Arctic Tipping Points: Governance in Turbulent Times

Interacting forces of climate change and globalization are transforming the Arctic. Triggered by a non-linear shift in sea ice, this transformation has unleashed mounting interest in opportunities to exploit the region’s natural resources as well as growing concern about environmental, economic, and political issues associated with such efforts. This article addresses the implications of this transformation for governance, identifies limitations of existing arrangements, and explores changes needed to meet new demands. It advocates the development of an Arctic regime complex featuring flexibility across issues and adaptability over time along with an enhanced role for the Arctic Council both in conducting policy-relevant assessments and in promoting synergy in interactions among the elements of the emerging Arctic regime complex. The emphasis throughout is on maximizing the fit between the socioecological features of the Arctic and the character of the governance arrangements needed to steer the Arctic toward a sustainable future.     

微生物生理群在猪粪秸秆高温堆肥碳氮转化中的作用

在自制的强制通风静态堆肥反应箱中,猪粪与秸秆以鲜重7∶1的比例进行了堆肥化实验,在堆制的23 d里根据堆温变化分阶段采集堆肥样品,利用MPN法测定了堆料中纤维素分解菌和氮素微生物生理群的数量变化,同时测定了相应的碳、氮含量。结果表明,纤维素分解菌在稳定腐熟阶段较多,对于后期有机碳的降解和腐殖质含量的增大起了很大的作用,在堆制的23 d里,腐殖质增加了2.4%。整个堆制过程中,氨化细菌的数量最大且与氨气释放浓度和铵态氮含量呈显著正相关,都在高温期增加,降温期后减少,氨化细菌的数量在高温期的增加率远高于降温期后的减少率,而铵态氮在高温期的增加率远低于在降温后期的减少率,铵态氮总体上减少了74.1%;亚硝化细菌数量与硝态氮呈正相关;反硝化细菌数量在降温期上升幅度较大,堆制结束时为堆制初期的13倍,且与堆肥中硝态氮含量呈正相关;硝态氮含量增加了87.5%;堆肥后期硝态氮的增加可能与堆肥中存在能进行硝化作用的反硝化细菌有关。固氮菌数量在堆制结束时达堆制初期的2.61倍,主要在降温期增加较多,对堆肥中有机氮的形成起很大作用。     

对普光气田油菜的二氧化硫熏气实验

为探讨普光气田废气对周围农作物的影响和生物监测方法,选择气田周边油菜作为受试样本,对其进行二氧化硫现场熏气实验。结果表明,油菜在受到1.43 mg/m3浓度、3小时二氧化硫熏气后,植株耐受,不产生明显受害症状;叶片含硫量、MDA含量、可溶性蛋白含量等指标的测定结果与二氧化硫熏气浓度、熏气时间存在显著的相关关系。     

Glocalization of COVID-19 responses and management of the pandemic in Africa

ABSTRACT

The study explores how glocalization of COVID-19 responses affects the management of the pandemic in Africa. Using data from 20 selected African countries, the study found that the reliance on local medicines alongside other salient global initiatives for containment of COVID-19 is effective in managing the pandemic in Africa. It concluded that despite the high vulnerabilities of African countries to COVID-19, the glocal approach has yielded positive outcomes by increasing the number of patients that recover from COVID-19 and scaling down the fatalities compared with the other regions.     

The Contribution of Pre-impact Posture on Restrained Occupant Finite Element Model Response in Frontal Impact

Objective: The objective of this study was to discuss the influence of the pre-impact posture to the response of a finite element human body model (HBM) in frontal impacts.

Methods: This study uses previously published cadaveric tests (PMHS), which measured six realistic pre-impact postures. Seven postured models were created from the THUMS occupant model (v4.0): one matching the standard UMTRI driving posture as it was the target posture in the experiments, and six matching the measured pre-impact postures. The same measurements as those obtained during the cadaveric tests were calculated from the simulations, and biofidelity metrics based on signals correlation (CORA) were established to compare the response of the seven models to the experiments.

Results: The HBM responses showed good agreement with the PMHS responses for the reaction forces (CORA = 0.80 ± 0.05) and the kinematics of the lower part of the torso but only fair correlation was found with the head, the upper spine, rib strains (CORA= 0.50 ± 0.05) and chest deflections (CORA = 0.67 ± 0.08). All models sustained rib fractures, sternal fracture and clavicle fracture. The average number of rib fractures for all the models was 5.3 ± 1.0, lower than in the experiments (10.8 ± 9.0).

Variation in pre-impact posture greatly altered the time histories of the reaction forces, deflections and the rib strains, mainly in terms of time delay, but no definite improvement in HBM response or injury prediction was observed. By modifying only the posture of the HBM, the variability in the impact response was found to be equivalent to that observed in the experiments. The postured HBM sustained from 4 to 8 rib fractures, confirming that the pre-impact posture influenced the injury outcome predicted by the simulation.

Conclusions: This study tries to answer an important question: what is the effect of occupant posture on kinematics and kinetics. Significant differences in kinematics observed between HBM and PMHS suggesting more coupling between the pelvis and the spine for the models which makes the model response very sensitive to any variation in the spine posture. Consequently, the findings observed for the HBM cannot be extended to PMHS. Besides, pre-impact posture should be carefully quantified during experiments and the evaluation of HBM should take into account the variation in the predicted impact response due to the variation in the model posture.     

A critical and empirical analysis of the national-local ‘gap’ in public responses to large-scale energy infrastructures

A national-local ‘gap’ is often used as the starting point for analyses of public responses to large scale energy infrastructures. We critique three assumptions found in that literature: the public's positive attitudes, without further examining other type of perceptions at a national level; that local perceptions are best examined through a siting rather than place-based approach; that a gap exists between national and local responses, despite a non-correspondence in how these are examined. Survey research conducted at national and local levels about electricity transmission lines in the UK confirm these criticisms. Results do not support a gap between national and local levels; instead, both differences and similarities were found. Results show the value of adopting a place-based approach and the role of surveys to inform policy making are discussed.     

Sensitivity of veliger larvae of Mytilus edulis and mussel of various sizes to chlorination

The blue mussel Mytilus edulis is one of the dominant fouling organisms in cooling water systems. In this work, how veliger larvae and different size groups of the mussels responded against chlorine dosage was examined. Veliger larvae mortality was studied at different residual chlorine concentrations (0.05–0.5 mg L^?1), and it was found that a chlorine dose of 0.5 mg L^?1 is 4 times as effective as 0.05 mg L^?1 and twice as effective as 0.1 mg L^?1. Mortality of 100% for three size groups (1.4, 14, and 25 mm) and relative physiological activities of two size groups (14 and 25 mm) were observed. The exposure duration for 100% mortality of mussels decreased with the increasing residual chlorine concentration (0.1–4.0 mg L^?1). Mussel size was also found to be an important factor, considering that the continuation times for mussel mortality were 28 h for the 1.4 mm and 410 h for the 25 mm size groups. All size groups showed progressive reduction in physiological activities, such as oxygen consumption, foot activity, and byssus thread production with increasing chlorine dose (0.05–1.0 mg L^?1); the two data-sets were strongly correlated with each other. The results of this study should be of significance for optimizing the chlorine content, and minimize the environmental threat to industries where mussels are the dominant fouling organisms.     

土壤中磺胺二甲嘧啶赋存对水稻生长的影响

为探究土壤中残留抗生素对植物生长的影响,选取土壤中检出率较高的磺胺类抗生素磺胺二甲嘧啶作为外源污染物,分析水稻苗期和成熟期生长指标、根系和叶片生理生化指标、水稻各器官中抗生素残留量和富集转运因子的变化特性,并评价水稻籽粒中残留磺胺二甲嘧啶的健康风险.结果表明,磺胺二甲嘧啶对水稻株高和生物量的抑制作用存在于整个生长周期中,且苗期的影响大于生长成熟期,根部受到的影响大于苗部.苗期秧苗根系活力、硝酸还原酶活性和叶片叶绿素含量受到随抗生素含量增加而增大的抑制作用,而抗氧化酶活性的变化趋势表现出不同特征,具体为超氧化物歧化酶活性增强、过氧化氢酶和过氧化物酶先被激活后被抑制.磺胺二甲嘧啶在水稻各器官中的积累量表现为：根>叶>茎>籽粒,且水稻籽粒的抗生素风险评估结果显示EDI/ADI<0.1,不构成健康风险.生长成熟期土壤中磺胺二甲嘧啶对水稻富集因子和转运系数的影响大于苗期.综合磺胺二甲嘧啶对水稻的不利影响,在水稻种植中施加畜禽粪便作为有机肥和使用养殖水进行农田灌溉时,需要关注磺胺二甲嘧啶的生态效应,保障水稻等作物的安全生产.     

内蒙古四种牧草对土壤中汞富集能力与生理响应

随着内蒙古就地煤电转化发展方式的推行,周边土壤中来自大气汞沉降逐步加剧。为了解牧草对汞的富集能力与耐性机理,选取内蒙古草场常见四种牧草:羊草、紫花苜蓿、披碱草和高羊茅进行研究。通过野外汞沉降模拟试验及汞胁迫盆栽种植试验,分别测定土壤、牧草中的总汞含量及牧草的生理生化值,分析被试牧草汞含量与土壤汞含量相关性。供试土壤为砂土,pH在7.43—8.53,当土壤中汞含量不高于1.0 mg?kg~(-1)时,四种牧草富集系数皆大于1。结果表明:不同牧草对汞富集能力不同并且会受土壤中汞含量影响,牧草对汞的富集系数随汞胁迫浓度增高而逐渐下降,汞胁迫下牧草细胞膜脂过氧化程度提高,牧草通过提高抗氧化酶酶活、脯氨酸含量调节细胞是其耐受汞的重要机理。     

苗期玉米根叶对干旱胁迫的生理响应

采用人工控制水分的方法,研究了干旱胁迫下苗期玉米(ZeamaysL.)根系和叶片的生理指标,用以明确苗期玉米根系和叶片对干旱的生理响应。研究结果表明,苗期中度干旱胁迫处理条件下,玉米根系和叶片均表现出对干旱胁迫的生理响应,并各具特点。与对照相比,干旱胁迫使玉米根系和地上部的生物量降低,叶片中的叶绿素含量显著降低、叶片光合面积减小,根冠比增大。干旱胁迫使玉米根系比表面积增大,根系氧化活力和还原活力增强。干旱胁迫导致玉米叶片的光合功能降低,初始荧光升高,初始光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)的原初光能转换效率、PSⅡ潜在活性、潜在光合作用活力均受到抑制。干旱胁迫下玉米叶片和根系脂质过氧化作用增强,根系和叶片中的游离脯氨酸含量升高。