Analyses of phenolic compounds occurring in olive oil mill wastewaters by GC–MS

Phenolic compounds in olive oil mill wastewaters were analysed by HRGC–MS after extracting the acidified solution with ethyl acetate and derivatization with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. Both simple and complex phenols were detected with the latter being the most abundant. 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol), p-hydroxyphenyl ethanol (tyrosol), 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl ethanol (hydroxytyrosol) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl ethanol (homovanillyl alcohol) predominated among the simple phenols using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass selective detector.     

Providing health services during a civil war: the experience of a garrison town in South Sudan

The impact of conflict, particularly conflict arising during civil wars, on the provision of healthcare is a subject that has not been widely considered in conflict‐related research. Combatants often target health services to weaken or to defeat the enemy, while attempts to maintain or improve health systems also can comprise part of counter‐insurgency ‘hearts‐and‐minds’ strategies. This paper describes the dynamics associated with the provision of health services in Malakal, an important garrison town in South Sudan, during the second Sudanese civil war (1983–2005). Drawing on the concepts of opportunity hoarding and exploitation, it explores the social and political dynamics of service provision in and around the town during the war. These concepts provide a useful lens with which to understand better how health services are affected by conflict, while the empirical case study presented in the paper illustrates dynamics that may be repeated in other contexts. The concepts and case study set out in this paper should prove useful to healthcare providers working in conflict zones, including humanitarian aid agencies and their employees, increasing their understanding of the social and political dynamics that they are likely to face during future conflict‐related complex emergencies.     

民用机场消防指挥员决策能力分析

为研究民用机场消防指挥员决策能力,根据专家意见及相关规章、文件的规定,筛选出文化素质、身体素质、心理素质等18项影响机场消防指挥员决策能力的要素,并采用问卷调查的方式进行调研。运用SPSS 21.0对问卷进行信度分析、效度分析及因子分析,确定民用机场消防指挥员决策能力指标体系。根据该指标体系构建民用机场消防指挥员决策能力结构方程模型,运用Amos 17.0计算各变量的路径系数,进而得到各指标的权重,避免了人为打分方法确定权重的主观性。研究结果为分析民用机场消防指挥员决策能力提供更加准确、合理、可信的评价方法。     

Force-Velocity Characteristics of Individual Human Skeletal Muscles: TBCIat and TBCIong. Outline of the Method

The aim of the work is to outline a procedure of finding force-velocity (F–V) characteristics (F = f(V)) of individual skeletal muscles of the human locomotor system. The presentation is based on an example concerning extensors of the elbow joint: the lateral and long heads of triceps brachii (TBCIat and TBCIong). The experimental part of the procedure involves a natural movement of using the upper extremity to push an external object of variable, adjustable load, engaging both the elbow and shoulder joint.

Five men aged 23 took part in the experiment. Their task was to push the handle of a physical pendulum whose moment of inertia could be adjusted within the range of 58 kg m²-450 kg m², so as to give it maximum angular velocity. During each trial the movement of the trunk, of the upper extremity and of the pendulum was video recorded and the force applied with the hand to the handle of the pendulum was measured.

In order to find the F–V characteristics a simulation model SHOULDER was used, which is capable of solving the synergy problem for muscles of the arm and the shoulder girdle.

It was found that despite considerable dispersion of experimental points the respective regression lines revealed a clear tendency of decreasing muscle force for increased shortening velocity of the monoarticular head (TBCIat) and of increasing muscle force for increased lengthening velocity of the biarticular head (TBCIong) of the triceps brachii muscle.     

Lead astray: scale,environmental justice and the El Paso smelter

Residents in Paso del Norte (El Paso, Texas; Sunland Park, New Mexico; and Juárez, Mexico) have been concerned about heavy metal contamination in their communities since the 1970s, when high blood lead levels were found in children living in Smeltertown – a company town for the local metals smelter. After the smelter's closure in 1999, and throughout onsite and offsite cleanup efforts, residents have continued to express concerns about these contamination issues. Using a politics of scale framework and analysing ethnographic data and government, media and scientific documents, this paper identifies a set of major disjunctures between the scales of heavy metal contamination and the scales at which that contamination is regulated. These disjunctures exacerbate regional environmental injustice by complicating public participation, neglecting vulnerability and displacing hazards to new communities. Consequently, applying a politics of scale framework to this case study highlights regulatory and policy failures to address environmental justice.     

论预防性环境民事公益诉讼中"重大风险"的司法认定

针对"具有损害社会公共利益重大风险的污染环境、破坏生态行为"提起的民事公益诉讼是为预防性环境民事公益诉讼,有助于将预防为主环保原则落实于诉讼程序.但在司法实践中,作为核心要素的"重大风险"仍存在内涵模糊、认定主体错位、认定路径不清等认定困境.为此,应逐一做以下完善:通过界定基础对象和划定程度要求,进而明确内涵;矫正认定主体,澄清法院是唯一决定性认定主体,但同时为行政机关和专家辅助认定设计制度渠道;最后,还应适宜地构建具体认定路径.     

Opportunities and challenges for development of urbanization in Western China

Urban and rural dual structure in Western China is obvious.The economic development of the central cities is relatively quick while that of the rural areas is lagging behind.The speeding up of urbanization contributes to the intensively uncoordinated development of urban and rural areas.Besides,the eco-fragile environment,shortage of available water resources,adverse geographic location,and relatively backward social economy restrict the development of urbanization in Western China.However,Western China also has the advantages of backwardness.This paper analyzes the present situation and development trend of urbanization in Western China.The results show that Western China has basically formed a development pattern with"industry promotes agriculture and urban leads to village".Therefore,combined with the present situation of Western China,this paper describes and analyzes the opportunities and challenges that may appear in the process of urbanization in Western China,puts forward the development pattern in which urban and rural areas can gain mutual support and co-development,and provides related recommendations.     

Multi-objective Programming and Social Welfare Analysis of Rural–urban Land Conversion Decision-making

Abstract

Rural–urban land conversion is an inevitable phenomenon in urbanization and industrialization. And the decision-making issue about this conversion is multi-objective because the social decision maker (the whole of central government and local authority) has to integrate the requirements of different interest groups (rural collective economic organizations, peasants, urban land users and the ones affected indirectly) and harmonize the sub-objects (economic, social and ecological outcomes) of this land allocation process. This paper established a multi-objective programming model for rural–urban land conversion decision-making and made some social welfare analysis correspondingly. Result shows that the general object of rural–urban land conversion decision-making is to reach the optimal level of social welfare in a certain state of resources allocation, while the preference of social decision makers and the value judgment of interest groups are two crucial factors which determine the realization of the rural–urban land conversion decision-making objects.     

The spatial-temporal differentiation of green land use in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration

ABSTRACT

As the space carrier of the construction of ecological civilization, land’s green and efficient utilization is an important guarantee for realizing national sustainable development. Based on traditional land evaluation, this paper scientifically defines the green land use, puts land as one of the production factors, and brings energy consumption, environmental pollution, etc. into the input-output system to measure the green land utilization efficiency of the urban construction land of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration from 2006 to 2016. The study shows that the overall efficiency variation of the urban agglomeration is related with the land and environment policies. Efficiency of 2016 is higher than that of 2006, and energy and environment are the principal factors affecting the green land use. The efficiency of each city is positively correlated with its economic development, negatively correlated with the construction land expansion. Efficiency gaps in different cities are expanding. There is positive correlation with overall weak space between cities, and the partial spatial agglomeration phenomenon appears. Therefore, the green land use efficiency could be improved by improving land utilization efficiency, coordinating economic growth of construction land utilization with environmental protection and taking feasible ways to transregional renovation of the stock ecological land utilization, etc.     

The Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: seeking linkages for global environmental governance

ABSTRACT

Global environmental cooperation serves as an important part in the Chinese ideal of building a Community with a Shared Future for all Human Beings. The report of 19th CPC National Congress indicates that China is committed to proactive mitigation under the Paris Agreement and further participating in global environmental governance under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and both of which are largely integrated to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). BRI are also closely linked with South–South environmental and climate cooperation proposed by China from previous UN summits. Based on shared ideas, intersected agendas, and compatible governance approaches, BRI and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development grow increasingly relevant and they might form synergies based on increasingly interactive relations. In sum, seeking and intensifying the linkages between BRI and 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) could address global environmental governance deficits and enhance cooperation among nations.