bazar, Matthew A; Wilbanks, Mitchell S; Nisanian, Mandana; Gogal, Robert M; Johnson, Mark S; Perkins, Edward J; Gust, Kurt A

2012-11-01

Evaluation of multiple-stressor effects stemming from habitat degradation, climate change, and exposure to chemical contaminants is crucial for addressing challenges to ecological and environmental health. To assess the effects of multiple stressors in an understudied taxon, the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) was used to characterize the individual and combined effects of food limitation, exposure to the munitions constituent 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and Plasmodium mexicanum (lizard malaria) infection. Three experimental assays were conducted including: Experiment I--TNT × Food Limitation, Experiment II--Food Limitation × Malaria Infection, and Experiment III--TNT × Malaria Infection. All experiments had a 30 day duration, the malaria treatment included infected and non infected control lizards, food limitation treatments included an ad libitum control and at least one reduced food ration and TNT exposures consisting of daily oral doses of corn oil control or a corn oil-TNT suspension at 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/kg/day. The individual stressors caused a variety of effects including: reduced feeding, reduced testes mass, anemia, increased white blood cell (WBC) concentrations and increased mass of liver, kidney and spleen in TNT exposures; reduced cholesterol, WBC concentrations and whole body, testes and inguinal fat weights given food limitation; and increased WBC concentrations and spleen weights as well as decreased cholesterol and testes mass in malaria infected lizards. Additive and interactive effects were found among certain stressor combinations including elimination of TNT-induced hormesis for growth under food limitation. Ultimately, our study indicates the potential for effects modulation when environmental stressors are combined.

Artificial inorganic biohybrids: The functional combination of microorganisms and cells with inorganic materials.

PubMed

Holzmeister, Ib; Schamel, Martha; Groll, Jürgen; Gbureck, Uwe; Vorndran, Elke

2018-04-24

Biohybrids can be defined as the functional combination of proteins, viable cells or microorganisms with non-biological materials. This article reviews recent findings on the encapsulation of microorganisms and eukaryotic cells in inorganic matrices such as silica gels or cements. The entrapment of biological entities into a support material is of great benefit for processing since the encapsulation matrix protects sensitive cells from shear forces, unfavourable pH changes, or cytotoxic solvents, avoids culture-washout, and simplifies the separation of formed products. After reflecting general aspects of such an immobilization as well as the chemistry of the inorganic matrices, we focused on manufacturing aspects and the application of such biohybrids in biotechnology, medicine as well as in environmental science and for civil engineering purpose. The encapsulation of living cells and microorganisms became an intensively studied and rapidly expanding research field with manifold applications in medicine, bio- and environmental technology, or civil engineering. Here, the use of silica or cements as encapsulation matrices have the advantage of a higher chemical and mechanical resistance towards harsh environmental conditions during processing compared to their polymeric counterparts. In this perspective, the article gives an overview about the inorganic material systems used for cell encapsulation, followed by reviewing the most important applications. The future may lay in a combination of the currently achieved biohybrid systems with additive manufacturing techniques. In a longer perspective, this would enable the direct printing of cell loaded bioreactor components. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systems engineering approach to environmental risk management: A case study of depleted uranium at test area C-64, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Master`s thesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carter, C.M.; Fortmann, K.M.; Hill, S.W.

1994-12-01

Environmental restoration is an area of concern in an environmentally conscious world. Much effort is required to clean up the environment and promote environmentally sound methods for managing current land use. In light of the public consciousness with the latter topic, the United States Air Force must also take an active role in addressing these environmental issues with respect to current and future USAF base land use. This thesis uses the systems engineering technique to assess human health risks and to evaluate risk management options with respect to depleted uranium contamination in the sampled region of Test Area (TA) C-64more » at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB). The research combines the disciplines of environmental data collection, DU soil concentration distribution modeling, ground water modeling, particle resuspension modeling, exposure assessment, health hazard assessment, and uncertainty analysis to characterize the test area. These disciplines are required to quantify current and future health risks, as well as to recommend cost effective ways to increase confidence in health risk assessment and remediation options.« less

Municipal solid waste incineration plant: A multi-step approach to the evaluation of an energy-recovery configuration.

PubMed

Panepinto, D; Zanetti, M C

2018-03-01

This study proposes a multi-step approach to evaluating the environmental and economic aspects of a thermal treatment plant with an energy-recovery configuration. In order to validate the proposed approach, the Turin incineration plant was analyzed, and the potential of the incinerator and several different possible connections to the district heating network were then considered. Both local and global environmental balances were defined. The global-scale results provided information on carbon dioxide emissions, while the local-scale results were used as reference values for the implementation of a Gaussian model that could evaluate the actual concentrations of pollutants released into the atmosphere. The economic aspects were then analyzed, and a correspondence between the environmental and economic advantages defined. The results showed a high energy efficiency for the combined production of heat and electricity, and the opportunity to minimize environmental impacts by including cogeneration in a district heating scheme. This scheme showed an environmental advantage, whereas the electricity-only configuration showed an economic advantage. A change in the thermal energy price (specifically, to 40 €/MWh), however, would make it possible to obtain both environmental and economic advantages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder in a sample of adolescent and young adult twins

PubMed Central

Linker, Julie; Gillespie, Nathan A; Maes, Hermine; Eaves, Lindon; Silberg, Judy L.

2012-01-01

Background The co-occurrence of suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disturbance is likely explained in part by correlated genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the specific nature of these associations. Method Structured interviews on 2814 twins from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) and young adult follow-up (YAFU) yielded data on symptoms of depression, conduct disorder and adolescent and young adult suicidal ideation. Results Univariate analyses revealed that the familial aggregation for each trait was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Suicidal ideation in adolescence was explained in part by genetic influences, but predominantly accounted for by environmental factors. A mixture of genetic and shared environmental influences explained ideation occurring in young adulthood. Multivariate analyses revealed that there are genetic and shared environmental effects common to suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder. The association between adolescent suicidal ideation and CD was attributable to the same genetic and environmental risk factors for depression. Conclusions These findings underscore that prevention and intervention strategies should reflect the different underlying mechanisms involving depression and conduct disorder to assist in identifying adolescents at suicidal risk. PMID:22646517

Suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder in a sample of adolescent and young adult twins.

PubMed

Linker, Julie; Gillespie, Nathan A; Maes, Hermine; Eaves, Lindon; Silberg, Judy L

2012-08-01

The co-occurrence of suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disturbance is likely explained in part by correlated genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the specific nature of these associations. Structured interviews on 2,814 twins from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) and Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU) yielded data on symptoms of depression, conduct disorder, and adolescent and young adult suicidal ideation. Univariate analyses revealed that the familial aggregation for each trait was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Suicidal ideation in adolescence was explained in part by genetic influences, but predominantly accounted for by environmental factors. A mixture of genetic and shared environmental influences explained ideation occurring in young adulthood. Multivariate analyses revealed that there are genetic and shared environmental effects common to suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder. The association between adolescent suicidal ideation and CD was attributable to the same genetic and environmental risk factors for depression. These findings underscore that prevention and intervention strategies should reflect the different underlying mechanisms involving depression and conduct disorder to assist in identifying adolescents at suicidal risk. © 2012 The American Association of Suicidology.

Combined Thermomechanical and Environmental Durability of Environmental Barrier Coating Systems on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Harder, Bryan; Bhatt, Ramakrishna

2016-01-01

Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will play a crucial role in next generation turbine engines for hot-section component applications. The development of prime-reliant environmental barrier coatings is essential to the EBC-CMC system durability, ensuring the successful implementations of the high temperature and lightweight engine component technologies for engine applications.This paper will emphasize recent NASA environmental barrier coating and CMC developments for SiC/SiC turbine airfoil components, utilizing advanced coating compositions and processing methods. The emphasis has been particularly placed on thermomechanical and environment durability evaluations of EBC-CMC systems. We have also addressed the integration of the EBCs with advanced SiC/SiC CMCs, and studied the effects of combustion environments and Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicate (CMAS) deposits on the durability of the EBC-CMC systems under thermal gradient and mechanical loading conditions. Advanced environmental barrier coating systems, including multicomponent rare earth silicate EBCs and HfO2-Si based bond coats, will be discussed for the performance improvements to achieve better temperature capability and CMAS resistance for future engine operating conditions.