Performance of open-path lasers and FTIR spectroscopic systems in agriculture emissions research

The accumulation of gases into our atmosphere is a growing global concern that requires considerable quantification of the emission rates and mitigate the accumulation of gases in the atmosphere, especially the greenhouse gases (GHG). In agriculture there are many sources of GHG that require attention in order to develop practical mitigation strategies. Measuring these GHG sources often rely on highly technical instrumentation originally designed for applications outside of the emissions research in agriculture. Although the open-path laser (OPL) and open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopic techniques are used in agricultural research currently, insight into their contributing error to emissions research has not been the focus of these studies. The objective of this study was to assess the applicability and performance (accuracy and precision) of OPL and OP-FTIR spectroscopic techniques for measuring gas concentration from agricultural sources. We measured the mixing ratios of trace gases methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ammonia (NH3), downwind of point and area sources with known release rates. The OP-FTIR provided the best performance regarding stability of drift in stable conditions. The CH4 OPL accurately detected the low background (free-air) level of CH4; however, the NH3 OPL was unable to detect the background values < 10 ppbv.

Transverse Instability of Dust Acoustic Solitary Waves in Magnetized Dusty Plasma composed of Vortex-like Distribution Ions

The dynamical behaviors of dusty plasma can be described by a (3+1)-dimensional modified Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation (mZKE) when the distribution of ions is vortex-like. The critical stable conditions for the line solitons are obtained by the linear stability analysis, which are also confirmed by the nonlinear dynamic evolution. An interesting phenomenon is found from the numerical results, maybe the first time, that the unstable line solitons of the mZKE will evolve into one or more completely localized soliton(s) after a long time evolution. Subsequently, we numerically studied the collision process of two line solitons. The results show that two stable line solitons can restore to their original states. However, if one of the two solitons or both of them are unstable, one or more completely localized solitons will appear during the collision. The results indicate that there are both elastic and inelastic collisions between line solitons.

Sedimentary Dynamics Within the Sedimentary Filling of Sebkha Sidi El Hani, Eastern Tunisia

The Sidi El Hani Wetland is located in Eastern Tunisia. It represents the natural outlet of an endorheic system, Mechertate-Chrita-Sidi El Hani, and it collects all the eroded sediment from this watershed. In this chapter, the visual core description focused on three reference sandy bands and on the concept of grey scale variability in order to infer the clay pan response to the climatic variability and erosion during the last two millennia. First, in the uppermost part, the stage Warming Present (WP) stretches from (1954-80= 1874) to 1993, i.e. ≈120yrs; the establishment of modern conditions is characterized by stable conditions with high grey scale. Added to a small salt crust, this period is dominated by a clayey sedimentation. Second, the stage C4 is called the Late Little Ice Age (Late LIA); it stretches between the 80yrBP and 400yrBP, i.e., 320yrs. It is characterized by intermediate GS values; the clayey sedimentation makes up the twofold and threefold laminates. Based on laser granulometer, the genetic approach shows the interplay of eolian and hydraulic erosion.

Dispersion climatology for Patna and Gaya

The present study aims at seasonal and diurnal pollution potential around Patna, the capital region of Bihar and Gaya. To assess the pollution potential, meteorological data of two stations, VIZ., Patna and the neighbouring station Gaya for five year period (1984-88) have been analysed; The analysis has been done for four representative seasonal months, viz., winter (January), pre-monsoon (April), monsoon (August) and post-monsoon (October). The analysis shows no stable conditions in the day time and no unstable condition in the night time in each month. April shows higher frequency and January the lowest frequencies of unstable conditions. April has the highest mixing height and ventilation coefficient. From the results it has been concluded that day time is suitable for good dispersion in all the months. In the ca5e of existing industries, emission must be lessened during night time and particularly in the winter months. These results also suggest that pollutants are well dispersed in April and August. January and August may be regarded as the worst months for vertical diffusion of contaminants. As the predominant surface winds are easterly, any new Industrial set up should be in the west of the city in order to minimise the effects of pollutants.

EFFECT OF QUERСETIN AND CHLORHEXIDINE-DENT ON CHANGES IN PERIODONTIC TISSUES IN CHILDREN LIVING IN ENVIRONMENTALLY POLLUTED REGIONS OF PRECARPATHIAN REGIONS

The aim of the research is to increase the effectiveness of treatment of patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis living in ecologically favorable conditions and in ecologically polluted regions of Precarpathian, by adding to the complex therapy of quercetin and chlorhexidine dent. The results of research by a number of scientists indicate that the use of quercetin in complex therapy helps to restore the antioxidant system, improve oxygen uptake by tissues and peripheral circulation, improve the rheological properties of the patient's blood. These properties of the drug were used by us in the research. We studied changes in periodontal tissues in children living in ecologically favorable conditions and in ecologically polluted regions of Precarpathian, conducted a comparative characterization of changes in periodontium and proposed a treatment plan for patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis, supplemented with chlorhexidine dent and quercetin. We examined 60 children with chronic catarrhal gingivitis living in the contaminated areas of Precarpathian (Burshtyn) and 15 people with intact periodontium living in environmentally stable conditions. All patients underwent a full range of treatment measures, taking into account the removal of dental plaque and rehabilitation of the oral cavity. In 1 group of patients (30 people) patients were treated with chlorhexidine, calendula and chamomile infusion and 1% mefenamine paste. Patients of group 2 (30 people) - the drug quercetin on the mucous membrane of the gums under the individual gingival cap and chlorhexidine dent in the form of oral baths. In order to compare the two groups, an index assessment of the condition of periodontal tissues and a study of rheographic parameters of periodontal tissues were performed. The results of the research did not show a significant difference between clinical and laboratory parameters in patients 1 and 2 groups before treatment (p> 0.05), but they differed significantly from those in the comparison group (p <0.05), which indicates the fact that unfavorable environmental living conditions have an impact on the course of periodontal disease in children. We obtained a significant difference in the blood supply to periodontal tissues in patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis compared with (p <0.05). The results of the research showed that the use of quercetin and 0.12% chlorhexidine solution in the complex treatment of patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis provided a significant improvement in clinical parameters and laboratory characteristics of periodontal tissues in children living in different environmental conditions, and provided stabilization of these indicators in long-term observation. The use of the proposed scheme of treatment of patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis stimulates metabolic processes in periodontal tissues, reduces cyanosis, edema of periodontal tissues according to the results of rheography of periodontal tissues. After treatment, we observe the normalization of the rheological characteristics of the gums, which indicates an improvement in blood circulation in the periodontal tissues in these patients (normalization of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of rheograms).

IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/1158 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL OF 20 JUNE 2019 ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE OF PARENTS AND CARERS, REPEALING COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2010/18/EU ‒ POLISH IMPLEMENTATION

The purpose of this article is to analyse the possible effects of the implementation by the Polish legislator of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2019/1158 of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance of parents and carers, repealing Council Directive 2010/18 / EU. In accordance with the provisions of the recitals of the Directive, its aim is to improve the functioning of States in the field of equal opportunities on the labour market and the treatment of women and men at work because of their family and carer responsibilities. The Directive responds to the needs related to demographic changes also affecting Poland, the necessity to deepen the functioning of the principle of gender equality resulting from legal acts adopted for the community, the needs related to the professional activation of women and the fight against exclusion caused by guardianship of minors. The Directive addresses issues that are to be understood as social norms and these are mainly issues related to the concern for the sustainable development of all children and for guaranteeing stable conditions to parents and carers whose work also helps support their children.

Living in a Fluctuating Environment Increases Tolerance to Marine Heatwaves in the Free-Living Coralline Alga Phymatolithon lusitanicum

Recently, increased attention is being paid to the importance of environmental history in species’ responses to climate-change related stressors, as more variable and heterogeneous environments are expected to select for higher levels of plasticity in species tolerance traits, compared to stable conditions. For example, organisms inhabiting environments with highly fluctuating thermal regimes might be less susceptible to the increasing frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs). In this study, we assessed the metabolic and calcification responses of the rhodolith-bed forming Phymatolithon lusitanicum, from a coastal region that is strongly influenced by frequent changes between upwelling and downwelling conditions, to a simulated MHW scenario, with and without prior exposure to a moderate thermal stress. This allowed determining not only the influence of the species’ long-term thermal history on its resilience against MHWs, but also the rhodoliths capacity for short-term thermal stress memory and its importance during posterior MHW-exposure. Our findings indicate that the rhodoliths experienced negative impacts on daily net primary production (DNP) and calcification (DNC) during the MHW. The effect on the former was only temporary at the beginning of the MHW, while DNC was highly impacted, but exhibited a quick recovery after the event, suggesting a high resilience of the species. Furthermore, prior exposure to a moderate temperature increase, such as those occurring frequently in the natural habitat of the species, mitigated the effects of a subsequent MHW on DNP, while promoting a faster recovery of DNC after the event. Thus, our findings (1) support the hypothesis that benthic organisms living in nearshore habitats may benefit from the natural short-term temperature fluctuations in these environments with an increased resistance to MHW impacts and (2) provide first-time evidence for thermally induced stress memory in coralline algae.

Boundary-layer height and surface stability at SMEAR II, Hyytiälä, Finland in ERA5 and observations

The planetary boundary layer (BL) height and stratification are key parameters in determining the exchange of heat, momentum, moisture and trace gases between the surface and the free troposphere. Numerous different methods have been used to quantify the BL height and these methods have been applied to a wide variety of observational data sets obtained from different instruments and to numerical model output. We investigate the BL height at the Hyytiälä SMEAR II station in southern Finland diagnosed from radiosonde observations, a microwave radiometer (MWR) and ERA5 reanalysis. Four different algorithms are used to diagnose the BL height from the radiosondes. The diagnosed BL height is sensitive to the method used and the level of agreement, and the sign of systematic bias, between the 4 different methods depends on the surface-layer stability. For example, for very unstable situations, the median BL height diagnosed from the radiosondes varies from 600 m to 1500 m depending on which method is applied. Good agreement between the BL height in ERA5 and diagnosed from the radiosondes using Richardson number-based methods is found for almost all stability classes, suggesting that ERA5 has adequate vertical resolution near the surface to resolve the BL structure. However, ERA5 overestimates the BL height in very stable conditions highlighting the on-going challenge for numerical models to correctly resolve the stable BL. Furthermore, ERA5 BL height differs most from the radiosondes at 18 UTC suggesting ERA5 does not resolve the evening transition correctly. This study has also shown that BL height estimates from the MWR are reliable in unstable situations but often are inaccurate under stable conditions when, in comparison to ERA5 BL heights, they are much deeper. The errors in the MWR BL height estimates originate from the limitations of the manufacturers algorithm for stable conditions and also the mis-identification of the type of BL. A climatology of the annual and diurnal cycle of BL height and observed surface layer stability was created. The shallowest (353 m) monthly median BL height occurs in February and the deepest (576 m) in June. In winter there is no diurnal cycle in BL height, unstable BLs are rare yet so are very stable BLs. The shallowest BLs occur at night in spring and summer and very stable conditions are most common at night in the warm season. Finally, using ERA5 gridded data we determined that the BL height observed at Hyytiälä is representative of most land areas in southern and central Finland. However, the spatial variability of the BL height is largest during daytime in summer reducing the area over which BL height observations from Hyytiälä would be representative of.

Formation of a Sustainable Mechanism of Preferential VAT Taxation of Exports as Evidenced by the Russian Federation Practice

In this article we review the issues of applying a preferential value added tax (VAT) taxation regime on export transactions involving unlawful tax benefit claims and tax evasion. The main objective of this study is to supplement the theoretical and methodological foundations of transforming the system of indirect taxation of exports in the Russian Federation based on the analysis of legal precedents. We analyzed the foreign trade statistics for the Russian Federation and the volumes of export VAT; we also studied the court rulings in VAT-related tax disputes. Based on our analysis of the court cases, we discovered the main schemes of unlawful application of VAT preferences, such as “false exports”, introduction of additional layers of intermediaries, and use of agency services by exporting sellers. In addition, we formulated two problematic scenarios where bona fide transactions fall under the definition of such schemes. Specifically, these two scenarios include services contracts by foreign service providers that are reclassified by the tax authorities with an aim to challenge the offsetting of incoming VAT amounts and the specifics of applying VAT to transactions involving compensation-free transfer of goods to foreign legal entities. To minimize the number of tax disputes, we suggest that certain provisions of the Russian legislation are amended with more detail. The proposed innovations can positively affect international trade as they bring more easily understandable and stable conditions for the development of businesses engaged in cross-border service provisioning. At the same time, a reduction in the number of disputes based on the tax authorities’ subjective opinion of taxpayers’ activities would allow the tax authorities to concentrate on clearer and more objective criteria of tax compliance by Russian companies, thus simplifying tax administration in one of the domains of tax law.

Recurrent autoimmune hypophysitis treated with rituximab: a case report

Background Autoimmune hypophysitis is a rare condition that often results in enlargement of the pituitary gland and hypopituitarism due to inflammatory infiltration. Management of autoimmune hypophysitis can include long-term hormonal replacement and close control of the inflammatory pituitary mass. Mass-related symptoms in patients with autoimmune hypophysitis are treated with anti-inflammatory therapy, surgery, and/or radiotherapy. Case presentation We present a 25-year-old White man with visual field defects of the right eye, headache, and weight loss. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar mass, and the patient underwent transcranial surgery. Histopathology revealed autoimmune hypophysitis with predominantly CD20 positive B-cell infiltration. Progression of visual field defects necessitated postoperatively anti-inflammatory treatment with prednisolone. Azathioprine was initiated under gradual tapering of prednisolone with stable conditions at first, but relapse followed after dose reduction. Therefore, rituximab treatment was initiated, which resulted in regression of the pituitary mass. Rituximab treatment was discontinued after 25 months. The patient has continuously been in remission for 4 years after rituximab treatment was stopped. Conclusion This case illustrates that rituximab might be an effective alternative treatment in B-cell predominant autoimmune hypophysitis.