The Uniform World Model: A Methodology for Predicting the Health Impacts of Air Pollution

Throughout history, technological development and economic growth has led to greater prosperity and overall standard of living for many people in society. However, along with the benefits of economic development comes the social responsibility of minimizing the mortality and morbidity health impacts associated with human activities, safeguarding ecosystems, protecting world cultural heritage and preventing integrity and amenity losses of man-made environments. Effects are often irreversible, extend way beyond national borders and can occur over a long time lag. At current pollutant levels, the monetized impacts carry a significant burden to society, on the order of few percent of a country’s GDP, and upwards to 10% of GDP for countries in transition. A recent study for the European Union found that the aggregate damage burden from industrial air pollution alone costs every man, woman and child between 200 and 330 € a year, of which CO2 emissions contributed 40 to 60% (EEA 2011). In a sustainable world, an assessment of the environmental impacts (and damage costs) imposed by man\'s decisions on present and future generations is necessary when addressing the cost effectiveness of local and national policy options that aim at improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this paper is to present a methodology for calculating such adverse public health outcomes arising from exposure to routine atmospheric pollutant emissions using a simplified methodology, referred to as the Uniform World Model (UWM). The UWM clearly identifies the most relevant factors of the analysis, is easy to implement and requires only a few key input parameters that are easily obtained by the analyst, even to someone living in a developing country. The UWM is exact in the limit all parameters are uniformly distributed, due to mass conservation. The current approach can be applied to elevated and mobile sources. Its robustness has been validated (typical deviations are well within the ±50% range) by comparison with much more detailed air quality and environmental impact assessment models, such as ISC3, CALPUFF, EMEP and GAINS. Several comparisons illustrating the wide range of applicability of the UWM are presented in the paper, including estimation of mean concentrations at the local, country and continental level and calculation of local and country level intake factors and marginal damage costs of primary particulate matter and inorganic secondary aerosols. Relationships are also provided for computing spatial concentration profiles and cumulative impact or damage cost distributions. Assessments cover sources located in the USA, Europe, East Asia (China) and South Asia (India).Air Pollution, Urban Air Quality, Particulate Matter, Air Quality Modeling, Health Impact Assessment, Loss of Life Expectancy, Damage Costs of Air Pollution

Xanthium strumarium - a potential cheap resource of plant substances for medicinal use

Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae) is an annual herb which reproduces solely by seed. So far its centre of origin was considered Central or South America. Recent archeological research revealed that the burs of X. strumarium were used in Yuergou site (400-200 cal BC) in the Turpan Basin of northwestern China. This plant adventive to Europe reduces germination of various crops and behaves like and aggressive invasive species. X. strumarium is the most frequently recorded plant in the field borders between the crop land and adjacent territories the agricultural areas in Bulgaria. We aim of this study is to reveal the potential of X. strumarium as a cheap source of compounds with valuable pharmacological activities. Here we analyse: 1) the traditional ethnobotanical data from its native habitats; 2) the modern investigations of pharmacological activity and essential secondary compounds. Traditionally the plant is used as febrifuge drug and an immunostimulant, as a diaphoretic agent and against malaria, as well as dysentry cure, astringent, sedative, analgesic, diuretic, against leucorrhoea and urinary diseases, eczema and skin disease, bleeding, insect bite, to treat boils and pimples, against smallpox and stomach diseases, earache and strumous disease, leprosy, headache, fever, etc. X. strumarium contains sesquiterpene lactones, thiazinediones, phenolic acids etc. and posses anticancer, antitussive, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, antitrypanosomal, and antidepressant-like activity, diuretic effects, insecticidal and herbicidal activities as well as antitrypanosomal effect. A pharmaceutical application of this plant in the future would reduce its populations and thus would contribute to the biodiversity conservation

Modelling solar low-lying cool loops with optically thick radiative losses

We investigate the increase of the DEM (differential emission measure) towards the chromosphere due to small and cool magnetic loops (height $\lesssim8$~Mm, $T\lesssim10^5$~K). In a previous paper we analysed the conditions of existence and stability of these loops through hydrodynamic simulations, focusing on their dependence on the details of the optically thin radiative loss function used. In this paper, we extend those hydrodynamic simulations to verify if this class of loops exists and it is stable when using an optically thick radiative loss function. We study two cases: constant background heating and a heating depending on the density. The contribution to the transition region EUV output of these loops is also calculated and presented. We find that stable, quasi-static cool loops can be obtained by using an optically thick radiative loss function and a background heating depending on the density. The DEMs of these loops, however, fail to reproduce the observed DEM for temperatures between $4.6<\log T<4.8$. We also show the transient phase of a dynamic loop obtained by considering constant heating rate and find that its average DEM, interpreted as a set of evolving dynamic loops, reproduces quite well the observed DEM.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A on Aug 21st 2015. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1112.030

New floristic data of alien vascular plants from Sicily

New records of Commelina communis, Euphorbia hypericifolia, Melia azedarach, Nicotiana tabacum, and Xanthoceras sorbifolium are reported for the Sicilian flora

The Uniform World Model: A Methodology for Predicting the Health Impacts of Air Pollution

47 p.Throughout history, technological development and economic growth has led to greater prosperity and overall standard of living for many people in society. However, along with the benefits of economic development comes the social responsibility of minimizing the mortality and morbidity health impacts associated with human activities, safeguarding ecosystems, protecting world cultural heritage and preventing integrity and amenity losses of man-made environments. Effects are often irreversible, extend way beyond national borders and can occur over a long time lag. At current pollutant levels, the monetized impacts carry a significant burden to society, on the order of few percent of a country’s GDP, and upwards to 10% of GDP for countries in transition. A recent study for the European Union found that the aggregate damage burden from industrial air pollution alone costs every man, woman and child between 200 and 330 € a year, of which CO2 emissions contributed 40 to 60% (EEA 2011). In a sustainable world, an assessment of the environmental impacts (and damage costs) imposed by man\\\'s decisions on present and future generations is necessary when addressing the cost effectiveness of local and national policy options that aim at improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this paper is to present a methodology for calculating such adverse public health outcomes arising from exposure to routine atmospheric pollutant emissions using a simplified methodology, referred to as the Uniform World Model (UWM). The UWM clearly identifies the most relevant factors of the analysis, is easy to implement and requires only a few key input parameters that are easily obtained by the analyst, even to someone living in a developing country. The UWM is exact in the limit all parameters are uniformly distributed, due to mass conservation. The current approach can be applied to elevated and mobile sources. Its robustness has been validated (typical deviations are well within the ±50% range) by comparison with much more detailed air quality and environmental impact assessment models, such as ISC3, CALPUFF, EMEP and GAINS. Several comparisons illustrating the wide range of applicability of the UWM are presented in the paper, including estimation of mean concentrations at the local, country and continental level and calculation of local and country level intake factors and marginal damage costs of primary particulate matter and inorganic secondary aerosols. Relationships are also provided for computing spatial concentrations profiles and cumulative impact or damage cost distributions. Assessments cover sources located in the USA, Europe, East Asia (China) and South Asia (India)

Chorological notes on the Sicilian endemic Euphorbia papillaris (Euphorbiaceae)

Thanks to the discovery of a new important site in the Trapani Mountains, the distribution of Euphorbia papillaris, a rare plant endemic to N-W Sicily, is revised. On the basis of the unpublished record, one of the two hypotheses on the discovery of the species in Sicily, previously advanced, is here confirmed. Floristic and ecological information on the new locality are also provided

Study of the performance of the NA62 Small-Angle Calorimeter at the DAΦ\PhiNE Linac

The measurement of $BR(K^+\to\pi^+\nu\bar{\nu})$ with 10% precision by the NA62 experiment requires extreme background suppression. The Small Angle Calorimeter aims to provide an efficient veto for photons flying at angles down to zero with respect to the kaon flight direction. The initial prototype was upgraded and tested at the Beam Test Facility of the DA$\Phi$NE Linac at Frascati. The energy resolution and the efficiency were measured and are presented.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure

Decarbonising urban transportation

18 p.The transportation sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for around one-quarter of current annual emissions. Surface transportation (passenger vehicles, buses, rail, and freight transportation) contributes 75% of total emissions, with the remaining 25% allocated equally between air and water transport. According to the recently released 5th Assessment Report of the IPCC (September 2013), the transportation sector is expected to grow significantly in future years, particularly in rapidly developing countries around the world, and will therefore be one of a few key drivers of increasing global warming. Unless there is a major political effort and consumer willingness to change current energy consumption patterns and travel modes over the next few decades, transport-related emissions are likely to double by 2050 relative to levels observed in 2010. Because of the contribution of transportation to climate change and its impact on urban air quality, a comparative assessment of potential carbon emission reductions and health benefits of reduced particulate matter emissions was undertaken considering several low carbon pathways for development of the urban road transport sector up to 2050. As a result, we conclude that aggressive changes will be needed to scale back future emissions by 20% (or more) compared to present day emissions. These changes will impact vehicle fuel economy (+50%), urban mobility patterns (lower private car demand and greater use of public transportation), choice of alternative fuels (less use of petroleum-based fuels and greater use of biofuels and electrons) and electricity generation mix (greater use of renewables, carbon capture technologies for limiting fossil fuel carbon emissions, and/or nuclear energy). Public acceptance is fundamental to bring about changes in consumer attitudes and behaviour. Given the long lead times required for research, development, demonstration and deployment of new technologies, the time to act is now if we are to limit the global mean surface temperature increase to within 2°C above preindustrial levels

VERBENA BONARIENSIS (VERBENACEAE) ADVENTIVE IN ITALY

Among the species of Verbena L. cultivated in Italy Traverso (1) reports: V venosa Gilles, V tenera Sprengel (= V. pulchella Sweet.) and the horticultural hybrid V I?Jbrida Hort. (=V. hortensis Hort.). No trace of V. bonariensis L., that is reported about 60 years later as naturalized in Tuscany (2). In the Herbarium Centrale !talcum (Fl) are housed specimens collected in Piedmont and Tuscany, labelled as V. venosa - taxon considered a variety of V. bonariensis. V. bonariensis, as indicated by the specific epithet, is a South American species, herbaceous, usually perennial, also cultivated as an ornamental. Several varieties and wild lforms are known of this taxon. The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) records: V bonariensis f. albiflora Moldenke, V. bonariensis var. brevibracteata Kuntze, V. bonariensis var. conglomerata Briq., V bonariensis f. gracilis (Cham.) Voss., V. bonariensis var. hispida Moldenke, V. bonariensis var. litoralis Hook., V. bonariensis var. longibradt?ata Kuntze, V. bonariensis var. rigida (Spreng.) Kuntz, V. bonariensis f. robustior Chodat, V bonariensis f. venosa (Gillies & Hook.) V oss. This species is native of S. America (Argentina, Brasile, ]Paraguay and Uruguay) (3, 4) and introduced in the USA (5), Azores, Great Britain, Canary Islands, Portugal, Madeira (6) and in Italy, as reported above, in Tuscany, in Tombolo Pisano (PI) (2, 7, 8) and in Liguria (8). Some considerations on the tendency of naturalization of the species in Sicily (9) where accidentally misinterpreted as the report of naturalization in the region (10, 11). This record was neglected in the subsequent floras and checklists (7, 8, 12, 13). Recently we verified the spontaneous occurrence of v~ bonariensis at the edges of a channel, in the southern outskirts of the city of Palermo (Sicily). This population, referred to V. bonariensis var. hispida, is made up of about 100 vigorous and perennial individuals with tendency to expand, actually, in the same area. The taxonomic identity of the Tuscan populations is different. In this region, it is known from Tombolo Pisano (2) as well as from Florence as documented by specimens collected in the square in front of the rail station of S. Maria Novella (Raimondo et Domina, 21/06/2012, PAL), in the fenced area for works of rearrangement of the square. In comparison with the population from Tombolo Pisano, referred to the nominal type, the population from Florence looks like annual and belonging to a diffe1rent variety, also in comparison with the Sicilian one. The recent discovery in Sicily as well as increasing the 11uota of adventitious exotic vascular flora of the island, confirms the tendency of the species to spread further in. the national territory

New Aloes casual aliens in Sicily

Aloë arborescens, A. brachystachys and A. maculata (Asphodelaceae) are reported for the first time as casual aliens in Sicily. A. brachystachys is new also for the alien flora of Italy