Search results for: outdoor exposure

Authors: Ilzira A. Minigalieva

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Assessment of cumulative health risks associated with the widely observed combined exposures to two or more metals and their compounds on the organism in industrial or general environment, as well as respective regulatory and technical risk management decision-making have presumably the theoretical and experimental toxicology of mixtures as their reliable scientific basis. Analysis of relevant literature and our own experience proves, however, that there is no full match between these different practices. Moreover, some of the contradictions between them are of a fundamental nature. This unsatisfactory state of things may be explained not only by unavoidable simplifications characteristic of the methodologies of risk assessment and permissible exposure standards setting but also by the extreme intrinsic complexity of the combined toxicity theory, the most essential issues of which are considered and briefly discussed in this paper.

Keywords: toxic metals, nanoparticles, typology of combined toxicity, mathematical modeling, health risk assessment and management

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Authors: Abhishek Mangal, Kunal Tongaria, S. Mandal, Devendra Mohan

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Carbonation of reinforced concrete structures has emerged as one of the major challenges for Civil engineers across the world. With increasing emissions from various activities, carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has been eve rising, enhancing its penetration in porous concrete, reaching steel bars and ultimately leading to premature failure. Several literatures have been published dealing with the various interdependent variables related to carbonation. However, with innumerable variability a generalization of these data proves to be a troublesome task. This paper looks into this carbonation anomaly in concrete structures caused by various external variables such as relative humidity, concentration of CO2, curing period and ambient temperature. Significant discussions and comparisons have been presented on the basis of various studies conducted with an aim to predict the depth of carbonation as a function of these multidimensional parameters using various numerical and statistical modelling techniques.

Keywords: carbonation, curing, exposure conditions, relative humidity

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Authors: Ching-Ju Hsiao, Mao-Chen Huang, Pei-Fan Chen, Ruo-Yun Chung, Jiun-Hua Chou, Chih-Hui Yang, Keng-Shiang Huang, Jei-Fu Shaw

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Chlorophyll has many benefits for human body. It is known to improve the health of the circulatory, digestive, immune and detoxification systems of the body. However, Chl can’t be preserved at the environment of high temperature and light exposure for a long time due to it is chemical structure is easily degradable. This characteristic causes that human body is difficult to absorb Chl effective components. In order to solve this problem, we utilize polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer encapsulation technology to increase the stability of Chl. In particular, we also established a microfluidic platform provide the control of composite beads diameter. The new composite beads is potential to be a health food. Result show that Chl effective components via the microfludic platform can be encapsulated effectively and still preserve its effective components.

Keywords: chlorophyll, PCL, PVA, microfluidic

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Authors: Melike Orhan

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Along with impetuous physical change, configuration and increase in the density of cities, urban public spaces have started to become a transition area rather than spaces to inhabit. The insufficiency of public spaces, one of the most significant components of a city, where communal life is maintained and the decrease in the quality of urban spaces have led to an increase in the use of semi-public spaces as urban space. Semi-public spaces are those that ensure transition between private and public spaces and can be seen, observed, reached and used by urban-dwellers. Humans are in a constant relation to their surroundings and care for integration as part of their surroundings. Semi-public spaces providing balance for the individual between private spaces (structures) and urban-public spaces make this integration easier. Spaces with a semi-public characteristic serve for a particular neighboring unit and the user (i.e. common use areas in residential spaces and dwellings, common outdoor areas situated between office buildings, and etc.) These spaces, whose density of usage is increased with distinctive functions and activities, gain different attributions according to the characteristics of the urban space they are located in (commercial, residential, touristic, and etc.) and to the functions of the structures with which they are in relation. At the same time, they begin to serve other neighboring units along with an increase in public usage. As a result, the interaction between environment-space-structure-humans changes, which directly affects the urban space quality. The aim of this study is to determine how and depending on what characteristics the public usage density of semi-public spaces change and to put forth the effects of this change on the urban environment it is located in and to designate its role in terms of 'urban space quality'. In conclusion, within the scope of this study, semi-public spaces located in urban spaces with distinctive functions will be explored through examples, and the effects of these spaces with altered public usage and density on urban space and quality of life will be put forward. Accordingly, applicable criteria will be determined by means of semi-public spaces oriented at increasing and sustaining the quality of urban space.

Keywords: semi-public spaces, urban public spaces, urban space quality, public usage

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Authors: Jenan Abu Qadourah

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The suitable surface areas for the ST and PV installation are determined based on incident solar irradiation on different surfaces, shading analysis and suitable architectural area for integration considering limitations due to the constructions, available surfaces area and use of the available surfaces for other purposes. The incident solar radiation on the building surfaces and the building solar exposure analysis of the location of Amman, Jordan, is performed with Autodesk Ecotect analysis 2011 simulation software. The building model geometry within the typical urban context is created in “SketchUp,” which is then imported into Ecotect. The hourly climatic data of Amman, Jordan selected are the same ones used for the building simulation in IDA ICE and Polysun simulation software.

Keywords: photovoltaic, solar thermal, solar incident, simulation, building façade, solar potential

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Authors: Sudhir Kumar Sharma, Abiy D. Woldetsadik, Mazin Magzoub, Ramesh Jagannathan

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It is well known that bioactive ceramics exhibit specific biological affinities, especially in the area of tissue re-generation. In this context, we report the development of an eminently scalable, novel, supercritical CO₂ based process for the fabrication of hierarchically porous 'soft' CaCO₃ scaffolds. Porosity at the macro, micro, and nanoscales was obtained through process optimization of the so-called 'coffee-ring effect'. Exposure of these CaCO₃ scaffolds to monocytic THP-1 cells yielded negligible levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) thereby confirming the lack of immunogenicity of the scaffolds. ECM protein treatment of the scaffolds showed enhanced adsorption comparable to standard control such as glass. In vitro studies using osteoblast precursor cell line, MC3T3, also demonstrated the cytocompatibility of hierarchical porous CaCO₃ scaffolds.

Keywords: supercritical CO2, CaCO3 scaffolds, coffee-ring effect, ECM proteins

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Authors: Elena Maria Scalisi

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Currently, photodegradation by nanoparticles (NPs) is a common solution for wastewater treatment. Nanoparticles are efficient for removing organic and inorganic pollutants, heavy metals from wastewater and killing microorganisms through environmentally friendly. In this context, the major representative of photocatalytic technology for industrial wastewater treatment are TiO₂ nanoparticles (TiO₂-NPs). TiO₂-NPs have a strong catalytic activity that depends to their physicochemical properties. Thanks to their small size (between 1-100 nm), nanoparticles occupy less volume, then their surface area increases. The increase in the surface-to-volume ratio results in the increase of the particle surface energy, which improve their reactivity potential. However, these unique properties represent risks to the ecosystems and organisms when unintentionally TiO₂-NPs are release into the environment and absorbed by living organisms. Several studies confirm that there is a high level of interest concerning the safety of TiO₂-NPs in the aquatic environment, furthermore, ecotoxicological tools are useful to correctly evaluate their toxicity. In the current study, we aimed to characterize potential toxic effects of TiO₂-NP suspension to zebrafish during embryo-larval stages to evaluate parameters such as survival rates, malformation, hatching, the overall length of the larvae heartbeat, and biochemical biomarkers that reflect the acute toxicity and sublethal effects of TiO₂-NPs. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂-NPs at 1mg/L, 2mg/L, and 4mg/L) from fertilization to the free swimming stage (144hpf). Every day, we recorded the toxicological endpoints, moreover, immunohistochemical analysis has been performed at the end of the exposure. In particular, we have evaluate the expression of the following biomarkers: Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), Poly ADP-Ribose Polymerase-1 (PARP-1), Metallothioneins (MTs). Our results have shown that hatch ability, survival, and malformation rate were not affected by TiO₂ NPs at these exposure levels. However, TiO₂-NPs caused an increase of heartbeat and reduction of body length; at the same time, TiO₂-NPs have inducted the production of ROS and the expression of oxidative stress biomarkers HSP70 and PARP-1. Hight positivity for PARP-1 at all concentration tested was observed. As regards MT, positivity was found in the expression of this biomarker in the whole body of the embryo, with the exception of the end of the tail. Metallothioneins (MT) are biomarkers widely used in environmental monitoring programs for aquatic creatures. At the light of our results i.e. no death until the end of the experiment (144hpf), no malformation and expression of the biomarkers mentioned, it is evident that zebrafish larvae with their natural detoxification pathways are able to resist the presence of toxic substances and then they can tolerate the presence of metal concentrations. However, an excessive oxidative state can compromise cell function, therefore the uncontrolled release of nanoparticles into the environment is severe and must be constantly monitored.

Keywords: nanoparticles, embryo zebrafish, HSP70, PARP-1

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Authors: N. Renuka, R. Ramesh Babu, N. Vijayan

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Ion beams play a significant role in the process of tuning the properties of materials. Based on the radiation behavior, the engineering materials are categorized into two different types. The first one comprises organic solids which are sensitive to the energy deposited in their electronic system and the second one comprises metals which are insensitive to the energy deposited in their electronic system. However, exposure to swift heavy ions alters this general behavior. Depending on the mass, kinetic energy and nuclear charge, an ion can produce modifications within a thin surface layer or it can penetrate deeply to produce long and narrow distorted area along its path. When a high energetic ion beam impinges on a material, it causes two different types of changes in the material due to the columbic interaction between the target atom and the energetic ion beam: (i) inelastic collisions of the energetic ion with the atomic electrons of the material; and (ii) elastic scattering from the nuclei of the atoms of the material, which is extremely responsible for relocating the atoms of matter from their lattice position. The exposure of the heavy ions renders the material return to equilibrium state during which the material undergoes surface and bulk modifications which depends on the mass of the projectile ion, physical properties of the target material, its energy, and beam dimension. It is well established that electronic stopping power plays a major role in the defect creation mechanism provided it exceeds a threshold which strongly depends on the nature of the target material. There are reports available on heavy ion irradiation especially on crystalline materials to tune their physical and chemical properties. L-Arginine Acetate [LAA] is a potential semi-organic nonlinear optical crystal and its optical, mechanical and thermal properties have already been reported The main objective of the present work is to enhance or tune the structural and optical properties of LAA single crystals by heavy ion irradiation. In the present study, a potential nonlinear optical single crystal, L-arginine acetate (LAA) was grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique. The grown LAA single crystal was irradiated with oxygen ions at the dose rate of 600 krad and 1M rad in order to tune the structural and optical properties. The structural properties of pristine and oxygen ions irradiated LAA single crystals were studied using Powder X- ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared spectral studies which reveal the structural changes that are generated due to irradiation. Optical behavior of pristine and oxygen ions irradiated crystals is studied by UV-Vis-NIR and photoluminescence analyses. From this investigation we can concluded that oxygen ions irradiation modifies the structural and optical properties of LAA single crystals.

Keywords: heavy ion irradiation, NLO single crystal, photoluminescence, X-ray diffractometer

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Authors: Sadia Ata, Anila Tabassum, Samina ghafoor, Ijaz ul Mohsin, Azam Muktar

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Heavy metal ions such as Pb2+, Cd2+, Zn2+, Ni2+ and Hg2+, in wastewater are considered as the serious environmental problem. Among these heavy metals, Lead or Pb (II) is the most toxic heavy metal. Exposure to lead causes damage of nervous system, mental retardation, renal kidney disease, anemia and cancer in human beings. Adsorption is the most widely used method to remove metal ions based on the physical interaction between metal ions and sorbents. With the development of nanotechnology, nano-sized materials are proved to be effective sorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater due to their unique structural properties. The present work mainly focuses on the synthesis of NiO and ZnO nanoparticles for the removal of Lead ions, their preparation, characterization by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM, adsorption characteristics and mechanism, along with adsorption isotherm model and adsorption kinetics to understand the adsorption procedure.

Keywords: heavy metal, adsorption isotherms, nanoparticles, wastewater

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Authors: Agrinë Baraku

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This paper focuses on the convergence of the internet, fake news, and democracy. This paper will examine the convergence of these concepts, the tenets of democracy which are affected by the ever-increasing exposure to fake news, and whether the impact strengthens or can further weaken countries with fragile democracies. To demonstrate the convergence and the impact and to further the discussion about this topic, the case of Kosovo is explored. Its position in the Western Balkans makes it even more susceptible to the pressure stemming from geopolitical interests, which intersect with the generation of fake news by different international actors. Domestically, through data generated by Kantar (Index) Kosova Longitudinal Study on Media Measurement Survey (MMS), which focused on media viewership, the trend among Kosovar citizens is traced and then inserted into a bigger landscape, which is compounded by tenuous circumstances and challenges that Kosovo faces. Attention will be paid to what this can tell about where Kosovo currently is and the possibilities of what can be done regarding the phenomenon that is taking place.

Keywords: democracy, disinformation, internet, social media, fake news

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Authors: S.V. Kleyn, S.Yu. Zagorodnov, А.А. Kokoulina

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Technogenic emissions of the mining and processing complex are characterized by a high content of chemical components and solid dust particles. However, each industrial enterprise and the surrounding area have features that require refinement and parameterization. Numerous studies have shown the negative impact of fine dust PM10 and PM2.5 on the health, as well as the possibility of toxic components absorption, including heavy metals by dust particles. The target of the study was the quantitative assessment of the fractional and particle size composition of ambient air dust in the area of impact by primary magnesium production complex. Also, we tried to describe the morphology features of dust particles. Study methods. To identify the dust emission sources, the analysis of the production process has been carried out. The particulate composition of the emissions was measured using laser particle analyzer Microtrac S3500 (covered range of particle size is 20 nm to 2000 km). Particle morphology and the component composition were established by electron microscopy by scanning microscope of high resolution (magnification rate - 5 to 300 000 times) with X-ray fluorescence device S3400N ‘HITACHI’. The chemical composition was identified by X-ray analysis of the samples using an X-ray diffractometer XRD-700 ‘Shimadzu’. Determination of the dust pollution level was carried out using model calculations of emissions in the atmosphere dispersion. The calculations were verified by instrumental studies. Results of the study. The results demonstrated that the dust emissions of different technical processes are heterogeneous and fractional structure is complicated. The percentage of particle sizes up to 2.5 micrometres inclusive was ranged from 0.00 to 56.70%; particle sizes less than 10 microns inclusive – 0.00 - 85.60%; particle sizes greater than 10 microns - 14.40% -100.00%. During microscopy, the presence of nanoscale size particles has been detected. Studied dust particles are round, irregular, cubic and integral shapes. The composition of the dust includes magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, chlorine. On the base of obtained results, it was performed the model calculations of dust emissions dispersion and establishment of the areas of fine dust РМ 10 and РМ 2.5 distribution. It was found that the dust emissions of fine powder fractions PM10 and PM2.5 are dispersed over large distances and beyond the border of the industrial site of the enterprise. The population living near the enterprise is exposed to the risk of diseases associated with dust exposure. Data are transferred to the economic entity to make decisions on the measures to minimize the risks. Exposure and risks indicators on the health are used to provide named patient health and preventive care to the citizens living in the area of negative impact of the facility.

Keywords: dust emissions, еxposure assessment, PM 10, PM 2.5

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Authors: Minami Ito, Akihiro Iijima

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On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred off the coast of Sanriku, Japan. It is important to build a sustainable society through the reconstruction process rather than simply restoring the infrastructure. To compare the goals of reconstruction plans of quake-stricken municipalities, Japanese language morphological analysis was performed by using text mining techniques. Frequently-used nouns were sorted into four main categories of “life”, “disaster prevention”, “economy”, and “harmony with environment”. Because Soma City is affected by nuclear accident, sentences tagged to “harmony with environment” tended to be frequent compared to the other municipalities. Results from cluster analysis and principle component analysis clearly indicated that the local government reinforces the efforts to reduce risks from radiation exposure as a top priority.

Keywords: eco-friendly reconstruction, harmony with environment, decontamination, nuclear disaster

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Authors: Othmane Essahili, Mohamed Ilsouk, Carine Duhayon, Omar Moudam

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Due to their excellent and promising properties, a great deal of attention has recently been devoted to luminescent materials, particularly those utilizing rare earth elements. These materials play an essential role in low-cost energy conversion technology applications, such as luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). They also have potential applications in Agri-PV systems and smart building windows. Luminescent materials based on europium (III) complexes are known for their high luminescence efficiency, long fluorescence lifetimes, and sharp emission bands. However, they present certain drawbacks related to their limited absorption capacity due to the forbidden 4f-4f electronic transitions. To address these drawbacks, using β-diketonate ligands as sensitizers appears as a promising solution to enhance luminescence intensity through the antenna effect, where the ligand's excited energy is transferred to the europium ions. In this study, we synthesized β-diketonate-based europium complexes with phenanthroline derivatives, modified with various methyl groups, to examine their effects on the complexes' stability in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films. Our findings reveal that these complexes exhibit remarkable red emission and high photoluminescence quantum yield. Stability tests under different conditions for 1200 hours showed that complexes with a higher number of methyl substitutions offer improved photoluminescent stability and resistance to degradation, particularly in outdoor settings. This research underscores the potential of chemically tuned phenanthroline ligands in developing stable, efficient luminescent materials for future optoelectronic devices, including efficient and durable LSCs.

Keywords: luminescent materials, photochemistry, luminescent solar concentrators, β-diketonate-based europium complexes

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Authors: Saheed A. Adekola, Mabel A. Charles-Davies, Ridwan A. Adekola

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Background: Testosterone is a known androgenic and anabolic steroid, primarily secreted in the testes. It plays an important role in the development of testes and prostate and has a range of biological actions. There is evidence that exposure to mixed chemicals in the workplace leads to the generation of free radicals and inadequate antioxidants leading to oxidative stress, which may serve as an early indicator of a pathophysiologic state. Based on findings, testosterone shows direct antioxidant effects by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, thus indirectly contributing to antioxidant capacity. Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant role of testosterone as well as the relationship between testosterone and oxidative stress biomarkers in males exposed to mixed chemicals in the automobile repair community. Methods: The study included 43 participants aged 22- 60years exposed to mixed chemicals (EMC) from the automobile repair community. Forty (40) apparently healthy, unexposed, age-matched controls were recruited after informed consent. Demographic, sexual and anthropometric characteristics were obtained from pre-test structured questionnaires using standard methods. Blood samples (10mls) were collected from each subject into plain bottles and sera obtained were used for biochemical analyses. Serum levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined by enzyme immunoassay method, EIA (Immunometrics UK.LTD). Levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total plasma peroxide (TPP), Malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), glutathione peroxide (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined using spectrophotometric methods respectively. Results obtained were analyzed using the Student’s t-test and Chi-square test for quantitative variables and qualitative variables respectively. Multiple regression was used to find associations and relationships between the variables. Results: Significant higher concentrations of TPP, MDA, OSI, H2O2 and GST were observed in EMC compared with controls (p < 0.001). Within EMC, significantly higher levels of testosterone, LH and TAC were observed in eugonadic when compared with hypogonadic participants (p < 0.001). Diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, waist height ratio and waist hip ratio were significantly higher in participants EMC compared with the controls. Sexual history and dietary intake showed that the controls had normal erection during sex and took more vegetables in their diet which may therefore be beneficial. Conclusion: The significantly increased levels of total antioxidant capacity in males exposed to mixed chemicals despite their exposure may probably reflect the contributory antioxidant role testosterone that prevents oxidative stress.

Keywords: mixed chemicals, oxidative stress, antioxidant, hypogonadism testosterone

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Authors: Mohamed A. Safan, Walid Khalil, Amro Fathalla

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Advances in concrete technology and implementation of new materials made it possible to produce special types of concrete for different structural applications. In this research, granite and galena were incorporated in different concrete mixes to obtain high performance concrete for shielding against gamma radiations in nuclear facilities. Chemically prepared industrial galena was used to replace different volume fractions of the fine aggregate. The test specimens were exposed to different conditions of heating cycles and irradiation. The exposed specimens and counterpart unexposed specimens were tested to evaluate the density, the compressive strength and the attenuation coefficient. The proposed mixes incorporating galena showed better performance in terms of compressive strength and gamma attenuation capacity, especially after the exposure to different heating cycles.

Keywords: concrete, galena, shielding, attenuation, radiation

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Authors: Simiso Fisokuhle Nyandeni

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Climate change has turned out to be a pandemic that has drawn the attention of many countries’ households around the globe, especially those whose livelihood and economic status depend on agricultural productivity. Hence, the agricultural sector is regarded as the sector that is most dependent on climate conditions for its productivity/harvest, yet in recent years this sector has been experiencing drought. However, adaptation seems to be a tool that every farmer looks upon as a solution to their challenges as their productivity keeps on being vulnerable to climate effects. Thus, exposure/access to the market seems to be a major challenge that faces especially small-scale farmers. We, therefore, examine the small-scale farmers’ constraints or challenges towards getting access to the market for them to get proper sales of their farming products. As a result, the adaptation capacity of every farm household varies on the financial status.

Keywords: climate change, small-scale farming, agriculture sector, adaptation

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Authors: Dinku Seyoum Zeleke, Rong Fung Huang, Ching Min Hsu

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Comparison of flow and mixing characteristics between non-oscillating jet and transversely oscillating jet was investigated experimentally. Flow evolution process was detected by using high-speed digital camera, and jet spread width was calculated using binary edge detection techniques by using the long-exposure images. The velocity characteristics of transversely oscillating jet induced by a V-shaped fluidic oscillator were measured using single component hot-wire anemometer. The jet spread width of non-oscillating jet was much smaller than the jet exit gap because of behaving natural jet behaviors. However, the transversely oscillating jet has a larger jet spread width, which was associated with the excitation of the flow by self-induced oscillation. As a result, the flow mixing characteristics desperately improved both near-field and far-field. Therefore, this transversely oscillating jet has a better turbulence intensity, entrainment, and spreading width so that it augments flow-mixing characteristics desperately.

Keywords: flow mixing, transversely oscillating, spreading width, velocity characteristics

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Authors: Lei Zhou, Dan Li, Ruiqi Ren, Chao Li, Yali Wang, Daxin Ni, Zijian Feng, Timothy M. Uyeki, Qun Li

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Since the first human infections with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus were identified in early 2013, 1533 cases of laboratory-confirmed A(H7N9) virus infections were reported and confirmed as of September 13, 2017. The fifth epidemic was defined as starting from September 1, 2016, and the number of A(H7N9) cases has surged since the end of December in 2016. On February 18, 2017, the A(H7N9) cases who were infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was reported from Southern China. The HPAI A(H7N9) cases were identified and then an investigation and analyses were conducted to assess whether disease severity in humans has changed with HPAI A(H7N9) compared with low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H7N9) virus infection. Methods: All confirmed cases with A(H7N9) virus infections reported throughout mainland China from September 1, 2016, to September 13, 2017, were included. Cases' information was extracted from field investigation reports and the notifiable infectious surveillance system to describe the demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to compare HPAI A(H7N9) cases with all LPAI A(H7N9) cases reported during the fifth epidemic. Results: A total of 27 cases of HPAI A(H7N9) virus were identified infection from five provinces, including Guangxi (44%), Guangdong (33%), Hunan (15%), Hebei (4%) and Shangxi (4%). The median age of cases of HPAI A(H7N9) virus infection was 60 years (range, 15 to 80) and most of them were male (59%) and lived in rural areas (78%). All 27 cases had live poultry related exposures within 10 days before their illness onset. In comparison with LPAI A(H7N9) case-patients, HPAI A(H7N9) case-patients were significantly more likely to live in rural areas (78% vs. 51%; p = 0.006), have exposure to the sick or dead poultry (56% vs. 19%; p = 0.000), and be hospitalized earlier (median 3 vs. 4 days; p = 0.007). No significant differences were observed in median age, sex, prevalence of underlying chronic medical conditions, median time from illness onset to first medical service seeking, starting antiviral treatment, and diagnosis. Although the median time from illness onset to death (9 vs. 13 days) was shorter and the overall case-fatality proportion (48% vs. 38%) was higher for HPAI A(H7N9) case-patients than for LPAI A(H7N9) case-patients, these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that HPAI A(H7N9) virus infection was associated with exposure to sick and dead poultry in rural areas when visited live poultry market or in the backyard. In the fifth epidemic in mainland China, HPAI A (H7N9) case-patients were hospitalized earlier than LPAI A(H7N9) case-patients. Although the difference was not statistically significant, the mortality of HPAI A (H7N9) case-patients was obviously higher than that of LPAI A(H7N9) case-patients, indicating a potential severity change of HPAI A(H7N9) virus infection.

Keywords: Avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), case-patients, poultry

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Authors: Sandip Mitra

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Studies on Governance and Accountability has often stressed the need to release Data in public domain to increase transparency ,which otherwise act as an evidence of performance. However, inefficient handling, lack of capacity and the dynamics of transfers (especially fund transfers) are important issues which need appropriate attention. E-Governance alone can not serve as a measure of transparency as long as a comprehensive planning is instituted. Studies on Governance and public exposure has often triggered public opinion in favour or against any government. The root of the problem (especially in local governments) lies in the management of the governance. The participation of the people in the local government functioning, the networks within and outside the locality, synergy with various layers of Government are crucial in understanding the activities of any government. Unfortunately, data on such issues are not released in the public domain .If they are at all released , the extraction of information is often hindered for complicated designs. A Study has been undertaken with a few local Governments in India. The data has been analysed to substantiate the views.

Keywords: accountability, e-governance, transparency, local government

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Authors: Ryan D. Martinus

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Inflammation of the endothelium is an important process leading to diabetic atherosclerosis. However, the molecular mechanisms by which diabetes contributes to endothelial inflammation remain to be established. Using In-vitro cultured Human cells and Hsp60 specific ELISA assays, we show that Hsp60 is not only induced in Human monocyte cells under hyperglycaemic conditions but that the Hsp60 is also secreted from these cells. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that the Hsp60 secreted from these monocyte cells is also able to activate Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) from Human endothelial cells. This suggests that a potential link may exist between the hyperglycaemia-induced expression of Hsp60 in monocyte cells and vascular inflammation. Circulating levels of Hsp60 due to mitochondrial stress in diabetes patients could, therefore, be an important modulator of inflammation in endothelial cells and thus contribute to the increased incidences of atherosclerosis in diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: mitochondria, Hsp60, inflammation, diabetes mellitus

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Authors: Ioanna Skoufali

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The present study is directed towards adaptation to climate change closely related to the phenomenon of the urban heat island (UHI). This issue is widespread and common to different urban realities, but particularly in Mediterranean cities that are characterized by dense urban. The attention of this work of redevelopment of the open space is focused on mitigation techniques aiming to solve local problems such as microclimatic parameters and the conditions of thermal comfort in summer, related to urban morphology. This quantitative analysis, evaluation, and verification survey involves the methodological elaboration applied in a real study case by Serres, through the experimental support of the ENVImet Pro V4.1 and BioMet software developed: i) in two phases concerning the anteoperam (phase a1 # 2013) and the post-operam (phase a2 # 2016); ii) in scenario A (+ 25% of green # 2017). The first study tends to identify the main intervention strategies, namely: the application of cool pavements, the increase of green surfaces, the creation of water surface and external fans; moreover, it obtains the minimum results achieved by the National Program 'Bioclimatic improvement project for public open space', EPPERAA (ESPA 2007-2013) related to the four environmental parameters illustrated below: the TAir = 1.5 o C, the TSurface = 6.5 o C, CDH = 30% and PET = 20%. In addition, the second study proposes a greater potential for improvement than postoperam intervention by increasing the vegetation within the district towards the SW/SE. The final objective of this in-depth design is to be transferable in homogeneous cases of urban regeneration processes with obvious effects on the efficiency of microclimatic mitigation and thermal comfort.

Keywords: cool pavements, microclimate parameters (TAir, Tsurface, Tmrt, CDH), mitigation strategies, outdoor thermal comfort (PET & UTCI)

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Authors: Ferjani Hanen, El Arem Amira, Boussema Ayed Imen, Bacha Hassen

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Tacrolimus (TAC), a calcineurin inhibitor, is clinically used as an immunosuppressive agent in the transplant recipient, but its use associated-hepatotoxicity. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an anti-metabolite, is a potent immunosuppressive drug. MMF is not hepatotoxic and is the most common adjunctive immunosuppressant for TAC. The effects of TAC and MMF combination in the liver is still not well understood. This work aimed to investigate their combined effect against in liver in rats Wistar after 24 h. The oral median lethal doses (LD50) of TAC and MMF alone were evaluated in rats are 240 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg respectively. Oral administration of the MMF at 50 mg/kg to male Wistar intoxicated with TAC at 60 mg/kg, demonstrated a significant protective effect by lowering the levels of hepatic markers enzymes (AST, ALT) in the serum rat. MMF attenuated oxidative stress by restoring the activities of SOD, CAT and by reducing the malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl levels liver. This study provided evidence that MMF protects rat liver from TAC-induced injury and suggests a most combination use for organ transplantation.

Keywords: tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, combination, liver, rat

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Authors: Emad Khorshid, Habib Awada

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Newly developed Ergonomic speed control hump/Dip designs are conducted. The numerical simulation for the driver-vehicle-hump dynamic system will be performed using computer software. The design problem for which the speed hump or dip should provide: (1) discomfort feeling to the driver if speed is over the specified limit, and (2) normal/good comfort level to the driver (and or other passengers) if the speed is within the limit. For comparison reasons, different vehicles suspension systems (active, semi-active and non-active suspension) are used in the simulation. The measuring of the acceptable range of vibration will be referenced to the British standard BS6841, ISO 2631/1 and the new ISO 2631/5. All these standards are related to human health and comfort level in terms of acceptable range of whole body vibration exposure.

Keywords: speed hump, speed dip, ergonomic design, human health, vehicle modeling

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Authors: Nur Azaliah Abu Bakar, Harihodin Selamat, Mohd Nazri Kama

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This article provides a systematic review of existing research related to the Service-oriented Enterprise Architecture (SoEA) adoption and maturity measurement model. The review’s main goals are to support research, to facilitate other researcher’s search for relevant studies and to propose areas for future studies within this area. In addition, this article provides useful information on SoEA adoption issues and its related maturity model, based on research-based knowledge. The review results suggest that motives, critical success factors (CSFs), implementation status and benefits are the most frequently studied areas and that each of these areas would benefit from further exposure.

Keywords: systematic literature review, service-oriented architecture, adoption, maturity model

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Authors: Preethy Mary Donald, Renjith George Pallivathukal

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Dens evaginatus (DE) is a rare developmental anomaly characterized by a slender enamel-covered tubercle which projects from the occlusal surface of an otherwise normal premolar. DE can often interfere normal occlusion and can lead to complications like sensitivity, pulpal exposure and temporo mandibular joint problems. The orthopantomographs (OPGs) and dental records of patients under the age of 20 who attended the faculty of dentistry, Melaka-Manipal Medical College were examined for DE. Results: The prevalence of DE was 23% among the study group. Males presented with a higher prevalence of 67% and females with 33%. The prevalence of Dens evaginatus was distributed as 28% in maxillary central incisor, 52% in maxillary lateral incisors, 12% in mandibular second premolars. Prevalence in permanent dentitions appeared to be higher than deciduous dentition. The bilateral occurrence of Dens evaginatus is an interesting phenomenon. 57% of the cases of the DE were bilateral.

Keywords: deciduous dentition, dens evaginatus, permanent dentition, prevalence

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Authors: Pangkaj Kumar Mahanta, Md. Rafizul Islam

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The rapid growth of the population causes a substantial amount of increase in household waste all over the world. Waste management is becoming one of the most challenging phenomena in the present day. The most environmentally friendly final disposal process of waste is sanitary landfilling, which is practiced in most developing countries. However, in Southeast Asia, most of the final disposal point is an open dump site. Due to the ignominy of proper management of waste and monitoring, the surrounding environment gets polluted more by the open dump site in comparison with a sanitary landfill. Khulna is 3rd largest metropolitan city in Bangladesh, having a population of around 1.5 million and producing approximately 450 tons per day of Municipal Solid Waste. The Municipal solid waste of Khulna city is disposed of in Rajbandh open dump site. The surrounding air is being polluted by the gas produced in the open dump site. Also, the open dump site produces leachate, which contains various heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Mercury (Hg), Strontium (Sr), etc. Leachate pollutes the soil as well as the groundwater of the open dump site and also the surrounding area through seepage. Moreover, during the rainy season, the surface water is polluted by leachate runoff. Also, the plastic waste flowing out from the open dump site through various drivers pollutes the nearby environment. The health risk assessment associated with heavy metals was carried out by computing the chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) via different exposure pathways following the USEPA guidelines. For ecological risk, potential contamination index (Cp), Contamination factor (CF), contamination load index (PLI), numerical integrated contamination factor (NICF), enrichment factor (EF), ecological risk index (ER), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were computed. The health risk and ecological risk assessment results reveal that some heavy metals possess strong health and ecological risk. In addition, the child faces higher harmful health risks from several heavy metals than the adult for all the exposure pathways and media. The conversion of an open dump site into a sanitary landfill and a proper management system can reduce the problems associated with an open dump site. In the sanitary landfill, the produced gas will be managed properly to save the surrounding atmosphere from being polluted. The seepage of leachate can be minimized by installing a compacted clay layer (CCL) as a baseline and leachate collection in a sanitary landfill to save the underlying soil layer and surrounding water bodies from leachate. Another important component of a sanitary landfill is the conversion of plastic waste to energy will minimize the plastic pollution in the landfill area and also the surrounding soil and water bodies. Also, in the sanitary landfill, the bio-waste can be used to make compost to reduce the volume of bio-waste and proper utilization of the landfill area.

Keywords: ecological risk, health risk, open dump site, sanitary landfill

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Authors: C. F. Kumru, C. Kocatepe, O. Arikan

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In this study, electric field distribution analyses for three pylon models are carried out by a Finite Element Method (FEM) based software. Analyses are performed in both stationary and time domains to observe instantaneous values along with the effective ones. Considering the results of the study, different line geometries is considerably affecting the magnitude and distribution of electric field although the line voltages are the same. Furthermore, it is observed that maximum values of instantaneous electric field obtained in time domain analysis are quite higher than the effective ones in stationary mode. In consequence, electric field distribution analyses should be individually made for each different line model and the limit exposure values or distances to residential buildings should be defined according to the results obtained.

Keywords: electric field, energy transmission line, finite element method, pylon

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Authors: Pratiwi Retnaningdyah, Sofie Dewayani

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Foreign domestic workers are arguably one of the most exploited and subordinated groups of women in the labor division under global capitalism. However, foreign domestic workers (FDWs) actively engage in activities to negotiate the prevailing structures of power in the transnational labor market. This paper seeks to understand the significance of Indonesian Domestic Workers (IDWs) cultural representations in relation to the themes of literacy and space. In particular, this paper addresses the issue of how IDWs in Hong Kong make use of the practice of suitcase libraries to make meaning of space within material limits. The term ‘suitcase libraries’ is used to refer to a literacy practice of book borrowing at outdoor public spaces in Hong Kong during IDWs’ days off. The books are displayed in open suitcases and mats, with IDWs both as administrators and consumers engaged in the practice. This paper argues that suitcase libraries can be considered representing Thirdspace in the form of a vernacular, grassroots literacy practice that creates a productive space of resistance and community empowerment. Employing participant observation and a textual analysis of IDWs’ literacy narratives, the study traced IDWs’ literacy trajectories to the period of IDWs’ permanent return to Indonesia. Through extended engagement in community literacy practices in their hometowns, former IDWs develop their literacy capital and break the stereotypes of uneducated and passive maids and change them into literate figures. In the context of literacy movement that has gained momentum in Indonesia recently, the practice of IDWs’ suitcase libraries is also useful as a reference point to further investigate how community literacy sponsors in Indonesia also create Thirdspace and develop literacy capital through community libraries (TBM, Taman Baca Masyarakat).

Keywords: identity, Indonesian domestic workers, literacy narratives, Thirdspace

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Authors: Kawar Salih

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It has been proven that designing sustainable buildings starts from early stages of urban design. The design of urban blocks specifically, is considered as one of the pragmatic strategies of sustainable urbanism. There have been previous studies that focused on the impact of urban block design and regulation on the outdoor thermal comfort in the semi-arid regions. However, no studies have been found that concentrated on that impact on the internal behavior of buildings of those regions specifically the daylight quality and energy performance. Further, most studies on semi-arid regions are focusing only on the cooling load reduction, neglecting the heating load. The study has focused on two parameters of urban block distribution which are the block orientation and the surface-to-volume ratio with the consideration of both heating and cooling loads of buildings. In Duhok (a semi-arid city in Kurdistan region of Iraq), energy consumption and daylight quality of different types of residential blocks have been examined using dynamic simulation. The findings suggest that there is a considerable higher energy load for heating than cooling, contradicting many previous studies about these regions. The results also highlight that the orientation of urban blocks can vary the energy consumption to 8%. Regarding the surface-to-volume ratio (S/V), it was observed that after the twice enlargement of the S/V, the energy consumption increased 15%. Though, the study demonstrates as well that there are opportunities for reducing energy consumption with the increase of the S/V which contradicts many previous research on S/V impacts on energy consumption. These results can help to design urban blocks with the bigger S/V than existing blocks in the city which it can provide better indoor daylight and relatively similar energy consumption.

Keywords: blocke orienation, building energy consumption, urban block design, semi-arid regions, surfacet-to-volume ratio

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Authors: Lei Li, Ping Yin, Haneen Khreis

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Stroke is the second leading cause of death and a third leading cause of death and disability worldwide in 2019. Given the significant role of environmental factors in stroke development and progression, it is essential to investigate the effect of air pollution on stroke occurrence while considering the modifying effects of meteorological variables. This study aimed to evaluate the association between short-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of stroke subtypes in Shenzhen, China, and to explore the potential interactions of meteorological factors with air pollutants. The study analyzed data from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2014, including 88,214 cases of ischemic stroke and 30,433 cases of hemorrhagic stroke among residents of Shenzhen. Using a time-stratified case–crossover design with conditional quasi-Poisson regression, the study estimated the percentage changes in stroke morbidity associated with short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter less than 10 mm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃). A five-day moving average of air pollution was applied to capture the cumulative effects of air pollution. The estimates were further stratified by sex, age, education level, and season. The additive and multiplicative interaction between air pollutants and meteorologic variables were assessed by the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and adding the interactive term into the main model, respectively. The study found that NO₂ was positively associated with ischemic stroke occurrence throughout the year and in the cold season (November through April), with a stronger effect observed among men. Each 10 μg/m³ increment in the five-day moving average of NO₂ was associated with a 2.38% (95% confidence interval was 1.36% to 3.41%) increase in the risk of ischemic stroke over the whole year and a 3.36% (2.04% to 4.69%) increase in the cold season. The harmful effect of CO on ischemic stroke was observed only in the cold season, with each 1 mg/m³ increment in the five-day moving average of CO increasing the risk by 12.34% (3.85% to 21.51%). There was no statistically significant additive interaction between individual air pollutants and temperature or relative humidity, as demonstrated by the RERI. The interaction term in the model showed a multiplicative antagonistic effect between NO₂ and temperature (p-value=0.0268). For hemorrhagic stroke, no evidence of the effects of any individual air pollutants was found in the whole population. However, the RERI indicated a statistically additive and multiplicative interaction of temperature on the effects of PM10 and O₃ on hemorrhagic stroke onset. Therefore, the insignificant conclusion should be interpreted with caution. The study suggests that environmental NO₂ and CO might increase the morbidity of ischemic stroke, particularly during the cold season. These findings could help inform policy decisions aimed at reducing air pollution levels to prevent stroke and other health conditions. Additionally, the study provides valuable insights into the interaction between air pollution and meteorological variables, which underscores the need for further research into the complex relationship between environmental factors and health.

Keywords: air pollution, meteorological variables, interactive effect, seasonal pattern, stroke

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