Transport of antibiotic resistance plasmids in porous media and the influence of surfactants

Transport of engineered antibiotic resistance plasmids in porous media has been reported to potentially cause significant spreading of antibiotic resistance in the environment. In this work, transport of an indigenous resistance plasmid pK5 in porous media was investigated through packed column experiments. At identical ionic strengths in CaCl₂ solutions, the breakthroughs of pK5 from soil columns were very close to those from quartz sand columns, indicating that transport of pK5 in quartz sand and soil was similar. A similarity in transport behavior was also found between pK5 and an engineered plasmid pBR322 that has approximately the same number of base pairs as pK5. The influence of surfactants, a major group of constituents in soil solutions, was examined using an engineered plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)/myc-His A. The impact of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was negligible at concentrations up to 200 mg·L^–1. Cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant, was found to significantly enhance plasmid adsorption at high concentrations. However, at environmentally relevant concentrations (<1 mg·L^–1), the effect of this surfactant was also minimal. The negligible impact of surfactants and the similarity between the transport of engineered and indigenous plasmids indicate that under environmentally relevant conditions, indigenous plasmids in soil also have the potential to transport over long distances and lead to the spreading of antibiotic resistance.

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Media coverage of the ‘UK flooding crisis’: a social panorama

A disaster referred to by the press as the ‘UK flooding crisis’ occurred between December 2015 and January 2016. This study employed three different levels of analysis to identify a multidimensional perspective adopted in the disaster reporting of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). These levels revealed details about the social actors and their interactions. The set of news exposed diverse viewpoints on the crisis, from loss and damage to distinct affected subgroups to the various social engagement actions of aid and the multiplicity of technical response measures. The conclusions highlight considerable social amplitude in the BBC's coverage; however, owing to the reductionist approach of this media communicator, the field of action involving different social actors was not very clear in the content of the news, particularly with regard to cohesion, conflict/obstruction, and concernthe concept of crisis in its essence. In addition, the paper suggests new questions for future reports. 1     

Analysing news media coverage of the 2015 Nepal earthquake using a community capitals lens: implications for disaster resilience

South Asia is one of the regions of the world most vulnerable to natural disasters. Although news media analyses of disasters have been conducted frequently in various settings globally, there is little research on populous South Asia. This paper begins to fill this gap by evaluating local and foreign news media coverage of the earthquake in Nepal on 25 April 2015. It broadens the examination of news media coverage of disaster response beyond traditional framing theory, utilising community capitals (built, cultural, financial, human, natural, political, and social) lens to perform a thematic content analysis of 405 news items. Overall, financial and natural capital received the most and the least emphasis respectively. Statistically significant differences between local and foreign news media were detected vis‐à‐vis built, financial, and political capital. The paper concludes with a discussion of the social utility of news media analysis using the community capitals framework to inform disaster resilience.     

改性滤料在矿井水净化处理中的试验研究

采用高温加热法制备了涂铁石英砂和无烟煤联用的双层改性滤料,并通过过滤试验对比验证了其对矿井水中不同污染物的去除效果。过滤6 h出水浊度为0.3 NTU,ρ(COD)降为2.5 mg/L,均低于饮用水标准限值,Fe、Mn的去除率分别达88.7%和66.7%,并通过反冲洗试验,确定了该滤料的反冲洗强度q=16 L/(m2.s)和过滤周期T=370 min。滤后水质可满足淡化除盐进水要求,具有广阔的应用前景。     

Large-scale effects on resistivity index of porous media

The estimation of humidity in the unsaturated zone of soils and NAPL saturation in contaminated aquifers may be based on the interpretation of electrical resistivity index logs. In the present work, concepts of the theory of the two-phase flow in pore networks are employed to interpret the form of the equilibrium and dynamic resistivity index curves of large porous samples. A resistivity cell is constructed to measure the capillary and electrical properties of large samples of unconsolidated porous media. The drainage capillary pressure and resistivity index curves of a sand column are measured by using the micropore membrane (porous plate) method, where a 0.5% wt/vol NaCl aqueous solution is displaced by n-dodecane. The dynamic resistivity index curves are measured by using the continuous injection technique for various orientations of the sand column. Based on concepts of the two-phase flow theory, concerning the dominant displacement growth pattern in a pore network and arising from the cooperative effects of capillary, buoyancy, and viscous forces, approximate relationships are developed for the resistivity index and saturation exponent as functions of the water saturation. The saturation exponent decreases as the displacement advances and the fluid distribution across the sand column tends to be homogenized after oil breakthrough. Both the resistivity index and saturation exponent increase as the displacement pattern tends to become compact and stable. In the destabilized flow pattern, as the Bond number decreases, the resistivity index may increase respectably within a narrow range of values of the Bond number. This happens when the thickness of the unstable capillary finger exceeds the lateral dimension of the porous sample and becomes a fractal percolation cluster. The saturation exponent becomes almost constant and independent of water saturation only over the destabilized displacement pattern at high values of the Bond number.     

A multi media load model for the Baltic Sea

The background of this work is the international decision process with regard to the selection of chemicals to be assessed with priority. In order to stress the precautionary principle, mass flows were analysed rather than concentrations, threshold values, etc., as preferred by the chemical legislation (which still excludes the marine area). Lindane, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), trichloroacetic acid and its sodium salt, medium-chained chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin (TBT) were selected due to their great relevance for the marine area. Trichloroacetic acid is an interesting model compound on account of its accidental formation by degradation of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons and during chlorination processes. In addition, a hypothetical compound was modelled, representing a highly water-soluble substance with low vapour pressure. The balancing area is the Baltic Sea and its catchment area. In order to model the substance flows, the 'Input/Output-load model' has been developed. The model quantifies the shift and the distribution of a yearly load of the substance investigated from the terrestrial-limnic into the marine compartment (Baltic Sea). Water-soluble substances, which are usually considered to be of no concern, may enter the sea in great amounts and, if not degradable, remain there. It turned out to be necessary to take into account remobilisation, unintended formation and point as well as line-sources.     

液体喷砂机与液体喷砂射流加工工艺的应用

介绍液体喷砂机的发展、组成及工作原理，以及液体喷砂射流加工的一般应用。     

三高气田钻完井重大事故现场监测数据采集管理系统的设计与实现

把信息化技术用于油气田安全领域,用采集的现场数据评估安全生产环境,实现油气田安全信息化是近年来的新课题。为了有效地监测和预防油三高气田（高含硫、高产量、高压力）井喷事故造成的灾害,讨论了基于网络架构的重大事故现场监测数据采集管理系统软件的研究与设计,包括气象数据,传感器数据,监测设备GPS数据与视频信息的实时采集、处理、分析与显示,并且分段说明了该系统各部分的设计和实现的重点.该系统具有友好的人机界面,并且引入了流媒体技术、无线传感器技术等多种先进技术,能够最大程度地得到全面的表征油气田安全的数据与信息;该系统已经在研究实例龙岗油气田的实验中证明了具有安全生产方面的现实意义。     

Invertebrate community characteristics in biologically active carbon filter

Biologically active carbon (BAC) system was set up in a water plant of South China during January to December 2007,to study the invertebrate community characteristics of BAC filter.Thirty-seven invertebrate species were found,of which 28 belonging to rotifers.Filter operation could lead to an output of invertebrates in high abundances with the filtrate,and the maximum density could reach 5608 individuals/m 3.Average abundances in the effluent water increased in 27-33 folds in comparison to the influent water during the sampling period.Invertebrate community succession had the following trend:filter-feeding animals → small benthic invertebrates → large benthic and resistant invertebrates.Abundances of large-sized invertebrates (copepod adult and oligochaete) at bigger-media column were significantly higher than that at small-media column.The results implied the abundant species diversity of invertebrate in BAC filter.The relationship between invertebrate and biofilm still remain to be studied in detail.     

DASB反应器处理生活污水的试验研究

DASB反应器作为新型现代厌氧反应器,具有结构简单、运行方便,处理效果好等优点,在处理生活污水方面有着广泛的应用前景。研究了常温条件下,DASB处理生活污水的启动运行,得出在最佳水力停留时间6h时,COD和SS的平均去除率分别达到81．48％和86．07％。