Isolation and Genomic Sequence of Hepatitis A Virus from Mixed Frozen Berries in Italy

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was detected in two samples of mixed frozen berries linked to Italian hepatitis A outbreak in April and September 2013. Both viruses were fully sequenced by next-generation sequencing and the genomes clustered with HAV complete genomes of sub-genotype IA with nucleotide identities of 95–97 %.     

Perceived landscape values and public participation in a road-planning process – a case study in Sweden

The European Landscape Convention indicates that assessment of different dimensions that exist in landscapes should be taken into account in planning. In this study, we first investigated ecological, cultural and social values as perceived by the local people in a highway-planning process in Sweden. Next, we explored which factors influenced the local people's participation in the road-planning process. We used questionnaires, planning documents and the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the relations between different factors and local people's participation in the planning process. The results showed that people presumed the ecological values in the landscape to be adversely affected by the new road, while the social values would remain the same. Landowners had heard of the participatory-process, but few participated. Those who lived within 300 m of the road were more active in the planning process than people living further away. The findings suggest that people living within a few hundred metres of the road should be treated as key stakeholders in the planning process. The involvement of other stakeholders, and when in the public participation process stakeholders should be involved, is also discussed.     

An analysis of continuous black carbon concentrations in proximity to an airport and major roadways

Black carbon (BC), a constituent of particulate matter, is emitted from multiple combustion sources, complicating determination of contributions from individual sources or source categories from monitoring data. In close proximity to an airport, this may include aircraft emissions, other emissions on the airport grounds, and nearby major roadways, and it would be valuable to determine the factors most strongly related to measured BC concentrations. In this study, continuous BC concentrations were measured at five monitoring sites in proximity to a small regional airport in Warwick, Rhode Island from July 2005 to August 2006. Regression was used to model the relative contributions of aircraft and related sources, using real-time flight activity (departures and arrivals) and meteorological data, including mixing height, wind speed and direction. The latter two were included as a nonparametric smooth spatial term using thin-plate splines applied to wind velocity vectors and fit in a linear mixed model framework. Standard errors were computed using a moving-block bootstrap to account for temporal autocorrelation. Results suggest significant positive associations between hourly departures and arrivals at the airport and BC concentrations within the community, with departures having a more substantial impact. Generalized Additive Models for wind speed and direction were consistent with significant contributions from the airport, major highway, and multiple local roads. Additionally, inverse mixing height, temperature, precipitation, and at one location relative humidity, were associated with BC concentrations. Median contribution estimates indicate that aircraft departures and arrivals (and other sources coincident in space and time) contribute to approximately 24–28% of the BC concentrations at the monitoring sites in the community. Our analysis demonstrated that a regression-based approach with detailed meteorological and source characterization can provide insights about source contributions, which could be used to devise control strategies or to provide monitor-based comparisons with source-specific atmospheric dispersion models.     

Application of a new generation of complexing agents in removal of heavy metal ions from different wastes

Complexing agents are extensively applied in many fields of industry. They are used to provide effective controlling trace metal ions in cleaning industries, textile, pulp and paper production, water treatment, agriculture, food industries, etc. Recently, the low biodegradability of these ligands and their accumulation in the environment has become a cause for concern. Therefore, replacement of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid by more environmentally friendly chelating agents is highly desirable. So far, these acids and their salts have been applied as components of household chemistry, cosmetics, modern microelement fertilizers and agrochemicals. This paper reviews the sorption of heavy metal ions such as Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) in the presence of the above-mentioned complexing agents on commercially available anion exchangers of different matrix. The obtained sorption results were fitted using the Langmuir and Freundlich sorption isotherm models. The kinetic data were also analysed using the Lagergren, Ho and McKay sorption kinetic equations. The studies were carried out considering the effects of such important parameters as phase contact time, initial concentration, pH and temperature.