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Realistic estimates of evaporation from unsaturated soils, which are important for many geotechnical and geoenvironmental applications, need to be considered in the context of soil settlement, and require thermohydromechanical (THM) analysis. Evaporation also depends on environmental parameters, including air temperature, air relative humidity, net radiation, and wind speed. Therefore, a consideration of atmospheric coupling in predicting evaporation is also necessary. In this study, the two-dimensional model EVAP1––which numerically estimates evaporation from unsaturated soil using THM and employing a soil–atmosphere model––was used to conduct a parametric study in order to investigate the effects of variation in environmental parameters and to study the effects of climate change on potential and actual evaporation and soil settlement. We found that the evaporation rate increased nonlinearly with increases in air temperature, net radiation, and wind speed, but decreases with an increase in relative humidity. However, the effect of a change in wind speed was less than the effect of a change in the three other environmental parameters. In addition, the change in evaporation rate differed in different regions with different air temperatures. For example, the temperature change had more of an effect on the evaporation rate at higher temperatures. In addition, neglecting soil settlement led to an overestimation of evaporation, albeit the amount of evaporation was almost the same whether soil settlement was considered or not, both at the beginning of the evaporation process, when potential evaporation was dominant, and at the end, when the water content in both cases had decreased almost to the residual water content, and the evaporation was minimized. The difference in the amount of evaporation was greater in the middle of the evaporation process, when actual evaporation dominated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomorphic environments play a crucial role in influencing the preservation and characteristics of tsunami deposits. This paper introduces a global database of tsunami deposits, encompassing information on deposit locations, thematic data such as geomorphic environments and proxies and bibliographic details. Additionally, the database features maps incorporating environmental parameters and the precise locations of tsunami deposits. The primary utility of this database lies in assessing progress and identifying gaps in knowledge. It also involves analysing the relationship between environmental parameters and interpreting areas with varying probabilities of tsunami deposit preservation. The files are readily compatible with GIS software and can seamlessly integrate into spatial databases associated with tsunamis or other hazards. This contributes significantly to disaster risk management, enhancing preparedness and response efforts by providing a comprehensive historical dataset on tsunamis. Future applications of the database include the incorporation of modern deposits, boulders and new data from paleotsunami and historical studies. By enhancing data with thematic information, such as dating techniques and creating timelines, the database facilitates a more comprehensive understanding. The correlation between geomorphic environments and proxies aids in selecting sampling sites and identifying suitable proxies for analysis. Encouraging an open‐access approach, this database invites all interested researchers to include and modify additional information. The information compiled for this database serves multiple purposes: (1) assessing the global distribution of tsunami deposits; (2) identifying knowledge gaps in tsunami deposits; (3) guiding the selection of study areas for further research and finally; (4) enabling a meta‐analysis of the information gathered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem water content serves as a pivotal parameter that reflects the plant vitality and maintains their internal water balance. Given the insufficient comprehension regarding the stem water content characteristics and its influencing factors during different stages of the overwintering period, the study focused on Acer truncatum Bunge and developed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based ecological information monitoring system. The system incorporated a proprietary stem water content sensor, allowing non-invasive, in-situ and real time acquisition of stem water content while monitoring diverse environmental parameters. We conducted a detailed elucidation of stem water content variation characteristics and their responses to diverse environmental factors. The results showed: (1) During the overwintering period, stem water content exhibited diurnal variations characterized by " daytime ascent and nighttime descent" across the three stages, exhibiting differences in the moment when the stem water content reaches extremal values and daily fluctuations ranges. Stem water content exhibited minimal fluctuations during deciduous and bud-breaking stages but experienced significant freezing-thawing alternations during the dormant stage, leading to an increased daily fluctuation range. (2) The Pearson correlation coefficients between environmental parameters and stem water content varied dynamically across stages. Path analysis revealed that during the deciduous stage, stem temperature and saturation vapor pressure deficit were dominant factors influencing stem water content; during dormant stage, air temperature and saturation vapor pressure deficit directly impacted stem water content; during the bud-breaking stage, the primary parameters affecting stem water content were saturation vapor pressure deficit and stem temperature. The study provides valuable insights into unveiling the water transport patterns within tree stems tissue and their environmental adaptation mechanisms during the overwintering period, aiding in the scientific development of winter management strategies to protect trees from severe cold and freezing damage, while fostering healthy growth in the subsequent year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is one of the significant environmental issues that can reduce crop growth and productivity, ultimately leading to land degradation. Therefore, accurate monitoring and mapping of soil salinity are essential for implementing effective measures to combat increasing salinity. This study aims to estimate the spatial distribution of soil salinity using machine learning methods in Huludao City, located in northeastern China. By meticulously collecting data, soil salinity was measured in 310 soil samples. Subsequently, environmental parameters were calculated using remote sensing data. In the next step, soil salinity was modeled using machine learning methods, including random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and artificial neural network (ANN). Additionally, to estimate uncertainty, the lower limit (5%) and upper limit (95%) prediction intervals were used. The results indicated that accurate maps for predicting soil salinity could be obtained using machine learning methods. By comparing the methods employed, it was determined that the RF model is the most accurate approach for estimating soil salinity (RMSE=0.03, AIC=-919, BIS=-891, and R2=0.84). Furthermore, the results from the prediction interval coverage probability (PICP) index, utilizing the uncertainty maps, demonstrated the high predictive accuracy of the methods employed in this study. Moreover, it was revealed that the environmental parameters, including NDVI, GNDVI, standh, and BI, are the main controllers of the spatial patterns of soil salinity in the study area. However, there remains a need to explore more precise methods for estimating soil salinity and identifying salinity patterns, as soil salinity has intensified with increased human activities, necessitating more detailed investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study analyzed the environmental parameters of 262 thunderstorm gales in Jiangsu from 2012 to 2022 and the evolution characteristics of 41 convective storms that induced thunderstorm gales in Jiangsu from 2020 to 2022. Data used included sounding data and those from dual-polarization radar, ground automatic stations, and lightning location instruments. The results show that: (1) Thunderstorm gales occurred under the background of unstable atmospheric stratification. The median temperature difference between 850 hPa and 500 hPa exceeded 25 ℃, and there was a dry layer in the middle troposphere. In spring, dynamic conditions were better, and the median 0~6 km vertical wind shear reached 18.4 m · s-1, which was twice that of summer. Energy conditions were better in summer, and the average CAPE could reach 2491 J · kg-1, compared with 977.5 J · kg-1 in spring. (2) The conceptual model of the evolution of thunderstorm gales based on dual-polarization characteristics was developed and quantitatively verified: the life history of convective storms was divided into three stages. In the initial stage, there were strong differential reflectivity (ZDR) columns, and weak reflectivity (Z) and specific differential phase (KDP) that did not reach the ground. In the development stage, the KDP column was significantly enhanced, while the ZDR column was slightly weakened. The core height of Z, ZDR and KDP decreased significantly in the stage of thunderstorm gale. Therefore, a strong ZDR column, accompanied by a significantly enhanced KDP column, is a precursor signal for the occurrence of thunderstorm gales. (3) The early-warning indicators of dual-polarization characteristic parameters were obtained: in most cases, the initial stage and development stage occurred 60 minutes and 20 minutes before the occurrence of thunderstorm gale, respectively. At the height of 0~2 km, the ZDR maximum value area of 3~4 dB reached the thunderstorm gale site 10~15 minutes in advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity, light intensity, and oxygen concentration are key environmental factors that significantly affect biological processes and the composition and dispersion of Moina biomass. Evaluating the effectiveness of probiotic enrichment in improving population density, growth rate, and neonate production can provide valuable details on the effectiveness of probiotics in enhancing the resilience and viability of Moina micrura under suboptimal circumstances. The purpose of this research project is to assess the efficacy of two probiotics, Bacillus pocheonensis strain S2 and Lysinibacillus fusiformis strain A1, in improving the population density, growth rate, and reproductive output in M. micrura across various environmental conditions. Moina micrura were treated with each probiotic at a volume of 5 x 105 CFU/ml under different levels of salinity (0, 2, 4, and 6 ppt), light intensity (800, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 lux), and oxygen concentration (80, 70, 60, and 50%). The results indicated that M. micrura treated with L. fusiformis A1 at 0 ppt attained the highest population density (6 ± 0.90 Ind./ml), growth rate (0.355 ± 0.030 µ), and number of offspring production (5 ± 0.75 Ind./ml). The highest point of population density (5 ± 0.07 Ind./ml), growth rate (0.381 ± 0.002 µ) and number of offspring (7 ± 0.41 Ind./ml) of M. micrura were obtained while treated with B. pocheonensis S2 at light intensity of 1,500 lux. Similarly, the highest population density (5 ± 0.60 Ind./ml), growth rate (0.365 ± 0.190 µ), and offspring production (2 ± 0.25 Ind./ml) of M. micrura were observed during enrichment with B. pocheonensis S2 at 70% oxygen concentration. Therefore, these results suggested that the optimum conditions for enriching M. micrura with B. pocheonensis S2 are salinity of 0 ppt, 70% oxygen concentration, and a light intensity level of 1,500 lux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LoRa systems are emerging as a promising technology for wireless sensor networks due to their exceptional range and low power consumption. The successful deployment of LoRa networks relies on accurate propagation models to facilitate effective network planning. Therefore, this review explores the landscape of propagation models supporting LoRa networks. Specifically, we examine empirical propagation models commonly employed in communication systems, assessing their applicability across various environments such as outdoor, indoor, and within vegetation. Our investigation underscores the prevalence of logarithmic decay in most empirical models. In addition, we survey the relationship between model parameters and environmental factors, clearing their nuanced interplay. Analyzing published measurement results, we extract the log-distance model parameters to decipher environmental influences comprehensively. Drawing insights from published measurement results for LoRa, we compare them with the model's outcomes, highlighting successes and limitations. We additionally explore the application of multi-slope models to LoRa measurements to evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing the accuracy of path loss prediction. Finally, we propose new lines for future research in propagation modelling to improve empirical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caminho da Caiçara II archaeological site is located in the village of Cadoz Velho, a rural area in the municipality of Piripiri, Piauí, Brazil. It consists of a large vertical wall and a small sandstone block containing 101 rock paintings in red and yellow colors. There are abstract figures and human handprints, as well as a bird's footprint and a spear-thrower. There are rock engravings in the shape of cupules. This paper reports the results of in situ monitoring of environmental parameters such as ambient air temperature and relative humidity, rock temperature in areas with and without rock paintings, as well as the speed of the winds that reach the archaeological site under investigation. The experimental data obtained indicate that the thermal action on the pictorial films of the rock paintings from the Caminho da Caiçara II site is clearly more intense than in other nearby archaeological sites. Direct sunlight on the rock paintings for most of the day and year is the main agent responsible for the high heating of the pictorial films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the seasonal evolution of lipid classes (polar (PL) and neutral lipids (NL)) in the gonad–visceral mass (GV) and adductor muscle (AM) of Mactra stultorum collected from the northern coast of Tunisia. Our results have shown that NL was the major lipids in GV. However, the PL characterizes the AM. Significant decreases in the PL contents of both tissues were recorded during the summer season. Besides, NL was accumulated mostly in GV during winter and spring seasons, which correspond to the gametogenetic and ripe stages. The related fatty acid composition of NL and PL changed significantly between seasons. Our data demonstrated that PUFAs and SFA were the major FA's in PL and NL fractions, respectively. The seasonal fluctuation of PUFA-PL levels in GV was highly during spring as compared to summer. The percent of NL and PUFA-NL levels of GV appeared to be relate to the food availability which was confirmed by a positive correlation with chlorophyll a content. Specific variations were noted in GV as evidence by higher significant levels of DHA-PL and EPA-PL during autumn. Inversely, AM exhibited lower levels of DHA-PL during spring that could be explained by the probably transfer of fatty acids from AM to the GV to sustain the gametogenesis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The present study aimed to clarify the internal correlation between environmental parameters change and production performance of high quality chicken houses under different feeding conditions, and provide theoretical basis for the control of environmental parameters in high quality chicken houses. [Method] A total of 480 healthy 0-day high quality broiler chickens of L line were divided into four groups with 120 chickens per group randomly, 6 replicates and 20 chickens each replicate. Experimental groups I, II and III were fed in three closed environmental control modules, and control group IV was fed in temperature controlled chambers during brooding period (0-21 days), and transferred to semi-enclosed common coop later. The internal environmental parameters, the changes of body weight, body size and the development of sexual organs were measured. [Result] (i) The temperature of group IV chickens in the environmental control chamber was relatively high, reaching more than 32 °C, and the humidity was about 55%. The concentrations of NH3, PM2.5 and PM10 were always in a low state. With the gradual increase of the temperature and humidity difference between the chicken house and the outside after the transfer to the semi-enclosed ordinary chicken house, the change laws of the concentration of gases and dust were the same as outside the house basically, which decreased first and then rose, and the concentration of O2 was always in a relatively stable trend. The exchange of fresh air in groups I, II and III kept the temperature and humidity within the preset range, other NH3, CO2, O2, PM2.5, PM10 and other environmental parameters change trends were consistent with the house basically, lower than the ordinary semi-enclosed chicken coop slightly. (ii) The correlations between the temperature outside the house and O2, CO₂ and NH3 were 0.7287, -0.7123 and -0.6875(P<0.01), and the correlations between the temperature inside the house and O2, CO2 and NH3 were 0.8071, 8427 and 0.7221 respectively (P<0.01). All of them were correlated or strongly correlated moderately, indicating that temperature had a greater influence on gas concentration, and the temperature inside the house had a stronger correlation with gas concentration than outside the house. (iii) At 8 weeks of age, the body weight of group II was significantly higher than groups III and IV (P<0.05, the same as below), the body growth and development of chickens in all groups reached the peak at 12 weeks of age, the body weight of group II were about 84 g, 144 g and 126 g higher than group I, III and IV respectively, and body diagonal length and keel length in group II were significantly higher than groups I, III and IV. At 16 weeks of age, the length of fallopian tube in group II reached 23. 25 mm, and the weight of yolk follicles and ovaries were 6. 25 and 10. 15 g respectively, which were significantly higher than groups I, III and IV. The results showed that there were significant differences in growth and sexual organ development of high quality broilers under different environmental parameters. [Conclusion] There are some differences in growth and sexual maturity among different coop environmental parameters, and the closed loop control mode is more suitable for the healthy growth and welfare breeding of high quality broiler chickens in China. High quality broilers have different requirements for temperature and humidity in different growth cycles, among which Group II environmental control mode has more advantages in growth and sexual organ development at different age segments, so it is recommended to increase its application in poultry breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community structure and co-occurrence pattern of eukaryotic algae in Yuncheng Salt Lake were analyzed based on marker gene analysis of the 18S rRNA V4 region to understand the species composition and their synergistic adaptations to the environmental factors in different salinity waters. The results showed indicated that the overall algal composition of Yuncheng Salt Lake showed a Chlorophyta-Pyrrophyta-Bacillariophyta type structure. Chlorophyta showed an absolute advantage in all salinity waters. In addition, Cryptophyta dominated in the least saline waters; Pyrrophyta and Bacillariophyta were the dominant phyla in the waters with salinity ranging from 13.2 to 18%. Picochlorum, Nannochloris, Ulva, and Tetraselmis of Chlorophyta, Biecheleria and Oxyrrhis of Pyrrophyta, Halamphora, Psammothidium, and Navicula of Bacillariophyta, Guillardia and Rhodomonas of Cryptophyta were not observed in previous surveys of the Yuncheng Salt Lake, suggesting that the algae are undergoing a constant turnover as the water environment of the Salt Lake continues to change. The network diagram demonstrated that the algae were strongly influenced by salinity, NO3−, and pH, changes in these environmental factors would lead to changes in the algal community structure, thus affecting the stability of the network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial pollution is the presence of harmful bacteria in aquatic ecosystems, which can cause health problems if ingested. These bacteria originate from a variety of sources, including human and animal waste, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage. This study aimed to assess the levels of bioindicator bacteria and their associations with various environmental parameters in surface water samples. The samples were collected seasonally from five stations along Riva Stream between March 2018 and January 2019. Indicator bacterial levels were determined using membrane filtration. Temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity values of the stations were measured in situ during sampling using a multiparameter (YSI). As a result of the sampling, maximum total coliform, fecal coliform, and intestinal enterococci levels were recorded as 24 x 103 CFU/100ml, 18 x 103 CFU/100ml and 24 x 102 CFU/100 ml, respectively. During sampling, the indicator bacterial levels were above the limit at all stations. When the FC/IE ratios were analyzed, the maximum FC/IE ratio was recorded as 52.10 during the winter sampling period at the station. The detection of bioindicator bacteria levels above the standard limit throughout the sampling period (especially during the summer period) was associated with a high level of domestic waste in the region. The results showed that more frequent and detailed monitoring studies should be conducted in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather Forecasting is very essential as it is helpful in saving lives and materials by predicting disasters such as cyclonic storms, tsunamis, extreme rainfall, etc. Within the defined range of rainfall rate approximation, this study investigates the application of Fuzzy Logic (FL) to forecast rainfall using the Interval Type –2 Fuzzy Inference System (IT2FIS). Environmental parameters which influence rainfall have been applied in this analysis and every implementation is carried out using MATLAB 9.13. The performance of IT2FIS model is compared with the actual data. Correlation coefficient (R2) and Root Mean-Squared Error (RMSE) have been used to evaluate the performance metrics of the proposed model. The results suggest that the IT2FIS model can capture the dynamic behavior of rainfall data and generate reasonable results, implying that it might be beneficial in long-term rainfall prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To preserve their collections, heritage institutions must understand and mitigate causes of damage, including environmental factors. Historically at the British Library this was addressed by policies developed over decades—frequently without overarching guidance—and in response to changing requirements. As a result, these policies were often disjointed, complex and unrepresentative of current practice. This article addresses the review, revision and application of policy. This is informed by a focus on collection needs that incorporate human, operational and practical requirements; the pragmatic understanding of contributory issues; and sufficient flexibility to encourage engagement and support Library activities without jeopardising collection safety. The revised policy has afforded a variety of benefits, not least that it is a single, concise document. It provides explicit reference to material types and vulnerabilities, and the requirements of operational activities, emphasising preventive conservation concerns. It is accessible to other stakeholders, encouraging effective collaboration and leading to achievable outcomes, benefitting the institution as a whole. As such it has strengthened the role of preventive conservation within the Library, and provided a solid and adaptable basis for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between water quality and bacterial composition may determine the sustainability level in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system. In this study, the effects of different shrimp stocking densities on water quality and bacterial community structure were studied in a sea cucumber-shrimp-crab-fish IMTA system. The results showed correlations between bacterial community structure and water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, and phosphate phosphorus) under different stocking densities of Penaeus japonicus. Temperature, salinity, nitrite nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and phosphate phosphorus were significant factors (p < 0.05) influencing the bacterial community in the samples. Nitrite nitrogen showed the greatest effect on bacterial community diversity and richness. Flavobacteriaceae and Cryomorphaceae play important roles in the denitrification process, and these bacteria were significantly more abundant in low-density ponds than in high-density ponds. This study provides practical knowledge on shrimp stocking density management and its effect on IMTA system biosecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the design and implementation of an Internet of Things architecture that focuses on monitoring temperature and humidity. The system is based on the strategic selection of technologies, including Arduino, LoRa modules, DHT11 sensors, and ESP32 microcontrollers. Python Flask was used to develop a user interface for the web application, ensuring an easy and accessible user experience. Moreover, to enhance the scalability and security of the system, it is recommended to implement modular algorithms and authentication measures. The article concludes by emphasising the advantages and effectiveness of open source technology in data acquisition, processing, and monitoring across various application scenarios. Suggestions for future improvements are provided, with particular attention to expanding data visualisation and environmental monitoring. The limitations and advantages of the system are addressed, highlighting its potential application in remote or resource-limited areas. The results obtained in this work can be scaled to the different stages of a mining project in which environmental parameters must be monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Mediterranean, one of the main reasons for discarding commercial species is when fishers catch fish smaller than the minimum conservation reference size (MCRS). In reality though, other drivers that vary by country/region have greater impact on the discarding process. A notable illustration of the coexistence of different motives is the Greek bottom trawl fishery. Present work focused on the spatial analysis of discards of three commercial species subjected to MCRS with low market price and often discarded independent of their size (i.e., Trachurus trachurus, Parapenaeus longirostris, Sardina pilchardus). To model and map the spatial distribution of species discards, hierarchical Bayesian spatial models were utilized employing discards dependence on environmental inputs. Further information was gained, by calculating the spatial overlap between the spatial distribution of species discards and their known nurseries. Results showed that S. pilchardus discards had the highest estimated values in shallower waters, whereas T. trachurus and P. longirostris discards were distributed over greater depths. Only a small portion of species nurseries and discard grounds coincided, verifying that the reasons behind discarding were market-driven. Area-specific and species-specific management is essential to reduce discards, since local market demand and fishing restrictions have an impact on the discarding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the individual cases of weather with and without thunderstorm gales in Guangdong Province from April to September 2010-2019. The distribution characteristics of environmental parameters related to the weather with thunderstorm gales were analyzed by using boxplots, and the three hours, six hours, and 12 hours thunderstorm gale forecast models were established. The meteorological events from April to September 2020 were tested by using the Bayesian method. The results show that the occurrence of thunderstorm gales corresponds to higher dewpoint temperature on the ground, more unstable energy, temperature difference between upper and lower layers, and total index. According to the test results, the Bayesian method may to some extent identify thunderstorm gales. The hit rate of the prediction model is above 80%, but there are some empty reports, which need to be addressed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the influence of climate on hospitalizations of sickle cell anemia (SCA) adults and children, we analyzed the health and meteorological parameters from a metropolis (1999-2018). 1462 hospitalizations were coded for SCA patients in crisis (M:F = 715:747) and 1354 hospitalizations for SCA patients without crisis (M:F = 698:656) [age = 22.9 vs 15.2 years and duration of hospitalization (DoH) = 5.7 vs 4.4 days, respectively,]. More hospitalizations were for adults than children in crisis, and for children than adults without crisis. More children and adults were hospitalized in winter andspring than in summer and autumn Hospitalizations correlated positively with humidity (lag −5), maximum pressure (lag −2), mean pressure (lag −2), and thermal amplitude (lag −2), and negatively with maximum temperature (lag −3). DoH positively correlated with minimum temperature (lag −4). Understanding these complex associations would induce attitudinal/behavioral modifications among patients and their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of environmental parameters on microbial-induced concrete corrosion during three corrosion stages. The corrosion effects and influencing factors in three corrosion stages were deeply analyzed and predicted, and the mechanism of microbial corrosion was summarized. When the H2S concentration was lower than about 15.0 mg/m3, the corrosion was maintained in stage II, which greatly delays the intensification of corrosion. In stage III, the H2S concentration has the significantly accelerate the corrosion rate. Additionally, incorporating min, max and mean values of input parameters greatly improved the accuracy of machine learning predictions of corrosion rates (R2 >0.99). Acidithiobacillus was found to be dominant in the microbial community at H2S concentrations of 12.0–37.5 mg/m3, and increased temperature promoted the reproduction of Acidithiobacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total precipitable water vapour (TPW) extraction algorithm using the Sentinel-3A Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) has the potential to be improved on a regional scale. The aim of this study was to improve the TPW extraction algorithm of OLCI for the first time using environmental variables, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), land surface temperature (LST), and elevation from mean sea level, on a regional scale over Iran. A previously developed TPW recovery algorithm was applied to the OLCI data during cloud-free days throughout a one-year period (1 January–29 December 2020). The artificial neural network (ANN) methodology was utilized in eight models. The evaluation results revealed the effectiveness of the models varied based on the topography and climate of each station. The assessment findings demonstrated that model 2, which integrated LST, elevation, and NDVI data in the ANN framework, outperformed other models across the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neglected intestinal helminthiases are very prevalent worldwide and represent a serious problem of: environmental contamination (presence of feces with infective parasitic forms dispersed in the soil), animal health and public health. This paper explains new research perspectives on the ecoepidemiology of neglected intestinal helminthiasis in urban-marginal and rural areas of the province of Guayas (Ecuador). By means of an applied study with a qualitative, quantitative, field, descriptive-prospective-analyticaltransversal approach, fecal samples from humans and their domestic dogs from the indicated areas will be analyzed, in order to provide information: The relationship between the environment-helminthsand hosts, prevalence of neglected intestinal helminthiases, zoonotic association, characterization of environmental variables, specification of social determinants of health and generate scientific production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying correlations between phytoplankton communities and environmental factors is critical for understanding how aquatic ecosystems function. The high sensitivity of phytoplankton to changes in these factors makes it possible to control the state of the ecosystem of water bodies. Artificial lakes often demonstrate increased trophic status, inducing changes in phytoplankton structure. In this paper, we studied phytoplankton in June 2023 (hydrological spring) in two ecosystems, South Baikal and the Irkutsk Reservoir, that are connected by a water course but have different environmental parameters. The gradient of environmental parameters from the lake towards the reservoir revealed peculiarities in the distribution of some microalgae species. Microscopy and statistical analysis showed that water temperature was the most important factor affecting the structure of the communities. The warmer water of the reservoir, in contrast to the lake, demonstrated a twofold increase in species number, abundance, and biomass. Downstream from the reservoir, we observed a succession in the dominating Baikal species complex, its supplementation, and replacement with other species typical of the summer period and Baikal bays. The trophic status of the reservoir during the study may be described as oligotrophic, with local traits of mesotrophicity; its water refers to Class I and Class II and may be qualified as clean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the level of contamination of the waters of the San Juan river was evaluated. Six sampling stations were established. Sixteen environmental parameters were determined in 2019. The results were compared with international standards, Cuban Standards: NC 22:1999, NC 1021:2014 and NC 827:2017, and with the registered historical average. Data processing was carried out using the Statistica program version 8.0. These waters had a high organic matter content (COD: 15.8-62.1 mg/L; BOD5: 6.9-27 mg/L), affected by fecal contamination indicator organisms: total and fecal coliforms (>1000 MPN/100 mL). The comparison with the historical average showed that the contamination of the river has not increased, but rather has decreased in several stations. The San Juan river waters are not suitable for human consumption, supply to the population and as water for bathing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ichthyoplankton represent the first life stages of fish. The study of ichthyoplankton is crucial to understanding marine ecosystems and plays an important role in the management and durability of fisheries resources. During March and October of 2019, two oceanographic ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in the Mediterranean Sea of Morocco from Tanger to Saadia by studying the horizontal structure of the ichthyoplankton species assemblage and its relation to environmental parameters. The average surface water temperature was (15.8°C in spring and 16.4°C in autumn). The fish eggs and larvae were more abundant in March than in October (21268 eggs/10m² and 14084 larvae/10m² in spring and 10094 eggs/10m² and 13796 larvae/10m²). In both seasons, fish eggs from the families Sternoptychidae and Sparidae were dominant (10101 eggs/10m² and 7527 eggs/10m² in spring and 4422 eggs/10m² and 3928 eggs/10m² in fall, respectively). However, Myctophidae larvae were the most abundant in the study area, reaching 7601 larvae/10m² in spring and 11021 larvae/10m² in autumn. The environmental parameters: temperature, salinity and chlorophyll-a (surface) seem to directly influence the spatial distribution of ichtyoplancton. On the other hand, it seems that predation by jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca)was a very important factor that added to the factors that influenced the distribution of the species of fish eggs and larvae. This work represents the first survey conducted in the southwestern Alboran Sea, which studies the horizontal structure of the ichthyoplankton species assemblage and its relation to environmental factors in the spring and autumn of 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modernisation of marine power plants in the transport vessel fleet to satisfy the requirements of the International Maritime Organization is an urgent scientific and technical problem. Currently, the use of catalytic selective filters, dry and wet scrubber systems and exhaust gas recirculation for marine diesel engines is widely used for this purpose. An analysis of the use of ejection gas-air coolers is presented as an additional method of emission reduction. However, the use of such device does not neutralise the harmful emissions of power plant engines, but only increases the volume concentration of their exhaust gases. But this will help to increase the efficiency of dispersion of harmful emissions, by reducing the concentration of harmful emissions to values not exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations. Its efficiency depends on the load mode of the diesel engine. It is found that the initial concentration of harmful substances in combustion products due to their dilution with fresh air at 100% engine load is reduced by about 50%. The values of the reduction of the concentration and temperature of exhaust gases with the reduction of the engine load to 75% and 50% depending on the louvre angle are obtained. It is proved that ejection gas-air coolers can be an effective additional means for compliance with modern environmental parameters, especially when vessels are in special areas of the world's oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a saline semi-isolated lagoon on Cape Zeleny (White Sea), the annual dynamics of the vertical hydrological structure and the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton were traced. Species composition, vertical distribution, abundance, nutrition type, and biomass were analyzed. In total, 293 species and supraspecific taxa of algae and cyanobacteria were found. Most of the identified species are marine, and 38 species are freshwater. Taxonomic composition changed in the lagoon throughout the year. Dinoflagellates dominated in winter and early June; unidentified cocci and flagellates in July; diatoms, dinoflagellates, and unidentified cells in August; dinoflagellates in September; and unidentified cocci and flagellates in October–November. The abundance of algae also changed in the lagoon throughout the year. The integrated biomass in the water column varied from 0.01 g C/m2 in January to 0.78 g C/m2 in early September. According to the environmental parameters, the water column of the lagoon was subdivided into several zones with different environmental conditions and corresponding phytoplankton communities. The similarity between the communities of different horizons was 32–46% in summer and 7% in winter. The chemocline layer was the most populous. It contained a maximum of phytoplankton biomass, 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that in the overlying horizons. Despite the connection to the sea, the phytoplankton structure in the surface water layer in the lagoon and in the sea differed significantly in composition, quantitative parameters, and seasonal dynamics. The similarity between the communities never exceeded 50%. In terms of biomass dynamics, the lagoon lagged behind the sea until mid-summer, but, starting from August, it outnumbered it, and the phytoplankton development in the lagoon lasted longer, until late autumn. According to sequential tests DistLM, the phytoplankton structure and dynamics in the lagoon and in the sea were related to the daylength, water salinity, oxygen content, and pH by 24.5%. At the same time, the PhP structure did not depend on water temperature, underwater illuminance, or depth. Oxygen content and pH were defined by PhP activity. Salinity serves as a vector of the vertical sequence of ecological niches. The day length seems to be the crucial factor of the seasonal PhP dynamics in the semi-isolated coastal stratified lakes and lagoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are considered as the heart of natural feeding and breeding grounds of many indigenous fishes of Bangladesh. These are also the most diversified habitat in the world. However, the wetlands of Bangladesh are in danger of extinction due to various manmade and natural causes. Therefore, wetlands need special attention to conserve this unique ecosystem of Bangladesh. As a part of the conservation measures needed for wetland ecosystem, the present study was undertaken to describe the abundance and diversity status of fish in Dingapota wetland of Bangladesh and to identify the key environmental factors influencing the fish community assemblage. A total of 52 fish species were recorded from 7 orders during the study period. Cypriniformes comprises the most abundant order (47.91%) followed by Perciformes (20.71%) and Clupeformes (20.22%). Higher number of species was recorded in post-monsoon season. Fish community assemblage was significantly differentiated among the three seasons (ANOSIM, Global R = 0.803, P < 0.05), while the overall average differences in the period of three seasons was estimated as 39.92% and similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) revealed the greater contribution of Osteobrama cotio, Esomus danricus, Nandus nandus, Gudusia chapra and Chanda nama to ascertain this dissimilarity. Multivariate analysis based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) generated three separate groups of each seasonal samplings and cluster analysis to find out natural grouping of samples according to their abundance. Diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner diversity (H), Margalef’s richness (D) and Pielou’s evenness (e)) were found to vary significantly among the seasons. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed the significant roles of temperature, depth, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity for structuring the community assemblage of fish in Dingapota wetland. Essential baseline information generated by this study will help the respective authority to formulate sustainable conservation measures for Dingapota wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neglected intestinal helminthiases are very prevalent worldwide and represent a serious problem of: environmental contamination (presence of feces with infective parasitic forms dispersed in the soil), animal health and public health. This paper explains new research perspectives on the ecoepidemiology of neglected intestinal helminthiasis in urban-marginal and rural areas of the province of Guayas (Ecuador). By means of an applied study with a qualitative, quantitative, field, descriptive-prospective-analytical-transversal approach, fecal samples of humans and their domestic dogs from the indicated areas will be analyzed, in order to provide information: The relationship between the environment-helminths-and hosts, prevalence of neglected intestinal helminthiases, zoonotic association, characterization of environmental variables, specification of social determinants of health and generate scientific production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wildlife sanctuary is a location where the environment is still preserved so as to minimize forest conversion activities. Roaming method or exploration is the method that the autor uses in research butterfly inventory. Exploration is carried out by following the transect which adjusts the shape of the location with a distance between points of 20 meters. Areas that become observation locations including open land, fields, forest medium mixed and dense mixed forest. Butterfy data obtained through documentation or captured using insect nets observed, then release again. The aim of this research is identify butterfly species and environmental parameters present in the field clearing, field, medium ixed forest, and dense mixed forest. Results of the study are found 22 species butterflies with a total of 65 indiviuals. Previously, research related to butterfly inventory in Wildlife Sanctuary Paliyan has never been done. The conservation of butterflies is need because of the importance of the presence of butterflies as a determinant of environmental quality. Butterfly diversity disclosure can be used as a related database types of butterflies in Indonesia, especially the Paliyan Wildlife Sanctuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the distribution of vegetation and its modern pollen representation along an elevation gradient in the Italian Alps and explores the relationships with terrain and climate variables. Moss polsters were collected at 25 sites between ca. 300 and 1400 m asl from open areas, deciduous, and conifer forests. At each site vegetation was surveyed at 1.8 and 10 m radius according to the Braun-Blanquet method. Climatic data, bioclimatic indices, and terrain parameters were obtained for each sampling site. Three distinct pollen associations reflect the characteristic vegetation altitudinal belts present in the study area. Uphill dispersal, the regional load and the presence of high producers influence the abundance of pollen and the representation of taxa along the gradient. CCA ordination technique reveals the predictive power of environmental variables on modern pollen and vegetation datasets. The most relevant factors controlling vegetation distribution are identified in elevation, insolation, Pspring, Tsummer, the Ellenberg quotient, and Summer Water Balance (SWB). Elevation, insolation, summer P and T, the Ellenberg quotient, and the Gams' hygric continentality index (GAMS) explain more variance within the pollen dataset. A qualitative comparison among pollen and the corresponding parent plant occurrence qualifies Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Poaceae and Cyclamen pollen as suitable indicators taxa of the local vegetation in the study area. Several high producers with very effective, long-distance anemophilous dispersal (Pinus, Ostrya, Alnus, and Juglans) or mixed pollination mechanisms (anemophilous and insect-pollination: Fraxinus ornus, and Castanea) show no or little association with their parent plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Mediterranean, the fleshy, mat-forming red alga Phyllophora crispa creates high-biodiversity habitats that influence light availability, water movement, and temperature. However, knowledge about its influence on other key environmental parameters, such as oxygen availability, chlorophyll, and turbidity, is missing. Therefore, we conducted an in situ study in the Western Mediterranean Sea using multiparameter probes that were placed multiple times on algal P. crispa mats, in adjacent Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, and on bare hard bottoms. We acquired a total of 17 full diel measurements for dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll, and turbidity in September and October 2019. Results showed that P. crispa mats influence the investigated parameters differently when compared to P. oceanica meadows and that a monthly effect was observed. In September, general DO patterns measured for P. crispa mats and P. oceanica meadows follow the daily cycle depending on light availability, with the measured DO being lower in the P. oceanica meadows compared to the P. crispa mats and the hard-bottom habitats. In October, however, no significant difference in DO concentrations was observed between P. crispa mats and P. oceanica meadows. Results of this study corroborate that P. crispa mats can be viewed as an ecosystem engineering species, influencing environmental parameters and, hence, providing a habitat for outstanding associated biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work compares the contributions of synoptic, intraseasonal, and interannual components of large-scale parameters to tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the North Indian Ocean (NIO) from April to December from 1979 to 2020. A composite analysis is employed with respect to TC genesis time and location. It is shown that most TCs occur when the total sea surface temperature (SST) is between 28 and 30 °C and SST anomalies in three time ranges are small (with the magnitude less than 0.2 °C). The TCs form mostly when the anomalies of vertical zonal wind shear are between −6 and 6 m s−1 and total vertical zonal wind shear falls within −12 and −3 m s−1, with the synoptic component being a positive contributor. The intraseasonal component of vorticity and convergence in the low level, vertical motion and specific humidity in the middle level, and convection contributes dominantly to the TC genesis. Synoptic-scale tropical disturbances obtain barotropic kinetic energy from the climatological mean and intraseasonal flows, with the former dominant in the southeastern sector, and the latter dominant in the northwestern sector. The contributions of the three temporal components of environmental factors are compared for TC genesis between the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BOB) and between the early season (April through June) and late season (September through December). The relative contributions of the three temporal components of factors are also compared for the TC formation among the NIO, northern tropical Atlantic Ocean (NTA), Northwestern Pacific (WNP), and Northeastern Pacific (ENP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soiling significantly impacts PV systems' performance, but this can be mitigated through optimized frequency and timing of cleaning. This experimental study focused on the conditions leading to soiling. It utilized a novel method to evaluate the effectiveness of different cleaning frequencies. The transmittance of horizontally mounted glass coupons exposed outdoors in a warm and humid location was measured weekly and these measurements were used (i) to evaluate the variability of soiling and its seasonal correlations with environmental factors using linear regression models and (ii) to assess the effectiveness of the different cleaning cycles using statistical (F- and t-test) analysis. The minimum transmittance loss occurred during the season with the most frequent rainfall, which acted as the dominant natural cleaning agent. The experimental campaign showed that rainfalls do not completely clean soiling; a minimum intensity threshold has to be achieved to have a cleaning effect. The threshold rainfall was the highest for the weekly cleaned glass coupon and lowest for a coupon that was never cleaned. Based on the statistical analysis, it is suggested that weekly cleanings during winter and post-monsoon seasons and monthly cleanings during pre-monsoon and southwest monsoon seasons are optimal for areas in the Köppen–Geiger Cwa climate classification category. The correlation between soiling and environmental parameters was found to be highly dependent on the season. It may therefore not be possible to develop a simple, universal predictive relationship for soiling losses. The presented methodology is applicable to additional locations, even outside of the study area of India, to contribute to the understanding and mitigation of soiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, from the first time in Romania, soil fauna taxa were investigated from two types of habitats: with and without Campanula romanica, from Măcin Mountains National Park. Some population parameters were analysed as: taxa diversity, numerical abundance, dominance, evenness, equitability, Shannon-Wiener index of diversity. In total, 24 soil fauna groups were identified, with 399 individuals, recording characteristic structure and taxa for each type of plots. Even if the number of identified taxa is almost similar between plots, the numerical abundance was higher in areas without Campanula romanica. In the same time sixteen environmental variables were quantified, as: the thickness of three soil layers, air temperature and humidity, soil temperature and moisture, soil pH, soil penetration resistance, amount of organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/Nt ratio, humus content, potassium content, phosphorous content and the vegetation cover. They had a significant influence on structure composition of the edaphic taxonomic groups from the two types of habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species composition of cyanobacteria assemblages was studied in six thermo-mineral springs of spas in Atlantic environments of Galicia (NW Spain). Two are considered hot (Ta ≥ 40 °C), two intermediate (Ta 20–40 °C) and two cold (Ta ≤ 20 °C), and four contain hydrogen sulphide. A total of 21 taxa (14 genera) have been recorded. Two diversity indices, Shannon index and Evenness were determined. The Shannon–Wiener index ranged between 0.31 and 0.73 and the Evenness index between 0.44 and 0.88. nMDS ordination showed that cyanobacteria assemblage composition was influenced mostly by temperature. Of the species identified, the most diverse genus is Leptolyngbya with four species, followed by Chroococcus with three species and Aphanocapsa, Phormidium and Lyngbya with two species. The most abundant species was Jaaginema angustissimum, followed by Leptolyngbya laminosa and Symploca thermalis. In the two cold springs, seven different species were found, and only Aphanocapsa conferta was common to both springs. Cyanobacterial species were more numerous in the four hot springs, with 15 different species and only Calothrix thermalis common to these hot springs. It is difficult to establish characteristic cyanobacterial flora for the thermo-mineral waters of the Galician springs since there are significant differences in the communities from the six sites studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A test rig of the DX-SAHP system using R134a as refrigerant has been built. • The mathematical model of the DX-SAHP has been conducted and validated. • The optimum operation parameters and control strategy have been calibrated. • The system performance with control strategy calibration has been investigated. As known, the performance of a direct-expansion solar-assisted heat pump (DX-SAHP) is affected by environmental and operational parameters significantly, and the variable capacity system has distinct advantages. The calibration of the control strategy will be very useful for the thermal performance improvement of DX-SAHP systems. Based on the test rig which is used to supply domestic hot water, the original variable capacity control strategy has been calibrated with the quasi-dynamic mathematical model under different conditions. The calibration results show that the optimum range of the degree of superheat is 7–12 °C. For winter and spring/autumn conditions, the optimum range of operation duration are 360–420 min and 300–360 min, and the corresponding optimum range of average compressor speed are 3750–4500 r·min−1 and 2750–3750 r·min−1, respectively. Experiments prove that the actual operation parameters can be maintained at the optimum range well and the average coefficient of performance (COP m) during the whole heating process has been improved further. For winter and spring/autumn, the average operation duration and compressor speed are 395 min and 3970 r·min−1, 345 min and 3066 r·min−1, respectively. Moreover, the values of COP m could reach 3.44 and 4.67, respectively. Even at solar radiation intensity of 577.6 W·m−2 with ambient temperature of −9.1 °C, the COP m could reach 2.38. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Factors affecting NH 3 concentration in swine building are not fully understood. • Monitoring and quantifying NH 3 are crucial for maintaining barn environment. • Three machine learning algorithms were utilized to predict NH 3 concentration. • SVR had a better performance accuracy compared to other tested models. • Pigs' body mass and feed intake mostly influenced the NH 3 concentration. Ammonia (NH 3) concentration in livestock barns is a crucial environmental parameter affecting the well-being of animals and workers' health. Effective management and prediction of NH 3 levels are essential for maintaining an efficient and enduring swine production system. This study investigated the application of machine learning algorithms, namely support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), and multiple linear regression (MLR), to predict NH 3 concentrations in pig barns and examined the impact of individual input variables on prediction accuracy. In this study, three datasets, each comprising five key biophysical variables, i.e., feed intake (FI), mass of pig (MP), carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels, temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH), were utilized for training and testing these algorithms. The data were collected from three barns during the growing-finishing stage of pigs in 2022 and 2023. The study results revealed a strong positive relationship between FI and MP with NH 3 concentrations. Among the three machine learning models, the SVR outperformed the MLR and RFR in predicting NH 3 concentration. The result exhibited that the SVR obtained the maximum performance in both training (R2 >0.95) and testing (R2 >0.85), with R2 improvements of up to 5.43 % and 14.02 % and RMSE decreases of up to 15.97 % and 28.98 %, in comparison to the RFR and MLR across the three input datasets in NH 3 prediction. The study also emphasized the importance of dataset size, with the large dataset containing all five input indicators achieving the highest accuracy compared to smaller datasets. In addition, the MLR demonstrated maximum stability, followed by the SVR, whereas the RFR exhibited minimum stability. Sensitivity analysis revealed that FI was the most influential input variable for NH 3 concentration prediction. The study ranked the impact of individual input variables as FI > MP > CO 2 > T > RH. The combination of FI, MP, CO 2 , and T as input indicators achieved the highest model performance, accounting for a substantial portion of the variance between observed and predicted data. This study demonstrated the potential of machine learning models, particularly SVR, for predicting NH 3 concentrations using relevant input variables in pig barns. These findings significantly enhance understanding of NH 3 concentration dynamics in pig barns, providing crucial insights into swine production and environmental management with data-driven modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the long-term suitability of the area proposals for winter recreation activities in the Seyhan Basin (Türkiye), which is located in the Mediterranean and Central Anatolia regions and includes a large part of the Taurus Mountains, were examined ecologically. For this purpose, the predicted global warming scenarios in the basin and the anthropogenic impacts arising from the planned recreation areas were evaluated for the upper basin (recreation areas) and lower basin (water resources, agricultural lands, and settlements) using a hypothetical risk analysis. For this purpose, multispectral images were obtained by using Landsat 8 Oli Multispectral images of the snow areas in the region in January-February-March 2019, and a hypothetical ecological risk analysis was created considering a total of 5 pressure factors originating from global climate change and anthropogenic effects. These possible factors were determined as flood (S1), drought (S2), sedimentation (S3), aquatic nutrients (S4), and tourist density (S5). The effects of these factors on a total of four features (C1: water quality, C2: fauna-flora, C3: agricultural areas, and C4: settlements) in the region were evaluated by hypothetical grading based on the literature. According to the hypothesis results obtained by the formula and statistical calculations, it was determined that the flood factor (S1) that will occur due to possible snow melt due to global climate change in the winter recreation areas in the studied region is the most significant factor limiting the sustainable usage of the Basin. For this reason, it has been emphasized in this study that the possibility of regions being exposed to the effects of climate change in the future should be taken into account, especially when planning for winter recreation areas. At the end of this study, it was concluded that the ecological balance analysis of basins is important, especially in terms of ensuring the long-term sustainable use of winter recreation areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper calculates and analyzes the collision and freezing characteristics of water droplets on the cylindrical conductors with different diameters and deduces the variation law of icing weight change rate on different diameters rotating cylindrical conductors with wind speed, ambient temperature, liquid water content, and median volume diameter. Then, a prediction and value-seeking method of icing environment parameters based on rotating circular conductors is determined. The laboratory test results show that the measured values of ambient temperature T, wind speed U, liquid water content w and median volume diameter MVD are in good conformity with the reference values measured by other instruments, and the average errors of each parameter are 3.41%, 5.44%, 6.08% and 7.20%, respectively. The field natural experiment was carried out at Hunan Xuefengshan Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station. The obtained icing environmental parameters were substituted into the icing simulation calculation model of the LDQ-100 glass insulator. Compared with the field experiment results, the simulated ice shape and the field ice shape were in good agreement. The error between the numerical calculation results of the icing weight and the field icing weight of the experimental insulator was less than 6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweeds are a promising biomass resource that contain proteins with high potential for sustainable exploration. Palmaria palmata, one of the main red seaweeds of the Canadian coast, has a high protein content and much interest as an ingredient. Understanding the associations between environmental conditions and P. palmata color and chemical composition is of paramount importance to predict optimum harvesting conditions and thus increase its value. This study investigated the influence of environmental conditions on the composition and color of wild and cultivated P. palmata. Important changes in these parameters were found for P. palmata harvested in the subarctic Canadian transition zone, depending on the harvesting site/month. A marked increase in carbohydrates and decrease in ashes content (up to 2-fold) were observed from June to October, while photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) values have decreased. These associations suggest that wild P. palmata is shade acclimated to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence region. Maximum protein content was found for samples in June and was especially higher for samples from Grande-Rivière. Samples were intensely colored in June, possibly related to the higher protein content found in this month. Although several intricate factors seem to influence color development in this species, data from this study assist harvesting sites and period to maximise dark red color and avoid pigmentation degradation and paleness. In sum, these results may help indicate the best site/period to take commercial advantage of this species and orient future research on the multifactored relationships between environmental factors and macroalgae chemical composition and color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film thermo-responsive hydrogels have become a huge interest in applications such as smart drug-delivery systems or sensor/actuator technology. So far, mostly, the response of such hydrogels has been measured only by varying the temperature in a liquid environment, but studies of the response towards humidity and temperature are rare because of experimental limitations. Often the swelling measurements are performed on samples placed on a stage that can be heated/cooled, while vapors enter the permeation chamber at their own temperature. This thermal difference leads to some uncertainties on the exact relative humidity to which the sample is exposed to. In this study, we explored the possibility of performing swelling measurements under thermal equilibrium by placing the sample and an interferometer, as a detector, in an environmental chamber and therefore exposing the smart hydrogel to adjustable temperatures and relative humidity conditions while measuring the hydrogel's thin film thickness changes. As a case study, we used thin films of the thermo-responsive hydrogel, poly N-vinylcaprolactam deposited by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). Similar thin films were previously characterized by in situ ellipsometry while the sample was heated on a stage and exposed to humid air produced at room temperature. The comparison between the two measurement methods showed that while measurements in the presence of thermal gradients are limited mostly to low humidity, measurements in thermal equilibrium are restricted only by the operation limits of the used environmental chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) aptasensor based on liquid crystal (LC), 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). This optical sensor is made up of an aptamer that interacts with DEHP and cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) at the aqueous/LCs interface. The cationic surfactants, CTAB, trigger the homeotropic state of 5CB and control its local anchoring depending on the extent to which they interact with the aptamers. When the aptamers are electrostatically attracted to CTAB, the orientation of 5CB is disturbed. The conformational changes of the aptamers contribute to a change in the ordering of 5CB from a tilted to homeotropic state due to the formation of the DEHP-aptamer complexes. The ordering of the LCs is influenced by the biomolecular interactions at the CTAB-filled aqueous/5CB interface. We analysed the orientational ordering of 5CB according to the DEHP concentrations. An orientational transition from homeotropic to tilted alignment was observed with decreasing DEHP concentration. We determined the detection limit to be approximately 0.651 pg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline. We interpreted the greyscale intensity data that measured the intensity of polarised light, which penetrated the LCs, to quantify the polarised image. Our results demonstrate the potential method for simply monitoring the DEHP levels in various environmental parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust accumulation on PV modules, influenced by a variety of environmental parameters, such as relative humidity, wind speed, and particulate matter (PM) concentration, is one of the most common detrimental factors in reducing the power output. An investigation is conducted to quantify the impact of dust accumulation on power generation and bifacial gain in this work. Based on the experiments, the daily dust deposition rate as well as its correlation with relative humidity, wind speed, PM concentration, and ambient temperature is determined. Furthermore, the soiling loss (SL%) and soiling rate (SR) are analyzed over the period of the study. At the end of the test period, the SL% and SR are reported to be 6.86% and 0.233, respectively. This percentage loss is further used to simulate the annual energy yield and bifacial gain. A clean bifacial PV system recorded a higher performance ratio (0.83) and lower collection loss LC (0.8 kWh/kWp/day) compared to the lower performance ratio (0.78) and greater collection loss LC (1.12 kWh/kWp/day) of a soiled bifacial PV system. The yield of the monofacial PV system is far lower under the soiled state, and this discrepancy allows for greater bifacial gain (BG) (7.11%) to be realized under the soiled state of the modules. Although a bifacial module under soiled state will generate lower output than its cleaner counterpart, BG under soiled state is governed by the difference in yield from a monofacial system at a greater extent than a bifacial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For emerging countries, mining has been a vital factor in employment, economic development, infrastructure, and supply of essential raw materials for Nation's Gross domestic product (GDP) growth. The Limestone mine industry is serving as a viable route for economic transformation in India. Limestone exploration causes major damage to the environment at Yerraguntla industrial zone, YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental Pollution parameter that causes Air, Water, Noise, and Soil pollution in and around limestone quarries started in the early 1984. The present study estimated Air Quality Index (AQI) as 76 based on the air quality sub-index approach using four pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NOx) for a period of 24 hrs by taking one sample per hour during the post monsoon. Water Quality Index (WQI) obtained as 303.91 from fourteen physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, fluoride, Total alkalinity etc.) measured from water samples. Soil quality was determined using four physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, WHC, Calcium and Magnesium) from the soil samples collected from ten sampling stations. The obtained pH range was (7.6 to 9.4), EC of the soil was determined as 4,140 µs/cm, the water retention capacity of the soil, ranges from (17.68 to 97.68) %, and the Calcium (Ca2+) and Magnesium (Mg2+) ranged from 74.5 to 272.75 mEq/L. Noise levels were determined as 76.64 dB in the mine's, 58.16 dB in the cement industry, and 52.285 dB in the mine surrounding villages. This study can help mining sector management's in developing a sustainable Environmental Management frame work to meet the world sustainable development goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For estuaries, inland lakes play a vital role in the ecological balance under the impact of tides. The effect of tides-induced water exchange on phytoplankton community in a semi-closed lake was studied and compared with that of an adjacent closed lake in the Oujiang River mouth in Zhejiang, East China Sea, from June 29, 2020 to June 14, 2021. Results show that the dominant species, abundance, dominance, and diversity of the phytoplankton species between the two lakes were significantly different. In the closed lake, cyanobacteria were the dominant species during the study period. However, in the semi-closed lake, the diversification of the dominant species was greater, and some species of diatoms and green algae became dominant. The average phytoplankton abundance in the closed lake was 6 times of that in the semi-closed lake. The average dominance of cyanobacteria in the closed lake was 0.96, and those in the semi-closed lake and the Oujiang River were 0.51 and 0.22, respectively. Cyanobacterial blooms occurred throughout the study time in the closed lake but not in the semi-closed one. Furthermore, the species diversity richness of the phytoplankton in the semi-closed lake was higher than that of the closed one, and the phytoplankton community between the closed lake and semi-closed lake could be divided into distinctly different groups based on non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) and analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) analysis. The salinity of the water was significantly greater and the transparency significantly smaller in the semi-closed lake than those in the closed lake. Therefore, water exchange driven by local tidal movement increased salinity and decreased transparency of water, which consequently shaped the community structures of different phytoplankton and reduced the risk of a cyanobacterial bloom outbreak in the semi-closed lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to highlight the impact of the increasing container throughput in northern Adriatic ports on air quality. A comparative analysis of air quality is given, which consist of certain environmental parameters at selected measuring stations near the container terminals of the northern Adriatic ports Rijeka, Trieste, Koper, and Venice. The parameters were analyzed based on a limited amount of air quality monitoring data for the port areas. As the port transport sector increases pollutant emissions, the results of these analyzes can also be used to take appropriate measures to reduce these particulate matter emissions. The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of increasing the container throughput within the ports of the northern Adriatic Sea on air quality, based on certain environmental parameters related to the shipping or delivery of containers by road. The results of the research, based on available data, have shown that the increase in container throughput of the northern Adriatic ports has not decreased the air quality of urban areas of the respective port cities. The air quality value of the northern Adriatic ports is substantially below the limits set by the EU Air Quality Directive (2008/50), thus it does not affect the health of the inhabitants of the analyzed cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread genotyping of human populations in environmental homeostasis has created opportunities to quantify how environmental parameters affect the genomic distribution of variants in healthy populations. This represents an ongoing natural experiment upon the human species that can only be understood through developing models of adaptation. By examining the information dynamics of optimal SNP distributions within such populations, "adaptive forces" on genomic variants can be quantified through comparisons between different populations. To this end, we are performing double-blind scans of SNPs in order to ascertain any potential smooth functional relationships between the frequencies of the variants and changes in quantified environmental parameters. At present, we have sequentially examined more than twenty thousand SNPs (on chromosome 3) of nine homeostatic native populations for potential adaptive flagging of the variants as functions of 15 environmental parameters. Our first significant flag has related rs1010211 to viral pathogens in mammalian hosts. Such pathogens present a significant risk for the emergence of new infectious diseases in humans. This genomic variant is within the gene TNIK, which is a germinal center kinase (GCK). GCKs are participants in both adaptive and innate immune regulation. However, the function of TNIK is not fully understood. We quantify the adaptive force on the C allele due to the pathogens as 0.04 GEU's/viral species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]