Found 10064 publications. Showing page 403 of 403:
2025
Stress management with HRV following AI, semantic ontology, genetic algorithm and tree explainer
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) serves as a vital marker of stress levels, with lower HRV indicating higher stress. It measures the variation in the time between heartbeats and offers insights into health. Artificial intelligence (AI) research aims to use HRV data for accurate stress level classification, aiding early detection and well-being approaches. This study’s objective is to create a semantic model of HRV features in a knowledge graph and develop an accurate, reliable, explainable, and ethical AI model for predictive HRV analysis. The SWELL-KW dataset, containing labeled HRV data for stress conditions, is examined. Various techniques like feature selection and dimensionality reduction are explored to improve classification accuracy while minimizing bias. Different machine learning (ML) algorithms, including traditional and ensemble methods, are employed for analyzing both imbalanced and balanced HRV datasets. To address imbalances, various data formats and oversampling techniques such as SMOTE and ADASYN are experimented with. Additionally, a Tree-Explainer, specifically SHAP, is used to interpret and explain the models’ classifications. The combination of genetic algorithm-based feature selection and classification using a Random Forest Classifier yields effective results for both imbalanced and balanced datasets, especially in analyzing non-linear HRV features. These optimized features play a crucial role in developing a stress management system within a Semantic framework. Introducing domain ontology enhances data representation and knowledge acquisition. The consistency and reliability of the Ontology model are assessed using Hermit reasoners, with reasoning time as a performance measure. HRV serves as a significant indicator of stress, offering insights into its correlation with mental well-being. While HRV is non-invasive, its interpretation must integrate other stress assessments for a holistic understanding of an individual’s stress response. Monitoring HRV can help evaluate stress management strategies and interventions, aiding individuals in maintaining well-being.
2025
The apportionment of equivalent black carbon (eBC) to combustion sources from liquid fuels (mainly fossil; eBCLF) and solid fuels (mainly non-fossil; eBCSF) is commonly performed using data from Aethalometer instruments (AE approach). This study evaluates the feasibility of using AE data to determine the absorption Ångström exponents (AAEs) for liquid fuels (AAELF) and solid fuels (AAESF), which are fundamental parameters in the AE approach. AAEs were derived from Aethalometer data as the fit in a logarithmic space of the six absorption coefficients (470–950 nm) versus the corresponding wavelengths. The findings indicate that AAELF can be robustly determined as the 1st percentile (PC1) of AAE values from fits with R2 > 0.99. This R2-filtering was necessary to remove extremely low and noisy-driven AAE values commonly observed under clean atmospheric conditions (i.e., low absorption coefficients). Conversely, AAESF can be obtained from the 99th percentile (PC99) of unfiltered AAE values. To optimize the signal from solid fuel sources, winter data should be used to calculate PC99, whereas summer data should be employed for calculating PC1 to maximize the signal from liquid fuel sources. The derived PC1 (AAELF) and PC99 (AAESF) values ranged from 0.79 to 1.08, and 1.45 to 1.84, respectively. The AAESF values were further compared with those constrained using the signal at mass-to-charge 60 (m/z 60), a tracer for fresh biomass combustion, measured using aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) and aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) instruments deployed at 16 sites. Overall, the AAESF values obtained from the two methods showed strong agreement, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.78. However, uncertainties in both approaches may vary due to site-specific sources, and in certain environments, such as traffic-dominated sites, neither approach may be fully applicable.
2025
Status report of air quality in Europe for year 2023, using validated data
This report presents summarised information on the status of air quality in Europe in 2023, based on validated air quality monitoring data officially reported by the member and cooperating countries of the EEA. It aims at informing on the status of ambient air quality in Europe in 2023 and on the progress towards meeting the European air quality standards for the protection of health, as well as the WHO air quality guidelines. The report also compares the air quality status in 2023 with the previous years. The pollutants covered in this report are particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene (C6H6) and toxic metals (As, Cd, Ni, Pb). Measured concentrations above the European air quality standards for PM10, PM2.5, O3, and NO2 were reported by 18, 6, 20, and 9 reporting countries for 2022, respectively. Exceedances of the air quality standards for BaP, SO2, CO, and benzene were measured in, respectively, 9, 2, 2, and 0 reporting countries in 2023. Exceedances of European standards for toxic metals were reported by 5 stations for As, none for Cd, 1 for Pb and 2 for Ni.
ETC/HE
2025
2025
The influence of aerosols on the Arctic system remains associated with significant uncertainties, particularly concerning black carbon (BC). The polar aerosol station “Island Bely” (IBS), located in the Western Siberian Arctic, was established to enhance aerosol monitoring. Continuous measurements from 2019 to 2022 revealed the long-term effects of light-absorbing carbon. During the cold period, the annual average light-absorption coefficient was 0.7 ± 0.7 Mm−1, decreasing by 2–3 times during the warm period. The interannual mean showed a peak in February (0.9 ± 0.8 Mm−1) then 10 times the lower minimum in June and exhibited high variability in August (0.7 ± 2.2 Mm−1). An increase of up to 1.5 at shorter wavelengths from April to September suggests contribution from brown carbon (BrC). The annual mean equivalent black carbon (eBC) demonstrated considerable interannual variability, with the lowest in 2020 (24 ± 29 ng m−3). Significant difference was observed between Arctic haze and Siberian wildfire periods, with record-high pollution levels in February 2022 (110 ± 70 ng m−3) and August 2021 (83 ± 249 ng m−3). Anthropogenic BC contributed 83 % to the total for the entire study period, and gas flaring, domestic combustion, transportation, and industrial emissions dominated. During the cold season, > 90 % of surface BC was attributed to anthropogenic sources, mainly gas flaring. In contrast, during the warm period, Siberian wildfires contributed to BC concentrations by 48 %. In August 2021, intense smoke from Yakutian wildfires was transported at high altitudes during the region's worst fire season in 40 years.
2025
Reliable quantification of polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs) remains a major challenge, hindering environmental research across diverse matrices. Each sample can contain over 500 homologue groups, collectively producing >1000 m/z ratios that require interference checks. High-resolution mass spectrometry methods vary in ionization signals and data formats and require specialized algorithms for quantification. CPxplorer streamlines data processing through the integration of three modules: (1) CPions generates target ion sets and isotopic thresholds for compound identification into the next module; (2) Skyline performs instrument-independent data integration, interference evaluation, and homologue profiling; and (3) CPquant deconvolves homologues and reports concentrations using reference standards and homologue profiles from Skyline. Evaluation of the workflow with NIST-SRM-2585 dust and ERM-CE100 fish tissue material yielded comparable results across raw data formats from different instruments. Further applications of CPxplorer across diverse matrices, including indoor dust, organic films, silicone wrist bands, and food samples, demonstrated the usefulness in biological and environmental monitoring. Compared to existing tools limited to qualitative detection, CPxplorer enables quantitative outputs, reduces processing time, and expands functionality to PCA-like substances (e.g., BCAs) and PCA degradation products (e.g., OH-PCAs). CPxplorer reduces learning barriers, empowers users to quantify PCAs across various analytical instruments, and contributes to generating comparable results in the field.
2025
Airborne microplastics on the move: Urban Europe as a source to remote regions
This study presents a comprehensive assessment of unique parallel measurements of surface airborne and deposited microplastics (AMPs) across urban and remote sites in Norway, employing pyrolysis-GC/MS for polymer-specific analysis. MPs were detected in nearly all samples, with significantly higher concentrations and fluxes observed in urban areas like Oslo, where tire wear particles (TWP) dominated (>90 % of AMP mass). Seasonal peaks in TWP coincided with the transition to winter tires, while remote sites showed consistent but lower AMP levels, indicating long-range transport (LRT) from European source regions. Parallel measurements of suspended and deposited AMPs revealed consistent polymer signatures, highlighting common sources and transport pathways. Although urban TWP contributions to PM2.5 were generally low, episodic events reached up to 30 %, raising concerns about human exposure. The dual dataset enabled a robust cross-validation of atmospheric loading estimates and facilitated integration into advanced transport models for remote sites. Our findings confirm AMPs as significant components of urban air pollution and subsequent carriers of chemical and biological contaminants to remote regions, emphasizing the need for targeted monitoring and mitigation strategies.
2025
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a well-known air pollutant, mostly elevated by car traffic in cities. To date, small, reliable, cost-efficient multipollutant sensors with sufficient power and accuracy for community-based atmospheric studies are still lacking. The HAPADS (highly accurate and autonomous programmable platforms for providing air pollution data services) platforms, developed and tested in real conditions, can be a possible approach to solving this issue. The developed HAPADS platforms are equipped with three different NO2 sensors (7E4-NO2–5, SGX-7NO2, MICS-2711 MOS) and a combined ambient air temperature, humidity, and pressure sensor (BME280). The platforms were tested during the driving test, which was conducted across various roads, including highways, expressways, and national and regional routes, as well as major cities and the countryside, to analyse the environmental conditions as much as possible (Poland, 2024). The correlation coefficient r was more than 0.8, and RMSE (root mean squared error) was in the 3.3–4.3 μg/m3 range during the calibration process. The results obtained during the driving tests showed R2 of 0.9–1.0, which proves the ability of HAPADS platforms to work in the hard environmental conditions (including high rain and snow, as well as sun and a wide range of temperatures and humidity).
2026
New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are gaining significant momentum globally to reduce animal testing and enhance the efficiency and human relevance of chemical safety assessment. Even with substantial EU commitment from regulatory agencies and the academic community, the full regulatory adoption of NAMs remains a distant prospect. This challenge is further complicated by the fact that the academic world, oriented toward NAMs development, and regulatory agencies, focused on practical application, frequently operate in separate spheres. Addressing this disconnect, the present paper, developed within the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), provides a clear overview of both the available non-animal tests and current evaluation practices for genotoxic and carcinogenic hazard assessment, while simultaneously highlighting existing regulatory needs, gaps, and challenges toward greater human health protection and the replacement of animal testing through NAMs adoption.
The analysis reveals a complex landscape: while the EU is deeply committed to developing and adopting NAMs, as outlined in its Chemical Strategy for Sustainability and supported by initiatives like PARC, prescriptive regulations such as Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) still heavily mandate in vivo animal data for hazard classification, particularly for germ cell mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. This reliance creates a “too-short-blanket-problem,” where efforts to reduce animal testing may impact human health protection because of the current in vivo-based classification criteria. In contrast, sectors such as cosmetics and certain European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)-regulated products demonstrate greater flexibility toward progressive integration of NAMs. While the deep mechanistic understanding of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity has significantly advanced the integration of alternatives to animal tests into regulatory chemical hazard assessment, their broader and full implementation faces considerable challenges due to both scientific complexities (i.e., the development and validation of fit-for-purpose NAMs) and existing legislative provisions.
2026