A retro-synthesis approach for hazard evaluation and risk screening

Risk screening instruments can be very useful for evaluating hazards and establishing priorities for risk reduction. Further, these instruments can provide educational value to field staff when they are distributed to individuals outside of traditional process safety roles. This paper describes a retro-synthesis technique whereby risk screening instruments can be readily generated for these types of hazard evaluation and priority setting activities. Further, by utilizing a retro-synthesis approach, data gathered at the field level can often be drawn upon at a later point if a more detailed risk assessment is required. The retro-synthesis approach involves working backwards from traditional risk functions (relationships) so as to define the predominant elements for incorporation within the risk screening instrument. Compared to conventional techniques, the retro-synthesis approach utilizes deductive reasoning techniques in a manner similar to Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). However, the directional relationships that are established between causes and consequences become inverted.For example, risk can be defined as a function of “likelihood” and “severity”, where “severity” may be a function of the “energy released” and the “exposure group”. Similarly, the “energy released” is often a function of the “properties of the material involved” and the “amount of material released”. Through identifying these relationships, “risk” in this example can be characterized as a function of “likelihood”, “exposure group”, “properties of the material involved”, and “amount of material released”. Further, by highlighting the various influential parameters, the relationships between each of these parameters, as related to risk, can also be understood. Once the various terms and functions are defined, screening categories can then be developed to quantify each of the terms so as to allow for an approximation of the relative risk involved for the given scenarios.This approach benefits from being simple to develop, maintaining alignment with the mathematics required for more detailed quantitative risk assessments, and generating screening categories which can be given to field staff. Through careful construction of the screening categories field staff can then rapidly, and in a reproducible manner, screen a large number of scenarios so as to identify those situations which represent priority hazards.     

Anxiety in women with low maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening results

The purpose of this study was to measure anxiety in pregnant women who had low maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening test levels, received genetic counselling and chose to undergo amniocentesis for fetal chromosome analysis. Their anxiety levels were compared with the levels in women undergoing amniocentesis because of advanced maternal age. The results indicate a higher level of anxiety in women with low alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels.     

First-trimester aneuploidy screening using serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), free ahCG,and progesterone

Immunochemical serum assays for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the free ohCG subunit, and progesterone (P) were considered separately and in combination for their ability to screen for chromosomally abnormal pregnancies in the first trimester. Maternal serum was collected from 141 women undergoing chorionic villus sampling at 9–12 menstrual weeks. Trisomy 21 pregnancies had significantly higher hCG levels, while trisomy 18 and 13 pregnancies had markedly lower hCG and progesterone levels than those of chromosomally normal pregnancies. However, the discrimination of normal from aneuploid pregnancies was poor with either hCG alone, progesterone alone, or free ahCG alone. Much improved discrimination was obtained by combining hCG, free ahCG, and P into an aneuploidy index [(P/hCG)(free ahCG/hCG)]. This index distinguished 9 out of 17 (53 per cent) of the trisomy 21 pregnancies, while only misidentifying 5 out of 112 (4.5 per cent) of the normal pregnancies. The aneuploidy index thus appears promising as a first-trimester biochemical screen for aneuploid pregnancies.     

干湿循环与垃圾渗滤液耦合作用下GCL防渗性能

开展膨胀指数和渗透系数测定试验,研究干湿循环与垃圾渗滤液渗透耦合作用下膨润土的膨胀性能和土工合成黏土衬垫（GCL）防渗性能变化规律.结果表明,干湿循环与垃圾渗滤液渗透耦合作用对膨润土的膨胀性能和GCL的防渗性能具有显著负面影响：在7次干湿循环后,垃圾渗滤液饱和的膨润土的膨胀指数从20mL/2g降低至7.5mL/2g,GCL的渗透系数从1.65×10^-11m/s增加到1.89×10^-7m/s.膨胀指数下降和渗透系数升高的根本原因是膨润土渗透膨胀性能的丧失.单纯的垃圾渗滤液渗透不会改变GCL的渗透系数.将有效应力从20kPa升高至150kPa,可以促使GCL的渗透系数降低4个数量级,满足填埋场防渗要求（< 5.0x10^-11m/s）.     

好氧颗粒污泥降解邻苯二甲酸二甲酯的影响因素研究

本文研究了好氧颗粒污泥系统中,温度、pH、曝气强度、邻苯二酸(Phthalic Acid,PA)及氨氮(NH3-N)对邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(Dimethyl Phthahte,DMP)降解效果的影响,结果表明:好氧颗粒污泥降解DMP的最佳温度、最佳PH值范围、最佳曝气强度分别为25℃～45℃、7.0 ～9.0、1.38 cm/s.当PA浓度为100 mg/L、300 mg/L,PA对DMP降解起促进作用;当PA浓度为500 mg/L、800 mg/L,PA对DMP降解起抑制作用.进水中50 mg/L的氨氮浓度对DMP降解的影响不大.本研究中采用的19种运行工况条件中,除曝气强度为0.33 cm/s以外,其他18种运行工况条件下,当运行时间达到300 min时,DMP的浓度都小于1.0 mg/L,因此,当水力停留时间达到5h以上时,温度、pH、PA、氨氮对DMP降解速率的影响基本上可以忽略不计.     

环境应力筛选中的温度循环加速因子模型分析

为了进一步理清环境应力筛选（Ess）中温循加速因子的特性及使用条件,分别从筛选度（ss）和阿伦尼斯（Arrhenius）模型2个不同的角度对现有的2种温度循环加速因子模型进行了分析。通过对2种模型的对比以及模型与实际情况间差距的分析,明确了它们的使用范围及使用中的注意事项,指出了这2种加速模型存在的缺陷及其发展趋势。     

OGO工艺处理城市污水的脱氮除磷效能与水力特性的试验研究

在OCO反应器的基础上改进得到了OGO反应器.在反应器改进前后脱氮除磷效能对比试验的基础上,进行了反应器水力特性的试验研究.城市污水对比试验研究结果表明,OGO工艺较改进前具有更为稳定、良好的生物同时脱氮除磷效果,工艺出水的平均值COD为22mg·L-1、NH4 -N为4.8mg·L-1、TN为11.2 mg·L-1、TP为0.80mg·L-1.反应器流态特征的试验结果表明,改进后形成的OGO反应器内,缺氧环区形成了良好的DO浓度梯度分布,且OGO反应器内推流流态所占比例从改进前的5.9%提高到改进后的12.9%,有效提高了反应器内推流流态的容积利用率和反应器效率.同时,反应器改进后能明显改善混合区水力条件,并有效避免了混合区内侧液流涡旋停滞造成的污泥沉积问题.     

高加速应力试验的优点及其应用

阐述了高加速应力试验的本质是通过施加远超过产品设计规范规定的各种应力。快速地将产品内部的薄弱环节和缺陷激发出来,为改进设计和剔除早期故障提供信息。高加速应力试验的优点是可以得到高可靠的产品,且大大缩短产品研制进度和降低成本。列举了国外各公司在电子、机电、机械等设备上成功应用取得的效果,最后指出了影响这一技术推广应用的各种错误观念和认识。