Russian Journal of Ecology - Responses to contamination of several soil types with crude oil were comparatively analyzed in organisms of different trophic groups. Samples of soddy podzolic, light... 相似文献
In this study, farmland and mining ecotypes of Solanum photeinocarpum (a potential cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator plant) were reciprocally hybridized each other, and the Cd accumulation characteristics of the F1 hybrids were studied. In pot experiments, higher biomasses and Cd extraction abilities were found for two S. photeinocarpum F1 hybrids than for the parents, but the Cd contents in various organs were lower in the hybrids than the parents. However, the differences between the Cd contents in the two hybrids were not significant. The antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) activities were higher for the S. photeinocarpum F1 hybrids than the parents. Less DNA methylation was found in the hybrids than the parents because more demethylation occurred in the hybrids than the parents. The biomass, Cd content, and Cd extraction ability effects in field experiments were similar to the effects in the pot experiments. It was concluded that reciprocally hybridizing different S. photeinocarpum ecotypes improved the ability of S. photeinocarpum to be used to phytoremediate contaminated land.
Kenya has been expanding provision of healthcare services, taking health facilities closer to the people. While this would be expected to reduce dependence on complementary/alternative medicine, the consumption has continued to rise. This raises the question of whether alternative medicine is replacing conventional medicine or the two are jointly used to deal with diseases. Thus, this study sought to establish the relationship of the two remedies in household choice of healthcare and explored the determinants of such choices. The study used bivariate probit analysis on cross-sectional data. The study found that consumption of conventional medicine and alternative medicine was indeed interdependent. The two were, on average, substitutes although some groups still consumed them jointly. Gender, education and age of the household head, price of conventional medicine, distance to conventional medicine facilities and social networks were found to influence the decisions. Male household heads, price of conventional medicine and distance to conventional medical facilities had a positive relationship with the probability of using alternative remedies. Education and age of household head, and social capital were associated with lower likelihood of choosing alternative remedies. The results of this study have important ramifications for medical researchers, health policy makers and health insurance providers. For medical researchers, joint use of alternative and conventional medicines makes it important to understand the interactions between the two so as to avoid adverse reactions that may endanger the lives of patients. For the health policy makers, because patients have different preferences for healthcare services, it is useful to provide alternative medicine and conventional medicine in a joint and integrated health system for patients’ freedom of choice, and for safety and efficacy of treatment. Health insurance providers, on their part, need to explore the possibilities and modalities for bringing users of alternative medicine, and joint users of alternative and conventional medicines under their cover. 相似文献
Objective: Risky driving behaviors among adolescents, such as riding with a drinking or impaired driver (RWID) or driving while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, are significant public health concerns. Few studies have examined associations of RWID and DUI with future substance use and problems after controlling for baseline substance use. Given that the DUI/RWDD event may be a teachable moment to prevent future consequences (e.g., when injured or arrested), it is important to understand how this risk behavior relates to subsequent use and problems. This study therefore examined characteristics of adolescents who reported DUI and RWID and assessed their risk of future alcohol and marijuana use and consequences 6 months later.Methods: Participants were 668 adolescents aged 12 to 18 (inclusive) recruited at 1 of 4 primary care clinics in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles as part of a larger randomized controlled trial. They completed surveys about their health behaviors at baseline and 6 months after baseline. We examined baseline characteristics of adolescents who reported DUI and RWID and then assessed whether past-year DUI and RWID at baseline were associated with alcohol and marijuana use and consequences 6 months after baseline.Results: Fifty-eight percent of participants were female, 56% were Hispanic, 23% were Black, 14% were White, 7% were multiethnic or other, and the average age was 16 years (SD?=?1.9). At baseline, participants who reported RWID or DUI were more likely to be older, report past-year use of alcohol and marijuana, and more likely to have an alcohol use disorder or cannabis use disorder versus those who did not report RWID or DUI, respectively. At 6-month follow-up and after controlling for baseline demographics and baseline alcohol use, RWID was associated with more frequent drinking episodes in the past 3 months and greater number of drinks in the past month when they drank heavily. DUI at baseline was associated with more frequent heavy drinking episodes and alcohol and marijuana consequences 6 months later.Conclusions: RWID and DUI are significantly associated with greater alcohol and marijuana use over time. This study highlights that teens may be at higher risk for problem substance use in the future even if they ride with someone who is impaired. Prevention and intervention efforts for adolescents need to address both driving under the influence and riding with an impaired driver to prevent downstream consequences. 相似文献
Associations between the concentration of arsenic naturally occurring in drinking water and the development of skin lesions in people have been documented for some years at various locations around the world. Data on the exposure-response relationship between concentrations of arsenic in drinking water and prevalence of skin lesions in farmers from five locations in Inner Mongolia, China have been collected from the original publications and re-analysed together as a meta-study. The calculated data show a positive linear exposure-response relationship without a threshold. The reasons for this linear correlation are discussed and compared with the data from Xinjiang, another arsenism area located in a different geographical area of China. Here a different relationship was recorded that involved a threshold concentration before skin lesions developed. The significance of these two different exposure-response scenarios is discussed. 相似文献
The population biology and life strategies of Chlorophthalmus agassizii were studied in the Ionian Sea (eastern–central Mediterranean) using the data collected during the experimental trawl surveys carried out from 1995 to 2000. Depth-related trends of both density and size were found. With depth the former decreased while the latter increased. A typical bigger–deeper phenomenon was detected: young-of-the-year individuals occur on the shelf during autumn–winter months and move towards bathyal bottoms as they grow. The sampled population was made up of several size–age groups. The maximum age of 8 years was identified by means of otolith readings. The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated from the age–length key (L∞=189.04±5.401 mm; k=0.24±0.021; to=−1.20±0.132; φ′=3.94) and modal progression analysis (L∞=218.33±18.397 mm; k=0.164±0.028; to=−1.694±0.171; φ′=3.89). Reproduction of this monoecious fish was observed during summer–early autumn. Considering the female portion of the gonad, the size at attainment of 50% maturity was 115 mm TL. The corresponding age is within the third year of life. The simultaneous occurrence of oocytes in different development stages was shown in the ovary. Both the asynchronous ovary and oocyte size distribution indicate that C. agassizii spawns more than once during a reproductive season (batch spawner). Functional fecundity (on average 3,018 hydrated oocytes) was between 37 and 69% of the absolute fecundity and increased significantly with the individual size. Since adult specimens are mostly distributed on the slope, eggs and larvae develop in epipelagic waters and migrate in-shore where juvenile forms recruit on the shelf. Juveniles migrate ontogenetically towards deeper bottoms and after 2–3 years start to reproduce annually within a life span greater than 10 years. 相似文献