Predictive Models of Lumbar Loadings When Handling Boxes

Back problems resulting from the compression forces on the intervertebral disks during manual material-handling tasks are an important problem affecting workers in various industries. The quantification of these forces using intradiscal pressure or biomechanical modeling is complex, time consuming, and costly, and these methods cannot be readily used in the workplace to estimate loadings on the lower back. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model that would allow the estimation of lumbar loadings for lifting and lowering boxes using easily measured anthropometric variables and variables related to the task. A dynamic and planar segmental model and a model of internal forces at L5/S1 were used to determine the compression forces on the lower back. Two predictive models, a field model and a laboratory model, were developed to estimate the compression forces when lifting or lowering 3.3 kg to 22.0 kg boxes between heights of 15 cm and 185 cm. Both models were validated by an examination of the residuals. Their predictive performance was also compared, with the laboratory model offering a slightly better prediction than the field model. Thus, these equations represent a practical tool for a better planning of handling tasks in the working environment with the purpose of reducing the back injuries of workers.     

Burrowing bird's decline driven by EIA over-use

Modifications to ecosystems often lead to externalities that can be assigned an economic value and traded in ecosystem service markets. One such value may include the provisioning of nest sites for organisms that would otherwise be ousted from the surrounding cultural landscape, such as the sand martin (Riparia riparia), small passerine utilizing river bank rippings when available. The studied sand martin population was initially characterized as relying heavily on human activities for habitat, as extensive river regulation caused the relocation of 97% of Czech sand martins to man-made habitats, most commonly sandpits and gravel-sandpits. The socioeconomic changes and strict implementation of the EIA law had further detrimental effects on this species, which already adjusted to the human-dominated landscape, ousting it for a second time from its key nesting habitats, causing closure 86% of sandpits with only occasional quarrying and closure of 47% of those with regular small-scale regular quarrying. Meanwhile, large-scale quarries remained nearly unaffected. Conversion of any actively quarried site to that with vertical slopes present, but with quarrying absent, led to the progressive disappearance of sand martin colonies in 73% of sandpits with ceased occasional quarrying and in 87% of sandpits with ceased regular small-scale quarrying. The sharp decrease in the number of nest-sites of a bird protected by law is a gloomy result of the hypertrophied business regulation (EIA is estimated to cost € 970 million annually in the E.U. alone) aimed, paradoxically, to support the environment.     

The Impact of Asynchronicity on Event‐Flow Estimation in Basin‐Scale Hydrologic Model Calibration1

Abstract: The calibration of basin‐scale hydrologic models consists of adjusting parameters such that simulated values closely match observed values. However, due to inevitable inaccuracies in models and model inputs, simulated response hydrographs for multiyear calibrations will not be perfectly synchronized with observed response hydrographs at the daily time step. An analytically derived formula suggests that when timing errors are significant, traditional calibration approaches may generally underestimate the total event‐flow volume. An event‐adaptive time series is developed and incorporated into the Nash‐Sutcliffe Efficiency objective function to diagnose the potential impact of event‐flow synchronization errors. Test sites are the 50 km² Subwatershed I of the Little River Experimental Watershed (LREWswI) in southeastern Georgia, and the 610 km² Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW) in southwestern Oklahoma, with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool used as the hydrologic model. Results suggest that simulated surface runoff generation is 55% less for LREWswI when the daily time series is used compared with when the event‐adaptive technique is used. Event‐flow generation may also be underestimated for LWREW, but to a lesser extent than it may be for LREWswI, due to a larger portion of the event flow being lateral flow.     

福建省流域-近海溶解氧时空格局与低氧调控机制

溶解氧是衡量水环境质量和生态系统健康的关键参数,当前我国海岸带地区的低氧问题突出,但缺乏对流域-近海溶解氧时空格局与低氧调控机制的研究.基于2011~2020年福建省135个地表水（含河口）和66个近岸海域监测点位数据,系统分析了年际和季节两个时间尺度溶解氧的时空演变规律,选取低氧（溶解氧饱和度位于10%分位之内）站位数据,采用数理统计和随机森林模型分析方法,重点研究了河流、水库、河口和近海这4种类型水体的低氧特征及其调控机制.结果表明,溶解氧饱和度近海最高［（98.2±10.2）%］,河口最低［（79.2±17.9）%］.与"十二五"（2011~2015年）相比, "十三五" （2016~2020年）河流和水库的低氧检出频率有明显降低,但河口变化不大.统计有低氧检出的点位,河流和水库的多年平均低氧检出频率在秋季最高,河口在夏季最高.水库和河口低氧问题最为突出但机制不同,水库河段的低氧与夏季径流携带大量有机质输入、层化导致底层水持续耗氧、秋季混合上涌或通过大坝泄流有关,河口的低氧与污染输入、潮水顶托和还原性物质耗氧有关.需要建立系统治理与分区管控制度,进一步加强流域-近海污染控制有助于减缓水体富营养化和低氧问题.     

不同淹水环境下湖泊沉积物DOM的特征与来源

为揭示水位的空间差异对于湖泊沉积物溶解性有机质（DOM）特性的影响与作用途径,采用紫外可见光谱（UV-Vis）和三维荧光光谱结合平行因子分析（EEM-PARAFAC）,探究东洞庭湖不同淹水环境对沉积物DOM的组成与来源的影响.结果表明,DOM中类蛋白组分［类色氨酸C2与类酪氨酸C3,（72.95±8.94）%］高于类腐殖酸组分［C1,（27.05±8.94）%］.季节淹水下DOM具有更高的类蛋白组分和更低的类腐殖酸组分,而常年淹水下的DOM芳香性（SUVA₂₅₄）与疏水组分（SUVA₂₆₀）更高,在空间上表现为：湖中段>入湖段>出湖段,更有利于污染物迁移.通过对荧光参数FI （1.93）、BIX （0.91）和HIX （1.57）的计算发现,沉积物DOM具有内源为主和陆源较弱的混合特征.这可能受到人为输入与沉积物特性影响,季节淹水区沉积物裸露增强污水排放的直接作用,且黏粒和总氮（TN）含量与FI呈显著正相关,说明沉积物高营养成分和黏粒含量影响DOM的内源成分（FI>1.9）;而常年淹水区具有外来径流输入,pH和C/N与HIX和C1呈显著正相关,说明沉积物DOM由于常年淹水的碱性环境（pH>7.5）和径流输入比季节淹水区具有更高的陆源成分（HIX=1.38±0.57）.上述结果有助于揭示湖泊水文与人类活动过程中沉积物DOM对水质与污染响应的相关理论,为沉积物污染防治提供科学依据.     

连续曝气SBR快速培养AGS及反应器流态的CFD解析

配制模拟番茄酱废水,在高径比为10的SBR反应器中,考察连续曝气条件下好氧颗粒污泥（AGS）的除污性能和微生物特性的变化。建立流体动力学模型,模拟反应器中气〖CD*2〗液〖CD*2〗污泥三相流的流态,以了解其对污泥颗粒化的影响机理。结果表明：污泥完全颗粒化后,对番茄酱废水中COD、NH3-N和PO3-4-P的去除率分别为94.37%、93.55%和9092%;绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)丰度显著提高,假丝酵母菌（Candidatus saccharibacteria）为除磷功能微生物;反应器内的流态结构呈环流和旋涡流,水力剪切力的大小与颗粒粒径呈正相关,颗粒形态与流态分布有关。     

上海城区PM2.5中有机组分及硝基芳香化合物分布特征

硝基芳香化合物（NACs）是细颗粒物中含氮化合物的重要组成部分,研究其在大气中的污染特征和季节变化,有助于表征大气细颗粒物中含氮有机化合物特性,并为城市氮氧化物削减提供科学支撑.采集并分析了上海城区2018年3月～2019年2月大气PM_2.5样品,采用超高效液相色谱-轨道阱质谱（UPLC-Orbitrap MS）在PM_2.5样品中定性检测到了2 439～3 695个有机物,内标法定量了9种NACs,春季ρ（NACs）范围为3.12～16.8 ng·m^-3,平均值为9.31 ng·m^-3;夏季ρ（NACs）范围为1.05～9.70 ng·m^-3,平均值4.16 ng·m^-3;秋季ρ（NACs）范围为2.87～36.27 ng·m^-3,平均值9.84 ng·m^-3,冬季ρ（NACs）范围为4.83～56.23 ng·m^-3,平均值为22.37 ng·m^-3. 9种硝基芳香化...     

长江口最大浑浊带潮滩沉积物间隙水营养盐剖面研究

2005-03～2006-02对长江口崇明东滩高、中、低潮滩3个典型站点沉积物间隙水中各营养盐成分含量及其随深度的变化做了为期1a的逐月观测.结果显示,研究区域间隙水中NH₄⁺和SiO₃^2-的浓度一般在200～500μmol/L之间,高、中、低潮滩间显示出了不同的分布态势;与高潮滩和中潮滩相比,没有植被覆盖、粒径较粗的低潮滩往往具有较高的NH+4浓度和较低的SiO₃^2-浓度;     

Dynamic modeling of chemical fate and transport in multimedia environments at watershed scale-I: theoretical considerations and model implementation

A geo-referenced environmental fate model was developed for analyzing unsteady-state dispersion and distribution of chemicals in multimedia environmental systems. Chemical transport processes were formulated in seven environmental compartments of air, canopy, surface soil, root-zone soil, vadose-zone soil, surface water, and sediment. The model assumed that the compartments were completely mixed and chemical equilibrium was established instantaneously between the sub-compartments within each compartment. A fugacity approach was utilized to formulate the mechanisms of diffusion, advection, physical interfacial transport, and transformation reactions. The governing equations of chemical mass balances in the environmental compartments were solved simultaneously to reflect the interactions between the compartments. A geographic information system (GIS) database and geospatial analysis were integrated into the chemical transport simulation to provide spatially explicit estimations of model parameters at watershed scale. Temporal variations of the environmental properties and source emissions were also considered in the parameter estimations. The outputs of the model included time-dependent chemical concentrations in each compartment and its sub-compartments, and inter-media mass fluxes between adjacent compartments at daily time steps.     

The implications of ecosystem dynamics for fisheries management: a case study of selected fisheries in the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad

It is accepted that if fisheries resources are to remain renewable and able to sustain livelihoods, appropriate management practices must be implemented. Even while fisheries management grapples to resolve single-species issues, the biological and economic interactions among species mandate that to be effective, management techniques must be based on more interactive and aggregate-level analyses. In order to implement these techniques, the actual links, and the potential impact of these links, among the fisheries must be established. Vector autoregression (VAR) analysis has the potential to play an increasingly important role in ecosystem modelling for fisheries management. This study uses VAR analysis to demonstrate the quantitative impact of certain ecosystem changes on the productivity of the carite, honey shrimp and croaker fisheries of the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad, in the particular context of the ecosystem dynamics of trophic linkages, bycatch and multispecies fisheries. Four VAR models are constructed to investigate the extent to which these factors affect the production of the selected fisheries, and to evaluate the management implications of these linkages. The empirical analysis is further evidence that, if sustainable management of fishery resources is to be achieved, management practices based on more multi-species, ecosystem approaches must replace the traditional, single-species management techniques.