How Should We Measure? A Review of Circular Cities Indicators

As the world continues to urbanize, it is necessary to identify and implement new urban development models and strategies in order to meet the challenges of sustainable development. As cities continue to face challenges in becoming fully circular, the need to establish a framework to measure the circular economy in urban areas grows. Many definitions for circular cities have been developed and addressed in recent years, as have numerous indicators. To make the transition to a circular city, we must integrate the findings and develop a general definition and measurement framework. This article aims at outlining a framework for circular cities indicators based on their key characteristics, as well providing directions for fostering circularity at the city level. To accomplish this goal, we conducted a systematic review and analyzed key papers published in the field of circular economy to determine how circular cities are measured. Choosing the right indicators to use for developing, monitoring, and evaluating circular cities is a difficult task for urban policymakers, managers, and planners. This highlights the significance of standardized frameworks for urban indicators. As a result, the authors propose a framework and highlight some key points about circular cities and smart urban metabolism

Risk assessment in a materials recycling facility: Perspectives for reducing operational issues

Mechanical separation of light packaging waste is a useful practice for improving the quality of the recyclable waste flows and its exploitation in a frame of the circular economy. Materials Recovery Facilities can treat from 3000 to 5000 tons per year of light packaging waste. Concerning the plastic content, this is divided in four flows: PET, HDPE, other plastics, and waste rejects. The last two are generally used for energy recovery. For improving the quality of the recyclable plastic waste, a manual separation is required for reducing the impurities detectable in the final products. However, this practice could enhance the risk at work of the operators, which should be constantly monitored. This article explores the main differences of a manual separation and of a mechanical separation, assessing the costs and the health risk for the workers. The analysis started from the situation in an Italian Materials Recovery Facility, generalizing the context; a future scenario with the application of a mechanical separation is theoretically introduced. The main results obtained suggest that the manual separation plant improves the quality of the material, though increasing the risk of the operators due to the possible contact with sharp waste, sanitary danger, and risk of injuries for the mismanagement of machines, among others. The mechanical separation can be considered a real advantage from an economic point of view, since the operating costs are lower and the investment could be recovered in around 10 years, in an Italian-like context. On balance, on the one hand, the article provides indications for the private sector for improving the management of a Materials Recovery Facility, while, on the other hand, it detects the main pros and cons of both methodologies. © 2018 by the authors

Screening of Factors for Assessing the Environmental and Economic Efficiency of Investment Projects in the Energy Sector

In view of the current agenda in the field of climate and environmental conservation, the requirements for environmental project appraisal are being tightened: the evaluation of environmental indicators of project implementation should be carried out on a par with indicators of its economic performance. Current approaches to the assessment of environmental and economic efficiency do not completely cover the negative environmental impacts of a project’s implementation, and this reduces the effectiveness of the evaluation. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a system of environmental indicators that will address the specifics of the industry. This is made possible on the basis of determining a list of key factors that should be included in the evaluation system. The purpose of this study is to determine the most significant factors for establishing a simple yet thorough assessment framework to evaluate the efficiency of energy investment projects. Research methodology includes an a priori ranking method and analysis of interrelations between factors. Based on the results obtained, the authors have formed a list of key factors that could become the basis of a future system of environmental indicators for the efficiency assessment of energy projects. © 2022 by the authors.Russian Science Foundation, RSF, (22-28-01740)The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 22-28-01740, https://rscf.ru/en/project/22-28-01740/

Immunological aspects in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) development

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is unique among B cell malignancies in that the malignant clones can be featured either somatically mutated or unmutated IGVH genes. CLL cells that express unmutated immunoglobulin variable domains likely underwent final development prior to their entry into the germinal center, whereas those that express mutated variable domains likely transited through the germinal center and then underwent final development. Regardless, the cellular origin of CLL remains unknown. The aim of this review is to summarize immunological aspects involved in this process and to provide insights about the complex biology and pathogenesis of this disease. We propose a mechanistic hypothesis to explain the origin of B-CLL clones into our current picture of normal B cell development. In particular, we suggest that unmutated CLL arises from normal B cells with self-reactivity for apoptotic bodies that have undergone receptor editing, CD5 expression, and anergic processes in the bone marrow. Similarly, mutated CLL would arise from cells that, while acquiring self-reactivity for autoantigens—including apoptotic bodies—in germinal centers, are also still subject to tolerization mechanisms, including receptor editing and anergy. We believe that CLL is a proliferation of B lymphocytes selected during clonal expansion through multiple encounters with (auto)antigens, despite the fact that they differ in their state of activation and maturation. Autoantigens and microbial pathogens activate BCR signaling and promote tolerogenic mechanisms such as receptor editing/revision, anergy, CD5+ expression, and somatic hypermutation in CLL B cells. The result of these tolerogenic mechanisms is the survival of CLL B cell clones with similar surface markers and homogeneous gene expression signatures. We suggest that both immunophenotypic surface markers and homogenous gene expression might represent the evidence of several attempts to re-educate self-reactive B cells

Investigating occupational diseases in the metallurgical industry

The paper presents the trends in the evolution of occupational diseases in Romania in comparison to the EU and the US, as incidence of occupational diseases, their interrelationship with the exposure to occupational risk factors in the working environment, the dynamic changes over time of the traditional structure and of the hierarchy framework of employees’ check-up regarding the risk factors. The analysis covers the period 2010 - 2015 and was made in quantitative terms (statistical data) and qualitative terms (study concerning the causal factors of the employee’s work environment). The data are presented as absolute figures and the average annual incidence rates are presented per 100 000 people employed in this industry

Metoda szacowania ryzyka wybuchu i pożarów: podejście ogólne, dostosowane do środowiska kopalni podziemnej

In order to meet statutory requirements concerning the workers health and safety, it is necessary for mine managers within Valca Jiului coal basin in Romania to address the potential for underground fires and explosions and their impact on the workforce and the mine ventilation systems. Highlighting the need for a unified and systematic approach of the specific risks, the authors are developing a general framework for fire/explosion risk assessment in gassy mines, based on the quantification of the likelihood of occurrence and gravity of the consequences of such undesired events and employing Root-Cause analysis method. It is emphasized that even a small fire should be regarded as being a major hazard from the point of view of explosion initiation, should a combustible atmosphere arise. The developed methodology, for the assessment of underground fire and explosion risks, is based on the known underground explosion hazards, fire engineering principles and fire test criteria for potentially combustible materiale employed in mines.Z uwagi na konieczność spełnienia ustawowych wymogów odnośnie bezpieczeństwa i zdrowia pracowników, kierownictwa kopalń w obrębie zagłębia węglowego Valco Julia w Rumuni podjęły badania możliwości wystąpienia podziemnych pożarów i wybuchów oraz ich wpływu na funkcjonowanie górników i sieci wentylacyjnej w kopalni. Wykazano konieczność opracowania jednolitego i systematycznego podejścia do poszczególnych zagrożeń w ujęciu ilościowym opartym na prawdopodobieństwie wystąpienia danego zagrożenia i skali ciężkości jego skutków. W pracach wykorzystano metodę analizy przyczynowo -skutkowej. Należy podkreślić, że nawet niewielki pożar powinien być uznany jako poważne zagrożenie z uwagi na możliwość wywołania wybuchu jeżeli w powietrzu kopalnianym znajdują się gazy palne. Opracowana metoda określania zagrożenia pożarem i /lub wybuchem oparta jest na ogólnie znanych zasadach powstawania pożarów i wybuchów, ochrony przeciwpożarowej i kryteriach określania potencjalnych materiałów palnych wykorzystywanych w kopalniach

Adaptacja stylu menedżerskiego do osobowości inżynierów, w celu zwiększenia wydajności w miejscu pracy

In the competitive business environment, the managerial style that makes up the psychosocial environment in the organization can be the key to increasing employee outcomes. Analyzing the psychological and behavioral profile of engineers provides practical solutions to address a particular managerial style that fits into this socio-professional category. Adapting management to the needs of employees brings a new organizational paradigm, namely the learning organization, as opposed to trying to limit relations to Procust’s Bed. A managerial style tailored to the personal needs of employees can increase their well-being and, implicitly, increase productivity. The research concludes that managerial behavior tailored to the personality of the engineers is based on assertive communication, oriented both to tasks and relationships. It is desirable for the manager to show a practical, organizational and goal-oriented spirit.W konkurencyjnym środowisku biznesowym, styl menedżerski, który tworzy środowisko psychospołeczne w organizacji, może być kluczem do zwiększenia wyników pracowników. Analiza profilu psychologicznego i behawioralnego inżynierów dostarcza praktycznych rozwiązań dotyczących konkretnego stylu zarządzania, który pasuje do tej kategorii społeczno-zawodowej. Dostosowanie zarządzania do potrzeb pracowników wprowadza nowy paradygmat organizacyjny, a mianowicie organizację uczącą się. Styl menedżerski dostosowany do osobistych potrzeb pracowników może zwiększyć ich dobre samopoczucie i, w domyśle, zwiększyć produktywność. Autorzy badania konkludują, że zachowanie menedżerskie dostosowane do osobowości inżynierów opiera się na asertywnej komunikacji, zorientowanej zarówno na zadania, jak i na relacje. Pożądane jest, aby menedżer pokazał ducha praktycznego, organizacyjnego i zorientowanego na cel