不同老化时间的TiO_2纳米颗粒对玉米生长的影响

为探讨老化时间对TiO_2纳米颗粒(nanoparticles,NPs)生物有效性的影响,研究了不同老化时间的Ti O_2NPs(0~120 d)对玉米幼苗生长的影响、在玉米体内的吸收及其在植株不同部位的存在位点等。研究发现,不同浓度的TiO_2NPs(1 000 mg·kg~(-1)和2 000 mg·kg~(-1))加入到土壤中,对玉米幼苗干鲜重没有明显的影响,但老化时间小于60 d时,对玉米幼苗株高有一定的抑制效应,老化60 d之后,随着老化时间的继续延长,毒性逐渐降低,最后趋于稳定。老化60 d时,TiO_2NPs处理的玉米幼苗根冠增大,玉米幼苗体内产生H2O_2的累积。在Ti O_2老化土壤中生长的玉米幼苗根系和地上部均有Ti的累积,1 000 mg·kg~(-1)的TiO_2NPs在玉米幼苗根部的生物累积系数达到35.4%,在地上部为13.6%,在玉米植株体内的转运系数为0.38;通过TEM观察,TiO_2NPs可以进入到玉米幼苗体内,并存在于根细胞的细胞质和叶绿体膜上,在叶片细胞的液泡和细胞核中也发现有TiO_2NPs的存在。上述研究结果为客观评价TiO_2NPs的生态风险提供了有用信息。     

纹缟虾虎鱼对Cu~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和氨氮的毒性响应和敏感性分析

以纹缟虾虎鱼为受试生物,分别进行了Cu~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和氨氮为环境因子的急性毒性实验和氨氮慢性暴露实验,结合文献数据分析纹缟虾虎鱼对3种污染物的敏感性。结果表明,Cu~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和氨氮对纹缟虾虎鱼的EC50分别为4.527、40.408和63.182mg·L~(-1)。组织切片结果显示,氨氮暴露能够引起纹缟虾虎鱼肝组织结构退化,组织细胞畸变,其损伤程度随着氨氮浓度的升高而加剧。氨氮暴露对肠管未见明显影响。敏感性分析结果表明,纹缟虾虎鱼对Cu~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和氨氮的累积概率分别为83.33%、96.27%和90.48%,均表现为不敏感。在Cu~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和氨氮对海洋生物的敏感性排名中,纹缟虾虎鱼分别在第31/35、32/32和19/20位。在8~12种海洋鱼类中,纹缟虾虎鱼对上述3种污染物的敏感性都处在较低水平。     

河口底泥来源真菌Trichoderma asperellum对壬基酚的降解路径

从壬基酚(Nonylphenol,NP)污染严重的李村河口底泥中分离纯化出可实验室培养的真菌,以高浓度NP为环境选择压力筛选出了一株目标菌株,18S rDNA确定其归属为棘孢木霉(Trichoderma asperellum)。实验室内研究了该菌株对NP的生物降解过程,LC/MS分析其代谢产物,据此提出了NP可能的生物降解路径。菌株的生长曲线表明NP能促进其生长,该菌株3 d对5 mg/L NP的降解率为71.4%,7 d的降解率达到87.2%,14 d则达到了92.2%。LC/MS分析确定了NP四种代谢产物,分别是2-甲基-1-苯基丁醇、3,5-二羟基苯甲酸、苯二酚和苯甲醚(或苄醇)。提出了两种NP可能的生物降解路径,Ⅰ是最终转化成苯二酚,Ⅱ是最终转化成苯甲醚或苄醇。     

Human capital diversity in the creation of social capital for team creativity

We highlight the social aspects of team creativity by proposing that team creativity is influenced by two types of team social capital: bridging and bonding social capital. Going beyond the structural perspective, we posit that team‐level human capital diversity is one of the potential antecedents of social capital for team creativity. We suggest that network structures are formed by teammates' interactions, which are largely the result of differences in their individual characteristics. The results of an empirical study using 36 teams of MBA students showed that the interaction of team‐bridging social capital with team‐bonding social capital was positively and significantly related to team creativity. Knowledge variety and knowledge disparity had a joint effect on team‐bridging social capital, and knowledge separation was negatively related to team‐bonding social capital. Moreover, team social capital mediated the effects of knowledge diversity on team creativity. Our study has several important implications for team creativity, social networks, and diversity research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Removal of Mo(VI) from aqueous solutions using sulfuric acid-modified cinder: kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Removal of Mo(VI) from aqueous solutions was investigated using cinder modified by sulfuric acid. Various parameters such as pH, agitation time, Mo(VI) concentration, and temperature have been studied. The maximum adsorption of Mo(VI) occurred at pH between 4.0 and 6.0. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption generally obeyed a pseudo second-order model. The activation energy was 31.4?kJ?mol^?1, indicating that the adsorption process was governed mainly by interactions of physical nature. Furthermore, application of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models to the adsorption equilibrium data showed that the adsorption behavior obeyed the Langmuir model. The adsorption capacity was found to be 10.8?g Mo(VI)?kg^?1 adsorbent. Finally, thermodynamic parameters such as ΔH ⁰, ΔS ⁰, and ΔG ⁰ were also evaluated, which showed that the adsorption of Mo(VI) on the treated cinder was endothermic, entropy increasing, and spontaneous. In conclusion, the sulfuric acid-modified cinder was shown to be an inexpensive, effective, and simple adsorbent for the removal of Mo(VI) from water.     

The estimation of bioconcentration factors of aromatic hydrocarbons by high‐performance liquid chromatography

The determination of Bioconcentration Factors (BCF) via HPLC capacity factors (k') has been studied, including the effect of column type and mobile phase composition on the correlation between log BCF and log k’. Values of BCF correlate well with the phenylsilica column capacity factors. The phenylsilica column followed by C18 column give better correlations than either C8 or C2 column. The use of HPLC with phenylsilica as stationary phase and methanol‐water as mobile phase in the prediction of BCF can be at least as good or better than the use of n‐octanol/water partitioning system. There are no significant differences in the correlations between log k’ and log BCF with the changes of methanol concentration in the mobile phase, and it seems that a high proportion of methanol in the eluent is required to obtain good results.     

Determination and QSPR analysis of log Kow and log Koc for fluorine containing benzene derivatives

Octanol‐water partition coefficients (Kow) and soil organic carbon sorption coefficients (Koc) were determined for 14 fluorinated benzene derivatives. Quantitative structure‐property relationships were developed using molecular connectivity indices and quantum chemical parameters to analyze the most significant factors influencing these physico‐chemical properties of the compounds. The substitution by F in benzene derivatives has greater influence on Koc than on Kow.     

Efficacy of rapeseed residue and eggshell waste on enzyme activity and soil quality in rice paddy

Addition of plant residue into soils improves soil physiochemical properties and its fertility. Rapeseed residue is an emerging N source to paddy soils via rice-rape double-cropping practice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rapeseed residue and eggshell waste on chemical changes and enzyme activity in the rice paddy soil. The powdered eggshells at 0, 1, 3, and 5% were applied once to 7.0 kg paddy repacked soils in each pot treated with the rapeseed residue or the conventional N, P, and K fertilisers. Eight rice seedlings (Oriza sativa L. cv. Ilmibyeo) (40 days after sowing) were transplanted to the treated each pot. The contents of total C (TC) and N (TN), and organic matter (OM) were significantly increased in soils treated with the rapeseed residue compared to the N, P, and K fertilisers. With the addition of eggshell containing ～92% CaCO₃, a considerable increase of soil pH was observed in soils treated with the rapeseed residue and the N, P, and K fertilisers, compared to the untreated soil. Activities of β-glucosidase, urease, and arylsulfatase enzymes were higher in soils treated with the rapeseed residue than soils treated with the N, P, and K fertilisers. The eggshell additions at 1, 3, and 5% into soils treated with the rapeseed residue increased enzyme activity mainly resulting from N mineralisation, whereas no change in enzyme activity was observed in the soils treated with the NPK fertiliser. The combined use of the rapeseed residue and the eggshells can be beneficial to improve soil environment.     

Cadmium distribution in rice plants grown in three different soils after application of pig manure with added cadmium

A glasshouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate Cd concentrations in the aboveground parts of two consecutive crops of rice and Cd availability in three different soils (loam, silt loam, and sandy loam) after application of pig manure with added Cd. Soil pH tended to increase with increasing application rate of pig manure from 1 to 3% (w/w, oven dry basis). Soil diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable Cd showed a clear positive correlation with soil total Cd content and increased with increasing Cd amendment of the manure but showed no difference between the two manure application rates. Cd concentrations in the grain, husk, and straw were significantly and positively correlated with soil DTPA-extractable Cd (p < 0.001). Within each level of manure Cd, the higher rate (3%) of manure produced lower Cd concentrations in the grain, husk, and straw on all three soils than did the lower rate (1%) after the first crop, but this no longer occurred after the growth of the second crop. Grain Cd concentrations exceeded the Chinese National Food Quality Standard (0.2 mg kg(-1)) most often on the loam, with intermediate frequency on the silt loam, and least often on the sandy loam, the soil with the highest pH and lowest organic carbon content and cation exchange capacity.     

Look before you leap - individual variation in social vigilance shapes socio-spatial group properties in an agent-based model

Next to predator detection, primate vigilance also serves to keep track of relevant conspecifics. The degree of vigilance towards group members often reflects the dominance rank of an individual: subordinates pay attention to dominants. Although it has been suggested that subordinates' vigilance may result in spatial centrality of dominants, this has not been addressed in either empirical or modeling studies. Using agent-based models, we determined how social vigilance affects socio-spatial properties of primate groups. A basic model without social vigilance, where individuals avoid potential aggressors (avoidance model), was contrasted with two models that each additionally included a different type of social vigilance: a) monitoring a specific potential aggressor to remain informed on its whereabouts (monitoring model) or b) scanning the whole group to detect potential aggressors (scanning model). Adding monitoring or scanning behavior to the avoidance model reinforced spatial centrality of dominants, a pattern often observed in primates, and resulted in more spread out groups. Moreover, variation in scanning tendency alone was already sufficient to generate spatial centrality of dominants: frequently scanning subordinates could move further away from the group center than dominants, before losing sight of group members. In the monitoring model, two mechanisms caused decreased encounter frequencies among subordinates: a) increased inter-individual distances, and b) frequent monitoring of central dominants. In the scanning model, encounters among subordinates decreased due to increased inter-individual distances. This agent-based model study provides a clear indication that individual variation in social vigilance may be an important structuring feature of primate social groups.