Enhancement of association of organic molecules on silica gel by surface water: surface photoreaction of stilbene

Here, we show that association of stilbene molecules is facilitated by water on silica gel because of hydrophobic interaction and photodimerization becomes the main photochemical process. Irradiation of trans-stilbene (t-1) on silica gel gives cis-stilbene (c-1), phenanthrene (2), benzaldehyde (3), and dimers r-ctt-4 and r-tct-4. The yields of the dimers increase and those of 2 and 3 decrease with an increase in the amount of t-1 loaded on silica gel. Atmospheric oxygen is responsible for the formation of 2 and 3. The yields of the dimers also increase with an increase in the water on a silica-gel surface and change drastically at the point where the percentage of water to silica gel is around 25 wt%. All active sites on a silica-gel surface would be covered completely with 25 wt% of water.     

Rodent predation on hibernating peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies

Insects that hibernate as adults have a life span of almost a whole year. Hence, they must have extraordinary adaptations for adult survival. In this paper, we study winter survival in two butterflies that hibernate as adults and have multimodal anti-predator defences—the peacock, Inachis io, which has intimidating eyespots that are effective against bird predation, and the small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae, which does not have an effective secondary defence against birds. We assessed predation on wild butterflies hibernating in the attic of an unheated house, as well as survival of individually marked butterflies placed by hand on different sites in the attic. Our objectives were to assess (1) the number of butterflies that were killed during hibernation, (2) whether survival differed between butterfly species, and (3) how predation was related to hibernation site and the identity of the predator. There was a strong pulse of predation during the first 2 weeks of hibernation: 58% of A. urticae and 53% of I. io were killed during this period. Thereafter, predation decreased and butterfly survival equalled 98% during the final 16 weeks of hibernation. There was no difference in survival between the two butterfly species, but predation was site-specific and more pronounced under light conditions in locations accessible to a climbing rodent, such as the common yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis. We contend that small rodents are likely important predators on overwintering butterflies, both because rodents are active throughout winter when butterflies are torpid and because they occur at similar sites.     

光照与磷的交互作用对两种淡水藻类生长的影响

采用一次性单种培养的方法,研究了磷和光照对铜绿微囊藻和四尾栅藻生长以及叶绿素形成的影响.结果表明,光照水平的提高能够提高藻类最大比增长率,延长藻类指数生长期;但达到一定水平后,光照水平的增加会抑制单细胞藻类体内叶绿素的合成.在试验设定的浓度范围内,磷对藻类最大比增长率的影响不大;而不利于藻类叶绿素的形成.对于铜绿微囊藻的生长,磷与光照表现出明显的交互作用,但对于四尾栅藻,二者的交互作用并不明显.     

Pd/CZ/Al2O3催化剂的制备、表征与三效催化性能

以共浸渍法制得的氧化铝负载铈锆固溶体为载体,并浸渍贵金属Pd得到了Pd/CZ/Al2O3催化剂.实验结果表明,该催化剂在老化前后都表现出良好的三效催化活性,新鲜样品Pd/CZ/Al2O3活性与Pd/CZ相当,老化后样品前者优于后者.结合XRD,BET,TPR等表征手段,讨论了Pd/CZ/Al2O3的催化活性特别是高温老化后活性与其组成结构之间的内在关系,揭示了其老化后仍具有较高活性的主要原因在于保持了Pd与CZ/Al2O3复合载体之间的强相互作用(SMSI).     

上海城市土地利用转变类型及其空间关联分析

基于多时段TM遥感影像资料,通过地图代数和空间关联分析、相邻度分析等空间分析手段的综合应用,论文对上海地区近10年来城市土地利用变化类型、形成过程和相关空间机制进行了研究,结果表明:①近10年来上海城市土地利用扩展经历了“单核扩展”模式为主(1987～1990年)到“单核扩展”、“多核扩展”与“点-轴”扩展模式并存(1990～1995年),直至“多核扩展”及“点-轴”等复杂扩展模式为主(1995～2000年)的变化过程,导致上海中心城区和郊县城镇规模急剧扩张,交通干道沿线区域城市化过程明显增强,并形成整个上海地区城市化网络结构;②面积贡献率较大、转变频率较低的城市土地利用变化类型,与其他类型之间具有较高的关联度和空间亲和性,构成中心城区或卫星城、郊区城镇的扩展核心;③面积贡献率较低的类型,其转变频率较高,分布零散,构成扩展核的外围部分,这些城市周边地区存在一定程度紊乱、不合理的土地利用、开发活动;④城市化过程的内在空间机制与土地利用类型的面积和转变频率有密切关系。在更精细的尺度上依据转变频率划分的类别在一定程度上能更好体现城市土地利用变化类型的空间分异,及其作为宏观驱动机制的社会经济因子所具有的空间差异性。     

Direct protein-protein interaction network for insecticide resistance based on subcellular localization analysis in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

In present study, we constructed the direct protein-protein interaction network of insecticide resistance based on subcellular localization analysis. Totally 177 of 528 resistance proteins were identified and they were located in 11 subcellular localizations. We further analyzed topological properties of the network and the biological characteristics of resistance proteins, such as k-core, neighborhood connectivity, instability index and aliphatic index. They can be used to predict the key proteins and potential mechanisms from macro-perspective. The problem of resistance has not been solved fundamentally, because the development of new insecticides can’t keep pace with the development speed of resistance, and the lack of understanding of molecular mechanism of resistance. As the further analysis to reduce data noise, we constructed the direct protein-protein interaction network of insecticide resistance based on subcellular localization analysis. The interaction between proteins located at the same subcellular location belongs to direct interactions, thus eliminating indirect interaction. Totally 177 of 528 resistance proteins were identified and they were located in 11 subcellular localizations. We further analyzed topological properties of the network and the biological characteristics of resistance proteins, such as k-core, neighborhood connectivity, instability index and aliphatic index. They can be used to predict the hub proteins and potential mechanisms from macro-perspective. This is the first study to explore the insecticide resistance molecular mechanism of Drosophila melanogaster based on subcellular localization analysis. It can provide the bioinformatics foundation for further understanding the mechanisms of insecticide resistance. It also provides a reference for the study of molecular mechanism of insecticide resistance of other insects.     

Impacts of Variable Climate and Effluent Flows on the Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer

Assessing groundwater resources in the arid and semiarid borderlands of the United States and Mexico represents a challenge for land and water managers, particularly in the Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer (TSCA). Population growth, residential construction, and industrial activities have increased groundwater demand in the TSCA, in addition to wastewater treatment and sanitation demands. These activities, coupled with climate variability, influence the hydrology of the TSCA and emphasize the need for groundwater assessment tools for decision‐making purposes. This study assesses the impacts of changes in groundwater demand, effluent discharge, and climate uncertainties within the TSCA from downstream of the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant to the northern boundary of the Santa Cruz Active Management Area. We use a conceptual water budget model to analyze the long‐term impact of the different components of potential recharge and water losses within the aquifer. Modeling results project a future that ranges from severe long‐term drying to positive wetting. This research improves the understanding of the impact of natural and anthropogenic variables on water sustainability, with an accessible methodology that can be globally applied.     

中美大气污染的空间交互影响--来自国家和城市层面PM2.5的经验证据

准确识别中美大气污染的空间交互影响可以为两国在大气污染治理领域开展双边合作提供科学依据。以PM 2.5浓度表征大气污染程度,采用收敛交叉映射(Convergent Cross Mapping,CCM)方法,在采集伯克利地球发布的小时数据的基础上通过算数平均得到2018年1月1日至2018年12月31日的PM 2.5浓度日均数据,从国家和城市两个层面识别了中美大气污染的空间交互影响。研究发现,中美两国的大气污染是空间交互影响的。其中,国家层面,在CCM因果检验基础上的广义同步检验表明,在1%显著性水平上,大气污染仅存在由美国指向中国的单向因果关系。城市层面,中美两国10个样本城市之间理论上共存在50个可能的因果关系(5×5×2)。研究发现,在1%显著性水平上,美国城市指向中国城市的因果关系有12个,而中国城市指向美国城市的因果关系仅有5个。在影响强度上,美国城市的大气污染对中国城市的影响强度高于中国城市的大气污染对美国城市的影响强度,如重庆的大气污染对华盛顿的影响强度为0.21,而华盛顿的大气污染对重庆的影响强度为0.35。面对大气污染的空间交互影响,中美两国可通过积极开展联合科研攻关,厘清大气污染的传输路径及其驱动因素,进行污染物的联合监测与数据管理;通过共享大气污染治理技术和建立大气污染防治基金等方式,加强在大气污染治理领域的合作。一旦中美两国成功建立起大气污染双边合作治理体系,依靠两国的国际地位和国际影响力,必将吸引越来越多的国家参与进来共同行动,大气污染全球治理体系的构建将非常值得期待。     

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) micropollutant herbicide removing from water using granular and powdered activated carbons: a comparison applied for water treatment and health safety

Abstract

Activated carbons are well-known porous materials as an effective adsorbent used for the removal of emerging contaminants, such as herbicides, which are increasingly present in water bodies. Most water treatment plants, specially in Brazil, are unable to completely remove such contaminants by the conventional process and advanced treatment using activated carbons is required. The aim of this paper was to verify the influence of the activated carbons granulometry and specific surface area on the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide removal efficiency using distilled-deionized water and filtered water collected from a conventional Water Treatment Plant. Commercial activated carbons samples used in this work were obtained from two different manufacturers. Activated carbons were analyzed by the specific surface area, pore size and volume distribution, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and x-ray spectroscopy, moisture, volatile matter and ash contents. Batch adsorption isotherms experiments were used and performed by Langmuir and Freundlich models. Granular and powdered activated carbons removed over 99% of 2,4-D in distilled water and near to 99% using filtered water. The activated carbons evaluated in this work presented high performance and played a key role in water treatment by removing 2,4-D herbicide, ensuring the protection of human health and the ecosystem.     

OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT OF RELIEF WELLS NEAR WATERTON RESERVOIR1

ABSTRACT: This study considers the design and analysis of nonpumped well systems to provide pressure relief in the Cochrane aquifer, which is hydraulically connected to the Waterton Reservoir, Analyses of the relief well management problem are performed with a management model formulated by the combined simulation-optimization approach. The model determines active relief well sites and their optimal discharge schedules. The existing relief wells are inadequate to provide the desirable pressure relief. The locations and design capacities of two new relief well systems are determined by the management model. The relationships between reservoir level and well discharge are estimated for these two well systems.