Presence of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in Tap Water in Public Schools from Southern Brazil

Torque teno virus (TTV) was surveyed in tap water collected in schools from three municipalities located in the south of Brazil. TTV genomes were found in 11.7 % (4/34) of the samples. TTV DNA was detected in 10.5 % (2/19) of the samples collected at the city of Caxias do Sul and in 25 % (2/8) of the samples from Pelotas. Those cities have a low rate of sewage treatment. All samples from Santa Cruz do Sul, which has nearly 92 % of its sewage treated, were negative. These results suggest that the amount of sewage treated may have an effect on the detection rates of TTV DNA in drinking water in a given urban area, showing a mild negative correlation (r = ?0.76), when comparing the percentage of sewage treatment to the detection of TTV genomes. The detection rate of TTV was also compared with Escherichia coli, showing a strong correlation (r = 0.97), indicating that TTV may be a suitable marker of fecal contamination.     

新型磁性聚谷氨酸吸附剂对水中Pb2+的吸附去除

德岛大学安澤幹人首次利用γ-PGA在Fe3O4磁性纳米颗粒上进行涂层,制得了γ-聚谷氨酸-Fe3O4磁性纳米颗粒（PG-M）.本实验利用透射电镜以及扫描电镜对PG-M吸附剂的形貌进行了分析,发现PG-M与未涂层的Fe3 O4具有相似的形状以及大小,均为不规则的层状结构,且晶粒直径在120～320 nm之间;实验中针对性地对水溶液中Pb2＋进行了吸附探讨.在振荡实验中,通过主要参数的变化（pH值、吸附时间、竞争离子浓度、腐殖酸浓度）,得到如下结果：吸附最佳pH值为7.0;吸附量随着吸附时间的延长而增长,吸附平衡时间为45 min;Na＋对PG-M去除Pb2＋没有很强的干扰性,而Ca2＋则显示出一定的干扰作用;腐殖酸对吸附效果的影响是复杂的,表现为先增强吸附效果,随后降低吸附效果;最佳条件时Pb2＋的最大吸附量为93.3 mg/g.PG-M对Pb2＋的吸附均能较好地符合Freundlich和Langmuir等温吸附模型,其中Langmuir方程能更好地描述PG-M的吸附特征,说明PG-M在水溶液中对金属离子的吸附为单分子层吸附.PG-M吸附符合准二级动力学模型（r2〉0.99）.不同浓度的HCl和HNO3溶液的再生实验发现,0.1 mol/L的HCl溶液作为吸附再生液,可取得较好的再生效果.表明PG-M是可再生的,具有较好的经济性和可持续性.     

海峡西岸经济区生态系统格局特征分析

运用景观生态学的空间格局指数法,结合遥感和GIS技术,研究海峡西岸经济区(海西区)2007年生态系统组成及景观格局特征,以期为海西区资源的合理利用及生态环境保护等工作提供科学依据。研究表明:海西区主要由森林、草地、农田、水域、湿地、城镇和荒地构成;海西区斑块数量较多,形状简单,破碎化程度较低,景观整体比较完整,多样性不高,异质性较低,稳定性较高;森林是海西区的优势景观类型,呈规模化集中分布;草地和农田是海西区重要景观类型,斑块数量最多,分布零散;湿地斑块形状最为规则,表明人类对其进行了良好的保护和利用;城镇和荒地的结构特征最差,表明其稳定性差,受人为干扰强烈;水域的景观特征处于中间水平。     

Detection Method for Avian Influenza Viruses in Water

Recent events have shown that humans may become infected with some pathogenic avian influenza A viruses (AIV). Since soil and water, including lakes, rivers, and seashores, may be contaminated by AIV excreted by birds, effective methods are needed for monitoring water for emerging viruses. Combining water filtration with molecular methods such as PCR is a fast and effective way for detecting viruses. The objective of this study was to apply a convenient method for the detection of AIV in natural water samples. Distilled water and lake, river, and seawater were artificially contaminated with AIV (H5N3) and passed through a filter system. AIV was detected from filter membrane by real-time RT-PCR. The performance of Zetapor, SMWP, and Sartobind D5F membranes in recovering influenza viruses was first evaluated using contaminated distilled water. SWMP, which gave the highest virus recoveries, was then compared with a pre-filter combined GF/F filter membrane in a trial using natural water samples. In this study, the cellulose membrane SMWP was found to be practical for recovery of AIVs in water. Viral yields varied between 62.1 and 65.9% in distilled water and between 1 and 16.7% in natural water samples. The borosilicate glass membrane GF/F combined with pre-filter was also feasible in filtering natural water samples with viral yields from 1.98 to 7.33%. The methods described can be used for monitoring fresh and seawater samples for the presence of AIV and to determine the source of AIV transmission in an outbreak situation.     

Prevalence of Norovirus Infection in Children and Adults with Acute Gastroenteritis,Tehran, Iran, 2008–2009

Noroviruses are one of important agents that cause acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. These viruses are belonging to Caliciviridae family and are genetically diverse. To date, there is no valuable data about prevalence of norovirus infection and the dominant genogroup/genotype among Iranian population. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of norovirus infection in Iranian patients with gastroenteritis referred to three hospitals of Tehran and to specify the dominant genogroup/genotype of this virus among our study population. A total of 293 patients with acute gastroenteritis were included in the study. Detection of norovirus was performed using RT-PCR method and confirmed by direct sequencing with specific designed primers for capsid region of norovirus genome. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the neighbor-joining method. Norovirus strains identified in our study were subsequently categorized according to previously defined genogroup/genotypes. Of these, norovirus GII was dominant genogroup. Sixty-five percent (17 of 26) of positive samples were determined as GII and 35% (9 of 26) were determined as GI, respectively, in 2008–2009. And among 8 sequenced strains of genogroup II the most frequent genotype was GII.3. The results of this study indicated that norovirus must be considered as one of the infectious causes of acute gastroenteritis among Iranian population. We also found that GII.3 is more prevalent in our study population. To the best of our knowledge there is limited data about the role of noroviruses in children and adults’ acute gastroenteritis among Iranian patients and this prevalence and genotyping report of norovirus infection could be remarkable for further studies.     

基于析因设计的多种重金属对发光菌联合毒性研究

文章采用析因设计的方法,研究沉积物水浸提液掺杂的多种重金属Cu、Cd、Zn、Pb和Ni对发光菌的联合毒性。通过对试验结果进行方差分析和多元线性回归,建立了重金属浓度和发光菌发光抑制率的关系模型:T=97.983Cu+41.111Cd-27.297Zn+129.869Pb+16.715Ni-5 803.639Cu*Cd+2 270.182Cd*Zn-6 411.870Cd*Pb-675.052Cd*Ni-3 108.544Pb*Ni+15 9552.434Cd*Pb*Ni+274 718.434Zn*Pb*Ni。模型分析结果表明:Zn对联合毒性产生负的影响,Cu、Cd、Pb、Ni对联合毒性具有正的贡献;Cd*Zn二元交互作用和Cd*Pb*Ni、Zn*Pb*Ni三元交互作用表现为协同作用,Cu*Cd、Cd*Pb、Cd*Ni、Pb*Ni二元交互作用表现为拮抗作用,而重金属四元和五元交互作用对联合毒性的贡献不显著。上述重金属联合毒性的作用可为沉积物中重金属复合污染控制提供参考。     

A framework for analyzing climate change adaptations as actions

Developing generalized theories about adaptation to climate change requires common concepts to map different adaptation situations. The paper aims to contribute to this endeavor by presenting a novel framework that conceptualizes adaptations to climate change as actions. The framework is intended to systematically analyze the actor relations involved in adaptations and the barriers to their implementation. By combining established scientific action theories with terminology from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in an innovative way, it can be used to clarify the notion of adaptation used in adaptation assessments. The framework’s potential is illustrated by a case study on cooling water management in the river Rhine catchment and by the elucidation of some prominent concepts in adaptation research. We show that by framing adaptations as actions, the purpose of adaptations and how they tend to connect up in means-ends-chains becomes crucial. Actors can take different functional roles as exposure unit, operator and receptor of adaptation. A mismatch of these roles can lead to barriers to adaptation, of which we deduce four types: complex actor relations, missing operators, missing means and unemployed means. The case study yields a complex bundle of adaptations, and shows that the potential barriers involved are quite diverse. There is thus no blueprint solution. Although we identify entry points for adaptation, the analysis leads to a skeptical conclusion for adapting cooling water management in the whole Rhine catchment.     

Coastal flooding,climate change and environmental justice: identifying obstacles and incentives for adaptation in two metropolitan Boston Massachusetts communities

We explored the possible future impacts of increased coastal flooding due to sea level rise and the potential adaptation responses of two urban, environmental justice communities in the metropolitan Boston area of Massachusetts. East Boston is predominantly a residential area with some industrial and commercial activities, particularly along the coastal fringe. Everett, a city to the north of Boston, has a diversified industrial and commercial base. While these two communities have similar socioeconomic characteristics, they differ substantially in the extent to which residents would be impacted by increased coastal flooding. In East Boston, a large portion of residents would be flooded, while in Everett, it is the commercial/industrial districts that are primarily vulnerable. Through a series of workshops with residents in each community, we found that the target populations do not have an adaptation perspective or knowledge of any resources that could assist them in this challenge. Furthermore, they do not feel included in the planning processes within their communities. However, a common incentive for both communities was an intense commitment to their communities and an eagerness to learn more and become actively engaged in decisions regarding climate change adaptation. The lessons that can be applied to other studies include 1) images are powerful tools in communicating concepts, 2) understanding existing cultural knowledge and values in adaptation planning is essential to the planning process and 3) engaging local residents at the beginning of the process can create important educational opportunities and develop trust and consensus that is necessary for moving from concept to implementation.     

基于多线程技术的中国海风暴潮数值预报可视化程序开发

首先简要介绍了中国海的风暴潮及灾害情况,对杭州湾一带的风暴潮进行了重点阐述。在风暴潮二维数值模型FBM的基础上开发了具有可视化界面的数值计算程序,能直观的显示风暴潮发展时历,包括风暴潮最大增水、台风风向和移速。采用了多线程技术,可节省时间,程序具有Windows风格的人机交互界面,操作方便。通过几个算例测试,本程序计算结果符合工程预报需要,可为同类研究做一些参考,具有推广意义。     

近江牡蛎Crassostrea hongkongensis体内细菌的周年变化及细菌产酶能力

对近江牡蛎体内异养细菌进行1周年的监测(2010年1月～2010年12月),分离得到的异养菌(180株)鉴定到属,并检测产生蛋白酶、淀粉酶和脂肪酶的能力。结果显示,正常贝体内异养菌和弧菌数分别为7.3×103～6.6×104CFU/g和8.0×10～8.2×103CFU/g,随机分离的菌株分属肠杆菌科的部分属Enterbacteriaceae、弧菌属Vibrio、气单胞菌属Aeromonas、假单胞菌属Pseudomonas、葡萄球菌属Staphylococcus、发光杆菌属Photobacterium、无色杆菌属Achromobacter、芽孢杆菌属Bacillus等。产酶试验结果表明,正常贝体分泌蛋白酶和纤维素酶的菌株数量最高出现于9月份,产酶菌株比例分别高达91.7%和63.9%,分泌淀粉酶和脂肪酶菌株数量高峰出现于7月份,产酶菌株比例均达81.8%,其中15株能同时分泌这4种酶。