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The large use and emission of p -nitrophenol (p-NP) seriously pollute the environment and endanger human health. In this work, a hydrazone-linked fluorescent covalent organic framework (BATHz-COF) was simply synthesized at room temperature and covalently linked N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC) via the "thiol-ene" click reaction, where carboxyl groups were introduced to improve dispersion and fluorescence intensity. As a rapid, good selectivity and reusability fluorescence sensor, the obtained COF-NALC has been used for quantitative analysis of p-NP predicated on the internal filtering effect (IFE). Under optimal conditions, COF-NALC enabled quantitative detection of p-NP with a linear range of 5–50 μM and the detection limit was 1.46 μM. The application of COF-NALC to the detection of p-NP in river water samples was successful, and the satisfactory recoveries were 98.0%–109.3%. Furthermore, the fluorescent COF paper chips constructed by in situ growth were combined with a smartphone to build a visual platform for the quick and real-time detection of p-NP, providing an excellent illustration for the development of intelligent fluorescence sensing in environmental analysis. [Display omitted] • Covalent Organic Frameworks are modified with N-acetyl- l -cysteine to improve dispersion and fluorescence performance. • The obtained hydrophilic framework is highly selective for the detection of p -nitrophenol. • Paper-based sensors with in-situ immobilization of frameworks are prepared for visual analysis of p -nitrophenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The copper(II) ion (Cu2+) has played an indispensable role in diverse kinds of functional physiological processes of organisms, which has become of growing interest. Despite the fact that numerous Cu2+ test papers using fluorescent probes have been fabricated, sensors featuring the ratiometric property that integrates quenched probes and an inner standard dye are rarely reported. Herein, a two-component ratiometric sensor in a paper-based device is proposed to realize highly selective Cu2+ detection. To overcome shortcomings such as low signal-to-noise ratio and incorrect response of the quenching probe, a novel BODIPY-based turn-off probe (P2017) is designed and introduced into the paper-based device with better water solubility and selectivity for Cu2+ detection. Furthermore, a reference dye (B001), exhibiting an emission at 690 nm when the excitation wavelength is 480 nm, is also introduced into the paper-based device. These two components can enhance the quality of the signal as P2017 is sensitively quenched by Cu2+, while B001 with a photostable property, serving as an internal benchmark, is unable to react with Cu2+. The results indicated that the two components provided a new concept for optimizing paper-based device fabrication and developing accurate, simple, and inexpensive Cu2+ detection methods, which could be potentially applied to monitor human health and the environment in remote areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate thermal paper (TP) tickets used in Argentina as a potential source of bisphenol A (BPA) that could impact humans and the environment. BPA in TP was measured by HPLC ranging from 11.1 to 30.5 mg BPAg−1. In order to estimate the impact on humans, dermal BPA estimated daily intake was calculated as being 79.3 ± 19.5 μgd−1 for workers and 1.6 ± 0.4 μgd−1 for the general population. To evaluate TP's impact on the environment, BPA migration from TP to water and soil was studied. In the case of water, 99.6% of the BPA tickets content migrated in 30 h, while 78.0% moved into the soil in 96 h. BPA degradation kinetics in soil and water were also carried out; while in soil 61.9% of BPA degraded in 120 h, no degradation was observed up to 120 h in tap or river water. Additionally, ecotoxicological effects of BPA on the earthworm Eisenia andrei, a representative terrestrial indicator, were studied performing bioassays on lethality, avoidance, and reproductive and enzymatic activity. BPA showed to be very toxic to E. andrei (LC50 value in contact paper test of 17 μgcm−2, 95% confidence interval 6–46 μgcm−2, 24 h exposure) and also caused an increase of total cocoons for earthworms exposed to 10 and 50 mg BPA kg−1 soil. Evasion response was observed at a concentration of 50 mg BPA kg−1 soil, while no effect was observed on cholinesterases, carboxylesterases, and glutathione S-transferases activities (1, 10, and 50 mg BPA kg−1 soil). Finally, a simple BPA degradation technology using water peroxide and radish (Raphanus sativus) tissue as catalyst was explored as a simple and domestic potential treatment to avoid BPA migration to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct printing nanoparticle-based conductive inks onto paper substrates has encountered difficulties e.g. the nanoparticles are prone to penetrate into the pores of the paper and become partially segmented, and the necessary low-temperature-sintering process is harmful to the dimension-stability of paper. Here we prototyped the paper-based circuit substrate in combination with printed thermoplastic electrically conductive adhesives (ECA), which takes the advantage of the capillarity of paper and thus both the conductivity and mechanical robustness of the printed circuits were drastically improved without sintering process. For instance, the electrical resistivity of the ECA specimen on a pulp paper (6 × 10-5Ω·cm, with 50 wt% loading of Ag) was only 14% of that on PET film than that on PET film. This improvement has been found directly related to the sizing degree of paper, in agreement with the effective medium approximation simulation results in this work. The thermoplastic nature also enables excellent mechanical strength of the printed ECA to resist repeated folding. Considering the generality of the process and the wide acceptance of ECA technique in the modern electronic packages, this method may find vast applications in e.g. circuit boards, capacitive touch pads, and radio frequency identification antennas, which have been prototyped in the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are the main pollutants present in aquatic environments and their presence in human organisms can lead to many different diseases. While many methods exist for analysis, colorimetric and electrochemistry are particularly attractive for on-site analysis and their integration on a single platform can improve multiplexed metals analysis. This report describes for the first time a "plug-and-play" (PnP) assembly for coupling a microfluidic paper-based device (μPAD) and a screen-printed electrochemical paper-based device (ePAD) using a vertical and reversible foldable mechanism for multiplexed detection of Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in river water samples. The integration strategy was based on a reversible assembly, allowing the insertion of a pretreatment zone to minimize potential chemical interfering agents and providing a better control of the aspirated sample volume as well as to a lower sample evaporation rate. In comparison with lateral flow and electrochemical assays performed using independent devices, the integrated prototype proved that the reversible coupling mechanism does not interfere on the analytical performance (95% confidence interval). The limit of detection (LOD) values calculated for metals determined varied from 0.1 to 0.3 mg L−1 (colorimetric) and from 0.9 to 10.5 μg L−1 (electrochemical). When compared to other integrated devices based on horizontal designs, the use of a foldable coupling mechanism offered linear response in a lower concentration range and better LOD values for Fe, Ni and Cu. The proposed method successfully measured heavy metals in river water samples with concentrations ranging from 16 to 786 μg L−1, with recovery studies ranging from 76 to 121%. The new method also showed good correlation with conventional atomic absorption spectroscopic methods (95% significance level). Thus, the integration of μPADs and ePADs by a vertical folding mechanism was efficient for multiplexed heavy metal analysis and could be exploited for environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem ecology, like all scientific disciplines, is often propelled forward by "classic" papers that identify key concepts within the field and define the core questions for generations of scientists. Here, we examine the legacy and sustained impact of a paper long considered a classic in ecology, E.P. (Gene) Odum's 1969 "The strategy of ecosystem development." Odum's paper presented testable predictions about species diversity, energy flow, and biogeochemical dynamics during ecosystem succession and provided guiding principles for environmental conservation and management. Odum's 24 predictions on "ecosystem development" were a key component of this paper's legacy: The framework was referenced in 62.0% and tested in 28.7% of 1598 citing papers we examined. Although we found that support for Odum's framework grew over time, support for any particular prediction was inconsistent, highlighting the unresolved nature of some of the framework's principles. Odum's conceptual framework for ecosystem studies—as well as his forward-thinking attempts to connect ecosystem ecology with humans and society—continues to be pertinent to current and future research frontiers. Simplicity of the framework was its strength, and major limitation, painting ecosystem functioning in broad strokes, with no acknowledgement about interactions among the predictions. Newer generations have their work cut out for them by bridging evolutionary biology and ecosystem science or metabolic theory and ecological stoichiometry. Similarly, newer generations are using Odum's multidisciplinary approach to address the most pressing global change issues and designing solutions that make the Earth life sustaining system compatible with growing human demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally friendly humidity sensors with high sensing performance are considered crucial components for various wearable electronic devices. We developed a rapid-response and durable Paper Cellulose Fiber/Graphene Oxide Matrix (PCFGOM) humidity sensor using an all-carbon functional material. The fabricated sensor demonstrated a high sensitivity to humidity through an electrical impedance measurement, with an increase in response to humidity ranging from 10% to 90% at 1 kHz and 10 kHz, respectively, along with a response time of 1.2 s and a recovery time of 0.8 s. The stability of the sensor was also examined, with consistent performance over a period of 24 h. This novel sensor was employed in several applications, including non-contact proximity sensing, environmental humidity detection, and human respiration detection, to showcase its potential. Moreover, this work represents a significant milestone in developing inexpensive and eco-friendly humidity sensors, given the abundance of paper and graphene in nature and their biocompatibility. • This paper reports on Paper Cellulose Fiber Graphene Oxide Matrix (PCFGOM) humidity sensor. • The PCFGOM humidity sensor is Low-cost, effective, and environmentally friendly. • PCFGOM humidity sensor exhibits a linear response for humidity ranges from 10% to 90% • PCFGOM humidity sensor has a 1.3 s response time and 0.8 s recovery time. • PCFGOM humidity sensor is durable and stable for greater than 24 hrs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an experience report about the difficulties faced by an undergraduate student of the bachelor's degree in Geography at the Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA), to elaborate her final term paper, addressing the theme of gender issues, particularly on domestic violence against women. Given the need to seek for transforming and combating some conceptions rooted in this patriarchal, chauvinist, sexist and racist society, it is essential to put in the center of the academic discussions and reflections issues that afflict women, since the University is an important space for the deconstruction of paradigms. In this sense, this article aims to "provoke" Geography teachers and students to think/research on this subject. Such themes are not only important, but fundamental and should be treated/discussed in academic spaces, especially in the context of teacher training programs in Geography, which has as its object of study the geographical space and the relations between human beings and their environment. even demanding, therefore, that people who act as teachers be professionals prepared/formed to deconstruct "patriarchal" models and patterns that subdue and subjugate women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Africa Spectrum is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

[Display omitted] • The detection of chromium species using µPADs is critically reviewed. • Paper selection, fabrication and detection methods are discussed. • Mechanisms for the determination of chromium species are compared and discussed. • Colorimetric detection is the most used method to due to its low cost and speed. Chromium pollution in the environment is a serious problem as it is harmful to humans and the environment. The current methods for the detection of chromium species require expensive instrumentation and need to be operated in centralized laboratories. Recently, microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) have been developed as simple, cost-effective, and portable tools for on-site detection. In this review, we highlight the recent developments of µPADs for the screening and detection of chromium species in environmental samples. We first summarize the chemistry and toxicity of chromium, the selection of paper substrates, and the device fabrication methods. We then categorize the recent reports on the basis of chromium species into trivalent chromium, hexavalent chromium, speciation, and total chromium detection groups. The evaluation of the performance of µPADs with regard to their accuracy and detection limits is critically assessed. Finally, we discuss the future development and trends in the field of µPADs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae is the property of Uniwerystet Kardynala Stefana Wyznskiege w Warzawie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Diclofenac sodium is an emerging contaminant that can be harmful for ecology and human health. This substance can be degraded by a heterogeneous Photo-Fenton process, CoFe2O4 as catalyst, H2O2 as oxidant and UV radiation. The aims of the work are the comparison of different artificial neural networks to characterize the relationship between diclofenac degradation and H2O2 consumption, with the Total Organic Carbon achieved in the mineralization of the drug and the testing of the selected model capacity to predict the Total Organic Carbon concentration, by employing the reused catalyst. The best performing backpropagation neural network was constituted with a ten neurons hidden layer with sigmoid transfer function and one linear neuron, as output. It was determined that the model can approximate the trend between the input data (Absorbance and H2O2 concentration) and output ones (Total Organic Carbon concentration) when it was validated with data from reactions employing CoFe2O4 for second and third time. The development of these models is of interest due to the consequent reduction of time and costs in experimental work. It represents a study of the evolution of chemical indicators in the treatment of emerging contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a literary criticism of the short story "The Yellow Wall-Paper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, discussing her ecological arguments for social criticism and their origins in evolutionary thought. Gilman's ecological-economic criticism in her essay "The 'Nervous Breakdown' of Women" is highlighted and reapplied to her works of fiction, citing the central example of the balance of nature and human evolution within it.

A central issue in postphenomenology is how to explain the multistability of technologies: how can it be that specific technologies can be used for a wide variety of purposes (the "multi"), while not for all purposes (the "stability")? For example, a table can be used for the purpose of sleeping, having dinner at, or even for staging a fencing match, but not for baking a cake. One explanation offered in the literature is that the (material) design of a technology puts constraints on the purposes for which technologies can be used. In this paper, I argue that such an explanation—while partly correct—fails to address the role of the environment in which human beings operate in putting constraints on technology use. I suggest that James Gibson's affordance theory helps highlighting how stabilities in technology use arise in the interaction between human being and environment. Building on more recent approaches in affordance theory, I suggest that the environment can be conceptualized as a "rich landscape of affordances" that solicits certain actions, which are not just cued by the environment's material structure, but also by the normativity present in the form of life in which a human being participates. I briefly contrast the approach to affordances developed in this paper with how Klenk (2020) and Tollon (2021) have conceptualized the "affordance character" of technological artifacts, and highlight how a focus on the situated nature of affordances augments these earlier conceptualizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a sociological framework for the analysis of the transparency syndrome in global as well as local change. For instance, transparency is the expectations for centers of power to disclose information about themselves and their actions to citizens, clients or customers. Such disclosure is radically new and contested in many cultures. It can trigger changes of institutional practices and relationships. And transparency is a global phenomenon of the information technology era. It is also a local phenomenon affecting local politics, business practices, or environmental risks.

Movement is fundamental to life, shaping population dynamics, biodiversity patterns, and ecosystem structure. In 2008, the movement ecology framework (MEF Nathan et al. in PNAS 105(49):19052–19059, 2008) introduced an integrative theory of organismal movement—linking internal state, motion capacity, and navigation capacity to external factors—which has been recognized as a milestone in the field. Since then, the study of movement experienced a technological boom, which provided massive quantities of tracking data of both animal and human movement globally and at ever finer spatio-temporal resolutions. In this work, we provide a quantitative assessment of the state of research within the MEF, focusing on animal movement, including humans and invertebrates, and excluding movement of plants and microorganisms. Using a text mining approach, we digitally scanned the contents of > 8000 papers from 2009 to 2018 available online, identified tools and methods used, and assessed linkages between all components of the MEF. Over the past decade, the publication rate has increased considerably, along with major technological changes, such as an increased use of GPS devices and accelerometers and a majority of studies now using the R software environment for statistical computing. However, animal movement research still largely focuses on the effect of environmental factors on movement, with motion and navigation continuing to receive little attention. A search of topics based on words featured in abstracts revealed a clustering of papers among marine and terrestrial realms, as well as applications and methods across taxa. We discuss the potential for technological and methodological advances in the field to lead to more integrated and interdisciplinary research and an increased exploration of key movement processes such as navigation, as well as the evolutionary, physiological, and life-history consequences of movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the emerging subject of extracting tannins from various plant sources using deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Tannins are widely used in the food and feed industries as they have outstanding antioxidant qualities and greatly enhance the flavor and nutritional content of a wide range of food products. Organic solvents are frequently used in traditional extraction techniques, which raises questions about their safety for human health and the environment. DESs present a prospective substitute because of their low toxicity, adaptability, and environmental friendliness. The fundamental ideas supporting the application of DESs in the extraction of tannins from a range of plant-based materials frequently used in daily life are all well covered in this paper. Furthermore, this paper covers the impact of extraction parameters on the yield of extracted tannins, as well as possible obstacles and directions for future research in this emerging subject. This includes challenges such as high viscosity, intricated recovery of compounds, thermal degradation, and the occurrence of esterification. An extensive summary of the diversity, structure, biosynthesis, distribution, and roles of tannins in plants is given in this paper. Additionally, this paper thoroughly examines various bioactivities of tannins and their metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on several papers on humanities geography presented at an Association of American Geographers session inspired by the geographical work of David Lowenthal. Lowenthal's views of geographic knowledge and geographic attitudes; His use of landscape in geography; Geographical scholarship and the humanities; Human role in the environment.

This section presents a bibliography of research and reference materials on human resources and human ecology.

Since the 1980s, the Veneto region has been singled out as the engine of the Italian economy. Its spatial and governance structure was the outcome of a multiplicity of individual/joint/organisational behaviours, which generated a set of very complex 'perverse effects' (primarily environmental). Moreover, its paths of modernisation, which were still effective in the 1980s, are now undergoing rapid transformation (due to globalisation and internationalisation of businesses, erosion of social ties, Europeanisation, environmental issues, different populations, the crisis of traditional systems of representation etc) and it is still not clear what the emerging configurations will be. Certainly, sustainability emerges as a keyword in regional and municipal planning documents as well as in local people's claims regarding environmental conflicts. Within this framework, this paper is based on research work drawn from a pragmatic notion of sustainability. It investigates how a medium-sized city in the Veneto region (Vicenza) is dealing with sustainability issues emerging from different tiers of governance. Urban transformation will be analysed from a multi-scalar perspective, taking into account the main decision-making processes concerning environmental issues (particularly the most significant measures and policy of containment of land consumption) as well as urban and regional plans and policies, and mega-projects which are significantly shaping urban transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]