Soil contamination in Colombian playgrounds: effects of vehicles,construction, and traffic

The presence of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) in playground soils is generally associated with anthropogenic sources such as vehicle traffic, industries, construction sites, and biomass burning. Studies indicate that PHEs are harmful to human health and may even be carcinogenic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, morphological, and mineralogical properties of soil samples from three public playgrounds located in the cities of Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla. Besides, the possible impacts caused by the aerodynamics of particles in Colombian cities were verified. The morphology, composition, and structure of the nanoparticles (NPs) (< 100 nm) present in these soils were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with high-precision field emission (FE) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Soil samples were predominantly feldspar, quartz, and, to a lesser extent, clay minerals, carbonates, and hematites. The average content of PHEs was anthropogenically enriched in relation to the upper continental crust. As and Sn showed a large spatial variation, indicating the influence of local sources, such as vehicle traffic and industries. There is an inverse relationship between the total concentrations of some elements and their leachable fractions. The accumulation of traffic-derived PHEs has a negative impact on human health and the environment, which is alarming, especially for elements such as Pb, Sb, or As. Therefore, the presence of PHEs should receive greater attention from public health professionals, and limits should be set and exposures controlled. This study includes the construction of a baseline that provides basic information on pollution, its sources, and exposure routes for humans in the vicinity of Colombia’s major cities, characterized by their increasing urbanization and industrialization.

     

三峡库区消落带土壤邻苯二甲酸二丁酯静态释放特征

为了解特大型水库消落带优先有机污染物迁移转化规律,以邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)为代表性优先污染物,采用静态淹水法研究了土壤中DBP浓度、上覆水离子强度、有机质含量等因素对三峡库区消落带土壤中DBP静态释放规律的影响.结果表明,消落带土壤中DBP在淹水前期由土壤向上覆水中迁移释放,该过程分为短暂但是释放速率较快的快速释放阶段和释放时间较长但释放速率较慢的慢速释放阶段,此过程可以很好地用二室一级动力模型拟合.随着土壤中添加的DBP浓度的增大,DBP向上覆水快速释放速率加快,而快速释放比例则减小;慢释放速率和慢速释放比例则正好相反.随着上覆水离子强度的增加,快速释放比例增加,使DBP向上覆水释放量增加.上覆水高浓度的DBP在淹水初期会抑制土壤DBP的释放而且使DBP释放达到最大值的时间延迟.上覆水添加腐殖酸后,快速释放速率、慢速释放速率和快速释放比例均增大,从而使DBP向上覆水的释放量也增加.     

Serous cutaneous glands in anurans: Fourier transform analysis of the repeating secretory granule substructure

A combined transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform analysis has been performed on the secretory granules storing active peptides/proteins in serous cutaneous glands of n?=?12 anuran species. Previous TEM investigation showed that the granules are provided with remarkable repeating substructures based on discrete subunits, arranged into a consistent framework. Furthermore, TEM findings revealed that this recurrent arrangement is acquired during a prolonged post-Golgian (or maturational) processing that affects the secretory product. Maturation leads to a variety of patterns depending on the degree of subunit clustering. This variety of recurrent patterns has been plotted into a range of frequency spectra. Through this quantitative approach, we found that the varying granule substructure can be reduced to a single mechanism of peptide/protein aggregation.     

Revisiting chronodisruption: when the physiological nexus between internal and external times splits in humans

In this Concepts & Synthesis paper, we expand the definition of chronodisruption in humans by proposing that it can be operationalized as the split nexus of internal and external times. With this premise, we suggest how chronotype may be used as a temporal marker (chronomarker) of exposure to chronodisruption in studies of cancer, and beyond, offer cancer risk predictions for observational research on the basis of a chronotype-related hypothesis and corollary, and point to first empirical data in humans. In an a priori way, we examine possible outcomes and perspectives for preventive measures following from our rationale and the suggested chronobiology-driven studies and close with overall advances of chronodisruption research.     

Seasonal changes in burrow geometry of the common mole rat (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)

Sociality in mole rats has been suggested to have evolved as a response to the widely dispersed food resources and the limited burrowing opportunities that result from sporadic rainfall events. In the most arid regions, individual foraging efficiency is reduced, and energetic constraints increase. In this study, we investigate seasonal differences in burrow architecture of the social Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus in a mesic region. We describe burrow geometry in response to seasonal weather conditions for two seasons (wet and dry). Interactions occurred between seasons and colony size for the size of the burrow systems, but not the shape of the burrow systems. The fractal dimension values of the burrow systems did not differ between seasons. Thus, the burrow complexity was dependent upon the number of mole rats present in the social group.     

Tolerating an infection: an indirect benefit of co-founding queen associations in the ant Lasius niger

Pathogens exert a strong selection pressure on organisms to evolve effective immune defences. In addition to individual immunity, social organisms can act cooperatively to produce collective defences. In many ant species, queens have the option to found a colony alone or in groups with other, often unrelated, conspecifics. These associations are transient, usually lasting only as long as each queen benefits from the presence of others. In fact, once the first workers emerge, queens fight to the death for dominance. One potential advantage of co-founding may be that queens benefit from collective disease defences, such as mutual grooming, that act against common soil pathogens. We test this hypothesis by exposing single and co-founding queens to a fungal parasite, in order to assess whether queens in co-founding associations have improved survival. Surprisingly, co-foundresses exposed to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium did not engage in cooperative disease defences, and consequently, we find no direct benefit of multiple queens on survival. However, an indirect benefit was observed, with parasite-exposed queens producing more brood when they co-founded, than when they were alone. We suggest this is due to a trade-off between reproduction and immunity. Additionally, we report an extraordinary ability of the queens to tolerate an infection for long periods after parasite exposure. Our study suggests that there are no social immunity benefits for co-founding ant queens, but that in parasite-rich environments, the presence of additional queens may nevertheless improve the chances of colony founding success.     

氨对垃圾焚烧飞灰浸出特性的影响及地球化学模拟

垃圾焚烧飞灰可能因为选择性非催化还原法(SNCR)脱硝过程中氨泄漏、垃圾携带的渗滤液受热挥发等原因而吸附氨.本研究中采用人为添加氨水,在pH为3.66～12.44范围内,研究氨对飞灰中溶解性有机碳(DOC)和重金属浸出的影响,并利用地球化学模拟软件Visual MINTEQ从金属化学形态分布上分析氨对飞灰浸出的影响机制.结果表明,DOC在pH>9和有高浓度氨(≥1 357 mg·L-1)存在时,其浸出量大幅增加,而在浸出液中氨的水平不高于537 mg·L-1时则受氨的影响很小;在pH<6时,飞灰中各金属主要以自由态的金属离子和金属-氯络离子形态大量溶出,且受氨的影响较小;而在pH为8～12的碱性环境中和氨浓度较高时(≥3 253 mg·L-1),氨与金属生成了可溶性的金属-氨配合物,能显著增加Cd、Cu、Ni、Zn的浸出,且在pH=9附近时浸出量达到最大值,但氨对Al和Pb的浸出影响甚微;在pH>12时,Cd、Cu、Ni、Zn主要以羟基金属离子形式存在.在氨浓度为3 253 mg·L-1时,通过利用Visual MINTEQ模拟浸出值与试验数据的对比,发现Al、Pb、Zn的浸出主要由溶解/沉淀模型控制,而Cd、Cu、Ni由溶解/沉淀模型和表面吸附反应模型同时控制,且Visual MINTEQ模型能较好地预测飞灰中Al、Cu、Pb、Zn的浸出特性.     

A comprehensive review of climate adaptation in the United States: more than before, but less than needed

We reviewed existing and planned adaptation activities of federal, tribal, state, and local governments and the private sector in the United States (U.S.) to understand what types of adaptation activities are underway across different sectors and scales throughout the country. Primary sources of review included material officially submitted for consideration in the upcoming 2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment and supplemental peer-reviewed and grey literature. Although substantial adaptation planning is occurring in various sectors, levels of government, and the private sector, few measures have been implemented and even fewer have been evaluated. Most adaptation actions to date appear to be incremental changes, not the transformational changes that may be needed in certain cases to adapt to significant changes in climate. While there appear to be no one-size-fits-all adaptations, there are similarities in approaches across scales and sectors, including mainstreaming climate considerations into existing policies and plans, and pursuing no- and low-regrets strategies. Despite the positive momentum in recent years, barriers to implementation still impede action in all sectors and across scales. The most significant barriers include lack of funding, policy and institutional constraints, and difficulty in anticipating climate change given the current state of information on change. However, the practice of adaptation can advance through learning by doing, stakeholder engagements (including “listening sessions”), and sharing of best practices. Efforts to advance adaptation across the U.S. and globally will necessitate the reduction or elimination of barriers, the enhancement of information and best practice sharing mechanisms, and the creation of comprehensive adaptation evaluation metrics.     

Analytical model of metalworking fluid penetration into the flank contact zone in orthogonal cutting

Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are used widely in machining process to dissipate heat, lubricate moving surfaces, and clear chips. They have also been linked to a number of environmental and worker health problems. To reduce these impacts, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) sprays of MWF delivered in air or CO₂ have been proposed. MQL sprays can achieve performance comparable with conventional water-based or straight oil MWFs while only delivering a small fraction of the fluid. This performance advantage could be explained by the enhanced penetration into the cutting zone that results from delivering MWF in high pressure and precise sprays. To explore this hypothesis, an analytical model of MWF penetration into the flank face of the cutting zone is developed and validated using experimental data. The model is based on a derivation of the Navier–Stokes equation and the Reynolds equation for lubrication and applied to an orthogonal cutting geometry under steady-state conditions. A solution to the model is obtained using a numerical strategy of discretizing the analytical scheme with two-dimensional centered finite difference method. Penetration into the cutting zone is estimated for MQL sprays delivered in air, CO₂ and N₂ as well as two conventional MWFs, straight oil and semi-synthetic emulsion. The model suggests that conventional MWFs, do not penetrate the cutting zone fully and fail to provide direct cooling to the flank zone where wear is most likely to occur. MQL sprays do penetrate the cutting zone completely. Using convective heat transfer coefficients from a previous study, a finite element heat balance is carried out on the tool to understand how each fluid impacts temperature near the flank tip of the tool. The results of the modeling effort are consistent with experimental measurements of tool temperature during turning of titanium (6AL4V) using a K313 carbide tool. The prediction of temperature near the flank indicates that MQL sprays do suppress temperatures near the flank effectively. These results help explain the low levels of tool wear observed for some MQL sprays, particularly those based on high pressure CO₂. This modeling framework provides valuable insight into how lubricant delivery characteristics such as speed, viscosity, and cutting zone geometry can impact lubricant penetration.     

Resistance mash welding for joining of copper conductors for electric motors

The automotive industry is developing designs and manufacturing processes for a new generation of electric motors intended for use in hybrid and electric vehicles. This paper is focused on using solid-state welding to join rectangular wires in the fabrication of motor stators. Resistance welding has not typically been applied to copper due to its very high electrical conductivity; however through optimization of the current and pressure profiles, excellent quality copper-to-copper joints have been demonstrated with a technique known as resistance mash welding. A better understanding of resistance mash welding characteristics will help advancements in its application for stators. The limitations of this application will be discussed.