Crystallization and X‐ray structure of 3,3’,4‐trichlorobiphenyl (PCB 35)∗

A method for the preparation of single crystals of PCB 35 suitable for single crystal X‐ray structure determination was developed. This method has already been proven suitable for 2,4'‐dichlorobiphenyl and may prove useful for other PCBs or related compounds. The crystals of PCB 35 are orthorhombic, spacegroup P2₁22₁ (a= 10.665(8), 6 = 3.825(3), c= 14.086(9) Å) and the structure was refined to R = 0.094 for 156 unique observed reflections and 43 parameters. Although the crystals were of poor quality, the structure determination unequivocally confirmed the substitution pattern of the biphenyl moiety by Cl atoms inferred previously from spectroscopic methods. The dihedral angle between the planes of the two phenyl rings is 33(2)°.     

环境雌激素o,p′-DDT和抗雌激素氟维司群对斑马鱼胚胎的复合效应

为探究雌激素与抗雌激素的复合效应,将斑马鱼(Danio rerio)的胚胎暴露于o,p′-DDT和氟维司群2种典型的环境内分泌干扰物中,考察胚胎孵化率、孵化时间和总畸形率,并用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测Vtg1、Vtg2和ERα等雌激素效应相关基因的mRNA转录水平.结果显示,与单一化合物的暴露相比,o,p′-DDT和...     

Ergonomic Diagnosis of the Driver’s Workplace in an Electric Locomotive

This paper deals with research aimed at developing a method for ergonomic analysis of the driver’s workplace in an electric locomotive. It presents the structure of the diagnosis and its assumptions, and includes a re-evaluation of the questionnaire-expert method in ergonomic research. The article presents research data on weights and evaluations including their standard deviations for particular priority features. Ergonomic levels of the studied operator’s cabin in locomotives are compared.     

Relationship of safety climate perceptions and job satisfaction among employees in the construction industry: the moderating role of age

This study examines the degree to which construction sector employees perceive that safety is important in their organizations/sites and how job satisfaction affects these perceptions when age is introduced as a moderator variable. Two-way analysis of variance demonstrated that job satisfaction has a strong effect on perceived management commitment to work safety and that this relationship was moderated by respondents’ age. Job satisfaction was associated with perceived accident rate and safety inspection frequency, but the proposed role of age in this linkage was not confirmed. Consequently, the findings indicated that by increasing the level of job satisfaction, perceptions of these safety climate aspects proved to be more positive. The conclusion is that these relationships could further lead to a lower percentage of accidents and injuries in the workplace and better health among employees. A significant relationship between job satisfaction, age and perceived co-workers’ commitment to work safety was not found.     

Assessment of land degradation and its impact on crop production in the Dry Zone of Myanmar

Land degradation in terms of soil degradation is a major environmental issue posing threat to sustainable livelihood in the semi-arid region of Central Myanmar. However, the studies on soil degradation status and its impacts in this region are very scanty. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of land degradation on crop production both in terms of area and yield in the Dry Zone of Myanmar. Remote sensing and geographic information system-based modelling was utilized to assess and map soil erosion rates. Household survey was conducted to understand the causes of land degradation and its impacts on crop productivity and livelihoods. It has been found out that the current rate of soil erosion ranged from 0 to 114 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and that the average rate of soil erosion increased from 14.2 to 54.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1 over a period from 2000 to 2012. The major types of land degradation were physical and chemical soil degradation. Farmers identified topographic condition, soil types, improper crop management practices and climatic factors as the main causes of soil erosion. The observed crop yields of monsoon rice, groundnut, sesame and cotton in the highly degraded area were 3–12 times lower compared with the yields of these crops grown in less degraded area. Livelihoods of the farmers in the high-degraded area were affected by crop yield reduction, increased cultivation cost and increased uncultivable land area. The impact of land degradation on crop production was dependent on the severity of degradation. This suggests that advanced conservation measures are immediately required and the supportive policy strategies need to be implemented to educate farmers and to strengthen extension services for sustainable land management in the Dry Zone of Myanmar.     

栽植寒富苹果防风固沙修复土壤的效益分析

通过台安县西平林场大兴村栽植寒富苹果防风固沙修复土壤实验,证明在北方沙化土地上种植寒富苹果是可行的.以内蒙古"十五"林业生态建设所产生的生态效益为依据,寒富苹果基地建设,一方面促进农民增收,另一方面具有防风固沙修复土壤、涵养水源,保持水土的作用.能获得生态效益和经济效益双赢,在适宜地区具有广泛的推广价值.     

抚育间伐对栓皮栎种群空间分布格局的影响

抚育间伐是一种重要的改善林木生长条件的经营措施,对林分结构和动态具有重要影响。为研究抚育间伐对林木种群空间结构与格局影响的内在机制,以间伐和未间伐的栓皮栎人工林为研究对象,通过设置2个100 m×100 m样地并进行每木定位和调查,在采用径级结构代替年龄结构方法将栓皮栎种群划分为幼树(2 cm≤DBH<5 cm)、小树(5 cm≤DBH<13 cm)和大树(DBH≥13 cm)3个生长阶段的基础上,分别采用Ripley’s K函数衍生的g(r)函数和双变量g12(r)函数,对栓皮栎种群空间分布点格局及不同生长阶段栓皮栎种群之间的关联性进行了研究。结果表明,间伐和未间伐样地栓皮栎种群空间分布点格局分别在0-16 m和0-33 m距离尺度内呈聚集分布,而分别在大于16 m和33 m距离尺度内呈随机分布;间伐和未间伐样地栓皮栎幼树、小树和大树的株数比分别为8?741?699和261?1134?683,且间伐样地栓皮栎幼树、小树和大树种群分别在0-14、1-16、0-6 m距离尺度内呈现均匀或聚集分布,而在其他距离尺度上表现为随机分布;栓皮栎幼树、小树和大树之间仅在间伐样地0-6 m距离尺度内呈现一定的相关性,而在未间伐样地更大的距离尺度内有显著的关联性,如栓皮栎幼树和大树之间在6-38 m距离尺度上呈显著正相关。因此,抚育间伐一定程度上使得栓皮栎种群在更大距离尺度上呈现出随机分布状态,并弱化了不同生长阶段的林木栓皮栎种群的关联性,这调整了栓皮栎种群空间竞争关系,有利于大径级林木个体的培育。该研究可以为开展抚育间伐对林木种群的影响的研究提供理论依据,也可以为制定科学合理的抚育技术措施提供参考。     

Environmental disasters,migration and displacement. Insights and developments from L’Aquila's case

This paper analyses the environmentally-induced migration and displacement resulting from L’Aquila's earthquake of 2009. After a general critical overview of the social science literature on this topic, the main changes in the migration system are analysed looking at the roots and trajectories of the forced human displacement that followed the earthquake, and reflecting on the challenges related to post-earthquake demographic movements and post-disaster resettlement. Through the analysis of the pre disaster (2002–2008) and recovery period (2009–2013) data, this paper offers a general model of how environmental disaster might affect migration and displacement and suggests the main challenges related to the post-disaster governance. Relying on ISTAT data on internal migration in Italy this paper argues that the post-seismic recovery period is characterized by a strong increase of out-flows from L’Aquila to other provinces, within the Abruzzo region and outside it, in particular toward the closest regions (Latium, Campania).     

Impacts of Suburbanization on Urban Eco-environment of Xi’an in China

Suburbanization in large cities is an important phenomenon in the process of urbanization development in China in recent decades,which plays a very important role in promoting city development,whereas some side effects on the eco-environment appeared at the same time.This paper,taking Xi’an City in China as a case study site,analyzed the features of population suburbanization and industry suburbanization and pointed out the impacts of suburbanization on urban eco-environment.Based on the research,suggestions of countermeasures for urban planning and municipal management of Xi’an City in protecting urban eco-environment and conserving natural ecology were put forward in the end.     

The implications of new information and communication technologies for sustainability

This paper discusses the relationship of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and sustainable development. It deconstructs popular myths about a sustainable information society. One myth is that telework has reduced the need to travel and hence environmental pollution. The reality is that teleworkers make up only a small share of the total workforce, telework can generate new social relationships and hence the need for more travelling, work-related travel produces only a small amount of the total carbon dioxide emissions, and that the total distance travelled per employee is constantly rising. Another myth is that information economy is weightless and dematerialized which reduces environmental impacts. The energy and resource intensities of the ICT sector are indeed lower than the one of the total economy. The ICT sector also emits less CO₂ than the total economy. But the ICT sector constitutes only a small portion of the total value added and fossil fuel combustion is still the dominant activity of modern industrial economies. Some stakeholders argue that virtual products allow resource, energy, and transport savings. But burning digital music on compact discs and DVDs, printing digital articles and books, etc. results in rebound effects that cause new material and energy impacts, computers have a low life span of 2–3 years, reusable and upgradeable computers and computer equipment are hardly used and might not be as profitable as non-reusable ones, computers are consuming much energy. Alternatives such as energy consumption labels on ICTs and green ICTs that consume less energy contradict dominant economic interests. A sustainable information society is a society that makes use of ICTs and knowledge for fostering a good life for all human beings of current and future generations by strengthening biological diversity, technological usability, economic wealth for all, political participation of all, and cultural wisdom. Achieving a sustainable information society costs, it demands a conscious reduction of profits by not investing in the future of capital, but the future of humans, society, and nature.