Scenario-based urban growth allocation in a rapidly developing area: a modeling approach for sustainability analysis of an urban-coastal coupled system

Being located in an urban-coastal coupled system, the Hashtpar City is one of the most attractive areas for urban construction, tourism, agricultural activities and environmental protection in northern Iran. To resolve the issues between land developers and environmental conservation agencies, we conducted a scenario-based urban growth allocation procedure through the SLEUTH model. The scenarios consisted of ‘business as usual’, ‘managed urban growth’ and ‘environmentally sound growth’ that were introduced by modification of model parameters and exclusion layer. The resultant urban growth arrangements were compared for composition and configuration attributes of landscape patterns. According to the results, the pattern of urbanized lands under managed urban growth option demonstrated better connectivity and compactness of urban patches, while the two other scenarios generated a highly fragmented pattern. The managed urban growth can be considered as a compromised solution between other scenarios since it simultaneously takes into accounts both developers and environment protectors points’ of views. On this basis, a combination of centralized and decentralized urban land use planning is a recommended strategy for our urban-coastal environment to fulfill the purposes of a sustainable development process. The findings of the present article suggest that further expansion of the major urban core in the targeted area should be prohibited since it can lead to an urban patch with considerable physical size and noticeable ecological footprint.     

Characterization of titanium oxide optical band gap produced from leachate sludge treatment with titanium tetrachloride

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study investigated the coagulation performance of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) for leachate treatment and preparation of titanium oxide (TiO2)...     

Effect of Bimetallic Soybean Oil Based Polymer on Growth and Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Activity Among Fungi

In view of bio-inorganic importance, iron and zinc incorporated soybean oil based polymer was prepared by condensation polymerization of oil based fatty amide polyole, sebacic acid, zinc acetate and ferric chloride in a process initiated by sodium ethoxide. Microwave assisted synthesis was used throughout the reaction as it is ecofriendly and requires minimal usage of solvents. Physical techniques such as FT-IR and ¹HNMR have been used to establish the structure of the polymers. Standard laboratory methods like acid value, saponification value, iodine value, specific gravity and viscosity were used to study the chemical diversity of each product. Thermo gravimetry/differential thermal analyzer was used to analyse the thermal behavior of polymer. The synthesized compounds were subjected to biological study. The observed fungicidal characteristics of synthesized compounds indicate that these compounds might be promising antifungal agents defining a new class of antimycotics. The polymers were used in preparation of films which can be used as protective packaging material of edible items.     

Copper modulates non-enzymatic antioxidants in the freshwater fish Channa punctata (Bloch) exposed to deltamethrin

The assessment of the ecotoxicological risks caused by pesticides to ecosystems are based on data on the toxicity and effects of pesticide preparations to non-target organisms like fish. Deltamethrin is a widely used pesticide based on pyrethroids, which is reported to be extremely toxic to fish species. Modulatory effect of copper pre-exposure (10 ppb) on deltamethrin (0.75 microg l-1)-induced oxidative stress was investigated in freshwater fish Channa punctata (Bloch). Non-enzymatic antioxidants were studied as biomarkers of exposure to deltamethrin and possible protection afforded by copper pre-exposure. Glutathione levels were reduced significantly (P<0.05) in liver of copper-acclimatized deltamethrin-exposed group when compared with deltamethrin-exposed groups. The total thiol levels of copper-acclimatized deltamethrin-exposed group was significantly lowered (P<0.01) in liver when compared with deltamethrin-exposed group, while non-protein thiol levels recorded a significant (P<0.01) increase in liver of copper-acclimatized deltamethrin-exposed group when compared with deltamethrin-exposed group. The lipid peroxidation levels of copper-acclimatized deltamethrin-exposed groups were significantly lowered (P<0.01) in liver when compared with deltamethrin-exposed group. Deltamethrin is known to induce toxic responses by generating reactive oxygen species and to neutralize its toxic effect various non-enzymatic antioxidants were found to be modulated thus implicating their role as biomarkers in pollution control programmes.     

Mode choice model for vulnerable motorcyclists in Malaysia

OBJECTIVE: In developing countries, motorcycle use has grown in popularity in the past decades. Commensurate with this growth is the increase in death and casualties among motorcyclists in these countries. One of the strategic programs to minimize this problem is to reduce motorcyclists exposure by shifting them into safer modes of transport. This study aims to explore the differences in the characteristics of bus and motorcycle users. It identifies the factors contributing to their choice of transport mode and estimates the probability that motorcyclists might change their travel mode to a safer alternative; namely, bus travel. METHODS: In this article, a survey of 535 motorcycle and bus users was conducted in seven districts of Selangor state, Malaysia. A binary logit model was developed for the two alternative modes, bus and motorcycle. RESULTS: It was found that travel time, travel cost, gender, age, and income level are significant in influencing motorcyclists' mode choice behavior. The probability of motorcycle riders shifting to public transport was also examined based on a scenario of a reduction in bus travel time and travel cost. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction of total travel time for the bus mode emerges as the most important element in a program aimed at attracting motorcyclists towards public transport and away from the motorcycle mode.     

An Optimised Direct Lysis Method for Viral RNA Extraction and Detection of Foodborne Viruses on Fruits and Vegetables

Detection of norovirus (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) on fruits and vegetables using current standard methodologies can be inefficient. Method optimisat     

Significance of adverse outcome pathways in biomarker-based environmental risk assessment in aquatic organisms

In environmental risk assessments (ERA), biomarkers have been widely used as an early warning signal of environmental contamination. However, biomarker responses have limitation due to its low relevance to adverse outcomes (e.g., fluctuations in community structure, decreases in population size, and other similar ecobiologically relevant indicators of community structure and function). To mitigate these limitations, the concept of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) was developed. An AOP is an analytical, sequentially progressive pathway that links a molecular initiating event (MIE) to an adverse outcome. Recently, AOPs have been recognized as a potential informational tool by which the implications of molecular biomarkers in ERA can be better understood. To demonstrate the utility of AOPs in biomarker-based ERA, here we discuss a series of three different biological repercussions caused by exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and selenium (Se). Using mainly aquatic invertebrates and selected vertebrates as model species, we focus on the development of the AOP concept. Aquatic organisms are suitable bioindicator species whose entire lifespans can be observed over a short period; moreover, these species can be studied on the molecular and population levels. Also, interspecific differences between aquatic organisms are important to consider in an AOP framework, since these differences are an integral part of the natural environment. The development of an environmental pollutant-mediated AOP may enable a better understanding of the effects of environmental pollutants in different scenarios in the diverse community of an ecosystem.     

Effect of sugar industry spentwash (diluted) on the characteristics of soil and sugarcane (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharum officinarum</Emphasis> L.) growth in the subtropical environment of Sindh,Pakistan

Spentwash is a rich source of organic matter and essential plant nutrients in addition to excess salts. Sugar mills in Pakistan discharge about 3.48 million tons of spentwash annually, with no proper procedures for its disposal or utilization. To test the effect of diluted spentwash on soil and the soil’s ability to support plant growth, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) variety CPF-237 was planted. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design involving factorial combination of four concentrations of each spentwash (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and mineral fertilizers (0, 1/3, 2/3, and the full recommended rate of NP). The 10% spentwash plus 2/3 mineral fertilizer treatment substituted 33% each of N and P and 100% of K, saving mineral fertilizer cost (Rs. 48600 ～ US$458) in addition to 29.54% increase in yield over full NP fertilizer. The same treatment also improved the soil organic matter (65%), N (20%), P (25%), and K (230%) over full NP treatment alone. An increase in the salt content of the soil was detected within the prescribed limits, with the exception of HCO₃.     

Detection of Rotavirus Strains in Freshwater Clams in Japan

Bivalve molluscan shellfish like clams and oysters, etc., are capable to bioaccumulate surrounding contaminants from waters into their digestive systems and posing serious threats of food poisoning. Detection of rotaviruses (RVs) in shellfish is of particular importance because RVs are prone to genome reassortment resulting in the emergence of new RV variants that may compromise vaccine safety. Herein, we have detected the wild-type RVs and Rotarix/RotaTeq vaccine strains in freshwater clams collected on the riverside, Kawasaki city, from July 2019 to January 2020 and correlated the detected genotypes with that of gastroenteritis cases of nearby clinics to understand the transmission of RVs in the environment. The wild-type RVs were detected in 62 (64.6%) out of 96 freshwater clams in every study month: July, September, November, and January that are considered as off-season for RV infections. The most frequent genotypes were G2 (42.9%), G8 (28.6%), G3 (14.3%), G1 (7.1%), and G10 (7.1%), which remained comparable with genotypic distribution found in the clinical samples over the last few years indicating that these RVs may accumulate in clams since a long time. However, G10 genotype was detected in clam but not in clinical samples suggesting the presence of asymptomatic infection or RVs could be carried out from a long distance. Importantly, vaccine strains, RotaTeq (1%) but not Rotarix (0%), were also detected in a clam. Attention must be paid to monitoring the potential transmission of wild-type and vaccine RV strains in the environment to prevent the emergence of new variants generated from genome reassortment with vaccine strains.

     

Supplementation with selenium nanoparticles alleviates diabetic nephropathy during pregnancy in the diabetic female rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The bioactivity of nanoparticles has engendered a promise in scientific communities for developing novel therapeutic strategies. This study...