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.     

Improvement of thermal hydrolysis rate of dichloroacetic acid using alcohol

Dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) is produced during the oxidation of trichloroethylene. It is also produced in drinking water treatment as a disinfection by-product. DCAA is a problem material, because of its toxicity. The objective of this research is to find the final products and the reaction pathway of the DCAA decomposition by hydrolysis, and to increase the hydrolysis rate. The removal of both chlorine atoms in DCAA structure was achieved with hydrolysis at around 75 degrees C, and the final products were oxalic acid and glycolic acid. The reaction pathway was the production of oxalic acid and glycolic acid from two glyoxylic acid molecules by Cannizzaro reaction after the glyoxylic acid production from dechlorination of DCAA with hydrolysis. The hydrolysis rate of DCAA was increased with the use of 90% ethanol solution as solvent. The activation energy of DCAA was about 80 kJ/mol in it, while it was around 105 kJ/mol in water.     

提高节理面c和φ对岩坡开挖变形的影响

为了反映岩质边坡在节理面注浆后的变形效应,首先,通过室内试验,分析注浆前后岩体变形和破坏的全过程,以探讨其抗剪性能(粘结力c和内摩擦角φ)的变化;然后,基于理想弹塑性本构模型的Mohr-Cou-lomb准则,运用拉格朗日元数值方法(FLAC3D),对岩坡注浆前后变形效应(水平位移、垂直位移、剪应变增量)进行模拟。结果表明:注浆加固后,岩体的位移场变得均匀和连续,节理面处的较大位移受到抑制,边坡的整体性得到提高,有利于边坡的稳定性。     

玉环电厂1 000 MW机组降低Nox排放的技术分析与环境评价

介绍了玉环电厂采用PM型燃烧器和MACT分级燃烧技术,降低了NOx生成量.预测不同负荷下的NOx排放浓度,对照《火电厂大气污染物排放标准》,分析玉环电厂的环境性能,为其他电厂降低NOx排放提供借鉴.     

略论清代自然资源的保护与利用

清代在水土资源、林木资源、矿产资源的保护与利用等方面采取了积极有效的措施，包括开垦土地、兴修水利、发展生态农业、植树造林、加强法制、设立环保机构等。     

Multiple interactions of hazard exposures, role stressors and situational factors, and burnout among nurses.

This was a cross-sectional study which looked into the interaction between situational factors, role stressors, hazard exposure and personal factors among 135 nurses in the Philippine General Hospital. More than half (58.5%) of the respondents reported being ill due to work in the past year, and 59.3% missed work because of an illness. Regression showed factors associated with burnout were organizational role stress, hazard exposure, self-efficacy, age, number of working years, illness in the past 12 months, migraine, dizziness, sleep disorder, cough and colds, and diarrhea. After multiple regression analysis, organizational role stress (p = .000), migraine (p = .001), age (p = .018) and illness in the past 12 months (p = .000) were found to be significant predictors of burnout. The contribution of the study is in advancing new concepts in the already existing framework of burnout, and thus, assisting nurses and hospital administration in on controlling this problem.     

Nitrogen removal from landfill leachate via ex situ nitrification and sequential in situ denitrification

Ex situ nitrification and sequential in situ denitrification represents a novel approach to nitrogen management at landfills. Simultaneous ammonia and organics removal was achieved in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The results showed that the maximum nitrogen loading rate (NLR) and the maximum organic loading rate (OLR) was 0.65 g N l^?1 d^?1 and 3.84 g COD l^?1 d^?1, respectively. The ammonia and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was over 99% and 57%, respectively. In the run of the CSTR, free ammonia (FA) inhibition and low dissolved oxygen (DO) were found to be key factors affecting nitrite accumulation. In situ denitrification was studied in a municipal solid waste (MSW) column by recalculating nitrified leachate from CSTR. The decomposition of MSW was accelerated by the recirculation of nitrified leachate. Complete reduction of total oxidized nitrogen (TON) was obtained with maximum TON loading of 28.6 g N t^?1 TS d^?1 and denitrification was the main reaction responsible. Additionally, methanogenesis inhibition was observed while TON loading was over 11.4 g N t^?1 TS d^?1 and the inhibition was enhanced with the increase of TON loading.     

The fragmentation patterns of maternal plasma cell-free DNA and its applications in non-invasive prenatal testing

The discovery of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal plasma has opened up new promises for the development of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Application of cfDNA in NIPT of fetus diseases and abnormalities is restricted by the low amount of fetal DNA molecules in maternal plasma. Fetus-derived cfDNA in maternal plasma are shorter than maternal DNA, thus leveraging the maternal and fetus-derived cfDNA molecules size difference has become a novel and more accurate method for NIPT. However, multiple biological properties such as size distribution of plasma DNA, proportion of fetal-derived DNA and methylation levels in maternal plasma across different gestational ages still remain largely unknown. Further insights into the size distribution and fragmentation pattern of circulating plasma cfDNA will shed light on the origin and fragmentation mechanisms of cfDNA during physiological and pathological processes in prenatal diseases and enhance our ability to take the advantage of plasma cfDNA as a molecular diagnostic tool. In the review, we start by summarizing the research techniques for the determination of the fragmentation profiles of cfDNA in maternal plasma. We then summarize the main progress and findings in size profiles of maternal plasma cfDNA and cffDNA. Finally, we discuss the potential diagnostic applications of plasma cfDNA size profiling.     

How much real cost has China paid for its economic growth?

China’s economic growth has a serious impact on the environment and resources. How much real cost did China pay for its economic growth? This paper estimates the monetary costs of resource depletion, environmental pollution, and ecological degradation. The paper examines the geographic distribution of resource and environmental losses across 31 provinces. The findings allow us to reach the following conclusions. First, the national cost of resource depletion, environmental pollution, and ecological degradation in 2005 was 2.5 trillion RMB. It accounted for 13.5% of China’s gross domestic product (GDP). Secondly, the cost of resource depletion, ecological degradation, and environmental pollution has a different spatial distribution. The cost of resources depletion mainly distributes in the central area, the cost of environmental pollution is in the eastern area, and the cost of ecological degradation lies in the western area. Thirdly, the cost of natural resources depletion is 1,672.5 billion RMB, accounting for 67.8% of the total cost of resource and environment. It indicates that economic development has a high cost of resource depletion.