Attitudes toward abortion for fetal anomaly in the second vs. the third trimester: A survey of Parisian obstetricians

Cross-cultural differences exist in prenatal diagnosis and abortion for fetal anomaly, stemming from variations in laws, reimbursement policies, litigation, physicians' decision-making authority, and attitudes toward the prevention of handicaps. The first part of this paper discusses such differences in France and the U.S. The second part describes a survey of practising obstetricians in Paris, designed to assess (1) their attitudes toward pregnancy termination for various conditions, (2) their concern about fetal viability, (3) their desire for diagnostic certainty before justifying a late abortion, and (4) their perceived role in such decision-making. Among the 64.8 per cent (N = 217) who responded, the majority supported third-trimester termination (TTT) for diseases such as spina bifida, trisomy 21 , microcephaly, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy; 30–59 per cent supported TTT for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease; and 22–29 per cent supported TTT for haemophilia, tetralogy of Fallot, limb amputation, and Turner and Klinefelter syndromes. Obstetricians who approved of abortion across trimesters were less concerned with the certainty of diagnosis than its severity, more likely to think that abortion ought to be the parents' choice, but more likely to report making a recommendation to the parents about whether to abort a fetus. Such permissive abortion attitudes might imply more permissive prenatal diagnosis and abortion practice among Parisian obstetricians, which might lead to increased migration of patients from other E.C. countries. Cross-cultural variation in obstetric practice suggests that an international registry of pregnancies terminated for medical reasons, enabling further study of this issue, would be valuable.     

基于热异常探测的北京水泥厂大气污染排放评估

为对水泥行业实现大气污染排放动态监测,反映污染排放的时空分布特征,提出基于热异常点探测数据的新型干法水泥气态污染物排放量测算方法.利用VIIRS热异常点的FRP(fire radiation power,辐射功率)参数结合水泥产业结构特点,建立FRP与污染物排放之间的定量估算关系.利用2013—2017年北京市水泥生产统计信息和热异常点探测数据进行了大气污染排放评估,结果显示:①利用热异常产品的FRP参数估算北京市水泥厂的污染排放水平,利用NO_x和SO₂排放量的统计数据对排放估算值进行相关性验证,二者统计值与估算值之间的相关性系数分别为0.65和0.63.②2013—2017年北京市所有水泥厂的热异常点数据与环境统计数据中水泥总产量、熟料总产量、煤炭总产量以及NO_x、SO₂和烟(粉)尘排放量的相关性均较好,相关性系数均在0.7左右.③自2013年以来,北京市金隅琉水环保科技有限公司和北京金隅北水环保科技有限公司的热异常点数均呈下降趋势.由于采取了减排措施,水泥总产量和污染排放量也均呈逐年减少的趋势.研究显示,基于热异常点探测数据的新型干法水泥气态污染物排放量测算方法可快速获取水泥厂的位置信息、热释放规模,结合污染排放因子可间接评估水泥厂NO_x和SO₂等主要污染物的排放情况.      

Thermal runaway reaction for highly exothermic material in safe storage temperature

Highly exothermic materials have caused many serious accidents involving storage and transportation, due to being thermally reactive. The safe storage and management of these materials is still a critical problem in many countries. Our aim was to study the thermal hazard of thermal reactive materials, such as a propellant, by employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) non-isothermal tests and isothermal tests, and then comparing the kinetic parameters by isothermal and non-isothermal of kinetics. The chosen approach was to obtain reliable thermal decomposition by a safe and effective method, which acquired the kinetic and safety parameters of storage conditions that could be applied as highly exothermic materials' reduction of loss prevention and energy potential for safer design during storage transport and processing operations.     

Explosibility,flammability and the thermal decomposition of Bisphenol A,the main component of epoxy resin

Bisphenol A is one of the basic compounds used in a synthesis of polycarbonates and epoxy resins. Its dust can create an explosive mixture with air under specific circumstances. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to determine explosion characteristics and flammability behaviour of this compound. The complete flammability characteristic requires the determination of the basic parameters of Bisphenol A under fire conditions including Heat Release Rate, speed of combustion, ability to ignite and the temperature of the decomposition range. To establish those parameters, a cone calorimeter was used. The explosion characteristics were tested in a 20-L spherical vessel. Minimum Ignition Energy was tested on MINOR II Apparatus which is a modified Hartman's Tube. In order to identify hazardous substances generated during a fire involving Bisphenol A, a simultaneous thermal analysis that combines thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry was used. The substances obtained from the thermal degradation were analyzed by infrared spectroscope with Fourier transformation. Furthermore, the application of a Purser furnace and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry facilitated the identification of gaseous substances formed during the thermal degradation of Bisphenol A samples.     

Analysis of the relation between the cellulose,hemicellulose and lignin content and the thermal behavior of residual biomass from olive trees

The heterogeneity of biomass makes it difficult if not impossible to make sweeping generalizations concerning thermochemical treatment systems and the optimal equipment to be used in them. Chemical differences in the structural components of the biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) have a direct impact on its chemical reactivity. The aim of this research was to study the influence of the organic components of the raw material from olive trees (leaves, pruning residues, and wood) in the combustion behavior of this biomass, as well as to find the component responsible for the higher ash content of olive leaves. Accordingly, the study used a thermogravimetric analyzer to monitor the different states and complex transitions that occurred in the biomass as the temperature varied. The decomposition rates of the different samples were analyzed in order to establish a link between each combustion phase and the composition of the raw materials. Two methods were used to determine the hemicellulose and cellulose contents of biomass from olive trees. Significant differences among the results obtained by the different methods were observed, as well as important variations regarding the chemical composition and consequently the thermal behavior of the raw materials tested.     

细水雾幕衰减热辐射的数值模拟研究

针对现有防火分隔技术的不足,以细水雾幕作为新的防火分隔技术,开展了不同细水雾幕雾特性对衰减热辐射影响的数值模拟研究。通过建立长通道模型,在火源和被保护物体中间设置细水雾幕系统,测量有无细水雾幕及不同细水雾特性条件下被保护侧温度及热辐射强度值,来定性定量研究细水雾幕衰减热辐射的效率。模拟结果表明:细水雾幕可以很好的降低被保护侧空间的温度和热辐射强度;衰减热辐射效率随雾滴粒径的减小,喷雾流量的增大,喷头排数增加而增大;另外,其衰减热辐射效率与喷头布置方式有关,上喷方式明显优于下喷方式。研究结果将对现有防火分隔技术的改善提供帮助和技术支持。     

Mathematical methods for application of experimental adiabatic data – An update and extension

The paper represents some results of comparative analysis of the methods used for processing and interpreting data of adiabatic calorimetry as well as applying it to practical situations. Specifically two approaches are compared – approximate method based on evaluation of simplified kinetics and a more comprehensive, simulation-based method that utilizes the evaluation of more detailed kinetic models.The analysis is focused on two important types of data processing – correction of experimental results on thermal inertia (phi-factor correction) and estimation of adiabatic time to maximum rate (TMR).The most widely cited method for phi-factor correction is considered and its improvement is proposed to enable more precise prediction of the adiabatic time scale. A procedure for phi-factor correction of pressure response is also proposed. The limitations of this enhanced Fisher's method are discussed by comparison with simulation-based method. All the illustrative materials are based on real examples.As an example of application, the simplified method will be used to predict TMR and its limitations will be discussed.     

Phosphate removal from domestic wastewater using thermally modified steel slag

This study was performed to investigate the removal of phosphate from domestic wastewater using a modified steel slag as the adsorbent. The adsorption effects of alkalinity, salt, water,and thermal modification were investigated. The results showed that thermal activation at 800℃ for 1 hr was the optimum operation to improve the adsorption capacity. The adsorption process of the thermally modified slag was well described by the Elovich kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir model reached 13.62 mg/g. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface of the modified slag was cracked and that the texture became loose after heating. The surface area and pore volume did not change after thermal modification. In the treatment of domestic wastewater, the modified slag bed(35.5 kg) removed phosphate effectively and operated for 158 days until the effluent P rose above the limit concentration of 0.5 mg/L. The phosphate fractionation method, which is often applied in soil research, was used to analyze the phosphate adsorption behavior in the slag bed. The analysis revealed that the total contents of various Ca–P forms accounted for 81.4%–91.1%, i.e., Ca10–P 50.6%–65.1%, Ca8–P 17.8%–25.0%,and Ca2–P 4.66%–9.20%. The forms of Al–P, Fe–P, and O–P accounted for only 8.9%–18.6%. The formation of Ca10–P precipitates was considered to be the main mechanism of phosphate removal in the thermally modified slag bed.     

Removal of formaldehyde over MnxCe1-xO2 catalysts: Thermal catalytic oxidation versus ozone catalytic oxidation

MnxCe1- xO2（x： 0.3–0.9） prepared by Pechini method was used as a catalyst for the thermal catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde（HCHO）. At x = 0.3 and 0.5, most of the manganese was incorporated in the fluorite structure of Ce O2 to form a solid solution. The catalytic activity was best at x = 0.5, at which the temperature of 100% removal rate is the lowest（270°C）. The temperature for 100% removal of HCHO oxidation is reduced by approximately 40°C by loading 5 wt.% Cu Oxinto Mn0.5Ce0.5O2. With ozone catalytic oxidation, HCHO（61 ppm） in gas stream was completely oxidized by adding 506 ppm O3 over Mn0.5Ce0.5O2 catalyst with a GHSV（gas hourly space velocity） of 10,000 hr-1at 25°C. The effect of the molar ratio of O3 to HCHO was also investigated. As O3/HCHO ratio was increased from 3 to 8, the removal efficiency of HCHO was increased from 83.3% to 100%. With O3/HCHO ratio of 8, the mineralization efficiency of HCHO to CO2 was 86.1%. At 25°C, the p-type oxide semiconductor（Mn0.5Ce0.5O2） exhibited an excellent ozone decomposition efficiency of 99.2%,which significantly exceeded that of n-type oxide semiconductors such as Ti O2, which had a low ozone decomposition efficiency（9.81%）. At a GHSV of 10,000 hr-1, [O3]/[HCHO] = 3 and temperature of 25°C, a high HCHO removal efficiency（≥ 81.2%） was maintained throughout the durability test of 80 hr, indicating the long-term stability of the catalyst for HCHO removal.     

公元1600年秘鲁Huaynaputina火山喷发与长江中下游地区的气候异常

公元1600年秘鲁Huaynaputina火山喷发是过去1 000年全球最大规模的火山喷发之一。考察了此次火山喷发在中国长江中下游地区的可能气候效应。经查阅中国历史文献，在《见闻杂记》、《袁宏道集》和明清地方志中发现了有价值的资料。此次火山喷发在长江中下游地区的气候效应可能表现得比较复杂。结合《见闻杂记》和明清地方志，发现1601年长江下游地区夏季降雪，异常寒冷；结合《袁宏道集》和明清地方志，发现1602年年初至春季长江中下游地区异常多雪和寒冷，这些气候异常与欧洲历史文献和北半球树轮序列等比较一致。另外，结合《见闻杂记》和明清地方志，还发现1601年秋季长江下游部分地区异常炎热。上述气候异常未必都能完全归因于Huaynaputina喷发，但Huaynaputina喷发应该是其中的一个重要原因。〖