Impact of environmental factors on photovoltaic performance and their mitigation strategies–A holistic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 153-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santosh Ghosh ◽  
Vinod Kumar Yadav ◽  
Vivekananda Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Holistic Review

scholarly journals Prevalence of and environmental factors associated with aerosolised Aspergillus spores at a zoological park

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e000281
Author(s):  
Molly Martony ◽  
Hendrik Nollens ◽  
Melinda Tucker ◽  
Linda Henry ◽  
Todd Schmitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Air Sampler ◽  
Zoological Park

Aspergillus is a significant pathogen in zoological species, although information on environmental variables influencing fungal prevalence in zoological settings are lacking. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of and to identify environmental factors associated with aerosolised Aspergillus spores at a zoological park to advance the understanding of fungal exposure as a first step towards improved mitigation strategies for susceptible animals. Twenty-one locations were sampled for presence of Aspergillus species using the SAS Super 180 Microbial Air Sampler, while twenty-two environmental factors were evaluated every two weeks at SeaWorld of California during two 12-month periods. In each period, the frequency of investigated environmental factors was compared between samples classified as positive or negative for Aspergillus species using logistic regression. Prevalence of Aspergillus was higher (P<0.05) during the second 12-month period (110/525 or 21 per cent), compared with the first period (62/483 or 13 per cent). In both periods, positive Aspergillus samples were associated with indoor sites without high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems and other infection control measures (adjusted OR=4.33 and 5.19, P<0.01) or outdoor sites (adjusted OR=2.50 and3.79, P≤0.05), compared to indoor sites with HEPA filtration systems and other infection control measures, after controlling for season. Burden of airborne Aspergillus can be higher in indoor sites without HEPA filtration systems than in outdoor sites. The use of HEPA filtration systems and other infection control measures can mitigate the burden of Aspergillus. Risk-based surveillance systems that target indoor areas without HEPA filtration systems can be an efficient approach for early detection of high burden of Aspergillus at zoological parks.

scholarly journals Thermal Strain During Open-Water Swimming Competition in Warm Water Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Chalmers ◽  
Gregory Shaw ◽  
Iñigo Mujika ◽  
Ollie Jay
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Thermal Strain ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Warm Water ◽  
Temperature Threshold ◽  
Physiological Strain ◽  
Water Competition ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
And Performance

Open-water swim racing in warm water is associated with significant physiological strain. However, existing international policy that governs safe participation during competition relies only on a fixed water temperature threshold for event cancellation and has an unclear biophysical rationale. The current policy does not factor other environmental factors or race distance, nor provide a stratification of risk (low, moderate, high, or extreme) prior to the threshold for cancellation. Therefore, the primary aim of this Perspectives article is to highlight considerations for the development of modernized warm-water competition policies. We highlight current accounts (or lack thereof) of thermal strain, cooling interventions, and performance in warm-water swimming and opportunities for advancement of knowledge. Further work is needed that systematically evaluate real-world thermal strain and performance during warm water competition (alongside reports of environmental conditions), novel preparatory strategies, and in-race cooling strategies. This could ultimately form a basis for future development of modernized policies for athlete cohorts that stratifies risk and mitigation strategies according to important environmental factors and race-specific factors (distance).

scholarly journals Diurnal and Seasonal Variations in the Effect of Urban Environmental Factors on Air Temperature: A Consecutive Regression Analysis Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Jaehyun Ha ◽  
Yeri Choi ◽  
Sugie Lee ◽  
Kyushik Oh
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
View Factor ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Building Geometry

This study investigates the diurnal and seasonal variations in the effect of environmental features on air temperature in Seoul, Korea. We expect that this study will lead to the identification of factors that can be applied for urban heat island mitigation strategies in summer without leading to an unintended result in winter. As our dependent variable, we employed the smoothed 31-day moving average of air temperatures, where we controlled the seasonal variation by normalizing the values observed from 247 automatic weather stations (AWS) from 2015 to 2016. Subsequently, we conducted consecutive log–log regression analyses of each day to examine patterns of change in regression coefficients and the significance of each independent variable. For independent variables, we applied built environment features including albedo, land-use, average building floors, the sky view factor, and green and water areas. This study provides analytical results regarding the relationship between environmental factors and air temperature. This study also addresses imperative issues for planners, especially regarding albedo, wind path, building geometry, and land use types. Finally, this study gives useful insights for managing the diurnal and seasonal variations of urban thermal environment in the mega-city.

scholarly journals African Americans and European Americans exhibit distinct gene expression patterns across tissues and tumors associated with immunologic functions and environmental exposures

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Urminder Singh ◽  
Kyle M. Hernandez ◽  
Bruce J. Aronow ◽  
Eve Syrkin Wurtele
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
European Americans

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected African American populations disproportionately with respect to prevalence, and mortality. Expression profiles represent snapshots of combined genetic, socio-environmental (including socioeconomic and environmental factors), and physiological effects on the molecular phenotype. As such, they have potential to improve biological understanding of differences among populations, and provide therapeutic biomarkers and environmental mitigation strategies. Here, we undertook a large-scale assessment of patterns of gene expression between African Americans and European Americans, mining RNA-Seq data from 25 non-diseased and diseased (tumor) tissue-types. We observed the widespread enrichment of pathways implicated in COVID-19 and integral to inflammation and reactive oxygen stress. Chemokine CCL3L3 expression is up-regulated in African Americans. GSTM1, encoding a glutathione S-transferase that metabolizes reactive oxygen species and xenobiotics, is upregulated. The little-studied F8A2 gene is up to 40-fold more highly expressed in African Americans; F8A2 encodes HAP40 protein, which mediates endosome movement, potentially altering the cellular response to SARS-CoV-2. African American expression signatures, superimposed on single cell-RNA reference data, reveal increased number or activity of esophageal glandular cells and lung ACE2-positive basal keratinocytes. Our findings establish basal prognostic signatures that can be used to refine approaches to minimize risk of severe infection and improve precision treatment of COVID-19 for African Americans. To enable dissection of causes of divergent molecular phenotypes, we advocate routine inclusion of metadata on genomic and socio-environmental factors for human RNA-sequencing studies.

scholarly journals Improving Diversity in Pediatric Residency Selection: Using an Equity Framework to Implement Holistic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-200
Author(s):  
Jyothi Marbin ◽  
Glenn Rosenbluth ◽  
Rachel Brim ◽  
Edward Cruz ◽  
Alma Martinez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Pediatric Residency ◽  
Selection Processes ◽  
Holistic Review ◽  
Residency Selection ◽  
Recruitment And Selection ◽  
Residency Application

ABSTRACT Background Many programs struggle to recruit, select, and match a diverse class of residents, and the most effective strategies for holistic review of applications to enhance diversity are not clear. Objective We determined if holistic pediatric residency application review guided by frameworks that assess for bias along structural, interpersonal, and individual levels would increase the number of matched residents from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine (UiM). Methods Between 2017 and 2020, University of California San Francisco Pediatrics Department identified structural, interpersonal, and individual biases in existing selection processes and developed mitigation strategies in each area. Interventions included creating a shared mental model of desirable qualities in residents, employing a new scoring rubric, intentional inclusion of UiM faculty and trainees in the selection process, and requiring anti-bias training for everyone involved with recruitment and selection. Results Since implementing these changes, the percentage of entering interns who self-identify as UIM increased from 11% in 2015 to 45% (OR 6.8, P = .008) in 2019 and to 35% (OR 4.6, P = .035) in 2020. Conclusions Using an equity framework to guide implementation of a pediatric residency program's holistic review of applications increased the numbers of matched UiM residents over a 3-year period.

scholarly journals Associations of Acute Exposure to Airborne Pollutants with COVID-19 Infection: Evidence from China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingqing Lu ◽  
Na Wu ◽  
Jiakui Jiang ◽  
Xiang Li
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Generalized Additive Model ◽  
Additive Model ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Atmospheric Pollutants ◽  
Acute Exposure ◽  
Airborne Pollutants ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Pollutant Concentrations

Abstract The outbreak of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread across many countries globally. Greatly limited study concerned the effect of airborne pollutants on COVID-19 infection, while exposure to airborne pollutants may harm human health. This paper aimed to examine the associations of acute exposure to ambient atmospheric pollutants to daily newly COVID-19 confirmed cases in 41 Chinese cities. Using a generalized additive model with Poisson distribution controlling for temperature and relative humidity, we evaluated the association between pollutant concentrations and daily COVID-19 confirmation at single-city level and multi-city level. We observed a 10 μg/m3 rise in levels of PM2.5 (lag 0−14), O3 (lag 0−1), SO2 (lag 0) and NO2 (lag 0−14) were positively associated with relative risks of 1.050 (95% CI: 1.028, 1.073), 1.011 (1.007, 1.015), 1.052 (1.022, 1.083) and 1.094 (1.028, 1.164) of daily newly confirmed cases, respectively. Further adjustment for other pollutants did not change the associations materially (excepting in the model for SO2). Our results indicated that COVID-19 incidence may be susceptible to airborne pollutants such as PM2.5, O3, SO2 and NO2, and mitigation strategies of environmental factors are required to prevent spreading.

Evaluation of tea clones for resistance/tolerance to mites infestations and the influence of environmental factors on mites dynamics in Kenyan tea farms

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenipher A. Odak ◽  
P. Okinda Owuor ◽  
Lawrence O.A. Mang’uro ◽  
Evelyn Cheramgoi ◽  
Francis N. Wachira
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Average Rainfall ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Mite Infestations ◽  
Tolerant Clones

Mites infestations reduce yields in tea production world wide. However, some tea cultivars are resistant/tolerant to mites attack. The resistance/susceptibility can also be influenced by abiotic factors. This study evaluated some new tea clones for mite resistance/susceptibility and influence of Environmental factors (weather parameters) on dynamics of mite infestations of Kenyan tea at different ecological zones, Kangaita, Kipkebe and Timbilil. Maximum population of mites was reported during March when maximum temperature, average rainfall and relative humidity ranges for the sites were 23.9-28.7°C, 27.7-50.1mm and 38.0-70.4% respectively. There was a sharp decline in mites population in April when average rainfall was high (398.4-514.4mm) which was accompanied by reduction in maximum temperature (18.8-27.5°C) and increase in relative humidity (44.0-82.2%). The minimum population density was found during August which was characterized by low maximum temperature (16.4-26.6°C), low average rainfall (4.8- 190.5mm) and high average relative humidity (46.0-80.9%). The mites infestation levels highly correlated with maximum temperatures in Kangaita (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.801), Kipkebe (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.693) and Timbilil (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.744). There were significant (p≤0.05) monthly variations in clonal mite infestations at all sites. Susceptible clones showed higher monthly mite infestations variations than the resistant/tolerant clones. Of the clones evaluated for the first time, eight new clones were identified as tolerant/resistant while two clones were susceptible to mites attack. Resistant/tolerant clones are recommended for commercial exploitation while mitigation strategies should be put in place in mites prone areas during hot seasons with high monthly temperatures and low humidity

Reductionist thinking and animal models in neuropsychiatric research

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Baran
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Disorders ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Developmental Genetic ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽  
Mechanisms Of Plasticity

AbstractReductionist thinking in neuroscience is manifest in the widespread use of animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Broader investigations of diverse behaviors in non-model organisms and longer-term study of the mechanisms of plasticity will yield fundamental insights into the neurobiological, developmental, genetic, and environmental factors contributing to the “massively multifactorial system networks” which go awry in mental disorders.

The dual nature of obesity in metabolic programming: quantity versus quality of adipose tissue

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (18) ◽  
pp. 2447-2451
Author(s):  
Anissa Viveiros ◽  
Gavin Y. Oudit
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Maternal Obesity ◽  
Metabolic Programming ◽  
Dual Nature ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Adipose Tissue Volume ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Metabolically Healthy

Abstract The global prevalence of obesity has been rising at an alarming rate, accompanied by an increase in both childhood and maternal obesity. The concept of metabolic programming is highly topical, and in this context, describes a predisposition of offspring of obese mothers to the development of obesity independent of environmental factors. Research published in this issue of Clinical Science conducted by Litzenburger and colleagues (Clin. Sci. (Lond.) (2020) 134, 921–939) have identified sex-dependent differences in metabolic programming and identify putative signaling pathways involved in the differential phenotype of adipose tissue between males and females. Delineating the distinction between metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity is a topic of emerging interest, and the precise nature of adipocytes are key to pathogenesis, independent of adipose tissue volume.

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