Effect of Soybean Cultivation on Soil Collembola Community in Marshland of Sanjiang Plain,China

The Sanjiang Plain, the largest inland freshwater marshland in China, was extensive reclaimed into agricultural land. To assess the effects of marshland reclamation on Collembola, we investigated collembolan communities in a chronosequence of soybean plantations (2, 15, and 25 years) in Sanjiang marshland, Northeastern China. We found that: 1) the densities and species richness of Collembola were promoted after short-term (2 years) cultivation of soybean, but significantly decreased after medium-term cultivation (15 years); 2) the densities of epi-edaphic Collembola increased while the densities of hemi-edaphic Collembola decreased as the elongation of soybean cultivation; 3) compared with S0, two species of Collembola appeared while five species disappeared in S25. The changes of plant communities and the soil traits were supposed to be the key factors affecting the composition of soil Collembola. We thus suggest that original marshland should be saved for preserving high diversity and densities of Collembola in the Sanjiang Plain.

     

Nutrients Availability Shapes Fungal Community Composition and Diversity in the Rare Earth Mine Tailings of Southern Jiangxi,China

Russian Journal of Ecology - The present study characterized the nutrients availability of three rare earth tailings deserted in different time stages in Southern Jiangxi of China, and revealed the...     

电石渣－铁屑法去除硫酸废水中的氟和砷

对各种处理含氟、砷废水的方法进行了探讨，选择了以电石渣和废铁屑为药剂去除硫酸废水中氟和砷的方法，取得了较好的效果。该法以废治废、工艺简便、运行费用低，处理后的废水可达排放标准。     

The Influence of Artificial Photodegradation on Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-3-hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV)/Graphite Nanosheets (GNS) Nanocomposites

The potential use of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/graphite nanosheets (GNS) as a biodegradable nanocomposite has been explored. PHBV/GNS nanocomposites films were prepared by solution casting at various concentrations of GNS—0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 wt% GNS. The films were exposed to artificial ultraviolet radiation (UV) during 52 h. The effect of GNS on PHBV photodegradation was investigated and compared to neat PHBV film. The artificial photodegradation induced changes in physical (weight loss), chemical carbonyl index by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal degree of crystallinity and melting temperature by differential scanning calorimetry and morphological scanning electron microscopy characteristics. Based on the results obtained from aforementioned analyzes it was verified that GNS inhibits the oxidative degradation of PHBV matrix.     

Preparation and Characterization of Collagens from the Skin of Northern Snakehead (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa argus)</Emphasis>

Channa argus, a type of snakehead fish native to China, is a popular food fish in certain Asian countries but is a known destructive invasive species in the US. In this study, the two collagens, i.e. acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC), were obtained from C. argus skin. The yield of ASC was 28.0% and that of PSC was 16.8% on the dry bases. The collagens were identified as the collagen of type I by SDS–PAGE patterns. The Tds were approximately 27.0?°C. Similar ultraviolet spectra of both collagens were observed. Fourier Transform infrared spectra indicated PSC structure had a little change due to the loss of terminal domains by pepsin digestion. The results of XRD proved that the two collagens retained their helical structures. The results suggest that the collagens isolated from C. argus can potentially be alternative sources of vertebrate collagens for use in the food and other industries.     

High Toughness and Fast Crystallization Poly(Lactic Acid)/Polyamide 11/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Composites

A poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/polyamide 11 (PA11)/SiO₂ composite was mixed from PLA, PA11, and nanosilica particles through twin-screw extrusion. The PLA/PA11/SiO₂ composite was evaluated with tensile and Izod impact tests, light transmission and haze measurement, and isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization behavior determinations. The PLA/PA11/SiO₂ (97.0/3.0) composite had approximately 10.8% less ultimate tensile strength than neat PLA, but it had greater ductility and approximately ninefold greater elongation at break. A dimple morphology was observed on the fractural surface of the PLA/PA11/SiO₂ composite, indicating that the incorporation of PA11 and nanosilica particles increased the ductility of the PLA matrix. PLA with less than 3 wt% of PA11 and 0.5 phr of nanosilica particles had an Izod impact strength of 8.72 kJ/m². PA11 and nanosilica particles effectively toughened this PLA polymer; they accelerated both isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization rates and increased the crystallinities of the resulting composites under isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization processes.     

An evaluation scheme for assessing the effectiveness of intersection movement assist (IMA) on improving traffic safety

Objective: Intersection movement assist (IMA) has been recognized as one of the prominent countermeasures to reduce angle crashes at intersections, which constitute 22% of total crashes in the United States. Utilizing vehicle-based sensors, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, IMA offers extended vision to provide early warning for an imminent crash. However, most of IMA-related research implements their methods and strategies only in simulations, test tracks, or driving simulator studies that have quite a few assumptions and limitations and hence the effectiveness evaluations reported may not be transferable or comparable.

Methods: This study seeks to develop a generalized evaluation scheme that can be used not only to assess the effectiveness of IMA on improving traffic safety at intersections but to facilitate comparisons across similar studies. The proposed evaluation scheme utilizes the concepts of traffic conflict in terms of time-to-collision (TTC) as a crash surrogate. This approach avoids the issue of having insufficient crash frequency data for system evaluation. To measure the effectiveness of IMA on reducing traffic conflicts, a relative risk is calculated for comparing the risk of with/without using the IMA. As a proof-of-concept study, this study applied the proposed evaluation scheme and reported the effectiveness of IMA on improving traffic safety in a field operation test (FOT). Seven test scenarios were conducted at 4 intersections, and a total of 40 participants were recruited to use the IMA for 6 months.

Results: It was estimated that IMA users have 26% fewer conflicts with TTC less than 5 s and have 15% fewer conflicts with TTC less than 4 s. However, the results vary across different sites and different definitions of conflicts in terms of TTC.

Conclusions: Overall, IMA is promising to effectively reduce angle crashes related to sight obstruction and has potential to reduce not only crash frequency but crash severity.     

Depth perception,dark adaptation,vigilance and accident proneness of Chinese coal mine workers

To explore the relationships between human factors and accident proneness of coal mine workers, the depth perception, dark adaptation and vigilance abilities of 239 Chinese coal mine workers were tested and their accident proneness was surveyed with an accident proneness questionnaire. The results indicated that dark adaptation and vigilance abilities of the mine workers declined with increasing age. Vigilance had a significant negative relationship with accident proneness. There were significant differences in vigilance between coal mine workers doing different types of work. Individual difference in vigilance was relevant to the type of work that an individual did in a coal mine. The dark adaptation index had a significant positive relationship with accident proneness. Coal mine workers with weaker dark adaptation ability were also more accident prone. Some ergonomics recommendations concerning coal mine safety management in China are proposed.     

Road traffic injuries among riders of electric bike/electric moped in southern China

Objective: Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among electric bike/moped riders in southern China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to interview 3,151 electric bike/moped riders in southern China. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries that occurred from July 2014 to June 2015 were investigated. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and analyzed between July 2015 and June 2017.

Results: The prevalence of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among the investigated riders was 15.99%. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries were significantly associated with category of electric bike (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.82), self-reported confusion (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI, 1.13–2.78), history of crashes (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI, 4.68–8.07), running red lights (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI, 2.42–5.25), carrying children while riding (AOR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.37–2.85), carrying adults while riding (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.23–2.28), riding in the motor lane (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI, 1.05–3.93), and riding in the wrong traffic direction (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.13–2.35). In over 77.58% of electric bike/moped-related road traffic crashes, riders were determined by the police to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included violating traffic signals or signs, careless riding, speeding, and riding in the wrong lane.

Conclusion: Traffic safety related to electric bikes/moped is becoming more problematic with growing popularity compared with other 2-wheeled vehicles. Programs need to be developed to prevent electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries in this emerging country.     

Socio-environmental consideration of phosphorus flows in the urban sanitation chain of contrasting cities

Understanding how cities can transform organic waste into a valuable resource is critical to urban sustainability. The capture and recycling of phosphorus (P), and other essential nutrients, from human excreta is particularly important as an alternative organic fertilizer source for agriculture. However, the complex set of socio-environmental factors influencing urban human excreta management is not yet sufficiently integrated into sustainable P research. Here, we synthesize information about the pathways P can take through urban sanitation systems along with barriers and facilitators to P recycling across cities. We examine five case study cities by using a sanitation chains approach: Accra, Ghana; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing, China; Baltimore, USA; and London, England. Our cross-city comparison shows that London and Baltimore recycle a larger percentage of P from human excreta back to agricultural lands than other cities, and that there is a large diversity in socio-environmental factors that affect the patterns of recycling observed across cities. Our research highlights conditions that may be “necessary but not sufficient” for P recycling, including access to capital resources. Path dependencies of large sanitation infrastructure investments in the Global North contrast with rapidly urbanizing cities in the Global South, which present opportunities for alternative sanitation development pathways. Understanding such city-specific social and environmental barriers to P recycling options could help address multiple interacting societal objectives related to sanitation and provide options for satisfying global agricultural nutrient demand.