Major Hazard Research Articles

Abstract 836: Long-term particulate matter and mortality in cancer patients and survivors compared to general population

Abstract Background and Aim Exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been reported as a major environmental hazard to human health. Although many studies found the associations with mortality and its susceptibility in patients with diabetes and heart diseases, few studies paid attention to cancer. In addition, there were no studies that compared these associations in cancer patients and survivors with those in healthy people from the same population. The aim of this study is to compare the association between long-term exposure to PM with all-cause and cause-specific mortality between the general population and cancer patients and survivors both of which were selected from the same cohort in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), South Korea. Methods Using the National Health Insurance Services-National Sample cohort, we selected the subjects who received health screening during 2005-2007, had full address information, and were aged 30-80 without severe disability. We defined cause-specific mortality based on the International Classification of Disease, 10th reversion from 2007 to 2015. Using a previously-validated prediction model, we estimated annual-average PM concentrations at participants’ district-level addresses and assessed individual long-term exposure as the average concentrations in the previous 5 years on each year during the follow-up. Then, we performed time-varying Cox proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) per 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, family history of cancer, and health behaviors. Results Our study population of 98,493 adults include 94,494 (95.9%) general population and 3,999 (4.1%) cancer patients and survivors in the SMA at baseline. In the general population, we observed the associations with deaths from all causes (PM2.5: HR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.10-1.55; PM10: 1.07, 1.00-1.15), non-accidental causes (PM2.5: 1.51, 1.24-1.84; PM10: 1.10, 1.02-1.20), and cardiopulmonary diseases (PM2.5: 1.57, 1.07-2.31); PM10: 1.22, 1.04-1.43). In contrast, although all HRs of all-cause and cause-specific mortality were not statistically significant, cancer patients and survivors showed much higher HRs for all-cancer and lung-cancer mortality (PM2.5: 1.57 and 1.99; PM10: 1.01 and 1.33) than those for all or other cause-specific mortality as well as those of cancer-related mortality in the general population. Conclusions Our findings provided suggestive evidence of the different causes of deaths associated with long-term exposure to air pollution between the general population and cancer patients and survivors. While PM could behave as a risk factor of cardiopulmonary deaths in the general population, after diagnosed with cancer, exposure to PM may increase the risk of dying of cancer. Citation Format: Miyoun Shin, Ok-Jin Kim, Seung-Ah Choe, Yoon-Jung Choi, Ho Kim, Woojoo Lee, Ho Lee, Sun-Young Kim. Long-term particulate matter and mortality in cancer patients and survivors compared to general population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 836.

Fluidization in pyroclastic flows

Pyroclastic flows are mixtures of gas and particles generated by gravitational collapse of lava domes or fall-back of eruption columns during explosive eruptions. They are major natural hazards because they can propagate far away from the source at speeds that largely exceed those of most natural or anthropogenic granular flows. Hazard mitigation requires improved understanding of their complex dynamics to predict flow path, velocity, and run-out distance.The relevance of fluidization of granular solids in pyroclastic flows to their enhanced mobility has received substantive support. Nonetheless, broad uncertainties still characterize fundamental aspects like the prevailing nature and source of the fluidizing gas, the role of particle-phase stresses, turbulence and shear, the effect of solids polydispersity and fragmentation. Moreover, the dynamics of the frontal zone of the flow deserves deeper investigation due to its relevance to air-cushioning/entrainment and the establishment of self-sustained motion-induced fluidization.

Full-scale tests of deicing with seawater

Sea-spray icing is one of the major hazards for small- and medium-sized vessels in polar regions. Predominant anti- and deicing measures include prevention by heeding the weather forecasts and avoiding high-risk situations, protection by enclosing exposed and high-priority areas, manual ice removal by personnel, heat tracing and surplus heat. Energy is in limited supply on vessels, and alternative ways of ice protection are sought after. Seawater is readily available, and as evident from wave-washing, either naturally occurring or increased by provocative maneuvering, seawater can hold an efficient deicing capacity. This study contains knowledge gained from four separate full-scale deicing tests. Deicing is achieved during the field tests by utilizing the vessel's external fire sprinkler systems and in one case a fire hose. To the author's knowledge, no recent tests with deicing of vessels using flushing seawater have been performed, and this article is considered a first step towards evaluating the viability of the method. Targeted high-volume, low-pressure systems seem to be an effective method for deicing, particularly combined with favorable design. However, because of the risk of increased icing or freezing run-off the method is suitable for vessels and structures with sufficient run-off capabilities. Vessel safety can be improved by incorporating the proposed method.

Risk assessment of war wrecks – a comprehensive approach investigating four wrecks containing munitions in the German Bight/North Sea

AbstractShipwrecks and dumped munition continue to be a major hazard, both in the North Sea but also on a global scale. Research within the EU Interreg project North Sea Wrecks (NSW), in cooperation with the German Aerospace Centre, Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures (DLR), is generating new insights into the status of wrecks, the potential leakage of pollutants from remaining munitions loads and the effects of contamination on exposed marine organisms in the North Sea environment. Further, historical documents are generated from archives to describe ship's history and sinking scenario. These historical findings were compared to models and images of the visual inspections of the wrecks. Further, samples of water, sediment and organisms are being analysed for traces of explosives. Combining the results of these different fields of research allows for a better understanding of the environmental risks deriving from these wrecks. This process is shown below by focusing on the wreck of the German light cruiser SMS MAINZ, which sank in 1914. Data were compared to three additional wrecks situated also within the southern German Bight. Available data about the wrecks were preliminary assessed using a wreck risk model. Finally, wrecks were ranked according to their potential environmental risk.

Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on Job Stress among Employees of Industrial Sector

Background: Worldwide, work-related stress (WRS) is increasingly becoming a major public health hazard. People in low-income nations see an increase in stress related to their jobs as a result of globalization and changes in working circumstances. However, despite high prevalence globally, work-related stress among industrial park workers is not well studied1. WRS is a major challenge to workers and also organizations. It affects the mental and physical health of an individual and the effectiveness of an organization2. Thus the aim of study was to assess the effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on the level of job stress among Employees of Industrial sector, Puducherry.

Remediation of malachite-green dye from textile wastewater using biosorbent almond shell-based cellulose

The presence of malachite green (MG) in surface waters represents a major health hazard for aquatic organisms and communities living near contaminated water sources. In this study, almond shell adsorbents prepared from the four almond types Marcona (M), Fournat de Brézenaud (FZ), Ferraduel (FD) and Ferriages (FG), used to clean wastewater from the textile industry that had been contaminated with the color MG. Optimal adsorption parameters were determined through batch experiments using a standard dye solution. Further, SEM, XRD, BET, and FTIR were employed for characterizing the biosorbents. The examination of the experimental data using isotherms and kinetic models revealed that the adsorption of the MG occurs in a monolayer, with chemical adsorption as the rate-controlling step. The maximum adsorption capacities, under pH around 7 and temperature of 35 °C were 41.0, 61.0, 48.1, and 118.0 mg/g for M, FD, FG, and FZ, respectively. In addition, Monte-Carlo simulation models, and density functional theory calculations were performed to provide a more detailed understanding of the adsorption mechanism. Topological studies such as NCI, RDG, LOL, and ELF were conducted and discussed using Multiwave function (Multiwfn) and VMD programs in liquid phase. In conclusion, chemisorption limits the rate of the adsorption process, and that green cation malachite is more susceptible to nucleophilic than electrophilic attacking. Based on these experimental and theoretical results, it is possible to consider these materials as an inexpensive and viable solution to eliminate MG from wastewater. Adsorption on cellulose can be considered as a feasible strategy for wastewater treatment, and the adsorbents can be optimized for use in real wastewater samples at even lower concentrations. This approach offers an inexpensive and effective technological alternative to conventional methods for the retention of MG.

Dynamic Response of PCCP under the Rockfall Impact Based on the Continuous–Discontinuous Method: A Case Study

Rockfalls are major geological hazards threatening prestressed concrete cylinder pipes (PCCPs) in water diversion projects. To accurately assess the impact of large deformation movements of rockfalls on PCCPs, this study utilized the continuous–discontinuous method to investigate the dynamic response of a PCCP under a rockfall. The impact mode of rockfalls, the mechanical characteristics of PCCP, and the nonlinear-contact characteristics between soil and PCCP were considered in this study. The advantages of continuous and discontinuous numerical simulation methods were utilized to establish a continuous and discontinuous coupling model of “tube-soil-rock” considering the interaction of soil and structure. The impact mechanism and process of PCCP under the rockfall were investigated by simulating the rockfall process and analyzing its spatiotemporal evolution. The influence of PCCP under rockfalls with different heights and radii was studied to clarify the effects of these two parameters on the PCCP. Combined with a practical application example of large-scale water transfer projects, there is a tendency of center flattening under static load and dynamic impact load, and the PCCP part directly below the impact point is the most dangerous. This investigation provided a comprehensive understanding of the impact mechanism of the PCCPs under rockfall. The findings of this study have significant implications for the design of the protection engineering of PCCPs and ensuring the safe operation of water diversion projects.

Prevalence and Concentration of Airborne Microorganisms Isolated from Domestic Toilets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Introduction: Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and transient airborne microorganisms have been shown to constitute major health hazards.
 Aim: This study was carried out to assess the microbial air quality in ten (10) domestic toilets located in mile-3, Alakahia, Choba, Ada-George and Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria.
 Methodology: Microbial air quality was sampled using sedimentation techniques. Freshly prepared Nutrient Agar, MacConkey and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) plates were placed one meter above the floor of the toilets for 1 hours at different sections of each toilet exposed to an open air. The agar plates were closed and transported to the Laboratory were incubation took place at 37°C for 24 hours and 25°C for 3-5 days for growth of bacteria and fungi respectively. Isolates were characterized and identified by standard microbiological methods.
 Results: The bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus species 22(22.45%), Bacillus species 20 (20.41%), Enterococcus species 20(20.41%), Escherichia coli 16(16.32%), Micrococcus species 15 (15.31%), Klebsiella species 3(3.06%), and Proteus species 2(2.04%) while Aspergillus species 14(27.45%), Penicillium species 16(23.53%), Fusarium species 10(19.60%), Mucor species 8(15.69%), and Rhizopus species 7(13.73%) were the fungi identified. The highest bacteria colony count before and after flushing were 52.380×103CFU/m3/hr & 67.261× 103CFU/m3/ hrrespectively while the lowest bacteria counts observed before and after flushing 19.047× 103CFU/m3/hr & 39.286×103CFU/m3/hr while the highest and lowest fungal count before and after flushing were 10.119×103CFU/m3/hr & 13.690×103CFU/m3/hr and 5.952×103CFU/m3/hr & 5.953×103CFU/m3/hr respectively.
 Conclusion: This study shows that considerable numbers of both pathogenic bacteria and fungi particles were released into the air in higher quantity after flushing domestic toilets when compared to air quality before flushing. These organisms have been implicated in major and minor infectious diseases. Inhalation or contact may easily lead to infection especially in immunocompromised individuals and the older adults. To maintain the health of users, it is necessary to carefully manage the environmental factors that promote the growth and multiplication of microorganisms in domestic toilet environment.

Repeated failures of the giant Beshkiol Landslide and their impact on the long-term Naryn Basin floodings, Kyrgyz Tien Shan

Landslides are major hazards that lead to cataclysmic changes in regional physiography. Their consequences are particularly significant when they affect a river system, forming dammed-lake upstream that represents a high flood threat for the downstream region. The Naryn River is the largest river in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan and is of great economic importance. The Beshkiol Landslide, the largest one in Central Asia but of unknown age, has most likely blocked the Naryn River in the past during the Late Pleistocene, with evidence of thick lacustrine deposits as well as numerous paleo-shorelines preserved upstream. In this study, a detailed geomorphological and sedimentological analysis combined with luminescence and 14C dating provides a strong chronological framework to refine the dynamics between the Beshkiol landslides and dammed-lakes in the Naryn Basin. We propose that the Beshkiol Landslide was first triggered 51.9 ± 4.4 kyrs ago, with a 410 m-high dam that blocked the Naryn River. A first lake with a total volume of 121 ± 50 km3 lasted for >37.0 ± 5.1 kyrs, one of the longest landslide-dammed lake residence time ever documented in the world. Our sedimentological observations highlight a catastrophic lake outburst flood between 15.6 and 14.1 kyrs cal BP, likely related to a landslide dam breach. A short-lived phase of fluvial erosion impacted the whole Naryn Basin followed by a second landslide activation (280 m- high dam) and subsequent flooding by a second lake of 27 ± 10 km3. This second lake had a minimum residence time of 7.7 ± 1.3 kyrs before its final gradual drainage that was followed by a fluvial erosional phase still active today in the Naryn Basin. We also suggest that the distal unconsolidated part of the Beshkiol Landslide could be remobilized in the event of an earthquake and/or extreme rain episode, causing a potentially dam of the Naryn River, which would have strong regional economic impacts.

Biochar loaded with root exudates of hyperaccumulator Leersia hexandra Swartz facilitated Cr(VI) reduction by shaping soil functional microbial communities

Cr(VI) contamination is widely recognized as one of the major environmental hazards. To address the problem of remediation of soil Cr(VI) contamination and utilization of waste peanut shells, this study comprehensively investigated the effects of peanut shell-derived biochar loaded with root exudates of hyperaccumulator Leersia hexandra Swartz on Cr(VI) reduction and microbial community succession in soil. This study confirmed that root exudate-loaded peanut shell biochar reduced soil pH while simultaneously increasing DOC, sulfide, and Fe(II) concentrations, thereby facilitating the reduction of Cr(VI), achieving a reduction efficiency of 81.8%. Based on XPS and SEM elemental mapping analyses, Cr(VI) reduction occurred concurrently with the Fe and S redox cycles. Furthermore, the microbial diversity, abundance of the functional genera (Geobacter, Arthrobacter, and Desulfococcus) and the metabolic functions associated with Cr(VI) reduction were enhanced by root exudate-loaded biochar. Root exudate-loaded biochar can promote both direct Cr(VI) reduction mediated by the Cr(VI)-reducing bacteria Arthrobacter, and indirect Cr(VI) reduction through Cr/S/Fe co-transformation mediated by the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfococcus and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria Geobacter. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of peanut shell biochar loaded with root exudates of hyperaccumulator Leersia hexandra Swartz to promote soil Cr(VI) reduction, reveals the mechanism how root exudate-loaded biochar shapes functional microbial communities to facilitate Cr(VI) reduction, and proposes a viable strategy for Cr(VI) remediation and utilization of peanut shell.

QSAR Studies and Scaffold Optimization of Predicted Novel ACC 2 Inhibitors to Treat Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is one of the major non-communicable global health hazards of the modern world owing to its amplifying prevalence. Acetyl coenzyme-A carboxylase 2 (ACC 2) is one of the most crucial enzymes involved in the manifestation of this disease because of its regulatory role in fatty acid metabolism. To find novel potent ACC 2 inhibitors as therapeutic potential leads for combating metabolic syndrome. In the present study, a two-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (2D QSAR) approach was executed on biologically relevant thiazolyl phenyl ether derivatives as ACC 2 inhibitors for structural optimization. The physiochemical descriptors were calculated and thus a correlation was derived between the observed and predicted activity by the regression equation. The significant descriptors i.e. log P (Whole Molecule) and Number of H-bond Donors (Substituent 1) obtained under study were considered for the design of new compounds and their predicted biological activity was calculated from the regression equation of the developed model. The compounds were further validated by docking studies with the prepared ACC 2 receptor. The most promising predicted leads with the absence of an H-bond donor group at the substituted phenyl ether moiety yet increased overall lipophilicity exhibited excellent amino acid binding affinity with the receptor and showed predicted inhibitory activity of 0.0025 μM and 0.0027 μM. The newly designed compounds were checked for their novelty. Lipinski's rule of five was applied to check their druggability and no violation of this rule was observed. The compounds designed in the present study have tremendous potential to yield orally active ACC 2 inhibitors to treat metabolic syndrome.

Heat‐Resistant Air Filters Based on Self‐Sustained Electrostatic and Antibacterial Polyimide/Silver Fiber Mats

AbstractAir pollution containing microorganisms poses a major hazard to human health. It is critical to develop air filters that are both highly efficient for indoor use and suitable for use in industrial settings. Developing long‐lasting electrostatic force‐assisted filtration while keeping high‐temperature resistance and antibacterial qualities is still challenging. Here, centrifugal spinning is used to fabricate fiber mats consisting of polyimide with silver incorporation (PI/Ag). The electrostatic force remained over –700 V after 330 days. The strong electrostatic effect improves the filtration efficiency, resulting in a high PM0.3 removal efficiency of 99.1% with a low‐pressure drop of 103.67 Pa. The high filtration efficiency remains above 91.3% for PM0.3 after placing it for 330 days and heating it at 280 °C. The PI/Ag fiber mats also show antimicrobial properties against the E. coli (Gram‐negative) and S. aureus (Gram‐positive) with prominent bacteriostatic zones >1.2 mm. The PI/Ag fiber mat filters are expected to have great potential for multi‐scenario air filtration.

G-ACP: a machine learning approach to the prediction of therapeutic peptides for gastric cancer

Conventional Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer treatments are quite expensive and have major hazards. Nowadays, a different strategy places more emphasis on creating tiny biologically active peptides that do not cause severe poisoning. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are found through experimental screening, which is time-dependent and frequently fraught with difficulties. Gastric ACPs are emerging as a promising GI cancer treatment in the current day. It is crucial to identify novel gastric ACPs to have an improved knowledge of their functioning processes and treatment of gastric cancer. As a result of the post-genomic era’s massive production of peptide sequences, rapid and effective ACPs using a computational method are essential. Several adaptive statistical techniques for distinguishing ACPs and non-ACPs have recently been developed. A variety of adapted statistically significant methods have been developed to differentiate between ACPs and non-ACPs. Despite significant progress, there is no specific model for the prediction of gastric ACPs because the specific model will predict a particular type of peptide more accurately and quickly. To overcome this, an initiative is taken for the creation of a reliable framework for the accurate identification of gastric ACPs. The current technique in particular contains four possible features along with one hybrid feature encoding mechanisms which are the target-class motif previously indicated by Amino Acid Composition, Dipeptide Composition, Tripeptide Composition (TPC), Pseudo Amino Acid Composition (PAAC), and their Hybrid. Machine Learning algorithms make high-performance and accurate prediction tools. Moreover, highly variable and ideal deep feature selection is done using an ANOVA-based F score for feature pruning. Experiments on a range of algorithms are carried out to identify the optimal operating strategy due to the diverse nature of learning. Following analysis of the empirical results, Naïve Bayes with TPC and Hybrid feature space outperforms other methods with 0.99 accuracy score on the testing dataset. To find the model generalization an external validation is carried out. In external datasets, the Extra Trees with PAAC features outperforms with the accuracy of 0.94. The comparison study shows that our suggested model will predict gastric ACPs more accurately and will be useful in drug development and gastric cancer. The predictive model can be freely accessed at https://github.com/humeraazad10/G-ACP.git. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

An informative short-term study on the impacts of a triclocarban/weathered multi-walled carbon nanotube-adsorbed complex to benthic organisms

Freshwater organisms are suitable models to study the fate of environmental pollutants. Due to their versatile and everyday use, many environmental pollutants such as triclocarban (TCC) or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) enter environmental compartments very easily. TCC is known as a disinfectant and is declared as a highly aquatic toxicant. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are used, e.g., in the automotive industry to improve plastic properties. Both TCCs and MWCNTs can pose major pollution hazards to various organisms. In addition, these substances can bind to each other due to their tendency to interact via strong hydrophobic interactions. Therefore, a short-term test was conducted to investigate the effects of the individual chemicals TCC and weathered MWCNTs (wMWCNTs) on a benthic biofilm and a grazing organism, Lymnaea stagnalis. Furthermore, the two compounds were coupled by an adsorption experiment resulting in a coupled complex formation (TCC + wMWCNTs). L. stagnalis showed no effects in terms of mortality. For benthic biofilm, the coupling test (TCC + wMWCNTs) showed a decrease of 58% in chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration. The main effect could be attributed to the wMWCNTs’ exposure alone (decrease of 82%), but not to presence of TCC. The concentration range of Chl-a upon TCC exposure alone was comparable to that in the control group (32 and 37 µg/cm2). With respect to the particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration, very similar results were found for the solvent control, the TCC, and also for the TCC + wMWCNTs group (3, 2.9, and 2.9 mg/cm2). In contrast to the control, a significant increase in POC concentration (100%) was observed for wMWCNTs, but no synergistic effect of TCC + wMWCNTs was detected.

Environmental Refuges during Summertime Heat and Elevated Ozone Levels: A Preliminary Case Study of an Urban “Cool Zone” Building

The combination of extreme heat waves and ozone pollution is a major health hazard for urban populations in the summertime, particularly for the most sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, the unsheltered, and those with pre-existing health conditions. The “Cool Zone Program”, operated by the Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services, identifies areas in the county and Salt Lake City facilities where members of the public can escape the summer heat, hydrate, and learn about available programs. We measured indoor and outdoor temperature and ozone for a pilot study at a designated Cool Zone location during the 22 August–6 September 2019 period and found that the building provided substantial heat relief and protection from more than 75% of the outdoor ozone. We observed a nearly 35 min delay for the outdoor ozone to be reflected on the indoor readings, providing an action window for ventilation scheduling changes to protect against the highest ozone levels during the day. Our findings show that it is critical to re-think and formulate action plans to protect vulnerable populations from excessive heat and pollution events during the summer.

Efficiency of Persicaria salicifolia as a natural alternative antifungal against Aspergillus flavus infection in Oreochromis niloticus from Aswan Governorate, Egypt

Fungal diseases in fish cause economic losses all over the world, and knowledge about them is scarce and outdated in Aswan Governorate, Egypt, making interpretation, prevention, and treatment difficult. The necessity to find a fungicide that is natural, environmentally friendly, and does not emerge drug resistance is a must. Therefore, the current study aimed to isolate and diagnose fungal infection in farmed Oreochromis niloticus, causing mortalities, in Aswan Governorate. During 2021, 200 fresh O. niloticus samples were collected from the Sahary Fish Hatchery and Aswan General Authority for Fish Resources Development fish farm. Some fish showed hemorrhagic lesions all over the body, detachment of scales, and fin erosion. Collected tissue samples were cultured on potato dextrose agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar for phenotypic characterization. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses were used to identify the isolated fungi. A total of 18 fungal species and two varieties appertaining to ten fungal genera were recovered from 48 samples out of 200 examined O. niloticus (24%), with Aspergillus flavus being the most prevalent at a rate of 25.6%. The isolated A. flavus was proven to be pathogenic to farmed O. niloticus, as by experimental infection. The natural herb Persicaria salicifolia had an LC50 value of 41.68 mg/l in exposed O. niloticus and was used to treat A. flavus-infected O. niloticus. It can be concluded that A. flavus poses a major hazard to O. niloticus aquaculture and can be treated with 40 mg/kg in feed or 20 mg/l in water of P. salicifolia for 6 days.

Shallow structure and late quaternary slip rate of the Osaka Bay fault, western Japan

The Osaka Bay is situated at a seismically active region north of the Median Tectonic Line and east of Awaji Island in western Japan, known as part of the Kinki Triangle and the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone. Dense distribution of active faults and high geodetic strain rates characterize the region, posing a major seismic hazard potential to the coastal and metropolitan areas of the Kansai region. To investigate the shallow structure and recent deformation history of active faults in the Osaka Bay, we acquired 15 high-resolution seismic profiles using a Mini-GI airgun and a Boomer as active sources, together with multi-beam bathymetry data across the Osaka Bay Fault. Our seismic sections image a ~ 0.1 to 3.7 km-wide asymmetric anticline forelimb above the Osaka Bay Fault at shallow depths, coupled with a ~ 2.6 km-wide syncline to the west, and a broad, ~ 11 km-wide syncline in the footwall to the east. The synclinal axial surface at shallow depths measured in this study ranges 75°–89°. We observe the vertical displacement of the Osaka Bay Fault increasing northwards along strike. The sediment thickness on the hanging wall, however, is variable, modified by non-tectonic processes such as by tidal currents, affecting the geometry of growth strata. The most recent deformation by the Osaka Bay Fault reaches to near the seafloor by active folding, with large vertical offsets of 8–14 m over the last ~ 11 ka, and 5–11 m over the last ~ 5 ka. By combining with previously reported borehole age data, the average uplift rate on the Osaka Bay Fault is estimated to be ~ 1.0 to 1.7 m/ka during the Latest Pleistocene to Holocene. The inferred slip of the Osaka Bay Fault during the Holocene is likely to account for > 5% of the regional geodetic strain accumulation within the Kinki Triangle. Further studies to evaluate the Holocene slip rates of regional faults are necessary to assess the seismic hazards and the internal strain budgets within the Kinki Triangle and the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone.Graphical abstract

Mist-control of polyalphaolefin (PAO) lubricants using long pairwise end-associative polymers

Accidental release of pressurized hydrocarbon fuels and lubricants are a major fire hazard due to the formation of small droplet mists that can readily evaporate and ignite. Mist control through increasing droplet size and suppressing droplets has been previously demonstrated with high molecular weight polymer additives, but traditional long polymer additives do not survive the pumping that would usually precede accidental release. This constraint inspired associative polymer additives that can transiently form the high molecular weights needed for mist control, while reversibly breaking during pumping. A prior study demonstrated the efficacy of such a system in fuel: long telechelic polycyclooctadiene (PCOD) with pairwise associating acid and base end-groups. Here, we address an obstacle to applying this same polymeric system in a polyalphaolefin (PAO) solvent—its poorer solvent quality for PCOD than fuel. We measured the effects of the end-associative PCOD compared to a non-associative control on the rheological properties of solutions in both PAO (a common lubricant and heat transfer fluid) and decahydronapthalene (decalin, a solvent with PCOD solubility similar to fuel) in shear and extension, and connect those rheological modifications to observed changes in PAO spray under simulated accidental release conditions. The PCOD additives demonstrated substantial mist control in PAO, both in terms of reduced spray angle and droplet suppression. Despite the worse solubility in PAO and thus smaller effective coil size, these associative PCOD additives are effective at the low concentrations (¡0.1 wt %) necessary for practical use as a safety measure.

Exploring the Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture: The Case of Devastating Floods of 2022 in Balochistan, Pakistan

Climate change induced devastating floods are becoming more regular, especially in Pakistan. Especially the 2022 floods are an excellent example. Objective: The objective of this research is to determine how the 2022 flood have affected agriculture in the Qila Saifullah District of Balochistan, Pakistan. For this case study research, a quantitative approach was used. Through a household survey, primary data were collected from farmers. Result: The findings showed that floods 2022 has negatively affected the livestock and agricultural farms in the study area, eventually affected their livelihood. The maximum number of crops were five. Out of the total, 96.7% of the crops were fully damaged due to the flood. The farms having less than 20 trees were highly 73.9% damaged. Similarly, the farms with less than 30 trees were highly (88.5%) damaged due to floods. The data showed that small farmers had great losses. Conclusion: The finding demonstrates that flooding is often viewed as a major natural hazard due to its potential to cause disease, property damage, fatalities, infrastructure damage, and disruption of public services. Devastating floods of 2022 have caused severe losses to livestock and agricultural farms in Balochistan. The findings of this study suggest that preparedness and mitigation measures to climate change induced disasters such as floods can reduce the extent of losses in future.

A rationally designed antimicrobial peptide from structural and functional insights of Clostridioides difficile translation initiation factor 1.

A significant increase of hospital-acquired bacterial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic has become an urgent medical problem. Clostridioides difficile is an urgent antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen and a leading causative agent of nosocomial infections. The increasing recurrence of C. difficile infection and antibiotic resistance in C. difficile has led to an unmet need for the discovery of new compounds distinctly different from present antimicrobials, while antimicrobial peptides as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics have attracted growing interest recently. Protein synthesis is an essential metabolic process in all bacteria and a validated antibiotic target. Initiation factor 1 from C. difficile (Cd-IF1) is the smallest of the three initiation factors that acts to establish the 30S initiation complex to initiate translation during protein biosynthesis. Here, we report the solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of Cd-IF1 which adopts a typical β-barrel fold and consists of a five-stranded β-sheet and one short α-helix arranged in the sequential order β1-β2-β3-α1-β4-β5. The interaction of Cd-IF1 with the 30S ribosomal subunit was studied by NMR titration for the construction of a structural model of Cd-IF1 binding with the 30S subunit. The short α-helix in IF1 was found to be critical for IF1 ribosomal binding. A peptide derived from this α-helix was tested and displayed a high ability to inhibit the growth of C. difficile and other bacterial strains. These results provide a clue for the rational design of new antimicrobials.IMPORTANCEBacterial infections continue to represent a major worldwide health hazard due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Clostridioides difficile is a common nosocomial pathogen and the causative agent in many infections resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality. Bacterial protein synthesis is an essential metabolic process and an important target for antibiotic development; however, the precise structural mechanism underlying the process in C. difficile remains unknown. This study reports the solution structure of C. difficile translation initiation factor 1 (IF1) and its interaction with the 30S ribosomal subunit. A short α-helix in IF1 structure was identified as critically important for ribosomal binding and function in regulating the translation initiation, which allowed a rational design of a new peptide. The peptide demonstrated a high ability to inhibit bacterial growth with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. This study provides a new clue for the rational design of new antimicrobials against bacterial infections.