U.S. non-governmental organizations’ cross-sectoral entrepreneurial strategies in energy efficiency

Regional Environmental Change - When established institutional pathways for energy efficiency policies necessary to mitigate climate change are blocked at the federal level, how do entrepreneurs in...     

Mercury and thyroid autoantibodies in U.S. women,NHANES 2007–2008

Associations between positive thyroid autoantibodies and total blood mercury in women were evaluated using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007–2008. Women are at increased risk for autoimmune disorders, mercury exposure has been associated with cellular autoimmunity and mercury accumulates in the thyroid gland. We used multiple logistic regression to evaluate the associations between total bloodmercury and thyroglobulin autoantibody antibody positivity and thyroid peroxidase autoantibody positivity in non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 20 and older not currently using birth control pills or other hormone therapies, adjusted for demographic factors, menopausal status, nutrient intake and urine iodine (n = 2047). Relative to women with the lowest mercury levels (≤ 0.40 μg/L), women with mercury > 1.81 μg/L (upper quintile) showed 2.24 (95% CI = 1.22, 4.12) greater odds for thyroglobulin autoantibody positivity (p_trend = 0.032); this relationship was not evident for thyroid peroxidase autoantibody positivity. Results suggest an association between mercury and thyroglobulin autoantibody positivity.     

New best estimates for radionuclide solid–liquid distribution coefficients in soils. Part 2. Naturally occurring radionuclides

Predicting the transfer of radionuclides in the environment for normal release, accidental, disposal or remediation scenarios in order to assess exposure requires the availability of an important number of generic parameter values. One of the key parameters in environmental assessment is the solid liquid distribution coefficient, K_d, which is used to predict radionuclide–soil interaction and subsequent radionuclide transport in the soil column. This article presents a review of K_d values for uranium, radium, lead, polonium and thorium based on an extensive literature survey, including recent publications. The K_d estimates were presented per soil groups defined by their texture and organic matter content (Sand, Loam, Clay and Organic), although the texture class seemed not to significantly affect K_d. Where relevant, other K_d classification systems are proposed and correlations with soil parameters are highlighted. The K_d values obtained in this compilation are compared with earlier review data.     

长江中游城市群经济-城市-社会-环境耦合度空间差异分析

以长江中游城市群的36个城市为例,构建了经济发展、城市化、社会保障、生态环境综合评价指标体系,运用耦合度模型评估了36个城市2011~2013年的耦合度,并利用GIS技术分析系统的得分与耦合度的空间分布特征。结果表明:长江中游城市群的36个城市的经济发展、城市化和社会保障水平的空间分布比较相似,三者间存在显著的正相关关系。但是,存在显著性的地区差异。36个城市生态环境得分均值很高,城市之间差异很小。从耦合度的空间分布来看,长江中游城市群明显存在3个高耦合度的聚集区域,即长株潭城市圈,武汉-南昌(含鄂州、黄石和九江)城市带和鄂北4市,即十堰、襄阳、宜昌和荆门。最后,36个城市之间耦合度的差异呈现逐年缩小的趋势。     

张家界市旅游-经济-生态环境协调发展综合评价

旅游业是当前许多国家和地区重要的发展产业之一,而良好的生态环境是旅游经济持续发展的重要基础和载体。协调好旅游发展与生态环境之间的关系,已成为实现旅游地可持续发展的关键问题之一。张家界市是我国著铭旅游景区——武陵源风景名胜区的所在地,本文从旅游-经济-生态环境之间的关系出发,通过引入协调发展度数学模型及计算方法,对张家界市1996-2010年旅游-经济与生态环境协调发展状况和发展态势进行了综合评价。研究表明,张家界市旅游子系统与经济子系统的评价值总体呈上升趋势,但旅游子系统的评价值存在一定的波动变化;张家界市旅游-经济-生态系统的协调发展度总体呈上升趋势,但仍属中度协调发展类;系统耦合协调类型正在以经济发展超前型逐渐演变为旅游发展超前型。这说明近年来张家界市的旅游业得到了快速发展,综合效益不断提高;但相对于旅游发展的而言,其生态环境的发展与改善还有较大的潜力和发展空间。     

酒店主要产品服务经济-能源-环境系统分析

利用投入产出分析方法和能耗寿命周期分析方法相结台。建立了主要产品中间生产和最终服务经济-能源-环境系统投入产出综合计算模型；对国内有代表性的八家酒店主要产品服务系统进行了计算与综合分析：结果显示酒店之间投入产出指标值量大相差2倍以上。具有巨大的改进潜力；酒店内部餐饮服务系统是传统的线性开放式经济发展模式的突出代表。应进行蕾业规模调整、合理配置能源种类和消耗比例、重点实施清洁生产。     

长三角城市群产业-人口-空间耦合协调发展研究

通过构建城市产业-人口-空间发展指标体系,利用耦合协调度函数,计算长三角城市群产业-人口-空间综合发展水平及其耦合协调度,分析了长三角城市群产业-人口-空间整体水平以及耦合协调发展的时序特征和空间特征。从时序上看,长三角城市群产业-人口-空间发展水平总体上在波动中演进,演进过程大致分为以产业为主导、以空间为主导到产业、空间与人口系统发展失调等三个阶段。从空间上看,长三角城市群由以上海为中心的空间格局逐步演进成为以上海为轴心,南京和杭州为两翼的高水平协调发展三角区域,但是由于空间发展过速,三角区域内高水平协调发展城市普遍存在产业与空间协调发展程度滞后的特征,而外围城市主要暴露出人口与空间协调发展程度滞后的问题。因此应该坚定以人为本的目标,促进产业集约高效发展,优化城市空间布局,推动城市人口、产业与空间协调发展。