Environmental regulation as a double-edged sword for housing markets: Evidence from the NOx Budget Trading Program

We investigate the effects of environmental regulations on housing markets using a quasi-experimental setting—the NO_x Budget Trading Program (NBP). Hedonic theory predicts that house prices should rise as pollution levels decrease. However, environmental regulations may also affect labor markets, and thus housing demand. Employing a difference-in-differences framework, we find that house prices shifted up in the regulated areas with low manufacturing intensity, whereas in the areas with high manufacturing intensity, housing markets were weakened. We also find that in high-manufacturing-intensity areas, loan application volume declined, rejection rate augmented, and the probability of loan default increased.     

Energy performance certification and time on the market

This paper analyzes whether energy performance certificates (EPCs) serve as means to reduce the information asymmetry among market participants during the sale of homes. Using a sample of 876,000 single-family homes in the Netherlands, we examine the impact of EPC adoption on the speed of sale. Our results indicate that energy-rated homes sell faster than non-energy-rated homes, an effect that varies by 7–12 percent depending on model specifications and increases when positive (green) ratings are granted. The information conveyed by these certificates reduces the information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, which helps to reduce the uncertainty of quality.     

Spatial aggregation and the value of natural capital

Location matters for the value of capital assets. The value of changes in natural capital wealth can depend on whether natural capital asset prices are measured locally and then aggregated or whether average values are applied over aggregate representative areas. Spatial heterogeneity of resource characteristics and institutions impact approximations of the intertemporal welfare function and accounting price function because when spatial aggregation precedes valuation it implies greater arbitrage opportunities leading to more inelastic shadow (accounting) price functions than when valuation is done locally and then aggregated. Aggregation of observed values across varying resource and institutional characteristics can lead to omitted variables bias. We illustrate these results in the context of groundwater in the Kansas High Plains Aquifer and demonstrate that the accounting price function is less elastic when the accounting price is measured locally. Failure to measure locally and then aggregate could lead to undervaluing scarce resources and overvaluing plentiful ones, which biases wealth accounts in favor of passing the non-declining wealth sustainability test.     

Effects of stricter environmental regulations on resource development

This analysis seeks to understand whether changes in oil regulation brought about by the shale revolution have restricted the pace of drilling and production. This hypothesis is tested using data on North Dakota and Montana both before and after North Dakota increased regulations that raise fixed costs. Results generally find that the new regulations had no statistical impact on the pace of drilling and production, however it is found that smaller operators reduced their production and exited. These results are instructive for policymakers who weigh the loss of economic welfare against improved environmental quality when deciding on new regulations.     

丙烯腈暴露对大鼠脑组织损伤及iNOS/p38 MAPK信号通路关键蛋白表达的影响

通过探究iNOS/p38 MAPK信号通路在丙烯腈(acrylonitrile,ACN)诱导脑组织损伤中的作用,为进一步研究ACN的神经毒性作用提供依据。选取50只SPF级健康成年雄性SD大鼠,随机分为5组,每组10只。适应性饲养一周后,以12.5、25.0、50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN对大鼠进行灌胃染毒,对照组给予玉米油,另设NAC组(300.0 mg·kg~(-1)NAC+50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN),1次·天~(-1),6天·周~(-1),共染毒13周。次日称重并处死大鼠,测定大鼠脑组织NO含量、总NOS水平及iNOS、p-p38和p38蛋白表达水平。结果显示,ACN各剂量组大鼠脑组织脏器系数与对照组比较均显著降低(P0.05),高剂量组大鼠脑脏器系数与NAC组比较降低(P0.05)。高剂量组NO含量和总NOS水平显著高于对照组,与NAC组比较,高剂量组NO含量降低(P0.05),总NOS水平升高(P0.05)。Western blot结果显示,ACN高剂量组大鼠脑组织iNOS、p-p38蛋白表达水平和p-p38/p38比值显著高于对照组和NAC组(P0.05)。ACN可激活iNOS/p38MAPK信号通路,这可能是ACN致大鼠脑组织损伤的机制之一。     

HHMHC对Cu2+、Ni2+的萃取性能

以对羟基苯甲酸为原料,通过化学修饰合成得到上沿羧基化的杯[6]芳烃羟肟衍生物,即5,11,17,23,29,35-六羧基-37,38,39,40,41,42-六羟肟酸甲氧基杯[6]芳烃(HHMHC),采用IR对其结构性能进行表征,并探讨了溶液初始pH值、初始重金属离子(Cu2+、Ni2+)浓度、萃取时间、温度等因素对HHMHC萃取重金属离子的影响.结果表明,在温度为30℃时HHMHC萃取Ni2+和Cu2+的最佳pH值分别为5.0、6.0,萃取平衡时间均为30min.用准二级动力学模型(R2>0.99)和Freundlich等温模型(R2>0.999)均可较好的拟合其萃取过程,通过计算萃取过程的热力学参数,得到Gibbs自由能(ΔG0)和焓变(ΔH0)均小于0,表明萃取反应是一个自发的放热反应.通过红外光谱图分析和考察溶液pH值对萃取分配比的影响,探讨HHMHC萃取Cu2+、Ni2+的机理,结果表明此萃取过程除了存在阳离子交换机理外,还存在与冠醚萃取相同的离子配位萃取,参与配位作用的主要是羟肟基团(–CONHOH).     

滏阳河河流水体中重金属污染特征及其对青海弧菌和斜生栅藻的毒性效应

为调查滏阳河水系的重金属污染状况,研究河流重金属污染对水生生物的毒性,根据河流结构、水文条件、排污口分布并考虑空间分布的均匀性,选取66个采样位点,采集河水及对应的表层沉积物样品,分析了样品中的重金属含量。用斜生栅藻和青海弧菌Q67作为模式生物,根据滏阳河水重金属污染较严重的邯郸近郊2号采样点采集水样的重金属含量配制系列重金属浓度的模拟河水进行重金属污染河水的生态毒性测试。结果表明,在全部66个采样点中,29个采样点河水重金属含量超过国家地表水III类水体重金属含量标准,主要污染元素是Hg、Pb、Cr、Zn。几乎所有采样点河水Mn和Fe含量都大大高于国家集中式生活饮用水地表水源地补充项目规定的标准限值。根据2号采样点河水样品中的重金属含量配成的模拟河水对青海弧菌Q67的EC₅₀值为6.65%,为毒性极强的污染物。模拟河水样品对斜生栅藻的抑制作用较小,在实验的最高浓度下(1000倍河水重金属含量)暴露4 d尚未引起半数藻细胞死亡。随河水重金属浓度上升,斜生栅藻超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性总体上呈现先升高后降低的趋势,丙二醛(MDA)含量变化则与此相反,反映河水重金属污染可引起藻细胞的氧化损伤。叶绿素a和b含量则随暴露浓度的提高逐渐降低。在重金属浓度达到2号采样点河水的10%时,斜生栅藻叶绿素a含量已有显著降低,MDA含量显著升高,海河流域重金属污染对生态系统的影响应予以重视。河水发光菌Q67的生长抑制率、斜生栅藻的叶绿素a和MDA含量可以作为评估河流重金属污染生态危害的指标。     

Duration and characteristics of metal price cycles

This paper addresses the fluctuations in real metal prices: are they simply random variations or do they display some degree of cyclicality? This study identifies peaks and troughs in the inflation adjusted prices for 14 metals, using monthly average data from January 1947 through December 2007. Duration dependence testing, which is performed on the expansions, contractions, and full cycles, finds many cases in which the duration of these phases are not purely random and have some degree of cyclicality. Additional characterization show that contractions generally persist longer than expansions (in contrast to macroeconomic cycles) that long-term real prices have been trendless, and that the amplitude of price changes over the phases has little regularity. For those performing this type of analysis, the appendices explain the procedures for dating turning points and assessing duration dependence.     

陆地生态系统呼吸温度敏感性及影响因素研究

陆地生态系统是全球第二大碳库,生态系统呼吸的任何细微变化都会在很大程度上影响着全球碳循环,改变大气中CO2浓度,而气候变化(如气候变暖)反过来会影响生态系统呼吸,从而增强温室效应.呼吸对温度的敏感性系数(Q10)是定量气候-碳循环反馈的一个关键参数,其相关研究仍存在较大的不确定性.本文探究了Q10的影响因素、时空变异性及机理解释,阐述了表观Q10和内在Q10的机理差异,指出内在Q10是有机物分解对温度的敏感性,更能反映生态系统碳循环对气候变化的本质反馈.     

万宁滨海与西沙群岛大气腐蚀性对比研究

统计分析了西沙群岛和万宁试验站近海场的润湿时间、空气中二氧化硫和氯离子沉积速率,根据环境因素法和标准金属法评定了两地的大气腐蚀性,两地的大气腐蚀等级同为C5级,但西沙群岛的腐蚀性稍弱于万宁试验站近海场。Q235钢、镀镍钢、镀铬钢、不锈钢钝化件在两地的试验结果证实了上述结论,试验结果表明,万宁试验站近海场积累的大量试验数据可应用于西沙群岛。