A copula-based inference to piecewise exponential models under dependent censoring,with application to time to metamorphosis of salamander larvae

In ecology and evolutionary biology, controlled animal experiments are often conducted to measure time to metamorphosis which is possibly censored by the competing risk of death and the follow-up end. This paper considers the problem of estimating the survival function of time-to-event when it is subject to dependent censoring. When the censorship is due to competing risks, the traditional assumption of independent censorship may not be satisfied, and hence, the usual application of the Kaplan–Meier estimator yields a biased estimation for the survival function of the event time. This paper follows an assumed copula approach (Zheng and Klein in Biometrika 82(1):127–138, 1995) to adjust for dependence between the event time of interest and the competing event time. While the literature on an assumed copula approach has mostly focused on semiparametric settings, we alternatively consider a parametric approach with piecewise exponential models for fitting the survival function. We develop maximum likelihood estimation under the piecewise exponential models with an assumed copula. A goodness-of-fit procedure is also developed, which touches upon the identifiability issue of the copula. We conduct simulations to examine the performance of the proposed method and compare it with an existing semiparametric method. The method is applied to real data analysis on time to metamorphosis for salamander larvae living in Hokkaido, Japan (Michimae et al. in Evol Ecol Res 16:617–629, 2014).     

Analysis and evaluation of chlorinated persistent organic compounds and PAHs in sludge in Korea

The concentrations of 12 POPs listed in the Stockholm convention, chlorophenols (CPs) and PAHs were investigated in sludge samples from wastewater and sewage treatment plants (WWTPs and STPs). The concentrations of PCDD/Fs in the wastewater sludge ranged from 0.189 to 1092 ng-TEQkg(-1) dry wt., and most of the sludge samples had levels below the EU guideline for the land application of PCDD/Fs (<100 ng-TEQkg(-1) dry wt.) except one sample. Co-PCB congeners were analyzed from four WWTPs, with total concentrations ranging from 0.265 to 26.6 ng-TEQkg(-1) dry wt., which were similar to the results obtained from previous studies. The levels of PCDD/Fs and Co-PCBs varied according to the main source of the influent to each WWTP and the paper industry was the main source of these compounds in the sludge due to the chlorine bleaching process. In case of OCPs, HCB and p,p'-DDE were detected at relatively high levels in the sludge samples compared to other target compounds, ranging from 1.30 to 21.5 microg kg(-1) dry wt. and 0.758 to 14.8 microg kg(-1) dry wt., respectively. Different OCP distribution patterns were observed according to sludge types, with HCB and DDTs being dominant in the sludge from WWTPs and STPs, respectively. The total levels of PAHs and CPs ranged from 1.24 to 44.9 mg kg(-1) dry wt. and 0.340 to 3.85 mg kg(-1) dry wt., respectively. The PAHs and CPs were also shown to have various distribution patterns, possibly due to the different wastewater sources to the WWTPs.     

Polychlorinated biphenyl (118) activates osteoclasts and induces bone resorption in goldfish

To analyze the effect of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 118 on fish bone metabolism, we examined osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, as well as plasma calcium levels, in the scales of PCB (118)-injected goldfish. In addition, effect of PCB (118) on osteoclasts and osteoblasts was investigated in vitro. Immature goldfish, in which the endogenous effects of sex steroids are negligible, were used. PCB (118) was solubilized in dimethyl sulfoxide at a concentration of 10 ppm. At 1 and 2 days after PCB (118) injection (100 ng/g body weight), both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, and plasma calcium levels were measured. In an in vitro study, then, both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities as well as each marker mRNA expression were examined. At 2 days, scale osteoclastic activity in PCB (118)-injected goldfish increased significantly, while osteoblastic activity did not change significantly. Corresponding to osteoclastic activity, plasma calcium levels increased significantly at 2 days after PCB (118) administration. Osteoclastic activation also occurred in the marker enzyme activities and mRNA expressions in vitro. Thus, we conclude that PCB (118) disrupts bone metabolism in goldfish both in vivo and in vitro experiments.     

Environmental risk assessment and concentration trend of atmospheric volatile organic compounds in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Purpose  

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influences of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions on hazardousness and photochemical reactivity and to propose efficient VOCs abatement strategies.     

The status of flood wastes treatment and future tasks in South Korea

Natural disasters such as typhoon, flood, and heavy rainfall cause damage in South Korea every year during the summer season. After each rainy season, South Korea suffers not only from flood wastes but also from debris that pile up at dams and stagnate at the estuary of the river. Thus, it is very important to handle these types of wastes as quickly as possible to recover from flood damages and to prevent environmental contamination such as offensive odor and water contamination by the leachate from flood wastes. Other countries such as Japan or USA have established and implemented regulations and guidelines for flood waste. Note, however, that South Korea did not establish practical guidelines; hence, the urgency of establishing practical measures for flood waste. In this study, we suggested various ways of making environmentally sound guidelines including the method of reducing the amount of flood waste by environmentally sound treatment process for flood waste, and the method of setting up and operating the temporary storage site for purposes of efficient separation and treatment of flood waste.     

Assessment of characteristic distribution of PCDD/Fs and BFRs in sludge generated at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants

The presence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furan (PCDD/Fs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in sludge generated at municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs) and industrial wastewater treatment plants (IWTPs) was investigated. The concentrations of these pollutants were in the following ranges: 5.38-7947 ng kg⁻¹ dw (0.02-49.9 ng WHO-TEQ kg⁻¹ dw) for 17 PCDD/Fs, 17.5-66 761 μg kg⁻¹ dw for 27 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1.55-29 604 μg kg⁻¹ dw for hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) (α-, β-, and γ-diastereomers), and 4.01-618 μg kg⁻¹ dw for tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Generally, the levels of each compound in the sewage-sludge samples were higher than those in the industrial-sludge samples with some exceptions. The characteristic distribution profiles of target compounds were observed for different types of sludge and different sources of wastewater. High-chlorinated PCDD/Fs were dominant in all samples except those from the textile industry. The distribution of the BFRs in industrial-sludge samples varied, whereas that of the BFRs in sewage-sludge samples was consistent. The proportion of penta-BDEs in sewage sludge was higher than that in industrial sludge, even though BDE-209 was the most dominant congener in all the samples. For HBCDs, the distribution of diastereomers (α-, β-, and γ-HBCD) was similar across sludge samples that had the same source of wastewater and treatment processes.     

International comparative study of 3R and waste management policy developments

Reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R) policies form the basis of waste management and global warming countermeasures globally, so we conducted a comparative study of 3R and waste management policies in the European Union (EU), USA, Korea, Japan, China, and Vietnam. An international workshop for 3R and waste management policymakers was held in Kyoto, Japan, and a bibliographic survey was also conducted to collect data. 3R policies are clearly given priority in the hierarchy of waste management in every country studied. Thermal recovery, which includes power generation from waste heat and methane gas collected from organic waste, is also a priority; this is consistent with the increased use of countermeasures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the EU, waste management is characterized by practical and effective 3R policies through the development of realistic regulations and by the policymakers??desire to simplify management systems. The policy ideal in China, however, is the development of a circular economy that targets reductions in the amount and hazardousness of waste. Limits on the number of final disposal sites, strategies for procuring resources, and GHG emission countermeasures are closely linked with 3R policies, and further development of 3R policies in parallel with such issues is expected.     

Municipal solid waste management and short-term projection of the waste discard levels in Taiwan

Industrialization and urbanization result in significant changes in lifestyle. These lifestyle changes seem to lead to unsustainable consumption patterns and increase the generation of various kinds of environmental loads, especially the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). Taiwan is a small island with scarce natural resources. The economic development in Taiwan has resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW. As a result, the Taiwan Environmental Pollution Administration (TEPA) has produced regulations for waste minimization and has imposed several important policy measures that have successfully reduced the MSW discard rate in recent years and have established a public recycling network as a part of the MSW collection. Nowadays, the objective of the MSW policies in Taiwan is to develop a “zero-waste society.” This article aims to review the MSW management progress in Taiwan and to project future MSW discards up to 2011 based on the national plan and assumed scenarios for socioeconomic variables. According to the analysis results, a more sustainable consumption pattern can be proposed and the corresponding MSW management system can be planned so as to develop a low-waste-discard society.     

A feasibility study of thermal hydrolysis by-products as barrier layer materials in the final cover system for a landfill

Most sludge has historically been disposed of in landfills and by ocean dumping but, because of its heavy metal content, this will be totally banned in Korea starting in 2012, based on the London Dumping Convention. Therefore, treatment and disposal methods that are environmentally friendlily are urgently required. The recycling of sewage sludge is a good treatment method for solving sludge problems in an environmentally friendly way. In this study, physical and environmental tests were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using the by-products of thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge as barrier layer materials in the final cover systems for landfills. In addition, testing methods for freezing-thawing (KS F 2332) and wetting-drying (KS F 2330) cycles were conducted to assess the effects of cold and hot soil climates starting from pavement. These tests yielded positive results for alternative materials for the barrier layer in a final cover system for a landfill.     

Sustainable Water Resources Management in a Conflict Resolution Framework1

Abstract: A decision support system for sustainable water resources management in a water conflict resolution framework is developed to identify and evaluate a range of acceptable alternatives for the Geum River Basin in Korea and to facilitate strategies that will result in sustainable water resource management. Working with stakeholders in a “shared vision modeling” framework, sustainable management strategies are created to illustrate system tradeoffs as well as long‐term system planning. A multi‐criterion decision‐making (MCDM) approach using subjective scales is utilized to evaluate the complex water resource allocation and management tradeoffs between stakeholders and system objectives. The procedures used in this study include the development of a “shared vision model,” a simulated decision‐making support system (as a tool for sustainable water management strategies associated with water conflicts, management options, and planning criteria), and the application of MCDM techniques for evaluating alternatives provided by the model. The research results demonstrate the utility of the sustainable water resource management model in aid of MCDM techniques in facilitating flexibility during initial stages of alternative identification and evaluation in a basin suffering from severe water conflicts.