Population Growth, Available Resources, and Quality of Life： China＇s Post-Reform Economic Development

Two opposing intellectual traditions and their contem- porary developments regarding the relations among population, available resources, and quality of life as reflected in economic growth are reviewe...     

Changing effluent chemistry affect survival,growth and physiological function of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia nilotica</Emphasis> seedlings in northwestern region of India

Recycling and conservation efforts for water are the need of the day because of the lack of new water sources and the ever-increasing demand for drinking water. Seedlings of Acacia nilotica L. were irrigated with: canal water (T₁, control); municipal effluent (T₂); textile effluent (T₃); steel effluent (T₄); textile + municipal effluent in 1:1 ratio (T₅); steel + municipal effluent in 1:2 ratio (T₆); steel + textile in 1:2 ratio (T₈) and steel + municipal + textile in 1:2:2 ratio (T₇) with views to observe effluents effect on the seedlings and its adaptability and to recommend safe disposal of these effluents. Seedlings in T₆, T₇ and T₈ showed 50% lesser height and collar diameter than those in control. Seedlings in T₂ attained greatest height, collar diameter, numbers of branches and produced 140 g dry biomass seedling⁻¹. Highest concentration of manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) and lowest concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in the seedlings of T₄, T₆, T₇ and T₈ resulted in nutritional imbalance, mineral toxicity and reduction in photosynthetic (Pn) and transpiration (E) rates and caused seedling mortality. Seedlings of T₃ had highest sodium concentration and low concentration of Ca, Mg and micronutrients resulting in nutritional imbalance, augmented chlorosis and reduced gas exchange and biomass by half as compared to control. Increased growth, Pn and E and biomass in seedlings of T₅ over T₃ and survival period in T₆, T₇ and T₈ seedlings suggested a beneficial effect of effluents mixing. Unscientific disposal should be avoided and toxic concentration of metal ions␣may be reduced for long-term application and harmless disposal of effluents in afforestation and urban development.     

Physicochemical substance properties as indicators for unreliable exposure in microplate-based bioassays

In the last years many efforts were made to transform standardized algal test protocols into low-cost microplate assays. While advantages were pointed out frequently, limitations are not systematically addressed, thus hindering a widespread utilisation. In this study a group of organic substances with a wide distribution of volatility (log K_AW from −6.53 to −2.13) and lipophilicity (log K_OW from 1.26 to 4.92) was investigated with respect to the influence of these physicochemical properties on their algal toxicity in different assays. Therefore the EC₅₀ values were determined with a microplate assay based on ISO 8692 protocol and the results were compared with those of an established algal growth inhibition test conducted in air tight glass vessels. Using the ratio of the EC₅₀ values, a clear connection between biological response and volatility as well as lipophilicity of test substances could be detected. Chemicals with a log K_OW higher than 3 or a Henry coefficient log K_AW higher than −4 were identified as less effective in the microplate assay than in the comparative assay. The loss in nominal concentration due to physicochemical properties could be shown to contribute to this using HPLC analysis. Consequently, when using microplate assay’s one should be aware that lipophilic and volatile chemicals might be underestimated in their toxicity, which could be indicated from evaluating related physicochemical properties modelled from structural information prior to an experimental investigation.     

富营养化水体中铵态氮对金鱼藻生长的影响

通过控制pH（7和9）范围以区分分子态氨(NH3)和离子态氨(NH+4)，研究了不同浓度铵态氮(NH+4 N)对金鱼藻生长的影响。研究结果表明：金鱼藻〖JP+1〗相对生长速率的变化范围为每天-010~003。在分子态氨浓度小于022 mg/L时，铵态氮对金鱼藻的毒性是由离子态氨和分子态氨共同作用。在分子态氨达到最大浓度439 mg/L时，〖JP〗金鱼藻的生长速率显著减少，直至死亡。随着铵态氮浓度的增加和胁迫时间的延长，金鱼藻体内碳氮比下降,叶绿素含量下降，光合作用减弱,相对生长速率下降。试验结果为合理利用金鱼藻来改善水质提供科学依据，同时也为研究分子态氨对沉水植物的胁迫作用提供参考。     

中国环境污染与经济增长的实证研究

本文基于我国1981-2007年环境污染与经济增长的相关数据,利用时间序列研究方法对我国EKC进行实证研究,说明建立EKC模型可能存在的问题。为弥补EKC模型中环境不影响经济的假设与变量难以量化的不足,运用VAR模型研究二者的动态关系。EKC研究结果表明:EKC是一种客观现象,而不是一般规律;与人们生产生活关系密切的污染物更有可能出现EKC特征。VAR脉冲响应和方差分解的动态分析结果与二者相互作用机理相符:一方面我国经济增长通过规模效应、结构效应、技术效应等因素影响环境;一方面随着人们环境质量需求弹性的增加,政府对环境质量的重视,环境对企业生产行为的约束机制正逐步形成,但可能由于人们通过自身消费影响产出的作用有限和环境政策实施存在滞后性等原因,这种机制的形成存在一定滞后。     

中国农村经济制度变迁与农业周期性增长分析

农业增长除受到基本投入要素的影响,还受制度因素的影响。对于制度因素对农业增长的影响的研究,大多文献是从定性的角度分析。本文运用计量经济学和统计方法,通过对1978-2007年总体和不同阶段农业增长与农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度进行理论和实证分析,探讨制度变迁对农业生产总值增长的推动作用。文章通过分析发现,我国农业在要素投入并没有周期性变化的情况下,农业总产值增长率却呈现一定的周期性。为了探究农业周期性增长的原因,本文结合我国农村经济制度变迁的路径和农业总产值指数变化的特点,将改革开放以来我国农业增长分为三个阶段进行分析,同时根据Griliches生产函数构造计量分析模型。通过分析发现,正是由于不同阶段农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度的变迁,导致农业生产总值增长率周期性起伏。因此,制度变迁是改革开放后中国农业经济增长的内在决定性因素。     

Aortic isthmus Doppler velocimetry: role in assessment of preterm fetal growth restriction

Intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR) is an important pregnancy complication associated with significant adverse clinical outcome, stillbirth, perinatal morbidity and cerebral palsy. To date, no uniformly accepted management protocol of Doppler surveillance that reduces mortality and cognitive morbidity has emerged. Aortic isthmus (AoI) evaluation has been proposed as a potential monitoring tool for IUGR fetuses. In this review, the current knowledge of the relationship between AoI Doppler velocimetry and preterm fetal growth restriction is reviewed. Relevant technical aspects and reproducibility data are reviewed as we discuss AoI Doppler and its place within the existing repertoire of Doppler assessments in placental insufficiency. The AoI is a link between the right and left ventricles which perfuse the lower and upper body, respectively. The clinical use of AoI waveforms for monitoring fetal deterioration in IUGR has been limited, but preliminary work suggests that abnormal AoI impedance indices are an intermediate step between placental insufficiency-hypoxemia and cardiac decompensation. Further prospective studies correlating AoI indices with arterial and venous Doppler indices and perinatal outcome are required before encorporating this index into clinical practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis with Bird Populations as Habitat-Specific Environmental Indicators: Evidence from Canada

Abstract:  The traditional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis postulates that environmental degradation follows an inverted U-shaped relationship with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. We tested the EKC hypothesis with bird populations in 5 different habitats as environmental quality indicators. Because birds are considered environmental goods, for them the EKC hypothesis would instead be associated with a U-shaped relationship between bird populations and GDP per capita. In keeping with the literature, we included other variables in the analysis—namely, human population density and time index variables (the latter variable captured the impact of persistent and exogenous climate and/or policy changes on bird populations over time). Using data from 9 Canadian provinces gathered over 37 years, we used a generalized least-squares regression for each bird habitat type, which accounted for the panel structure of the data, the cross-sectional dependence across provinces in the residuals, heteroskedasticity, and fixed- or random-effect specifications of the models. We found evidence that supports the EKC hypothesis for 3 of the 5 bird population habitat types. In addition, the relationship between human population density and the different bird populations varied, which emphasizes the complex nature of the impact that human populations have on the environment. The relationship between the time-index variable and the different bird populations also varied, which indicates there are other persistent and significant influences on bird populations over time. Overall our EKC results were consistent with those found for threatened bird species, indicating that economic prosperity does indeed act to benefit some bird populations.