Effect of 450 MHz Microwave Modulated with 217 Hz on Human EEG in Rest

Summary This study focuses on discrimination of changes, produced by low-level microwave exposure in intensity and time variability of the human EEG at rest. The power spectral density (PSD) method and nonlinear scaling analysis of the length distribution of low variability periods (LDLVP) were selected for analysis of the EEG signal. During the study, 19 healthy volunteers were exposed to a microwave (450 MHz) of 217 Hz frequency on-off modulation. The field power density at the scalp was 0.16 mW/cm². The experimental protocol consisted of ten cycles of repetitive microwave exposure. Signals from frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital EEG channels on EEG theta, alpha and beta rhythms were analysed. Exposure to microwave causes average increase of EEG activity. LDLVP analysis discriminated significant effect in time variability for 2 subjects (11%). PSD method detected significant changes in intensity for 4 subjects (21%). The effect of low-level microwave exposure is stronger on EEG beta rhythm in temporal and parietal regions of the human brain.     

A transportation network assessment tool for hazardous material cargo routing: Weighing exposure health risks,proximity to vulnerable areas,delay costs and trucking expenses

The inherent risks associated with accidental releases of hazardous materials during transport have drawn attention and concerns in the recent decades. The aim of this study is to propose a tool for evaluation and comparison of the transportation networks which can be used to assess the routing options between origins and destinations of the cargos for their suitability for transporting hazardous material cargos by tanker trucks and to identify routes which provide lower accidental release risks, lower public exposure risks, and offer economical benefits. Each route segment of transportation networks were evaluated using specific criteria which included health risk and cost of delay in case of an accidental release of materials, trucking cost and proximity to vulnerable areas. Since, the health impact of hazardous materials differ depending on the characteristics of the material being transported as well as release quantities and atmospheric conditions; this paper aimed in providing a tool that can be used to estimate the impact radius (for health risks) after accidental release of hazardous materials by taking into account different atmospheric conditions based on the meteorological data and solar elevation angle. The Gaussian air dispersion model paired with ArcGIS using Python programming were employed to estimate the health risk impact zones by considering the meteorological data, and accordingly to analyze road segments for cost impacts (delay and trucking costs), and the proximity to vulnerable areas. The route assessment tool was demonstrated with a case study. The results of this study can efficiently aid decision makers for transportation of hazardous materials.     

Quantifying the rebound effects of residential solar panel adoption

Customers who adopt solar panels can reduce their energy bills and lower the effective average electricity prices they pay. When the price falls, a solar consumer might consume more electricity than before – a solar rebound effect. We provide the first empirical evidence of residential solar rebound effects in the U.S. We use household level hourly and daily electricity meter data as well as hourly solar panel electricity generation data from 277 solar homes and about 4000 non-solar homes from 2013 to 2017 in Phoenix Arizona. Using matching methods and a fixed effects panel regression approach, we find that when solar electricity generation increases by 1 kWh, solar homes increase their total electricity consumption by 0.18 kWh. This indicates that solar rebound effects are estimated at 18%. Building upon our theoretical framework, the increase in consumer surplus from solar panel adoption is estimated at $972/yr.     

Potential Negative Ecological Effects of Corridors

Despite many studies showing that landscape corridors increase dispersal and species richness for disparate taxa, concerns persist that corridors can have unintended negative effects. In particular, some of the same mechanisms that underlie positive effects of corridors on species of conservation interest may also increase the spread and impact of antagonistic species (e.g., predators and pathogens), foster negative effects of edges, increase invasion by exotic species, increase the spread of unwanted disturbances such as fire, or increase population synchrony and thus reduce persistence. We conducted a literature review and meta‐analysis to evaluate the prevalence of each of these negative effects. We found no evidence that corridors increase unwanted disturbance or non‐native species invasion; however, these have not been well‐studied concerns (1 and 6 studies, respectively). Other effects of corridors were more often studied and yielded inconsistent results; mean effect sizes were indistinguishable from zero. The effect of edges on abundances of target species was as likely to be positive as negative. Corridors were as likely to have no effect on antagonists or population synchrony as they were to increase those negative effects. We found 3 deficiencies in the literature. First, despite studies on how corridors affect predators, there are few studies of related consequences for prey population size and persistence. Second, properly designed studies of negative corridor effects are needed in natural corridors at scales larger than those achievable in experimental systems. Third, studies are needed to test more targeted hypotheses about when corridor‐mediated effects on invasive species or disturbance may be negative for species of management concern. Overall, we found no overarching support for concerns that construction and maintenance of habitat corridors may result in unintended negative consequences. Negative edge effects may be mitigated by widening corridors or softening edges between corridors and the matrix. Other negative effects are relatively small and manageable compared with the large positive effects of facilitating dispersal and increasing diversity of native species. Efectos Negativos Potenciales de los Corredores     

溴酸盐对水生生物的急性毒性效应

采用标准毒性测试方法,分析了溴酸钾、溴酸钠、溴化钾对水生生态系统中不同营养级生物包括发光菌、绿藻、水蚤、斑马鱼的急性毒性效应.结果表明,3种污染物对发光菌发光强度几乎没有影响,溴酸钾对斜生栅藻的96 h EC50为738.18mg·L-1;对大型蚤和裸腹蚤的48 h EC50分别为154.01 mg·L-1和161.80 mg·L-1,48 h LC50分别为198.52 mg·L-1和175.68mg·L-1;对斑马鱼的96 h LC50为931.4 mg·L-1.溴酸钠对斜生栅藻的96 h EC50为540.26 mg·L-1;对大型蚤和裸腹蚤的48 h EC50分别为127.90 mg·L-1和111.07 mg·L-1,48 h LC50分别为161.80 mg·L-1和123.47 mg·L-1;对斑马鱼的96 h LC50为1 065.6 mg·L-1.而溴化钾对以上几种受试生物的影响远小于溴酸钾和溴酸钠的影响,对比可知引起受试生物产生毒性效应的原因是由溴酸盐引起的.毒性作用规律显示,随着暴露时间的增加,溴酸盐的毒性效应越明显,受试生物对溴酸盐的毒性效应的敏感顺序为:大型蚤、裸腹蚤斜生栅藻斑马鱼普通小球藻、发光菌.     

西安市重污染与清洁天PM2.5组分及其活性氧物质对比

针对重霾污染,在西安市冬季重污染日(2015-11-30~2015-12-09)和清洁日(2016-01-13~2016-01-22)各进行了为期10d的PM_(2.5)采集,测量其中的有机碳、元素碳,及NH_4~+、NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-)等无机水溶性离子,探讨两种污染条件下的组分特征及其成因.结果表明:观测期,重霾日和清洁日PM_(2.5)质量浓度分别为(170±47.5)μg·m~(-3)和(48.6±17.9)μg·m~(-3),且重霾日伴随低能见度、高湿静风等多种不利气象条件;重霾日二次无机离子(NH_4~+、NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-))组分占PM_(2.5)质量浓度的49.8%±13.1%,而清洁日为19.4%±5.95%,并且重霾日硫氧化速率(sulfur oxidation ratio,SOR)和氮氧化速率(nitrogen oxidation ratio,NOR)分别为0.282±0.157和0.269±0.124,远高于清洁日(SOR和NOR分别为0.189±0.057和0.077±0.046),重霾日二次有机组分浓度[(6.22±3.87)μg·m~(-3)]是清洁日[(1.44±1.63)μg·m~(-3)]的5倍,表明二次污染及不利气象条件是造成重霾期间相关组分浓度升高的重要原因.最后,通过二氯荧光黄双乙酸盐(2',7'-DCFH)化学荧光分析法测定了其中活性氧物质(reactive oxygen species,ROS)的浓度,探讨其对于二次无机组分形成的影响,结果表明观测期ROS平均浓度(以H_2O_2计)分别为(4.99±1.54)nmol·m~(-3)(重霾期),(0.492±0.356)nmol·m~(-3)(清洁期),二次反应及积累效应可能是西安重霾条件下ROS浓度升高的主要原因.NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-)与ROS均呈现正相关(P0.05),表明ROS可能通过二次氧化过程参与到二次无机组分形成过程中.     

Quantifying public health benefits of environmental strategy of PM2.5 air quality management in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, China

In 2013,China issued "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan(Action Plan)" to improve air quality.To assess the benefits of this program in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region,where the density of population and emissions vary greatly,we simulated the air quality benefit based on Ben MAP to satisfy the Action Plan.In this study,we estimate PM_(2.5) concentration using Voronoi spatial interpolation method on a grid with a spatial resolution of 1 × 1 km~2.Combined with the exposure-response function between PM_(2.5) concentration and health endpoints,health effects of PM_(2.5) exposure are analyzed.The economic loss is assessed by using the willingness to pay(WTP) method and human capital(HC) method.When the PM_(2.5) concentration falls by 25% in BTH and reached 60 μg/m~3 in Beijing,the avoiding deaths will be in the range of 3175 to 14051 based on different functions each year.Of the estimated mortality attributable to all causes,3117 annual deaths were due to lung cancer,1924 – 6318 annual deaths were due to cardiovascular,and343 – 1697 annual deaths were due to respiratory.Based on WTP,the estimated monetary values for the avoided cases of all cause mortality,cardiovascular mortality,respiratory mortality and lung cancer ranged from 1110 to 29632,673 to 13325,120 to 3579,1091 to 6574 million yuan,respectively.Based on HC,the corresponding values for the avoided cases of these four mortalities were 267 to 1178,161 to 529,29 to 143 and 261 million yuan,respectively.     

南京市湿地水质对城市化影响强度的响应研究

选取28个受城市化影响程度不同的典型湿地,对其水质进行连续监测.另一方面利用GIS技术及景观生态学原理对城市湿地所在集水区不透水类型及林地类型进行景观分析,并构建城市化影响指数(UEI),进一步对区域城市化水平与湿地水质进行相关分析.结果表明:①南京仙林新市区湿地水质季节性变化表现为夏季水质较差,冬季水质相对较好,春、秋季节差别不大.②湿地水质与城市化水平有着明显的相关关系,城市化水平等级越高,湿地水质越差,其中高等城市化水平(HU)湿地TP、TN、NH4+-N、Chla等富营养化指标质量浓度分别达到0.27、1.07、0.15、17.94 mg.L-1,而低等城市化水平(LW)湿地其质量浓度则分别为0.12、0.56、0.12、4.85 mg.L-1.③城市化影响指数与湿地水质存在着阈值关系,整体来看,当UEI值超过2.2时,湿地水质恶化速度加快.     

沉积物中六氯苯对颤蚓(淡水单孔蚓)的毒性效应研究

以淡水底栖动物颤蚓(淡水单孔蚓)为受试生物,研究了沉积物中六氯苯(HCB)对淡水单孔蚓14 d和28 d的毒性效应.结果表明,沉积物中HCB对颤蚓致死效应较低,当HCB浓度为190 mg· kg-,连续暴露28 d时,致死率低于8％.但HCB对颤蚓具有较强的慢性毒性效应,当HCB浓度为190 mg·kg-1,连续暴露28 d时,身体自断率高达90％,并且随着浓度升高和暴露时间延长,颤蚓自断率明显增高.HCB对颤蚓自断14 d和28 d的EC50分别为＞190 mg·kg-1和97.1 mg· kg-1.HCB对颤蚓行为(运动和挖掘)产生明显抑制作用.随着HCB浓度增加和暴露时间延长,颤蚓运动强度减弱,并伴随摄食量减少与体重减轻现象.     

微生物-化学水解联合作用下烟嘧磺隆的降解

从被烟嘧磺隆污染的人工湿地土壤中分离出1株能够在葡萄糖存在下降解烟嘧磺隆的微生物,通过16S rDNA序列同源相似性分析,初步鉴定该微生物为Klebsiella sp..它能够以烟嘧磺隆为唯一氮源生长,其最适生长条件为:温度35℃,初始pH为中性偏酸.水解试验表明,烟嘧磺隆在中性和碱性条件下比较稳定,在酸性条件下水解较快.生物降解试验发现,当培养液中葡萄糖浓度为5 g.L-1时,在温度35℃、初始pH为7的条件下培养10 d后烟嘧磺隆有99.4%得到降解,同时溶液的pH从7.0降低至4.0;而降低葡萄糖浓度分别为500 mg.L-1和100 mg.L-1时,培养10 d后烟嘧磺隆的降解率仅为11.7%和6.6%,溶液的pH始终在7左右.进一步研究表明烟嘧磺隆的降解是由于微生物代谢葡萄糖产生了酸性环境,pH降低引起了烟嘧磺隆水解,菌种对烟嘧磺隆降解的实质是微生物-化学水解联合作用.