Integrating gender and environment in NGO training

The global concern for the survival of the planet earth draws particular attention to the Third World countries and the impact of degrading forces on sustainable development. A different response to the growing ecological crisis has recently come to the fore. This response comes from women engaged in the struggle for survival. Women in the Third World, because of their situation on the fringes of society and their role producing sustenance, are often able to offer ecological insights that are deeper and richer than the recipes of technocrats and international experts or ideas resulting from enquiries addressed only to the men in communities. In the following the author seeks to demonstrate how women often bear the brunt of suffering resulting from environmental degradation, wars and poverty that plague the Near East region. However, training of women, especially poor women, in environmental management, and the active participation of local women in community and regional decision making holds a clear promise of eventually controlling the vicious circle of poverty and environmental degradation. An intermediate step is the coordination of NGO activities in a common front for environmental protection and income generation for the poor. Further training of the NGO's own staff in the design and implementation of such projects is also required.     

Roadmap for carbon neutrality: the mediating role of clean energy development-related investments

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Recently, the Japanese government has announced the national objective of turning the economy of Japan carbon–neutral by 2050. This...     

Mathematical modelling and experimental validation of solar drying of mushrooms

This article presents two mathematical models for drying mushrooms considering the shrinkage effect. Both the models consider the physical changes of mushrooms during drying using the diffusion equation. A convective term is presented in the first model while, in the second model, the effective diffusion co-efficient is employed. Although the diffusion co-efficient is mainly dependent on the water content of the mushrooms, both models are suitable for analyzing the drying process. Moreover, in this study it has been demonstrated that both models are equivalent. The Genetic Algorithmic process was used to estimate the parameter values in different conditions. The information regarding the moisture content and the thickness evaluation taken from the models shows the best fit with the experimental data. The mathematical models developed to simulate the drying curve of mushroom have been evaluated and compared.     

Noble metal catalysts for methane removal

Using a bench-scale rig, the activities of Pt, Pd and Pt+Pd catalysts supported on gamma-Al(2)O(3) and on TiO(2) (anatase) for the complete oxidation of methane (300 ppmv) in air have been measured as a function of temperature; values of T(10), T(50) and T(90) together with the Arrhenius parameters (activation energy and pre-exponential factor) are reported. Pt is less active than Pd when deposited on the surface of the TiO(2), but more active when deposited on gamma-Al(2)O(3), however when combined, the Pt+Pd mixture is more active than either metal individually. The T(10) for Pt+Pd/gamma-Al(2)O(3) was being as low as 228 degrees C. The significance of the Arrhenius parameters, for metal containing catalysts is that they exhibit compensation with increasing activation energy, while securing a more rapid increase in conversion from 0% to 100% when the temperature is increased.     

Catalytic oxidation for air pollution control

Bench-scale experiments have been conducted to evaluate a series of titania-supported Pt-Pd (as oxides) catalysts in the presence and absence of MoO₃ and Fe₂O₃ additives for their effectiveness in the complete catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air likely to be found in waste gases. Under oxidizing conditions, all of the catalysts promoted the complete oxidation of VOCs to CO₂ and H₂O. 99 % Conversion was achieved with a C₂H₄-C₂H₆ gas mixture in air at temperatures between about 160–450 °C and at a space velocity of 20,000 h^?1. Oxidation activity for the titania supported catalysts were found to decrease in the order Pt-Pd-Mo-Fe > Pt-Pd-Mo > Pt-Pd-Fe > Pt-Pd. However, the addition of MoO₃ and Fe₂O₃ increase the catalyst activity and reduce the reaction temperature for the complete destruction. Ageing was also performed in order to study the stability of the most active catalyst. Pt-Pd-Mo-Fe (as oxides) on titania catalyst is effective in oxidizing a wide range of volatile organic compounds at relatively low temperatures (220–405 °C) and and at a space velocity of 40,000 h^?1 and is resistant to poisoning by halogenated and amine volatile organic compounds.     

Sleepy driving and risk of obstructive sleep apnea among truck drivers in Saudi Arabia

Objective: Truck drivers represent a group at a particularly higher risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). Sleepy driving and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among truck drivers are major risk factors for MVAs. No study has assessed the prevalence of sleepy driving and risk of OSA among truck drivers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess sleepy driving and risk of OSA among these truck drivers.

Methods: This study included 338 male truck drivers working in Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire regarding sleepy driving and OSA was used. The questionnaire included sociodemographic assessment, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ), and driving-related items.

Results: The drivers had a mean age of 42.9?±?9.7 years. The majority (94.7%) drove more than 5?h a day. A history of MVAs during the last 6 months was reported by 6.5%. Approximately 95% of the participants reported that they had accidentally fallen asleep at least once while driving over the past 6 months, and 49.7% stated that this had happened more than 5 times during the last 6 months. Based on the BQ score, a high risk of OSA was detected in 29% of the drivers. “Not getting good-quality sleep” (odds ratio [OR]?=?2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–7.75; P = .014) and driving experience from 6 to 10 years (OR = 3.37; 95% CI, 1.28–8.91; P = .034) were the only independent predictors of MVAs in the past 6 months.

Conclusions: Sleepy driving and a high risk of OSA was prevalent among the study population of male truck drivers in Saudi Arabia. Not getting good-quality sleep and driving experience from 6 to 10 years contributes to the accident risk among these truck drivers.