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An increased susceptibility to disease in neonatal calves may be attributable to high glucocorticoid levels that influence immune reactions. We tested whether dexamethasone (DEXA) administration influences the proliferation, apoptosis, and number of Band T-lymphocytes in Peyer's patches (PP) and thymus in calves fed colostrum (C) or a milk-derived formula. All calves were subcutaneously administered bovine colostrum-derived immunoglobulin G and fed chicken-egg derived immunoglobulins that protected against rotavirus and pathogenic Escherichia coli. The DEXA (30 [micro]g/kg of BW daily) was injected for 4 d into groups fed colostrum on the first 3 d ([CD.sup.+]) and those fed the formula that contained nutrients in amounts as in colostrum but no immunoglubulin G ([FD.sup.+]). Groups CD-and [FD.sup.-] were fed the same as the other two groups, but did not receive DEXA. Immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate cell proliferation rates (by labeling of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine), apoptosis rates (by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated X-dUTP nick end labeling). Numbers of T- and B-lymphocytes were determined with antibodies specific for CD3 and CD79 surface proteins. There were significant effects (P < 0.05) of DEXA treatment (decrease of cell proliferation rates in follicles of PP and thymus, increase of apoptotic rate in follicles of PP and thymus, decrease of B-lymphocyte numbers in follicles of PP, increase of B-lymphocyte numbers in domes of PP, increase ofT-lymphocyte numbers in follicles of PP, and a decrease of intraepithelial T-lymphocyte numbers). There were significant effects (P < 0.05) of C feeding (decrease of cell proliferation rates in follicles of PP and of B-lymphocyte numbers in interfollicular areas, domes, and follicular-associated epithelium of PP, and an increase of cell proliferation rate in the thymus). A DEXA x feeding interaction (P < 0.001) was found for cell proliferation rate in the thymus. In conclusion, DEXA treatment decreased cell proliferation rates in follicles of PP and thymus and enhanced apoptotic rates in follicles of PP. Colostrum feeding decreased cell proliferation rates, likely of Blymphocytes, in follicles of PP and numbers of B-lymphocytes in domes, follicular-associated epithelium, and interfollicular areas of PP and enhanced cell proliferation rates and selectively modified DEXA effects in the thymus. Key Words: Apoptosis, Calves, Cell Growth, Lymphocytes, Peyer Patches, Thymus

Healthy soils provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), but soil contamination can inhibit essential soil functions (SF) and pose risks to human health and the environment. A key advantage of using gentle remediation options (GRO) is the potential for multifunctionality: to both manage risks and improve soil functionality. In this study, an accessible, scientific method for soil health assessment directed towards practitioners and decision-makers in contaminated land management was developed and demonstrated for a field experiment at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery site in Sweden to evaluate the relative effects of GRO on soil health (i.e., the 'current capacity' to provide ES). For the set of relevant soil quality indicators (SQI) selected using a simplified logical sieve, GRO treatment was observed to have highly significant effects on many SQI according to statistical analysis due to the strong influence of biochar amendment on the sandy soil and positive effects of nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants. The SQI were grouped within five SF and the relative effects on soil health were evaluated compared to a reference state (experimental control) by calculating quantitative treated-SF indices. Multiple GRO treatments are shown to have statistically significant positive effects on many SF, including pollutant attenuation and degradation, water cycling and storage, nutrient cycling and provisioning, and soil structure and maintenance. The SF were in turn linked to soil-based ES to calculate treated-ES indices and an overall soil health index (SHI), which can provide simplified yet valuable information to decision-makers regarding the effectiveness of GRO. The experimental GRO treatment of the legume mix with biochar amendment and grass mix with biochar amendment are shown to result in statistically significant improvements to soil health, with overall SHI values of 141 % and 128 %, respectively, compared to the reference state of the grass mix without biochar (set to 100 %)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Awareness of the subsurface and its multitude of resources is generally low and decisions on access to subsurface resources are often guided by a 'first come, first served principle'. Although not yet fully developed, the concept of geosystem services has been put forward to make subsurface resources more visible and acknowledged in decision-making. This study (1) illustrates a systematic mapping of effects on geosystem services using a process-oriented perspective in two conceptual case studies; (2) translates the mapped effects into costs and benefits items in a qualitative cost-benefit analysis (CBA) context; and (3) presents a systematic review of economic valuation studies of geosystem services to investigate the available support for a quantitative CBA. The findings suggest that systematic mapping of effects on multiple geosystem services can inform different types of assessment methods and decision-makers on trade-offs and provide a basis for well-informed and responsible decisions on subsurface use. Combining such mapping with a CBA can further strengthen decision support through indications of the net effects on human well-being. However, although economic valuation of non-market geosystem services is possible using established valuation methods, such studies are scarce in scientific literature. Thus, although a CBA can provide a basis for supporting decisions on subsurface use from a consequentialist perspective, full quantification of all effects may require great efforts, and it needs to be complemented with other methods to capture the full range of values the subsurface can provide. This study also highlights that depending on the context, supporting and regulating geosystem services can be either intermediate or final services. Therefore, if geosystem services are to be included in the abiotic extension of CICES, in which supporting services by definition are excluded, reclassification of the supporting geosystem services should be considered not to risk being overlooked in economic valuation and CBA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Management of young febrile infants is challenging. Therefore, several guidelines have been developed over the last decades. However, knowledge regarding the impact of introducing guidelines for febrile infants is limited. We assessed the impact of and adherence to a novel guideline for managing febrile infants aged ≤59 days., Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 pediatric emergency departments in Sweden between 2014 and 2021. We compared the management of infants aged ≤59 days with fever without a source (FWS) and the diagnosis of serious bacterial infections (SBIs) before and after implementing the new guideline., Results: We included 1,326 infants aged ≤59 days with FWS. Among infants aged ≤21 days, urine cultures increased from 49% to 67% ( p  = 0.001), blood cultures from 43% to 63% ( p  < 0.001), lumbar punctures from 16% to 33% ( p  = 0.003), and antibiotics from 38% to 57% ( p  = 0.002). Only 39 of 142 (28%) infants aged ≤21 days received recommended management. The SBI prevalence was 16.7% (95% CI, 11.0-23.8) and 17.6% (95% CI, 11.7-24.9) before and after the implementation, respectively. Among infants aged ≤59 days, there were 3 infants (0.6%; 95% CI, 0.1-1.7) in the pre-implementation period and 3 infants (0.6%; 95% CI, 0.1-1.7) in the post-implementation period with delayed treated urinary tract infections., Conclusions: Investigations and antibiotics increased significantly after implementation of the new guideline. However, doing more did not improve the diagnosis of SBIs. Thus, the low adherence to the new guideline may be considered justified. Future research should consider strategies to safely minimize interventions when managing infants with FWS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Elliver, Norrman and Orfanos.)

Phytoextraction, utilizing plants to remove soil contaminants, is a promising approach for environmental remediation but its application is often limited due to the long time requirements. This study aims to develop simplified and user-friendly probabilistic models to estimate the time required for phytoextraction of contaminants while considering uncertainties. More specifically we: i) developed probabilistic models for time estimation, ii) applied these models using site-specific data from a field experiment testing pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo cv. Howden) for phytoextraction of DDT and its metabolites (ΣDDX), iii) compared timeframes derived from site-specific data with literature-derived estimates, and iv) investigated model sensitivity and uncertainties through various modelling scenarios. The models indicate that phytoextraction with pumpkin to reduce the initial total concentration of ΣDDX in the soil (10 mg/kg  dw ) to acceptable levels (1 mg/kg  dw ) at the test site is infeasible within a reasonable timeframe, with time estimates ranging from 48-123 years based on literature data or 3 570-9 120 years with site-specific data using the linear or first-order exponential model, respectively. Our results suggest that phytoextraction may only be feasible at lower initial ΣDDX concentrations (< 5 mg/kg  dw ) for soil polishing and that alternative phytomanagement strategies should be considered for this test site to manage the bioavailable fraction of DDX in the soil. The simplified modes presented can be useful tools in the communication with site owners and stakeholders about time approximations for planning phytoextraction interventions, thereby improving the decision basis for phytomanagement of contaminated sites., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Urban greenspaces (UGS) provide a range of ecosystem services and are instrumental in ensuring the liveability of cities. Whilst incorporating UGS in increasingly denser cities is a challenge to planners, brownfields form a latent resource with the potential of being converted into UGS. Transformation of brownfields to greenspaces, however, requires engagement of a variety of stakeholders, from providers to users. The overall aim of this study was to support effective and realistic realisations of UGS in the context of urban brownfields' regeneration and stakeholder engagement. A working process was developed to: 1) integrate methods relevant for UGS realisation for a) identification and categorising of relevant stakeholders, b) mapping their interests and resources, c) identifying various challenges, and d) matching those challenges with the mapped resources over the timeline of UGS development; and 2) apply these methods to assess relevance and shortcomings. The methods were applied to a study site in Sweden, and data was collected using a questionnaire survey. The survey received 31 responses and the respondents' comments indicated that the combination of several uses, especially integrated with an urban park, is preferable. Visualisation was an important component for data analysis: stakeholder categorisation was effectively visualised using a Venn diagram, and the needed mobilisation of resources among stakeholders to manage identified challenges was visualised using a timeline. The analysis demonstrates the need for collaboration between stakeholders to achieve an effective realisation of UGS and how multiple methods can be used in concert to map stakeholders, preferences, challenges, and resources for a particular site. The application at a study site provided site-specific data but the developed stakeholder categorisation, and the method for matching identified challenges with the stakeholders' resources using a timeline, can be generalised to applications at other sites., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Chowdhury et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The work was aimed to research into the vital signs, haematological and biochemical parameters, acute-phase protein concentrations (CRP, albumin), progesterone (PG) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations in bitches with pyometra and their comparison with those in healthy bitches. In addition, the goal of this work was to assess if some of the tested parameters may be used as a biomarker in the diagnostics of pyometra and the monitoring of the postoperative recovery. Forty 3-6-year-old bitches of various breeds were included in the research and allotted to two groups: the control (C, n = 20) and the diseased - bitches diagnosed with pyometra (P, n = 20). Blood samples for the analyses were taken immediately before surgery (0 h), and 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after, excepting for AMH and PG concentrations, which were determined only at 0 h. Clinical examination detected significantly higher respiration rates in bitches with pyometra in comparison to healthy ones at all time points, higher heart rates before and 12 h after surgery, and higher body temperature before and 12 h, 48 h and 72 h post operation (p < .01). Significantly higher concentrations of CRP (p < .01) and lower concentrations of albumin were detected in bitches with pyometra in comparison to their healthy counterparts at all time points. Progesterone and AMH concentration analysis immediately before surgery detected significantly higher levels of the hormone in bitches with pyometra than in the control (p < .01). The inflammatory reaction of the endometrium resulted in a significant AMH concentration increase, whilst increased CRP concentrations and lower albumin concentrations throughout the research may be used as biomarkers of proinflammatory activities, that is of the acute-phase response., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Initial differential diagnosis and prognosis for patients admitted to intensive care with suspected sepsis remain arduous. Hepcidin has emerged as a potential biomarker for sepsis. Here we report data on the relevance of levels of hepcidin versus other biomarkers as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for sepsis. 164 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) within 24 h upon arrival to the hospital were included. Blood samples collected daily for seven consecutive days and hepcidin levels, heparin binding protein (HBP) levels and standard biomarkers were determined. Blood cultures were initiated at inclusion. Clinical scores were evaluated daily and mortality after 28- and 180-days was recorded. One hundred of the patients were found to fulfil the criteria for sepsis whereas 64 did not. Hepcidin levels at admission were significantly higher in the septic than in the non-septic patients. In septic patients hepcidin levels declined significantly already at 24 h followed by a steady decline. A significant negative correlation was observed between hepcidin levels and SAPS 3 in patients with sepsis. Hepcidin levels at inclusion were significantly higher among septic patients that survived 180-days and predicted mortality. Our data show that hepcidin levels are indicative of sepsis in patients admitted to the ICU and has a prognostic value for mortality., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Gentle Remediation Options (GRO) are remediation measures involving plants, fungi, bacteria, and soil amendments that can be applied to manage risks at contaminated sites. Several studies and decision-support tools promote the wider range of benefits provided by GRO, but there is still skepticism regarding GRO implementation. Key issues that need to be better communicated are the various risk mitigation mechanisms, the required risk reduction for an envisioned land use, and the time perspective associated with the risk mitigation mechanisms. To increase the viability and acceptance of GRO, the phytomanagement approach implies the combination of GRO with beneficial green land use, gradually reducing risks and restoring ecosystem services. To strengthen the decision basis for GRO implementation in practice, this paper proposes a framework for risk management and communication of GRO applications to support phytomanagement strategies at contaminated sites. The mapping of the risk mitigation mechanisms is done by an extensive literature review and the Swedish national soil guideline value model is used to derive the most relevant human health exposure pathways and ecological risks for generic green land use scenarios. Results indicate that most of the expected risk mitigation mechanisms are supported by literature, but that knowledge gaps still exist. The framework is demonstrated to support the identification of GRO options for the case study site given two envisioned land uses: biofuel park and allotment garden. A more easily understandable risk management framework, as proposed here, is expected to act as a communication tool to educate decision-makers, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders for better understanding of risk mitigation mechanisms and preliminary timeframes of various GRO, particularly in the early stages of a brownfield redevelopment project., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wastewater irrigation is a common practice in developing countries due to water scarcity and increasing demand for food production. However, there are health risks and ecological risks associated with this practice. Small-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) intend to decrease these risks but still face management challenges. This study assessed how the management status of five small-scale WWTPs in Cochabamba, Bolivia affects health risks associated with consumption of lettuce and ecological risks due to the accumulation of nutrients in the soil for lettuce and maize crops. Risk simulations for three wastewater irrigation scenarios were: raw wastewater, actual effluent and expected effluent. Results showed that weak O&M practices can increase risk outcomes to higher levels than irrigating with raw wastewater. Improving O&M to achieve optimal functioning of small-scale WWTPs can reduce human health risks and ecological risks up to 2 log 10 DALY person -1 year -1 and to 2 log 10 kg nitrogen ha -1 accumulated in soil, respectively.

Small wastewater treatment systems (WWTSs) in low and lower-middle income countries still face challenges to achieve optimal performance and acceptable levels of sustainability. Thus, a practical tool, easy to apply by locals, to diagnose the actual status of WWTSs is required in order to identify weak areas for further improvement. This study presents a sustainability assessment tool, EVAS (EVAluación de Sostenibilidad: EVAluation of Sustainability), for small WWTSs in low and lower-middle income countries. The EVAS tool is developed based on a set of contextualized sustainability indicators and sub-indicators in five dimensions (technical, environmental, social, economic, institutional). Each indicator or sub-indicator is broken down into factors, each associated with specific targets to fulfil, and scored using a traffic light scale (0 to 4) indicating unsustainable-low-medium to high levels of sustainability. The tool was developed taking into consideration that local data may sometimes be incomplete and encourages the collection and monitoring of relevant data. The assessment results support local managers or other stakeholders responsible for wastewater management with the identification of weaknesses that need to be addressed. The tool was tested using two case studies involving WWTSs in Bolivia. One WWTS received a medium sustainability rating, whereas the other system received a low sustainability rating, which indicates that several improvements are required in all sustainability dimensions. Stakeholders in the case studies found the tool useful, and suggested ways in which it could be further improved. It is expected that the application of this tool can contribute to raising the sustainability level of small WWTSs in low and lower-middle-income countries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Over the last decade, there has been rapid development in promoting and implementing sustainable remediation. It is now common to include at least some sustainability considerations in remediation projects. Specific challenges that have been highlighted often relate to economic and social aspects not receiving enough attention: broadening the social aspects, community and meaningful stakeholder engagement, understanding stakeholders' risk perception, and a need for better estimates of site-specific economic costs and benefits. This study presents an application of the Sustainable Choice of REmediation (SCORE) framework with special focus on (1) demonstrating the working process for a broad sustainability assessment and (2) sharing the lessons learned from its application. Specific objectives are to describe (a) the types of stakeholders involved in the assessment, (b) the methods for collection of social and economic sustainability data, (c) residents' perception of risks, (d) the use of the sustainability assessment results in the decision-making process, and (5) possibilities for improving the methods and working process. SCORE was applied and evaluated with input from, and together with, stakeholders at the BT Kemi industrial site in the village of Teckomatorp, south Sweden, a former pesticide production site associated with the most infamous Swedish environmental scandal. A questionnaire (n = 78) was used to collect input from residents regarding local acceptance and economic externalities of the remediation alternatives. Alternatives with a high degree of removal of contaminants received a high ranking in the assessment, primarily due to social and economic effects. The working process can be improved, specifically regarding workshop preparation and workshop structure. A broad representation of stakeholders and early establishment of communication channels to residents is key for robust assessment of social aspects. The information from the sustainability assessment was used in the decision-making process, not least for revising remediation options., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Brownfield regeneration to soft reuse such as recreation and amenity has become increasingly common due to the demand for the potential environmental, social and economic benefits that it can deliver. This has led in turn to an increased demand for improved tools to support decision-making for this style of regeneration: tools which are simple to use, based on robust scientific principles and preferably which can ultimately link to quantitative or semi-quantitative cost-benefit analyses. This work presents an approach to assessing and comparing different scenarios for brownfield regeneration to soft reuse and other end-points. A "sustainability linkages" approach, based on sustainability assessment criteria produced by the UK Sustainable Remediation Forum (SuRF-UK), is developed and used in a refined qualitative sustainability assessment, and applied to develop a conceptual site model of sustainability, for a specific case study site (Port Sunlight River Park, U.K., a public leisure park established and maintained on a capped and managed former landfill site). Ranking, on an ex post basis, highlighted the clear sustainability advantages that the establishment of the Port Sunlight River Park has compared with a hypothetical non-development scenario. The conceptual site model provides a clearer basis for understanding cause and effect for benefits and disbenefits and a rationale for grouping individual effects based on their ease of valuation, providing a road map for cost-benefit assessments by (1) being able to match specific linkages to the most appropriate means of valuation, and (2) transparently connecting the sustainability assessment and cost benefit assessment processes., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The CO₂ absorption of liquid crystalline phases of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (Pluronic L92, (EO)₈(PO) 47 (EO)₈), monoethanolamine (MEA), and water, with a composition of 60% L92/10% MEA/30% water has been investigated to assess potential use in carbon capture and storage applications. Vapor⁻liquid equilibrium data of the liquid crystalline system with CO₂ was recorded up to a CO₂ partial pressure of 6 bar, where a loading of 38.6 g CO₂/kg sample was obtained. Moreover, the phase transitions occurring during the loading process were investigated by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), presenting a transition from lamellar + hexagonal phase to hexagonal (at 25 °C). In addition, the rheology of samples with varying loadings was also studied, showing that the viscosity increases with increasing CO₂-loading until the phase transition to hexagonal phase is completed. Finally, thermal stability experiments were performed, and revealed that L92 does not contribute to MEA degradation.

Ternary systems consisting of amphiphilic block copolymers/water/monoethanolamine (MEA) have been studied as potential solvents for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The phase behavior of two poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers with average compositions (EO)₈(PO) 47 (EO)₈ (L92) and (EO)₃(PO) 50 (EO)₃ (L81) have been investigated by cross-polarized visual observation and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The respective ternary phase diagrams have been studied for systems containing MEA and the equivalent systems containing CO₂-loaded MEA. The presence of MEA loaded with CO₂ hinders self-association, preventing the formation of liquid crystalline phases. One-phase liquid crystalline regions were found at low MEA concentrations (below 20 wt %) in L92. In the case of L81, only one one-phase region consisting of coexisting lamellar and disordered aggregates was found at 5 wt % MEA. The swelling of the liquid crystalline phases with MEA was investigated along designated dilution lines. The lattice parameters of L92 liquid crystals decrease upon addition of MEA, whereas L81 aggregates show the opposite behavior.

Decision support tools (DST) are often used in remediation projects to aid in the complex decision on how best to remediate a contaminated site. In recent years, the sustainable remediation concept has brought increased attention to the often-overlooked contradictory effects of site remediation, with a number of sustainability assessment tools now available. The aim of the present study is twofold: (1) to demonstrate how and when different assessment views affect the decision support outcome on remediation alternatives in a DST, and (2) to demonstrate the contribution of a full sustainability assessment. The SCORE tool was used in the analysis; it is based on a holistic multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach, assessing sustainability in three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. Four assessment scenarios, compared to a full sustainability assessment, were considered to reflect different possible assessment views; considering public and private problem owner perspectives, as well as green and traditional assessment scopes. Four real case study sites in Sweden were analyzed. The results show that the decision support outcome from a full sustainability assessment most often differs to that of other assessment views, and results in remediation alternatives which balance trade-offs in most of the scenarios. In relation to the public perspective and traditional scope, which is seen to lead to the most extensive and expensive remediation alternatives, the trade-off is related to less contaminant removal in favour of reduced negative secondary effects such as emissions and waste disposal. Compared to the private perspective, associated with the lowest cost alternatives, the trade-off is higher costs, but more positive environmental and social effects. Generally, both the green and traditional assessment scopes miss out on relevant social and local environmental secondary effects which may ultimately be very important for the actual decision in a remediation project., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Contamination resulting from past industrial activity is a problem throughout the world and many sites are severely contaminated by metals. Advances in research in recent years have resulted in the development of technologies for recovering metal from metal-rich materials within the framework of remediation projects. Using cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and explicitly taking uncertainties into account, this paper evaluates the potential social profitability of copper recovery as part of four remediation alternatives at a Swedish site. One alternative involves delivery of copper-rich ash to a metal production company for refining. The other three alternatives involve metal leaching from materials and sale of the resulting metal sludge for its further processing at a metal production company using metallurgical methods. All the alternatives are evaluated relative to the conventional excavation and disposal method. Metal recovery from the ash, metal sludge sale, and disposal of the contaminated soil and the ash residue at the local landfill site, was found to be the best remediation alternative. However, given the present conditions, its economic potential is low relative to the conventional excavation and disposal method but higher than direct disposal of the copper-rich ash for refining. Volatile copper prices, the high cost of processing equipment, the highly uncertain cost of the metal leaching and washing process, coupled with the substantial project risks, contribute most to the uncertainties in the CBA results for the alternatives involving metal leaching prior to refining. However, investment in processing equipment within the framework of a long-term investment project, production of safe, reusable soil residue, and higher copper prices on the metal market, can make metal recovery technology socially profitable., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents a holistic approach to sustainable urban brownfield redevelopment where specific focus is put on the integration of a multitude of subsurface qualities in the early phases of the urban redevelopment process, i.e. in the initiative and plan phases. Achieving sustainability in brownfield redevelopment projects may be constrained by a failure of engagement between two key expert constituencies: urban planners/designers and subsurface engineers, leading to missed opportunities and unintended outcomes in the plan realisation phase. A more integrated approach delivers greater benefits. Three case studies in the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden were used to test different sustainability assessment instruments in terms of the possibility for knowledge exchange between the subsurface and the surface sectors and in terms of cooperative learning among experts and stakeholders. Based on the lessons learned from the case studies, a generic decision process framework is suggested that supports holistic decision making. The suggested framework focuses on stakeholder involvement, communication, knowledge exchange and learning and provides an inventory of instruments that can support these processes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Degeneration of the locus coeruleus (LC) of the brain stem is a recognized phenomenon in Alzheimer's disease (AD), in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and in Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD). Prior studies have suggested that LC degeneration can be used to differentiate various dementing disorders histologically, but the paucity of methodological data may hamper systematic research on this nucleus., Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate various approaches to quantifying LC degeneration in dementing disorders, and to inform future decisions regarding the most appropriate method for diagnostics and research., Methods: 105 LCs from brains of demented individuals with AD, DLB/PDD, vascular dementia (VaD), mixed dementia (AD+VaD), or frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) were examined, and the extent of LC degeneration was assessed using macroscopic evaluation, cell counting, and two degeneration scales. Scores were compared across diagnostic categories; diagnostic utility and intra- and interobserver reliability were assessed., Results: AD and DLB/PDD were associated with greater LC damage using either assessment method, significantly different from VaD and FTLD. Macroscopic appearance was informative, but cell counting was more sensitive and specific. The degeneration scales did not add significant diagnostic value over cell counting and were associated with greater observer variability., Conclusions: The LC degenerates in certain dementia subtypes, especially in AD and DLB/PDD. Macroscopic assessment of the LC postmortem can be used to differentiate between disorders associated with degeneration (AD, DLB/PDD) or sparing (VaD) of the LC, but counting LC cells in a representative pontine section is the most appropriate method by which to assess LC degeneration.

There is an increasing demand amongst decision-makers and stakeholders for identifying sustainable remediation alternatives at contaminated sites, taking into account that remediation typically results in both positive and negative consequences. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is increasingly used for sustainability appraisal, and the Excel-based MCA tool Sustainable Choice Of REmediation (SCORE) has been developed to provide a relevant and transparent assessment of the sustainability of remediation alternatives relative to a reference alternative, considering key criteria in the economic, environmental and social sustainability domains, and taking uncertainty into explicit account through simulation. The focus of this paper is the use of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) as a part of SCORE for assessing the economic sustainability of remediation alternatives. An economic model is used for deriving a cost-benefit rule, which in turn motivates cost and benefit items in a CBA of remediation alternatives. The empirical part of the paper is a CBA application on remediation alternatives for the Hexion site, a former chemical industry area close to the city of Göteborg in SW Sweden. The impact of uncertainties in and correlations across benefit and cost items on CBA results is illustrated. For the Hexion site, the traditional excavation-and-disposal remediation alternative had the lowest expected net present value, which illustrates the importance of also considering other alternatives before deciding upon how a remediation should be carried out., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method provides for a comprehensive and transparent basis for performing sustainability assessments. Development of a relevant MCDA-method requires consideration of a number of key issues, e.g. (a) definition of assessment boundaries, (b) definition of performance scales, both temporal and spatial, (c) selection of relevant criteria (indicators) that facilitate a comprehensive sustainability assessment while avoiding double-counting of effects, and (d) handling of uncertainties. Adding to the complexity is the typically wide variety of inputs, including quantifications based on existing data, expert judgements, and opinions expressed in interviews. The SCORE (Sustainable Choice Of REmediation) MCDA-method was developed to provide a transparent assessment of the sustainability of possible remediation alternatives for contaminated sites relative to a reference alternative, considering key criteria in the economic, environmental, and social sustainability domains. The criteria were identified based on literature studies, interviews and focus-group meetings. SCORE combines a linear additive model to rank the alternatives with a non-compensatory approach to identify alternatives regarded as non-sustainable. The key strengths of the SCORE method are as follows: a framework that at its core is designed to be flexible and transparent; the possibility to integrate both quantitative and qualitative estimations on criteria; its ability, unlike other sustainability assessment tools used in industry and academia, to allow for the alteration of boundary conditions where necessary; the inclusion of a full uncertainty analysis of the results, using Monte Carlo simulation; and a structure that allows preferences and opinions of involved stakeholders to be openly integrated into the analysis. A major insight from practical application of SCORE is that its most important contribution may be that it initiates a process where criteria otherwise likely ignored are addressed and openly discussed between stakeholders., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although remediation is usually aimed at reducing the risks posed by contaminants to human health and the environment, it is also desirable that the remediated soil within future green spaces is capable of providing relevant ecological functions, e.g., basis for primary production. Yet while addressing a contamination problem by reducing contaminant concentration and/or amounts in the soil, the remedial action itself can lead to soil structure disturbances, decline in organic matter and nutrient deficiencies, and in turn affect a soil's capacity to carry out its ecological soil functions. This article presents the Soil Function Box (SF Box) tool that is aimed to facilitate integration of information from suggested soil quality indicators (SQIs) into a management process in remediation using a scoring method. The scored SQIs are integrated into a soil quality index corresponding to 1 of 5 classes. SF Box is applied to 2 cases from Sweden (Kvillebäcken and Hexion), explicitly taking into consideration uncertainties in the results by means of Monte Carlo simulations. At both sites the generated soil quality indices corresponded to a medium soil performance (soil class 3) with a high certainty. The main soil constraints at both Kvillebäcken and Hexion were associated with biological activity in the soil, as soil organisms were unable to supply plant-available N. At the Kvillebäcken site the top layer had a content of coarse fragment (ø > 2 mm) higher than 35%, indicating plant rooting limitations. At the Hexion site, the soil had limited amount of organic matter, thus poor aggregate stability and nutrient cycling potential. In contrast, the soil at Kvillebäcken was rich in organic matter. The soils at both sites were capable of storing a sufficient amount of water for soil organisms between precipitation events., (© 2014 SETAC.)

Soil contamination is one of the major threats constraining proper functioning of the soil and thus provision of ecosystem services. Remedial actions typically only address the chemical soil quality by reducing total contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels guided by land use. However, emerging regulatory requirements on soil protection demand a holistic view on soil assessment in remediation projects thus accounting for a variety of soil functions. Such a view would require not only that the contamination concentrations are assessed and attended to, but also that other aspects are taking into account, thus addressing also physical and biological as well as other chemical soil quality indicators (SQIs). This study outlines how soil function assessment can be a part of a holistic sustainability appraisal of remediation alternatives using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The paper presents a method for practitioners for evaluating the effects of remediation alternatives on selected ecological soil functions using a suggested minimum data set (MDS) containing physical, biological and chemical SQIs. The measured SQIs are transformed into sub-scores by the use of scoring curves, which allows interpretation and the integration of soil quality data into the MCDA framework. The method is demonstrated at a study site (Marieberg, Sweden) and the results give an example of how soil analyses using the suggested MDS can be used for soil function assessment and subsequent input to the MCDA framework., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)