This study comprises a critical review of modeling of pesticides in surface waters. The aim was to update the status of the use of models to simulate the fate of pesticides from diffuse sources. ISI ...papers were selected on Scopus and the information concerning the study areas, type of pesticides (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides), the model, and the methodology adopted (i.e., calibration and/or validation, spatial and temporal scales) were analyzed. The studies were carried out in Europe (55.5%), North America (22.3%), Asia (13.9%) and South America (8.3%). The Soil and Water Assessment Tool proved to be the most used model (45.95%). Herbicides were the most modeled pesticides (71.4%), followed by insecticides (18.2%) and fungicides (10.4%). The main herbicides modeled were atrazine, metolachlor, isoproturon, glyphosate, and acetochlor. Insecticides such as chlorpyrifos and metaldehyde. Chlorothalonil, and fungicides (i.e., tebuconazole) were the most widely investigated. Based on published studies, it was found that modeling approaches for assessing the fate of pesticides are constantly evolving and the model algorithms work well with diverse watershed conditions, management strategies, and pesticide properties. Several papers reported concentrations of pesticides exceeding ecotoxicological thresholds revealing that water contamination with pesticides used in agriculture and urban areas is a priority issue of current global concern.
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•A critical review of modeling of pesticides in surface waters is reported.•Modeling approaches for assessing the fate of pesticides are constantly evolving.•SWAT was the one most used on a global scale (35.71%).•Herbicides were the most modeled pesticides followed by insecticides and fungicides.•Concentrations of pesticides exceed ecotoxicological thresholds.
Abstract
The transition away from fossil fuels towards a carbon-neutral, clean and circular economy is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Energy communities are one of the tools to ...re-structure our energy systems by harnessing the energy and allowing citizens to participate actively in the energy transition and thereby enjoy greater benefits.
The definition of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) given by the European Commission, places the REC as an association that produces and shares renewable energy, generating and managing cost-effective green energy autonomously, reducing CO
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emissions and energy waste. Observing this definition, the new Italian regulations concerning RECs boost distributed generation, encouraging the development of ‘zero-mile’ local energy production and smart grids. This research aims to evaluate the conditions to propose a REC in the Tor Sapienza district, as an Italian prototype, assessing the possibilities and advantages of transforming it into a large-scale sustainable infrastructure by means of a deep energy transition and the active role of local citizens, public administrations and small and medium-sized enterprises. Thanks to an in-depth technological, environmental and demographic survey of the neighbourhood, the study focuses on the retrofitting of a social housing complex in Tor Sapienza, as the main prosumer of the REC.
Abstract
SDG 7 “affordable and clean energy” aims at expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean and more efficient energy in all countries, encouraging socio-economic growth ...and helping the environment. Its implementation through legislative instruments led to the writing of the Sapienza Energy Plan and the Energy Implementation Program, which define a series of medium-term implementation strategies on buildings inside and outside the Sapienza University campus. Strategies aimed at the energy redevelopment of the building envelope to achieve the minimization of energy needs and the construction of PV systems as well as the technical and regulatory adaptation of existing HVAC systems to improve the environmental comfort conditions. By the requirements of current legislation, the Energy Performance has been quantified through the energy efficiency analysis of the building in its current state and post-interventions, led using a simulation on an energy diagnostic software. After the analyses, the refurbishment interventions have allowed defining the guidelines, in compliance with the contents of the Guidelines for the energy efficiency of cultural heritage and the PES, through a series of strategies aimed at the conservation and improvement of the building envelope and at improving the energy efficiency and the IEQ of the School of Mathematics.
To evaluate trends in atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and TIA in the United States.
We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to retrospectively compute weighted ...prevalence of AF in AIS (n = 4,355,140) and TIA (n = 1,816,459) patients admitted to US hospitals from 2004 to 2013. Multivariate-adjusted models were used to evaluate the association of AF with clinical factors, mortality, length of stay, and cost.
From 2004 to 2013, AF prevalence increased by 22% in AIS (20%-24%) and by 38% in TIA (12%-17%). AF prevalence varied by age (AIS: 6% in 50-59 vs 37% in ≥80 years; TIA: 4% in 50-59 vs 24% in ≥80 years), sex (AIS: male 19% vs female 25%; TIA: male 15% vs female 14%), race (AIS: white 26% vs black 12%), and region (AIS: Northeast 25% vs South 20%). Advancing age, female sex, white race, high income, and large hospital size were associated with increased odds of AF in AIS. AF in AIS was a risk factor for in-hospital death (odds ratio 1.93, 95% confidence interval 1.89-1.98) but mortality in AIS with AF decreased from 11.6% to 8.3% (p < 0.001). Compared to no AF, AF was associated with increased cost of $2,310 and length of stay 1.1 days in AIS.
AF prevalence in AIS and TIA has continued to increase. Disparity in AF prevalence in AIS and TIA exists by patient and hospital factors. AF is associated with increased mortality in AIS. Innovative AIS preventive strategies are needed in patients with AF, especially in the elderly.
► Scattering area and light intensity were able to predict moisture content changes of bell pepper during drying. ► Scattering measurements were generally affected by surface properties of the fruit ...tissue. ► Changes in tissue structure during drying caused dispersion of photons through the surface. ► Yellow bell pepper surface was more transparent to the incident light waves compared to the red and green sample. ► Digital images been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to monitor color change.
Optical devices are being increasingly used for more accurate and faster ways to investigate quality parameters of agricultural products. The main task of this research is to evaluate the use of a CCD camera in combination with laser diodes emitting at 532nm and 635nm to monitor changes in moisture content of red, yellow and green bell pepper during drying. Moreover, the feasibility of using the CCD camera alone to analyze color changes during drying, in alternative to the colorimeter, is assessed. Results showed that scattering area and light intensity were able to predict moisture content changes of bell pepper during drying. While excellent correlations were obtained for yellow colored samples (R=0.93 and RMSEP=7.28), the behavior of green and red wavelengths in peppers with red and green color, respectively, may raise some doubt on the ability to predict moisture content (R=0.33 and RMSEP>22). Additionally, light scattering varied according to the different depths on the surface where the images were taken. Furthermore, it was concluded that a change in tissue structure during drying may have caused dispersion of photons through the surface resulting in varying degrees of scattering. The presented technique based on a digital camera and laser diodes shows the potential to be applied in the future as a fast and modern method for in-line measurements of monitoring moisture content during drying. Digital images in terms of RGB values have been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to monitor changes of L∗ (R=0.87 and R=0.90), and a∗ values (R=0.93 and R=0.97), during drying of yellow and green pepper. Extensive studies are still required to determine the suitability of digital images for analysis of b∗ values at different colors of bell pepper.
Relatively recently, SiC power MOSFETs have transitioned from being a research exercise to becoming an industrial reality. The potential benefits that can be drawn from this technology in the ...electrical energy conversion domain have been amply discussed and partly demonstrated. Before their widespread use in the field, the transistors need to be thoroughly investigated and later validated for robustness and longer term stability and reliability. This paper proposes a review of commercial SiC power MOSFETs state-of-the-art characteristics and discusses trends and needs for further technology improvements, as well as device design and engineering advancements to meet the increasing demands of power electronics.
•Comprehensive characterisation of recent generation SiC power MOSFETs•Insightful analysis of specific failure mechanisms•Partial quantification of robustness limits•Highlight of technology/design/engineering limitations
In this paper, wind tunnel measurements on a model of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) are reported. The turbine is a novel hybrid Savonius-Darrieus combined rotor which aims optimizing ...performances in medium-low wind regimes, by using a careful design of the shape, size and relative positions of Savonius and Darrieus blades. To this end, a dynamically scaled turbine model is tested in wind tunnel to derive instantaneous and averaged velocity fields by means of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), which allows deriving wakes and specific fluid flow phenomena on each single configuration (Savonius or Darrieus) and interactions on the combined geometry. These results are coupled with electrical measurements to determine global performances, efficiency and best working conditions for each separate turbine and for the combined turbine. Data are also compared with results obtained by other authors in previously reported combined hybrid configurations. The proposed system is able to work with good performances (power coefficient equal or slightly lower than 0.2), on an extended range of operative conditions, covering those of each component alone, i.e. for tip speed ratios between 0.5 and 4, in comparison to the ranges 0.5 ÷ 1 and 1.7 ÷ 4 of the used Savonius and Darrieus components. Motivations for the increased performances and working ranges reached by the proposed combined turbine, especially in the low tip speed ratio regime, are given as derived from detailed PIV velocity measurements.
•Wind tunnel measurements on a novel hybrid Savonius-Darrieus wind turbine•Low tip speed ratio with careful design of shape, size and position of blades•Performances, efficiency and working conditions with electrical measurements•Velocity fields and blade interactions by means of PIV•Power coefficient around 0.2 for tip speed ratios between 0.5 and 4
Experiments are carried out by releasing angular rock fragments down a curved chute and by measuring the basal pressures that are exerted by the granular flows on the basal containing surface (the ...substrate). The purpose of these experiments is to understand the mechanisms of energy dissipation and interaction with the ground of rock avalanches and dense pyroclastic flows. Our data show that collisions due to particle agitation affect significantly the basal interaction of granular flows. In particular, our experiments reveal that particle agitation per unit of flow mass increases as grain size increases or as flow volume decreases (with all the other features the same). This is so because as grain size increases or as flow volume decreases (with all the other features the same), there are fewer particles in the flows and the agitation due to the interaction with the rough containing boundary surfaces penetrates relatively more inside the flows. The analysis of the experimental data generates a linear relationship between particle agitation (expressed as a dimensionless basal pressure deviation) and a parameter which is directly proportional to the square of grain size and inversely proportional to the cube root of flow volume. This relationship shows the intrinsic ability of the granular flows to dissipate more energy (larger particle agitation per unit of flow mass) or less energy (smaller particle agitation per unit of flow mass) as a function of flow volume and grain size.
Key Points
Particle agitation per unit of flow mass increases as grain size increases
Particle agitation per unit of flow mass increases as flow volume decreases
Basal pressure is a function of particle agitation
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