Air quality assessment along Dhanbad - Jharia road

Road ambient air pollution status along Dhanbad – Jharia road isstudied and presented in this article. The selection of this areais made considering the importance of the road in Dhanbad district and the nature of activities taking place along the road, which reflect that the portion of road upto Dhansar can be considered as having commercial areas on both sides and that from Dhansar to Jharia as having industrial areas on both sides.For the assessment of the ambient air quality along the road monitoring is done at the following five locations: Indian Schoolof Mines (ISM), main gate; Bankmore; Dhansar police check post; Dhansar opencast project agent office and a residential house beside the Rajapur opencast project. The location of ISM, maingate is specially chosen as this represents a commercial shoppingcomplexes and the situation can be compared with that at Bankmore. Monitoring of ambient air quality is done following thestandard procedure prescribed in IS: 5182. In addition the concentration of lead, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, cadmium metals in SPM is also monitored. The ambient air quality is monitored in the months of September and November 1999, respectively, to represent monsoon and winter seasons. The SPM concentration observed at all the five locations in the winterseason is more than the permissible limits for commercial andindustrial areas. However, in the monsoon season, the SPM concentration is higher than the permissible limit at the twocommercial locations, i.e., ISM gate and Bankmore, while it isless than the prescribed limit for industrial areas at the remaining three locations. At the ISM gate and Bankmore the SPM generation is mainly by vehicular traffic while at other three locations it was in addition due to mining and other activities.     

Mitigation of peroxidative stress for barley exposed to cadmium in the presence of water-extractable organic matter from compost-like materials

The effects of water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from compost-like materials on peroxidative stress were investigated for hydroponic culture of barley exposed to Cd. In the presence of WEOM, lipoxygenase activity and malondialdehyde, indices of peroxidative stress in barley, were significantly reduced, compared to those with Cd alone (5 μM) for a 30-d culture (p < 0.05). In addition, Cd uptake in the presence of WEOM samples was significantly lower than that in their absence (p < 0.05). These results indicate that the addition of WEOM can be effective in mitigating the peroxidative stress in barley exposed to Cd. Of the total Cd in the solution, 7–8% was complexed with WEOM, indicating that the complexation of Cd with WEOM is a minor factor in reducing Cd-induced stress in barley. The WEOM sample was purified by cation-exchange column and ultrafiltration to remove the nutrient minerals, such as Ca, Mg and Fe. When the purified WEOM was employed for hydroponic culture in the presence of Cd, significant decreases in peroxidative stress and Cd uptake were observed (p < 0.05). These results show that the organic components in WEOM contribute to the mitigation of peroxidative stress in barley exposed to Cd.     

Reassessment of the Ocean-To-Atmosphere Flux of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) in the surface sea waters is produced predominantly by photochemical processes, oxidized by micro-organisms and outgassed to the atmosphere. to assess carbon monoxide flux from the oceans to the atmosphere, the photochemical production and microbial oxidation of carbon monoxide in the oceanic mixed-layer was investigated during several oeanographic cruises and in the laboratory. the photoproduction rate of carbon monoxide was found to be well correlated to the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in coastal and open ocean surface waters. Taking a global average carbon monoxide production rate of 10 ± 2 nmole litre^-1 (mg DOC hr)^-1 in the surface open ocean water, and 25 ± 7 nmole litre^-1 (mg DOC hr)^-1 in coastal sea water, at cloud-free summer solar noon, the photochemical production of carbon monoxide in the global oceans is estimated to be at a rate of 1200 ± 200 Tg CO y^-1. the microbial carbon monoxide turnover time in the mixed-layer was observed to range from hours in a coastal estuary to 16 days in the Pacific along 1057deg; W in dark incubations. Natural sunlight can largely inhibit the microbial consumption of carbon monoxide in surface water. On a global scale, microbial consumption is responsible for the loss of less than 10% of photochemical produced carbon monoxide in the surface ocean. Field measurements have shown that the net transport of carbon monoxide from the euphotic zone to the underlying deeper ocean water is limited and that the overall life time in surface sea waters is less than 3-4 hours. When combined, these field measurements with the photoproduction and microbial consumption rates obtained, we estimate the oceanic flux to the atmosphere is about 1000 ± 200 Tg CO y^-1, which represents the largest single source of atmospheric carbon monoxide.     

Sedimentary Pigments and Organic Matter in Relation to Benthic Fauna in the Tan-Shui Estuary, Taiwan

The benthic ecological structure of the Tan-Shui estuary, Taiwan is changed due to long term effects of dumping of urban wastewater and of engineering actions. to monitor these changes, we sampled and analyzed benthos and sediment from 12 stations on the estuary.

The composition of the dominant species of benthos varied seasonally, with molluscan and crustacean species having greater numbers and higher frequencies of occurrence than other species. the dominant taxa during winter were Nassarius sp. and Maldanidae at two stations. Analysis using Simpson's index and Shannon's index showed the benthic community varied more in coastal areas than in offshore areas.

Physicochemical analysis showed that most of the Tan-Shui estuary consisted of sandy sediment. the variations in concentrations of organic carbon and total nitrogen at each station were small. Although the concentrations of chlorophyll-a and carotenoid at all stations were generally low, the two stations had the highest concentrations, and we concluded that the concentration of pigments in these sediments was related to the abundance of benthos. the community structure of the benthos reflected the characteristics of the sediments, and benthic species exhibited selection of and adaptation to specific sedimentary environments.     

Fluxes of dissolved organic matter in larch forests in the cryolithozone of central Siberia

Fluxes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in larch biogeocenoses and its export from the drainage basin have been studied in the zone of continuous permafrost. A comparative assessment of DOM input into the soil has been made on slopes of northern and southern exposures (as variants reflecting the current state and warming). The dynamics of DOM export in a creek depending on the increasing depth of the active soil horizon in the drainage area have been revealed. It is concluded that an increase in the depth of the seasonally thawing layer induced by global warming will not have any significant effect on the amount of annual DOM export. Reduction of DOM export may be expected upon a decrease in litter stocks under the effect of their mineralization and forest fires.     

天津市夏季PM10浓度及组成元素垂直分布特征

通过天津市气象局大气边界层观测站高255 m的气象铁塔,获得了10m、40m、120m和220 m 4个高度共80个PM10样品,分析了PM10的日均质量浓度及其元素的垂直分布特征.结果表明,4个高度处PM10质量浓度时序变化基本一致;PM10质量浓度及其组成元素总量随高度增加递减;10 m、40m和120m3个高度处的PM10质量浓度时间序列分布的相关性较好,组分分歧系数较小,而220 m处的PM10质量浓度时间序列分布与其他3个高度处的相关性较差,组分分歧系数较大.样品中元素质量浓度由高到低依次是Si、Al、Ca、Fe、Na、Mg、K、Zn、Ti、Cu、Mn、Pb、Cr、Ni、Co、V、As、Cd和Hg.其中,Si、Al、Na、K质量分数随高度变化不大;Ca、Fe、Mg质量分数随高度增加递减明显;Zn、Cu、Mn、Pb、Cr在10m、40m和120 m3个高度处质量分数接近,而在220m处明显降低;Ti元素在4个高度处的质量浓度接近,质量分数总体上随高度增加递增;Ni、Co、V、As、Cd、Hg质量分数随高度的变化不同,其中与燃煤有密切关系的Hg在120 m处质量分数明显高于其他高度处,而在220m处最低.Al、Fe、Na、K等元素相对富集因子小于或接近1,其质量浓度与PM10质量浓度时序分布的相关性较好,其中Al、Na相关系数随高度增加显著递减;Zn,Cu、Pb、Cr、As、Ni的相对富集因子显著大于1,其质量浓度与PM10质量浓度时序分布的相关性较差,相关系数随高度增加变化不大.     

基于熵值法和物元可拓模型的核电站安全运行状态评价

我国核电事业发展迅速,核电安全是核电产业发展的重要基础.针对我国核电的发展和安全运行现状,建立了安全运行状况指标体系,通过构建物元可拓模型获得各指标在各评价等级上的关联度,将关联度与熵值法求得的指标权重合成得到加权综合关联度,继而确定核电站安全运行状况评价等级.在对核电站整体运行状况进行综合评价的同时,也能实现对安全运行状况各指标的分类评价.     

围岩稳定性评价的改进物元可拓模型与应用

为弥补现有地下工程围岩稳定性评价方法的不足,建立了改进的物元可拓模型。通过构造一种新的关联函数,解决了因传统的物元可拓模型的关联函数是一个分段函数而存在的不便于计算的缺陷,以及评价指标间的互不相容性问题,拓宽了物元可拓法的应用范围。将改进的物元可拓模型应用于某地下工程围岩的稳定性评价,结果表明,样本1、2、5属于Ⅱ级(较稳定),样本3、4属于Ⅰ级(稳定)。通过将其评价结果与传统可拓法及模糊数学综合评判结果进行比较分析,证明该评价方法的正确性。研究表明,改进的物元可拓模型的评价结果与实际工程地质情况更为吻合,准确度更高,能够反映各因素对围岩稳定性的影响,其合理性和可行性得到了验证。     

Development of a Computationally Efficient Full Human Body Finite Element Model

Introduction: A simplified and computationally efficient human body finite element model is presented. The model complements the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) detailed 50th percentile occupant (M50-O) by providing kinematic and kinetic data with a significantly reduced run time using the same body habitus.

Methods: The simplified occupant model (M50-OS) was developed using the same source geometry as the M50-O. Though some meshed components were preserved, the total element count was reduced by remeshing, homogenizing, or in some cases omitting structures that are explicitly contained in the M50-O. Bones are included as rigid bodies, with the exception of the ribs, which are deformable but were remeshed to a coarser element density than the M50-O. Material models for all deformable components were drawn from the biomechanics literature. Kinematic joints were implemented at major articulations (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle) with moment vs. angle relationships from the literature included for the knee and ankle. The brain of the detailed model was inserted within the skull of the simplified model, and kinematics and strain patterns are compared.

Results: The M50-OS model has 11 contacts and 354,000 elements; in contrast, the M50-O model has 447 contacts and 2.2 million elements. The model can be repositioned without requiring simulation. Thirteen validation and robustness simulations were completed. This included denuded rib compression at 7 discrete sites, 5 rigid body impacts, and one sled simulation. Denuded tests showed a good match to the experimental data of force vs. deflection slopes. The frontal rigid chest impact simulation produced a peak force and deflection within the corridor of 4.63 kN and 31.2%, respectively. Similar results vs. experimental data (peak forces of 5.19 and 8.71 kN) were found for an abdominal bar impact and lateral sled test, respectively. A lateral plate impact at 12 m/s exhibited a peak of roughly 20 kN (due to stiff foam used around the shoulder) but a more biofidelic response immediately afterward, plateauing at 9 kN at 12 ms. Results from a frontal sled simulation showed that reaction forces and kinematic trends matched experimental results well. The robustness test demonstrated that peak femur loads were nearly identical to the M50-O model. Use of the detailed model brain within the simplified model demonstrated a paradigm for using the M50-OS to leverage aspects of the M50-O. Strain patterns for the 2 models showed consistent patterns but greater strains in the detailed model, with deviations thought to be the result of slightly different kinematics between models. The M50-OS with the deformable skull and brain exhibited a run time 4.75 faster than the M50-O on the same hardware.

Conclusions: The simplified GHBMC model is intended to complement rather than replace the detailed M50-O model. It exhibited, on average, a 35-fold reduction in run time for a set of rigid impacts. The model can be used in a modular fashion with the M50-O and more broadly can be used as a platform for parametric studies or studies focused on specific body regions.