基于非本地物种毒性数据推导出的水质基准可为本地物种提供适当保护吗？

基于非本地物种的毒性数据推导出的水质基准一直存在争议,质疑者提出应有针对不同生物区系的水质基准。而这个问题在中国尤为突出。本文作者搜集了38种污染物对本地物种和非本地物种的毒性数据,比较了这些生物的HC₅和物种敏感度分布,结果显示,基于非本地物种推导的水质基准有74%的确定性可以有效保护中国的水生态系统。如果采用评价因子(AF=5)来校正基准,那么可以获得90%的确定性。
精选自Xiaowei Jin, Zijian Wang, Yeyao Wang, Yibing Lv, Kaifeng Rao, Wei Jin, John P. Giesy and Kenneth M. Y. Leung. Do water quality criteria based on nonnative species provide appropriate protection for native species? Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 34, Issue 8, pages 1744–1750, August 2015. DOI: 10.1002/etc.2985
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.2985/full     

磺胺类耐药菌中抗性基因sul的表达规律

抗生素环境污染是影响抗生素抗性基因传播和扩散的主要因素,然而关于抗生素耐药菌在抗生素暴露下抗性基因的表达机制研究甚少。本研究利用RT-PCR方法检测了土壤中优势耐药菌菌株炭疽芽孢杆菌(Bacillus anthracis SYN201,G+)和弗氏志贺菌菌株(Shigella flexneri NJJN802,G-)在含有不同浓度磺胺类药物的培养基中生长不同时间后抗性基因(sul 1、sul 2、sul 3)的表达变化。结果发现:无论培养基中是否存在磺胺类药物,菌株SYN201和NJJN802中的3种磺胺类抗性基因均分别在培养的第72小时或36小时出现一个明显的表达峰,而在其他培养时间下不表达或表达量处于相对极低的水平;磺胺嘧啶的存在有助于提高菌株在此特征表达时间下抗性基因的表达水平,与未加磺胺嘧啶组相比,暴露于磺胺嘧啶(60μg·m L~(-1))组的sul 1、sul 2和sul 3在菌株SYN201中的相对表达量分别提高了2.5、4.8和3.2倍,而在菌株NJJN802中的相对表达量分别提高了3.7、6.0和5.0倍。通过将耐药菌暴露于不同磺胺嘧啶浓度下考察sul基因相对表达情况,研究发现随着培养基中磺胺嘧啶浓度的升高(0~1 024μg·m L~(-1)),菌株SYN201和NJJN802中sul基因的表达量整体上呈现出明显的上升趋势。本研究对揭示磺胺耐药菌的抗性表达规律及抗生素暴露对其抗性表达发挥的作用具有重要意义。     

Use of total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol as an independent biomarker to classify smoking status

Biomarkers of exposure to tobacco smoke are needed. The objective of this study was to develop total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) as a biomarker of tobacco smoke independent of serum cotinine. Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to estimate cut-off points on NNAL scale to differentiate participants in various classes of smoking status. A cut-off of 13.4 pg/mL for NNAL differentiated smokers from nonsmokers with a specificity and sensitivity of 92%. NNAL can be used as an independent biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke with high specificity and sensitivity.     

隆昌市土壤侵蚀敏感性定量分析研究

以降雨侵蚀力、地形起伏度、土壤质地、植被覆盖度等自然因素及土壤侵蚀敏感性综合指数作为评价指标,利用GIS与RS技术,对隆昌市土壤侵蚀敏感性进行定量分析,并研究其分布特征,为地区水土保持工作提供科学依据.研究表明:隆昌市土壤侵蚀敏感性整体以轻度敏感为主,降雨及土壤质地对土壤侵蚀影响较大,桂花井镇、金鹅镇、李市镇、圣灯镇、石燕桥镇、渔箭镇土壤侵蚀相对较为敏感,是今后水土保持的重点区域.     

Coastal mudflats as reservoirs of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes: Studies in Eastern China

Despite coastal mudflats serving as essential ecological zones interconnecting terrestrial/freshwater and marine systems, little is known about the profiles of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in this area. In this study, characteristics of typical ARGs, involving both intracellular (iARGs) and extracellular ARGs (eARGs) at different physical states, were explored in over 1000 km of coastal mudflats in Eastern China. Results indicated the presence of iARGs and eARGs at states of both freely present or attached by particles. The abundance of eARGs was significantly higher than that of iARGs (87.3% vs 12.7%), and their dominance was more significant than those in other habitats (52.7%-76.3%). ARG abundance, especially for eARGs, showed an increasing trend (p < 0.05) from southern (Nantong) to northern (Lianyungang) coastal mudflats. Higher salinity facilitated the transformation from iARGs to eARGs, and smaller soil particle size was conducive to the persistence of eARGs in northern coastal mudflats. This study addresses the neglected function of coastal mudflats as eARGs reservoirs.     

Number of COVID-19 cases required in a population to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in the province of Alberta, Canada: Sensitivity assessment

With a unique and large size of testing results of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for 14 months through from low to high prevalence of COVID-19, the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater that correspond to the communities was computed by using Probit analysis. This study determined the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population required to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater at defined probabilities and provided an evidence-based framework of wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance (WBE). Input data were positive and negative test results of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples and the corresponding new COVID-19 case rates per 100,000 population served by each WWTP. The analyses determined that RT-qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection threshold at 50%, 80% and 99% probability required a median of 8 (range: 4-19), 18 (9-43), and 38 (17-97) of new COVID-19 cases /100,000, respectively. Namely, the positive detection rate at 50%, 80% and 99% probability were 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04% averagely for new cases in the population. This study improves understanding of the performance of WBE SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection using the large datasets and prolonged study period. Estimated COVID-19 burden at a community level that would result in a positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is critical to support WBE application as a supplementary warning/monitoring system for COVID-19 prevention and control.     

Use of Population Viability Analysis to Evaluate CITES Trade‐Management Options for Threatened Marine Fishes

Abstract: Achieving multiple conservation objectives can be challenging, particularly under high uncertainty. Having agreed to limit seahorse (Hippocampus) exports to sustainable levels, signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were offered the option of a single 10‐cm minimum size limit (MSL) as an interim management measure for all Hippocampus species (≥34). Although diverse stakeholders supported the recommended MSL, its biological and socioeconomic implications were not assessed quantitatively. We combined population viability analysis, model sensitivity analysis, and economic information to evaluate the trade‐off between conservation threat to and long‐term cumulative income from these exploited marine fishes of high conservation concern. We used the European long‐snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) as a representative species to compare the performance of MSLs set at alternative biological reference points. Our sensitivity analyses showed that in most of our scenarios, setting the MSL just above size at maturity (9.7 cm in H. guttulatus) would not prevent exploited populations from becoming listed as vulnerable. By contrast, the relative risk of decline and extinction were almost halved—at a cost of only a 5.6% reduction in long‐term catches—by increasing the MSL to the size reached after at least one full reproductive season. On the basis of our analysis, a precautionary increase in the MSL could be compatible with sustaining fishers' livelihoods and international trade. Such management tactics that aid species conservation and have minimal effects on long term catch trends may help bolster the case for CITES trade management of other valuable marine fishes.     

Use of dimethyl sulfoxide as solubilization agent in the detection of 2,3,7,8-TCDD by radioimmunoassay

Immunoassays are potentially valuable tools for use in screening environmental samples for a broad range of contaminants, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs). The performance of the radioimmunoassay (RIA) for PCDDs was characterized using 4 solubilization systems: Cutscum, Triton, horse serum, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The DMSO based assay appeared to perform best at low 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels. The effects of assay incubation time and hapten storage conditions on the DMSO based assay were assessed. The separation of bound from unbound radioactivity was accelerated without adversely affecting assay performance. Further assay development through the use of an alternative labelled hapten is considered.     

多介质环境循环模型的研究进展

多介质环境模型是８０年代发展起来的新型环境数学模型，它将各种不同环境介质单元同导致污染物跨过介质间交界面的各种过程相连接，对污染物的过程，迁移和归趋进行模拟，对环境影响的早期评价、化学品的环境暴露和安全管理具有重要的意义。本文就多介质环境数学模型的基本理论、研究现状、应用前景和发展趋势作了综述和展望，并提出了值得开展研究的若干前沿课题。文章还给出５幅图解和约１００篇参考文献。     

Towards automatic and robust adjustment of human behavioral parameters in a pedestrian stream model to measured data

People die or get injured at mass events when the crowd gets out of control. Urbanization and the increasing popularity of mass events, from soccer games to religious celebrations, enforce this trend. Thus, there is a strong need to better control crowd behavior. Here, simulation of pedestrian streams can be very helpful: Simulations allow a user to run through a number of scenarios in a critical situation and thereby to investigate adequate measures to improve security. In order to make realistic, reliable predictions, a model must be able to reproduce the data known from experiments quantitatively. Therefore, automatic and fast calibration methods are needed that can easily adapt model parameters to different scenarios. Also, the model must be robust. Small changes or measurement errors in the crucial input parameters must not lead to disproportionally large changes in the simulation outcome and thus potentially useless results. In this paper we present two methods to automatically calibrate pedestrian simulations to the socio-cultural parameters captured through measured fundamental diagrams. We then introduce a concept of robustness to compare the two methods. In particular, we propose a quantitative estimation of parameter quality and a method of parameter selection based on a criterion for robustness. We discuss the results of our test scenarios and, based on our experience, propose further steps.