Ambient nitrogen oxides exposure and early childhood respiratory illnesses

Acute respiratory infections are common in children below 5 years and recent studies suggest a possible link with air pollution. In this study, we investigated the association between ambient nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and bronchitis or upper airway inflammation.This longitudinal study was conducted in Teplice and Prachatice districts, Czech Republic. Children were followed from birth to 4.5 years of age. Data were compiled from medical records at delivery and at follow up, and from self-administered questionnaires from the same two time points. Air pollution monitoring data were used to estimate exposure over five different averaging periods ranging from three to 45 days prior to an episode. To quantify the association between exposure and outcome, while accounting for repeated measure correlation we conducted logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equations.During the first 2 years of life, the adjusted rate ratio for bronchitis associated with interquartile increase in the 30-day average NO_x was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.61] and for two to 4.5 year olds, it was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.49). The 14-day exposure also had stable association across both age groups: below 2 years it was 1.25 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.47) and for two to 4.5 years it was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.39). The association between bronchitis and NO_x increased with child's age in the under 2 years group, which is a relatively novel finding.The results demonstrate an association between NO_x and respiratory infections that are sufficiently severe to come to medical attention. The evidence, if causal, can be of public health concern because acute respiratory illnesses are common in preschool children.     

Stoichiometric characteristics of carbon,nitrogen, and phosphorus in leaf litter soil of Pinus yunnanensis forest during different restoration stages in the karst plateau of eastern Yunnan北大核心CSCD

以滇东岩溶坡地不同恢复阶段云南松林(纯林、人工混交林、天然次生林)为研究对象,以元江栲原生林和小铁仔灌丛作为参照样地,对5种植被类型中的叶片-枯落物-土壤中的C、N、P含量和化学计量比特征进行研究.结果表明:(1)3种云南松林都呈现为高C(432.27 g/kg)、低N(10.28 g/kg)、P(0.96 g/kg)的格局,5种植被类型的叶片-枯落物-土壤C、N、P含量基本都表现为叶片>枯落物>土壤,C/N、C/P、N/P值则都表现为枯落物>叶片>土壤,叶片和枯落物的养分含量和化学计量比值与土壤间差异显著.(2)3种云南松林对于养分的吸收同化能力差异不大,但天然次生林的枯落物质量最好,人工混交林的土壤N、P有效性最高,云南松林内受N的胁迫作用强于原生林和灌丛.(3)植物叶片-枯落物-土壤中C、N、P及其化学计量比间相关性显著,互馈机制明显.研究区内土壤C、N、P化学计量特征受土壤pH、团聚体颗粒、含水率、容重和硝态氮影响显著.因此,滇东岩溶高原云南松植被恢复过程中主要受N胁迫作用,提高枯落物养分回流是云南松植被恢复与经营的关键要素.(图4表3参41)     

The Ratio of Rubidium to Caesium in Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus Aculeatus), Benthic and Limnetic Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus), and Juvenile Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus Nerka)

The ratios of rubidium to caesium were investigated in juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and benthic and limnetic sticklebacks (Gasterosteus) as a means of separating zooplankton consumers from benthic prey consumers. Only benthic and limnetic sticklebacks had Rb to Cs ratios that were influenced by diet. Ratios were higher in limnetic stickleback whose diet consists mainly of zooplankton compared with benthic stickleback which consume benthic prey. Ratios in juvenile sockeye appeared to be influenced by the concentrations of rubidium and caesium in the egg yolk during the early period of growth. in three-spine stickleback that inhabited both the littoral and limnetic zone of the same lake, results suggested that fish must occupy each area for several months before rubidium to caesium ratios in tissues reflect concentrations in prey.     

高阶段尾砂胶结充填体力学研究与博弈树配比优化

在实验室试验了不同配比尾砂胶结试块强度,在充填采场取样测试了采场充填体强度.结果表明,如果以实验室试验的力学参数为充填配比设计依据,充填体最小设计安全系数为1.6～1.8比较合理.分析高阶段充填体受力,推导了分层充填力学计算公式及安全系数计算方法;根据充填工艺,确定最小充填高度,沿采场高度方向划分配比优化单元,建立了高阶段充填体配比优化设计模型;采用博弈树分析方法,解决了高阶段充填体配比优化问题,并对安庆铜矿5号矿房配比进行了优化.结果显示:与经验设计方法相比,采用本文方法优化充填配比,不仅使高阶段充填体内安全系数分布更趋合理,而且降低了水泥消耗.     

INCOME DISTRIBUTION IMPACTS OF A WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - BOISE PROJECT,IDAHO, 1950–19701

ABSTRACT: Public investments in water resource development projects are continually under scrutiny in terms of economic, environmental, and social impacts. Results of an analysis of a water development project that supplies irrigation water in Idaho are discussed in terms of the impact on income distribution and income growth 44 to 64 years after the project was initiated. Gini ratios for the rural farm population of these counties were consistently lower than they were for the United States as a whole and for the state of Idaho. In addition, income distributions tended to become more equitable over time in the water project counties. Rural farm population income growth rates were found to be similar to those for the nation as a whole. Some of the reasons for these results may be related to the tendency for income distribution to become more equitable as income increases, and the fact that average farm size is relatively small.     

埋地油罐事故伤害范围模拟评价

分析埋地油罐可能发生的火灾爆炸事故,建立事故模拟模型,模拟爆炸物质完全燃烧的质量依据化学计量浓度确定,事故伤害范围的计算用G·M莱克霍夫在砂质土壤中爆炸的冲击波计算方法.对50m3埋地油罐模拟,油蒸气形成爆炸性混合气体爆炸伤害范围较大,安全范围与<汽车加油加气站设计与施工规范>中相关规定相符合.模拟方法用于埋地储罐的定量安全评价,为罐区选址、建设、安全距离确定及安全预案制定提供参考.     

The estimated reduction in the odds of loss-of-control type crashes for sport utility vehicles equipped with electronic stability control

INTRODUCTION: Using data from the NASS General Estimates System (GES), the method of induced exposure was used to assess the effects of electronic stability control (ESC) on loss-of-control type crashes for sport utility vehicles. METHOD: Sport utility vehicles were classified into crash types generally associated with loss of control and crash types most likely not associated with loss of control. Vehicles were then compared as to whether ESC technology was present or absent in the vehicles. A generalized additive model was fit to assess the effects of ESC, driver age, and driver gender on the odds of loss of control. In addition, the effects of ESC on roads that were not dry were compared to effects on roads that were dry. RESULTS: Overall, the estimated percentage reduction in the odds of a loss-of-control crash for sport utility vehicles equipped with ESC was 70.3%. Both genders and all age groups showed reduced odds of loss-of-control crashes, but there was no significant difference between males and females. With respect to driver age, the maximum percentage reduction of 73.6% occurred at age 27. The positive effects of ESC on roads that were not dry were significantly greater than on roads that were dry.     

Critical review for the quantification of leachate production: Evaluation example for the “Oum Azza” public landfill in Rabat city,Morocco

The estimation of leachate quantities produced in landfills is necessary to dimension the treatment plants allowing to reduce the polluting load of these effluents and consequently avoid their negative impacts on the environment. Different leachate quantification methods were used in this study to assess the leachate volume produced at the Oum Azza landfill. The water balance method give comparable estimations of leachate production to the Ouled Berjal landfill ratio. The first method showed average values between 487 and 495 m³/day for 2015, 2018, and 2019, and at the same time, the second method gave values between 470 and 477 m³/day for the same years. In contrast, the World Bank ratio showed high values that vary between 2260 and 2295 m³/day for 2015, 2018, and 2019. The on-site data and the statistical analysis showed us that the World Bank ratio is not adapted for the estimation of the leachates produced in Oum Azza landfill, while the water balance and the ratio of Ouled Berjal landfill allowed to give comparable results to reality.     

Should Habitat Trading Be Based on Mitigation Ratios Derived from Landscape Indices? A Model-Based Analysis of Compensatory Restoration Options for the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

Many species of conservation concern are spatially structured and require dispersal to be persistent. For such species, altering the distribution of suitable habitats on the landscape can affect population dynamics in ways that are difficult to predict from simple models. We argue that for such species, individual-based and spatially explicit population models (SEPMs) should be used to determine appropriate levels of off-site restoration to compensate for on-site loss of ecologic resources. Such approaches are necessary when interactions between biologic processes occur at different spatial scales (i.e., local [recruitment] and landscape [migration]). The sites of restoration and habitat loss may be linked to each other, but, more importantly, they may be linked to other resources in the landscape by regional biologic processes, primarily migration. The common management approach for determining appropriate levels of off-site restoration is to derive mitigation ratios based on best professional judgment or pre-existing data. Mitigation ratios assume that the ecologic benefits at the site of restoration are independent of the ecologic costs at the site of habitat loss. Using an SEPM for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, we show that the spatial configuration of habitat restoration can simultaneously influence both the rate of recruitment within breeding groups and the rate of migration among groups, implying that simple mitigation ratios may be inadequate.