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Combined paper mill biosolids (PB) and forest-derived liming by-products improve soil properties, but their residual effects following several years of application have hardly been investigated. A 13-year (2009–2021) field study was initiated at Yamachiche, QC, Canada, to assess the residual effects of PB and liming materials on the properties of a loamy soil. The PB was applied during nine consecutive years (2000–2008) at 0, 30, 60, and 90 Mg wet·ha−1, whereas the 30 Mg PB·ha−1 rate also received one of three liming materials (calcitic lime, lime mud, wood ash) at 3 Mg wet·ha−1. No amendment was applied during residual years. Past liming materials continued to increase soil pH but their effect decreased over time; meanwhile, past PB applications caused a low increase in residual soil NO3-N. Soil total C, which represented 40% of added organic C when PB applications ceased, stabilized to 15% after six years. Soil Mehlich-3-extractable contents declined over the thirteen residual years to be not significant for P, K, and Cu, while they reached half the values of the application years for Zn and Cd. Conversely, Mehlich-3 Ca was little affected by time. Therefore, land PB and liming material applications benefited soil properties several years after their cessation.

Large quantities of paper and wood waste are generated every day, the disposal of these waste products is a problem because it requires huge space for their disposal. The possibility of using these wastes can mitigate the environmental problems related to them. This study presents an investigation on the feasibility of inclusion of waste paper ash (WPA) or wood ash (WA) as replacement materials for fly ash (FA) class F in preparation geopolymer concrete (GC). The developed geopolymer concretes for this study were prepared at replacement ratios of FA by WPA or WA of 25, 50, 75 and 100% in addition to a control mix containing 100% of FA. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) are used as alkaline activators with 1M and 10M of sodium hydroxide solution.The geopolymer concretes have been evaluated with respect to the workability, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the workability of the control GC mix and the developed GC mixes incorporating WPA or WA. Also, the results showed that, by incorporating of 25–50% PWA or 25% WA, the mechanical properties (compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength) of GC mixes slightly decreased. While replacement with 75–100% WPA or with 50–100% WA has reduced these mechanical properties of GC mixes. As a result, there is a feasibility of partial replacement of FA by up to 50% WPA or 25% WA in preparation of the geopolymer concrete.

International audience; The International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics (ISAG) is an international conference that was held, on average, every 3-4 years in different European cities between 1990 (Grenoble) and 2008 (Nice). These symposia usually offer an opportunity for researchers from Latin American countries and Europe as well as other countries to review the state of knowledge in geosciences on the Andes. After a long period without an edition, the 8th ISAG was organized for the first time in a Latin American country, Ecuador, from 24th to 26th September 2019. The organizing committee led by Pablo Samaniego relied heavily on the Instituto Geofísico of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN) and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), in particular through its office in Quito, and through the Laboratoire Mixte International in France and Ecuador: "Seismes et Volcans dans les Andes du Nord" (LMI-SVAN); and the French Embassy in Ecuador. Field trips in tectonics, seismotectonics and volcanology at emblematic sites in Ecuador were organized by researchers from the IRD (Isterre and LMV), the Institut de Radio Protection Nucléaire (IRSN), IG-EPN and the University of Geneva. Four invited speakers gave presentations: Peter Molnar (University of Boulder) on the mechanisms of the Andes uplift, Suzanne Kay (Cornell University) on its magmatism, Victor Ramos (University of Buenos Aires) on the scientific approaches developed through time for the Andean orogeny and Eric Calais (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris) on the difficulty of dialog between seismic risk specialists and the authorities in Haiti. The symposium also provided an opportunity for more than 250 participants to meet, with more than 80 oral presentations and over 150 posters. As a result of this conference, the Editor of the Journal of South American Earth Sciences proposed to the organizing committee to publish a special issue on the contours of these presentations. Following the peer review process, 19 papers are published in this special issue. These manuscripts reflect the various disciplinary fields, geophysics and deep imaging, tectonics, volcanism, geomorphology and seismic hazard, from the local scale to the Andes as a whole. Not surprisingly, a higher density of works is found in Ecuador and the northern Andes (Figure 1). As this collection of articles reflects the outlines of a symposium and not a specific scientific question, our aim here is not to develop a synthesis of current knowledge on the Andes. We therefore present these articles in sequence, by discipline, although this categorization may appear subjective since some articles are multidisciplinary.

In recent years, paper-based analytical devices gained more attention for development of low-cost point-of-care diagnostic tools in many fields, such as environmental testing, point of care diagnosis, and food analysis. In the present study, we introduce a new paper substrate (Xuan paper) and compare to commercial filter paper (whatman) with hydrophobic materials called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The xuan paper can be used for paper-based microfluidics analytical devices (μPAD) and that flow rate is reliant on many factors affecting fluid flow inside the channels. The screen-printing method was used to concocted hydrophobic channels by patterning hydrophobic materials onto paper substrate with the patterned channels reaching a minimum width of 0.2 mm and maximum 5 mm. The fabricated channels were tested by using water with different paper types and different channel widths. The experimental results were compared with commercially available filter paper (11 and 21 µm pore size). The results of this study are raw xuan paper (0.15 mm of thickness) is similar trend with filter paper (0.21 mm of thickness) about 43 mm distance in 140 second and it is higher than three other papers. However, jinghe paper (0.13 mm of thickness) and cotton xuan paper (0.10 mm of thickness) shows the distance of water about 10 mm and 4 mm, respectively in 140 second because of their fiber orientation and water being absorbed by it. Therefore, xuan paper was a good candidate in applied for µPAD application.

In this work, the utilization of waste paper in the preparation of cellulous-based composite is described, with latex as a binder. Paraffin wax and acrylic woven fibers were also used at various weight ratios to get the best mechanical and physical properties. The results were compared with the performance the Dixon, regularly used material in shoes manufacturing. The following tests were performed: compression resistance, density, water absorption, shrinkage, and moisture content. Manual method was employed in the preparation of test specimens in addition to laboratory forging machine for finishing of the specimens. Results of compression test (Modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, resistance to crushing) of the Specimens that contain pulp paper and reinforced with latex and acrylic fibers and low content of paraffin wax showed the highest resistance to compression, The increase of additives contents within the mix resulted in an increase in density. To mimic the real application conditions of the insole, the specimens were subjected to water absorption test by irrigation for 2 hours. The best specimen compositions for the water resistance test are those with high (5-10%) wax content due to the fact that the wax is a water repellent material. The shrinkage is another important parameter for the use of the composite in shoe industry. Result of shrinkage and humidity of all specimens show comparable results to commercially available and Dixon are also very close to the requirements of the specification of leather industry. However, in comparison with the available carton and dixon, our specimens contain from weight fraction (50g) waste pulp, (20g) latex, (4g) paraffin wax, (0.7g) acrylic fibers, proved comparable performance.

This experimental work was done before the stopping the Baikalsk Paper and Pulp Mill. As the informative criteria for the present state of anthropogenic soils used in this study the degree of their biochemical activity and the acid-alkaline conditions which belong to integral indicators was taken. The basic technique for carrying out mass analyses of biochemical activity of soils characterizing the territory of the city of Baikalsk was the rapid analysis method suggested by T. V. Aristovskaya and M. V. Chugunova. The study revealed a high level of soil activity in all functional zones of the city. The acid-alkaline contents were determined for the soils under investigation, which showed a wide range of values (from 6,7 to 8,5 рН). On the basis of the data obtained and point measurements in the geoinformation environment the IDW Nearest Neighbors method was used to construct isopleth maps. A trend for a weak but positive correlation was revealed between the acid-alkaline conditions and soil biochemical activity. All the findings provide a basis for further monitoring the post-technogenic recovery of the city’s soil ecological status in the setting of Southern Baikalia.

Splash erosion, the first step in water erosion process, occurs because of raindrops collusion with soil aggregates and pushing soil particulates into the air. The objective of this study was to test the usability of water sensitive paper (WSPs) in assessment of splash erosion. Soil losses from three texturally different soils by splash erosion were determined under artificial rainfall conditions as a function of splash distance and direction. The results indicated that the amount of soil removed by splash erosion was significantly affected by soil texture, splash direction and distance, and was the highest in clay soil and the lowest in sandy loamy soil. About half of the splashed soil material moved down slope, 34% in the lateral direction, and 17% moved upslope. A significant positive correlation between the WSPs-D10 diameter and the WSPs-surface coverage rate was obtained, which indicates that the higher the D10 diameter, the higher the surface coverage rate. The results obtained in this study reveal that the WSPs cards could successfully be used and its parameters (WSPs-D10 diameter and WSPs-surface coverage rate) might be considered as a new approach in assessing and evaluating splash erosion.

The article deals with the problem of researching translation of scientific paper titles, which includes consideration of the title as a specific type of concise text and translation of scientific and technical terminology. Both aspects are relevant at the time of rapidly increasing information flows and the development of various technologies and scientific challenges. The main sources of typical translation problems are incorrect reproduction of ambiguous common vocabulary, abbreviations, "false friends of the translator", paronyms, pseudo-internationalisms, foreign words and terms, various proper names and titles. Problems of translating titles are studied in a number of linguistic works. S. Barkhudarov, G. A Weikhman, O. M. Kovalenko, D. Bieber, and others made a significant contribution to the development of the problem. But, in our opinion, there are still unresolved issues, in particular, one of them - lexical problems of title translation and means of overcoming them. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the means of translation of scientific vocabulary in the titles in order to establish their expediency or inexpediency. The main translation techniques for lexical items are calquing, addition, omission, concretization, generalization and compensation. It can be noted that this type of translation of names requires not only linguistic, but also scientific and technical, and journalistic knowledge. Knowledge and correct use of the above translation methods will help to avoid incorrect transmission of English vocabulary in the Ukrainian language, as well as distortion of the logical content. The translation of the titles of English popular science articles is a complex but interesting process, which, in principle, is a careful work on many lexical and grammatical difficulties. The title, like a mirror, reflects all the difficulties of translating English text.

Cellulose is the most common of all naturally occurring organic compounds belonging to the carbohydrate group. It makes up at least one-third of all the vegetable matters in the world. Virgin soft and hardwoods used as the main source of cellulose for raw materials of paper production. These can be replaced by jute plant to a great extend as it is considered as one of the most promising alternatives. Pulp and paper production on a huge amount from jute can increase jute usage and thus a vast quantity of jute will be consumed by a single product which will eventually help revitalize the jute sector of Bangladesh. So the study was conducted to use jute, an alternative to non-wood fibre to get the paper pulp and pulp products like cellulose derivatives through an easily adaptable process. The experimental processes are outlined. The physicomechanical properties of handmade papers are estimated by standard procedure. The maximum whiteness of the paper sheet is 76.70%, which is almost similar to offset paper. The basic weight of papers was estimated that ranges from 180 to 340 gsm. The study indicates that these hand-made papers can be used for making eco-friendly paper bags, packaging material which will be a suitable alternative to non-biodegradable plastic, a cause of ecological and environmental pollution.

Technologies used in the pulp and paper industry at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries have undergone significant changes. Increasing pressure to reduce emissions of pollutants contributed to the application of new, better technological processes. In addition, the savings of non-renewable resources, as well as the reduction of the amount of solid waste generated, are the main assumptions of modern production technologies in this industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pulp and paper factory on the content of heavy metals and sulphur in nearby soils. The research material included 65 soil samples. 35 samples were collected from 6 soil profiles, the other 30 were surface and subsurface soil samples from 15 research points. Selected physicochemical properties of soils were determined: soil texture, soil pH, TOC, CaCO3 content and electric conductivity. The total content of heavy metals in the soils was determined by AAS after digestion in hydrofluoric acid and bioavailable forms in 1 M DTPA. The content of total and sulphate sulphur was determined by spectrophotometry according Bardsley and Lancaster method (1960). The research found low impact of pulp and paper factory on the content of heavy metals and sulphur in soils, however, due to a very large scale of this kind of industry, the moderately contaminated sulphur category and very high polluted mercury category of geo-accumulation index indicate the need of repeating the research within the next several years.

Interactive maps are increasingly popular and have spread into everyday life. However, the pace of implementation of interactive maps may differ within different age groups. In order to adjust maps to user expectations and preferences, it is necessary to study disparities in attitude towards different types of maps in groups of various users. The aims of the study are to find out if the approach to maps of different media varies among age groups, and whether the frequency of use of interactive maps and their functions decreases with the age of users. A survey focusing on habits and preferences towards digital and paper maps was conducted among 80 users aged 20–72. Results suggest that the polarization of answers is lower than suggested by the Prensky theory of digital immigrants and natives: people of all ages who were tested have a lot in common in terms of interactive map use. Nonetheless, the youngest group has a strong preference for interactive maps.

This study analyzes the literature on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure by applying a bibliometric analysis of documents published in the Scopus database. The bibliometric analysis allows researchers to highlight the theoretical foundations of a specific research field, identify the main findings of previous studies, and determine future research ideas. This analysis was based on bibliometric authors’ citation analysis, bibliometric papers’ co-citation analysis, bibliometric references’ co-citation analysis, bibliometric journals’ co-citation analysis, co-occurrence keywords cartography analysis, trend and evolution analyses of ESG disclosure publications over the years, and qualitative content analysis. This study reviews 161 documents on ESG disclosure published in the Scopus database. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer, evolution analysis was performed using CiteSpace, and content analysis was performed using Wordstat. The study identified four major clusters: corporate social responsibility, corporate strategy, financial performance, and environmental economics. It also highlights the increasing number of citations and documents related to ESG disclosures. In addition, the journal ‘Business Strategy and the Environment’ significantly contributes to the ESG disclosure research field in terms of number of papers and citations. Additionally, this study highlights various future research opportunities in this field. The findings of this study have practical implications for ESG disclosure, such as the impact of integrating ESG into a company’s business strategy on corporate and financial policies. This study is the only one to review key topics on ESG disclosure that can be largely used for ESG practices. This study provides an overview of how the literature on ESG disclosure has developed, as well as a summary of the most influential authors along with countries, organizations, and journal sources. This offers the opportunity for future research to focus on this topic.

Literature has demonstrated that online reviews from tourism-specific websites and other electronic channels (e.g., TripAdvisor) do influence tourists’ decisions in all aspects. At this global era,...

The first aim of this corrigendum is to point out and correct calculation errors on solar depression angle and azimuth angle in Bertolin and Domínguez-Castro (2020a, 2020b). The second aim is to recognize that these calculations are correct in Dalin (2020). The third aim is to analyze the chances of Antonio Colla to observe the noctilucent cloud (NLC) taking into account the correct calculations of the twilight sky arc determining the illuminated area of an NLC and the uncertainties in the Colla’s observation report.

Background: Cowpea plays a critical role in the lives of millions of people in Africa and other parts of the developing world, where it is a major source of dietary protein that nutritionally complements staple low-protein cereal and tuber crops. It is a valuable and dependable commodity that produces income for farmers and traders. Objective: To review related research work on the genetic variability for time to flowering, maturity and drought tolerance in cowpea. Data Source: Searches were made from the following databases and archives; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEAL), Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA) (FAO), AGRICOLA (National Agricultural Library), AGRIS - Agricultural Sciences and Technology (FAO), CAS - Chemical Abstracts (ACS), DOAJ - Directory of Open Access Journals, CABI, Euphytica, Elsevier, Research Alert, Scopus and CGIAR, Plant Genetics and Breeding Database, Crop Science Database, Plant Genetics and Breeding Database, data base repositories, using the terms “genetic variability”, “drought”, “tolerance”, “ time to flowering and maturity”, and “cowpea” individually or in combination to identify literature published in English language between January 1990 to January 2018. Methods: The review was carried out using the above search terms. Research papers were critically reviewed, relevant data extracted, and a narrative synthesis was conducted to determine the relevant papers. Results: In all 150 papers met the inclusion criteria. Collections were from varied background; Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin Americas. Conclusion: Despite research studies on cowpea and drought, there appears to be limited such research findings on the time to flowering, and maturity in relations to drought tolerance in cowpea in Ghana, suggesting more research in this part of the world.

Chemicals in effluents from the wood industry have been widely identified as sources of contamination affecting endocrine function in aquatic animals. This study examined the changes in transcript levels of key biomarkers, cytochrome P450 1A (cyp1a), brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) and vitellogenin 1 (vtg1), in late larval zebrafish exposed to sediment cores from areas upstream and downstream (two distances) from a pulp and paper mill in Finland. Bioluminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri by sediment elutriates was measured to determine the overall toxicity of the sediment. Then, a whole-sediment bioassay with 20-day post-fertilization zebrafish (20dpfZF) to lake sediment (0–5-cm and 20–30-cm layers) was conducted for 3 days, and changes in cyp1a, cyp19a1b and vtg1transcript levels were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses. Lack of inhibition of bacterial (V. fischeri) bioluminescence by sediment elutriates indicated the non-toxic nature of the samples. Changes in gene expression of cyp19a1b (P

(IF 3.82; Q1); International audience; The response by Van Vliet-Lanoë et al. to our paper on potential thermokarst features in Pleistocene alluvial deposits from the Paris Basin (France) presents inconsistencies that we consider here successively. These are (1) the map of the maximum extent of Pleistocene permafrost in France, (2) the genesis of liquefaction and fluidization structures in periglacial environments, (3) the origin of thermokarst lakes and recumbent folds, (4) the depositional context of sandy units, and (5) the age of the studied deposits. All structures result from the interplay between (1) the growth and degradation of ice wedges, which are responsible for the development of a mound-like topography (badland thermokarst reliefs) on the edge of the alluvial terrace and from the initiation of ponding elsewhere on the terrace, (2) the degradation of lithalsa that developed later in the lacustrine deposits. The sequence was dated confidently to the Late Weichselian.

Sintim, Henry/0000-0002-7702-2510; Flury, Markus/0000-0002-3344-3962 WOS: 000412255400021 Plastic mulch films are often used in agriculture to conserve soil moisture. Most of the plastic mulch currently used worldwide is made of non-biodegradable polyethylene, which has to be removed and disposed after harvest, incurring significant environmental costs. Biodegradable paper or plastic mulch could offer a valuable alternative to polyethylene. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of biodegradable mulches and standard polyethylene mulch on soil moisture dynamics during a growing season. A field experiment was carried out with pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), which were irrigated and grown on raised beds covered with the following mulch treatments: no mulch, biodegradable paper, biodegradable plastic, and polyethylene. Soil moisture was measured at 10- and 20-cm depths. A numerical model (HYDRUS-2D) was used to simulate the moisture dynamics under the different mulch treatments, each represented by different boundary conditions at the soil surface. Polyethylene mulch, which created an impermeable surface layer, effectively reduced evaporation and maintained highest water content among the treatments. Biodegradable paper mulch, which was partially permeable to evaporation and rainfall throughout the growing season, resulted in soil moisture that was intermediate between that obtained for no mulch and polyethylene. Biodegradable plastic mulch, which was similar to that of polyethylene mulch initially in terms of effects on soil moisture, disintegrated during the growing season and allowed rainfall to penetrate and water to evaporate from the soil surface. Field data and model simulations both indicate that the biodegradable paper and plastic mulches provide comparable soil moisture dynamics as polyethylene mulch. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative, Coordinated Agricultural Project [2014-51181-22382]; Western Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education Program [2015-3864023779]; International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [2219] Financial support for the research was provided by the USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative, Coordinated Agricultural Project (Award 2014-51181-22382) and the Western Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education Program (Award 2015-3864023779). Mustafa Saglam was supported by the International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program (No. 2219) from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). We thank Ed Scheenstra, and Babette Gundersen, WSU Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center at Mount Vernon, WA, for help during the field experiments. We thank Douglas Hayes and Sreejata Bandopadhyay, University of Tennessee, for helpful comments on the manuscript.

Based on shallow geophysical data, Klanica et al. (2020, ) argued that the deepest undewater cave in the world, the Hranice Abyss (HA) had formed by epigenic karstification related to mid-Miocene opening of similar to 1 km deep Carpathian Foredeep (CF) and, hence, could be similar to 1 km deep. However, the CF subsided and the abyss was uplifted due to post mid-Miocene faulting with at least 460 m vertical offset, which makes the depth estimate of Klanica et al. (2020, ) invalid. It remains unclear under which geological circumstances the HA, if formed by epigenic karstification, could be backfilled with water column reaching similar to 400 m of height.

This article offers a discursive analysis of the Conservative green paper for international development, published as part of the closely fought election campaign of 2010 that culminated in a UK coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. The article examines the paper in comparison with the discursive shifts represented by the first Department for International Development (DfID) white paper, published by the outgoing Labour administration in 1997. In contrast with the optimistic and globalist developmentalism that characterised Labour's development discourse, the green paper sounds a more cautious note, using empire to focus on Britain's leadership role in poverty alleviation rather than on global progress, and brings back the full force of developmentalism only at the point where it seeks to legitimate spending on security concerns as a development concern. The article then moves on to examine the green paper's most explicit discursive move, the signalling of a ‘post-bureaucratic age’. This move towards increased information provision to promote transparency and accountability is likely to signal greater control by powerful donors in securitised times, albeit with a potential re-scaling of responsibility for poverty alleviation to the poorest local communities. Finally, the article looks briefly at information technologies in relation to the transnational spatiality of civil society, arguing that attention needs to be paid to the more embodied forms of transnational association encouraged by the green paper, and to the selection and impacts of information, which need to be seen in the discursive context of wider Conservative constructions of the ‘big society’.

The article of Blatnik et al. (2019) “Groundwater dynamics between Planinsko Polje and springs of the Ljubljanica River, Slovenia” published in Acta Carsologica, 48/2 focused on describing the hydrogeological behaviour of the aquifer between Planinsko Polje and the springs of the Ljubljanica River. The authors analysed the effect of different high water events that occurred between January 2015 and May 2018. Interpretations were based on hydrographs obtained by continuous measurements of water level, temperature and specific electric conductivity in selected ponors, springs and water active caves located in the area between Planinsko Polje and the springs of the Ljubljanica River. Through these interpretations, different conceptual hydrological models about the dynamics and directions of the flow in the aquifer have been proposed and tested. A flow connection was proposed between the Hrušica Plateau, estavelles located at the NW border of Planinsko Polje, and caves Gradišnica (W2) and Gašpinova Jama (W3) close to town Logatec. In this supplement, we provide new data recorded during an unusual hydrological event in August 2018. These further support and stress the importance of the connection between the Hrušica Plateau and Logatec region (W2 and W3).

In this reply, the aim of the authors is to correct the calculation errors on solar depression angle and azimuth angle as recognized by Dr. Dalin in his critical review. However, these updated and corrected calculations do not affect the possibility for Antonio Colla of having observed the Noctilucent Cloud (NLC) plausible both in the direction and for the duration he described in his observations. In this reply, the authors offer two different interpretations in this regard.

Sterols and their metabolites are recognized as hormonally active compounds in many earlier studies. Therefore, identification and quantification of selected phytosterols related to developments in pulping and wastewater treatment of pulp and paper industry were studied from sediment cores of two Finnish lakes. Indicating the period of maximal emissions, the highest total concentration of sterols, 1970 μg/g dry weight, was detected in the stratified sediment of central Lake Paijanne, dated to the mid-1970s (depth 12–15 cm). After notable changes in processes and effluent treatment, the amounts of sterols in effluents must have diminished, as shown by the sterol content in the sediment downstream from the mills. Therefore, the concentrations were about 10% of the historical maximum in the surface sediment (depth 0–3 cm) in both downstream sites investigated at Lake Paijanne. However, these concentrations were clearly over the natural background (10–50 μg/g) occurring in the subsamples of the pre-industrial phase (depth 36–44 cm) as well as in the reference site of southern Lake Saimaa, the second investigated lake. At a nearby site of a pulp and paper mill in southern Lake Saimaa, sterols were most abundant (1760 μg/g dry weight) in the sediment layer 0–5 cm despite the improved process control during last few decades. This study showed the abundance of ecotoxicologically harmful compounds in downstream sediment sites of pulp and paper industry.

Self-citation is a common practice in soil science publications, but can we find a common behaviour in soil science papers, and are there outliers? Here we investigate self-referencing (referencing earlier papers on which a researcher is an author or co-author) for papers published in nine leading soil science journals (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Geoderma, Soil & Tillage Research, Catena, European Journal of Soil Science, Soil Science Society of America Journal, Soil Use and Management, Geoderma Regional, and SOIL) in 2018 to understand the self-referencing distribution of soil science papers. From 1753 research and review papers, a typical soil science paper (based on median values) had 5 authors, 56 references, and 10 pages. Interestingly, these numbers were very similar across all nine journals. We found that the median rate of self-referencing was 10%, and an interquartile range from 5 to 17%. The values were also very similar across the nine journals. The self-referencing values were reasonable and comparable to other disciplines and a past study of pedometrics papers. Self-referencing rates increase with the number of references and authors. However, its distribution was quite variable but tended to be less than 25% for papers with less than 10 authors with less than 60 references. We further conducted a graphical procedure on the self-referencing distribution to establish outlier thresholds related to the inter-quartile range. We found thresholds of self-referencing between 35% and 53%, which would suggest high values. There were only 61 papers (3.5% of total) above the lower threshold. We also established median and 80-percentile models based on the number of authors and the number of references. Based on the data, we can present an acceptable range of self-references, followed by an expert interpretation of the citation behaviour. This way can help authors, editors and reviewers to understand whether exceptional citation is at work.

The effluent from a Chinese paper mill (pH 7.1) was concentrated, and the solid residue was dried and ground. Crude lignosulfonate was obtained as a brown powder, and a novel sand-fixation agent was synthesized by means of graft copolymerization of the lignosulfonate with acrylic acid and formaldehyde. The newly synthesized product had good water solubility, potentially good biodegradation, and produced no additional pollution. The crusts formed on shifting sands using this agent had higher crushing strength and better resistance to wind erosion than those produced with two other recently patented fixatives.

International audience

Indian Given is a timely book, coming to publication amidst calls for a wall along the US‐Mexico border. This wall would seek to separate two distinct racial landscapes by protecting the whiteness ...

Situated among small Caribbean states existentially vulnerable to increasing CO2 emissions, Trinidad and Tobago emerges as a paradox: an island nation allied with other low‐lying countries pushing ...