Effect of ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nicotine on the structure of Aβ42 protein

● B[a]P, nicotine and phenanthrene molecules altered the secondary structure of Aβ₄₂. ● β-content of the peptide was significantly enhanced in the presence of the PAHs. ● Nicotine made stable cluster with Aβ₄₂ peptide via hydrogen bonds. ● Phenanthrene due to its small size, interfered with the Aβ₄₂ monomer more strongly. Recent studies have correlated the chronic impact of ambient environmental pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, either by using statistical data from various cities, or via tracking biomarkers during in-vivo experiments. Among different neurodegenerative disorders, PAHs are known to cause increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, related to the development of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide oligomers. However, the complex molecular interactions between peptide monomers and organic pollutants remains obscured. In this work, we performed an atomistic molecular dynamics study via GROMACS to investigate the structure of Aβ₄₂ peptide monomer in the presence of benzo[a]pyrene, nicotine, and phenanthrene. Interestingly the results revealed strong hydrophobic, and hydrogen-bond based interactions between Aβ peptides and these environmental pollutants that resulted in the formation of stable intermolecular clusters. The strong interactions affected the secondary structure of the Aβ₄₂ peptide in the presence of the organic pollutants, with almost 50 % decrease in the α-helix and 2 %–10 % increase in the β-sheets of the peptide. Overall, the undergoing changes in the secondary structure of the peptide monomer in the presence of the pollutants under the study indicates an enhanced formation of Aβ peptide oligomers, and consequent progression of Alzheimer’s disease.     

Mowers versus growers: Riparian buffer management in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains,USA

Despite long-standing knowledge of the benefits of riparian buffers for mitigating nonpoint source pollution, many streams are unprotected by buffers. Even landowners who understand ecological values of buffers mow riparian vegetation to the streambank. Do trends in rural riparian conditions reflect the development of riparian forest science? What motivates residential riparian management actions? Using high-resolution orthoimagery, we quantified riparian conditions and trends between 1998 and 2015 in the rural upper Little Tennessee River basin in Macon County, North Carolina and explored how landowners view riparian zone management and riparian restoration programs. Buffer composition in 2015 was as follows: no buffer (32.5%), narrow (19.3%), forested (26.7%), shrub (7.2%), and intermediate (7.0%). Relative to 1998, the greatest decrease occurred in the no buffer class (−17.7%, 46 km) and the largest increases occurred in the shrub (+72.5%, 20 km) and narrow (12.6%, 14 km) classes. Forested buffer marginally increased. Semi-structured interview data suggest that landowners prioritize recreational and scenic aspects of riparian buffers over ecological functions such as filtration and bank stabilization. Riparian restoration programs might be made more enticing to non-adopters if outreach language appealed to landowner priorities, design elements demonstrated intentional management, and program managers highlighted areas where ecological goals and landowner values align.     

Five-wheel framework for system-based monitoring of heavy metal pollution in rivers

Sectorial approach for monitoring heavy metal pollution in rivers has failed to report realistic pollution status and associated ecological and human health risks. The increasing spread of heavy metals from different sources and emerging risks to human and environmental health call for reexamining heavy metal pollution monitoring frameworks. Also, the sources, spread, and load of heavy metals in the environment have changed significantly over time, requiring consequent modification in the monitoring frameworks. Therefore, studies on heavy metal monitoring in rivers conducted in the last decade were evaluated for experimental designs, research frameworks, and data presentations. Most studies (∼99%) (i) lacked inclusiveness of all environmental compartments; (ii) focused on “one pollutant – one/two compartment” or sometimes “one pollutant – one compartment – one effect” approach; and (iii) remained “data-rich but information poor.” An ecological approach with integrative system thinking is proposed to develop a holistic approach for monitoring river pollution. It is visualized that heavy metal monitoring, risk analyses, and water management must incorporate tracking pollutants in different environmental compartments of a river (water, sediment, and floodplain/bank soil) and consider correlating it with riverbank land use. The systems-based pollution monitoring and assessment studies will reveal the critical factors that drive heavy metals pollutant movement in ecosystems and associated potential risks to the environment, wildlife, and humans. Also, water quality and pollution indexing tools would help better communicate complex pollution data and associated risks among all stakeholders. Therefore, integrating systems approaches in scientific- and policy-based tools would help sustainably manage the health of rivers, wildlife, and humans.     

Public perception of air pollution sources across Europe

Air pollution is one of the primary concerns of our society for its effect on human health and the environment. Among the policy measures that can be put in place to limit air pollutant emissions, end-of-pipe technologies and/or regulatory instruments may be implemented through legislative acts. Also, equally important are behavioural measures, requiring citizens’ active involvement. The success of any measure to limit pollutant emissions requires the acceptance by the citizens that, in turn, implies a correct perception of the main pollutant emission drivers. We present here the comparison between the public perception of air pollution sources and the real-world situation through a survey carried out in seven European countries and involving 16 101 respondents. Our study shows a dramatic underestimation of the contribution of the agri-food sector to air pollution. This result is common to all respondents in the seven countries examined and only to a small extent depends on gender, age and socio-economic status of the respondents.     

Experimental investigation on the effect of liquid phase and vapor phase separation over performance of falling film evaporator

Energy, cost, and environmental concerns play a vital role in understanding governing parameters of distributor design in falling film evaporators. Distributor design is a hidden parameter in many experimental papers. The uniform distribution of liquid refrigerant over the tube bundle mostly depends on two-phase liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant. This work conducted experiments with two distribution systems with and without separation of liquid-vapor refrigerant after expansion valve for the same evaporator capacity with R134a as a refrigerant. Results reveal that; separating vapor refrigerant has a positive impact on the approach of the evaporator with an open system distributor arrangement. The highest delta T and lowest practice are found at a heat flux of 13.97 kW/m² with an available system distributor compared to a closed system with a heat flux of 14.25 kW/m². The open system arrangement in the distributor is the novel parameter for distributor design, ensuring uniform distribution with minimum pressure drop and dry suction. An open system distributor has an average 16.1% capacity increase over a closed system. The experimental analysis helps to understand different parameters for the design of distributors in falling film evaporators for uniform distribution.     

基于火探管式的锂离子电池灭火技术研究

为研究锂离子电池灭火方案,基于火探管灭火技术同时利用新型清洁灭火剂Novec 1230,组装成火探管灭火系统。在灭火测试平台上以功率为200 W的电热管作为外热源引发单电池或电池模组热失控,通过改变火探管的布置位置,记录相应的灭火行为以及灭火效率,并对实验结果进行了分析。研究结果表明,当火探管灭火系统直接布置在电池正上方时,在起火后的5.6s内控制火情;随着灭火剂用量增加可以显著降低体系温度,防止电池复燃以及连锁热失控现象发生;火探管有效覆盖区域外的失控电池作为热源将继续加热临近电池,引发连锁热失控,造成灭火系统失效;根据电池热失控后的燃烧行为以及传热行为,提出相应的火探管灭火系统复合方案。     

基于变权灰色云模型的江苏省水环境系统脆弱性评价

水环境系统脆弱性是水资源利用与生态环境研究的热点问题，通过研究水环境系统的内在机理，综合考虑影响水环境系统脆弱性的资源、环境、经济、社会等因素，借助驱动力-压力-状态-影响-响应-管理（DPSIRM）框架构建水环境系统脆弱性评价指标体系。在此基础上，构建基于变权灰色云模型的评价方法，对2004~2014年江苏省水环境系统脆弱性进行评价。结果表明：2004~2014年水环境系统脆弱性指数由47.056提高到63.210，脆弱性等级由“重度脆弱”演化为“中度脆弱”，并长期维持在“中度脆弱的”等级，2014年出现了向“轻度脆弱”状态转变的趋势。分析各个子系统对水环境系统脆弱性影响程度可知，影响子系统和响应子系统对江苏省水环境脆弱性系统的影响程度逐年增加；而压力子系统和管理子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响程度逐年下降；其它子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响维持在一定水平小幅度波动。     

射阳湖浮游动物群落结构特征及其与环境因子相关性研究

2016—2017年对射阳湖开展浮游动物群落结构和水质指标逐月监测。结果表明,射阳湖共鉴定出浮游动物61种,其中原生动物、轮虫、枝角类和桡足类分别为25种、24种、7种和5种。浮游动物种类数呈现春夏季多于秋冬季的变化趋势。浮游动物优势种数量较多、分布广,群落结构相对复杂且稳定。运用Shannon-Wiener指数、均匀度指数和B/T指数对射阳湖水质作评价,结果表明,该湖处于轻度—中度污染状态,生物学指标评价法与常规水质评价结果一致。浮游动物群落结构与水质指标相关性分析表明,水温、透明度、Chl-a和DO是影响射阳湖浮游动物群落结构的主要水质指标。     

“竞争申请制”:可持续发展政策试点与央地关系重构

可持续发展目标(SDGs)的提出,开启了人类可持续发展领域最宏大的政策实验,也为开展国际视野的比较公共政策研究提供了难得机遇。执行SDGs及国家可持续发展政策需要处理好中央政府与地方政府间关系,而政策试点是协调这一关系的重要政策工具。已有文献对经济政策试点做了较充分的研究,然而对旨在实现经济、社会与环境协调的可持续发展政策试点,现有研究尚缺乏成型理论。在复杂央地关系格局下,对于需持续投入成本且成果难以界定的可持续发展政策试点,其具有怎样的不同于经济政策试点的机制?此外,众多西方学者将美国作为政策试点研究的制度基础并视其为“民主实验室”。然而,政策试点在以中国为代表的不同体制国家中同样存在,并以多样的机制发挥作用。那么,不同国家体制内的可持续发展政策试点又有哪些异同?政策试点影响下中国既有的央地关系发生了怎样的重构?对此,本文基于最典型案例原则,选取中国与美国响应SDGs分别开展的政策试点进行比较研究。笔者识别了不同体制下试点机制的异同,指出中国基于“竞争申请制”开展的可持续发展政策试点强化了中央部委与地方政府间关系,形成了地方官员的可持续发展激励,保障了政策试点的实施。     

不同喷雾方式下低阻文丘里振弦栅除尘配置优化实验研究

为了对比径向外喷和轴向喷雾下的低阻文丘里振弦栅耦合除尘效果，以除尘效率和系统阻力为参照，选定喉管气速、振弦栅数、纤维丝间隙和喉管液气比进行单因素实验。结果表明2种喷雾方式的除尘效率和系统阻力的变化趋势相同。利用SPSS软件进行4因素3水平正交实验设计，在特定参数条件下，2种喷雾方式的因素影响排序相同，除尘效率为纤维栅数＞纤维丝间隙＞喉管气速＞喷雾量；系统阻力为喉管气速＞纤维栅数＞纤维丝间隙＞喷雾量；径向外喷最佳配置为喉管气速24 m/s、喷雾量2.3 L/min、2块间隙为0.8 mm纤维栅板；轴向喷雾为喉管气速28 m/s、喷雾量2.4 L/min、2块间隙为0.8 mm纤维栅板；在最优配置下的除尘性能为径向外喷＞轴向喷雾。