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Wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in water management by facilitating water reuse, recycling and maintaining a safe level of pollutants released into the environment. The operation of these plants varies according to a several factors, including the season, type of wastewater, and volumes to be treated. These factors commonly influence the consumption of electricity and other input materials, such as coagulants and flocculants. Despite the process being well-established and in use for decades, the use of chemical agents often remains at constant ratios, which may depend on inflow volumes. Consequently, the use of those chemical agents often surpasses the actual process needs, leading to unnecessary costs and environmental impacts. In this context, modelling was employed to analyze the typical operation of a wastewater treatment plant, with the polymer concentration and the electricity demand as the variables to be optimized. The reduction of the amount of polymer was determined by tracking the sedimentation kinetics at different polymer concentrations, combining zeta potential measurement and particle size distribution. Sedimentation data were obtained by interpreting the transmission and backscattering profile using a TurbiScan Lab®. The impact of the sample collection and analysis time on sedimentation kinetics was also investigated. It was found that the optimal concentration of cationic polyacrylamide to treat wastewater containing approximately 5 mg/L of suspended particles and initial concentration of phosphorous of 5.525 mg/mL can vary from 0.1 mg/mL to 1.3 mg/mL depending on the analysis time. Therefore, by implementing in-line sensing, the concentration of suspended particles can be used to optimize polymer consumption. Additionally, a new electricity operation mode is proposed for the wastewater treatment plant in Finland, a concept that could yield benefits beyond economic profit. These findings could be utilized to enhance the operation of wastewater treatment plants worldwide.

Introduction: The many cases of land disputes involving indigenous communities have created a bad image for this community. Purposes of the Research: The rights of indigenous peoples as well as the legal substance that forms the basis for the implementation of development in safeguarding the environment after the entry of the Company Methods of the Research: The method used is normative juridical with qualitative analysis. Results of the Research: The noble values in the lives of indigenous peoples seem to have disappeared due to a number of "conflicts" disputes. In fact, feuds and struggles are not the nature of indigenous peoples. This group is actually closely linked to environmental conservation efforts to ensure the continuity of life. This cultural identity requires a foothold which is known as customary territory. This area is very important because it is the living space and livelihood of the community. Customary territories include land, forests, seas and natural resources which are seen as a unity of economic, religious values and socio-cultural ties. The presence of the State can resolve problems that arise in society, especially environmental rights owned by indigenous peoples.

The study deals with the issue of the role of public authorities in ensuring the security of Romanian citizens, in the context of an increased dynamic of security risks and threats generated by the security crises in the European space in the last decade. The subject is of great importance in today's Romanian society and has generated various approaches in specialized circles and among opinion leaders. The first part of the study presents the typology of public authorities in Romania, as they are individualized in the Romanian Constitution, and the responsibilities of these authorities regarding ensuring and guaranteeing a high level of security and prosperity for citizens, in accordance with the country's National Defense Strategy for the period 2021-2024. In the second part of the study, the responsibilities of public authorities in some issues of interest circumscribed to human security are presented in detail, such as: citizens' access to public information in the field of local administration; the right to education; the right to health and the right to a healthy environment. The study concludes on the need for the permanent improvement of the legislative framework in the field, as well as the efficiency of the act of public administration, in order to create the optimal conditions for the existence and manifestation of the person, in accordance with the constitutional rights they enjoy and with their own ideals of evolution, essential conditions from the perspective of ensuring the integrative concept of human security

Ancient Tamil literature and grammar texts explain the beauty of the life of the ancient Tamils who saw the pleasure of nature. Ancient Tamil poets used nature as a background to depict human life. The two adjectives in Sangam literature are the metaphors of nature and the divine songs. Vannadasan is a Tamil poet who has been creating works of literature in this area and has shown in his short stories that he loves and interacts with the creations of nature around him. In his stories, one can naturally feel that man loves the living and non-living things around him with a passion. Storytellers with a penchant for survival are featured in his works. Through his short story, one can know the character of developing human love based on nature. Nature is the origin of man and nurtures the life of the natural world. Hence, trees are necessary to maintain the balance of nature and human life. Indeed, various organisms are more than life but the essential ones are the trees. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to study the trees that have been seen in the short stories of Vannadasan.

The results of the analysis of the radiation state of environmental objects in the sanitary protection zone (SPZ) and surveillance zone (SZ) of the research nuclear reactor (RNR) WWR-M of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (INR) for 2021 are analyzed and compared with the data for previous years (from 2016 to 2020). The levels of total beta activity of sedimentary dust and atmospheric precipitation and wastewater from the main reservoirs of INR, the concentration of beta-active aerosols in the surface layer of atmospheric air, as well as the content of 137Cs radionuclide in soil and vegetation samples, were studied. The research was conducted in the laboratory of the Center for Ecological Problems of Atomic Energy of INR. The obtained results show that in 2021 there was no excess of the values of controlled parameters compared to previous years. There was also no significant difference in the specific activity of the radionuclide 137Cs in soil and vegetation samples from SPZ and ZS. Studies conducted in the period from 2016 to 2021, allowed to accumulate significant factual material on the radiation situation in the sanitary protection zone and surveillance zone and to substantiate the conclusion about the absence of man-made radioactive contamination of the environment due to the operation of RNR WWR-M of INR of NAS of Ukraine.

The population inflation that countries are witnessing during this century, makes it imperative to provide sufficient quantities of agricultural products to meet their urgent needs. Therefore, it became very necessary to use pesticides to improve agricultural crop productivity and reduce losses resulting from agricultural pests. The indiscriminate use of pesticides causes severe risks not only on agricultural fields, but also workers in their manufacturing processes and individual use in homes and institutions. The main adverse effects of utilizing pesticides on human health, soil, microorganisms of soil, surface water and groundwater have been covered in this review. This investigation is aiming to elevate environmental awareness, highlight the serious harms of pesticides and provide guidance for implementing a serious solution from the people and authorities. In addition, the most important strategies to reduce the pesticides risks have been summarized.

Background: Corona virus is a phenomenon that has faced the world with a crisis due to its rapid spread and uncontrollable nature. Although this crisis is only related to the medicine and health system, it is a multidimensional phenomenon whose effects and consequences can be observed and tracked in various economic, social, and political fields. The purpose of this article is to investigate the results of the Corona Virus on the environment. Materials & Methods: The current study is a scoping review article that was performed based on the collection of information from articles published in the databases ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed in the period from 2019 to 2022 with the aim of investigating the consequences of the Corona crisis on the environment. Results: The findings of this research illustrate that the corona virus crisis and the quarantine conditions have brought many consequences for the environment. On the one hand, as a result of the cessation of many human activities, there is a significant reduction in the emission of pollutants, including greenhouse gases, and on the other hand, waste, especially medical and plastic waste, has increased. Conclusion: Despite the positive effects of Covid-19 on environmental factors, its short-term and long-term negative effects are obvious. In addition, it seems that the economic activity of country will intensify after Corona, and therefore, with a comprehensive analysis of the effects of Covid-19 on several sectors, significant proceedings should be taken in this field.

In this work, we developed an UV-visible (UV-VIS) absorption spectrometric method for the quantification of sodium diclofenac in natural waters. Several UV-VIS absorption method parameters were optimized. The maximum absorption wavelength was comprised between 276 and 292 nm, depending on the solvent, with molar absorption coefficients greater than 104 L mol-1 cm-1. The linearity of the UV-VIS calibration curves extended over one to three orders of magnitude, with correlation coefficients (R2) very close to unity. The low relative standard deviation (RSD) values indicated a good reproducibility of the measurements. Analytical applications to natural waters yielded satisfactory results with average recovery rates between 94.7 and 99.1%.

Zulaikah, S.; Bijaksana, S.; Azzahro, R.; Daryanti, N.Y.; Wahyuni, L.T.; Sari, M.; Hafiz, A., and Yunginger, R., 2023. Frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility and chemical composition of estuary mangrove sediment as environmental indicator of ecosystem degradation. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(5), 862–868. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. In this study, frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility (χfd%) was combined with the chemical content of sediments for an assessment of mangrove ecosystem degradation. Sediments from three mangrove forest sites were characterized in this study with different environmental backgrounds, i.e. Wonorejo mangroves in Surabaya (WN), Clungup mangroves in Malang (CP), and Cengkrong mangroves in Trenggalek (CG), all of which are in East Java, Indonesia. The χfd% values, which indicate the distribution of magnetic minerals in the samples, were 1.94%, 2.52%, and 0.57%, respectively. Meanwhile, the low-frequency magnetic susceptibility (χlf) was in the range of 44–1405 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 391 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for WN, 3–1400 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 313 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for CP, and 213–1261 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 761 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for CG. It was determined that mangrove sediment with an industrial or urban background, such as in WN and CP, had χfd% in the range of 2% or greater, with an average χlf of around 300 × 10–8 m3 kg–1. On the contrary, mangrove sediment with an unspoiled environmental background such as CG showed low χfd% values of less than 2% and an average χlf of around 700 × 10–8 m3 kg–1. Ni, Cu, and Zn were distinguishing chemical elements in the three mangrove sites. For WN and CP, the average of these elements was higher than that at CG. WN was also marked by an abundance of V, Cr, Mn, and Fe. The magnetic minerals, based on scanning electron microscope analysis, showed some spherule shapes, especially for WN, and an abundance of crystalline shapes, especially for CG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a comparative experimental study on the influence of date palm fibers to replace polypropylene fibers used as reinforcement in self-compacting concrete (SCC). Indeed, the use of polypropylene fibers makes it possible to reduce the plastic shrinkage of concrete. Date palm fibers have mechanical characteristics (tensile strength and elasticity modulus) largely sufficient to replace polypropylene fibers. The use of natural fibers has several advantages, they are natural, renewable, have no effect on the environment and require little energy for their transformation unlike synthetic fibers. In this comparative study, polypropylene fiber is used as a control material and date palm fiber as a study material. The results obtained show that the two types of fibers decrease the fluidity and the compressive strength, increase the flexural strength and decrease the shrinkage. Date palm fibers delay the appearance of cracks more than polypropylene fibers. Date palm fibers guarantee the best results of SCC in fresh and hardened state.

Introduction: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have caused environmental effects. Food production is one of the sources of GHGs. This study aimed to suggest dietary scenarios for decreasing GHG emissions. Materials and Methods: GHG emissions in the target population of Urmia city, Northwest Iran, were investigated using a modeling approach. Three dietary scenarios were modeled and analyzed to evaluate and compare GHG emissions. The objectives and decision variables of the three scenarios included minimizing the carbon footprint and intake of food items, respectively. In the first scenario, the amount of energy intake was equal to baseline energy intake. The second scenario maintained the same energy intake constraint as the first scenario and made further alterations by considering the number of serving sizes suggested by the food pyramid for each food group. The third scenario was mostly based on this model by accounting for dietary reference intake for macronutrients, micronutrients, and energy. Results: There was about 72% and 55.67% reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) production in the first and second scenarios rather than the baseline diet of 4072.10 g CO2 eq, respectively. In the final scenario, the CO2 eq emissions were less than half of the baseline diet. Conclusion: The study showed that a healthy diet with a higher proportion of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, and dairy, and a lower share of red and white meat, egg, grains, fat and oil, and sweets can reduce CO2 eq emissions.

Introduction: Macrolides are a group of antibacterial agents. Given their clinical importance, and the consistent rise in resistance among pathogenic bacteria, macrolides have been the targets of extensive research. Materials and Methods: This review considered the number of macrolides in different wastewater and the removal of these drugs. The antibiotics were frequently detected in influents and effluents, ranged from ng/L up to lower μg/L. In influent, the highest concentrations of clarithromycin (6080 ng/L), roxithromycin (>103 ng/L), erythromycin (3900 ng/L), and azithromycin (1949 ng/L) were detected in Croatia, Chinese, USA, and Singapore municipal wastewater treatment plants, respectively. Results: The removal efficiency of macrolides during wastewater treatment processes varies and is essentially dependent on a combination of macrolides physicochemical properties, location of municipal wastewater, and the operating conditions of the treatment systems. The application of alternative techniques, including membrane separation, activated carbon adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, biodegradation, and disinfection were the dominant removal routes for macrolides in different wastewater treatment processes. A combination of these techniques can also be used, leading to higher removals, which may be necessary before the final disposal of the effluents or their reuse for irrigation or groundwater recharge. Conclusion: Many antibiotics cannot be removed completely in wastewater treatment processes and would enter into the environment via effluent and sludge. The molecular structure of macrolides and their load-bearing capacity has led to the advantage of biological treatment over other treatments. However, the main part of the treatment has been done using biological treatment.

The aim of this study is to test the validity of the Kuznets Environmental Curve (EKC) hypothesis for Iran. For this purpose, this study used the FourierARDL method and causality test with time change to analyze the short-term and long-term relationships between economic growth, economic complexity index, energy consumption, and ecological footprint. Findings from the Fourier ARDL approach confirm the existence of coherence between variables. In addition, the results of this study show that energy consumption and economic growth increase the ecological footprint in the short and long term. However, the short-term elasticity of economic growth is smaller than the long-term elasticity, meaning that the EKC hypothesis is not valid for Iran. This finding is confirmed by the causality test with time change. The overall results show that economic complexity has a diminishing effect on the ecological footprint and economic growth is not effective in solving environmental problems in Iran. Therefore, the Iranian government should encourage an environmentally friendly production process and cleaner technologies in exports to reduce environmental pollution.

Early sexual intercourse causes negative consequences for adolescent health. Understanding sexual predictors can be beneficial for the prevention program. This study aims to describe predictors of early sexual intercourse among adolescents. The study participants were twenty sexually experienced respondents aged 15-18 years and received assistance from the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI) in Medan. The study used a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews as methods. The results show that individual, family, peer, school, and media influence early sexual intercourse. Individually, participants have unstable emotions, negative self-concepts, and unclear future orientation. They are also unable to make rational decisions, lack social responsibility, and often violate the rules. Therefore, sexually, the respondents have positive sexual attitudes, sexually active peers, and high sexual self-efficacy. Especially among male participants, the internet was used to meet sexual partners and watched sexually-laden videos. The participants also have dysfunctional families, friends with behavioral problems, and disengagement with school. Therefore, prevention programs need to strengthen adolescents' positive potential, family function, social support, and healthy media use.

Aim. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology that takes into account the levels of anthropogenic transformation of various components of the environment.Method. In scientific work to take into account the impact of qualitative indicators on the process of transformation of landscapes of Volyn region under the influence of drainage reclamation was used P. Shishchenko's method with the following additions: the coefficient of anthropogenic transformation of landscapes was calculated separately for: relief and soils and water regime.Results. Understanding the state of lands transformed in the process of drainage reclamation provides an opportunity to understand the effects of a complex of factors on land and agricultural needs and encourages scientific study of various components of the environment. During drainage reclamation there is an intensive mineralization of the organic part of the soil with a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the processes of peat mineralization are actively developing. The total coefficient of anthropogenic transformation of landscapes was defined as the average value between these coefficients. The results obtained by an improved method allow a more differentiated assessment of the state of transformation of the landscapes of the Volyn region, taking into account the impact of drainage reclamation. These results are adequate, as there is a connection with the industrial development of territories and the level of agricultural development.The scientific novelty lies in the constructive-geographical analysis of the impact of drainage reclamation in the Volyn region on different types of environment.Practical significance. The results of the research can be used in the educational process of VSU named after Lesya Ukrainka and other educational institutions in teaching geographical, economic and tourism disciplines. The results will find their application in the legislative and executive work of local governments in the development of programs of socio-economic development of territorial communities. The materials of the research will promote the rational use of anthropogenic resources and objects of social and household services in Volyn, which will allow to qualitatively influence the course of administrative reform. A number of provisions can be used in similar studies of the regions of Ukraine.

Abstract Background Young people have become disillusioned with mainstream electoral politics in established democracies, and are increasingly likely to engage in democracy on a case-by-case basis in issues that hold meaning for their everyday lives. These issues are most likely to be local and involve interconnected economic, social and environmental concerns. Results The following study contributes to the understanding of the everyday politics of young people within a single urban environment (London) regarding sustainability-related issues. It departs from many previous studies of sustainability by employing a youth-centred approach, focussing on the authentic voices of young Londoners. The article shows how narrative structures can provide an effective way of understanding everyday politics and the interconnectedness of key issues through the words of these young people. Conclusions The analysis identifies young people’s relatively low prioritisation of most environmental issues – due to an overwhelming sense of economic precarity and a lack of opportunity to reflect upon the relevance of environmental issues for their everyday lives. The article emphasizes the importance of opening up spaces for deliberation and channels for youth engagement, to embed sustainability in global cities.

Introduction: The prevalence of infectious diseases varies depending on the type of micro-organism involved. Viral diseases can spread rapidly among communities, due to the specific characteristics of the virus. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) is a new member of the coronavirus family that has caused rapid epidemics and affected the health and economy of the countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the ambient temperature and the positive cases of COVID 19. Materials and Methods: In the present research, the relationship between the number of positive cases of COVID 19 and the ambient temperature was investigated in Abarkouh and Qeshm cities during a 49-day period. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software using descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient tests. Results: The average ambient temperatures in the study period were 19.16 ± 3.45 and 25.79 ± 1.83 for Abarkouh and Qeshm cities, respectively. During this period, the positive cases in Abarkouh and Qeshm cities were 38 and 28 people, respectively. The results of correlation test revealed a negative correlation between the ambient temperature and the number of patients with COVID 19 (the correlation rates were -0.107 and -0.083 with p-values of 0.46 and 0.57 for Abarkouh and Qeshm, respectively). Conclusion: Our results revealed that increase of air temperature was negatively correlated with the number of positive cases of COVID 19. It can be concluded that atmospheric temperature affects the virus outbreak. So, the rate of virus spread is expected to be reduced.

This paper analyzes the main changes in Brazilian Law no. 11,952/2009, known as the Amazon Public Policy for Land Regularization (PRFA), demonstrating that the Brazilian Government has been implementing a public policy of privatization of illegally invaded federal lands (land-grabbing), causing damage to the rural land structure and for the environment of the region.

This review represents complex mechanisms and processes of multimodal communication in stink bugs. During reproductive behavior the airborne and substrate-borne signals enable mate recognition, mediate directionality of movement, eliminate rivals and motivate partners for copulation. Species specific characteristics prevent hybridization at various levels of mating behavior. Male sex and/or aggregation pheromones as uni- or multicomponent signals attract mates to land on the same plant and there, trigger females to call males by vibratory signals, transmitted through the plant. Communication during courtship runs at short distance with visual, airborne, substrate-borne and contact chemical and mechanical signals. Abdomen vibrations produce the main repertoire of female and male calling, courtship and rival vibratory signals. To increase their informational value, stink bugs tune signal frequency, amplitude and temporal characteristics with mechanical properties of plants. The airborne component of species non-specific and high amplitude signals, produced by body tremulation and wing buzzing enables communication contact between mates standing on mechanically isolated plants. Female vibratory signals increase the amount of male emitted pheromone and the latter keeps female calling. Interaction, synergy and characteristics of visual, contact chemical and vibratory signals, exchanged during courtship remain under-investigated. Female and male competition for access to copulation in imbalanced sex conditions is characterized by duetting with rival song vibratory signals. Different receptors in and on different parts of the body are able to detect with high sensitivity multimodal airborne and substrate-borne communication signals. The relevance of the multimodal communication for the reproductive success of stink bugs is discussed.

This study describes the synthesis of polymeric resins based on styrene (STY), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and divinylbenzene (DVB), modified chemically through sulfonation reactions during different time intervals, to learn the influence of the materials’ structure on their adsorption capacity and evaluate their potential for application in the removal of ammonium from wastewater to levels compliant with the technical standard NT202, R-10 (INEA, 1986). The results showed that besides the duration of the sulfonation reaction, factors such as surface area and pore diameter also contributed significantly to the ammonium absorption process. The efficiency of the formulations was in decreasing order DVB(7:3)(2)S, DVB(7:3)(24)S, STY-DVB(7:3)(2)S and GMA-DVB(7:3)(2)S. Of these, DVB(7:3)(2)S had the greatest surface area but had low ion exchange capacity. The resin with the greatest exchange capacity was STY-DVB(7:3)(2)S, but it had efficiency about 20% lower than the former resin, showing a result very near that of GMA-DVB(7:3)(2)S.

Frank MC Besag Neurodevelopmental Team, East London Foundation NHS Trust, Family Consultation Clinic, Bedford, UK Abstract: Autism is more common in people with epilepsy, approximately 20%, and epilepsy is more common in people with autism with reported rates of approximately 20%. However, these figures are likely to be affected by the current broader criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which have contributed to an increased prevalence of autism, with the result that the rate for ASD in epilepsy is likely to be higher and the figure for epilepsy in ASD is likely to be lower. Some evidence suggests that there are two peaks of epilepsy onset in autism, in infancy and adolescence. The rate of autism in epilepsy is much higher in those with intellectual disability. In conditions such as the Landau–Kleffner syndrome and nonconvulsive status epilepticus, the epilepsy itself may present with autistic features. There is no plausible mechanism for autism causing epilepsy, however. The co-occurrence of autism and epilepsy is almost certainly the result of underlying factors predisposing to both conditions, including both genetic and environmental factors. Conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and sleep disorders are common in both epilepsy and autism. Epilepsy is generally not a contraindication to treating these conditions with suitable medication, but it is important to take account of relevant drug interactions. One of the greatest challenges in autism is to determine why early childhood regression occurs in perhaps 25%. Further research should focus on finding the cause for such regression. Whether epilepsy plays a role in the regression of a subgroup of children with autism who lose skills remains to be determined. Keywords: epilepsy, autism, regression, genetics, environment, Landau-Kleffner, CSWS

Red blood cells (RBC) play a leading role in the blood gas transport function and oxygen supply to tissues, and the number and size of RBC have a decisive role in tissue oxygenation. The size of erythrocyte varies significantly among animal species, depending on a number of factors. Data on the effect of various factors (living conditions, lifestyle, systematic affiliation, body weight) on the size of RBC are contradictory. The choice of mammals belonging to the Rodentia order was dictated by their very extensive distribution range and ecological features. A comparative study of the morphometric parameters (surface area and diameter) of RBC was performed for 11 Rodentia species: European beaver (Castor fiber), Canadian beaver (C. canadensis), nutria (Myocastor coypus), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), rat (Rattus norvegicus), chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera), red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), bank vole (Myodes glareolus), European water vole (Arvicola amphibius), laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) and Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). A direct dependence of the size of erythrocytes on body weight was established, which agrees with the data reported by other researchers. The maximum size of RBC was noted in C. canadensis and C. fiber. Besides, large erythrocytes were detected in all the studied semiaquatic animals. The surface area of erythrocytes in terrestrial rodent species decreased in the following order: C. lanigera – R. norvegicus – S. vulgaris – M. musculus – M. glareolus. The influence of physiological (weight, sex, longevity) and ecological factors (food habits and habitat) on the morphometric parameters of erythrocytes was revealed, while systematic affiliation did not affect cell size.

Nowadays, construction waste is one of major environmental contaminants. The Increase of building construction entails escalating demolition of buildings in their midlife that made of decent materials such as bricks, cement, steel, stone, and plaster. After demolition, these manufactured materials turn into trash accumulated on the suburbs causing environmental damage and pollution. Furthermore, high-energy consumption in production process of these synthetic materials is another major problem. The building industry is responsible for high level of pollution due to the energy consumed during extraction, processing, and transportation of raw materials, construction, utilization, demolition, and disposal waste. To reduce environmental risks in construction materials, it is necessary to investigate the life cycle of building materials and their energy consumption. The life cycle of building materials starts from the moment of extraction in nature and ends when it returns to the nature. Therefore, the use of materials that may harm human or environmental health at any phase of their life cycle must be limited. For materials selected in design, it is vital that the designer meticilously consider the use and disposal of the finished product. This requires clearly through examination of raw materials in order to have very low environmental load both in manufacturing and distribution systems to minimize the environmental impacts. In this paper, the life cycle of construction materials and its impact on environmental pollution for both synthetic and vernacular materials are investigated and analytically compared. Various environmental factors in construction materials’ selction have been studied in previous researches. By investigating different measures included in environmental charts and tables, a comprehensive model by considering all affecting factors is proposed. The proposed model describes the materials’ life cycle assessment. This model is a guide to evaluate, select and use construction materials more sustainably. The proposed model embraces all stages of materials life cycle including extraction, production process, transportation, construction, operation, destruction, and finally returning to the nature or their reuse as secondary materials. The nature has the central role in this model. Each stage is investigated in depth and main points are described. All construction materials can be evaluated using the proposed cyclic model. The model has the ability of comparing various materials from environmental impact perspective. By comparing vernacular and synthetic materials regarding environmental factors, it is confirmed that using vernacular materials is more beneficial due to less environmental load. Synthetic materials impose wide variety of burdens on the environment through every step of production, processing, consumption, use, recycling, transportation and disposal. Benefits of using vernacular materials are reduction of pollution in manufacturing process, less energy consumption in transportation, construction, utilization, minimizing embodied energy and embodied carbon, efficient use of resources, reduced costs, and drastically diminished environmental impact of construction.

Public Administrations have suffered a sort of changes based in changing context and uncertainty. So, traditional Weberian bureaucracy has been adapting itself, embracing new values and tools. In this way, the City Hall of Torrent has developed the strategy called Torrent INNOVA. It was framed inside a quality management system named EVAM framework. Thereby, citizen’s charts are an important instrument in order to manage local context and apply new public administrative innovations.

Along with the issue of the increasing prosperity in many parts of the world, including Indonesia, the global development agenda has been shift ed from proverty issues to sustainable development goals (Sustainable Development Goal’s or SDG’s) issues. Consecutively, to support this target achievement, the role of the budget becomes very signifi cant, including the Transfer to the Region mechanism. Based on the analysis, the mechanism of the General Allocation Fund (DAU) has the potential to become a source of funding for environmental and ecological forestry. Ecological fi scal transfer mechanism can be manifested through the addition of DAU allocation for the benefi t of environmental conservation and forestry. It also can be embodied through the addition of environmental indicators and forestry in existing formulations of DAU.

Introduction: Antibiotics as a type of pharmaceutical compounds are widely used in modern medicine and veterinary industries. They enter the environment in different ways, including agricultural runoff, direct discharge of urban wastewater treatment or human waste, direct disposal of medical, veterinary industrial waste and to name but a few. Antibiotics have been able to influence the microbial population. Their continuous presence in the environment can lead to bacterial resistance and in recent years, the issue has caused serious concerns in the scientific community. Materials and Methods: Unfortunately, in spite of the extensive investigations, there is still a considerable lack of integrated and classified information to assess the environmental risks of antibiotics. Therefore, in the current study, the removal of these compounds from aqueous solutions was studied. This study was carried out on the basis of surveys accomplished in recent decades and also the ones published in databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Springer, Magiran and SID using anti-bacterial agents, antibiotic, wastewater and removal methods as the keywords. Results: Advanced treatment processes such as ozonation, advanced oxidation, activated carbon, Nano filtration and reverse osmosis can remove higher levels of antibiotics. Conclusion: Generally, the biological and chemical processes alone are not effective for antibiotics' removal from aquatic environments while combination of advanced oxidation and biological treatment processes can effectively reduce the amount of antibiotic.

Many of Outdoor spaces (OS)s in the local existing educational institutional sites are narrow or wide, of inefficient degree of enclosure (DOE) and of reduced performance. Optimum proportion of OS in this paper is one that can ensure efficient performance of both the surrounding buildings and the OS itself, and also ensure minimum consumption of land, energy and material. DOE of OS in previous literature is associated only to the proportion of OS itself, whereas (DOE) in this paper is associated to other parameters in addition to proportion. They are; pattern of object configuration, permeability of vision of enclosing surfaces, and ambient environment. This paper attempts to establish a relationship between the DOE with the mentioned parameters, and to determine the optimum proportions of campus OSs for various uses. The site of the college of engineering in Salahiddin University is chosen as a case study to measure and record paper parameters with the help of a checklist. DOE evaluation of OS as a perceived performance is measured by the users for these OSs within a questionnaire. Results of this paper deduced the design criteria of the pattern and proportion of the physical objects forming the OS, that are capable to ensure anthropomorphic, healthy, sparing land consumption, and expedient outdoor environment for future campus developments.

The 2nd Africa Animal Welfare Conference was held on 3rd to 5th September 2018 at the United Nations Environment Complex in Nairobi, Kenya. The event, which is an annual one, is organized by the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) and is co-hosted by the United Nations Environment and the Government of Kenya. It provides a unique opportunity for relevant stakeholders (including veterinarians, NGOs, lawyers, farmers, judges, government, professionals and others) to come together and engage on topics relating to animal welfare, wildlife, environmental conservation and humans. This year, the Conference featured the “Africa Animal Law Convention” held concurrently on the second and third days of the Conference, sponsored and organized by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School (based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A). This was the first of its kind event held in Africa and featured animal law experts from the continent as well as the U.S.A and Europe, who presented on myriad subjects relating to the interaction between animals and the legal system. The theme for this year’s conference was “People, Animals and The Planet: One Health, One Welfare”, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these three pillars; the necessity to consider them in combination; and the call to utilize knowledge and skills to generate and implement homegrown solutions.

Environmental education has the important role of alerting people to the consequences of their actions on the environment, as well as the impacts caused by them. In this perspective, teachers have the role of stimulating students to think in a contextualized way about how they relate to the environment in where they live and, thus, to modify small habits of everyday life, to reduce excessive water consumption, to recycle, reuse, avoid waste and consumerism This article aims to discuss the importance of teaching environmental education as a transversal theme from the initial grades of elementary education to reinforce the importance of working it effectively in schools. This study has as a future proposal the environmental education to be worked at schools, as a discipline from the initial grades will facilitate the formation of conscious citizens about their role with the environment, improving this relationship.

In the article the previously developed mathematical model of the project configuration identification process was further developed by taking into account the factor of turbulent environment. It was done by applying the method of dynamic programming. It was concluded that this model is suitable for projects with the stable configuration.

This article considers the most significant sources of large-scale radioactive contamination in the Arctic from the middle of the last century: radioactive fallout from nuclear weapon tests, discharges of waste from the Sellafield (the United Kingdom) and Cap de la Hague (France) radiochemical plants, radioactivity carry-over by the northern rivers of Russia, nuclear Navy operation, radioisotope thermoelectric generators, and submerged and sunken radioactive objects. Their comparative contribution and associated radioecological risks are assessed. Special attention is focused on the analysis of the "nuclear legacy" of the Soviet/Russian nuclear Navy and the search for its solution. The content and results of the implementation of the Strategic Master Plan for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear Navy and radioecological rehabilitation of the service infrastructure, developed as part of broad international cooperation, is described. Attention is drawn to the remaining unsolved environmental problems in the Arctic associated with submerged and sunken objects containing spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. Summary data on such objects and the risks of radioecological pollution of aquatic areas, estimated on the basis of simulation of the consequences of possible accidents, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of awareness and cautionary information on effective and appropriate management operations associated with e-waste may pose potential threat to human health and the environment. This study assessed the knowledge and awareness implication of e-waste management among undergraduate students of Federal University Wukari, Taraba state. The research design adopted for this study was a cross-sectional study sample survey using questionnaire. The questionnaire was self-developed, pre-tested and validated so as to achieve the purpose of the study. The questionnaire assessed participants’ demography, electrical/electronic equipment ownership and usage, awareness and knowledge of e-waste and e-waste handling and control management approaches. Administration of the questionnaire took place between the months February and March, 2017. The analysed data showed that students’ ownership and usage of e-gadgets were high. Mean value of 2.8482 obtained for e-waste knowledge and awareness analysis implies average level of knowledge and awareness concerning e-waste management among the participants. The implication of e-waste knowledge and awareness on appropriate management practices among the students when subjected to Pearson correlation analysis gave an “r” value of 0.330 which was a positive correlation. The average level of e-waste management awareness among the participants was observed to have translated to average appropriate approaches in practice with mean value of 2.8763. This means that improvement on the level of e-waste management awareness can as well affect the level of e-waste management approaches in practice. Keywords: e-gadget, e-waste, awareness, practice, environment.

The article presents a series of tests conducted over a sample of chipboard and wood flooring in order to compare some physical and chemical characteristics of these materials with other alternative raw materials that may replace wood. These alternative materials comply with the quality standards established by regulations on the conservation of the environment. Thus, a comparison is made between the results of tests on samples of chipboard and wood flooring and some of the research that has been done on the characteristics of laminated bamboo to be used as raw material in laminate flooring.

The shift in language learning today is from “classical teaching environment” to “self-learning environment”. In Nigeria today, although CALL efforts are made by schools and individuals, these effort are geared towards the English language learning other than Nigerian languages. This paper seeks to explore the development of CALL for Nigerian Languages and the challenges of running CALL in Nigeria. The results indicate that CALL for Nigerian languages is needed and should be promoted. CALL in Nigerian can only be successful if the shortcomings of CALL are recognized and the mitigating circumstances tackled. Adequate arrangements must be made to manage CALL and Teacher-Assisted language learning (TALL) in consideration of the socioeconomic impact of CALL on the teachers Nigerian languages. The attitude of Nigerians towards Nigerian languages should be positive. The government, corporate bodies and individuals must intervene in CALL programs in schools so as to control the resulting high tuition fee.

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The article discusses the role of specific examples of the Kazakh national geographical names of the different regions of Kazakhstan, based on the toponymic methods of scientific research. Geographical names may constitute the attractiveness of the tourist region. The existence of place names related to landscape and human activities is revealed. Toponymy of terms is studied in detail for their origin and spread caused by certain reasons and features. An analysis of national geographical terms has shown that the names associated with elements of relief, hydrography and plant cover features of the Kazakhs not only numerous, but also narrowly differentiated and each special term almost never occurs in other nations and has no analogues. It could be one of factors of tourist attractiveness in terms of natural and conducive to the development of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karachi harbor has an immense operational infrastructure of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), Pakistan Navy (PN), and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA). It is significant for the readiness of PN and PMSA for peace and wartime operations. Although the Government of Pakistan has declared Karachi Port Complex a National Vulnerable Area, Karachi's coast receives massive pollutants from various land and sea sources. The primary sources include liquid discharge from industry and solid effluents of the municipality. The non-availability of disposal facilities and the absence of effluent treatment plants add to the misery. Toxic liquids and solid pollutants remain in the harbor for extended intervals. This pollution threatens the marine environment and ocean life and degrades water quality. These pollutants also affect the life of assets and infrastructures, including incoming and parked ships, which deteriorate fast. This paper includes the sources of pollution and the current state of Karachi h rbor. Also, possible outcomes of the growing pollution fall into the domain of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution considers the potential conflicts that may arise between customary rights and environmental rights in the face of dwindling marine resources. It sets the scene by reflecting on some of the common themes present in indigenous claims to marine resource by communities who were subjected to colonisation. In doing so it analyses the South African judgment, S v Gongqose Case No. E382/10 (unreported), which alluded to the existence of a customary right to fishing, a concept that has until now remained unexplored in South African law. This discussion is followed by a brief overview of the rapidly declining state of marine resources, worldwide and in South Africa. The note then considers the relationship between customary law and marine resources and some of the challenges in meeting rights-based customary claims to marine resources against the need to conserve a dwindling resource. It concludes by offering possibilities for reconciliation.

Introduction: Lack of concentration in classroom is considered to be one of the most prevalent educational problems throughout education. The aim of this study is to discover and determine factors contributing to the students’ concentration in order to improve the level of concentration and quality of education. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the sample included all medical students of Semnan University of Medical Sciences in 2010-11 academic years. A valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire, including demographic data and variables associated with concentration as perceived by students, was used for data gathering. Items were rated by 5 points scale (scored as 0-4). Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: 180 students completed the questionnaires. 59.3% were female. Among the student-related factors, fatigue and sleepiness (mean 3.66±0.66) in class was recognized as the most remarkable factor interfering concentration. Meanwhile, studying teacher-related factors, teacher skills in applied demonstration of learning material (mean 3.47±0.80) was proved to be the main interfering factor. Among environmental factors, lighting and ventilation (mean 3.07±0.87) were the most significant factors. The most students believed that the highest concentration level was obtained in front seats (58.3%) in the morning sessions within 10-12 o'clock (43.8%). Conclusion: Regarding the fact that concentration is an acquisitive mental process, changing some behavioral patterns among students could lead to improvement in their concentration level. This may include planning for enough rest, paying attention to applied presentation of materials and consequently encouraging students, and providing a convenient learning setting such as physical conditions of the classroom.

The potential benefit of drought-tolerant (DT) corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids may depend on drought intensity, duration, crop growth stage (timing), and the array of drought tolerance mechanisms present in selected hybrids. We hypothesized that corn hybrids containing DT traits would produce more consistent yields compared to non-DT hybrids in the presence of drought stress. The objective of this study was to define types of production environments where DT hybrids have a yield advantage compared to non-DT hybrids. Drought tolerant and non-DT hybrid pairs of similar maturity were planted in six site-years with different soil types and seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), representing a range of macro-environments. Irrigation regimes and seeding rates were used to create several micro-environments within each macro-environment. Hybrid response to the range of macro and micro-environmental stresses were characterized in terms of water use efficiency, grain yield, and environmental index. Yield advantage of DT hybrids was positively correlated with environment ET and VPD. Drought tolerant hybrids yielded 5 to 7% more than non-DT hybrids in high and medium ET environments (> 430 mm ET), corresponding to seasonal VPD greater than 1200 Pa. Environmental index analysis confirmed that DT hybrids were superior in stressful environments. Yield advantage for DT hybrids appeared as yield dropped below 10.8 Mg ha-1 and averaged as much as 0.6 to 1 Mg ha-1 at the low yield range. Hybrids with DT technology can offer a degree of buffering against drought stress by minimizing yield reduction, but also maintaining a comparable yield potential in high yielding. Further studies should focus on the physiological mechanisms presented in the commercially available corn drought tolerant hybrids.

Full-scale metal solar collectors and solar collectors fabricated from polymeric materials are studied in present research. Honeycomb multichannel plates made from polycarbonate were chosen to create a polymeric solar collector. Polymeric collector is 67.8% lighter than metal solar collector. It was experimentally shown that the efficiency of a polymeric collector is 7–14% lower than a traditional collector. An ecologically based Life Cycle Assessment showed the advantages of the application of polymeric materials in the construction of solar collectors.