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(1) Green infrastructure, such as green roofs, is emerging as an important way to improve environmental quality and protect crucial ecosystem services in urban areas across the globe. However, limited data exist on the specific ecosystem services provided by green roofs, particularly regarding how these services evolve over time and under varying management regimes. (2) This study examines how management, age and other variables influence some key substrate features, such as decomposition and carbon storage, that drive ecosystem services provided by green roofs in 13 urban locations across three states in the Southeastern United States. Data were collected over 4 months from March to June 2024, using the teabag index and substrate nutrient sampling. (3) We identified several significant effects of green roof management, age and other variables on key drivers of ecosystem services, including decomposition rate, carbon storage, and nutrient composition. (4) Specifically, intensive management practices were associated with lower substrate decomposition rates, while irrigation, substrate additions and elevation had significant positive impacts on decomposition rates, the stabilization factor (carbon storage), organic matter and other nutrient levels. Overall, intensive management, which often involves higher costs, did not consistently enhance ecosystem service delivery and was associated with slight reductions in service provisions. Although further work is needed, this study is among few that have examined green roofs substrates in a statistically rigorous way. Full article

Background: Few standardized bath product clinical trials were performed for atopic dermatitis patients. Pine-tar and green tea extracts are plant-derived products that have been described as having anti-allergic effects which may reduce AD disease severity. Methods: The efficacy of two complementary bath products was studied and compared. Efficacy and acceptability of the bath products were measured by patient general acceptability of treatment (GAT: very good, good, fair or poor), disease severity (SCORAD: SCoring Atopic Dermatitis), quality of life (CDLQI: Children Dermatology Life Quality Index), and pertinent clinical parameters were measured before and after four weeks of treatment. Sample size calculations for further clinical trials were performed. In one group, nine AD patients were subjected to bathing with a pine-tar bath oil for 10–15 min daily for four weeks. In another group, 20 AD subjects bathed with a teabag containing green tea extracts for four weeks. Results: Significant improvements in clinical- and patient-orientated parameters were found in the pine-tar bathing group, but not the tea-bag bathing group. Both groups reported very good/good GAT on the studied products. Teabag bathing was considered not efficacious for further clinical trials. Conclusions: The pilot studies provided preliminary data on the efficacy of pine tar bath oil. We do not document a significant efficacy for bathing with tea extracts. Bathing with pine-tar is potentially a complementary topical treatment with good patient acceptance and adherence, but further evidence-based research for its recommendations is needed. Full article