Polyethylene conversion by partial oxidation in supercritical water

This paper gives the results of partial oxidation experiments of polyethylene (PE) in supercritical water (SCW). The experiments were carried out at a reaction temperature of 693K and a reaction time of 30 min using 6 cm³ of a batch-type reactor. The loaded sample weight was 0.3 g and there was 2.52 g water (0.42 g/cm³). The ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms was 0.3. The results show a significant CO formation in O₂–SCW, and the 1-alkene/n-alkane ratio in partial oxidation was higher than that in SCW pyrolysis. These results suggest the possibility of the hydrogenation of hydrocarbon through partial oxidation followed by a water–gas shift reaction. Received: July 19, 2000 / Accepted: September 28, 2000     

Shifts in a Pacific Ocean Fish Assemblage: the Potential Influence of Exploitation

Abstract:  As in many regions of the world, marine fishes and invertebrates along the Pacific coast of the United States have long been subjected to overexploitation. Despite this history, however, we lack basic information on the current status of many fishes along this coastline. We used data from a quarter century of fishery-independent, coast-wide trawl surveys to study systematically the demersal fish assemblages along the U.S. Pacific coast. We documented fundamental shifts in this fish assemblage. Average fish size, across a diversity of species, has declined 45% in 21 years. There have been major shifts in the constituent species of the assemblage, with some species achieving annual population growth rates of >10% and others declining in excess of 10% per year. Annual rate of change in population size appeared to be a function of life history interacting with fishing pressure. Negative trends in population size were particularly apparent in rockfish ( Sebastes spp.). However, across all taxa examined, trends in population size were associated with size of maturity, maximum size, and growth rate. Trends in population size were associated inversely with harvest levels, but stocks that mature late tended to decline faster than would be predicted by catch rates alone. Our results are disquieting because they raise the possibility that fishing-induced phase shifts in fish communities may affect the recovery of fishes, even after the implementation of severe fishing restrictions.     

Effects of male removal on female foraging behavior in the Eurasian treecreeper

In old, spruce-dominated forests of central Finland, Eurasian treecreepers Certhia familiaris divide their territories spatially during the breeding season. Females forage primarily on the upper parts of the tree trunks, while males use the lower parts of the tree trunks. In this study we removed males from eight territories in the early nestling period to see if the mate's absence would change the foraging patterns of the resident female. Widowed females foraged at lower heights, thus behaving more like paired males. These females also spent less time on each tree and on each foraging bout than did paired females. We conclude that male removal facilitated the change in a female's foraging niche and foraging time at the trees. Females may re-optimize their foraging site selection owing to the absence of dominant males and a consequent need to increase their parental care. Behavioral plasticity may be the mechanism of niche partitioning between the sexes in this species. Received: 28 June 1996 / Accepted after revision: 27 March 1997     

鼎湖山主要植被类型土壤微生物生物量研究

对鼎湖山国家级自然保护区3种主要植被类型：季风常绿阔叶林，针阔叶混交林和马尾松林土壤微生物生物量进行了研究。结果表明，土壤微生物生物量（mg.kg^-1）在季风常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和马尾松林中分别为：822，588，530，季风常绿阔叶林显著高于针阔叶混交林和马尾松林（P〈0．01），而针阔叶混交林和马尾松林无显著差异（P〉0．05）；土壤中微生物量高的土壤中，有机碳含量也相应高，两者的比值可反应土壤碳的积累或损失，研究表明，鼎湖山3种主要植被类型土壤均处于碳积累过程；季风常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和马尾松林土壤微生物碳周转量（t.hm^-2．a^-1）依次为：14．07，11．45，9，60，碳素的周转带动了其他营养元素的循环和能量的流动；土壤微生物代谢熵（mg.g^-1．h^-1）由低到高依次是季风常绿阔叶林（0．59）、针阔叶混交林（0．96）和马尾松林（1．33），表明土壤微生物对土壤碳的利用效率季风常绿阔叶林较高，马尾松林较低。     

A new approach to graphical and numerical analysis of links between plant chemotaxonomy and secondary metabolism from HPLC data smoothed by a simplex mixture design

Summary. HPLC analysis of secondary metabolites represents an efficient tool for the studying of plant chemical diversity under different aspects: chemotaxonomy, metabolomics, adaptative responses to ecological factors, etc. Statistical analyses of HPLC databases, e.g. correlation analysis between HPLC peaks, can reliably provide information on the similarity/dissimilarity degrees between the chemical compounds. The similarities, corresponding to positive correlations, can be interpreted in terms of analogies between chemical structures, synchronic metabolisms or co-evolution of two compounds under certain environment conditions, etc. . In terms of metabolism, positive correlations can translate precursor-product relationships between compounds; negative correlations can be indicative of competitive processes between two compounds for a common precursor(s), enzyme(s) or substrate(s). Furthermore, the correlation analysis under a metabolic aspect can help to understand the biochemical origins of an observed polymorphism in a plant species. With the aim of showing this, we present a new approach based on a simplex mixture design, Scheffé matrix, which provides a correlation network making it possible to graphically visualise and to numerically model the metabolic trends between HPLC peaks. The principle of the approach consisted in mixing individual HPLC profiles representative of different phenotypes, then from a complete mixture set, a series of average profiles were calculated to provide a new database with a small variability. Several iterations of the mixture design provided a smoothed final database from which the relationships between the secondary metabolites were graphically and numerically analysed. These relationships were scale-dependent, namely either deterministic or systematic: the first consisted of a monotonic global trend covering the whole variation field of each metabolites’ pair; the second consisted of repetitive monotonic variations which gradually attenuated or intensified along a global trend. This new metabolomic approach was illustrated from 404 individual plants of Astragalus caprinus (Leguminoseae), belonging to four chemical phenotypes (chemotypes) on the basis of flavonoids analysed in their leaves. After smoothing, the relationships between flavonoids were numerically fitted using linear or polynomial models; therefore the co-response coefficients were easily interpreted in terms of metabolic affinities or competitions between flavonoids which would be responsible of the observed chemical polymorphism (the four chemotypes). The statistical validation of the approach was carried out by comparing Pearson correlations to Spearman correlations calculated from the smoothed and the crude HPLC database, respectively. Moreover, the signs of the smoothed relationships were finely supported by analogies and differences between the chemical structures of flavonoids, leading to fluent interpretation in relation to the pathway architecture.     

Electromagnetic field levels in the working environment in radio and TV stations

Electromagnetic field sources used for communication always have been subject of serious interest. There are many publications concerning exposure and risk assessment of the working in such environment. Results of epidemiological study performed in Bulgaria in the 1990's show exceeding of the maximal permissible values especially in radio stations for the personnel in 24 h working shift [Israel et al. (1992). Study of the electromagnetic in its influence on personnel working in radio and TV stations, Report, National Centre of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition; Israel and Tomov (2001). Epidemiological study of the effects of radiofrequency radiation on operators in radio, TV and relay stations, Proceeding of the Eastern European Regional Meeting and Workshop “Measurements and Criteria for Standard Harmonization in the field of EMF Exposure” and WHO EMF Standards Harmonization Meeting, Varna, Bulgaria, 28 April—3 May, 2001, pp.145–153]. In the last years the situation is strongly influenced by the development of the technology which leads to changes in equipment in radio and TV stations, using lower power, facilitate the working regime. The paper presents data of exposure assessment of different professional groups in selected radio and TV stations. Assessment is being performed on basis of EMF parameters values and energetic load calculations according to the national legislation. Data are compared with the results of previous investigation to evaluate the new situation in this branch. Exposure levels are much lower than those in the previous study, and lower compared to the exposure limits, as well [Israel et al. (1992). Study of the electromagnetic in its influence on personnel working in radio and TV stations, Report, National Centre of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition; Israel and Tomov (2001). Epidemiological study of the effects of radiofrequency radiation on operators in radio, TV and relay stations, Proceeding of the Eastern European Regional Meeting and␣Workshop “Measurements and Criteria for Standard Harmonization in the field of EMF Exposure” and WHO EMF Standards Harmonization Meeting, Varna, Bulgaria, 28 April—3 May, 2001, pp.145–153].     

生物过滤塔中微生物群落的代谢特性

了解微生物群落结构与代谢功能对于提高生物反应器运行性能具有重要意义.为此,本研究用Biolog方法在160d的运行过程中研究了处理甲苯气体的木屑生物过滤塔和活性炭生物过滤塔中微生物群落的代谢特性.研究发现,木屑过滤塔和活性炭过滤塔中微生物群落的平均代谢活性在长期运行时均有下降趋势.主成分分析结果表明,生物过滤塔中微生物群落代谢指纹在运行前期未发生显著变化,但103d后在过滤塔进气端出现显著变化,到160d时整个过滤塔内的微生物群落代谢指纹均发生改变.2套过滤塔中微生物群落代谢活性与代谢特征指纹未表现出较大差异,表明长期运行时填料对微生物代谢的影响较小.在Biolog平板内的95种碳源中,羧酸类物质和氨基酸类物质更容易被过滤塔中的微生物群落利用.     

Ecological network and emergy analysis of urban metabolic systems: Model development,and a case study of four Chinese cities

Analysis of the structure and function of urban metabolic systems is an important goal of urban research. We used network pathways and network utility analysis to analyze the basic network structure of the urban metabolic system and the complex ecological relationships within the system, providing a new way to perform such research. Using four Chinese cities as examples, we developed an ecological network model of the urban metabolic system. By using network pathway analysis, we studied the changing relationships between metabolic length and the number of metabolic pathways, and between metabolic length and reachability. Based on the distribution of the number of metabolic pathways, we describe the basic structure and intercompartment relationships of the system. By using the sign distribution in the network utility matrix, we determined the ecological relationships and degree of mutualism between the compartments of the system. The basic components of the system consisted of the internal environment, the external environment, and the agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors. With increasing metabolic length, the ecological relationships among the components of the system became more diverse, and the numbers of metabolic paths and their reachability improved. Although the basic network structure of the four cities was identical, the mutualism index differed. Beijing's mutualism index was superior to that of Shanghai, and much higher than those of Tianjin and Chongqing. By analyzing the structure and function of the urban metabolic system, we provide suggestions for optimizing the structure and adjusting the relationships, and propose methods for the application of ecological network analysis in future urban system research.     

Numerical computation and characteristic analysis on the center shift of fire whirls in a ship engine room fire

The existence of fire whirls in some ship engine room is studied by using the basic elements of the fire whirls formation. The temperature characteristic of fire whirls are used to study the path shift of fire whirls and the result is nearly circular. The center shift angular velocity of fire whirls is analyzed with the least square fitting in the conditions of the constant wind velocity and the variable wind velocity from four sides. In the situation of the constant wind velocity, the result shows that the center shift angular velocity of fire whirls comply with the change regularity of a cube polynomial with different wind speed. When the wind velocity is more than 6.58 m/s, it strongly affects the change rate of the center shift angular velocity. However, in the situation of variable wind velocity, when the change rule of wind velocity follow increasing or descending regularity, the change law of the center shift angular velocity is proportional to the size of the wind velocity, but when the wind velocity is random variation, the change fluctuation of center shift angular velocity is comparatively small. Computational results have important significance for the structure fireproofing, fire evaluation and shipping design.     

平庄西露天矿露井联采高陡长大 边坡稳定性监测研究

为掌握平庄西露天矿露井联采顶帮边坡的岩移规律与稳定性状态,揭示地下开采对边坡稳定性的影响,基于对典型滑坡位移-时间特征的 认识,提出用位移历时曲线与位移加速度历时曲线形态判断边坡稳定性状态,并详细对比分析了布置在井工开采边界以及边坡走向与倾向方向 上各监测线的地表位移监测数据。结果表明,平庄西露天矿顶帮现状边坡整体处于稳定状态,II区凸边坡为相对不稳定区域;边坡岩移规律及 稳定性主要受断层、弱层、边坡平面形态、地下开采及其引起的断层活化等因素综合控制;地下开采对边坡稳定性影响范围的边界大约在边坡 表面出露标高+572m。