Molecular docking analysis on antifungal properties of acid condensate produced from palm kernel shell

The rise in the number of fungi that resisted antifungal action is of serious concern nowadays. In this study, the potential of acid condensate (AC) produced from microwave-assisted pyrolysis of palm kernel shell (PKS) was investigated for its antifungal properties through molecular docking evaluation. The phenolic-rich AC was determined for its chemical compositions using the GC–MS analysis where compounds with the highest phenolics content were further evaluated (using the Autodock Tools 1.5.7) for its potential enzymes/protein binding properties. From the GC–MS analysis, catechol, guaiacol and syringol were present at highest percentages. This directly correlates with results obtained from the molecular docking works where all these ligands managed to bind (indicated by H-bond, π-stacking, hydrophobic interaction) with some of the amino acid at the active sites which indicate its potential to inhibit substrate binding of this enzyme. As a conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential use of AC from agricultural biomass such as PKS as a natural-based antifungal agent that can reduce environmental and health impacts.     

Impact of floodplain and Stage 0 stream restoration on flood attenuation and floodplain exchange during small frequent storms

River flooding impacts human life and infrastructure, yet provides habitat and ecosystem services. Traditional flood control (e.g., levees, dams) reduces habitat and ecosystem services, and exacerbates flooding elsewhere. Floodplain restoration (i.e., bankfull floodplain reconnection and Stage 0) can also provide flood management, but has not been sufficiently evaluated for small frequent storms. We used 1D unsteady Hydrologic Engineering Center's River Analysis System to simulate small storms in a 5 km-long, second-order generic stream from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and varied % channel restored (starting at the upstream end), restoration location, restoration bank height (distinguishes bankfull from Stage 0 restoration), and floodplain width/Manning's n. Stream restoration decreased (attenuated) peak flow up to 37% and increased floodplain exchange by up to 46%. Floodplain width and % channel restored had the largest impact on flood attenuation. The incremental effects of new restoration projects on flood attenuation were greatest when little prior restoration had occurred. By contrast, incremental effects on floodplain exchange were greatest in the presence of substantial prior restoration, setting up a tradeoff. A similar tradeoff was revealed between attenuation and exchange for project location, but not bank height or floodplain width. In particular, attenuation and exchange were always greater for Stage 0 than for bankfull floodplain restoration. Stage 0 thus may counteract human impacts such as urbanization.     

屏蔽服冷却系统对人体表面温度影响的研究*

为科学有效地论证多种方式组合的冷却屏蔽服在不同环境条件下对人体表面温度控制的效果，需要对冷却系统及人体敏感部位发热量进行客观评估。通过对5名健康男性的高温测试，探究人体在不同环境温度下体表温度的变化，得出胸部、背部及额头为热量最高部位，并构建以“人体-降温屏蔽服-外界环境”为主体的冷却系统数值模型，对不同环境中的屏蔽服冷却效果展开研究，分析穿戴冷却屏蔽服时人体躯干部分的温度分布及影响。结果表明:在屏蔽服中靠近胸部、背部部位引入相变材料和风扇，均可帮助人体降低体温，提高舒适度。     

重大基坑坍塌事故虚拟仿真系统研究

为预防基坑坍塌事故发生、进行重大事故警示教育，以杭州地铁湘湖站北2基坑坍塌事故为素材，研究构建重大基坑坍塌事故虚拟仿真培训系统。对案例事故涉及的设计、施工、环境三大因素的技术问题进行总结，研究了事故链各致险因素及对推动事故发生所起作用，完成仿真系统平台设计和开发工作。系统应用多种制作技术创建工程场景模型，展示深基坑工程复杂的施工工序和空间关系，再现基坑坍塌事故发生发展过程和贴近实际的灾难场景。研究结果表明:仿真系统成果可丰富地下工程教学、施工现场安全教育和安全监察培训的内容和形式。     

Effects of falling weight impact on industrial safety helmets used in conjunction with eye and face protection devices

Industrial workplaces pose concurrent hazards to the upper part of the head and the eyes. Under the circumstances, workers may use protective helmets in conjunction with protective goggles or spectacles. In order to assess the compatibility of this equipment, a method and a test stand for evaluating the behavior of safety helmets and protective goggles/spectacles upon the impact of a falling weight were designed. The results of tests concerning the displacement and deformation of helmets and spectacles/goggles, the forces acting on the helmets, as well as the forces exerted by the spectacles/goggles on the headform upon falling weight impact are presented. The results revealed the ways in which the tested equipment interacted with each other. The influence of equipment construction on the test results was analyzed and inferences concerning the safety of the studied protective devices were made. Some general construction guidelines were formulated for the compatibility of the equipment.     

基于SHERPA的环境空气质量减排情景模拟评估

分析了SHERPA综合评价模型的基本原理和主要建模理念,重点介绍了其在环境空气质量减排情景模拟评估方面的作用,以及在排放源与受体关系(SRR)方面的处理方法,比较了其与欧盟常用的其他情景模拟模型的优缺点。SHERPA模型的特点是空间灵活性较好,对于任何给定地点,可以快速评估不同地区对该研究地点空气质量的影响。SHERPA模型的3个主要功能为污染物来源分析、决策支持和情景模拟。基于SHERPA模型对法国环境空气中PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)和NO_2年均浓度进行污染来源分析、决策支持分析和减排情景模拟评估,展示了模型在环境治理措施优先级筛选和政府间联合治理措施协调建议方面的功能和作用,以期为中国环境空气质量预测预报、环境质量管理措施的制定和成效评估等环境服务与管理工作提供借鉴。     

不同警告方式下驾驶人应激反应能力模拟试验研究

为研究在道路突发危险场景下先进驾驶辅助系统的不同警告方式对驾驶人应激反应能力的影响，利用自主开发的驾驶人应激反应能力测试软件，以计算机模拟与驾驶模拟器为试验平台，以实际驾驶视频为试验场景，选取操作准确率和反应时间为测试指标，分析不同警告方式下驾驶人的应激反应能力。研究结果表明:视觉警告可有效缩短应激反应时间；视听觉组合警告中，视觉警告占主导作用，听觉警告起辅助作用；在真实场景视频试验环境下，驾驶模拟器模拟试验的操作效果优于计算机模拟试验。     

不同分子量的腐殖酸存在下2种无机砷的生物毒性效应研究

水环境中天然有机质会与砷形成络合物,进而影响砷的迁移、转化和生物毒性。研究利用超滤方法将腐殖酸(humic acid, HA)分为5个不同分子量的组分,以大型溞为受试生物,探究了不同分子量HA存在下砷对大型溞的毒性效应。结果表明,不同分子量的HA均缓解了As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ)对大型溞的氧化应激损伤和细胞膜损伤,并降低了砷对MT的诱导量。其中1～30 k Da的HA对砷的缓解效果最好,1 k Da的HA毒性缓解效果最差,可能的原因是HA与砷的络合增加溶液中络合态砷的含量,而络合态砷难以进入细胞并被生物利用。不同分子量的HA对砷毒性的缓解差异与其跟砷的络合比例不同有关。     

Numerical simulation of far-field blast loads arising from large TNT equivalent explosives

Large TNT equivalent explosions usually arise from accidents occurring during the transportation, storage, and manufacturing of chemicals relevant to process industries. The blast wave generated by the explosion will spread and interact with the surrounding factories and storehouses, damaging the building structures within several kilometers and causing significant casualties and property losses. This study aims to develop an efficient numerical simulation method to predict blast loads to estimate the consequences of accidents involving far-field free air bursts or surface burst explosions. Before its interaction with the interested target, a blast wave is generated in the numerical model by specifying the initial and boundary conditions of the disturbed air. Based on empirical data of incident overpressure, an explicit formula to calculate the air particle velocity is derived from the governing equations of a perfect inviscid gas. A simplified path line method is proposed to calculate the air density. The proposed method is applied to the LS-DYNA CESE solver to simulate the blast loads on building structures in the far field. Validations against empirical data and experiments indicate that the proposed method is sufficiently accurate for engineering applications and, through a case study, presents a more efficient performance than the LOAD_BLAST_ENHANCED (LBE) and mapping methods.     

Quantifying the impact of vegetation-based metrics on species persistence when choosing offsets for habitat destruction

Developers are often required by law to offset environmental impacts through targeted conservation actions. Most offset policies specify metrics for calculating offset requirements, usually by assessing vegetation condition. Despite widespread use, there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of vegetation-based metrics for ensuring biodiversity persistence. We compared long-term impacts of biodiversity offsetting based on area only; vegetation condition only; area × habitat suitability; and condition × habitat suitability in development and restoration simulations for the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. We simulated development and subsequent offsetting through restoration within a virtual landscape, linking simulations to population viability models for 3 species. Habitat gains did not ensure species persistence. No net loss was achieved when performance of offsetting was assessed in terms of amount of habitat restored, but not when outcomes were assessed in terms of persistence. Maintenance of persistence occurred more often when impacts were avoided, giving further support to better enforce the avoidance stage of the mitigation hierarchy. When development affected areas of high habitat quality for species, persistence could not be guaranteed. Therefore, species must be more explicitly accounted for in offsets, rather than just vegetation or habitat alone. Declines due to a failure to account directly for species population dynamics and connectivity overshadowed the benefits delivered by producing large areas of high-quality habitat. Our modeling framework showed that the benefits delivered by offsets are species specific and that simple vegetation-based metrics can give misguided impressions on how well biodiversity offsets achieve no net loss.