Predicting Respiratory Morbidity from Pulmonary Function Tests: A Reanalysis of Ozone Chamber Studies

Some consequences of acute exposure to ozone are best measured In studies of human respiratory responses in controlled exposure chambers. These studies typically examine relationships between exposures to alternative pollutant concentrations and Indicators of lung function as measured by spirometry, such as forced expiratory volume In one second, FEV₁ However, the association of respiratory morbidity with these changes In lung function is not well established. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between ozonerelated changes in pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms, data from several clinical studies have been reanalyzed. Logistic regression models were used to determine the quantitative relationship between changes in FEV₁ and the probability of a mild or moderate lower respiratory symptom. Models were developed that corrected for repeated sampling of individuals and both population-averaged and subject-specific effects were determined. The results indicate the existence of a strong and consistent quantitative relationship between changes in lung function and the probability of a respiratory symptom. Specifically, a 10 percent reduction in FEV₁ is associated with a 15 percentage point increase In the probability of a mild, moderate or severe lower respiratory symptom and a 6 percentage point increase in the probability of a moderate or severe lower respiratory symptom.     

Behavioural syndromes in juvenile brown trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis>); life history,family variation and performance in the wild

The main aims of this study were to investigate (1) the occurrence and strength of the shyness–boldness behavioural syndrome in brown trout fry, (2) whether this syndrome is associated with paternal migratory life history, (3) whether fry survival and growth in the wild is associated with paternal life history and/or boldness and (4) whether offspring performance showed maternal effects. Nine female migratory trout were each crossed with one migratory and one resident male and the offspring were raised in hatchery tanks until first feeding. The behavioural studies showed that fry that responded bold towards a novel object also accepted a novel food item earlier and responded more aggressively towards their own mirror image. Principal component analysis showed that this shyness–boldness syndrome (PC1) explained 34% of the behavioural variation. Offspring boldness was not affected by paternal migratory life history, but significant effects of the female parent suggested maternal and/or genetic effects. Deviations from this pattern (PC2), where some individuals behaved less aggressively and performed more approaches to food, explained an additional 17% of the variation in behaviour, and was significantly influenced by length and paternal migratory life history. Fry growth and survival in nature was not associated with boldness (PC1) or PC2, suggesting that alternative behavioural strategies can be successful in nature. However, female parent effects on variation in fry size persisted over the first growth period in the wild, suggesting that these effects may influence offspring fitness during early life when major selection occurs.     

Overview of state approaches to vapor intrusion

A large number of states have issued guidance addressing the vapor intrusion pathway making it difficult to keep up with various policies and requirements. We have compiled and reviewed guidance from 35 states, half of which have issued documents within the last three years. A comparison of policies among states shows reasonable consistency in some areas—for example, 20 of 23 states that provide an exclusion distance for subsurface sources of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) use a distance of 100 feet. However, more commonly, the policy decisions vary widely. Among states, indoor air screening concentrations for the same VOC vary by more than 2,000 times and subsurface screening concentrations vary by more than 2,000,000 times. These wide discrepancies suggest a need for communication and consensus building in order to increase consistency in the management of the vapor intrusion pathway. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Growing season methane budget of an Inner Mongolian steppe

We present a methane (CH₄) budget for the area of the Baiyinxile Livestock Farm, which comprises approximately 1/3 of the Xilin river catchment in central Inner Mongolia, P.R. China. The budget calculations comprise the contributions of natural sources and sinks as well as sources related to the main land-use in this region (non-nomadic pastoralism) during the growing season (May–September). We identified as important CH₄ sources floodplains (mean 1.55 ± 0.97 mg CH₄–C m^?2 h^?1) and domestic ruminants, which are mainly sheep in this area. Within the floodplain significant differences between investigated positions were detected, whereby only positions close-by the river or bayous emitted large amounts of CH₄ (mean up to 6.21 ± 1.83 mg CH₄–C m^?2 h^?1). Further CH₄ sources were sheepfolds (0.08–0.91 mg CH₄–C m^?2 h^?1) and pasture faeces (1.34 ± 0.22 mg CH₄–C g^?1 faeces dry weight), but they did not play a significant role for the CH₄ budget. In contrast, dung heaps were not a net source of CH₄ (0.0 ± 0.2 for an old and 0.0 ± 0.3 μg CH₄–C kg^?1 h^?1 for a new dung heap). Trace gas measurements along two landscape transects (volcano, hill slope) revealed expectedly a mean CH₄ uptake (volcano: 76.5 ± 4.3; hill: 28.3 ± 5.3 μg CH₄–C m^?2 h^?1), which is typical for the aerobic soils in this and other steppe ecosystems. The observed fluxes were rarely influenced by topography.The CH₄ emissions from the floodplain and the sheep were not compensated by the CH₄ oxidation of aerobic steppe soils and thus, this managed semi-arid grassland did not serve as a terrestrial sink, but as a source for this globally important greenhouse gas. The source strength amounted to 1.5–3.6 kg CH₄–C ha^?1 during the growing season, corresponding to 3.5–8.7 kg C ha^?1 yr^?1.     

Scots pine needles macronutrient (N, P, K, CA, MG, and S) supply at different reclaimed mine soil substrates—as an indicator of the stability of developed forest ecosystems

A main objective of restoration and afforestation at post-mining sites is establishing a long-term sustainable ecosystem which depends on adaptations of tree species and which in turn depends on the soil nutrient flux. The nutrient concentration (nitrogen (N), P, K, Ca, Mg, and sulfur (S)) of Scots pine needles was investigated in reclaimed mine soils (RMS) located at the following post-mining sites: a sand mine pit, spoil heap from a lignite mine, spoil heap from a S mine, and a carbonaceous spoil heap from an underground coal mine. The control plots were arranged on natural forest sites adjacent to the post-mining sites. A higher level of foliar nutrients was noted in the carbonaceous RMS, while lower levels were found in RMS on the spoil heap following lignite mining. The characteristics of the substrate were found to exert greater effect than mineral fertilization (performed at the onset of reclamation) on the tree stand characteristics, needle length and foliar nutrient concentration. While the soils and trees were most deficient in N, negative symptoms have not been noted to this date in tree stands at reclaimed mine sites. Trophic ratings were recommended based on statistical correlations and groupings between N and P contents in needles and needles length (mean length of 300 needles) while nutrient ratings were recommended from statistical differences and groupings of the RMS substrates.     

Combining modelling tools to evaluate a goose management scheme

Many goose species feed on agricultural land, and with growing goose numbers, conflicts with agriculture are increasing. One possible solution is to designate refuge areas where farmers are paid to leave geese undisturbed. Here, we present a generic modelling tool that can be used to designate the best locations for refuges and to gauge the area needed to accommodate the geese. With a species distribution model, locations are ranked according to goose suitability. The size of the area to be designated as refuge can be chosen by including more or less suitable locations. A resource depletion model is then used to estimate whether enough resources are available within the designated refuge to accommodate all geese, taking into account the dynamics of food resources, including depletion by geese. We illustrate this with the management scheme for pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus implemented in Norway. Here, all geese can be accommodated, but damage levels appear to depend on weather, land use and refuge size.     

Perceptions of Manipulation and Judgments of Illegitimacy: Pitfalls in the Use of Emphasis Framing when Communicating about CO2 Capture and Storage

The mitigation of climate change requires reductions in the amount of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere. One way to achieve this in the short run is through the implementation of CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) technology. The viability of CCS not only depends on technical and regulatory issues, but also on public attitudes. Communication plays an important role in shaping these attitudes. This paper reports on two experiments performed to examine effects of emphasis framing in CCS communications, meaning that greater weight is given to advantages of CCS over disadvantages or vice versa. Although emphasis framing can be effective in shaping attitudes, our findings suggest that there may be long-term costs to using this communication technique as it can be perceived as manipulative. Moreover, emphasis framing is judged as relatively illegitimate when the source is expected to be impartial rather than biased.     

Controlling Air Toxics Emissions From Remediation by Monitoring of Surrogate Parameters

Particulate matter (dust) from remediation and demolition sites may pose a potential risk to the nearby public due to the presence of various contaminants. Unfortunately, there are no good options for real‐time monitoring of metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, etc. in wind‐blown dust. A three‐tiered approach involving a combination of real‐time monitoring and off‐site analysis that has proved successful is described in this article. PM₁₀ is used as a surrogate parameter for metals and other nonvolatile pollutants, and real‐time monitoring is used to guide dust control measures. If dust emissions are controlled, air emissions of metals and other nonvolatile pollutants also are controlled. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Influence of Floodplain Vegetation Succession on Hydraulic Roughness: Is Ecosystem Rehabilitation in Dutch Embanked Floodplains Compatible with Flood Safety Standards?

Here, we show for one of the Dutch Rhine River branches that large-scale riverine ecosystem rehabilitation and related vegetation succession may lead to up to 0.6 m higher river flood levels, because of increased hydraulic roughness. We hydraulically modeled future succession stages of embanked floodplain vegetation, following from present ecosystem rehabilitation plans for the 124-km-long river IJssel, and found flood levels exceeding the safety levels (related to dike heights). Our models take into account river engineering measures that are presently carried out, aimed at enhancing the river discharge capacity in order to meet required safety standards. Our study shows that there is a pressing need for integrated hydraulic-ecological evaluation of river engineering measures and ecosystem rehabilitation plans in the Rhine embanked floodplains. An important conclusion also is that hydraulic evaluation of planned vegetation goals only is inadequate, because flow resistance of preceding succession stages may be higher.