Human serum paraoxonase gene polymorphisms and association with chronic symptoms of pesticide toxicity in Indian farmers

The association between PON1 (serum paraoxonase) genotype and symptoms of pesticide toxicity was examined in a total of 268 farm workers in Andhra Pradesh, India. Approximately 140 of the farm workers who did not report at least two of the symptoms of chronic toxicity, such as abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, fatigue, tremors of fingers, numbness, or limb weakness were categorized as controls. The remaining 128 farmers showed 2 or more of the above symptoms. All the farm workers were genotyped for polymorphisms of PON1 gene at amino acid positions 55 (exon 3) and 192 (exon 6). A decrease in the percentage of high-activity genotypes at both L55M and Q192R was observed in the farm workers reporting symptoms of pesticide toxicity. When combined genotype distribution at both exons was analyzed, a marked increase in the percentage of low-activity genotypes LLQQ, LMQQ, MMQQ, and MMQR was also observed in symptomatic farmers compared to controls. Age, working years, smoking, duration of exposure, and alcoholism were not statistically significant when compared to symptoms of chronic toxicity. Our findings suggest that L55M and Q192R gene polymorphisms influence the variable susceptibility of farmers to pesticide; and thus may be considered a useful biomarker of genetic susceptibility in assessing an individual's risk of pesticide exposures.     

The impact of flooding on property prices: A repeat-sales approach

In this paper we use a repeat-sales model to analyse the price path of properties affected by flooding in England between 1995 and 2014. Our dataset contains information on 4.8 million houses with at least one repeat-sale. This database is merged with high-definition GIS data delineating the spatial extent of all recorded flood incidents in England covering a total area of 2,654 km². Our results show that immediately after a flood event the price of property in a postcode entirely inundated by inland flooding is on average 24.9% lower than non-flooded property, whereas for property in a postcode entirely inundated by coastal flooding the price reduction is 21.1%. Nonetheless, we find that this discount is short-lived and the discount is no longer statistically significant for properties affected by inland flooding after 5 years, which falls to just 4 years for properties affected by coastal flooding. For lower-priced properties however, the post-flood price discount can be observed up to 6–7 years for both inland and coastal flooding. The magnitude of the impact also depends on the characteristics of the properties, the characteristics of the flood and the existence of flood protection assets.     

The price of innovation: An analysis of the marginal cost of green buildings

Energy efficiency plays an important role in reducing the carbon externality from buildings, but economic analyses of more efficient, green building have thus far ignored input costs. This paper finds that the average marginal cost of green-labeled construction projects is smaller than the value premiums documented in the literature. However, design fees, representing just a fraction of development costs but paid largely up-front, are significantly higher for green construction projects. These projects also take longer to complete. The results provide some insight into the market barriers and market failures that may explain the relatively slow adoption of otherwise economically rational green construction practices.     

3R strategies for the establishment of an international sound material-cycle society

Focusing on the promotion of the “3Rs” – reduce, reuse, and recycle – the authors summarize the policy that Japan has evolved in waste management and recycling policy over the years. To realize an international sound material-cycle society (SMS), the 3R approaches should first be implemented in each individual country. After each country has established an SMS to the best of its ability, contribution toward reducing the environmental load internationally, especially across all of East Asia, will be achieved by having waste and recyclable resources that cannot be handled in one country effectively used or processed in other countries. The current situation of international resource circulation is described and a concept of SMS at an international level is proposed. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily the official views of the organizations with which the authors are affiliated.     

河南省洪涝灾害时间序列的分形特征与R/S分析

基于河南省1000~1999年的洪涝灾害统计资料,运用分形理论对河南省洪涝灾害的时间序列特征进行分析,发现河南省洪涝灾害发生时间序列的分步呈现出明显的分形特征,其分形维数为0.517,同严格意义上的数学分形Cantor集合相比分维数较小,说明河南省洪涝灾害发生发展的自组织程度还有进一步发展的趋势,其危害程度将可能进一步提高;在河南省洪涝灾害发生时间序列的分形特征的基础上,通过R/S分析,得出该省洪涝灾害发生时间序列的H指数为0.580,说明河南省洪涝灾害具有长期相关性,且未来的洪涝灾害发生的次数具有不断增加的趋势。     

Estimating the Relative Efficiency of Brazilian Publicly and Privately Owned Water Utilities: A Stochastic Cost Frontier Approach1

Abstract: This paper assesses cost efficiencies of Brazilian public and private companies of water supply. To measure the efficiency, we used a stochastic frontier model derived from the translog family – a specification similar to a Cobb‐Douglas including a quadratic term in log output. The model parameters are estimated by maximum likelihood using Brazilian data for the year 2002. Statistical inference leads to the conclusion that there is no evidence that private firms and public firms are significantly different in terms of efficiency measurements.     

β-环糊精接枝壳聚糖对酸性红R的吸附研究

为改善壳聚糖的吸附性能,用苯甲醛保护壳聚糖氨基,通过与环氧氯丙烷和β-环糊精的反应合成了新的吸附剂β-环糊精接枝壳聚糖,研究了其对偶氮染料酸性红R的吸附行为,考察了酸性红R的初始浓度、pH对吸附效果的影响。结果发现当酸性红R的浓度≤100mg/g时,合成物的吸附量随酸性红R浓度的增大而增加,当浓度进一步增大时,吸附量趋于平衡。合成物对酸性红R的吸附效果在pH为2～4之间最好。相比于Freundlich吸附等温式(R2=0.8476),β-环糊精接枝壳聚糖对酸性红R的吸附规律明显更符合Langmuir吸附等温式(R2=0.9977)。吸附动力学采用了准一级速率方程(R2=0.8609)和准二级速率方程来描述,结果表明吸附动力学符合准二级速率方程(R2=0.9945)。β-环糊精接枝后的壳聚糖对酸性红R的平衡吸附容量可以提高20.2mg/g。     

循环经济中隐藏的“学问”

阐速了循环经济内涵的经济学解释及循环经济实践中的经济学原理,对现阶段我国循环经济的理论和实践进行了总结。     

HAP/UV催化降解活性艳蓝K-3R的研究

用化学沉淀法合成羟基磷灰石(HAP),并用XRD、SEM、FT-IR对其进行分析。以活性艳蓝K-3R为降解底物,研究HAP对其光催化降解性能。探讨了HAP煅烧温度、通气量、投加量、初始浓度等因素对光催化降解活性艳蓝K-3R效果的影响。研究表明化学沉淀法合成的HAP粒度均匀,HAP对活性艳蓝的吸附作用较强,30min之内即能达到吸附平衡,其对初始浓度为100mg/L的活性艳蓝的吸附率可达17.5%。适当的煅烧有利于提高HAP的催化活性,以200℃煅烧2h最佳。在投加量为4g/L,鼓气量为300L/h和pH=6的试验条件下,HAP(200℃)对初始浓度为100mg/L的活性艳蓝K-3R 3h的降解率达68%。降解反应动力学研究表明,HAP/UV光催化降解活性艳蓝K-3R的过程符合Langmuir-Hinshel-wood一级动力学方程,降解速率常数k随着活性艳蓝K-3R浓度的增大而减小。     

Experimental study on the influence of flame retardants on the flammability of R1234yf

As an alternative refrigerant, R1234yf shows great environmental friendliness. However, the flammability has a negative impact on its use and promotion. To lower the combustible risk, it's a proper way to mix with nonflammable refrigerants in applications, but the research on the flammability of these blends is still limited. Therefore, the influence of three typical nonflammable refrigerants CO₂, R1336mzz(E) and R1233zd(E) as flame retardants on the flammability of R1234yf was experimentally studied in this paper. With the measurements of flammable limits of R1234yf/CO₂, R1234yf/R1336mzz(E) and R1234yf/R1233zd(E) at different concentrations, the parameters of regression equations for their flammable limits were obtained. The critical suppression concentrations of retardant were determined as 0.575, 0.35 and 0.6, respectively. The results showed that their suppression abilities could be ranked as R1336mzz(E)>CO₂>R1233zd(E). Then the inhibition mechanisms were analyzed, and the differences in flame colors at flammable limits were compared. With the establishment of estimation model for calculating critical suppression concentrations of ternary blends, the critical suppression lines of CO₂/R1234yf/R1336mzz(E) and CO₂/R1234yf/R1233zd(E) were obtained, by which the nonflammable zones of them were preliminarily determined. The results will provide practical guidance for the applications utilizing R1234yf and its blends in safety.