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Nearly three billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) rely on polluting fuels, resulting in millions of avoidable deaths annually. Polluting fuels also emit short-lived climate forcers and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and grid-based electricity are scalable alternatives to polluting fuels but have raised climate and health concerns. Here, we compare emissions and climate impacts of a business-as-usual household cooking fuel trajectory to four large-scale transitions to gas and/or grid electricity in 77 LMICs. We account for upstream and end-use emissions from gas and electric cooking, assuming electrical grids evolve according to the 2022 World Energy Outlook’s “Stated Policies” Scenario. We input the emissions into a reduced-complexity climate model to estimate radiative forcing and temperature changes associated with each scenario. We find full transitions to LPG and/or electricity decrease emissions from both well-mixed GHG and short-lived climate forcers, resulting in a roughly 5 millikelvin global temperature reduction by 2040. Transitions to LPG and/or electricity also reduce annual emissions of PM2.5 by over 6 Mt (99%) by 2040, which would substantially lower health risks from Household Air Pollution. Primary input data was collected from the following sources: Baseline household fuel choices - WHO household energy database (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26036-x) End-use emissions - US EPA lifecycle assessment of household fuels (https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?dirEntryId=339679&Lab=NRMRL&simplesearch=0&showcriteria=2&sortby=pubDate&timstype=Published+Report&datebeginpublishedpresented) Upstream emissions - Argonne National Labs GREET Model (https://greet.es.anl.gov/index.php) Current and future population estimates - UNECA (http://data.un.org/Explorer.aspx?d=EDATA) Input data was processed by defining household fuel choice scenarios, estimating national household fuel consumption based on these scenarios, and applying fuel-specific emission factors to create country-specific emission pathways. These emission pathways were input into the FaIR model (https://zenodo.org/record/5513022#.Yt_jfHbMLb0) which generated additional data for each scenario including time series of pollution concentrations, radiative forcing, and temperature changes. All data is provided in CSV format. Nothing proprietary is required. 

This dataset contains terrestrial fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ecosystem respiration (carbon dioxide (CO2)) calculated from static chamber measurements in riparian buffers of oil palm plantations on mineral soil, in Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia. Measurements were made monthly, from January 2019 until September 2021, with a break from April 2019 to October 2019 to allow for felling and replanting, and another break from January 2021 to June 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. To help to reduce the environmental impact of oil palm plantations, riparian buffers are now required by regulations in many Southeast Asian countries. The experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from the riparian buffers. Research was funded through NERC grant NE/R000131/1 Sustainable Use of Natural Resources to Improve Human Health and Support Economic Development (SUNRISE) Greenhouse gas concentrations were measured using static chambers, enclosed for 45 minutes. Multiple regressions (including linear and hierarchical multiple regression) were fitted to calculate the best fit flux, using the RCflux R package, written by Dr Peter Levy (UKCEH).

Variation in food resources can result in dramatic fluctuations in the body condition of animals dependent on those resources. Decreases in body mass can disrupt patterns of energy allocation and impose stress, thereby altering immune function. In this study we investigated links between changes in body mass of captive cane toads (Rhinella marina), their circulating white blood cell populations, and their performance in immune assays. Captive toads that lost weight over a 3-month period had increased levels of monocytes and heterophils and reduced levels of eosinophils. Basophil and lymphocyte levels were unrelated to changes in mass. Because individuals that lost mass had higher heterophil levels but stable lymphocyte levels, the ratio of these cell types was also higher, partially consistent with a stress response. Phagocytic ability of whole blood was higher in toads that lost mass, due to increased circulating levels of phagocytic cells. Other measures of immune performance were unrelated to mass change. These results highlight the challenges faced by invasive species as they expand their range into novel environments which may impose substantial seasonal changes in food availability that were not present in the native range. Individuals facing energy restrictions may shift their immune function towards more economical and general avenues of combating pathogens.

{"references": ["Liu, Z., Ciais, P., Deng, Z., Lei, R., Davis, S. J., Feng, S., Zheng, B., Cui, D., Dou, X., Zhu, B., Guo, R., Ke, P., Sun, T., Lu, C., He, P., Wang, Y., Yue, X., Wang, Y., Lei, Y., Zhou, H., Cai, Z., Wu, Y., Guo, R., Han, T., Xue, J., Boucher, O., Boucher, E., Chevallier, F., Tanaka, K., Wei, Y., Zhong, H., Kang, C., Zhang, N., Chen, B., Xi, F., Liu, M., Br\u00e9on, F.-M., Lu, Y., Zhang, Q., Guan, D., Gong, P., Kammen, D. M., He, K. & Schellnhuber, H. J. (2020). Near-real-time monitoring of global CO2 emissions reveals the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature Communications 11, 5172 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18922-7", "Meinshausen, M., Smith, S. J., Calvin, K., Daniel, J. S., Kainuma, M. L. T., Lamarque, J. F., Matsumoto, K., Montzka, S. A., Raper, S. C. B., Riahi, K., Thomson, A., Velders, G. J. M., & van Vuuren, D. P. (2011). The RCP greenhouse gas concentrations and their extensions from 1765 to 2300. Climatic Change, 109(1\u20132), 213\u2013241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0156-z", "Moss, R. H., Edmonds, J. A., Hibbard, K. A., Manning, M. R., Rose, S. K., van Vuuren, D. P., Carter, T. R., Emori, S., Kainuma, M., Kram, T., Meehl, G. A., Mitchell, J. F. B., Nakicenovic, N., Riahi, K., Smith, S. J., Stouffer, R. J., Thomson, A. M., Weyant, J. P. & Wilbanks, T. J. (2010). The next generation of scenarios for climate change research and assessment. Nature, 463(7282), 747\u2013756. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08823", "Myhre, G., Highwood, E. J., Shine, K. P., & Stordal, F. (1998). New estimates of radiative forcing due to well mixed greenhouse gases. Geophysical Research Letters, 25(14), 2715\u20132718. https://doi.org/10.1029/98gl01908", "Strassmann, K. M. and Joos, F. (2018). The Bern Simple Climate Model (BernSCM) v1.0: an extensible and fully documented open-source re-implementation of the Bern reduced-form model for global carbon cycle\u2013climate simulations, Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 1887\u20131908, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-1887-2018", "Thomas, M. A., and Lin, T. (2018). A dual model for emulation of thermosteric and dynamic sea-level change. Climatic Change, 148(1\u20132), 311\u2013324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-018-2198-y"]} Supplementary materials for Gonzalez, A. R., & Lin, T. (2022). Translated Emission Pathways (TEPs): Long-Term Simulations of COVID-19 CO2 Emissions and Thermosteric Sea Level Rise Projections. Earth's Future. In Press. Summary: This study introduces climate science to a broader audience by presenting an accessible research framework and environmental data related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A series of translated emission pathways (TEPs) were constructed based on the CO2 emission patterns from the various phases of COVID-19 response. In addition to resembling the forcing scenarios used within climate research, a thermosteric sea level rise analysis was incorporated to further emphasize the environmental benefits that can be obtained from long-term sustainability. As a promising start for including the general public in climate change discussion, this research promotes collective environmental action that mirrors the recommendations of the scientific community. We acknowledge the Carbon Monitor initiative (Liu et al., 2020) for providing the COVID-19 CO2 sectoral emission data used to construct the proposed TEPs. In addition, we acknowledge the developers of the BernSCM (Strassmann and Joos, 2018) that was utilized in this study to relate TEP CO2 emissions to their respective CO2 atmospheric concentrations. Furthermore, we thank the Texas Tech University McNair Scholars Program and the Multi-Hazard Sustainability (HazSus) research group for guidance and support throughout the course of this study. Analyses presented herein were performed using the RedRaider computing cluster at Texas Tech University. We thank the team at the High Performance Computing Center (HPCC) for their generous support. In addition, the equipment support from the Vice President for Research & Innovation for T.L.'s HazSus Research Group is gratefully acknowledged.

Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have revolutionized the modern world, powering portable electronic devices and more recently realizing electrification of transportation. With more technological advancements that further improved the performance, LIBs also play an important role as one of the most promising energy storage systems in transforming into renewable energy sources and achieving net zero emissions. However, state-of-the-art intercalation-based LIBs are beginning to mature and reach their theoretical capacity limits. To further improve the electrochemical performance of batteries and meet growing demands of energy storage applications, there have been growing efforts to increase the energy density beyond the limits of conventional LIBs. In this thesis, we examine two examples of multi-electron systems–Mg electrolytes and Li-rich sulfide cathode materials–to gain insights and establish design principles. First, we explore the magnesium aluminum chloride complex (MACC) electrolyte to study the role of the electrode-electrolyte interface in Mg charge transfer. We demonstrate that MACC electrolyte which normally requires electrolytic conditioning can be chemically activated by the small addition of Mg(HMDS)₂. Solution-phase characterization reveals that Mg(HMDS)₂ helps prevent the formation of passivating film on the Mg surface by scavenging trace amounts of H₂O. Mg(HMDS)₂ also reacts with MACC to form free Cl⁻ which decorates the Mg surface which facilitates Mg electrodeposition and stripping. Next, we investigate three different alkali-rich sulfides-LiNaFeS₂, LiNaCoS₂, and Li1.33-1.33zTi0.67+0.33zVaczS₂ - to probe the role of electronic and physical structure in governing reversible anion redox. We demonstrate that cryomilling LiNaFeS₂ mitigates particle fracturing by increasing microstrain and reducing crystallite size. Isostructural LiNaCoS₂ exhibits more covalent interactions between the transition metal-d and S-p states compared to LiNaFeS₂, but undergoes an irreversible conversion reaction. Lastly, Li₂TiS₃ exhibits no electrochemical activity, but introducing cationic vacancies in Li1.33-1.33zTi0.67+0.33zVaczS₂ activates S oxidation. Li1.33-1.33zTi0.67+0.33zVaczS₂ is studied further to study first-cycle activation and voltage hysteresis in Li-rich sulfides.

Ni-rich layered oxide materials have gained significant attention due to the ongoing advances and demands in energy storage. The energy revolution continues to catapult the need for improved battery materials, especially for applications in portable electronic devices and electric vehicles. Lithium batteries are at the frontier of energy storage. Due to geopolitical concerns, there is a growing need to understand the chemistries of Co-free, Ni-rich layered oxide materials which are cost-efficient and possess increased practical capacity. The challenge to studying this class of materials is their inherent electronic and structural fragility. The fragility of these materials is facilitated by a cooperation of metal cation migration, lattice oxygen loss, and undesirable oxide cathode-electrolyte interfacial reactions. Each of these phenomena contribute to complex electrolyte decomposition pathways and oxide cathode structural distortions. Structural instability leads to poor battery performance metrics including specific capacity fading and decreased Coulombic efficiency. Electrolyte decomposition occurs at the oxide cathode surface, but it can lead to bulk electronic and structural changes, chemomechanical breakdown, and irreversible phase transformations in the material. The work in this dissertation focuses on understanding some of the chemistries associated with degradation of representative Ni-rich layered oxides, specifically LiNiO2 (LNO) and LiNixMnyCozO2 (NMC) (where x+y+z =1) materials. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive review of the interfacial chemistries of fragile, Ni-rich layered oxide materials with carbonate-based liquid electrolytes. These reactions are key in deducing mechanistic pathways that promote thermal runaway. Uncontrollable oxygen loss and electrolyte oxidation leads to catastrophic battery fires and explosions. The chapter highlights the material properties that become perturbed during high states-of-charge which complicate the materials chemistry associated with Ni-rich layered oxides. Lastly, a few strategies to mitigate undesired, structurally detrimental reactions at the Ni-rich layered oxide cathode surface are provided in Chapter 1. To obtain the technical data detailed in this dissertation, a variety of analytical methods are employed. Chapter 2 introduces the working principles of the X-ray techniques, electron microscopy, and other quantification methods. X-ray techniques including synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and its components XANES and EXAFS are discussed. Other X-ray techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are additionally included. Electron microscopy techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) are provided. Quantification methods, such as gas chromatography – flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and other electrochemical testing methods are also described. Detailed experimental information obtained using the analytical methods is provided in the technical chapters. In understanding the chemistry of Ni-rich layered oxides, exploring surface reconstruction is key. Surface reconstruction, a phenomenon caused by a collaboration between Li/Ni cation intermixing and lattice oxygen loss, is one of the major explanations for structural degradation in Ni-rich layered oxide materials. Chapter 3 explores surface reconstruction and deduces a mechanism by which lattice oxygen is loss in LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC622). By exploiting Li+ intercalation chemistry, the work emulates various states-of-charge to explore how delithiation impacts small, organic molecule oxidation. Benzyl alcohol serves as a good probing molecule. It is similar to an oxidizable, nonaqueous electrolytic species that undergoes oxidation at the oxide cathode surface. Structure-reactivity trends are defined to correlate electronic and structural changes, lattice oxygen loss, and small molecule oxidation. After studying a proxy molecule, a practical system is required to grasp the complexity of the cathode-electrolyte interfacial reactions that promote Ni-rich layered oxide degradation. In Chapter 4, an electrolyte stirring experiment is described. Stirring experiments provide an accelerated testing method which helps to deduce the influences of chemical electrolyte decomposition on structural degradation of LiNiO2 (LNO). X-ray techniques are used to illustrate electronic perturbations and structural distortions in the material after probing with EC/DMC w/w 3:7 LiPF6. Additionally, this dissertation chapter features a novel voltage oscillation experiment that is employed to quantify Ni-rich oxide cathode degradation at the phase transition regions. LNO has three charging plateaus – H1 ïƒ M, M ïƒ H2, and H2 ïƒ H3. The latter two plateaus have been largely associated with irreversible structural fragility in Ni-rich layered oxides. Cation intermixing and oxygen loss are two phenomena that are largely associated with decreased Li+ intercalation kinetics and increased undesired side reactions. Although researchers debate the chemical phenomenon that occur at each of the phase transitions, most agree that the H2 ïƒ H3 transition is highly influenced by irreversible lattice oxygen loss. This dissertation chapter describes the studies used to explore the electronic changes and structural distortions that accompany the voltage oscillation electrochemical testing. While Ni-rich layered oxides are largely employed as lithium battery cathodes, this class of material is unique in that it is a reducible and electronically tunable. Electronically modifiable metal oxide materials provide a unique platform to lend information to other applications, such as catalysis. There is much debate surrounding the role of metal oxides on metal nanocatalyst performance for catalytically reductive pathways. Chapter 5 discusses the method of employing LiNiO2 and other NMC materials as electronically tunable metal oxides to determine the role of the reducible metal oxide support on the gold (Au) nanocatalyst for p-nitrophenol reduction to p-aminophenol. By obtaining a continuum of nickel (Ni) oxidation states using delithiation strategies, structural-activity relationship trends are provided. Conversion rates for each of the delithiated materials was calculated using pseudo first-order kinetics. Lastly, a detailed discussion on metal oxide reducibility and its influences on key mechanistic factors, such as the induction period is included. Chapter 6 in this dissertation provides conclusions for the technical work provided. It bridges the works together and describes the overarching findings associated with the chemistries of Ni-rich layered oxide materials. This dissertation lays the foundation for future experimentation and innovation in understanding the surface chemistry of Ni-rich layered oxides. Chapter 7 provides future perspectives for each of the technical works included herein. Additionally, the final chapter includes insights toward the future of lithium batteries and other cathode chemistries. As the world navigates the energy revolution, it is important to provide global perspectives expected to catapult a sustainable future with batteries towards a greener world. Doctor of Philosophy Rechargeable lithium batteries have gained a significant surge of interest due to the ongoing demands for portable electronic devices, as well as the global trend towards electric vehicles to decrease the carbon footprint. Lithium batteries reside at the pinnacle of the energy transition. Layered oxide materials are typically employed as the cathode in Li-ion batteries. Ni-rich layered oxides have gained much interest due to their low cost and good charge/discharge capabilities. As consumers want increased charging rates and longer lifetimes, researchers struggle to optimize the balance between incorporating Ni-rich cathodes and increased safety concerns caused by cathode structural fragility. The lack of structural robustness is largely due to the surface reactivity of Ni-rich layered oxide materials. Bonding arrangements and electron transfer pathways intrinsic to this class of material increases the complexity in understanding the surface chemistry and the associated degradation pathways. Oxygen loss is the major cause of the safety issues in lithium batteries such as battery fires and explosions. To mitigate the safety concerns, it is imperative to understand the chemistries that promote organic, liquid electrolyte decomposition, electronic and structural changes, chemomechanical breakdown, and irreversible phase transformations. Each of these components leads to decreased battery performance. The work in this dissertation describes model and practical platforms to probe and understand the chemistries associated with battery performance degradation. A variety of analytical methods were utilized to determine overall structure-activity relationship trends and are highlighted in Chapter 2. Chapters 3-5 is technical research providing insight on Ni-rich layered oxide degradation pathways and behaviors. The work advances the understanding of battery surface chemistry which will lead to improved cathode design. As batteries continue to grow, it is important to know other applications that benefit from the unique chemistry of Ni-rich layered oxide materials. By exploiting the lithium battery cathode chemistry, this dissertation highlights a method to utilize these materials to understand the role of metal oxides on Au nanocatalysts. Conclusions to the findings in this dissertation are provided in Chapter 6. Future perspectives on the technical research provided herein this dissertation is included in Chapter 7. Additionally, Chapter 7 details future perspectives for lithium batteries and how they can facilitate the global transition toward a sustainable future.

The furious pace of global urbanisation has serious impacts on the long-term sustainability and health of the local communities in which we live. The debate about relationships between population size, environmental management and human well-being must now encompass the fundamental concept of sustainability (Rees, 1992; WCED, 1990; McMichael, 2002; Hancock, 1996). Increasingly, the local municipal level is the most influential setting in which to change our relationship with the environment (Chu, 1994; Chu et al., 2000). In the 1980s, the World Health Organisation (WHO) met this global challenge by advocating healthy public policy and laying foundations for its global Healthy Cities Movement. Significant support developed in the early nineties for participatory health planning action in local government: over 2000 cities world-wide developed municipal public health plans (MPH Plans). The Healthy Cities Movement through regional networks of cities and towns encouraged government partnerships with non-government agencies and industry, to anticipate and mitigate urbanisation’s negative impacts. In Queensland eighteen local governments have developed and implemented MPH Plans using a seven-step process (Chapman and Davey, 1997; WHO (1997b) to improve local planning for health and address the social determinants of health through agency collaboration. There is however limited understanding and evidence of the success factors for the effective implementation of MPH Plans. Studies of the evaluation of Municipal Public Health Planning (MPHP) approaches have focused predominately on the evaluation of the process of planning, without conducting comprehensive evaluation of its implementation. The organisational barriers that contribute to ineffective health-planning implementation have not been well researched and documented. Here lies the gap in the research: MPHP requires thorough qualitative assessment, not only of the planning process, but also the implementation impacts. This research explores the achievements, barriers and success factors associated with MPHP implementation in local government organisations by developing a process and impact evaluation framework and applying it to two MPHP projects in Queensland: one, local planning in an expanding tourist city of over 400,000 people; the second, a regional approach involving two provincial cities with a combined population of 100,000 residents. The research examines the degree of collaboration resulting from health planning and assesses if the aims of the MPH Plans have been met. MPHP is both a health promotion tool and a strategic business planning process applied in local communities: this research seeks to understand more about organisational strategic management issues that act as barriers to planning or impact on the success of planning outcomes. This study design uses qualitative methods with a triangulation approach to analyse and understand the complexities of MPH Plan implementation. Grounded theory provides a methodology for interpreting meanings and discovering themes from the comprehensive process and impact evaluation consisting of preliminary cases studies, key informant interviews, using specific process and impact indicator questions and an analysis of MPHP models compared to other CPHP models and legislative frameworks. The impacts of the intervention are discussed and relate to the implementation effects of MPHP on individuals and organisations including council, government and non-government agencies and on the community. Achievements and barriers associated with MPHP are identified and discussed. Three main factors emerged. Firstly, MPHP had significantly increased the degree of intersectoral collaboration between the agency project partners, with particular success in clarifying the role of agencies in the management and delivery of public health services. The principles of successful partnerships need to be further articulated in local government settings to successfully implement MPHP. Secondly, positive political and organisational support was found to be a critical factor in the success of the planning implementation. Thirdly, and most importantly, the aims of the MPHP had not been substantially met due to a lack of financial and human resources. The study concluded that, although MPHP has strengths and weaknesses compared to other CPHP models, its features most suit local government. Success factors recommended for effective MPHP include formalising collaboration and partnerships and improved agency organisational governance in planning; building individual and organisational capacity to strengthen strategic planning; integrating the many layers of regulatory planning in local government and other agencies; sustaining planning structures and processes through regulation and commitment to investment in implementation stages of MPHP. The study’s major recommendation is that, for MPHP local government should facilitate a three-dimensional platform approach: healthy governance – long-term vision, recognising the many layers of planning, supported by state legislation and local industry and with awareness of legislative planning frameworks; a platform mechanism – sustaining agency networking, hosting the stakeholder forum, supporting the advisory committee, enhancing communication; and strategy implementation – in the context of an improved understanding of organisational behaviour, local government and agencies must action priority strategies, formalising agency partners responsibility, articulating desired outcomes, monitoring progress and evaluation. This recommended Platform Approach to MPHP provides an effective model for managing and implementing future MPH Plans, allocating resources three ways: to build people’s capacity to engage in planning mechanisms, to build organisational capacity to manage planning outcomes and to build more effective Healthy Cities planning approaches. The MPHP evaluation framework developed in this thesis could be used to evaluate other MPHP projects in local governments both in Australia and internationally.

SARS-COV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19 is able to infect cells through its Spike protein (SPp) which must first bind to its receptor ACE2. Most currently developed vaccines target the SARS-COV-2 encoded Spike protein. Many SARS-COV-2 variants have been identified that exhibit several mutations in their Spike protein. SARS-COV-2 variant, B.1.526 was identified in New York, U.S.A. [Annavajhala, M.K. (2021) medRxiv, DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.23.21) and shown to contain the mutations, L5F, T95I, D253G, E484K, S477N, D614G and A701V. T95 and S477 of SPp are phosphorylation sites for a number of Protein kinases, including Cdk1 and GSK-3. Here, through Computerized Structure Model Analysis and Thermodynamic Calculations, it is shown that phosphorylations of T95 and S477 increases the stabilities of SARS-COV-2 encoded SPp-ACE2 and SPp-DC-SIGN complexes with very marginal effects on the binding efficiencies between the components of the complexes, and mutations T95I and S477N antagonize the effects of the phosphorylations of T95 and S477. Thus, it appears that SARS-COV-2 variant, B.1.526 has adapted to exploit the protein phosphorylation apparatus of its host cells to its advantage, and the effects of phosphorylation of of T95 and S477 are blunted through random mutation. Whether Neutralizing Antibodies that target SPp can recognize the phosphorylated forms of SPp is currently unknown.

The paper focuses on the issue of obesi- ty, which has become one of the most insidious world epidemics and a serious threat to global health. The aim is to highlight the relationships between obesity and the sustainability of the food system and to discuss the effectiveness of different policies that could be implemented to address the problem. An empirical analysis has been carried out, aimed at assessing the relationship between price and energy density of foods and price premium for low-calorie foods. The main conclusion of the paper is that the aim of reducing obesity, which is a priority for food sustainability policies, cannot be achieved without regulatory intervention designed to reverse relative prices between obesogenic and healthy foods.