Mercury pollution in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh,India, and its health impacts

The Sonbhadra district in the Singrauli area of Uttar Pradesh, India, has many coal mines and thermal power plants and is a critically polluted area. Many residents of this area reported adverse health conditions which may be linked to metal pollution, especially of mercury investigated here.

In May 2012, samples of water (23), soil (7), blood, hair, and nails from persons showing adverse health conditions selected at random were collected and analyzed for total mercury by atomic absorption spectrometry.

Twenty percent drinking water samples contained mercury from 3 to 26 μg L^?1 (3–26 times the permissible limit). Soil samples had 0.5–10.1 mg kg^?1 Hg.

The average concentrations of mercury in human blood, hair, and nails were found to be 34 μg L^?1, 7.4 mg kg^?1, and 0.8 mg kg^?1, respectively. Mercury concentrations in the blood of these persons were 45 and 28 μg L^?1 on average in the case of men and women. This is much higher than the safe level of 5.8 μg L^?1 set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

It was concluded that all residents of Sonbhadra sampled could be suffering from mercury toxicity as the area is polluted by Hg released from the coal-fired thermal power plants.     

The cytotoxicity of nici2 for mammalian cells in culture†

The effects of NiCl₂ were studied in two human cell lines, HeLa and diploid embryonic fibroblasts as well as in V79 Chinese hamster cells and in L‐A mouse fibroblasts. NiCl₂ produces a dose‐dependent depression of proliferation, mitotic rate, and viability, accompanied by an increasing release of lactic dehydrogenase and stimulation of lactic acid production. The plating efficiency is reduced, as are DNA and protein synthesis and, to a lesser degree, RNA synthesis.

The cytotoxicity of NiCl₂ is comparable in degree to those of PbCl₂ and MnCl₂, but is weaker than those of HgCl₂ and CdCl₂. However, the different sensitivities of different cell lines must also be considered.

NiCl₂ effects are more severe in serum‐free medium than in medium containing serum or serum albumin indicating that serum constituents, notably albumin, bind the metal effectively and inhibit cellular uptake; this confirms earlier reports on the serum binding and slow uptake of NiCl₂.

Synchronized cells are most sensitive in the Gl and early S phases of the cell cycle. In the Painter test the depression of DNA synthesis persists following cessation of exposure to NiCI₂. These findings contribute an explanation for the known genotoxic effects of nickel.     

人类活动对流域旱涝事件影响研究进展

人类活动对流域旱涝事件具有决定性影响,已经成为国内外热点研究问题之一。通过系统分析国内外人类活动对流域旱涝事件影响机理的研究,结果表明:人类活动导致大气温室气体和气溶胶含量上升,全球气候变化加剧,导致流域极端水文过程时空格局改变。另一方面,人类活动引起的土地退化将影响流域水资源时空分布和水循环过程,削弱流域防洪抗旱能力;水利工程的修建将增大流域储水状况,有效应对流域旱涝事件,但同时存在加剧流域旱涝事件的风险。此外,论文还概述了人类活动对流域旱涝事件影响的量化方法。     

Demonstrating a correlation between infrastructure and national development

This paper demonstrates a correlation between the extensiveness of infrastructure and national development. This was achieved by considering kilometres of paved roads, kilometres of rail, kilometres of paved runways, quality of shipping ports and quality of urban infrastructure. Data were collected from a variety of sources including the World Bank and the United Nations databases. Measures of the quantity or extensiveness of the infrastructures were normalized based on the populations of the various countries, transforming them into per capita measures, which were then logarithmically transformed to produce indices of the extensiveness of the infrastructures. These indices were then plotted against the national development indicator, the human development index (HDI). Of the infrastructures considered, paved roads per capita index showed the strongest correlation with HDI, while quality of port infrastructure index showed the weakest correlation. When the indices for the different infrastructures were combined into a single index the correlation with HDI appeared to be strongest, highlighting the synergistic effect of different infrastructures when working in tandem. Based on this, the findings of this study support the position of holistically managing a country's infrastructure assets.     

全氟及多氟类化合物在人体分布及其毒性研究进展

全氟和多氟烷酸类化合物(perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFASs)是一类新型持久性有机污染物,目前其在民用和工业产品中得到广泛应用。在环境样品、野生动物以及人类体内都检测到了这类物质。PFASs对哺乳动物和水生生物具有广泛的毒性,其对生态环境和人体健康的影响受到公众关注。目前,PFASs对人类健康的研究还多停留在流行病学研究和体外细胞毒性研究方面,由于人类有复杂的免疫和代谢系统,因此PPASs对人类健康影响的具体机制和安全剂量仍然需要进一步研究。本文针对PFASs在人体的分布、流行病学研究、毒理学效应和作用机制等热点问题进行了总结,并对目前PFASs研究存在的问题及今后的研究方向进行讨论和展望。     

森林净生态系统生产力及其生物影响因子研究进展

在全球大气二氧化碳浓度上升的背景下,陆地生态系统碳循环及碳汇功能研究得到了广泛的关注,日益成为今后的政治和外交的重大议题之一.净生态系统生产力(net ecosystem production, NEP)是生态系统光合固定的碳与生态系统呼吸损失的碳之间的差值;或者为生态系统净的碳积累速率.NEP 的研究整合生态系统地上和地下部分,把生态系统碳循环的影响因子有机地联系了起来.当NEP为正值时,说明生态系统为碳汇,NEP为负值则表明生态系统为碳源.随着植物和土壤相互联系及其对生态系统过程研究的深入,NEP已经成为生态系统碳循环研究的核心概念之一.以森林NEP为出发点,综述了国内外的最近的 NEP 研究进展,分析了 NEP 研究的科学意义;探讨了植物群落组成/生物多样性、土壤微生物群落、大型/土壤动物和人为的管理或干扰等生物因子对NEP的影响.根据综述研究提出未来研究应在:(1)土壤生物过程、土壤食物网及其与地上部分植物/动物相互作用对NEP的影响;(2)自然林生物多样性的竞争/共存机制与生态系统碳吸存稳定性;(3)人工林固碳潜力和不同植物功能群(灌草层)对生态系统碳动态影响等方面加强,以期为全面认识生物因子对森林生态系统系统固碳现状、机制和潜力提供理论基础.     

镉胁迫对吊兰生长与土壤酶活性的影响

选用观赏植物吊兰进行盆栽试验,研究了吊兰对Cd的耐性、高浓度Cd胁迫对土壤酶活性以及土壤有效态Cd含量的影响.结果表明,随着Cd浓度的不断提高,脲酶活性显著下降.过氧化氢酶和蔗糖酶活性在Cd浓度为10 mg.kg-1的时候均达到了顶峰,而土壤磷酸酶活性则在Cd浓度为50 mg.kg-1的时候最大.4种土壤酶对重金属的敏感顺序为:脲酶>磷酸酶>蔗糖酶>过氧化氢酶.吊兰对Cd具有很强的耐性,在1500 mg.kg-1Cd胁迫浓度范围内,吊兰对Cd的耐性指数均大于50%.土壤有效态Cd与土壤Cd添加量和土壤酶活性呈显著相关性,可将土壤有效态Cd含量和土壤酶活性这两类指标作为镉污染土壤的评价指标.     

Correlates of bushmeat hunting among remote rural households in Gabon, Central Africa

Hunted wild animals (i.e., bushmeat) are a main source of protein for many rural populations in the tropics, and the unsustainable harvest of these animals puts both human food security and ecosystem functioning at risk. To understand the correlates of bushmeat consumption, we surveyed 1219 households in 121 rural villages near three newly established national parks in Gabon. Through the surveys we gathered information on bushmeat consumption, income, and material assests. In addition, we quantified land cover in a 5-km radius around the village center and distance of the village center to the nearest park boundary. Bushmeat was not a source of income for most households, but it was the primary animal protein consumed. Ninety-seven percent of households consumed bushmeat at least once during a survey period of 12 days. Income or wealth, land cover, distance of village to the nearest park boundary, and level of education of the head of the household were among the factors that significantly related to the likelihood of consuming any of the 10 most commonly consumed species of bushmeat. Household size was the predictor most strongly associated with quantities of bushmeat consumed and was negatively related to consumption. Total bushmeat consumption per adult male equivalent increased as household wealth increased and decreased as distance of villages to park boundaries increased. Bushmeat consumption at the household level was not related to unit values (i.e., price estimates for a good that typically does not have a market value; estimates derived from willingness to sell or trade the good for items of known price) of bushmeat or the price of chicken and fish as potential substitutes. The median consumption of bushmeat at the village level, however, was negatively related to village mean unit values of bushmeat across all species. Our results suggest that a lack of alternative protein sources motivated even the wealthiest among surveyed households to consume bushmeat. Providing affordable, alternative protein sources to all households would likely reduce unsustainable levels of bushmeat consumption in rural Gabon.     

Human perspectives and conservation of grizzly bears in Banff National Park, Canada

Some conservation initiatives provoke intense conflict among stakeholders. The need for action, the nature of the conservation measures, and the effects of these measures on human interests may be disputed. Tools are needed to depolarize such situations, foster understanding of the perspectives of people involved, and find common ground. We used Q methodology to explore stakeholders' perspectives on conservation and management of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in Banff National Park and the Bow River watershed of Alberta, Canada. Twenty-nine stakeholders participated in the study, including local residents, scientists, agency employees, and representatives of nongovernmental conservation organizations and other interest groups. Participants rank ordered a set of statements to express their opinions on the problems of grizzly bear management (I-IV) and a second set of statements on possible solutions to the problems (A-C). Factor analysis revealed that participants held 4 distinct views of the problems: individuals associated with factor I emphasized deficiencies in goals and plans; those associated with factor II believed that problems had been exaggerated; those associated with factor III blamed institutional flaws such as disjointed management and inadequate resources; and individuals associated with factor IV blamed politicized decision making. There were 3 distinct views about the best solutions to the problems: individuals associated with factor A called for increased conservation efforts; those associated with factor B wanted reforms in decision-making processes; and individuals associated with factor C supported active landscape management. We connected people's definitions of the problem with their preferred solutions to form 5 overall problem narratives espoused by groups in the study: the problem is deficient goals and plans, the solution is to prioritize conservation efforts (planning-oriented conservation advocates); the problem is flawed institutions, the solution is to prioritize conservation efforts (institutionally-oriented conservation advocates); the problems have been exaggerated, but there is a need to improve decision-making processes (optimistic decision-process reformers); the problems have been exaggerated, but managers should more actively manage the landscape (optimistic landscape managers); and the problem is politicized decision making, solutions vary (democratizers). Although these 5 groups differed on many issues, they agreed that the population of grizzly bears is vulnerable to extirpation, human use of the area should be designed around ecological constraints, and more inclusive decision-making processes are needed. We used our results to inform a series of workshops in which stakeholders developed and agreed on new management strategies that were implemented by Parks Canada. Our research demonstrates the usefulness of Q method to illuminate people's perspectives and identify common ground in settings where conservation is contested.     

秸秆与氮肥配施对辽西旱区土壤酶活性与土壤养分的影响

通过田间试验研究了玉米（Zea mays L.）秸秆与氮肥配施对耕层土壤酶活性及土壤养分的影响。试验设4个秸秆还田量水平,2个施氮量水平。结果表明：在秸秆配施氮肥条件下,耕层土壤中性磷酸酶、脲酶、转化酶和过氧化氢酶活性以及有机质和全氮质量分数均表现为随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加而提高,而硝态氮（3NO-N）和铵态氮（＋4NH-N）质量分数则表现为随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加而减少,4种土壤酶活性与土壤有机质和全氮质量分数均呈显著正相关,与土壤硝态氮和铵态氮质量分数则呈显著负相关。玉米秸秆还田量9 000 kg.hm-2配施氮肥量420 kg.hm-2是辽西风沙半干旱区效果较好的技术措施。