The ultrasonic detection of an isolated craniosynostosis

The prenatal detection of scaphocephaly, an isolated form of craniosynostosis, is presented. The diagnosis was made at 34 weeks of gestation in a woman with polyhydramnios. The ultrasound appearance and postnatal follow-up are presented.     

Freshwater Wetland dynamics in South Kingstown,Rhode Island, 1939–1972

The extent and causes of changes in the fresh-water wetlands of South Kingstown, Rhode Island were determined through field work and through the analysis of panchromatic aerial photographs taken in 1939 and 1972. During this period, there was a net loss of 0.9 percent of the total area (2345.2 ha) of wetland present in 1939. Highway construction and residential development accounted for most of this loss. Approximately 17 percent of the wetland present in 1939 had changed sufficiently by 1972 to warrant reclassification. Plant succession alone accounted for 57 percent of the changes in wetland types, while man's activities were influential in 41 percent of the cases. Ninety-two percent of the natural changes in wetland types was progressive, while 58 percent of the changes induced by man and undetermined causes was retrogressive. Man's major role was to alter the water regimes and vegetation of wetlands. There was a decrease in wetland diversity as the most abundant type, wooded swamp, grew in area while the abundance of shallow marshes, meadows, and shrub swamps declined. A knowledge of wetland dynamics is essential in the management of wetlands for a diversity of wildlife and other natural values.     

Regional priorities for wetlands conservation in West Asia and North Africa

Though characterized by a scarcity of water, West Asia and North Africa region has a large number of wetlands of various types supporting a rich biodiversity. However, the government efforts to reverse the trend of wetlands degradation fall short of the policy goals due to various reasons. The paper outlines the priorities for wetlands conservation in the region.     

AN ILLUSTRATION OF MODEL STRUCTURE IDENTIFICATION1

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of uncertainty analysis in water quality modeling, with an emphasis on the identification of the correct model specification. A wetland phosphorus retention model is used as an example to illustrate the procedure of using a filtering technique for model structure identification. Model structure identification is typically done through model parameter estimation. However, due to many sources of error in both model parameterization and observed variables and data, error-in-variable is often a problem. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use the least squares method for parameter estimation. Two alternative methods for parameter estimation are presented. The first method is the maximum likelihood estimator, which assumes independence of the observed response variable values. In anticipating the possible violation of the independence assumption, a second method, which coupled a maximum likelihood estimator and Kalman filter model, was presented. Furthermore, a Monte Carlo simulation algorithm is presented as a preliminary method for judging whether the model structure is appropriate or not.     

WETLAND DESIGN METHODS FOR RESIDENTIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT1

ABSTRACT: Constructed wetlands have recently gained popularity as an alternative method for wastewater treatment. This paper compares two design methodologies currently used for constructed wetlands; Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods. A discussion of parameters for both methods is given and a wetland treatment system is designed for an individual residence with typical BOD5 loads and flow rates. Calculation results revealed significant discrepancies in the required constructed wetlands volume, and thus detention time, stemming from inherent differences in the design methodologies. The EPA method relies heavily on plug flow kinetics, and is therefore sensitive to changes in the reaction rate constant and media porosity. Conversely, TVA determines the surface area by sizing in accordance with a recommended hydraulic loading criterion and is affected only by the hydraulic flow rates. This study concluded that a constructed wetland is a viable option under design considerations that are not favorable for traditional on-site wastewater treatment methods. However, it is recommended that conservative values for flow and loading rates be assumed to assure complete treatment for either of the design methods.     

A combined hydrologic simulation and landscape design model to prioritize sites for wetlands restoration

Most landscape design models have been applied to the problem of maximizing species richness in a network of nature reserves. This paper describes a combined hydrologic simulation and landscape design model designed to prioritize sites for wetlands restoration, where the objective is to maximize the amount of nutrients in non-point-source runoff attenuated in the restored wetlands. Targeted site selection in four small watersheds in the Central Valley resulted in predicted levels of nitrogen attenuation two to eight times greater than that from maximizing wetland area without consideration of the location of the restoration sites. Disclaimer  The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the US Environmental Protection Agency. No official Agency endorsement should be inferred.     

三级绿狐尾藻表面流人工湿地对养殖废水处理效应研究

提高人工湿地对养殖废水的处理效果是当前人工湿地需要解决的重要问题。本文以绿狐尾藻（Myriophyllum aquaticum Gaudich）为湿地植物,在野外构建三级表面流人工湿地,以高污染养猪废水为处理对象,分析废水中铵态氮（NH₄⁺-N）、总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）和化学需氧量（COD）在人工湿地中的去除效应,并解析它们与水体温度、溶解氧（DO）、pH和氧化还原电位（Eh）等指标的关联性。结果表明,绿狐尾藻人工湿地对NH₄⁺-N、TN、TP和COD平均去除率分别为88.3%、86.4%、76.3%和82.3%,出水平均浓度分别为45、86、14和188 mg/L。人工湿地进水负荷与人工湿地去除负荷呈显著的正相关关系（R² ≥ 0.80,P< 0.01）,去除负荷随进水负荷增加而增加。根据Pearson相关分析,人工湿地对NH₄⁺-N、TN、TP的去除率与水体DO、Eh和温度有显著相关性（P<0.01）,而对COD的去除率仅与温度存在显著的相关关系（P < 0.05）,说明人工湿地对不同污染物的去除机制存在差异。主成分分析发现水体温度是人工湿地对NH₄⁺-N、TN、COD去除的主要影响因素,水体Eh对人工湿地去除TP的关联性最大。这对改善人工湿地对污染物的去除效应至关重要。     

渤海鳀鱼产卵场关键影响因素识别及变迁预测

为识别影响渤海鳀鱼产卵场分布的关键因素并预测产卵场的未来变迁,采用地理加权回归（GWR）方法,建立了渤海鳀鱼产卵场分布的GWR回归模型,分析了鳀鱼鱼卵分布与环境因子的关系,进而结合海表温度、盐度变化趋势,预测了未来渤海鳀鱼产卵场空间分布的变迁.结果表明,表层海水的温度、硅酸盐浓度、盐度和海水深度是对鳀鱼产卵场分布贡献较大的因素,其回归系数平均值依次为1.296、-1.133、-0.374和0.521,在未来海表温度、盐度变化情景下,一方面,渤海鳀鱼产卵场总面积将呈现缩小的趋势,最大可收缩为现有面积的47%,特别是渤海湾东北部鳀鱼产卵场明显收缩;另一方面,鳀鱼产卵场的密集区会发生迁移,如在辽东湾将出现新的产卵场密集区.GWR方法可以识别变量的空间非平稳性,应用其预测鳀鱼产卵场的未来变迁,可为渤海生态综合管理提供科学依据.     

京津冀地区汽车运输碳排放影响因素研究

以空间相关性和空间异质性为基础,构建SLM-STIRPAT、SEM-STIRPAT和GWR-STIRPAT模型,对京津冀地区汽车运输碳排放进行测算和影响因素分析.结果表明：京津冀地区汽车运输碳排放存在显著空间相关性和空间异质性.人口对汽车运输碳排放呈正向影响;人均GDP对货运碳排放和总量碳排放呈正向影响,对客运碳排放呈负向影响,城镇化水平对汽车运输碳排放呈负向影响.第三产业增加值对客运碳排放和总量碳排放呈正向影响,对货运碳排放呈负向影响,人口对张家口市汽车运输碳排放影响最为显著;人均GDP对秦皇岛市和沧州市的汽车运输碳排放影响最为显著;城镇化水平对秦皇岛市的汽车运输碳排放影响最为显著;第三产业增加值对秦皇岛市的汽车运输碳排放影响最为显著.     

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF WETLAND RESTORATION ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER1

Creating and restoring wetland and riparian ecosystems between farms and adjacent streams and rivers in the Upper Mississippi River Basin would reduce nitrogen loads and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and increase local environmental benefits. Economic efficiency and economic impacts of the Hennepin and Hopper Lakes Restoration Project in Illinois were evaluated. The project converted 999 ha of cropland to bottomland forest, backwater lakes, and flood‐plain wetland habitat. Project benefits were estimated by summing the economic values of wetlands estimated in other studies. Project costs were estimated by the loss in the gross value of agricultural production from the conversion of corn and soybean acreage to wetlands. Estimated annual net benefit of wetland restoration in the project area amounted to US$1,827 per ha of restored wetland or US$1.83 million for the project area, indicating that the project is economically efficient. Impacts of the project on the regional economy were estimated (using IMPLAN) in terms of changes in total output, household income, and employment. The project is estimated to increase total output by US$2,028,576, household income by US$1,379,676, and employment by 56 persons, indicating that it has positive net economic impacts on the regional economy.