Parental phenols exposure and spontaneous abortion in Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Widespread use of phenols has led to ubiquitous exposure to phenols. In experimental animals, phenols increased resorptions, reduced live litter size and fetal body weights. However, there are limited epidemiological evidences of the relationships between exposure to phenols and pregnancy outcomes. We evaluated the associations between parental urinary levels of various phenols and spontaneous abortion in a Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A case-control study was conducted that included 70 case couples with medically unexplained spontaneous abortion and 180 control couples who did not have a history of spontaneous abortion and had at least one living child. Both parental urinary phenols were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry including bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP). Compared with the low exposure group, there was an increased risk of spontaneous abortion with high paternal urinary PCP concentration [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.05–4.14], and maternal exposure to 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) also significantly increased the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.02–4.80; OR = 2.81, 95% CI, 1.39–5.65, respectively). Our study firstly provides the evidence that paternal PCP exposure, maternal 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) exposure are associated with spontaneous abortion in humans.     

Cascade-based attack vulnerability on the US power grid

The vulnerability of real-life networks subject to intentional attacks has been one of the outstanding challenges in the study of the network safety. Applying the real data of the US power grid, we compare the effects of two different attacks for the network robustness against cascading failures, i.e., removal by either the descending or ascending orders of the loads. Adopting the initial load of a node j to be L_j=[k_j(Σ_mΓjk_m)]^α with k_j and Γ_j being the degree of the node j and the set of its neighboring nodes, respectively, where α is a tunable parameter and governs the strength of the initial load of a node, we investigate the response of the US power grid under two attacks during the cascading propagation. In the case of α<0.7, our investigation by the numerical simulations leads to a counterintuitive finding on the US power grid that the attack on the nodes with the lowest loads is more harmful than the attack on the ones with the highest loads. In addition, the almost same effect of two attacks in the case of α=0.7 may be useful in furthering studies on the control and defense of cascading failures in the US power grid.     

Sublethal impact of paraquat on the life span and parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh

This study focuses on assessing the impact of sublethal doses of paraquat on the survival, the emergence, the life span and the parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The impact of sublethal doses was measured at room temperature using different densities of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae. The results reveal that the field dose of paraquat caused 100% mortality in D. rapae. The percentage emergence of D. rapae decreased from 80.5% in the control group to 71.5% when treated with the lowest concentration of paraquat. Similarly, the life span of parasitoids that emerged from the mummy treated with paraquat also decreased significantly. Oviposition capability and ovipositor thrusting frequency of D. rapae also treated with sublethal dose paraquat decreased significantly along with a shortened patch residence time in the foraging area.     

油气田建设项目施工期环境监理探析

针对油气田建设项目的具体情况,对油气田建设项目施工期主要环境影响,包括钻井作业、输气站及输气管道建设工程中的主要环境影响进行了分析,从施工期的污染防治措施监理、生态保护措施监理、环境保护设施监理几个方面对施工期环境监理的主要内容进行了探讨。     

污泥膨胀状态下原生动物群落结构分析

系统研究了丝状菌膨胀与非丝状菌膨胀2种典型污泥状态下原生动物的群落结构特征及其演变规律。伴随丝状菌的大量增殖，原生动物总量相应减少，匍匐型纤毛虫及有壳类肉足虫数量迅速上升，占据明显的优势地位，典型原生动物为斜管虫（Chilodonella sp.）、小轮毛虫（Trochilia minuta）以及匣壳虫（Centropyxis sp.）；非丝状菌污泥膨胀对原生动物总量及种群结构影响较小，伴随粘性菌胶团的大量出现，各功能类群的比例变化较小，但原生动物总量持续增加，其中菌食性纤毛虫呈线性增加，典型原生动物为钟虫（Vorticella sp.）。     

Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)对生物脱氮系统的影响

Cu2+和Zn2+是污水处理工艺中经常遇到的金属离子.在驯化好的活性污泥系统中,研究了金属离子Cu2+和Zn2+在0～100 mg/L浓度下对活性污泥牛物脱氮系统的影响.试验发现Cu2+＞5 mg/L、Zn2+＞30 ms/L时,对硝化过程具有明显的抑制作用,在同样浓度的试验条件下Cu2+对硝化过程的抑制作用比Zn2+大.Cu2+≤0.5 mg/L时对反硝化过程具有一定的促进作用,有助于提高TN的去除效果;Cu2+＞0.5 mg/L时,对反硝化产牛抑制作用,随着浓度的增加,TN去除率逐渐下降.Zn2+不影响反硝化过程,仅在大于30 mg/L时,对硝化过程产生抑制作用.重金属Cu2+对生物脱氮系统的影响明显强于Zn2+.     

湖南2008/2011年两次低温雨雪冰冻灾害成因与影响对比分析

针对2008年1月13日-2月2日和2011年1月1-23日两次低温雨雪冰冻过程,从天气学成因、对交通、电力影响情况和特点等方面进行综合对比分析,揭示了两次过程的强度和造成灾情差异的原因,并提出了如何进一步防御和减轻极端天气气候事件灾害的能力,为暴雪冰冻灾害防御提供经验和依据。     

Spatial and seasonal distribution of nitrogen in marsh soils of a typical floodplain wetland in Northeast China

Horizontal and profile distributions of nitrogen in marsh soils in different seasons were studied in a typical site within the Erbaifangzi wetland in Northeast China. Results showed that there was higher spatial heterogeneity for nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--_{3}^{-}-N) and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺_{4}^{+}–N), as well as available nitrogen (AN), in surface soils in July compared to that in September. Relative to July, the mean nitrogen contents in surface soils were slightly higher in September; however, in November, soils contained significantly lower NO₃^--_{3}^{-}-N and NH₄⁺_{4}^{+}–N, higher AN, organic nitrogen (Org-N), and total nitrogen (TN). Except for mineral nitrogen, no significant differences were observed between Org-N and TN contents in September and November. Nitrogen contents generally declined exponentially with depth along soil profiles in three sampling dates (July, September, and November), except for a significant accumulation peak of NO₃^--_{3}^{-}-N at the 20–30 cm depth in September. However, NH₄⁺_{4}^{+}–N contents showed a vertical alternation of “increasing and decreasing” in both July and September, while nearly kept constant with depth in November. The depth ranking of nitrogen showed the shallowest distribution for AN, followed by Org-N and TN, while deeper distributions for NO₃^--_{3}^{-}-N and NH₄⁺_{4}^{+}–N. TN, Org-N, and AN were significantly correlated with soil organic matter and total phosphorus. Soil pH values were significantly correlated with TN and AN contents in surface soils. Clay contents showed significant correlations with nitrogen contents except for NO₃^--_{3}^{-}-N in surface soils and NH₄⁺_{4}^{+}–N in profile soils. However, soil moisture was not significantly correlated with nitrogen contents among all soil samples.     

Comparison of homologous and heterologous formats in nanocolloidal gold-based immunoassays for parathion residue determination

The effectiveness of homologous and heterologous formats in a nanocolloidal gold-based immunoassay for pesticide residue determination was investigated. Parathion, one of the most toxic organophosphorus pesticides, was used as the target analyte. One-step homologous and heterologous test strips based on a nanocolloidal gold-labeled monoclonal antibody were developed for the rapid detection of parathion residues. The results showed that the heterologous format was more effective than the homologous format, being more sensitive, more specific to parathion and more tolerant of matrix interferences. The best competitive hapten was found to have a moderate heterology and the opposite electronic distribution to the immunizing hapten. The detection limits for parathion using the preferred heterologous strip were 1 μg/L in water samples and 5 μg/kg in soil and food samples.     

兼性厌氧菌群对湖滨带底泥有机污染物的降解效应

研究了兼性厌氧菌群不同接种量(1%(体积分数,下同)、5%、10%、20%、50%)下对太湖湖滨带底泥有机污染物的降解效果及微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明,与对照组相比,接种兼性厌氧菌群能显著提高总有机碳(TOC)、TN的降解率且降解率高,但是TP的降解率波动较大。补充实验证明接种菌液中大量的有机碳、氮源会引起样品中初始浓度升高,建议在使用接种菌液前进行3次无菌水冲洗。综合考虑接种兼性厌氧菌群对湖滨带底泥有机污染物的降解效果,确定其最佳接种量为10%。另外,接种兼性厌氧菌群后其菌群数量和菌活性都有显著提高而严格好氧菌、严格厌氧菌数量均无显著变化;第0天,微生物在接种量为10%时菌活性电子传递体系(ETS)最高。