Quantification of the environmental impact of lumpfish farming through a life cycle assessment

Infestations by the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer) represents the major fish health problem that the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) industry has to face. Sea lice infestation has a large impact on the economy of fish farmers, which are looking for a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to chemical or mechanical treatments to delouse fish. The biological control of sea lice using the so-called cleaner fish has been individuated as a feasible delousing approach of Atlantic salmons. In particular, in recent years the lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) has been extensively farmed to be used as a ‘biological weapon’ in salmon farming because of its effectiveness in delousing also in harsh environmental conditions. However, the environmental impact of lumpfish farming is still largely unknown. Thus, the present study aimed at assessing the potential environmental impact of lumpfish production through a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Feed and electricity consumption, both for 8 of the 18 evaluated midpoint indicators, are the main responsible of the environmental load while for the Freshwater and Marine eutrophication about 90% of the impact is related to the emission of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds by fishes. These data lay the foundation for further, sustainable improvement of lumpfish farming

The Impact of Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress and Depression Symptoms on Couples' Relationship Satisfaction: A Population-Based Prospective Study

The couple relationship is of particular importance in the transition to parenthood and in the early childhood years because it is related to the well-being and mental health of partners, children, and the family. One factor that may substantially influence relationship quality and couple satisfaction after childbirth is the woman’s experience of birth. Approximately 2–4% of women develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth, with potentially wide-ranging negative consequences for the women themselves and their families. To date, some qualitative studies have explored the influence of postpartum PTSD on couple relationship satisfaction. However, quantitative studies are sparse, with mixed results and methodological limitations. We hypothesized that postpartum PTSD will be prospectively associated with low couple relationship satisfaction, even when taking into account a variety of potential confounding variables, and that the effect of postpartum PTSD symptoms on couple relationship satisfaction will be mediated by postpartum depression symptoms. This study is based on data from the Akershus Birth Cohort study, a prospective cohort study. Information from hospital records and questionnaires completed at 17 weeks gestational age, as well as at 8 weeks and 2 years postpartum were used (n = 1480). PTSD symptoms were measured by the Impact of Event Scale and couple relationship satisfaction was assessed using a modified version of the Mehrabians Marital Satisfaction Scale. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlations, multivariate regression analyses, and mediation analyses. Postpartum PTSD symptoms were prospectively related to low couple relationship satisfaction at 2 years postpartum, even when controlling for a considerable number of background factors. When including postpartum depression symptoms as predictor in the analyses, the effect of postpartum PTSD was no longer significant. Moreover, more detailed analyses showed that postpartum depression symptoms acted as a significant mediator, fully explaining the association of postpartum PTSD with couples’ relationship satisfaction. Early detection of couples’ relationship problems and the provision of professional help, particularly in high-risk couples may not only improve the quality of the couple relationship but also improve parenting and promote positive child outcomes

Pulmonary Function and Incident Bronchitis and Asthma in Children: A Community-Based Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies revealed that reduction of airway caliber in infancy might increase the risks for wheezing and asthma. However, the evidence for the predictive effects of pulmonary function on respiratory health in children was still inconsistent. METHODS: We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study among children in 14 Taiwanese communities. There were 3,160 children completed pulmonary function tests in 2007 and follow-up questionnaire in 2009. Poisson regression models were performed to estimate the effect of pulmonary function on the development of bronchitis and asthma. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, pulmonary function indices consistently showed protective effects on respiratory diseases in children. The incidence rate ratios of bronchitis and asthma were 0.86 (95% CI 0.79-0.95) and 0.91 (95% CI 0.82-0.99) for forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁). Similar adverse effects of maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) were also observed on bronchitis (RR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.67-0.81) and asthma (RR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.77-0.93). We found significant decreasing trends in categorized FEV₁ (p for trend = 0.02) and categories of MMEF (p for trend = 0.01) for incident bronchitis. Significant modification effects of traffic-related air pollution were noted for FEV₁ and MMEF on bronchitis and also for MMEF on asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Children with high pulmonary function would have lower risks on the development of bronchitis and asthma. The protective effect of high pulmonary function would be modified by traffic-related air pollution exposure

Lung Volume, Breathing Pattern and Ventilation Inhomogeneity in Preterm and Term Infants

BACKGROUND: Morphological changes in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have functional consequences on lung volume, ventilation inhomogeneity and respiratory mechanics. Although some studies have shown lower lung volumes and increased ventilation inhomogeneity in BPD infants, conflicting results exist possibly due to differences in sedation and measurement techniques. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied 127 infants with BPD, 58 preterm infants without BPD and 239 healthy term-born infants, at a matched post-conceptional age of 44 weeks during quiet natural sleep according to ATS/ERS standards. Lung function parameters measured were functional residual capacity (FRC) and ventilation inhomogeneity by multiple breath washout as well as tidal breathing parameters. Preterm infants with BPD had only marginally lower FRC (21.4 mL/kg) than preterm infants without BPD (23.4 mL/kg) and term-born infants (22.6 mL/kg), though there was no trend with disease severity. They also showed higher respiratory rates and lower ratios of time to peak expiratory flow and expiratory time (t(PTEF)/t(E)) than healthy preterm and term controls. These changes were related to disease severity. No differences were found for ventilation inhomogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that preterm infants with BPD have a high capacity to maintain functional lung volume during natural sleep. The alterations in breathing pattern with disease severity may reflect presence of adaptive mechanisms to cope with the disease process

Measurement of the cosmic charged particle rate at sea level in the latitude range 35∘ ÷ 82∘ N with the PolarquEEEst experiment

After its successful campaign of measurements beyond the Polar Arctic Circle, the PolarquEEEst experiment measured the cosmic charged particle rate at sea level in a latitude interval between 35∘ N and 82∘ N. In this paper, these measurements are described and the corresponding results are discussed

Expression analysis of asthma candidate genes during human and murine lung development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the role of most asthma susceptibility genes during human lung development. Genetic determinants for normal lung development are not only important early in life, but also for later lung function.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To investigate the role of expression patterns of well-defined asthma susceptibility genes during human and murine lung development. We hypothesized that genes influencing normal airways development would be over-represented by genes associated with asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Asthma genes were first identified via comprehensive search of the current literature. Next, we analyzed their expression patterns in the developing human lung during the pseudoglandular (gestational age, 7-16 weeks) and canalicular (17-26 weeks) stages of development, and in the complete developing lung time series of 3 mouse strains: A/J, SW, C57BL6.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In total, 96 genes with association to asthma in at least two human populations were identified in the literature. Overall, there was no significant over-representation of the asthma genes among genes differentially expressed during lung development, although trends were seen in the human (Odds ratio, OR 1.22, confidence interval, CI 0.90-1.62) and C57BL6 mouse (OR 1.41, CI 0.92-2.11) data. However, differential expression of some asthma genes was consistent in both developing human and murine lung, e.g. <it>NOD1, EDN1, CCL5, RORA </it>and <it>HLA-G</it>. Among the asthma genes identified in genome wide association studies, <it>ROBO1</it>, <it>RORA, HLA-DQB1, IL2RB </it>and <it>PDE10A </it>were differentially expressed during human lung development.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data provide insight about the role of asthma susceptibility genes during lung development and suggest common mechanisms underlying lung morphogenesis and pathogenesis of respiratory diseases.</p

Fetal and infant origins of asthma

Previous studies have suggested that asthma, like other common diseases, has at least part of its origin early in life. Low birth weight has been shown to be associated with increased risks of asthma, chronic obstructive airway disease, and impaired lung function in adults, and increased risks of respiratory symptoms in early childhood. The developmental plasticity hypothesis suggests that the associations between low birth weight and diseases in later life are explained by adaptation mechanisms in fetal life and infancy in response to various adverse exposures. Various pathways leading from adverse fetal and infant exposures to growth adaptations and respiratory health outcomes have been studied, including fetal and early infant growth patterns, maternal smoking and diet, children’s diet, respiratory tract infections and acetaminophen use, and genetic susceptibility. Still, the specific adverse exposures in fetal and early postnatal life leading to respiratory disease in adult life are not yet fully understood. Current studies suggest that both environmental and genetic factors in various periods of life, and their epigenetic mechanisms may underlie the complex associations of low birth weight with respiratory disease in later life. New well-designed epidemiological studies are needed to identify the specific underlying mechanisms. This review is focused on specific adverse fetal and infant growth patterns and exposures, genetic susceptibility, possible respiratory adaptations and perspectives for new studies

High latitude observation of the Forbush decrease during the May 2024 solar storms with muon and neutron detectors on Svalbard

During the series of intense solar flares and coronal mass ejections, that occurred in May 2024, a remarkable Forbush decrease in the cosmic ray flux was observed on the Earth. While this event was observed by particle detectors around the world, the archipelago of Svalbard was heavily exposed to it due to the weak geomagnetic shielding in the polar region. In this study, an analysis of the Forbush decrease event was carried out with a unique combination of muon and neutron detectors on Svalbard: at Ny-Alesund three scintillator-based muon telescopes of the Extreme Energy Events (EEE) project, 14 channels of a Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS), and thermal and epithermal neutron sensors used for hydrological monitoring; and, at Barentsburg, a high-energy neutron monitor operated by the Polar Geophysical Institute. Most sensors showed significant responses and correlation during the event. The observed relative magnitude of the Forbush decrease was found to depend on the detector’s energy sensitivity and was ~9% for thermal neutrons, ~8% for high-energy neutrons, and ~3% for muons. The uncertainty of these results strongly depends on factors like the count rate, which ranged from 10^1 to 10^5 cph and resulted in a low signal-to-noise ratio particularly for the BSS. These multi-particle and multi-energy observations provide an unprecendented view on the Earth’s exposure to cosmic rays during solar events

Investigation of a Colorized Point Cloud with Boresight Misalignment for Airborne Laser and Photo

Per idag nnes det ikke en felles metode for hvordan en boresight mellom kamera og laser kan bli bestemt i y. Teknikker idag benytter seg av erfarne operatører som justerer individuelle ydde striper og ser når disse passer best iforhold til nærliggende striper i en etterprosessering. Primært er dette gjort for ybåren laser alene og ikke for fargelagt punktsky. En annen metode er å se på laserpunktenes z-koordinat og projisere disse fra bakken opp til kameraets CCD sensor. På denne måten er laserpunkter blitt benyttet for å kalibrere yets boresight feil. Teknikkene er likevel avhengige av stereobildepar der fremskjæring i rommet brukes gjennom sammenbindingspunkter for dannelsen av en tredimensjonal punktsky. Resultatene co-registreres og utjevnes på likt for å danne en felles løsning for laser med foto. Metoden er svært tidkrevende og er lite e ektiv da en operatør må velge riktige sammenbindingspunkt for å knytte bildene sammen. En alternativ løsning bør derfor utvikles. Denne avhandlingen er en undersøkelse av fargelagt punktsky og hvordan målenøyaktigheten er iforhold til et tradisjonelt ortofoto. I tillegg skal det undersøkes fargeverdi i hvert punkt og deretter sammenligne disse med ortofotoets farge på samme piksel. Oppgaven deles opp i to deler der den første delen ser på fargetilvisningen av punktskyen gjennom å generere raster og bruke dette som sammenligningsgrunnlag til ortofoto. Den andre delen er en analyse av hvor mye forskyvingen er observert i bilde for alle enkeltstriper ydd over testområde sammenlignet med ortofoto. Data i oppgaven er hentet fra ybåren laser scanning der bilder er tatt samtidig med scanningen. Kameraet benyttet for å ta bilder er et mindre type ybåren kamera og har ikke de samme egenskapene som et standard VEXCEL storformat kamera. Bildene benyttes for drapering av farge på punktskyen i en etterprosessering. Dataene er fremstilt og levert av Blom Geomatics ASAs of today there is no common calibration method for determination of boresight misalignment angles between camera and laser in airborne data aquisition. Techniques today uses experienced operators to adjust each own strip individually compared to a reference surface in post-processing techniques. Primarily, this method is used for airborne laser scanning exclusively and has not yet been considered for colored LiDAR point cloud. Another method is to look at the laser points z-coordinates and project them inversely from ground level up to the camera's CCD sensor. In this way, laser points are been used to calibrate the aircraft boresight errors. The techniques are nevertheless dependent stereo imaging with forward intersection used in combination with tie points to form a three-dimensional point cloud. The solution are been co-registered combined in a bundle least squares adjustment for both laser and photos simultaneously to nd a common solution. The method is very time consuming and ine cient because there is need an experienced operator to select correct and precise tie points between each photo. Alternative and more e ective solutions should be developed. This thesis is a study of colored point cloud and how measurement accuracy compares to traditional orthophotos. In addition, the examination of color value of each point are being extracted and then compared to orthophoto color of the same pixel. The thesis is divided into two parts where the rst part looks at colorization of point cloud through rasterization and use this as a basis for comparison to the orthophoto. The second part is an analysis of how much displacement is observed in the image of all individual strips own over the test area with respect to the orthophoto. Data used in the thesis is from airborne laser scanning where photos where acquired simultaneously with laser scanning. The camera used to take photos are a small airborne camera and does not have the same characteristics and capabilities as a standard large format VEXCEL camera. The images used for draping the color on the point cloud are done with post-processing techniques. The data is acquired and provided by Blom Geomatics AS.M-GEO

World of cooking

New Yorkxiv, 258 p.; 24 c