Summary

Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment. Today, it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems. Environmental studies are incorporating more of the social sciences in order to understand human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. This entry collection features information about design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect.

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Topic Review
Occurrences of Endotoxin in Agriculture
Agricultural operations and the processing sector generate dust laden with endotoxin in the workplace. Endotoxin, a pro-inflammatory agent, has adverse effects on health, especially in the lungs, as exposure to endotoxin reduces lung function capacity. Endotoxin exposure to workers and its harmful impact on the health of agricultural workers needs to be studied in detail for future interventions to reduce exposure to endotoxin.
  • 472
  • 27 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Cadmium Pollution in Rice- and Wheat- Cropping Systems
The accumulation of cadmium in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a serious threat to the safe use of farmland and to the health of the human diet that has attracted extensive attention from researchers. Cadmium toxicity reduces the uptake and transport of essential elements in rice and wheat. Cadmium stress seriously affected the growth and morphology of plant roots. In the shoots, Cd toxicity was manifested by a series of physiological injuries, such as decreased photosynthesis, soluble protein, sugar, and antioxidant enzyme activity. Cadmium that accumulates in the shoots is transferred to grains and then passes up the food chain to people and animals.
  • 625
  • 27 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Environmentalization and Waldorf Education: Dialogues and Practices
Owing to concerns regarding degradation and exploitation of nature, different Environmental Education initiatives have been developed over the years with and in the context of basic education, aiming to help confront the environmental crisis. Based on this scenario, this study aimed to understand the environmentalization process of a Brazilian Waldorf school in dialogue with Steiner principles, as well as an analysis of the concepts and practices linked to the socio-environmental issue.
  • 634
  • 03 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Agricultural Big Data and Machine Learning
Sustainable agriculture is currently being challenged under climate change scenarios since extreme environmental processes disrupt and diminish global food production. For example, drought-induced increases in plant diseases and rainfall caused a decrease in food production. Machine Learning and Agricultural Big Data are high-performance computing technologies that allow analyzing a large amount of data to understand agricultural production. 
  • 513
  • 21 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Epigenetic Regulation in Chromium-Induced Carcinogenesis
Chromium (Cr)is a naturally occurring heavy metal widely distributed in soil, rocks, and living organisms. Cr primarily exists in two stable valence states: trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] or Cr(VI). Cr(VI) exposure can cause a series of adverse effects on the respiratory system (including asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory tract irritation), skin (including contact dermatitis, skin burns, blisters, and skin ulcers), gastrointestinal (GI) tract (including gastric ulcers and gastritis), and kidneys (acute tubular necrosis and renal failure).
  • 481
  • 09 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Carbon-Based Nanomaterials Biodegradation
Carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) have attracted a growing interest over the last decades. They have become a material commonly used in industry, consumer products, water purification, and medicine. The knowledge about the biodegradation of nanomaterials will facilitate the development of the principals of “biodegradable-by-design” nanoparticles which have promising application in medicine as nano-carriers and represent lower toxicity and risks for living species and the environment.
  • 445
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Bioactive Metabolites in Liquid State Cultures
Humans have appreciated mushrooms for their edible and medicinal value since the Neolithic age. Increased interest in the pharmaceutical potential of mushrooms has led to numerous publications that explore more than 100 reported medicinal functions. These are functions such as antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antiviral, anti-diabetic, anti-thrombotic, anti-allergic, antidepressive, antihyperlipidemic, digestive, hypotensive, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, osteoprotective, and immunomodulating activities, among others. This therapeutic action is due to a wide array of bioactive metabolites isolated from the fruiting body, mycelium, and culture broth of macrofungi. Both complex high-molecular-weight compounds such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids and low-molecular-weight compounds such as terpenoids, polyketides, and alkaloids have been isolated and are under study. In addition to their pharmaceutical potential, mushrooms are recognized as a rich source of nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals are substances that have positive effects, proven by clinical testing, on normal physiological functions that maintain health in humans, thus preventing and treating diseases and enhancing longevity. There is a globally growing market for nutraceuticals sold as nutrients and supplements or in the form of enhanced “functional foods”. Natural bioactive compounds found in macrofungi are ideal for this market and are already being used for their properties.
  • 414
  • 18 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Leaf Macro-Morphological Traits and Air Pollution
Urban trees provide different ecosystem benefits, such as improving air quality due to the retention of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) on their leaves. The LMTs most used for PM monitoring were leaf area (Q1) and specific leaf area (Q4). These LMTs were frequently used for their easy measurement and quantification.
  • 496
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Dairy Buffalo Behavior: Calving, Imprinting and Allosuckling
Maternal behavior, in water buffalo and other ruminants, is a set of patterns of a determined species, including calving, imprinting, and suckling. Since the success of dairy farms depends on parturition, lactation, and the welfare of both the dam and the calf, calving behavior in water buffalo is a research area that could help researchers understand this process.
  • 861
  • 18 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Solar Desalination
Desalination is a capital-intensive process that requires a significant amount of energy, and since it is now mostly powered by fossil fuels across the globe, it has the potential to leave a significant carbon footprint. 
  • 810
  • 18 Nov 2022
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