Design training and aesthetic evaluation: An intergroup comparison

A number of studies have observed differences in the evaluation of visual, aesthetic stimuli between those with and without professional training in art and design. If exposure to design training underlies such differences it follows that evidence of training effects should be observable when comparing subjects at different stages of design training, and not observable when comparing subjects at different stages of non-design training. In addition, this evidence should be consistent with directional predictions. The study reported in this paper investigated this question using a sample of 192 trained and untrained subjects in an evaluative task. Subjects were from two departments (Design and Computer Studies) of the same educational establishment and comprised balanced groups of lecturers, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students. The results obtained demonstrated evaluative differences and patterns of association both within and between the subject groups consistent with a training hypothesis.     

Three Different Topics for Bioremediation Application on Soils and Waters Contaminated with Aromatic Compounds, by Using Immobilized Bacteria

Molecular techniques and modelling are presented as powerful tools required in the performance of efficient soil and water bioremediation systems. An Escherichia coli CC118-D strain was constructed by inserting the Klebsiella pneumoniae hpa B gene, coding for the unstable 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase, into its chromosome. When the constructed strain was immobilized, both enzyme stability and viability increased along the studied period, in absence of antibiotic. We proposed this strategy as an approach to overcoming plasmid instability and to enhance enzyme activity and stability, avoiding antibiotic utilization. A model was developed to understand and predict the behaviour of bacteria and pollutants in a bioreactor system, considering: fluid dynamics, molecular/cellular scale processes and biofilm formation.     

Characteristics of roadside air pollution in Korean metropolitan city (Daegu) over last 5 to 6 years: temporal variations, standard exceedances, and dependence on meteorological conditions

The present study performed a roadside data analysis to provide baseline data for exploring associations between environmental exposure to four gaseous pollutants and health effects on residents living near roadways. The yearly roadside concentrations of CO and SO₂ showed a well-defined decreasing trend, whereas those of NO₂ and O₃ exhibited the reverse trend. In most cases, the diurnal trends of the roadside concentrations were well-defined for all seasons, plus the daytime concentrations were higher than the nighttime concentrations. In contrast to the other target pollutants, the daytime O₃ concentrations observed at the roadside sites were lower than those observed at the residential site, likely due to high-levels of fresh NO from traffic emissions that rapidly react with O₃, thereby reducing the O₃ roadside level. The Sunday roadside concentrations of CO, NO₂, and SO₂ were similar to or somewhat lower than the weekday concentrations. Conversely, for O_3, the Sunday roadside concentrations were similar to or somewhat higher than the weekday concentrations. The higher O₃ concentrations on Sunday may be due to the reduced titration from a decrease in NO_x emissions under VOC-limited conditions (low VOC/NO_x conditions). The monthly averages of O₃ concentrations exhibited the reverse seasonal variation to the other target compounds, with peak O₃ concentrations between April and June, and the second peak between August and October. It is also suggested that for O₃, the 8-h standard is more stringent than the 1-h standard, while for NO₂ and SO₂, the 1-h standard is more stringent than the 24-h standard. The multiple regression equations obtained from the relationship between the concentrations and five meteorological parameters indicated that the number and type of meteorological variables in the equations varied according to the pollutant, monitoring station, or season.     

无排泥运行MBR处理不同浓度氨氮废水及其生物特性

考察了水力停留时间(HRT)为10 h时无排泥运行下膜-生物反应器(MBR)处理不同浓度氨氮无机废水的运行性能及微生物特性.结果表明,在处理NH₄⁺-N≤500 mg/L的废水时,氨氮转化率可达99%且反应器内微生物增长缓慢,比硝化速率从0.2kg/(kg·d)升至0.52 kg/(kg·d);当NH₄⁺-N≥700 mg/L时,出水亚硝酸氮和氨氮相继出现明显累积,比硝化速率随之下降至0.4kg/(kg·d)以下,反应器内生物量从3 200 mg/L上升至6 700 mg/L.反应器中的氨氧化菌维持在10⁷CFU/mL,亚硝酸盐氧化菌从10⁶CFU/mL下降至10³CFU/mL.系统内的溶解性微生物产物(以TOC表示)升至65 mg/L后保持稳定,出水TOC一直维持在3～4mg/L;细胞外分泌物(EPS)在膜的截流作用下随运行时间的延长积累至600 mg/L.     

耕作制度对川中丘陵区冬灌田CH4和N2O排放的影响

采用静态暗箱/气相色谱法连续2 a田间原位测定,研究川中丘陵区冬灌田CH₄和N₂O的排放特征和不同耕作制度对冬灌田CH₄和N₂O排放的影响.结果表明,1a只种1季中稻冬季灌水休闲的冬灌田(PF),在水稻生长期,CH₄平均排放通量为(21.44±1.77)mg·(m²·h)^-1,非水稻生长期为(3.77±0.99)mg·(m²·h)^-1,分别大大低于以前文献报道的在西南其它地方观测值;全年CH₄排放量以水稻生长期CH₄排放量为主,非水稻生长期CH₄排放量仅占全年总排放量的23.2%.冬灌田N₂O排放通量年均值为(0.051±0.008)mg·(m²·h)^-1,且主要集中在水稻生长季,非水稻生长期N₂O排放量仅占全年总排放量的8.1%.在采用水旱轮作制后,冬灌田CH₄排放量大大降低,稻-麦轮作(RW)和稻-油菜轮作(RR)全年CH₄排放量分别为PF的43.8%和40.6%.但冬灌田改为水旱轮作制后,N₂O排放量显著增大,RW和RR的N₂O年排放量分别是PF的3.7倍和4.5倍.综合考虑冬灌田在采用不同耕作制度后排放CH₄和N₂O的全球增温潜势(GWP),无论是短时间尺度还是长时间尺度,采用3种耕作制度全年所排放的CH₄和N₂O所产生的综合GWP都为:PF RW≈RR.在20a、100a和500a时间尺度上,PF分别约是RW和RR的2.6、2.1和1.7倍.冬灌田改为水旱轮作制度后能大大减少CH₄和N₂O所产生的综合GWP.     

产酸脱硫反应器中碳硫比对群落生态特征的影响

通过产酸脱硫反应器处理高浓度含硫酸盐废水的连续流试验,从群落动态的角度研究碳硫比(COD/SO₄^2-)从4.2降低到2.0的过程中,pH值、氧化还原电位(ORP)、碱度(ALK)和末端产物(VFAs)组成、优势种群分布等群落生态特征的变化规律试验证明,在此过程中ORP和ALK提高,而pH值和VFAs中乙酸的分布比例降低,群落类型由高碳硫比稳定型转化为低碳硫比亚稳定型,但仍未改变乙酸型顶极群落的典型特征.     

产酸脱硫反应器中COD/SO42-比制约的群落生态演替规律

通过产酸脱硫反应器的动态试验和配套的静态试验,考察致变因子 COD/SO₄^2-比制约的乙酸型顶极群落的结构、优势种群的组成和生态演替的规律; 阐明乙酸型代谢和乙酸型顶极群落是产酸脱硫生态系统的典型特征;揭示乙酸型顶极群落内平衡与反馈调节的生理代谢机制,并以因变因子**pH值、氧化还原电位和碱度来表征生态演替过程中优势种群的三维实现生态位.     

Ecosystems and human health: The local benefits of forest cover in Indonesia

This paper documents the effect of primary forest cover loss on increased incidence of malaria. The evidence is consistent with an ecological response. I show that land use change, anti-malarial programs or migration cannot explain the effect of primary forest cover loss on increased malarial incidence. Falsification tests reveal that the effect is specific to malaria, with forest cover having no discernible effect on other diseases with a disease ecology different from that of malaria. Back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that the morbidity-related malaria-reducing local benefits of primary forests are at least $1-$2 per hectare.     

Impacts of emissions and meteorological changes on China’s ozone pollution in the warm seasons of 2013 and 2017

O₃ increment is mainly caused by changes in meteorology rather than emissions. Emission reduction is effective to reduce O₃ nationwide, especially in summer. Strengthened NO_x controls are necessary to meet the ambient O₃ standard. We have quantified the impacts of anthropogenic emissions reductions caused by the Air Pollution Control Action Plan and changes in meteorological fields between 2013 and 2017 on the warm-season O₃ concentration in China using a regional 3D chemical transport model. We found that the impact on daily maximum eight-hour (MDA8) O₃ concentration by the meteorological variation that mostly increased O₃ was greater than that from emission reduction, which decreased O₃. Specifically, the control measures implemented since 2013 in China have reduced SO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5, and VOC emissions by 33%, 25%, 30%, and 4% in 2017, while NH₃ emissions have increased by 7%. The changes in anthropogenic emissions lowered MDA8 O₃ by 0.4–3.7 ppb (0.8%–7.6%, varying by region and month), although MDA8 O₃ was increased slightly in some urban areas (i.e. North China) at the beginning/end of warm seasons. Relative to 2013, the average 2 m temperature in 2017 shows increments in North, North-east, East, and South China (0.34℃–0.83℃) and decreases in Central China (0.24℃). The average solar radiation shows increments in North, North-east, and South China (7.0–9.7 w/m²) and decreases in Central, South-west, and North-west China (4.7–10.3 w/m²). The meteorological differences significantly change MDA8 O₃ by -3.5–8.5 ppb (-8.2%–18.8%) with large temporal variations. The average MDA8 O₃ was slightly increased in North, North-east, East, and South China. The response surface model suggests that the O₃ formation regime transfers from NO_x-saturated in April to NO_x-limited in July on average in China.     

Economic growth,international trade,and the depletion or conservation of renewable natural resources

Conservation of renewable natural resources and promotion of economic growth are both sustainable development goals. Here, we study the interdependency between economic growth, international trade, and the use of renewable natural resources—under alternative institutional settings of either open access or full property rights—in an endogenous growth model. We find that if the resource is depleted over time, consumption growth is reduced. Economic growth and international trade only impact resource use when the resource is harvested under full property rights. Then, widening international trade can lead countries to shift from conservation to depletion. Changes in the institutional setting of resource use in one country may have repercussions on trading partners. Our results indicate potential trade-offs between the sustainable development goals and imply that policies focusing on resource use or trade (e.g., international trade bans or certified trade) are not sufficient to prevent resource depletion.