Evaluating ambition for soil organic carbon sequestration and protection in nationally determined contributions

Increased international attention on agricultural soil organic carbon (SOC) has raised expectations of its potential contribution to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Yet, debate on what is achievable and how to monitor or verify improvement in SOC has challenged progress. Since SOC is the primary terrestrial carbon pool, specification of SOC targets, policies and measures in agriculture may be pivotal to achieving global climate change targets, and thus appropriate to include in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the 2015 Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Reproducibility of a digital method to evaluate soft tissue modifications: A study of inter and intra-operative measurement concordance

Background: The soft tissue healing and quality around dental implant is a current debated topic in the recent literature. The free gingival margin and the quantity and quality of the mucosa around teeth and surrounding dental implants still determine the hard and soft tissue healing status. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess inter and intra-operative measurement concordance of a method aimed at evaluating the apicocoronal migration of free gingival margin, using intra-oral photography. Methods: The method was tested on peri-implant tissues that were treated with a connective tissue graft on the second stage surgery. Thirtyeight measurements on 13 implants in 8 patients were recorded. An intra-oral photograph was taken for the graft and the provisional crown, which enclosed a circular landmark with a previously determined diameter. The landmark was prepared with a red-resin by the same technician. Before crown cementation, the landmark was calibrated with a digital calibrator by the main investigator, to determine the precise diameter up to two decimal numbers. Results: On the intra-oral photograph, the distance was measured from the most apical point of the determined landmark to the zenith of the gingiva, using an image-processing program designed for scientific multidimensional images (Image J). Three independent examiners took these measurements. Conclusion: The main advantage of the present non-invasive technique is that the spatial plane of the prosthetic landmarks is the same of the tooth unlike the utilization of periodontal probe, which is generally positioned on different plans in the space (generally more vestibular)

X-Ray-Induced Modification of the Photophysical Properties of MAPbBr3Single Crystals

Methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr3) perovskite single crystals demonstrate to be excellent direct X-ray and gamma-ray detectors with outstanding sensitivity and low limit of detection. Despite this, thorough studies on the photophysical effects of exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation on this material are still lacking. In this work, we present our findings regarding the effects of controlled X-ray irradiation on the optoelectronic properties of MAPbBr3 single crystals. Irradiation is carried out in air with an imaging X-ray tube, simulating real-life application in a medical facility. By means of surface photovoltage spectroscopy, we find that X-ray exposure quenches free excitons in the material and introduces new bound excitonic species. Despite this drastic effect, the crystals recover after 1 week of storage in dark and low humidity conditions. By means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we find that the origin of the new bound excitonic species is the formation of bromine vacancies, leading to local changes in the dielectric response of the material. The recovery effect is attributed to vacancy filling by atmospheric oxygen and water

An Underground Storage Tank Integrated Demonstration report. Volume 1, Waste Characterization Data and Technology Development Needs Assessment

The Waste Characterization Data and Technology Development Needs Assessment provides direct support to the Underground Storage Tank Integrated Demonstration (UST-ID). Key users of the study`s products may also include individuals and programs within the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development (EM-50), the Office of Waste Operations (EM-30), and the Office of Environmental Restoration (EM-40). The goal of this work is to provide the UST-ID with a procedure for allocating funds across competing characterization technologies in a timely and defensible manner. It resulted in three primary products: 1. It organizes and summarizes information on underground storage tank characterization data needs. 2. It describes current technology development activity related to each need and flags areas where technology development may be beneficial. 3. It presents a decision process, with supporting software, for evaluating, prioritizing, and integrating possible technology development funding packages. The data presented in this document can be readily updated as the needs of the Waste Operations and Environmental Restoration programs mature and as new and promising technology development options emerge

A high-resolution belemnite geochemical analysis of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian-Hauterivian) environmental and climatic perturbations

International audienceThe Early Cretaceous Weissert event, characterized by a positive carbon isotope excursion and coincident with the Paraná-Etendeka volcanism, saw a biogeochemical chain of events that ultimately led to an increase in carbon burial. A conclusive link between the Paraná-Etendeka volcanism and its impact upon the environment remains, however, elusive. Here we reconstruct temperature through the Weissert event from Mg/Ca ratios of belemnites from the Vocontian Trough (France) and SE Spain and use carbon isotopes to link our temperature reconstruction to marine records of carbon cycling. We provide evidence that the Paraná-Etendeka volcanism, unlike some large igneous provinces, did not cause a climate warming. The case can be made for cooling in the last stages of the Weissert event, which possibly reflects substantial CO 2 drawdown. In the absence of warming and consequent accelerated hydrological cycling and the relatively long duration of the eruptive phase of the Paraná-Etendeka, an alternate trigger for increased fertilization of the oceans is implicated

Carbon cycle history through the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary: A new global δ13C stack

publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Carbon cycle history through the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary: A new global δ13C stack journaltitle: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.03.016 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V

Impaired health-related quality of life in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional analysis from the COVAD-2 e-survey

Objectives To investigate health-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) compared with those with non-IIM autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs), non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and without autoimmune diseases (controls) using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrument data obtained from the second COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune disease (COVAD-2) e-survey database. Methods Demographics, diagnosis, comorbidities, disease activity, treatments and PROMIS instrument data were analysed. Primary outcomes were PROMIS Global Physical Health (GPH) and Global Mental Health (GMH) scores. Factors affecting GPH and GMH scores in IIMs were identified using multivariable regression analysis. Results We analysed responses from 1582 IIM, 4700 non-IIM AIRD and 545 nrAID patients and 3675 controls gathered through 23 May 2022. The median GPH scores were the lowest in IIM and non-IIM AIRD patients {13 [interquartile range (IQR) 10–15] IIMs vs 13 [11–15] non-IIM AIRDs vs 15 [13–17] nrAIDs vs 17 [15–18] controls, P < 0.001}. The median GMH scores in IIM patients were also significantly lower compared with those without autoimmune diseases [13 (IQR 10–15) IIMs vs 15 (13–17) controls, P < 0.001]. Inclusion body myositis, comorbidities, active disease and glucocorticoid use were the determinants of lower GPH scores, whereas overlap myositis, interstitial lung disease, depression, active disease, lower PROMIS Physical Function 10a and higher PROMIS Fatigue 4a scores were associated with lower GMH scores in IIM patients. Conclusion Both physical and mental health are significantly impaired in IIM patients, particularly in those with comorbidities and increased fatigue, emphasizing the importance of patient-reported experiences and optimized multidisciplinary care to enhance well-being in people with IIMs

Field vibrational analysis of a full scale horizontal-axis wind turbine in actual operating conditions

Wind farm operation reliability is becoming a key asset for wind energy conversion systems in the framework of grid-parity energy market. Consequently, experimental methods for characterizing the vibration behaviour of wind turbines in real operating conditions are going to play a fundamental role in order to improve the correct estimation of the RUL (Remaining Useful Life) of the components as well as the whole system. For this reason, in the present work a new experimental approach for the identification of the most important mechanical parameters through field acceleration measurements has been developed and tested on a full scale three bladed wind turbine with a rated power of 200 kW and a rotor diameter of 31 m. The main goal of the identification procedure was to give the correct estimation of important vibration parameters of the structure and the machine. As for example the tower structural eigenfrequencies and the structural damping. The experimental setup included three accelerometers on the nacelle (two for the tower and one for the main bearing) and up to four sensors on along the tower and in the foundation. The structural eigeinfrenquencies have been studied through machine emergency stops while the operational condition were studied capturing steady-state events. The study demonstrates that the experimental data post-processing can represent a fruitful and quick approach for defining the most important structural and dynamic parameter even when the full details of the wind turbine are not available and this can be particularly useful for refurbished technology