Spatial and temporal modeling of microbial contaminants on grazing farmlands

This paper introduces an integrated spatial and temporal modeling system developed mathematically for assessing microbial contaminants on animal-grazed farmlands. The model uses fecal coliform, specifically Escherichia coli, as an indicator of fecal contamination and describes the sources, sinks, transport processes, and fate of E. coli contaminants in catchments and associated streams. Spatial features include grazing location, land topography, distance to a nearby stream, and distance through the stream network to the outlet. Temporal features are population dynamics on the land surface, in flow, and on streambeds. The model applies the principles of conservation of mass balance on two different types of pools: grid cells on land surfaces and networked stream segments. The model aims to improve the prediction of the effects of different land management strategies on the fecal contamination of waterways. This is achieved by characterizing the movement of fecal contaminants from land to streams and in-stream mobilization. Processes of attenuation, diffusion, and transport govern the movement. Our study site is a hill land catchment with an area of 140 ha and is used exclusively for animal grazing. The model was calibrated with previous research results, and then tested using the data collected at the outlet of the catchment. The sensitivity of the model predictions was analyzed for different scenarios: effect of stock rate, attenuation rate, and flow volumes. The similar pattern between monitored and predicted E. coli concentration proved that the model captures the key features that control the population dynamics of fecal contaminants. Further experiments are required to expand the model's functionality for covering more mitigation options.     

我国地震应急指挥技术体系初探

地震应急指挥技术系统是防震减灾建设的核心内容。”十五”期间,将建设中国地震应急指挥技术系统。目前我国在这方面的研究和建设尚处于初级阶段,其体系结构,关键构成、设计和实现还有许多问题值得进一步研究和探讨。根据所从事的项目建设过程,对地震应急指挥技术系统的体系结构进行了阐述,介绍了在此基础上开展的首都圈地震应急指挥系统建设工作,并就今后的发展进行了讨论。     

赤潮灾害经济损失评估技术方法

为有效应对赤潮灾害防灾减灾、灾后救援及管理的需求,在综合分析前人提出的赤潮灾害损失评估技术方法的基础上,参考赤潮灾害对受灾体的危害特点,结合实际工作的需求及在实际中可获取的业务数据,提出了赤潮灾害经济损失评估指标体系;根据灾害经济学理论,借鉴其他自然灾害经济损失评估的先进思想,采用市场价格法,分别建立了包括海水养殖业经济损失、滨海旅游业经济损失、赤潮灾害业务与应急监测费用和赤潮灾害处置费用的赤潮灾害经济损失评估模型;最后,提出了赤潮灾害损失评估的技术流程。     

北京市PM_(2.5)主要化学组分浓度水平研究与特征分析

为研究北京市大气环境PM_(2.5)中主要化学组分特征,于2012年8月—2013年7月期间,在北京市定陵、车公庄、东四、石景山、通州、房山、亦庄和榆垡等8个点位开展为期1年的样品采集,共计采集472组样品,分析每组样品中OC、EC、水溶性离子和18种无机元素等组分.研究结果表明,本次研究的组分重建后和实际PM_(2.5)浓度相关性显著,相关系数为0.94,所测组分平均占PM_(2.5)总量的90%;各点位不同季节PM_(2.5)中主要的组分均为OC、NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-)、NH_4~+,呈南高北低的趋势,冬季OC是夏季的1.7倍,NO_3~-和SO2--4在四季呈交替状态,除榆垡点位的SO_4~(2-)NO_3~-外,其他点位均是NO_3~-SO_4~(2-),4种主要的组分质量浓度分别为(23.1±21.4)、(20.3±23.4)、(19.4±22.2)、(13.6±15.2)μg·m-3,占PM_(2.5)总含量的18.5%、16.3%、15.6%、10.9%;研究水溶性离子发现,8个点位全年SNA/PM_(2.5)比例为42.8%,其中,夏季最高(49.9%),秋季较低(31.1%),NO_3~-/SO_4~(2-)比值平均为1.05,相对往年研究结果 NO_3~-/SO_4~(2-)比值有增加的趋势.     

New insights into disruption of iron homeostasis by environmental pollutants

Among the numerous health conditions environmental pollutants can cause, chronic exposure to pollutants including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals has been shown to disturb a specific biological homeostatic process, the iron metabolism in human body. Disorders of iron metabolism are among the common diseases of humans and encompass a broad spectrum of diseases with different clinical manifestations, ranging from anemia to iron overload, and possibly to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Hepcidin–ferroportin (FPN) signaling is one of the key mechanisms responsible for iron supply, utilization, recycling, and storage, and recent studies demonstrated that exposure to environmental pollutants including POPs and heavy metals could lead to disruption of the hepcidin–FPN axis along with disordered systemic iron homeostasis and diseases. This article introduces and highlights the accompanying review article by Drs. Xu and Liu in this journal, which elaborates in detail the adverse effects of environmental pollutants on iron metabolism, and the mechanisms responsible for these toxicological outcomes. It also points out the knowledge gaps still existing in this subject matter. Research that will fill these gaps will improve our understanding of the issue and provide useful information to prevent or treat diseases induced by environmental pollutants.