Sources In Different Regions Research Articles

Summertime tropospheric ozone source apportionment study in the Madrid region (Spain).

The design of emission abatement measures to effectively reduce high ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations in urban areas is very complex. In addition to the strongly non-linear chemistry of this secondary pollutant, precursors can be released by a variety of sources in different regions, and locally produced O3 is mixed with that transported from the regional or continental scales. All of these processes depend also on the specific meteorological conditions and topography of the study area. Consequently, high-resolution comprehensive modeling tools are needed to understand the drivers of photochemical pollution and to assess the potential of local strategies to reduce adverse impacts from high tropospheric O3 levels. In this study, we apply the Integrated Source Apportionment Method (ISAM) implemented in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ v5.3.2) model to investigate the origin of summertime O3 in the Madrid region (Spain). Consistent with previous studies, our results confirm that O3 levels are dominated by non-local contributions, representing around 70 % of mean values across the region. Nonetheless, precursors emitted by local sources, mainly road traffic, play a more important role during O3 peaks, with contributions as high as 25 ppb. The potential impact of local measures is higher under unfavorable meteorological conditions associated with regional accumulation patterns. These findings suggest that this modeling system may be used in the future to simulate the potential outcomes of specific emission abatement measures to prevent high-O3 episodes in the Madrid metropolitan area.

Spatial-temporal Distribution and Source Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Sediments of Poyang Lake

The concentrations, spatial-temporal distribution, and influencing factors of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Poyang Lake were studied, and a quantitative source analysis of PAHs in different areas of the lake was conducted. PAHs were widespread within the sediments. The concentrations of ∑16PAHs in the surface sediments of all sites ranged from 203 to 2 318 μg·kg-1. The concentrations of PAHs in the surface sediments of the lake body were higher than those in the surface sediments of the inlet rivers. The ratio of PAHs in Poyang Lake was 4 rings > 5 rings > 6 rings > 3 rings > 2 rings; the composition of 4-ring PAHs was dominant, and its content accounted for 86.11% of ∑16PAHs. The 2- and 3-ring and some 4-ring PAHs, including Flua and Pyr, were more susceptible to SOM, and the 4 through 6-ring PAHs were more susceptible to ORP and heavy metals and other environmental factors. Spatially, the higher concentration of ∑16PAHs occurred in the area of the lake adjacent to Duchang County and Poyang County, where the terrain was relatively closed, and the water exchange with the surrounding area was less than that in other sections, which was not conducive to the migration, transformation, and degradation of pollutants. In the temporal distribution, the changes in PAHs concentration level and the development of GDP in Jiangxi Province showed high consistency, and the influence of economic development and human activities might have been the main reason for the increasing PAHs concentration level. The main sources of PAHs in surface sediments of Poyang Lake included petroleum pollution and oil and coal and biomass combustion sources, and there were some spatial differences in PAHs sources in different regions. This study can provide a reference for PAHs pollution in surface sediments of Poyang Lake, which is important for the ecological environmental protection and management of Poyang Lake.

Green technology advancement, energy input share and carbon emission trend studies

In order to study the theoretical mechanism of the impact of green technology progress on carbon emissions, this article constructs a theoretical mechanism of the impact of green technology progress on carbon emission growth. Explore the conditions for achieving carbon peak and carbon reduction. Based on the Cobb Douglas production function, construct a three sector model that includes capital, labor, and energy. Empirical methods were used to analyze the quantitative impact of green technology progress on carbon emission growth and the moderating effect of energy input share. This study mainly used provincial panel data from 1995 to 2020. Calculate carbon dioxide emissions based on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission coefficients of various energy sources in different regions. Using the perpetual inventory method to calculate capital growth rate, green computing progress rate, etc., to provide data support for the green technology carbon reduction model. Empirical analysis of the impact of green technology progress on carbon emissions using the FGLS panel model. Theoretical and empirical analyses show that green technological progress promotes an increase in the carbon emission growth rate through the scale effect, with an impact coefficient of 0.607; it promotes a decrease in the carbon emission growth rate through the technological effect, with an impact coefficient of − 0.667; the combined effect promotes a decrease in growth rate of carbon emissions, with an impact coefficient of − 0.06. The share of energy inputs has a positive regulating effect on the scale effect.

Diversity of CRISPR loci in <i>Yersinia pseudotuberculosis</i> strains and their association with pathogenicity factors

Introduction. Heterogeneous microbial populations exist in the nature due to exchange of genetic material containing in extrachromosomal and transposable elements. Structures controlling horizontal gene transfer may affect development of pathogen genetic variants.
 The aim of the study is to analyze molecular genetic characteristics of CRISPR-loci in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strains circulating in Russia and their association with pathogenicity factors.
 Materials and methods. We studied 56 strains of Y. pseudotuberculosis isolated from different sources in Russia during 19352014 from various sources in different regions of Russian Federation and in other countries. DNA fragments with CRISPR-loci were isolated and amplified by PCR, and subjected to Sanger sequencing. PCR was used to determine chromosomal genes of superantigen ypmA/C, pathogenicity islands HPI, YAPI, and plasmids pYV and pVM82.
 Results. Analysis of CRISPR-loci in Y. pseudotuberculosis showed that spacer content varies in strains depending on serotype, set of pathogenicity factors, and isolation place. The most variable loci are YP1 and YP3, locus YP2 is homogeneous. Locus YP1 varies in strains that differ by presence of plasmid pVM82, while content of locus YP3 depends on presence of plasmid pVM82 and adhesion pathogenicity island YAPI.
 Conclusion. Strains of Y. pseudotuberculosis circulating in Russia have a huge diversity of pathogenicity factors and CRISPR spacer content. Most of Russian strains differ by molecular markers from strains isolated in other countries. High variability is defined by ability to get new genetic elements in horizontal gene transfer. In bacteria, CRISPR-Cas system provides immunity against mobile genetic elements and can participate in formation of Y. pseudotuberculosis pathogenic potential.

Source-specific risk judgement and environmental impact of potentially toxic elements in fine road dust from an integrated industrial city, North China

The contamination of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in road dust of large industrial cities is extremely serious. Determining the priority risk control factors of PTE contamination in road dust is critical to enhance the environmental quality of such cities and mitigate the risk of PTE pollution. The Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method and geographical models were employed to assess the probabilistic pollution levels and eco-health risks of PTEs originating from different sources in fine road dust (FRD) of large industrial cities, and to identify key factors affecting the spatial variability of priority control sources and target PTEs. It was observed that in FRD of Shijiazhuang, a typical large industrial city in China, more than 97% of the samples had an INI > 1 (INImean = 1.8), indicating moderately contaminated with PTEs. The eco-risk was at least considerable (NCRI >160) with more than 98% of the samples, mainly caused by Hg (Ei (mean) = 367.3). The coal-related industrial source (NCRI(mean) = 235.1) contributed 70.9% to the overall eco-risk (NCRI(mean) = 295.5) of source-oriented risks. The non-carcinogenic risk of children and adults are of less importance, but the carcinogenic risk deserves attention. The coal-related industry is a priority control pollution source for human health protection, with As corresponding to the target PTE. The major factors affecting the spatial changes of target PTEs (Hg and As) and coal-related industrial sources were plant distribution, population density, and gross domestic product. The hot spots of coal-related industrial sources in different regions were strongly interfered by various human activities. Our results illustrate spatial changes and key-influencing factors of priority source and target PTEs in Shijiazhuang FRD, which are helpful for environmental protection and control of environmental risks by PTEs.

Contribution of phenolics to the antioxidant potential of propolis from Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetragonula pegdeni and its correlation to the dominant plant sources in different regions in Thailand

Propolis is a natural product produced by bees and has antioxidant properties that depend on the local flora and the bee species. Propolis from two dominant stingless bee species in Thailand, Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetragonula pegdeni were collected from four locations in Ratchaburi province and one location in Chiangmai province, with different dominant plants at each location. Samples were extracted in methanol (MeOH) and sequentially partitioned with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), and MeOH. All partitioned extracts were examined by three antioxidant methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing ability (FRAP) assays. For the DPPH, the MeOH-partitioned extract of T. laeviceps from Bankha district (MPE7) was the most active [50% effective concentration (EC50) of 75.62 µg/mL), while the DCM-partitioned extract of T. pegdeni from Suan phueng district (DPE2) was the most active in the ABTS and FRAP assays (EC50 of 22.06 µg/mL and 10.23 mM/g, respectively). DPE2 also showed the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents (98.94 µg gallic acid equivalents/mg dry weight and 286.07 µg quercetin equivalents/mg, respectively). High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the identification and quantification of 12 phenolic compounds, with the highest concentration of vitexin in MPE7 and MPE5. Interestingly, kaempferol (5.16 µg/mg) was only detected in DPE2. The different antioxidant properties among sites are expected due to the specific flora in each location. Furthermore, the bioactivity of propolis extracts differs significantly between bee species in a similar location, suggesting that they have different flora preferences. These results verify the potential of extracts to effectively scavenge radicals.

Experimental research on effect of zonal heating airfoil about boundary layer flow and heat transfer

The anti-icing of aircraft and large wind turbines, where the wall temperature is higher than the fluid temperature, can significantly alter the flow evolution characteristics of the boundary layer. Local heating strategies for the manifold state need to be designed based on the changing characteristics of the flow velocity and temperature field in order to precisely control the heat supply and reduce inefficient energy consumption. In order to obtain accurate heat transfer characteristics of the airfoil’s boundary layer flow, it is necessary to refine the measurement of the boundary layer characteristics during flow and heat transfer. In this paper, wind tunnel experiments are carried out on the NACA2412 model with full surface’s zonal electric heating. The wall surface is equipped with a built-in heater and the temperature of the wall surface is obtained through the corresponding temperature sensor. By studying layer characteristics of the four heated regions, namely the laminar flow region near leading edge, the laminar flow destabilisation region, the transition region and the fully turbulent flow region, and comparing them with the boundary layer characteristics of the unheated airfoil, the effects of the presence of heat sources in different regions on the stability of the flow field and the spatial heat transfer pattern are revealed. The results show that heating in the laminar and turbulent zones maintains the stability of the flow field to a greater extent and achieves better heat transfer strength, while heating in the unstable zone brings forward the turbulence and heating in the fully turbulent zone intensifies the flow separation at the trailing edge of the airfoil. This study can be used as a reference for the design of efficient anti-icing systems on full wing surfaces.

A Robust eLORETA Technique for Localization of Brain Sources in the Presence of Forward Model Uncertainties.

In this paper, we present a robust version of the well-known exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA) technique, named ReLORETA, to localize brain sources in the presence of different forward model uncertainties. We first assume that the true lead field matrix is a transformation of the existing lead field matrix distorted by uncertainties and propose an iterative approach to estimate this transformation accurately. Major sources of the forward model uncertainties, including differences in geometry, conductivity, and source space resolution between the real and simulated head models, and misaligned electrode positions, are then simulated to test the proposed method. ReLORETA and eLORETA are applied to simulated focal sources in different regions of the brain and the presence of various noise levels as well as real data from a patient with focal epilepsy. The results show that ReLORETA is considerably more robust and accurate than eLORETA in all cases. Having successfully dealt with the forward model uncertainties, ReLORETA proved to be a promising method for real-world clinical applications. eLORETA is one of the localization techniques that could be used to study brain activity for medical applications such as determining the epileptogenic zone in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. However, the major limitation of eLORETA is sensitivity to the uncertainties in the forward model. Since this problem can substantially undermine its performance in real-world applications where the exact lead field matrix is unknown, developing a more robust method capable of dealing with these uncertainties is of significant interest.

Dynamic harmonization of source-oriented and receptor models for source apportionment

Millions of premature mortalities are caused by the air pollution of fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) globally per year. To effectively control the dominant emission sources and abate air pollution, source apportionment of PM2.5 is normally conducted to quantify the contributions of various sources, but the results of different methods might be inconsistent. In this study, we dynamically harmonized the results from the two dominant source apportionment methods, the source-oriented and receptor models, by updating the emission inventories of primary PM2.5 from the major sectors based on the Bayesian Inference. An adjoint model was developed to efficiently construct the source-receptor sensitivity matrix, which was the critical information for the updates, and depicted the response of measurements to the changes in the emissions of various sources in different regions. The harmonized method was applied to a measurement campaign in Beijing from January to February 2021. The results suggested a significant reduction of primary PM2.5 emissions in Beijing. Compared with the baseline emission inventory of 2017, the primary PM2.5 emissions from the local residential combustion and industry in Beijing had significantly declined by about 90 % during the investigated period of the year, and the traffic emission decreased by about 50 %. The proposed methods successfully identified the temporally dynamic changes in the emissions induced by the Spring Festival. The methods could be a promising pathway for the harmonization of source-oriented and receptor source apportionment models.

Measurement report: Characterization of sugars and amino acids in atmospheric fine particulates and their relationship to local primary sources

Abstract. Sugars and amino acids are major classes of organic components in atmospheric fine particles and play important roles in atmospheric processes. However, the identification of their sources in different regions is explored little. To characterize local primary sources (biomass burning, plant, and soil sources) and evaluate their contributions to the total sugar compound and amino acid (AA) pool in different regions, fine particulate matter samples were collected from the urban, rural, and forest areas in Nanchang, China. The concentrations and compositions of sugar compounds (anhydrosugars, primary sugars, and sugar alcohols), free amino acids (FAAs), and combined amino acids (CAAs) were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after silylation derivatization. Urban areas had significantly higher average Σ sugar concentration (317±139 ng m−3) than that of the rural (181±72 ng m−3) and forest (275±154 ng m−3) areas (p<0.05). Overall, the distribution pattern of sugar compounds and CAAs in PM2.5 was generally similar in three areas. Levoglucosan accounted for 24.4 %, 22.0 %, and 21.7 %, respectively, of the total sugar pool in the urban, rural, and forest areas. This suggests that plant and soil sources, as well as biomass burning (BB), provide important contributions to aerosol sugars and CAAs in three areas. In the urban area, the concentrations of anhydrosugars showed a positive correlation with combined Gly concentrations, but no correlation was found between these two compounds in the rural and forest areas, indicating that the urban area is mainly affected by local combustion sources. This conclusion was also supported by the positive correlation between levoglucosan and non-sea-salt potassium, only observed in the urban area (Lev=0.07 K++37.7,r=0.6,p<0.05). In addition, the average levoglucosan / mannosan (L/M) ratio in the urban area (59.9) was much higher than in the rural (6.9) and forest areas (7.2), implying BB aerosols collected in the urban area originated from lignite burning, while the type of biofuels used in the rural and forest areas is mainly softwood. The concentrations of sugar alcohols in the rural and forest areas were positively correlated with that of CAAs, which are abundant in the topsoil (r=0.53∼0.62,p<0.05), suggesting that the contribution of local topsoil sources is large in these two areas. In the rural and forest areas, the concentrations of primary sugars were positively correlated with those of combined CAA species abundant in local dominant vegetation. Our findings suggest that combining specific sugar tracers and chemical profiles of CAAs in local emission sources can provide insight into primary source characteristics, including the types of biofuels burned, the contribution of topsoil sources, and local vegetation types.

АНАЛІЗ ПРИВАБЛИВОСТІ ВІДНОВЛЮВАНОЇ ЕНЕРГЕТИКИ В ОКРЕМИХ КРАЇНАХ

The increasing importance of crises, such as the crisis caused by russia's invasion of Ukraine, has a significant impact on the formulation of policies for energy development in this area and the use of renewable energy sources. This issue is especially relevant for states that depend on energy supplies from other countries or have transit flows of resources on their territory. This article aims to analyze the experience of individual countries concerning the development of renewable energy and determine future directions and practical recommendations for Ukraine's development of green energy. Subject of study. The subject of the study is the process of transformation of energy policy based on the use of alternative energy sources in different regions of the world. The methodological basis and information base of the research are legislative and regulatory documentation, current scientific and applied research, and statistical information. The article uses a number of methods, including analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. Socio-economic processes of renewable energy policy formation were studied in dynamics. A tabular format is used to compile the data to improve clarity. Also, the research was conducted in accordance with the features of the system approach and structural-functional analysis. The hypothesis of the study dealt with the possibility of using the experience of obtaining significant results in the development of renewable energy in certain parts of the world to develop the appropriate policy in Ukraine. Presenting main material. Groups of countries with the existing potential of solar, wind and hydrogen energy, and a separate group of countries that, due to climatic conditions and economic opportunities, can implement several types of alternative energy, are highlighted. In terms of the beginning of military activities and the destruction of a significant part of the energy infrastructure, Ukraine has to assist in the development of alternative energy sources such as wind, water and solar power. The originality and practical significance of the study is due to the analysis of the development processes of renewable energy, taking into account the characteristics of different countries. Research conducted and practical recommendations developed provide an opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policy for development of the Ukrainian economy during this period of crisis and post-crisis. Conclusions. Among the studied world leaders in the implementation of renewable energy, groups of countries with the existing potential of solar, wind and hydrogen energy, and a group of countries that, due to climatic conditions and economic opportunities, can implement several types of alternative energy should be singled out.

Occurrence of Li in groundwaters and plants from Dobrogea karst area, Romania

A positive association of Li consumption with the potentially protective and beneficial for the human health was reported (Barjasteh-Askari et al. 2020). Drinking water, grains, or vegetables can be a significant Li source for humans. Microdoses of Li intake may have antisuicidal, mood-stabilizing, antidepressive, and antimanic effects (Knudsen et al. 2017; Ng et al. 2019). The assessment of naturally occurring Li concentrations in water and food sources in different regions may present a high interest in the wellbeing of locals. In this study, a versatile quantitative ICP-MS method for Li quantitative determination in water and plant samples was optimized, and the relationship between Li, macroelements (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Fe, Mn), and microelements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Sr, Ba, V, As, Sr, Cd, Pb) concentration was assessed. Contents of Li, and micro- and macroelements were measured in groundwater (Praporgescu-GWR27, Closca-GWR28, Sipote-GWR29, and Tufani-GWR30) and plant samples (ryegrass—Lolium sp., nettles—Urtica sp., and mint—Mentha sp.) collected from Dobrogea karst area, Romania. The results indicated an acceptable precision in all studied matrixes and a reproducibility between 2.46 and 4.22% of the developed method. In the case of water, the highest Li concentration was measured in GWR27 followed by GWR28 (12.2 and 5.6 µg/L), while in the case of the plant’s samples, Lolium sp. collected from GWR28 and GWR27 (11.1 and 8.8 mg/kg DW) had the highest Li concentration.

Temporal and Spatial Variation Characteristics and Source Analysis of Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution Load in Guangdong During the Past 20 Years

The agricultural non-point source pollution (ANPSP) load in Guangdong province is very large and has a serious impact on the regional ecological environment. Inventory analysis was used to assess and analyze the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of the ANPSP load of Guangdong province during 1999-2019, and the sources of ANPSP were discussed, as well as the relationship between them. The results showed that, during the past 20 years, the total ANPSP pollution loads of Guangdong province decreased by 6.08%, and the pollution loads of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) increased by -11.88%, 4.99%, and 26.17%, respectively. The input intensity of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased by 112.19% and 60.38%, respectively. The Pearl River Delta had the highest ANPSP loads in Guangdong province, followed by those in northern, western, and eastern Guangdong. Livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of COD, the total percent fertilizers and livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of TN, and livestock and poultry breeding and aquaculture were the main sources of TP. In addition, the contribution of pollutants discharged from aquaculture showed an obvious increasing trend. There were certain differences in the pollution sources in different regions. In western Guangdong, northern Guangdong, and eastern Guangdong, livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of COD and TP, and fertilizer was the main source of TN; by contrast in the Pearl River Delta, aquaculture had become the main source of TN and TP pollution loads. The correlation results showed that the decline in the total ANPSP in Guangdong province was mainly due to the increase in high urbanization rate and the decrease in the proportion of rural population. In general, there were stage changes in the time and differences in spatial characteristics and sources of ANPSP in Guangdong province. A combination of comprehensive treatment and targeted pollution treatment should be adopted, and fertilizer reduction measures and pollution treatment in the aquaculture should be strengthened in an all-around way, focusing on strengthening the treatment of pollution from aquaculture in the Pearl River Delta region and the treatment of rural life pollution in northern Guangdong.

Enteric bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic-resistant patterns from the environmental sources in different regions of Ethiopia: A laboratory-based cross-sectional study.

Background and AimAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) resulting in the most significant public health and economic threat. Unfortunately, it is one of the missing topics on sustainable development goals (SDGs). Therefore, this laboratory‐based study aimed at determining enteric bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic‐resistant patterns from the environmental sources in different regions of Ethiopia.MethodsA laboratory‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted by following the standard microbial culture and the Kirby‐Bauer disc diffusion method for identification and AMR patterns of the enteric bacteria using a total of 180 environmental samples from January through June 2020. We employed descriptive statistics to examine the prevalence rate, comparability of results, and summary of AMR patterns of enteric bacteria and a 95% confidence Interval (CI) for considering the statistical significance and give conclusions by using Stata 14.1.ResultsThe mean prevalence rates (SD) at 95% CI of AMR enteric bacterial pathogens were 53.13 (2.51)% (52.31, 53.95), 45 (1.85)% (44.40, 45.60), 32.5 (3.01)% (31.10, 33.00), and 31.12 (1.95)% (30.80, 31.45) in Wastewaters, leachate from solid waste dumping sites, waste receiving water bodies (Lake Tana at Bahir Dar and Boye Wetland at Jimma), and Soils sequentially. Specifically, Escherichia coli, Shigella, and Salmonella were 90 (3.10)% (89.00, 91.10), 67.5 (2.58)% (66.72, 68.41), and 45(1.58)% (44.48, 45.52), respectively, investigated in wastewater. In addition, solid waste dumping sites were contaminated with E. coli 80 (3.97)% (79.34, 80.66), Shigella 61 (2.87)% (59.06, 60.94), and Salmonella 42 (5.67)% (40.15, 43.85). This study implies that the waste discharges are the main source of contamination for AMR pathogens to the two aquatic water bodies.ConclusionThe finding indicated that wastewater and solid waste dumping sites were important sources for AMR enteric pathogens. The finding might have indicated the tip of the iceberg about the environmental contamination with antimicrobial‐resistant enteric pathogens.

The VLT-MUSE and ALMA view of the MACS 1931.8-2635 brightest cluster galaxy

We reveal the importance of ongoing in situ star formation in the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the massive cool-core CLASH cluster MACS 1931.8-2635 at a redshift ofz = 0.35 by analysing archival VLT-MUSE optical integral field spectroscopy. Using a multi-wavelength approach, we assessed the stellar and warm ionised medium components, which were spatially resolved by the VLT-MUSE spectroscopy, and linked them to the molecular gas by incorporating sub-mm ALMA observations. We measured the fluxes of strong emission lines such as: [O II]λ3727, Hβ, [O III]λ5007, Hα, [N II]λ6584, and [S II]λ6718, 6732, which allowed us to determine the physical conditions of the warm ionised gas, such as electron temperature, electron density, extinction, ionisation parameter, (O/H) gas metallicities, star formation rates, and gas kinematics, as well as the star formation history of the system. Our analysis reveals the ionising sources in different regions of the galaxy. The ionised gas flux brightness peak corresponds to the location of the supermassive black hole in the BCG and the system shows a diffuse warm ionised gas tail extending 30 kpc in the north-east direction. The ionised and molecular gas are co-spatial and co-moving, with the gaseous component in the tail likely falling inward, providing fuel for star formation and accretion-powered nuclear activity. The gas is ionised by a mix of star formation and other energetic processes which give rise to LINER-like emission, with active galactic nuclei emission dominant only in the BCG core. We measured a star formation rate of ∼97 M⊙yr−1, with its peak at the BCG core. However, star formation accounts for only 50–60% of the energetics needed to ionise the warm gas. The stellar mass growth of the BCG atz < 0.5 is dominated either by in situ star formation generated by thermally unstable intracluster medium cooling or by dry mergers, with these mechanisms accounting for the build-up of 20% of the stellar mass of the system. Our measurements reveal that the most central regions of the BCG contain the lowest gas-phase oxygen abundance, whereas the Hαarm exhibits slightly more elevated values, suggesting the transport of gas out to large distances from the centre as a result of active galactic nuclei outbursts. The galaxy is a dispersion-dominated system that is typical for massive, elliptical galaxies. The gas and stellar kinematics are decoupled, with the gaseous velocity fields being more closely related to the bulk motions of the intracluster medium.

Nicholas Belfield Dennys as a pioneer in the comparative study of Chinese folklore

The scholarly study of Chinese folklore began in the middle of the 19th century. Pioneering research had been conducted by Europeans, who were familiar with current works in this area and gained access to the field, archival and book sources in different regions of China. Among the first people who embarked on the study of Chinese folklore was a British journalist and diplomat Nicholas Belfield Dennys. In 1876, he published the monography of Chinese folklore studies: “The folk-lore of China, and its affinities with that of the Aryan and Semitic races”. His goal was to view Chinese folklore in a global context; for its implementation, he compiled the first elementary index of plots and motifs of Chinese folklore. The Chinese themselves commenced the academic study of the folklore of China several decades later, relying largely on the developments of their European predecessors. In the 1920s, the book by Dennys became known in China, however, it had little impact on Chinese folklore studies for the reasons as follows. The data the book comprised was for the most part not new to researchers in China, the method used to compile the index was known to them earlier, and comparative studies in the region were in their cradle at this time. In the West, up to the middle of the 20th century, Dennys’ book was often consulted in search of comparative Chinese material. Nevertheless, some of the author’s finds have never received further developed. The place of this work in the history of the comparative study of Chinese folklore also remained rather uncertain. This article describes the context in which “The Folk-Lore of China” appeared, examines the author’s methodological premises, as well as the role of his findings in the further development of folklore studies.

Molecular Polymorphism of β-Galactosidase LAC4 Genes in Dairy and Natural Strains of Kluyveromyces Yeasts

The ability to ferment lactose is a characteristic peculiarity of dairy Kluyveromyces lactis yeasts; the vast majority of other yeast species are not able to assimilate this disaccharide. Molecular polymorphism of LAC4 genes encoding β-galactosidase controlling lactose fermentation is not well studied, and the published data concern only a single strain (K. lactis var. lactis NRRL Y-1140) isolated from cream in the United States. We studied β-galactosidase genes in lactose-fermenting К lactis strains isolated from dairy products and natural sources in different regions of the world using molecular karyotyping, Southern hybridization, and sequencing. It was established that the ability to ferment lactose in К. lactis var. lactis dairy yeasts is controlled by at least three polymeric LAC loci with different chromosomal localization: LAC1 (chromosome III), LAC2 (II), and LAC3 (IV). Most of the strains we studied had the LAC2 locus. A comparative analysis of β-galactosidases of the Kluyveromyces genus yeasts and these enzymes from other yeasts was conducted for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis detected significant differences between the LAC4 proteins of yeasts of the Kluyveromyces genus (K. lactis, К. marxianus, К. aestuarii, К. nonfermentans, К. wickerhamii), Scheffersomyces stipitis, Sugiyamaella lignohabitans, and Debaryomyces hansenii. A correlation between β-galactosidase sequences and ecological origin (dairy products and natural sources) of Kluyveromyces strains was found. The group of dairy strains is heterogeneous and includes К. lactis var. lactis and К. marxianus yeasts (99.80-100% similarity), which indicates a common origin of their LAC4 genes. Phylogenetic analysis of β-galactosidases indicates a close genetic relationship of dairy and hospital strains of К. lactis var. lactis and К. marxianus. Clinical isolates are able to ferment lactose and appear to originate from the dairy yeasts.

The intellectual scales of environment: Agricultural pests and public sphere in 19th century Portugal

Studies and research on biological invasions have acquired increasing attention in environmental history. However, the acknowledgement of certain specific cultural markers –such as the press– has been hitherto limited in such works. In light of this, this paper seeks to evaluate the importance of regional Portuguese newspapers in studying plant pests and agricultural diseases through a substantial corpus of publications produced between the 1850s and 1910s. This article looks at three newspapers Jornal de Penafiel (1890-1914), the Damião de Goes (1886-1914) and the O Elvense (1880-1904) in order to establish the informative potential gleaned from these types of sources in different regions in the north, centre and south Portugal respectively. The results highlight the importance of vine diseases (phylloxera, mildium, oidium) in the examined journalistic narratives. Nevertheless, other pests (potato blight, chestnut blight, brown rot) or bioinvaders (locust) were also important parts of these discourses. The results of this research reveals just how closely directed periodical press and diffusion of technical knowledge were in the strategies and attitudes against agricultural pests, showing that science was incorporated into the relationship between State and the rural communities.

Provenance of tin in the Late Bronze Age Balkans based on probabilistic and spatial analysis of Sn isotopes

We report the largest published dataset to date of Sn-isotopic compositions of Bronze Age artifacts (338) along with 150 cassiterite samples (75 new) from six potential tin ore sources from which the tin in these artifacts were thought to have likely originated. The artifacts are from a broad area, Central Europe through the Central Balkans, and the six tin sources are Cornwall, three sites in the Erzgebirge, and two sites in Serbia. A clustering analysis on mean site-level isotopic values of δ124Sn identifies regional variation that can be attributed to the use of different tin ore sources in different regions. Therefore, geographically meaningful regions were identified to group the Bronze Age artifact assemblages and a probabilistic, Bayesian analysis was performed to determine the proportional contribution of each tin source to each regional assemblage. Artifacts enriched in heavy isotopes (δ124Sn > 0.7‰) that cluster in west-central Serbia are likely associated with the ores from Mt. Cer in west Serbia. Mixed artifact assemblages (high and low δ124Sn) in this region are attributed to the use of cassiterite from the two Serbian sites (Mt. Cer and Mt. Bukulja). Moderate composition artifacts that occur north of the Middle Danube in Vojvodina, Transylvania, and Central Europe are likely associated primarily with ores from the West Pluton of the Erzgebirge. Compositionally light bronzes (δ124Sn < 0.2‰) in southern Serbia and the lower Danube river valley cannot be linked to a documented ore source. There is no indication of the use of ores from Cornwall or the East Pluton of the Erzgebirge in Central Europe and the Balkans during the Late Bronze Age.

Short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in multi-environmental matrices in the Tibetan Plateau environment of China: A regional scale study

Research on the environmental fate and behavior of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively), especially in high-altitude remote mountain areas, has rarely been conducted. In this study, the distribution and profiles of SCCPs and MCCPs in soils, barks, needles, lichens, and mosses in the Tibetan Plateau area were investigated during the period from 2010 to 2016. The total CP concentrations in soils, barks, needles, lichens, and mosses increased with increasing altitude from 1983 to 5147 m a.s.l. (above sea level), covering a range of 1843.5 km × 370.6 km. Generally, the mean SCCP levels were higher than mean MCCP levels in different environmental matrices. Moreover, as-obtained linear relationships between CP concentrations in different environmental matrices and altitudes (p < 0.05) indicated that the mountain cold-trapping could affect the presence and congener patterns of both SCCPs and MCCPs in the Tibetan Plateau environment. C10−11 and C14 congener groups were found to be the dominant groups in SCCPs and MCCPs in the environmental samples, respectively. Finally, the back-trajectory model was employed to reveal the differences of the potential sources in different regions of the Tibetan Plateau.