Early life environment and developmental immunotoxicity in inflammatory dysfunction and disease

Components of the innate immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells are instrumental in determining the fate of immune responses and are, also, among the most sensitive targets of early life environmental alterations including developmental immunotoxicity (DIT). DIT can impede innate immune cell maturation, disrupt tissue microenvironment, alter immune responses to infectious challenges, and disrupt regulatory responses. Dysregulation of inflammation, such as that observed with DIT, has been linked with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases in both children and adults. In this review, we discuss the relationship between early-life risk factors for innate immune modulation and promotion of dysregulated inflammation associated with chronic inflammatory disease. The health risks from DIT-associated inflammation may extend beyond primary immune dysfunction to include an elevated risk of several later-life, inflammatory-mediated diseases that target a wide range of physiological systems and organs. For this reason, determination of innate immune status should be an integral part of drug and chemical safety evaluation.     

Metal distribution in marine sediments of the Mar Piccolo in Taranto (Ionic Sea,southern Italy)

The spatial distribution of selected metals (Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg and Cd) and their partition in the different chemical forms (speciation) were determined in benthic sediments from Mar Piccolo, Taranto (Ionic Sea, southern Italy). The aim of this study was to assess the degree of sediment contamination and bioavailability of metals, very important for Italian mussel culture, in a semi-enclosed marine ecosystem. In sediments, grain size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC), and humic (HA) and fulvic (FA) acids contents were also determined. The compounds TOC, HA and FA, in fact, have a great influence on metal complexation. High concentrations of copper, lead, zinc and mercury were found, especially in sediments of the first inlet of Mar Piccolo. Statistical analysis of results shows significant correlation among Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations and the influence of organic matter on the sediment distribution of Cu, Pb and Zn. Metal speciation analysis, carried out with sequential extraction method, shows that Fe and Ni are present in sediments mainly as sulphides. Mn and Pb are present principally in an ion-exchangeable form or bound to carbonate and Cu is associated to organic matter. Metal pollution index (MPI), calculated as a weighed mean of the metal contamination factors in each station, shows that with regard to Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, some stations investigated are unpolluted (MPI <1), whereas in other areas, pollution level is not very high. On the contrary, for mercury, the pollution level in the first inlet of the basin is very high.     

Mercury exposure in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients from Ganga plain region in India: A retrospective study

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive disorder that usually runs a fatal course within 2–5 years of onset, is characterized by loss of motor neurons in the cortex, brain stem, and spinal cord. In this study mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in blood samples of 40 ALS patients, of whom 24 ALS patients were from the Ganga plain region and their metal levels were found to be significantly higher. In contrast, Hg levels in the 16 ALS patients from non-Ganga plain regions whose levels were similar to those of the control subjects. Mercury in stream water samples and freshly deposited stream sediment were determined in the locations of patients’ native residences along the Ganga plain region and metal levels were found to be higher than the threshold guideline values for Hg in stream waters recommended by WHO. The geo-accumulation index in selected sites of freshly deposited stream sediment ranged from moderate to highly polluted. The high levels of Hg observed in ALS patients may potentially alter the redox status of neuronal cell components and induce cell-death pathways.     

贵州西部4种林型土壤有机碳及其剖面分布特征

在气候变化背景下,森林土壤碳库已成为全球碳循环研究重点之一。以贵州西部桦木（Betula luminifera H.Wilk.）、柳杉（Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibrenk ex Otto et Dietr.）、华山松（Pinus armandii Franch.）和杉木（Cunninghamia lanceilata（Lamb.）Hook.）4种主要森林类型为对象,对其土壤有机碳、碳密度及其垂直分配特征等进行了研究。结果表明：4种林型土壤有机碳含量和碳密度均表现为华山松林（51.09 g.kg-1,30.56 kg.m-2）〉杉木林（39.47 g.kg-1,22.97 kg.m-2）〉柳杉林（37.49g.kg-1,21.00 kg.m-2）〉桦木林（36.31 g.kg-1,20.13 kg.m-2）,华山松林土壤有机碳含量和碳密度显著大于其它三种林型,而另外三种林型间差异不明显;4种林型土壤有机碳含量和碳密度均随土层深度增加而逐渐降低,土壤有机碳含量均为0-10 cm最大,分别是剖面均值的1.45-1.61倍,而0-20 cm层土壤碳密度占整个土壤剖面的32.69%-38.08%,显著高于其他各层,大于20 cm的土层中,各层间的变化较小,土壤碳密度具有一定程度的表聚性;4种林型土壤有机碳含量与土壤pH均表现极强的负相关,与土壤全N和碱解N均表现极强的正相关,与全P、速效P、全K、速效K和阳离子交换量的相关性不尽一致,建立的方程具有较高的回归精度,土壤N和P状况对4种林型土壤有机碳含量有重要影响。     

吉林西部不同土地利用方式下的生长季土壤CO2排放通量日变化及影响因素

利用GXH-3051A红外线分析仪,采用动态闭合气室法对吉林西部4种土地利用方式下土壤CO2排放通量日变化进行了定位测量,系统分析了环境因子及土壤理化性质等因素对土壤CO2排放通量日变化的影响。结果表明,水田、旱田、草地和盐碱地土壤CO2排放通量日变化均呈单峰曲线,但排放通量的日均值有较大差异,其中水田和草地排放量较高,分别为1.69μmol.m-2.s-1和1.24μmol.m-2.s-1;旱田和盐碱地较低,为0.50μmol.m-2.s-1和0.63μmol.m-2.s-1。各地类土壤CO2排放通量的日均值与其每天上午10:00土壤CO2排放通量值最为接近,即可用该时间测得的土壤CO2排放通量估测日平均值。土地利用方式和大气温度是造成土壤CO2日排放通量差异的主要因素,多年来该区土地利用方式的变化,改变了土壤表层10 cm内的土层温度、土壤含水率、有机碳含量、水解氮含量,进而影响土壤呼吸和CO2排放通量;区内水田土壤CO2排放通量与温度的相关性最高(R2=0.837 5),其次为旱田和草地。     

土壤盐化过程中阳离子对镉的形态分布影响

以硝酸盐为例,实验分析了无机盐阳离子对碱性盐化土壤中镉形态分布的影响。结果表明,随着Na＋、K＋、Ca2＋、Mg2＋等阳离子进入土壤,土壤中镉的有效态含量增加,对镉有明显的活化作用;随着Na＋、K＋、Ca2＋、Mg2＋浓度的增加,有效态镉的含量进一步增加,镉有效态的增加幅度可达到55.46%～68.39%;土壤镉的其它各形态含量都随着Na＋、K＋、Ca2＋、Mg2＋等的加入而减少,其中碳酸盐态的减少量为23.61%～63.14%,铁锰氧化态的减少量为10.77%～25.66%,有机态的减少量为18.11%～54.68%,残渣态的减少量为2.14%～12.78%。不同种类阳离子对土壤中镉形态变化的影响程度有差异,钙离子对土壤中镉的吸附竞争能力最强,镁离子次之,而钠离子和钾离子对镉的吸附竞争能力相似。     

矿工故意违章行为影响因素系统动力学仿真研究

为进一步探析矿工故意违章行为演化规律,在分析矿工故意违章行为影响因素基础上,基于系统动力学(SD)原理,构建矿工故意违章行为影响因素系统模型。运用Vensim软件仿真分析各因素对故意违章行为的动态影响,实现故意违章行为演化过程的动态模拟仿真。结果表明:工作倦怠和故意违章示范对矿工故意违章行为具有促进作用,安全领导和安全氛围对其具有抑制作用;各影响因素对矿工故意违章行为的作用在力度、起效时间和效用存续期方面均存在差异;在4个因素交互作用下,故意违章行为演化过程呈现出阶段性规律。     

事故致因理论:缺陷塔模型

为建立新的事故模型,首先以马克思主义的唯物辩证法为指导,针对事故内因、外因确定5对连锁因果关系,引入生产、事故、物质、能量、作业场所、安全管理、企业、政府和社会等安全要素,与故障树分析方法密切结合,建立缺陷塔模型(FTM)。然后,借鉴计算机科学面向对象编程的理念,定义塔体、塔段、塔壁、缺陷缝、管道、阀门共6种对象,规定了对象的主要属性,实现模型的三维可视化。     

高危行业同类型同等级事件风险要素评价

为提高高危行业安全管理水平,研究风险要素的评价模型。借鉴作业条件危险性评价LEC法理论意义,针对其主观性和间接性太强的缺憾进行了实质性地改进。同时,通过给出风险源强度评估模型及各风险要素强度评估模型,设计同类型同等级事件风险要素的风险贡献度模型。在此基础上,结合改进后的LEC法,建立同类型同等级事件风险要素的风险值模型,风险警戒标准模型以及风险警戒状态模型。验证结果表明:所建模型对风险要素的评价与实际情况较为吻合。