The Swiss National Air Pollution Monitoring Network (NABEL) - Bridging Science and Environmental Policy.

Awareness of atmospheric air quality in Switzerland became a concern in the 1960s, as a result of which the Swiss National Air Pollution Monitoring Network (Nationales Beobachtungsnetz für Luftfremdstoffe - NABEL) was created in the 1970s. This paper describes the establishment and evolution of NABEL, emphasizing its important role in monitoring air quality in Switzerland, and its contribution to international observation networks and research. The network's history, legal framework, and measurement program are described, and exemplary time-series of air quality parameters are given.

Revisiting regional and seasonal variations in decadal carbon monoxide variability: Global reversal of growth rate.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the important trace gases in the atmosphere capturing the evolution of chemical properties of the troposphere. Here we analyze the growth rates of CO during the period of 1991-2020 using in situ measurements from the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) program. The analysis of trends has been done on different spatial and temporal scales.

Continuous atmospheric in-situ measurements of the CH/CO ratio at the Mt. Cimone station (Italy, 2165 m a.s.l.) and their possible use for estimating regional CH emissions.

Methane (CH) is an important climate forcer, contributing about 17% of the total radiative forcing by long living greenhouse gases. The Po basin is one of the most polluted and densely populated areas in Europe representing an important source region for CH. The aim of this work was to test an inter-species correlation approach to derive estimates of anthropogenic CH emissions for the period 2015-2019 from the Po basin by combining CO bottom-up inventory data and continuous CH and CO observations from a mountain site in the northern Italy.

Observed changes in China's methane emissions linked to policy drivers.

China is set to actively reduce its methane emissions in the coming decade. A comprehensive evaluation of the current situation can provide a reference point for tracking the country's future progress. Here, using satellite and surface observations, we quantify China's methane emissions during 2010-2017.

Warming and redistribution of nitrogen inputs drive an increase in terrestrial nitrous oxide emission factor.

Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs cause major negative environmental impacts, including emissions of the important greenhouse gas NO. Despite their importance, shifts in terrestrial N loss pathways driven by global change are highly uncertain. Here we present a coupled soil-atmosphere isotope model (IsoTONE) to quantify terrestrial N losses and NO emission factors from 1850-2020.

Advances in the agent-based modeling of economic and social behavior.

In this review we discuss advances in the agent-based modeling of economic and social systems. We show the state of the art of the heuristic design of agents and how behavioral economics and laboratory experiments have improved the modeling of agent behavior. We further discuss how economic networks and social systems can be modeled and we discuss novel methodology and data sources.

Syntactic Iron Foams' Properties Tailored by Means of Case Hardening via Carburizing or Carbonitriding.

Metal foam inserts are known for their high potential for weight and vibration reduction in composite gear wheels. However, most metal foams do not meet the strength requirements mandatory for the transfer of sufficiently high levels of torque by the gears. Syntactic iron and steel foams offer higher strength levels than conventional two-phase metal foams, thus making them optimum candidates for such inserts.

Adjustment of Mechanical Properties of Medium Manganese Steel Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion with a Subsequent Heat Treatment.

Medium manganese steels can exhibit both high strength and ductility due to transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP), caused by metastable retained austenite, which in turn can be adjusted by intercritical annealing. This study addresses the laser additive processability and mechanical properties of the third-generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) on the basis of medium manganese steel using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). For the investigations, an alloy with a manganese concentration of 5 wt.

Effect of Design Modification on the Distortion Behavior of a Complex Counter Gear.

A change in component design could help achieve objectives in lightweight construction. However, lightweight component design can incur serious distortion problems after the final heat treatment due to reduced stiffness or asymmetries in the mass distribution. The analysis of design modification through geometrical variations and their consequences on the distortion behavior through experiments can be costly and time consuming.

The fingerprint of the summer 2018 drought in Europe on ground-based atmospheric CO measurements.

During the summer of 2018, a widespread drought developed over Northern and Central Europe. The increase in temperature and the reduction of soil moisture have influenced carbon dioxide (CO) exchange between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems in various ways, such as a reduction of photosynthesis, changes in ecosystem respiration, or allowing more frequent fires. In this study, we characterize the resulting perturbation of the atmospheric CO seasonal cycles.

Can Qigong improve non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease - A pilot randomized controlled trial?

Non-motor symptoms (NMS) including sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and cognitive decline can significantly impact quality of life in people with PD. Qigong exercise is a mind-body exercise that shows a wide range of benefits in various medical conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Qigong exercise on NMS with a focus on sleep quality.

Multiscale Material Characterization Based on Single Particle Impact Utilizing Particle-Oriented Peening and Single-Impact Peening.

If conventional methods are used, the development of new structural materials is experience-based, but still intensive in terms of materials, time and cost. As part of the development of a new method for material development and characterization, particle-oriented peening is used in this work. By means of samples of different sizes-but matching microstructures (100Cr6 (AISI 52100), five different material states)-it is examined whether the quantities determined on microscopic samples can be transferred to macroscopic samples.

Descriptors for High Throughput in Structural Materials Development.

The development of novel structural materials with increasing mechanical requirements is a very resource-intense process if conventional methods are used. While there are high-throughput methods for the development of functional materials, this is not the case for structural materials. Their mechanical properties are determined by their microstructure, so that increased sample volumes are needed.

Participative Spatial Scenario Analysis for Alpine Ecosystems.

Land use and land cover patterns are shaped by the interplay of human and ecological processes. Thus, heterogeneous cultural landscapes have developed, delivering multiple ecosystem services. To guarantee human well-being, the development of land use types has to be evaluated.

Small airway function before and after cold dry air challenge in pediatric asthma patients during remission.

Background: We wanted to compare cold dry air challenge (CACh) induced changes in spirometric parameters with changes in nitrogen multiple breath washout (N MBW) parameters in pediatric asthma patients during clinical remission over the past year (ie, with "inactive asthma"). As N MBW assesses ventilation heterogeneity we expected to gain detailed information about peripheral airways contribution.

Methods: In subjects with normal spirometry N MBW, spirometry and body plethysmography were performed at baseline, after CACh, and after salbutamol inhalation.

Inversion Approach to Validate Mercury Emissions Based on Background Air Monitoring at the High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch (3580 m).

The reduction of emissions of mercury is a declared aim of the Minamata Convention, a UN treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects of mercury. To assess the effectiveness of the convention in the future, better constraints about the current mercury emissions is a premise. In our study, we applied a top-down approach to quantify mercury emissions on the basis of atmospheric mercury measurements conducted at the remote high altitude monitoring station Jungfraujoch, Switzerland.

Short-term effects of physiotherapy on ventilation inhomogeneity in cystic fibrosis patients with a wide range of lung disease severity.

Background: Lung clearance index (LCI) is increasingly used as a study endpoint for therapeutic interventions in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We set out to assess the effect of chest physiotherapy on ventilation inhomogeneity in clinically stable patients with CF lung disease of varying severity.

Methods: In 29 CF patients (7.

Multiple ecosystem services of a changing Alpine landscape: past, present and future.

In mountain regions, ecosystem services provision is strongly linked to land use, topography and climate, where impacts can be expected under global change. For our study site in the Austrian Alps, we examined the relationship between agricultural activities and multiple ecosystem services on landscape scale from past to future. Modelling of future land-use patterns was based on stakeholder workshops considering different socio-economic and climate scenarios.

Molecular hydrogen (H2) emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles.

This study assesses individual-vehicle molecular hydrogen (H2) emissions in exhaust gas from current gasoline and diesel vehicles measured on a chassis dynamometer. Absolute H2 emissions were found to be highest for motorcycles and scooters (141+/-38.6 mg km(-1)), approximately 5 times higher than for gasoline-powered automobiles (26.

Observations of long-lived anthropogenic halocarbons at the high-Alpine site of Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) for assessment of trends and European sources.

Anthropogenic halocarbons, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), bromocarbons (halons) and long-lived chlorinated solvents have been measured continuously at the high-Alpine site of Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) since January 2000. Chloro- and bromo-containing halocarbons are responsible for the stratospheric ozone depletion and will be globally banned from usage within the next years. With the exception of the stable CFC-12 (CF2 Cl2), all major CFCs and chlorinated solvents show a negative trend in recent years in their background concentrations at Jungfraujoch.

An evaluation of the current radiative forcing benefit of the Montreal Protocol at the high-Alpine site Jungfraujoch.

A combination of reconstructed histories, long-term time series and recent quasi-continuous observations of non-CO2 greenhouse gases at the high-Alpine site Jungfraujoch is used to assess their current global radiative forcing budget and the influence of regulations due to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in terms of climate change. Extrapolated atmospheric greenhouse gases trends from 1989 assuming a business-as-usual scenario, i.e.

Measurements of OVOCs and NMHCs in a Swiss highway tunnel for estimation of road transport emissions.

Eighteen oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) and eight nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were measured continuously during a two-week campaign in 2004 in the Gubrist highway tunnel (Switzerland). The study aimed to estimate selected OVOC and NMHC emissions of the current vehicle fleet under highway conditions. For the measured OVOCs the highest EFs were found for ethanol (9.