A Parallel Study of SAR Levels in Head Tissues for Three Antennas Used in Cellular Telephones: Monopole, Helix and Patch

Summary This paper is a comparative study of several antennas commonly used in cellular telephones. These include a monopole, a helix-monopole and a patch antenna. Each one of these structures is modeled and numerically tested using finite-difference time-domain simulation and human models based on magnetic-resonance images, which allow for inclusion of details of the human body in the simulation. The testing procedure involves antenna simulation in the proximity of the human head. The behavior of each antenna is evaluated for variable distances from the head geometry (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mm). Continuous waveform, representative of the sources used in mobile telephones, (250 mW, 1.8 GHz) is used as the form of the antenna excitation. The simulation outputs used as measures for this comparative study include transmitting and receiving antenna characteristics and the specific absorption rate (SAR). The SAR levels for the head tissues are calculated for and with accordance to the two currently accepted standards: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The computed SAR levels within each of the considered tissues vary for the three antennas under investigation and are within the determined health safety standards. Results suggest that the patch antenna may be the structure of choice when considering safety standards, as its radiation yields the lowest local SAR in the head tissues.     

Tillage erosion and its effect on soil properties and crop yield in Denmark

Tillage erosion had been identified as a major process of soil redistribution on sloping arable land. The objectives of our study were to investigate the extent of tillage erosion and its effect on soil quality and productivity under Danish conditions. Soil samples were collected to a 0.45-m depth on a regular grid from a 1.9-ha site and analyzed for 137Cs inventories, as a measure of soil redistribution, soil texture, soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, and phosphorus (P) contents. Grain yield was determined at the same sampling points. Substantial soil redistribution had occurred during the past decades, mainly due to tillage. Average tillage erosion rates of 2.7 kg m(-2) yr(-1) occurred on the shoulderslopes, while deposition amounted to 1.2 kg m(-2) yr(-1) on foot- and toeslopes. The pattern of soil redistribution could not be explained by water erosion. Soil organic carbon and P contents in soil profiles increased from the shoulder- toward the toeslopes. Tillage translocation rates were strongly correlated with SOC contents, A-horizon depth, and P contents. Thus, tillage erosion had led to truncated soils on shoulderslopes and deep, colluvial soils on the foot- and toeslopes, substantially affecting within-field variability of soil properties. We concluded that tillage erosion has important implications for SOC dynamics on hummocky land and increases the risk for nutrient losses by overland flow and leaching. Despite the occurrence of deep soils across the study area, evidence suggested that crop productivity was affected by tillage-induced soil redistribution. However, tillage erosion effects on crop yield were confounded by topography-yield relationships.     

Monitoring the performance and decline of heritage trees in urban Hong Kong

Urban trees in Hong Kong exist in stressful and harsh habitat conditions due mainly to the exceptionally high-density development mode. This study focuses on the cream of the urban tree stock, the heritage trees, which were selected according to five sets of stringent criteria: species, dimension, structure, condition, location, and special considerations. The study area covers the main urban core of the city. The loss of trees in two periods, 1993-1998 and 1999-2003, was monitored, with the predisposing and direct causes of damages ascertained as far as possible. Of the 380 heritage specimens, 54 trees were lost in the survey period. The main predisposing causes were injuries sustained in roadwork and construction activities, both related to root damage and soil disturbance. The principal direct causes were recent gradual decline and abrupt demise due to typhoon breakage. Three pairs of contributing variables registered statistically significant associations (chi(2) test), namely predisposing cause versus direct cause, tree growth form versus direct cause, and survey period versus direct cause. Principal component analysis identified three factors that explained 70% of the variance, namely tree form, tree stature, and growth environment. The main reasons for the high mortality were explored. The possible applications of the findings to improve tree protection and management were discussed in relation to the overall planning for meritorious greenery and green space especially in compact cities.     

Research and application of method of oxygen isotope of inorganic phosphate in Beijing agricultural soils

Phosphorus (P) in agricultural ecosystems is an essential and limited element for plants and microorganisms. However, environmental problems caused by P accumulation as well as by P loss have become more and more serious. Oxygen isotopes of phosphate can trace the sources, migration, and transformation of P in agricultural soils. In order to use the isotopes of phosphate oxygen, appropriate extraction and purification methods for inorganic phosphate from soils are necessary. Here, we combined two different methods to analyze the oxygen isotopic composition of inorganic phosphate (δ¹⁸O_P) from chemical fertilizers and different fractions (Milli-Q water, 0.5 mol L^?1 NaHCO₃ (pH = 8.5), 0.1 mol L^?1 NaOH and 1 mol L^?1 HCl) of agricultural soils from the Beijing area. The δ¹⁸O_P results of the water extracts and NaHCO₃ extracts in most samples were close to the calculated equilibrium value. These phenomena can be explained by rapid P cycling in soils and the influence of chemical fertilizers. The δ¹⁸O_P value of the water extracts and NaHCO₃ extracts in some soil samples below the equilibrium value may be caused by the hydrolysis of organic P fractions mediated by extracellular enzymes. The δ¹⁸O_P values of the NaOH extracts were above the calculated equilibrium value reflecting the balance state between microbial uptake of phosphate and the release of intracellular phosphate back to the soil. The HCl extracts with the lowest δ¹⁸O_P values and highest phosphate concentrations indicated that the HCl fraction was affected by microbial activity. Hence, these δ¹⁸O_p values likely reflected the oxygen isotopic values of the parent materials. The results suggested that phosphate oxygen isotope analyses could be an effective tool in order to trace phosphate sources, transformation processes, and its utilization by microorganisms in agricultural soils.     

KOH活化花生壳生物质炭对亚甲基蓝吸附性能研究

以花生壳生物质炭(P-BC)为原料,KOH为活化剂,采用化学活化法制得活化生物质炭(K-BC),通过考察对亚甲基蓝的吸附性能,研究了花生壳生物质炭的最佳活化条件,并利用N2吸附-脱附实验、SEM等对最佳活化条件下的生物质炭进行表征。结果表明,K-BC活化的最佳条件为碱炭比为1.5∶1,活化温度为800℃,活化时间为90 min,此时K-BC的比表面积达到597.93 m2/g,总孔容达到0.76 cm3/g。并考察了亚甲基蓝初始浓度、pH等对K-BC吸附亚甲基蓝的影响,随着初始浓度的增加,吸附平衡时间显著延长,亚甲基蓝去除率显著降低;当pH=6时,K-BC对亚甲基蓝的吸附量最大;K-BC对亚甲基蓝的吸附动力学曲线符合伪二阶动力学模型,吸附平衡时K-BC对亚甲基蓝的吸附能力为80~149.95 mg/g。     

Hydro-thermal reaction according to the CaO/SiO2 mole-ratio in silico-manganese slag

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - SiMn slag is a by-product of the production of ferroalloy, and has a chemical composition that could be used as a cement admixture. It is not...     

Reproductive toxicity of lead,cadmium, and phthalate exposure in men

Environmental toxicants viz lead or cadmium and phthalate esters (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate [DEHP], dibutyl phthalate [DBP], and diethyl phthalate [DEP]) widely found in different environmental strata are linked to deteriorating male reproductive health. The objective was to assess the relationships between the seminal lead, cadmium, and phthalate (DEHP, DBP, DEP) concentrations at environmental level and serum hormone levels and semen quality in non-occupationally exposed men and specify the effect of individual and combined exposure of toxicants on semen quality. A study of 60 male partners of couples attending the Andrology Laboratory of the Reproductive Biology Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India for semen analysis to assess their inability to achieve a pregnancy was selected for the study. The results of univariate and stepwise multiple regression analysis in the unadjusted model showed a significant correlation between lead or cadmium and phthalates DEHP/DBP/DEP and sperm motility, sperm concentration, and DNA damage. After adjusting for potential confounders, an association with lead or DEHP was only observed. The present data shows that lead (Pb) or cadmium (Cd) or phthalates might independently contribute to decline in semen quality and induce DNA damage. Phthalates might influence reproductive hormone testosterone. These findings are significant in light of the fact that men are exposed to a volley of chemicals; however, due to the small sample size, our finding needs to be confirmed in a larger population.