40 research outputs found
Neotropical coastal lagoons: an appraisal of their biodiversity, functioning, threats and conservation management
Harmful Elements in Estuarine and Coastal Systems
Estuaries and coastal zones are dynamic transitional systems which provide many economic and ecological benefits to humans, but also are an ideal habitat for other organisms as well. These areas are becoming contaminated by various anthropogenic activities due to a quick economic growth and urbanization. This chapter explores the sources, chemical speciation, sediment accumulation and removal mechanisms of the harmful elements in estuarine and coastal seawaters. It also describes the effects of toxic elements on aquatic flora and fauna. Finally, the toxic element pollution of the Venice Lagoon, a transitional water body located in the northeastern part of Italy, is discussed as a case study, by presenting the procedures adopted to measure the extent of the pollution, the impacts on organisms and the restoration activities
Methods for measuring shrinkage
This paper presents findings from research amongst European grocery retailers
into their methods for measuring shrinkage. The findings indicate that: there is
no dominant method for valuing or stating shrinkage; shrinkage in the supply
chain is frequently overlooked; data is essential in pinpointing where and when
loss occurs and that many retailers collect data at the stock-keeping unit (SKU)
level and do so every 6 months. These findings reveal that it is difficult to
benchmark between retailers due to inconsistencies between measurement methods
and that there are opportunities for many of the retailers surveyed to improve
their shrinkage measurement by adopting known good practice
Shoreline infrastructure degradation and increasing littoral naturalization accommodates juvenile fish and crab assemblages in heavily urbanized Upper New York Harbor
Influence of seasonal food abundance and quality on the feeding habits of an opportunistic feeder, the intertidal crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus
Restoring tides to reduce methane emissions in impounded wetlands: A new and potent Blue Carbon climate change intervention
Trace Metal Concentrations in the Seston of the Gulf of İskenderun (Turkey, North-Eastern Mediterranean)
Characterization of Microchannels Created by Metal Microneedles: Formation and Closure
Transdermal delivery of therapeutic agents for cosmetic therapy is limited to small and lipophilic molecules by the stratum corneum barrier. Microneedle technology overcomes this barrier and offers a minimally invasive and painless route of administration. DermaRoller®, a commercially available handheld device, has metal microneedles embedded on its surface which offers a means of microporation. We have characterized the microneedles and the microchannels created by these microneedles in a hairless rat model, using models with 370 and 770 μm long microneedles. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the geometry and dimensions of the metal microneedles. Dye binding studies, histological sectioning, and confocal microscopy were performed to characterize the created microchannels. Recovery of skin barrier function after poration was studied via transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements, and direct observation of the pore closure process was investigated via calcein imaging. Characterization studies indicate that 770 μm long metal microneedles with an average base width of 140 μm and a sharp tip with a radius of 4 μm effectively created microchannels in the skin with an average depth of 152.5 ± 9.6 μm and a surface diameter of 70.7 ± 9.9 μm. TEWL measurements indicated that skin regains it barrier function around 4 to 5 h after poration, for both 370 and 770 μm microneedles. However, direct observation of pore closure, by calcein imaging, indicated that pores closed by 12 h for 370 μm microneedles and by 18 h for 770 μm microneedles. Pore closure can be further delayed significantly under occluded conditions