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Access to detailed comparisons of the air quality variations encountered when commuting through a city offers the urban traveller more informed choice on how to minimise personal exposure to inhalable pollutants. In this study we report on an experiment designed to compare atmospheric contaminants, in this case, PM2.5 inhaled during rickshaw, bus, metro, non-air-conditioned car, air-conditioned (AC) car and walking journeys through the city of Delhi, India. The data collection was carried out using a portable TSI SidePak Aerosol Monitor AM520, during February 2018. The results demonstrate that rickshaws (266 ± 159 μg/m3) and walking (259 ± 102 μg/m3) modes were exposed to significantly higher mean PM2.5 levels, whereas AC cars (89 ± 30 μg/m3) and the metro (72 ± 11 μg/m3) had the lowest overall exposure rates. Buses (113 ± 14 μg/m3) and non-AC cars (149 ± 13 μg/m3) had average levels of exposure, but open windows and local factors caused surges in PM2.5 for both transport modes. Closed air-conditioned transport modes were shown to be the best modes for avoiding high concentrations of PM2.5, however other factors (e.g. time of the day, window open or closed in the vehicles) affected exposure levels significantly. Overall, the highest total respiratory deposition doses (RDDs) values were estimated as 84.7 ± 33.4 μg/km, 15.8 ± 9.5 μg/km and 9.7 ± 0.9 μg/km for walking, rickshaw and non-AC car transported mode of journey, respectively. Unless strong pollution control measures are taken, the high exposure to PM2.5 levels will continue causing serious short-term and long-term health concerns for the Delhi residents. Implementing integrated and intelligent transport systems and educating commuters on ways to reduce exposure levels and impacts on commuter's health are required.

The lockdown enforced by the UK Government to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to an unparalleled reduction in traffic volumes and significant drop in nitrogen dioxide concentrations in most cities, although the picture emerging from residential emissions of particulate matter (PM 10and PM 2.5) is more complex. The scale and degree of the intervention have exposed the level of change required to reduce pollution. Learning from the COVID-19 crisis, we identify three challenges that must be overcome to improve air quality in cities. First, what measures would be effective that balance civil liberties with enforcement action on air pollution? Second, how do we consolidate the cultural change needed to retain and normalise the social practices driving the observed pollution reduction? Third, how do we tackle these challenges in a way that breaks current patterns of socio-economic, health and environmental inequality?.

Blue and green infrastructure (BGI) is increasingly viewed as a promising solution to promoting a shift beyond traditionally engineered “grey” approaches towards more socially and environmentally sustainable infrastructure systems. The specific insights of geographical scholarship on how to address issues of processes, scale, and place in BGI design, implementation, and long-term management would help unlock the potential for BGI to be appropriate and inclusive, as well as support environmentally sound solutions. In this paper we unpack issues of processes for inclusive decision-making to design and implement BGI projects that can advance sustainable development. We present an assessment framework and its application to two case studies that highlight the potential for better alignment of BGI projects to the three pillars of sustainable development and that reveal key research challenges that geographical scholarship could address. We believe that co-produced geographical research in this domain is well placed to tackle these research challenges.

O objetivo desse artigo foi relatar um caso clínico de retratamento endodôntico com auxílio de magnificação por microscopia óptica e ultrassom em um paciente de 42 anos, sexo masculino que compareceu ao consultório odontológico queixando-se de dor e edema na região inferior esquerda da boca. Durante a anamnese e exames radiográficos, foi possível observar que se tratava do elemento 36 com tratamento endodôntico realizado previamente, porém, tal tratamento endodôntico era insatisfatório apesar dos canais mésio-vestibular e disto-lingual obturados, a não localização e manipulação adequada dos canais radiculares mésio-lingual e disto-vestibular, presentes no elemento dental, foram importantes para prognóstico desfavorável. A partir de exames complementares, planejou-se o retratamento endodôntico com auxílio de Microscopia Óptica e Ultrassom para localização e instrumentação dos condutos radiculares calcificados, alcançando regressão da lesão e reparação óssea. Portanto, a associação da magnificação proporcionada pela microscopia óptica e a vibração do ultrassom foram essenciais para um bom prognóstico, pois ofereceram melhor visualização e segurança no procedimento.

Countries around the world introduced strict restrictions on movement and activities known as ‘lockdowns’ to restrict the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the end of 2019. A sudden improvement in air quality was observed globally as a result of these lockdowns. To provide insight into the changes in air pollution levels in response to the COVID-19 restrictions we have compared surface air quality data in Delhi during four phases of lockdown and the first phase of the restriction easing period (25 March to 30 June 2020) with data from a baseline period (2018–2019). Simultaneously, short-term exposure of PM2.5 and O3 attributed premature mortality were calculated to understand the health benefit of the change in air quality. Ground-level observations in Delhi showed that concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 dropped substantially in 2020 during the overall study period compared with the same period in previous years, with average reductions of ~49%, ~39%, and ~39%, respectively. An overall lower reduction in O3 of ~19% was observed for Delhi. A slight increase in O3 was found in Delhi’s industrial and traffic regions. The highest peak of the diurnal variation decreased substantially for all the pollutants at every phase. The decrease in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations in 2020, prevented 904 total premature deaths, a 60% improvement when compared to the figures for 2018-2019. The restrictions on human activities during the lockdown have reduced anthropogenic emissions and subsequently improved air quality and human health in one of the most polluted cities in the world. Implication StatementI am submitting herewith the manuscript entitled “Unprecedented Reduction in Air Pollution and Corresponding Short-term Premature Mortality Associated with COVID-19 Forced Confinement in Delhi, India” for potential publishing in your journal.The novelty of this research lies in: (1) we utilized ground-level air quality data in Delhi during four phases of lockdown and the first phase of unlocking period (25th March to 30th June) for 2020 as well as data from the baseline period (2018–2019) to provide an early insight into the changes in air pollution levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) Chatarize the change of diurnal variation of the pollutants and (3) we assess the health risk due to PM2.5 and O3. Results from ground-level observations in Delhi showed that concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 substantially dropped in 2020 during the overall study period compared to the similar period in previous years, with an average reduction of ~49%, ~39%, and ~39%, respectively. In the case of O3, the overall reduction was observed as ~19% in Delhi, while a slight increase was found in industrial and traffic regions. And consequently, the highest peak of the diurnal variation decreased substantially for all the pollutants. The health impact assessment of the changes in air quality indicated that 904 short-term premature deaths (~60%) were prevented due to the decline in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations in the study period. The restrictions on human activities during the lockdown have reduced the anthropogenic emissions and subsequently improved air quality and human health in one of the most polluted cities in the world. Implication Statement I am submitting herewith the manuscript entitled “Unprecedented Reduction in Air Pollution and Corresponding Short-term Premature Mortality Associated with COVID-19 Forced Confinement in Delhi, India” for potential publishing in your journal. The novelty of this research lies in: (1) we utilized ground-level air quality data in Delhi during four phases of lockdown and the first phase of unlocking period (25th March to 30th June) for 2020 as well as data from the baseline period (2018–2019) to provide an early insight into the changes in air pollution levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) Chatarize the change of diurnal variation of the pollutants and (3) we assess the health risk due to PM2.5 and O3. Results from ground-level observations in Delhi showed that concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 substantially dropped in 2020 during the overall study period compared to the similar period in previous years, with an average reduction of ~49%, ~39%, and ~39%, respectively. In the case of O3, the overall reduction was observed as ~19% in Delhi, while a slight increase was found in industrial and traffic regions. And consequently, the highest peak of the diurnal variation decreased substantially for all the pollutants. The health impact assessment of the changes in air quality indicated that 904 short-term premature deaths (~60%) were prevented due to the decline in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations in the study period. The restrictions on human activities during the lockdown have reduced the anthropogenic emissions and subsequently improved air quality and human health in one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Implementation outcomes of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) (2008/50/EC)) are weak across European Union (EU) member states. In the UK, Local Authorities (LAs) must work toward reducing air pollution, however, means of assessing the extent and effectiveness of their contribution are limited. This paper develops a framework to evaluate policies implemented by UK LAs to address air pollution and applies it to Air Quality Action Plans (AQAP) of five cities. It looks at how, and the extent to which, LA air quality policies align with AAQD requirements, thus advancing empirical and academic knowledge on implementation literature surrounding multi-level governance, specifically the policy disconnect between the AAQD and UK Local Air Quality Management (LAQM). The application of the framework shows how LAs can better integrate AQAPs into their LAQM plans to assess, develop, improve and implement their air quality policies on the ground.

Urban resilience emerges not only from ‘what’ is done in relation to critical infrastructure systems, but in the ‘how’ of their conception, co-creation and integration into complex socio-ecological-technical systems. For green infrastructure, where ownership and agency may be distributed amongst organisations and diverse communities, inclusiveness and appropriateness require embedding in engineering assessments of green infrastructure and resilience. Through consideration of past, present and future engineering and resilience assessments – from monetising, through greening, to humanising – this paper examines the ways in which GI may be or has already contributed to enhancing urban resilience and types of assessment and indicators that have been or could be used. We suggest that enhancing visibility of the ‘whos’ (individuals, communities) is crucial to fully diversifying assessments. We also suggest some ideas for additional indicators and assert that co-production of future indicators needs to be undertaken with appropriate professionals (e.g. social impact assessment professionals).

Integration of relatively new policy tasks like climate adaptation into established higher-level policy fields is insufficiently understood in the academic literature. This paper proposes a framework to evaluate the integration of climate adaptation into the sectoral policy-making of the European Commission, particularly following the publication of the EU Adaptation Strategy (in 2013). The paper uses a framework of micro, meso and macro-level institutional behaviour drawing strongly on new institutionalism perspectives to identify and explain factors enabling and hindering policy integration. It focuses on integration in the coastal and marine policy sector, which is expected to be particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and draws from data collected through a document review and interviews with key informants. The findings show that the integration of climate adaptation is still at an early stage. The integration process appears to be largely dependent on institutional dynamics at the EU-level combined with how member states and wider sectoral stakeholders engage with adaptation concerns. In particular, the ambivalence of some member states and a lack of urgency among sectoral stakeholders has hampered the integration of adaptation goals.

Tackling diffuse pollution from agriculture is a key challenge for governments seeking to implement the European Union&rsquo, s Water Framework Directive (WFD). In the research literature, how best to integrate and align effective measures for tackling diffuse pollution, within the context of the EU&rsquo, s multilevel governance structure, remains an open question. This paper focuses on the first and second implementation cycles of the WFD to explore how national governance arrangements either facilitated or hindered the adoption of effective policies, especially with regards to the delivery of agricultural and water policies on the ground. It draws on data collected through systematic document analysis and interviews with key experts, policymakers and interest groups, and presents a comparative analysis of two case studies: England and Scotland. The case studies show that Scotland&rsquo, s joined-up governance structure, which enabled policymakers and interest groups to work together and to build trust and cooperation, facilitated the adoption of stricter measures for tackling diffuse pollution. In contrast, in England institutional fragmentation prevented a meaningful engagement of all parties and acted as a barrier. The analysis unpacks the design of policy mixes and the conditions that allow national governments to pursue more holistic and integrated governance approaches to overcome opposition from interest groups and gain their support.

Introdução: A compreensão das características do diâmetro foraminal contribui para o trabalho do clínico pois permite a seleção dos instrumentos apropriados para o preparo dos canais radiculares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o diâmetro foraminal, in vivo, em canais de molares superiores e inferiores e verificar a influência de fatores como faixa etária e diagnóstico pulpar e perirradicular. Métodos: 150 canais radiculares de 48 primeiros e segundos molares superiores e inferiores, foram divididos em grupos de acordo com a faixa etária: A1 - Menores de 15 anos; A2 - 16 a 34 anos e A3 - 34 a 50 anos, e de acordo com o diagnóstico: Pulpite irreversível; necrose pulpar e necrose pulpar com periodontite apical assintomática. Limas tipo K foram inseridas até o comprimento real do dente (CRD) para a seleção do instrumento anatômico foraminal (IAF). O diâmetro inicial da ponta (D0) do IAF foi considerado para a determinação do diâmetro foraminal. Os dados foram analisados por meio da análise de variância a três critérios e para as comparações múltiplas empregou-se o teste de Tukey. Resultados: Houve diferença estatística significante na interação entre faixa etária e diagnóstico (p < 0.001), sendo que dentes de pacientes mais jovens (A1) com pulpite irreversível apresentaram maiores diâmetros. Ainda, verificou-se que, independente da faixa etária e do diagnóstico, o diâmetro foi significativamente influenciado pelo tipo de dente/canal (p < 0.001). Conclusão: O diâmetro foraminal pode variar conforme o tipo de dente/canal radicular, sendo que faixa etária e diagnóstico também influenciam os resultados quando analisados concomitantemente.

© 2018, The Author(s). After briefly reviewing key resilience engineering perspectives and summarising some green infrastructure (GI) tools, we present the contributions that GI can make to enhancing urban resilience and maintaining critical system functionality across complex integrated social–ecological and technical systems. We then examine five key challenges for the effective implementation of GI that include (1) standards; (2) regulation; (3) socio-economic factors; (4) financeability; and (5) innovation. We highlight ways in which these challenges are being dealt with around the world, particularly through the use of approaches that are both context appropriate and socially inclusive. Although progress surmounting these challenges has been made, more needs to be done to ensure that GI approaches are inclusive and appropriate and feature equally alongside more traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure in the future of urban resilience planning. This research was undertaken for the Resilience Shift initiative to shift the approach to resilience in practice for critical infrastructure sectors. The programme aims to help practitioners involved in critical infrastructure to make decisions differently, contributing to a safer and better world.

Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR) is facing serious challenges linked to worrying levels of air pollution (mainly NO2, PM10 and PM2.5). The CADTIME prject (Clean Air in Delhi through Implementation, Mitigation and Engagement) aims to understand what is required to deliver significant reductions in levels of air pollution. This paper presents the results of the first stage of the project: it firstly contextualises the challenges of air quality management in Delhi within the broader evolution of environmental policies and governance in India, with particular consideration to the tensions between environmental protection and the country’s development objectives. Secondly, it sets out how CADTIME will combine multiple source qualitative and quantitative data to develop an air quality action plan and an implementation strategy. In particular, through two workshops with local and national experts and stakeholders, and two rounds of focus groups with citizens of Delhi we will contrast stakeholders’ priorities and preferences for existing and potential solutions to air pollution with citizens’ lived experiences, thus assessing the political/technical feasibility and public acceptability of current and proposed measures. Furthermore, we will complement the primary qualitative data with a critical review examining the successes and failures of UK and European policies to draw lessons that can be relevant for Delhi and to avoid ineffective policies and achieve cost-effective solutions for the city in the shortest possible time.

The scope of the work requested under this specific contract is to provide a report/assessment text that may be directly incorporated into EEA’s 2018 report exploring the linkages between socioeconomic status (SES) in Europe and exposure to air and noise pollution, as well as to climate-related impacts. More specifically, this report builds on the findings of the 2016 Science for Environment Policy (SEP) report to provide an updated qualitative review of the latest evidence and state of knowledge regarding the role of SES in determining exposure, susceptibility and vulnerability to air pollution and noise, documenting research that explores the multiple factors and drivers that can lie behind these linkages. This review has identified and synthesised evidence from a wide range of sources in response to the objectives set by the EEA and covers evidence relating to at least 18 of the EEA-33 countries. The conclusions presented here explicitly identify where this review confirms, contradicts or adds to the conclusions of the SEP report.

This presentation provides a high-level assessment of air pollution and its management viewed through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It contains • a short overview of the sparse literature, • an assessment of the impact of air pollution as a barrier to achieving the SDGs • an assessment of the enabling contribution of air quality management. • concluding observations and a call for further research.

D3.1 consists of a review of the current interaction between social science and air quality and carbon management. It consists of 5 main sections: 1: Results and conclusions from a formal literature review that sought evidence on the extent and nature of social science research relating to air pollution along with indications of its uptake within policy; 2: A review of EU funded research and projects on air quality management from the CORDIS database; 3: A review of a selection of air quality policy and plan documents at a national and regional level; 4: An overview, examining the role of the citizen with regard to air pollution from a practitioner point of view; 5: A second overview of the role of ‘civil society’ and nongovernmental institutions within the air quality and carbon management processes.

Objectives: To evaluate the in vivo effect of apomorphine sublingual versus placebo on cortical and subcortical brain activation during video sexual stimulation. Methods: Ten patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction and six potent controls underwent functional magnetic resonance of the brain during video sexual stimulation after the administration of either apomorphine sublingual 4 mg or placebo following a randomized, double blind design. Functional magnetic resonance sessions were performed with a 7-day interval. Results: In potent controls, viewing erotic versus neutral films induced bilateral activations in a network of occipitoparietal and temporal inferior regions, in dorsolateral and premotor frontal cortex, in anterior temporal limbic areas and the thalamus, which were comparable to the patient activations during erotic stimulation in the placebo condition. However, a striking difference was found in patients, who demonstrated a significant and extended activation in the cingulate gyrus, frontal mesial and frontal basal cortex, bilaterally, in comparison with potent controls. These activated neural systems were modulated by apomorphine administration which produced a picture that was similar to the one seen in potent controls. In patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction apomorphine sublingual caused an increase in the extension of the activated networks, plus additional activation foci in subcortical and deep structures, namely in the nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus and mesencephalon: this activation was greater than that seen with placebo. Interestingly, a down-regulation in the frontal basal and temporal limbic cortex was present as shown by a decrease of functional magnetic resonance imaging signal reflecting a deactivation of these regions. Conclusions: Apomorphine significantly enhances the activation of cortical and subcortical brain function during video sexual stimulation. Patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction may have an underlying functional abnormality of the brain acting as a previously unrecognised aetiological factor. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.