长白山温带森林挥发性有机物的排放通量

2010年夏季,在长白山温带森林开展了挥发性有机物(VOC)排放通量以及气象参数、PAR的综合测量.VOC排放通量采用松弛涡度积累(RelaxedEddyAccumulation)技术在森林冠层上进行测量.初步发现长白山阔叶林主要排放α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯、莰烯、香桧烯、月桂烯、蒈烯、柠檬烯、罗勒烯、松油烯、繖花烃、萜品油烯、三环烯等.研究表明,长白山阔叶混交林VOC排放有明显的日变化——早晚较低和中午前后较高.2010年夏季,单萜烯总排放通量的平均值为0.242mg·m·h-2-1,其变化范围为0.005～1.668mg·m·h-2-1;各成分排放通量的平均值(和最大值)分别为α-蒎烯0.072(0.234)、莰烯0.028(0.356)、月桂烯0.027(0.433)、蒈烯0.023(0.173)、柠檬烯0.037(0.197)、罗勒烯0.016(0.168)、萜品油烯0.053(0.320)、繖花烃0.067(0.755)mg·m·h-2-1.研究还发现VOC排放通量与气温之间存在一定的联系.     

Intertidal community structure and oceanographic patterns around Santa Cruz Island, CA, USA

Recent studies suggest that nearshore oceanographic conditions can have important effects on the structure of benthic communities. On Santa Cruz Island (SCI), CA, USA there is a persistent difference in mean annual sea surface temperature (SST) around the island due to its location at the confluence of opposing cold and warm ocean current systems. Over the course of a 4-year study (1997–2001) seawater nutrient and chl-a concentrations, algal tissue C:N ratios, recruitment and growth of filter-feeders (barnacles and mussels), and intertidal community structure were measured at six intertidal sites around the island. There were strong associations between remotely sensed SST and patterns of community structure. Macrophyte abundance was highest at sites with persistently low SST, while recruitment, abundance, and growth of filter-feeding invertebrates were strongly, positively correlated with SST. The cold-water sites were associated with higher nutrient concentrations and lower algal C:N ratios, particularly in the winter months. Values of chl-a were generally low and variable among sites, and were not correlated with the predominant SST gradient. Recruitment of barnacles and mussels was positively correlated with adult abundance across all sites. While detailed experimental studies are needed to further evaluate the mechanisms underlying community dynamics, these results indicate that the confluence of cold- and warm-water masses around SCI may determine the contrasting patterns of intertidal community structure.     

The prenatal diagnosis of the Walker-Warburg Syndrome

On the basis of physical features and autopsy findings, a child with congenital hydrocephalus, bilateral microphthalmia, myopathy, severe developmental retardation and multiple brain malformations was diagnosed to have the Walker-Warburg Syndrome (WWS). During a subsequent pregnancy in this family, a fetus at risk for this autosomal recessive condition was evaluated with serial ultrasound examinations. At 15 weeks of gestation an encephalo-cele was noted. Disproportionately slow growth of the head compared to the body was noted at 36 weeks. At birth, the diagnosis of WWS was confirmed in the child due to the presence of microcephaly, an encephalocele, a meningocele and bilateral microphthalmia. This is the first reported case of the early prenatal diagnosis of this recently categorized genetic condition, in which the major features are hydrocephalus, multiple central nervous system malformations, microphthalmia with ocular malformations, severe psychomotor retardation, congenital myopathy and a very limited life expectancy.     

Temporal changes in blood lead levels of hazardous waste workers in New Jersey, 1984–1987

The blood lead levels of 568 New Jersey hazardous waste workers were determined at least once in the period 1984–1987. Workers almost always wore protective clothing in the field, which should have prevented exposure to lead. Therefore, despite their occupation, these workers are probably representative of the New Jersey suburban population in the mid-1980s. Blood lead levels ranged from 2.0–20.7 µg/dL, with an arithmetic mean value of 5.8 µg/dL, representing a decline from levels measured a decade earlier, but there was no clear change over the four years of the study. Blood lead levels increased with age of the worker up to age 60. Women showed lower levels than men in every age group.     

The classroom setting as a source of expectations about teachers and pupils

The major purpose of this research is to examine the impact of classroom spatial arrangement (open versus traditional) and orderliness (messy versus neat) on observers' impressions of teachers and pupils. In experiments 1 and 2, samples of college students were shown color slides of vacant elementary classrooms which varied on these two physical dimensions. Subjects were asked to indicate their impressions of the teacher and the pupils who used each room by completing a set of bipolar adjective scales. Data analysis indicated that teachers in neat classrooms were rated more positively than their counterparts in disorderly classrooms on measures of kindliness, inventiveness, and organization. Pupils associated with neat classrooms were judged to be happier and better behaved. Open classroom teachers received higher ratings than traditional classroom teachers on kindliness and inventiveness. In experiment 3, the same procedure was used to obtain ratings from fifth-grade students. Their judgements of teacher and pupil characteristics were also positively affected by neatness, but classroom arrangement had no impact.     

The mental health of expatriate and Kosovar Albanian humanitarian aid workers

The mental health consequences of exposure to traumatic events and the risk factors for psychological morbidity among expatriate and Kosovar Albanian humanitarian aid workers have not been well studied. In June 2000, we used standardised screening tools to survey 285 (69.5%) of 410 expatriate aid workers and 325 (75.8%) of 429 Kosovar Albanian aid workers from 22 humanitarian organizations that were implementing health programmes in Kosovo. The mean number of trauma events experienced by expatriates was 2.8 (standard deviation: 2.7) and by Kosovar staff 3.2 (standard deviation: 2.8). Although only 1.1% of expatriate and 6.2% of Kosovar aid workers reported symptoms consistent with the diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder, 17.2% and 16.9%, respectively, reported symptoms satisfying the definition of depression. Regression analysis demonstrated that the number of trauma events experienced was significantly associated with depression for the two sets of workers. Organisational support services may be an important mediating factor and should be targeted at both groups.     

Predicting the frequency of accidents in port areas by developing event trees from historical analysis

The historical analysis of 828 accidents in port areas, which have been selected from a database, has been used to identify the sequences of the accidents. Processing these data has allowed the event trees and the probability of the various accident scenarios to be determined. By using these event trees and figures detailing the frequency of the events that initiated the accidents, as taken from various authors, the frequency of the accidents has been determined.