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Salt (NaCl), is an essential nutrient for survival, while excessive salt can be detrimental. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, internal taste organs in the pharynx are critical gatekeepers impacting the decision to accept or reject a food. Currently, our understanding of the mechanism through which pharyngeal gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) sense high salt are rudimentary. Here, we found that a member of the ionotropic receptor family, Ir60b, is expressed exclusively in a pair of GRNs activated by high salt. Using a two-way choice assay (DrosoX) to measure ingestion volume, we demonstrate that IR60b and two co-receptors IR25a and IR76b are required to prevent high salt consumption. Mutants lacking external taste organs but retaining the internal taste organs in the pharynx exhibit much higher salt avoidance than flies with all taste organs but missing the three IRs. Our findings highlight the vital role for IRs in a pharyngeal GRN to control ingestion of high salt.

Many people, specifically teenagers, suffer from acne breakouts. Therefore, to care for the skin, the researchers thought of making soap to treat acne, cleanse, moisturize, and exfoliate the skin. The soap will help people make soap with guava leaf extract and salt that can tend to acne and scars, lessen skin ageing, moisturize, and exfoliate to get rid of the skin's dead skin cells. The research design used for the study was quantitative-experimental while utilizing the purposive technique. The statistical treatment used for this study was a T-test to determine the difference between the two groups of respondents.    Using the questionnaire as the research instrument, the researchers surveyed to identify the level of acceptability of the soap in terms of the ingredients, procedural methodology, effectiveness, and presentation. The respondents are composed of one (1) Dermatologist and five (5) Chemical Engineers. The following procedures were undertaken in the process of developing the soap, preparing all the needed materials, wearing safety equipment, getting the guava leaf extract, putting the extract in another container, boiling water, coconut oil, and olive oil, doing the saponification, making the soap thick then adding salt, putting it to the container, hardening the soap, and presenting and testing the soap. The result of the study in terms of the ingredients, procedural methodology, effectiveness, and presentation is acceptable. The acquired overall weighted mean of the Dermatologist was 2.89, interpreted as Acceptable, and the Chemical Engineers' overall weighted mean was 3.30, interpreted as Acceptable. The T – Critical is 2.571, and the T – computed is -1.26. It indicates no significant difference between the assessment of the Dermatologist and Chemical Engineers. For further improvement of the soap, the respondents recommend adding more ingredients like sunscreen and 1% EDTA for water softening. For effectiveness, attempt distributing the soap

Multidrug therapeutic hybrids constitute a promising proposal to overcome problems associated with traditional formulations containing physical mixtures of drugs, potentially improving pharmacological and pharmaceutical performance. Indomethacin (IND) is a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) that acts by inhibiting normal processes of homeostasis, causing a series of side effects, such as gastrointestinal symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (OME), have been used to treat such gastrointestinal tract symptoms. In this work, two new multidrug therapeutic hybrids were prepared (an IND:OME salt and an IND:OME co-amorphous system) by ball mill grinding crystalline IND and OME under different conditions, i.e., liquid assisted grinding (LAG) with ethanol and dry grinding, respectively. The crystalline salt returned to a neutral state co-amorphous system when submitted to ball mill grinding in the absence of solvent (dry grinding), but the reverse process (LAG of the IND:OME co-amorphous system) showed partial decomposition of OME. The IND:OME co-amorphous system showed a higher physical stability than the neat IND and OME amorphous materials (with an amorphous stability longer than 100 days, compared to 4 and 16 h for the neat amorphous drugs, respectively, when stored at dry conditions at room temperature). Furthermore, OME presented a higher chemical stability in solution when dissolved from a salt form than from the pure crystalline form. The dissolution studies showed a dissolution enhancement for IND in both salt (1.8-fold after 8 h of dissolution) and co-amorphous (2.5-fold after 8 h of dissolution) forms. Anti-inflammatory activity using a mice paw oedema model showed an increase of the pharmacological response to IND at a lower dose (∼5mg/kg) for both IND:OME salt (2.8-fold) and IND:OME co-amorphous system (3.2-fold) after 6 h, when compared to the positive control group (IND, administered at 10 mg/kg). Additionally, the anti

Moisture was frequently used as dielectric heating source in classical microwave-able systems to facilitate microwave-induced in situ amorphization, however such systems may face the potential of drug hydrolysis. In this study, solid thermolytic salts were proposed to function as moisture substitutes and their feasibility and impacts on microwave-induced in situ amorphization were investigated. It was found that NH4HCO3 was a promising solid alkaline salt to facilitate both microwave-induced in situ amorphization and in situ salt formation of acidic indomethacin (IND). Moreover, it could improve the chemical stability of the drug and the dissolution performance of compacts relative to classical moisture-based compacts upon microwaving. Further mechanistic study suggested that the in situ amorphization occurred prior to the in situ salt formation, especially in formulations with low drug loadings and high solid salt mass ratios. For compacts with low polymer ratios, in situ salt formation took place subsequently, where the previously amorphized IND within compacts could interact with the NH3 gas produced in situ by the decomposition of NH4HCO3 and form the ammonium IND salt. Microwaving time showed great impacts on the decomposition of NH4HCO3 and the in situ generation of water and NH3, which indirectly affected the amorphization and salt formation of IND. In comparison to the moisture-based systems, the NH4HCO3-based system showed a number of advantages, including the reduced potential of IND hydrolysis due to the absence of absorbed moisture, a wider category of applicable polymeric carriers other than hygroscopic polymers, and an increase in drug loading up to 50% (w/w).

In this study, the high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HR-US) technique was applied to examine interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The mentioned method was tested on the example of complexation between poly(allylammonium) cations and poly(acrylate) anions in aqueous solutions at pH = 7. It was confirmed by HR-US that the type of titration (stepwise or abrupt), the direction of titration, and the type of background salt affect the outcome of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The obtained results were explained on the basis of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation changes in the context of suspension compressibility, a parameter that is extremely sensitive to molecular organization and intermolecular interactions. Moreover, the results of HR-US measurements proved to be consistent with previous results obtained by more traditional methods such as dynamic light scattering, microcalorimetry, and electrokinetics. This research demonstrates that HR-US is a convenient and reliable method that can be employed for the investigation of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization and polyelectrolyte-related processes.

In this study, the high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HR-US) technique was applied to examine interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The mentioned method was tested on the example of complexation between poly(allylammonium) cations and poly(acrylate) anions in aqueous solutions at pH = 7. It was confirmed by HR-US that the type of titration (stepwise or abrupt), the direction of titration, and the type of background salt affect the outcome of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The obtained results were explained on the basis of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation changes in the context of suspension compressibility, a parameter that is extremely sensitive to molecular organization and intermolecular interactions. Moreover, the results of HR-US measurements proved to be consistent with previous results obtained by more traditional methods such as dynamic light scattering, microcalorimetry, and electrokinetics. This research demonstrates that HR-US is a convenient and reliable method that can be employed for the investigation of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization and polyelectrolyte-related processes.

In this study, the high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HR-US) technique was applied to examine interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The mentioned method was tested on the example of complexation between poly(allylammonium) cations and poly(acrylate) anions in aqueous solutions at pH = 7. It was confirmed by HR-US that the type of titration (stepwise or abrupt), the direction of titration, and the type of background salt affect the outcome of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The obtained results were explained on the basis of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation changes in the context of suspension compressibility, a parameter that is extremely sensitive to molecular organization and intermolecular interactions. Moreover, the results of HR-US measurements proved to be consistent with previous results obtained by more traditional methods such as dynamic light scattering, microcalorimetry, and electrokinetics. This research demonstrates that HR-US is a convenient and reliable method that can be employed for the investigation of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization and polyelectrolyte-related processes.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) set sodium benchmarks for packaged foods to guide countries in setting feasible and effective sodium reformulation programs. We modeled the dietary and health impact of full compliance with the WHO's sodium benchmarks in Australia and compared it to the potential impact of Australia's 2020 sodium reformulation targets. METHODS: We used nationally representative data on food and sodium intake, sodium levels in packaged foods, and food sales volume to estimate sodium intake pre- and post-implementation of the WHO and Australia's sodium benchmarks for 24 age-sex groups. Using comparative risk assessment models, we then estimated the potential deaths, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years averted from cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and stomach cancer based on the reductions in sodium intake. RESULTS: Compliance with the WHO's sodium benchmarks for packaged foods in Australia could lower mean adult sodium intake by 404 mg/day, corresponding to a 12% reduction. This could prevent about 1770 deaths/year (95% uncertainty interval 1168-2587), corresponding to 3% of all cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and stomach cancer deaths in Australia, and prevent some 6900 (4603-9513) new cases, and 25 700 (17 655-35 796) disability-adjusted life years/year. Compared with Australian targets, the WHO benchmarks will avert around 3 and a half times more deaths each year (1770 versus 510). CONCLUSIONS: Substantially greater health impact could be achieved if the Australian government strengthened its current sodium reformulation program by adopting WHO's more stringent and comprehensive sodium benchmarks.

BackgroundDietary sodium has a dose-response relationship with cardiovascular disease, and sodium intake in Sweden exceeds national and international recommendations. Two thirds of dietary sodium intake comes from processed foods, and adults in Sweden eat more processed foods than any other European country. We hypothesized that sodium content in processed foods is higher in Sweden than in other countries. The aim of this study was to investigate sodium content in processed food items in Sweden, and how it differs from Australia, France, Hong Kong, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. MethodsData were collected from retailers by trained research staff using standardized methods. Data were categorized into 10 food categories and compared using Kruskal-Wallis test of ranks. Sodium content in the food items was compared in mg sodium per 100 g of product, based on the nutritional content labels on the packages. ResultsCompared to other countries, Sweden had among the highest sodium content in the "dairy" and "convenience foods" categories, but among the lowest in "cereal and grain products," "seafood and seafood products" and "snack foods" categories. Australia had the overall lowest sodium content, and the US the overall highest. The highest sodium content in most analyzed countries was found in the "meat and meat products" category. The highest median sodium content in any category was found among "sauces, dips, spreads and dressings" in Hong Kong. ConclusionThe sodium content differed substantially between countries in all food categories, although contrary to our hypothesis, processed foods overall had lower sodium content in Sweden than in most other included countries. Sodium content in processed food was nonetheless high also in Sweden, and especially so in increasingly consumed food categories, such as "convenience foods".

AIMS: A high intake of salt raises blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have reported on the association between salt intake and carotid stenosis, but the association with coronary atherosclerosis has not been reported. Therefore, this project aimed at studying the association between salt intake and both carotid and coronary atherosclerosis in a contemporary community-based cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: Estimated 24-h sodium excretion (est24hNa) was calculated by the Kawasaki formula for participants of two sites (Uppsala and Malmö) of the Swedish Cardiopulmonary bioImage Study, who underwent a coronary computed tomography (n = 9623) and measurement of coronary artery calcium score (CACS, n = 10 289). Carotid ultrasound was used to detect carotid plaques (n = 10 700). Ordered logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) per 1000 mg increase in est24hNa. We also investigated potential J-formed associations using quintiles of est24hNa. Increased est24hNa was associated with increased occurrence of carotid plaques [OR: 1.09, P < 0.001, confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.12], higher CACS (OR: 1.16, P < 0.001, CI: 1.12-1.19), and coronary artery stenosis (OR: 1.17, P < 0.001, CI: 1.13-1.20) in minimal adjusted models. Associations were abolished when adjusting for blood pressure. When adjusting for established cardiovascular risk factors (not including blood pressure), associations remained for carotid plaques but not for coronary atherosclerosis. There was no evidence of J-formed associations. CONCLUSION: Higher est24hNa was associated with both coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in minimal adjusted models. The association seemed mainly mediated by blood pressure but to some degree also influenced by other established cardiovascular risk factors.

Multidose injectable formulations require a preservative such as phenol to ensure sterility and protection against microbial contamination during clinical use. However, it is known that the interaction between these components and non-ionic surfactants such as polysorbate 80, also found in this type of formulations, present incompatibilities, which can lead to decreases in the efficacy of the product. This incompatibility is linked to a decrease in the cloud point of the surfactant. The presence of other common components in this type of formulations, such as salt, proteins or non-ionic tonicity adjusting agents are also known to influence this phenomenon. Furthermore, it’s known that preservatives can lead to increased aggregation in protein-based formulations as a consequence of preservative-protein interaction. In order to study these incompatibilities, different concentration titrations were carried out in which the emergence of the cloud point was monitored by simultaneous measurement of light scattering. In general, these titrations consisted of the addition of phenol to samples containing polysorbate 80, salt, protein and tonicity adjusting agents in varying concentrations. Additionally, preservative-protein interaction was studied by complementary concentration titrations and sample-specific analysis by small-angle X-ray scattering. Results obtained in the study indicate that the presence of phenol, at concentrations within the range commonly used in multi-dose injectable formulations, leads to a reduction in the cloud point of polysorbate 80 down to 25ºC. In addition, the presence of other components such as salt, somatropin or mannitol is shown to decrease the phenol concentration required for the appearance of this phenomenon. Moreover, results suggest that the interaction between somatropin and phenol leads to protein aggregation, which is significantly enhanced by the presence of salt., Interactions between components in multi-dose injectable formulations may lead to incompatibilities. Preservatives are required in this type of formulations to ensure the sterility of the product during clinical use; however, it is known that their interaction with non-ionic surfactants and proteins can cause turbidity and protein aggregation. But what are the consequences of these defects and how can they be avoided? These incompatibilities may lead to a decrease in the efficacy of the medicinal product. Nevertheless, these effects occur for specific preservative concentrations. Hence, the need arises for a proper formulation away from concentrations in which the components may present incompatibilities. This project aims to study in detail at what concentrations these defects become significant. For this purpose, turbidity of samples containing these components is analysed. This characteristic is related to the concept known as cloud point in the case of surfactant, and aggregation in the case of protein. A simple, accurate way to analyse the turbidity of a sample is by measuring the scattered light from a laser beam. Thanks to ProbeDrum® equipment, it is possible to simultaneously perform concentration titrations and scattered light measurements with a detection angle of 90° (side scattering). In this way, any change in the turbidity of a sample containing surfactant and/or protein can be determined while small amounts of preservative are continuously added. The components used for the study are phenol, polysorbate 80 and somatropin, as preservative, non-ionic surfactant and protein, respectively. In addition, another aim of the project is to analyse the effect of other components also used in this type of formulations, such as salt and non-ionic tonicity adjusting agents, on these incompatibilities. Results confirm that phenol causes a significant decrease in the cloud point of polysorbate 80 and an increased aggregation of somatropin. These effects appear at co

Sverige behöver öka andelen hållbara resor för att minska den negativa påverkan på miljön. Två positiva effekterna med cykling är den förbättrade folkhälsan och att det är mer energieffektivt än att resa med bil. Idag är omkring 40% av alla bilresor kortare än 5km. Antalet cykelresor är färre under vintern och därför är potentialen som störst att ersätta kortare bilresor vintertid. Cyklister har en högre risk än bilister att skadas eller dödas och därför är det viktigt, i arbetet mot ökad cykling att även förbättrad säkerhet för cyklister. Studier av Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut (VTI) visar att fler väljer att cykla vintertid om vinterunderhållet är bra. I den traditionella vinterväg-hållningen används plogning och sand. Sopsaltmetoden har ökat i popularitet. Metoden använder en borste för att sopa bort snön och saltlösning, torrt eller befuktat salt för halkbekämpning. Det leder till barmarksförhållanden vintertid (utan sand som ökar risken för halkolyckor) ökad tillgänglighet och bättre komfort för cyklister. Metoden är dock mer resurskrävande och sprider salt till miljön. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur vinterväghållningen kan utformas i Avesta kommun för att öka det hållbara resandet och få fler att cykla på vintern. Förutsättningarna för att implementera metoden i mindre kommuner diskuteras. Rekommendationerna specifika för Avesta kommun kan användas av andra kommuner som funderar på att implementera sopsaltmetoden. Genom en litteraturstudie sammanställs tillgänglig forskning och erfarenheter från kommuner som använt sopsaltmetoden. För att samla in mer erfarenhet inbjöds kommunerna att delta i en enkätstudie. Även en fallstudie genomförde där Avestas förutsättningar att implementera metoden analyserades. Tre intervjuer hölls, en med Avesta kommun, en med Katrineholms kommun som tidigare använt metoden och en med två av de ledande forskarna inom sopsaltmetoden Anna Niska och Göran Blomqvist från VTI. 19 av de 27 inbjudna kommunern, Sweden needs to increase the proportion of sustainable travels to decrease the negative impact on the environment. Among the great effects of cycling are the positive effects on the public health and that it is more energy efficient compared to travelling by car. Today about 40% of all car journeys are shorter than 5km. Bicycle travels decrease during winter and therefor the potential in increasing sustainable travel by replacing shorter car travels is highest during winter. Since cyclists have a higher risk to get injured or killed compared to motorists it is important when working for more bicycle travels to also improve the safety for cyclists. Studies by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) shows that more people choose to cycle during winter if the winter maintenance is good. The traditional method is to clear the snow by ploughing and skid control by using grit. The method sweepsalting has increased in popularity. A machine uses a power broom to clear the snow and spreads saline solution or pre-wetted salt for skid control. It leads to bare ground conditions during winter, with no grit that increases risk for accidents, an increased accessibility and it is more comfortable for cyclists. The method is however more resource demanding and salt is spread to the environment. The aim of this study is to investigate how winter maintenance can be designed in Avesta municipality to increase sustainable travel and get more people to cycle in the winter. A discussion of the prerequisites for implementation of the sweepsalting method in smaller municipalities is conducted. The resulting recommendations specific to Avesta can be used by other municipalities thinking of implementing the sweepsalting method. Through a literature review, available research on the sweepsalting method and experiences from other municipalities was compiled. To gather more experience municipalities were invited to participate in a survey study. A case study to analyse

© 2011 Elsevier Ltd. Financial support from Banco de Santander and Universidad Complutense de Madrid under Project GR35/10–910358 is gratefully acknowledged., The water uptake of different aqueous salt solutions in different Nafion membranes, and the salt transport through those membranes under the driving force of a concentration gradient, have been studied. These experiments have been performed by using the following salts: lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride and cesium chloride. Different homogeneous Nafion membranes, NF111, NF112, NF115 and NF117, have been used in this work, with the aim of studying the membrane thickness influence. It has been observed that the membrane water uptake increases with the membrane thickness and decreases with the size of the cation. The integral permeability coefficient has been determined from the time evolution of the salt concentration in the dilute solution. The results show that the integral permeability coefficient decreases with the membrane thickness. In general, the influence of the type of electrolyte on the integral permeability coefficient is not significant for the membranes with larger thickness (that is, NF115 and NF117). Average apparent cation transport number has been determined for the same salt solutions, and from that membrane apparent permselectivity has been estimated. In general, in membranes with large thickness, the average apparent cation transport number increases with the cation size. Finally, from fluxes and membrane potentials membrane negative ionic permeabilities have been determined finding also that they decrease with membrane thickness. Salt diffusion coefficient has been also determined from membrane negative ionic diffusion coefficient., Banco de Santander, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Depto. de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

The importance of salt for human life explains that this ordinary element is called white gold and that its production has influenced the economy and society of many territories in all times. The economic and political relevance of the salt flats of southern Spain, such as those of San Fernando, in Cádiz, explains the research interest on its history, but, for now, it has not been approached from a gender perspective. In order to contribute with new knowledge to the history of women, this text is interested in the figure of the salt miner woman through the study of newspapers and oral sources. As we will see, the portrait of these women is polarized between the mythical woman, very influenced by the Andalusian stereotype, and the real woman., La importancia de la sal para la vida humana explica que este elemento tan común se denominara oro blanco y que su explotación haya influido en la economía y la sociedad de multitud de territorios y en todos los tiempos. La relevancia económica y política de las salinas del sur de España, como las de San Fernando, en Cádiz, explica el interés investigador sobre su historia, pero, de momento, no ha sido abordada desde la perspectiva de género. Con objeto de aportar nuevos conocimientos a la historia de las mujeres, este texto se interesa por la figura de las salineras a través del estudio de fuentes hemerográficas y orales. Como veremos, el retrato de estas féminas se polariza entre la mujer mítica, muy influenciada por el estereotipo andaluz, y la mujer real.

In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers doped with hydrated calcium nitrate were prepared using electrospinning. The samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results are complementary and confirm the presence of chemical hydrogen bonding between the polymer and the dopant. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the proportion of the electroactive polar beta phase from 72 to 86%. It was shown that hydrogen bonds acted as a transport pathway for electron capture by the conjugated salt, leading to more than a three-fold quenching of photoluminescence. Furthermore, the optical bandgap of the composite material narrowed to the range of visible light energies. For the first time, it the addition of the salt reduced the energy of the PVDF exciton by a factor of 17.3, initiating photocatalytic activity. The calcium nitrate-doped PVDF exhibited high photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under both UV and visible light (89 and 44%, respectively). The reaction rate increased by a factor of 2.4 under UV and 3.3 under visible light during piezophotocatalysis. The catalysis experiments proved the efficiency of the membrane design and mechanisms of catalysis are suggested. This study offers insight into the nature of chemical bonds in piezopolymer composites and potential opportunities for their use.

In this study, the high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HR-US) technique was applied to examine interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The mentioned method was tested on the example of complexation between poly(allylammonium) cations and poly(acrylate) anions in aqueous solutions at pH = 7. It was confirmed by HR-US that the type of titration (stepwise or abrupt), the direction of titration, and the type of background salt affect the outcome of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization. The obtained results were explained on the basis of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation changes in the context of suspension compressibility, a parameter that is extremely sensitive to molecular organization and intermolecular interactions. Moreover, the results of HR-US measurements proved to be consistent with previous results obtained by more traditional methods such as dynamic light scattering, microcalorimetry, and electrokinetics. This research demonstrates that HR-US is a convenient and reliable method that can be employed for the investigation of interpolyelectrolyte neutralization and polyelectrolyte-related processes.

Background and aims: High sodium intake is one of the main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, and its consumption should be reduced. This study aimed to simulate changes in the daily salt intake of the Italian adult population based on consumption scenarios of prepacked cereal-based foods sold in Italy. Methods and results: Information on food packages was retrieved from 2893 cereal-based products. Potential changes in salt intake were simulated based on food consumption scenarios that consider the daily consumption of cereal-based products suggested in the Italian Dietary Guidelines and their current daily consumption by Italian adults. The highest salt content was retrieved in bread (median, 25th-75th percentile: 1.3, 1.1-1.4 g/100 g) and bread substitutes (1.8, 1.0-2.2 g/100 g). If the suggested daily amounts were consumed, bread would contribute to 44% of the 5 g salt/day target, whereas bread substitutes, breakfast cereals, biscuits and sweet snacks would marginally contribute (1-2%). Compared to bread with median salt content, a -44% and +10% salt intake would be observed if products within the first and the last quartile of salt content were chosen, respectively. However, considering the actual intake of Italian consumers, bread would cover 25% and bread substitutes 7% of the daily salt target. Conclusion: Food labels have a pivotal role and efforts are required to encourage consumers to use them to make healthy choices. Moreover, these results may contribute to setting sodium benchmarks in cereal-based products and encourage the food industry to reduce the salt content in the products.

Research on cross-modal correspondence has revealed interesting findings regarding how sound can affect our taste/flavour perception of food. To address the issue of excess salt in a typical Westerner's diet, approximately 30% of our daily salt intake comes from bread and cereal. Taking this fact as a starting point, the present study investigates the associations between designed soundtracks as taste stimuli for salt and sensory evaluation of bread baked with two different levels of salt. Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, 265 consumers were asked to match four soundtracks with basic taste words such as 'sweet', 'salty', and 'sour'. In Experiment 2, 342 consumers tasted bread while listening either to a soundtrack that had been described as 'salty' in Experiment 1 or to no sound. The consumers then evaluated their overall liking for the bread and the bread's taste balance in terms of saltiness and sourness. Our findings confirm that consumers can associate different soundtracks with different tastes and that sound can enhance a person's taste perception of salt in bread. Thus, sound can cause consumers to perceive a higher salt intensity in bread without the actual presence of more salt, or even when the salt content has been decreased. From a health perspective, certain soundtracks may hold potential for promoting a reduction in consumers' salt intake by enhancing their perception of saltiness in food.

Frisia Zout B.V. extracts salt from the subsurface by means of solution mining in the north-western part of The Netherlands. The caverns are situated in the Zechstein-II Halite at a depth of around 2.5 km. Because of this depth and the low operating pressure (around 60% of lithostatic pressure) the salt creep within the cavern is high. Once a cavern is at the end of its lifetime it is decommissioned and shut in. During the shut-in period the cavern blanket fluid is removed and replaced with brine and gets time to equalize in pressure and temperature with its surroundings before being permanently abandoned. At the time of abandonment there is still a small pressure deficit (cavern brine at 98% of lithostatic pressure at roof of cavern). At this pressure deficit there is, in theory, still some salt creep because of the difference in pressure between the cavern brine and surrounding salt walls induced by lithostatic pressure. Since the cavern is closed and still creeps, the brine will escape by means of permeation through the surrounding salt walls and roof. At this point an equilibrium is reached between the cavern convergence and the brine permeation around the cavern. This research aims to get a better understanding of the cavern convergence and permeation processes after abandonment. For this, a cavern convergence- and brine permeation model is made. Next to this the potential surface subsidence due to the migration of brine to more permeable layers is investigated. In the convergence model, the cavern is modelled as a stack of cylinders and a Norton-Hoff power law squeeze model is applied to the cavern. The squeeze model consists of 2 parts, a linear and a nonlinear part. The nonlinear part is most significant during the production phase and in these high-pressure deficits the squeeze model is fitted on the available production data. Recent creep tests on salt samples under lower pressure deficits (Bérest et al., 2019) have confirmed that the linear part becom, European Mining, Minerals and Environmental Programme, Applied Earth Sciences

The figure of Lot’s wife appears frequently in the preaching of the great representatives of Latin spirituality of the 4th and 5th centuries, with the purpose of evoking the importance of the firmness of the vows for a Christian committed to his faith. This figure also has a long and varied exegetical tradition, which will be important to keep in mind to assess the contributions of our specific period of interest., La figura de la mujer de Lot aparece con frecuencia en la predicación de los grandes representantes de la espiritualidad latina de los siglos IV y V, con el propósito de evocar la importancia que tiene la firmeza de los votos para un cristiano comprometido con su fe. Esta figura, además, cuenta con una larga y variada tradición exegética, que será importante tener presente para valorar los aportes de nuestro período específico de interés.

Increasing trends in base cations, pH, and salinity of urbanizing freshwaters have been documented in U.S. streams for over 50 years. These patterns, collectively known as Freshwater Salinization Syndrome (FSS), are driven by multiple processes, including applications of road salt and human-accelerated weathering of impervious surfaces, reductions in acid rain, and other anthropogenic legacies of change. FSS mobilizes chemical cocktails of distinct elemental mixtures via ion exchange, and other biogeochemical processes. Urban streams in temperate areas experience chronic salinization throughout the year punctuated by acute salinization during winter storms with associated road salting. My research analyzed impacts of FSS on stream water chemistry in the field with routine bi-weekly and targeted high frequency sampling during road salting events. Field sites were proximal to USGS stream sensors using multiparameter datasondes, allowing for additional parameters to be monitored at 5-15 minute resolution. In the laboratory incubation analyses were also conducted using sediment and water samples to assess the function of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) during road salting events. Acute FSS associated with road salting was found to mobilize chemical cocktails of metals (Mn, Cu, Sr²⁺), base cations (Na+, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺), nutrients (TDN), and organic matter (NPOC). Regression relationships were developed among specific conductance and major ion and trace metal concentrations. These linear relationships were statistically significant in most of the urban streams studied (e.g., R2 = 0.62 and 0.43 for Mn and Cu, respectively), and showed that specific conductance could be used as a proxy to predict concentrations of major ions and trace metals. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed co-mobilization (i.e., correlations among combinations of specific conductance, Mn, Cu, Sr²⁺, and all base cations during certain times of year and hydrologic conditions). Co-mobili

Relating crustal deformation to stress conditions has long been a subject of interest to the geologic community as rock failure has important implications for storage and extraction of petroleum and mineral deposits, as well as sequestration efforts. The ability to relate patterns of rock deformation to stress conditions also permits geologists to better understand structural evolution. This dissertation focuses on interpreting and modeling crustal stress conditions from outcrop to regional scale associated with late Cretaceous to early Eocene deformation across the Colorado Plateau.The first part of this dissertation focuses on salt-related stress perturbations adjacent to the Salt Valley salt wall in the Paradox Basin of southern Utah. Under Late Cretaceous-early Eocene tectonic loading, the salt wall underwent active diapirism via ductile flow because of its inability to sustain differential stress due to inherent mechanical weakness. This phenomenon generated local stress perturbations from regional tectonic conditions in the rock mass adjacent to the deforming salt wall. The first two studies presented in this dissertation improve our ability to interpret and predict stress conditions and the associated rock failure in the perturbed stress environment around salt bodies under tectonic loading. This includes evidence and implications for use of a non-linear failure criterion to describe brittle rock failure, as opposed to the commonly used linear Coulomb failure criterion. The second part of this dissertation focuses on regional tectonic stress and associated Laramide deformation across the Colorado Plateau. Laramide deformation is evidenced by basement-cored uplifts bound by doubly plunging monoclinal folds. Blind basement fault geometries are estimated with trishear fault-propagation models and generalized area-depth calculations. The blind basement fault model is used as inputs into a geomechanical model to evaluate regional Laramide stress conditions respons

The relationship between sodium, blood pressure and extracellular volume could not be more pronounced or complex than in a dialysis patient. We review the patients' sources of sodium exposure in the form of dietary salt intake, medication administration, and the dialysis treatment itself. In addition, the roles dialysis modalities, hemodialysis types, and dialysis fluid sodium concentration have on blood pressure, intradialytic symptoms, and interdialytic weight gain affect patient outcomes are discussed. We review whether sodium restriction (reduced salt intake), alteration in dialysis fluid sodium concentration and the different dialysis types have any impact on blood pressure, intradialytic symptoms, and interdialytic weight gain.

Dans Le ventre de l’Atlantique (2003), Celles qui attendent (2010) et Impossible de grandir (2013), Fatou Diome présente une « égogéographie » littéraire liée à l’identité et aux paysages du delta du Saloum. Le lien féminin avec le paysage devient l’axe central de cette étude, tout en analysant les représentations symboliques et linguistiques qui génèrent des paradigmes de sens quant à la position qu’occupe la substance salée dans la convergence entre la nature, la culture, l’espace et la mémoire. Si, pour Michel Collot (2014), la géographie littéraire est l’expression d’une relation concrète, affective et symbolique qui lie, selon cette recherche, la femme au paysage, la géocritique nous permettra d’éclairer le topos salé dans l’imaginaire féminin sénégalais., En Le ventre de l’Atlantique (2003), Celles qui attendent (2010) y Impossible de grandir (2013), Fatou Diome presenta una “egogeografía” literaria vinculada a la identidad y los paisajes del Delta del Saloum. El vínculo femenino con el paisaje se convierte en el eje central de este estudio, al tiempo que se analizan las representaciones simbólicas y lingüísticas que generan paradigmas de sentido en función de la posición que la sustancia salada ocupa en la convergencia entre naturaleza, cultura, espacio y memoria. Si, para Michel Collot (2014), la geografía literaria es la expresión de una relación concreta, afectiva y simbólica que une, según esta investigación, a la mujer con el paisaje, la geocrítica nos permitirá arrojar luz sobre el topos salado en el imaginario femenino senegalés., In Le ventre de l’Atlantique (2003), Celles qui attendent (2010) and Impossible de grandir (2013), Fatou Diome presents a literary “ego-geography” linked to the identity and landscapes of the Saloum Delta. The female link with the landscape becomes the central axis of this study, while analysing the symbolic and linguistic representations that generate paradigms of meaning according to the position that the salty substance occupies in the convergence between nature, culture, space and memory. If, for Michel Collot (2014), literary geography is the expression of a concrete, affective and symbolic relationship that links, according to this research, women to the landscape, geocriticism will allow us to shed light on the salty topos in the Senegalese female imaginary.

There are challenges in monitoring and managing water quality due to spatial and temporal heterogeneity in contaminant sources, transport, and transformations. We demonstrate the importance of longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring, which can track combinations of water quality parameters along flowpaths across space and time. Specifically, we analyze longitudinal patterns of chemical mixtures of carbon, nutrients, greenhouse gasses, salts, and metals concentrations along 10 flowpaths draining 1,765 km2 of the Chesapeake Bay region. These 10 longitudinal stream flowpaths are drained by watersheds experiencing either urban degradation, forest and wetland conservation, or stream and floodplain restoration. Along the 10 longitudinal stream flowpaths, we monitored over 300 total sampling sites along a combined stream length of 337 km. Synoptic monitoring along longitudinal flowpaths revealed: (1) increasing, decreasing, piecewise, or no trends and transitions in water quality with increasing distance downstream, which provide insights into water quality processes along flowpaths; (2) longitudinal trends and transitions in water quality along flowpaths can be quantified and compared using simple linear and non-linear statistical relationships with distance downstream and/or land use/land cover attributes, (3) attenuation and transformation of chemical cocktails along flowpaths depend on: spatial scales, pollution sources, and transitions in land use and management, hydrology, and restoration. We compared our LSS patterns with others from the global literature to synthesize a typology of longitudinal water quality trends and transitions in streams and rivers based on hydrological, biological, and geochemical processes. Applications of LSS monitoring along flowpaths from our results and the literature reveal: (1) if there are shifts in pollution sources, trends, and transitions along flowpaths, (2) which pollution sources can spread further downstream to sensitive r

Altek has recently completed the successful installation and commissioning of its latest AluSalt facility. Installed in Bahrain for its parent company Harsco Environmental, it is the third installation of its kind. Altek has incorporated many improvements from its experience gained over the last ten years. This journey started when the organisation first set out to develop an economically viable and small-scale solution to the global issue of salt slag recycling and processing. Dross should not be the sole driver of the industry's sustainable goals but it is part of the process. If dross is seriously addressed, it is one of the few parts of the process that can provide a return on an organisation's bottom line and serve environmental goals as well., Altek has recently completed the successful installation and commissioning of its latest AluSalt facility. Installed in Bahrain for its parent company Harsco Environmental, it is the third installation of its kind. Altek has incorporated many improvements from its experience gained over the last ten years. This journey started when the organisation first set out to develop an economically viable and small-scale solution to the global issue of salt slag recycling and processing. Dross should not be the sole driver of the industry's sustainable goals but it is part of the process. If dross is seriously addressed, it is one of the few parts of the process that can provide a return on an organisation's bottom line and serve environmental goals as well.

Drug delivery to the lungs using aerosol is a well-established route for treating a wide range of respiratory and systemic diseases. However, the physicochemical processes that transform aerosol between generation and deposition are poorly understood. Control over time-dependent aerosol properties, such as size and composition, could improve the efficacy of inhalation therapeutics by targeted delivery of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to the disease site. Aerosol tools, developed for probing atmospheric aerosol processes, have been applied to study the dynamics of inhalation aerosol. This thesis will provide important insights into factors that govern the capacity and dynamics of hygroscopic growth, influencing where aerosol deposits in the respiratory tract. This thesis describes laboratory-based techniques that were used to explore the dynamic aerosol processes occurring during and prior to inhalation. An advanced electrodynamic balance (EDB) was designed and developed to replicate the saturated environmental conditions within the lungs. Elastic light scattering methods were used determine the time-dependence of droplet size and phase on evaporation, condensation, crystallisation and dissolution. In addition to single particle measurements, a double ring EDB and falling droplet column (FDC) were used to collect dried aerosol samples prior to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. Evaporation measurements on an EDB were used to infer the hygroscopic response of a range of APIs and excipients frequently used in inhalable drug formulations. The influence of environmental conditions, particle morphology, particle composition and particle size on dissolution kinetics of a crystalline particle were investigated. In addition, the effect of drying conditions on crystallisation kinetics of an aqueous droplet are explored. Importantly, it is shown that the time taken for complete dissolution of a crystalline particle is significantly reduced by an in

Blood pressure (BP) control is a key target for interventions to reduce cognitive decline. This cross-sectional study explored associations between objective (24-hour urine excretion) and subjective (food frequency questionnaire [FFQ]) measures of dietary sodium and nitrate intakes with cognitive function and resting BP in the InCHIANTI cohort. Baseline data from 989 participants aged >50 years were included. In fully adjusted models, participants with concurrent high nitrate and low sodium (Odds Ratio (OR)=0.49, 95%CI 0.32–0.76, p = 0.001) and high nitrate and high sodium (OR = 0.49, 95%CI 0.32–0.77, p = 0.002) 24-hour urinary concentrations had lower odds of high BP than participants with low nitrate and high sodium concentrations. We found no significant associations between sodium and nitrate intakes (24-hour urinary concentrations and FFQ) and poor cognitive performance. Urinary nitrate excretion was associated with lower BP and results appeared to be independent of sodium intake. Further analyses in longitudinal studies are required to substantiate these findings.

Aux xive et xve siècles, Venise, placée favorablement en Méditerranée, à proximité des grands fleuves et de cols alpins qui conduisent en Lombardie ou en Allemagne et en Flandre, tente d’imposer un monopole de navigation et de commerce à la mer Adriatique considérée comme son Golfe. Elle bénéficie de son avance technique et de son organisation (l’Arsenal), de ses bateaux (nefs coques, galères), de ses connaissances financières, de sa richesse et de l’expérience acquise par ses marchands sur les places du Levant comme à l’Ouest. Cité sans campagne (ville sans contado), elle fait venir de l’extérieur, par la mer ou par les fleuves, tout ce qui est nécessaire à sa population (matériaux de construction, bois de chauffage, et tout le vivre, céréales, vin, huile et bétail) et à son industrie navale ou textile (draperie et soierie), elle craint de manquer et met à contribution une vaste partie de l’Europe, Pourtant, elle se heurte à de graves difficultés en Adriatique même, à la piraterie, aux puissances riveraines, aux ports concurrents, Raguse et Ancône, à l’intrusion du capital et de marchands toscans dans les ports de Dalmatie, elle cherche à appliquer son monopole aux territoires qu’elle domine politiquement et qui constituent son empire, mais, par peur de la contrebande qui ruinerait ses recettes douanières et fiscales, elle réduit l’activité maritime et commerciale de ses territoires-sujets. Les marchands vénitiens font certes commerce où ils veulent mais dès qu’ils entrent en Adriatique, ils doivent se rendre à Venise avec leurs marchandises et non dans un autre port. Venise semble forte de sa puissance assise sur des points d’appui solides et sur la faiblesse de ses adversaires: si Gênes n’est plus une menace, de nouveaux dangers menacent en Adriatique même, les Turcs ottomans contre qui Venise commence à mener d’épuisantes guerres., In the 14th and 15th centuries, Venice, favorably positioned in the Mediterranean, near the great rivers and Alpine passes that led to Lombardy, Germany and Flanders, tried to impose a monopoly on navigation and trade in the Adriatic Sea, which was considered its Gulf. It benefited from its technical advance and its organization (the Arsenal), its ships (hulls, galleys), its financial knowledge, its wealth and the experience acquired by its merchants in the places of the Levant as well as in the West. City without countryside (city without contado), it makes come from outside, by the sea or by the rivers, all that is necessary for its population (building materials, firewood, and all the food, cereals, wine, oil and cattle) and for its naval or textile industry (drapery and silk), it fears to miss and puts at contribution a vast part of Europe, However, it runs up against serious difficulties in the Adriatic itself, However, it faced serious difficulties in the Adriatic itself, with piracy, with the riparian powers, with the competing ports of Ragusa and Ancona, with the intrusion of capital and Tuscan merchants in the ports of Dalmatia, it tried to apply its monopoly to the territories that it dominated politically and that constituted its empire, but, for fear of smuggling that would ruin its customs and tax revenues, it reduced the maritime and commercial activity of its subject territories. Venetian merchants could trade wherever they wanted, but as soon as they entered the Adriatic, they had to go to Venice with their goods and not to another port. Venice seems strong of its power based on solid points of support and on the weakness of its adversaries: if Genoa is not any more a threat, new dangers threaten in the Adriatic itself, the Ottoman Turks against whom Venice begins to lead exhausting wars.

Abstract Background There is a crisis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Pacific Islands, and poor diets are a major contributor. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis will likely further exacerbate the burden on food systems. Pacific Island leaders have adopted a range of food policies and regulations to improve diets. This includes taxes and regulations on compositional standards for salt and sugar in foods or school food policies. Despite increasing evidence for the effectiveness of such policies globally, there is a lack of local context-specific evidence about how to implement them effectively in the Pacific. Methods Our 5-year collaborative project will test the feasibility and effectiveness of policy interventions to reduce salt and sugar consumption in Fiji and Samoa, and examine factors that support sustained implementation. We will engage government agencies and civil society in Fiji and Samoa, to support the design, implementation and monitoring of evidence-informed interventions. Specific objectives are to: (1) conduct policy landscape analysis to understand potential opportunities and challenges to strengthen policies for prevention of diet-related NCDs in Fiji and Samoa; (2) conduct repeat cross sectional surveys to measure dietary intake, food sources and diet-related biomarkers; (3) use Systems Thinking in Community Knowledge Exchange (STICKE) to strengthen implementation of policies to reduce salt and sugar consumption; (4) evaluate the impact, process and cost effectiveness of implementing these policies. Quantitative and qualitative data on outcomes and process will be analysed to assess impact and support scale-up of future interventions. Discussion The project will provide new evidence to support policy making, as well as developin

The textbook is an essential tool within the school environment, being the main reference for the teacher to prepare what will be taught, and subsequently learned by students. In this work, a content analysis was carried out from the perspective of the BNCC, of two collections of textbooks from the PNLD, having as a reference the theme “production of sea salt”. This theme was chosen because the municipality of Macau, the city where the students are located, is the largest producer of salt in the country. Based on the criteria analysed from the perspective of the BNCC, it was found that a relevant topic such as the production of sea salt was not addressed in a significant way, showing that the textbook is made for a generic student, and that the role of the teacher is fundamental to choose what should be taught, valuing local and regional knowledge., O livro didático é instrumento essencial dentro do âmbito escolar, sendo a principal referência para que o professor ou professora realize a preparação do que vai ser ensinado, e subsequentemente aprendido pelos estudantes. Neste trabalho, foi realizado uma análise de conteúdo sob a ótica da BNCC, de duas coleções de livros didáticos do PNLD, tendo como referência a temática “produção de sal marinho”. Essa temática foi escolhida, porque o município de Macau, cidade onde os estudantes estão inseridos, é o maior produtor de sal do país. Constatou-se a partir dos critérios analisados sob a ótica da BNCC, que um tema relevante como a produção de sal marinho não foi abordado de forma significativa, mostrando que o livro didático é feito para um estudante genérico, e que o papel do professor é fundamental para escolher o que deve ser ensinado, valorizando os saberes locais e regionais.

High-level waste can be radiotoxic for thousands of years and should be carefully handled to prevent accidents. The research for geological disposal of radioactive waste focuses on the construction and durability of a geologic disposal facility in Dutch clays or salts. One of the challenges is assessing these host rocks’ capability to retard radionuclides and prevent them from entering the biosphere. This research focuses on disposal in clay. Because of clay’s low permeability, water movements are slow, and radionuclides transport is expected to occur predominantly by diffusion. The Peize and Waalre formations, situated on the interface between brackish and salt groundwater, serve as a natural analogue for targeted deeper, poorly indurated host rocks. The known disparity in chlorine levels between the aquifers adjacent to these clays qualify these formations for NaCl-tracer research. A cutting sampling study determined the conductivity of these clays’ porewater. Combining this with a one-dimensional modelling study, the saline history of this formation has been simulated. NaCl gradients were demonstrated at different drilling locations. The most manifested gradient is attempted to fit in the one-dimensional model. The model results suggest that this gradient originates from adjacent aquifer salinity, the clays’ physical properties and the difference in hydraulic head. The observed salinity discrepancy between aquifers and ion concentration gradient in the firstWaalre Clay confirm the assumption that the member can be a natural analogue. Uncertainty on the continuity of the total system prohibits concluding that diffusion-dominated transport in Dutch poorly indurated clays can be assumed. The best fitting scenario this research found fitting the empirical Waalre clay salinity curve is combined transport by diffusion and advection. The finding of diffusion-advection transport implies that the Waalre clay shows more complexity than initially expected., Applied Earth Sciences

Objective: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aims to examine the average population daily salt intake in the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. Design: A systematic review was conducted to examine the most up-to-date salt intake data for adults published between 2000 and 2022. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed and grey literature, WHO surveys and studies, as well as from national and global experts. Setting: The 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. Participants: People aged 12 years or more. Results: We identified 50 studies published between 2010-2021. Most countries in the WHO European Region (n = 52, 98%) reported salt intake above WHO recommended maximum levels. In almost all countries (n = 52, 98%), men consume more salt than women, ranging between 5.39 – 18.51g for men and 4.27 – 16.14g for women. Generally, Western and Northern European countries have the lowest average salt intake, whilst Eastern European and Central Asian countries have the highest average. 42% of the fifty-three countries (n = 22) measured salt intake using 24h urinary collections, considered the gold standard method. Conclusions: This study found that salt intakes in the WHO European Region are significantly above WHO recommended levels. Most Member States of the Region have conducted some form of population salt intake. However, methodologies to estimate salt intake are highly disparate and underestimations are very likely.

The present research was carried out to investigate the behavior of radon (222Rn) concentrations over the carbonate and evaporite sequences and to assess the related health hazards. A total of 50 points from three different stratigraphic units, namely, the Bahadurkhel Salt, Jatta Gypsum, and the Kohat Formation of the Eocene age, were analyzed for radon concentrations in the district of Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Measurements for radon levels were made by using RAD7 of Durridge, United States. The highest average 222Rn concentration (16.5 Bq/L) was found in the limestone unit of the Kohat Formation of the Eocene age. However, the lowest radon levels were observed in the salt-bearing strata of the Bahadurkhel Salt of the Eocene age. The study revealed that the average radon concentration in all the lithologies varied in the order of RnLimestone > RnSalt > RnGypsum. The findings of the current research suggest that the study area is safe from radon-related health hazards., Validerad;2022;Nivå 2;2022-09-26 (joosat)

My work is about using industrial saltrock to create furniture that speak to both humans and animals. The result is a communicative furniture shaped though the interaction of man, animal and nature. I believe that this subtle interaction, which makes us feel the presence of animals, can help us reconnect with our senses and thereby create empathy for the non-human existence of life. In my work, I want to create conditions for an animal-inclusive design process where the salt’s ability to change is used for the purpose of design, in this case modular pieces of furniture. The location of these objects is intended to capture the attention of people. They stand out from the organic environment, white cubes surrounded by nature. The crystal from the salt reflects light, creating a piece of furniture that gives the illusion of a floating refulgent island. With time, the saltrock object will change, and during this transformation I cast off the different shapes of stages that the salt cube takes before it dissolves. In the urban environment, they are reinterpreted and shaped into new materials. Now still with traces of animal imprints to remind us of their distant presence. The module is assembled in shapes according to the tectonic possibilities, which is reminiscent of how the game “Tetris” form is designed. With this project, I hope to increase the volume of wilderness and nature in modern urban architecture. With my method of allowing animals to be involved in the design process, I have taken a step back as a designer based on a traditional design process. My intention was never to make a piece of furniture in the traditional sense, but to capture a moment of the missing connection between city and nature. A big challenge for me was to dare to let go of control of the expected end result, to dare to leave room for the actual imprints that the animals created without post-constructions. At the same time, there was a great excitement in letting the forms take their

These photographs are acts of engagement with the nonhuman world, in forms that reflect the entanglement of the organic and the synthetic. In the Halophilic 2 series, I use polarized light to illuminate salt crystals, chasing color effects that activate the imagination. The colors come from the interaction of light and plastic: layers of various disposable, transparent plastics are put to use as retarders, standing between the crystals and the light source. As a result, the salt and plastic collaborate in refraction to create shimmering constellations and uncanny, gravity-defying spaces. In our time, salt and plastic are everywhere humans are, and most of the places where we are not. These are materials that have thoroughly permeated the physical earth, enmeshing all its creatures. As familiar and close at hand as salt is, imagery of it abounds in cultural expression, from the enigmatic to the mundane. Plastics have become as inevitable as salt, and nowhere near as benign. What kind of poetics do we have for a world that is infused with plastics at every level? What kinds of stories could possibly fit the world we are creating now?