scholarly journals Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances: current and future perspectives

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurunthachalam Kannan

Environmental contextPerfluoroalkyl substances were recognised as global environmental pollutants 10 years ago. Although considerable advancements have been made in our understanding of the environmental distribution, fate and toxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances, several important issues remain to be resolved. This article identifies existing knowledge gaps that deserve further investigations to enable meaningful regulatory decisions. AbstractIt has been over a decade since perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were discovered as global environmental contaminants. Considerable progress has been made in our understanding of the environmental fate and toxic effects of PFASs since then. Government regulations and voluntary emission reduction initiatives by industry have been effective in reducing environmental and human exposure to a major PFAS, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in the United States and several other western countries. Although significant advances have been made in our understanding of the environmental chemistry of PFASs, considerable knowledge gaps still exist in several areas of environmental fate and risk assessments. Owing to their complex chemistry, involving existence of multiple precursors with significant numbers of structural isomers and mixtures of homologues, multiple degradation pathways and unique physicochemical properties, challenges remain in elucidating sources and environmental fate. In this overview, some of the knowledge gaps in PFASs’ research have been identified and suggestions for future research have been made.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J Justus ◽  
Elizabeth Y Long

Abstract The carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a devastating pest of high value Apiaceous crops like carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativusHoffm.), parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss), and celery (Apium graveolens L.). Although native to North America, it is a serious pest across the Eastern United States and Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. Females deposit eggs in the petiole of cultivated hosts, and upon hatching, larvae tunnel down through the petiole and into plant roots causing wilting, yellowing, and plant death. Scouting procedures focus mainly on adult activity and require detection of small egg scars on the foliage and crown of the root, or reliance on traps that are only effective at the beginning of the season before the crop emerges. Several avenues of cultural, biological, and chemical control have been explored for this pest, but with limited success. Furthermore, investigation of these management strategies have primarily focused on carrot systems, neglecting other cultivated Apiaceae. Here we present a review of carrot weevil research and highlight key knowledge gaps in the carrot weevil system, which impede our understanding of this insect’s biology and behavioral ecology. Future research addressing these key knowledge gaps will expand our understanding of this pest and contribute to the development and implementation of more effective management strategies.


Author(s):  
Dana M. Litt ◽  
Jason R. Kilmer ◽  
Susan F. Tapert ◽  
Christine M. Lee

This chapter reviews the extant literature surrounding adolescent marijuana use and abuse. Other than alcohol, marijuana is the most prevalent psychoactive substance used by adolescents. While recent progress has been made in understanding and identifying risk and protective factors of adolescent marijuana use, as well as short and longer term outcomes of use, the field is still in its infancy. The present chapter aims to summarize the prevalence, etiology, trajectories of use, motivations and reasons for use, and the physical and psychological consequences of marijuana use in adolescence. Finally, this chapter highlights the need for future research given the changing landscape of marijuana decriminalization in the United States and beyond.


2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1421-1452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devendra P. Garg ◽  
Gary L Anderson

In this paper we emphasize several advances recently made in the area of structural damping aimed towards reducing, and preferably eliminating, mechanical vibrations. First, a few commonly encountered undesirable effects of vibrations on structures are discussed. This is followed by an identification of research needs, and a discussion of typical research projects sponsored by the Structures and Dynamics Program of the United States Army Research Office towards meeting these needs. We include research projects in areas such as modeling of damping mechanisms, analysis and design of vibration absorbers, surface damping treatment of beams and similar other structures, and the use of magnetorheological and electrorheological fluids for vibration attenuation. Finally, we make recommendations for directions that are beneficial for future research in this area.


GeroPsych ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Grace C. Niu ◽  
Patricia A. Arean

The recent increase in the aging population, specifically in the United States, has raised concerns regarding treatment for mental illness among older adults. Late-life depression (LLD) is a complex condition that has become widespread among the aging population. Despite the availability of behavioral interventions and psychotherapies, few depressed older adults actually receive treatment. In this paper we review the research on refining treatments for LLD. We first identify evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for LLD and the problems associated with efficacy and dissemination, then review approaches to conceptualizing mental illness, specifically concepts related to brain plasticity and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc). Finally, we introduce ENGAGE as a streamlined treatment for LLD and discuss implications for future research.


Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 433-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Gryglewicz ◽  
Melanie Bozzay ◽  
Brittany Arthur-Jordon ◽  
Gabriela D. Romero ◽  
Melissa Witmeier ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Given challenges that exceed the normal developmental requirements of adolescence, deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) youth are believed to be at elevated risk for engaging in suicide-related behavior (SRB). Unfortunately, little is known about the mechanisms that put these youth potentially at risk. Aims: To determine whether peer relationship difficulties are related to increased risk of SRB in DHH youth. Method: Student records (n = 74) were retrieved from an accredited educational center for deaf and blind students in the United States. Results: Peer relationship difficulties were found to be significantly associated with engagement in SRB but not when accounting for depressive symptomatology. Limitations: The restricted sample limits generalizability. Conclusions regarding risk causation cannot be made due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. Conclusion: These results suggest the need for future research that examines the mechanisms of the relationship between peer relationship difficulties, depression, and suicide risk in DHH youth and potential preventive interventions to ameliorate the risks for these at-risk youth.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Maral Babapour Chafi

Designers engage in various activities, dealing with different materials and media to externalise and represent their form ideas. This paper presents a review of design research literature regarding externalisation activities in design process: sketching, building physical models and digital modelling. The aim has been to review research on the roles of media and representations in design processes, and highlight knowledge gaps and questions for future research.


1963 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-413
Author(s):  
Mohammad Irshad Khan

The main purpose of this paper is to present estimates of income elasticities for various commodity groups in East Pakistan. To date no such studies have been conducted in that province; and estimates made in other areas of the subcontinent have only limited applicability. Analysis of consumption patterns is essential for development planning because priorities and investment targets have to be based on demand forecasts for different commodities. Forecasting demand requires, among other variables, reliable estimates of income elasticities. In addition, knowledge about elasticities can be useful in deciding taxation policies and other controls over consumption. Further, in countries like Pakistan where large quantities of surplus foods are imported under the United States PL 480 programme, knowledge of income elasticities and regional patterns of consumption is important to permit effective utilization of these imports for economic development.


Author(s):  
Sidra Amin ◽  
Amber R. Solangi ◽  
Dilawar Hassan ◽  
Nadir Hussain ◽  
Jamil Ahmed ◽  
...  

Background: In recent years, the occurrence and fate of environmental pollutants has been recognized as one of the emerging issues in environmental chemistry. A survey documented about a wide variety of these pollutants, which are often detected in our environment and these are major cause of shortened life spans and the global warming. These pollutants include toxic metal, pesticides, fertilizers, drugs and dyes released into soil and major water bodies. The presence of these contaminants causes major disturbance in eco-system’s balance. To tackle these issues many technological improvements are made to detect minute contaminations. The latest issue being answered by the scientists is the use of green nano materials as sensors which are economical, instant and give much better results at low concentrations and can be used for the field measurements resulting in no dangerous by-product that could lead to more environmental contamination. Nano materials are known for their wide band gap, enhanced physical and optical properties with option of tuneablity as per need, by optimizing certain parameters. They are proved to be good choice for analytical/optical sensors with high sensitivity. Objective: This review holds information about multiple methods that use green nanomaterials for the analytical assessment of environmental pollutants. UV-Vis spectrophotometry and electrochemical analysis using green and reproducible nanomaterials are the major focus of this review article. To date, there are number of spectrophotometric and electro chemical methods available that have been used for the detection of environmental pollutants such as toxic metals, pesticides and dyes. Conclusion: The use of nanomaterials can drastically change the detection limits due to having large surface area, strong catalytic properties, and tunable possibility. With the use of nano materials, lower than the marked limit of detection and limit of quantification were seen when compared with previously reported work. The used nano-materials could be washed, dried, and reused, which makes the methods more proficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly.


Public Voices ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
John R Phillips

The cover photograph for this issue of Public Voices was taken sometime in the summer of 1929 (probably June) somewhere in Sunflower County, Mississippi. Very probably the photo was taken in Indianola but, perhaps, it was Ruleville. It is one of three such photos, one of which does have the annotation on the reverse “Ruleville Midwives Club 1929.” The young woman wearing a tie in this and in one of the other photos was Ann Reid Brown, R.N., then a single woman having only arrived in the United States from Scotland a few years before, in 1923. Full disclosure: This commentary on the photo combines professional research interests in public administration and public policy with personal interests—family interests—for that young nurse later married and became the author’s mother. From the scholarly perspective, such photographs have been seen as “instrumental in establishing midwives’ credentials and cultural identity at a key transitional moment in the history of the midwife and of public health” (Keith, Brennan, & Reynolds 2012). There is also deep irony if we see these photographs as being a fragment of the American dream, of a recent immigrant’s hope for and success at achieving that dream; but that fragment of the vision is understood quite differently when we see that she began a hopeful career working with a Black population forcibly segregated by law under the incongruously named “separate but equal” legal doctrine. That doctrine, derived from the United States Supreme Court’s 1896 decision, Plessy v. Ferguson, would remain the foundation for legally enforced segregation throughout the South for another quarter century. The options open to the young, white, immigrant nurse were almost entirely closed off for the population with which she then worked. The remaining parts of this overview are meant to provide the following: (1) some biographical information on the nurse; (2) a description, in so far as we know it, of why she was in Mississippi; and (3) some indication of areas for future research on this and related topics.


Author(s):  
James L. Gibson ◽  
Michael J. Nelson

We have investigated the differences in support for the U.S. Supreme Court among black, Hispanic, and white Americans, catalogued the variation in African Americans’ group attachments and experiences with legal authorities, and examined how those latter two factors shape individuals’ support for the U.S. Supreme Court, that Court’s decisions, and for their local legal system. We take this opportunity to weave our findings together, taking stock of what we have learned from our analyses and what seem like fruitful paths for future research. In the process, we revisit Positivity Theory. We present a modified version of the theory that we hope will guide future inquiry on public support for courts, both in the United States and abroad.


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