Epidemiologic Analysis of Factors Associated with Local Disappearances of Native Ranid Frogs in Arizona

Abstract:  We examined factors that may independently or synergistically contribute to amphibian population declines. We used epidemiologic case–control methodology to sample and analyze a large database developed and maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department that describes historical and currently known ranid frog localities in Arizona, U.S.A. Sites with historical documentation of target ranid species ( n = 324) were evaluated to identify locations where frogs had disappeared during the study period (case sites) and locations where frog populations persisted (control sites). Between 1986 and 2003, 117 (36%) of the 324 sites became case sites, of which 105 were used in the analyses. An equal number of control sites were sampled to control for the effects of time. Risk factors, or predictor variables, were defined from environmental data summarized during site surveys and geographic information system data layers. We evaluated risk factors with univariate and multifactorial logistic-regression analyses to derive odds ratios (OR). Odds for local population disappearance were significantly related to 4 factors in the multifactorial model. Disappearance of frog populations increased with increasing elevation (OR = 2.7 for every 500 m, p < 0.01). Sites where disappearances occurred were 4.3 times more likely to have other nearby sites that also experienced disappearances (OR = 4.3, p < 0.01), whereas the odds of disappearance were 6.7 times less (OR = 0.15, p < 0.01) when there was a source population nearby. Sites with disappearances were 2.6 times more likely to have introduced crayfish than were control sites (OR = 2.6, p = 0.04). The identification of factors associated with frog disappearances increases understanding of declines occurring in natural populations and aids in conservation efforts to reestablish and protect native ranids by identifying and prioritizing implicated threats.     

Optical and Chemical Methods of Metal Ash Analysis and Tin Recovery

‘Metal ash’ presents a waste disposal problem in most of the developing countries as the industries employ obsolete technologies. In this paper we describe analysis of tin ash, zinc ash and aluminium ash by means of optical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical methods. The results of tin ash obtained by XRD method matched well with the cassiterite, a naturally occurring mineral of tin. ICP-MS studies reveal the presence of a large number of tracer metals, which may cause pollution by tertiary dispersion and this aspect is discussed. Conversely, the data generated by chemical methods are limited. However, the methods are simple and cost-effective. Then, they can easily be adopted by low-budget industries. Simple and cost-effective process to recover tin from tin ash is described. It is based on heating tin ash with sodium cyanide to about 900°C to separate tin component from the metal ash. The process recovers good quality tin and offers a very high yield. The process can be scaled up to small pilot plant.     

土壤矿物固定态铵研究进展

主要从土壤中粘土矿物组成、有机物质、土壤水分、Fe的氧化还原、钾素状况及土壤粘粒的不同层面电荷、净表面电荷、表面电荷均匀性等方面就土壤中固定态铵的固定机制及其对作物的有效性的影响进行了综述;并对近年来土壤中固定态铵的测定方法作一评述。     

煤炭开发建设项目环境影响后评价初步研究

环境影响后评价作为环境影响评价的延伸,是提高环评有效性的有力手段,目前我国环境影响后评价仍处于起步阶段,其理论和实践都具有很强的探索性。煤炭在我国的能源地位突出,但对煤炭开采建设项目的环境影响后评价研究甚少,文章介绍了国内外环境影响后评价的研究进展,并针对煤炭项目,通过识别煤炭开采的环境影响,概述了其评价指标的选取原则、指标体系的构建和评价方法。     

基于形态与in vitro方法的铬污染土壤生物可给性研究

铬（Cr）是电镀类场地的主要污染物.开展土壤中Cr（III）和Cr（VI）的生物可给性研究对于准确评估Cr污染场地风险,克服污染场地过度修复问题十分关键.本研究采集我国栗钙土、红壤、潮土3种典型土壤,通过添加相同浓度污染物的方式制备成Cr（III）或Cr（VI）污染土壤.随后利用5种体外方法（in vitro）,对3种土壤经口摄入的Cr生物可给性进行比较与健康风险评估.进而从土壤理化性质、Cr赋存形态、土壤矿物组成方面,对不同土壤在溶解度生物可给性研究联盟（SBRC）方法中的生物可给性差异进行分析.结果表明,基于生物可给性的Cr污染土壤健康风险评估能够显著降低风险水平,提高风险控制值,其中,SBRC方法在评估中更具有保守性.3种土壤在相同的Cr（III）和Cr（VI）污染浓度下,栗钙土相较于红壤和潮土在肠期具有更高的生物可给性和健康风险.此外,土壤黏粒、有机质含量及迁移系数能够影响土壤Cr的生物可给性,土壤矿物种类赋存不同也是造成Cr（III）和Cr（VI）在不同土壤中生物可给性差异的重要因素.     

Development of heat transfer and evaporation model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam

Natural gas is a kind of clean, efficient green energy source, which is used widely. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is produced by cooling natural gas to −161 °C, at which it becomes the liquid. Once LNG was released, fire or explosion would happen when ignition source existed nearby. The high expansion foam (Hi-Ex foam) is believed to quickly blanket on the top of LNG spillage pool and warm the LNG vapor to lower the vapor cloud density at the ground level and raising vapor buoyancy. To identify the physical structure after it contacted with LN₂ and to develop heat transfer model, the small-scale field test with liquid nitrogen (LN₂) was designed. In experiment, three layers including frozen ice layer, frozen Hi-Ex layer and soft layer of Hi-Ex foam were observed at the steady state. By characterizing physical structure of the foam, formulas for calculating the surface of single foam bubble and counting foam film thickness were deduced. The micro heat transfer and evaporation model between cryogenic liquid and Hi-Ex foam was established. Indicating the physical structure of the frozen ice layer, there were a certain number of icicles below it. The heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model between the frozen ice layer and LNG was derived. Combining models above with the heat transfer between LNG, ground and cofferdam, the heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam was developed eventually. Finally, LN₂ evaporation rate calculated by this model was compared with the measured evaporation rate. The calculated results are 1.2–2.1 times of experimental results, which were acceptable in engineering and proved the model was reliable.     

环境决策技术评价方法研究述评

针对环境决策分析过程中存在的问题,介绍了对环境决策技术评价的意义和现状,探讨了在环境决策中几种技术评价的方法,目前有关技术评价的方法与观点众多,总体上可归纳为层次分析法、模糊综合评价法、灰色综合评判法、费用效益分析法。这些分析法的应用能够促进环境决策管理从粗放型向精细化转变。为环境投资效益分析和环境决策提供了科学、合理、高效的技术支撑。本文介绍了几种技术评价方法的概念和发展历程,分析了各种方法的适用范围和优缺点。     

A review of measurement methods for peracetic acid (PAA)

• Physical and chemical properties and application of peracetic acid solution. • Determination method of high concentration peracetic acid. • Determination method of residual peracetic acid (low concentration). Peroxyacetic acid has been widely used in food, medical, and synthetic chemical fields for the past several decades. Recently, peroxyacetic acid has gradually become an effective alternative disinfectant in wastewater disinfection and has strong redox capacity for removing micro-pollutants from drinking water. However, commercial peroxyacetic acid solutions are primarily multi-component mixtures of peroxyacetic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water. During the process of water treatment, peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) often coexist, which limits further investigation on the properties of peroxyacetic acid. Therefore, analytical methods need to achieve a certain level of selectivity, particularly when peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide coexist. This review summarizes the measurement and detection methods of peroxyacetic acid, comparing the principle, adaptability, and relative merits of these methods.     

可靠性技术的发展与应用

本文介绍了可靠性标准体系与参数体系,可靠性的分析与设计方法,可靠性试验的发展趋势,指出可靠性管理是产品可靠性工作的核心,以及提高电子设备可靠性的发展策略。     

The multifunctionality of urban farming: perceived benefits for neighbourhood improvement

Urban farming – a type of urban agriculture focused on entrepreneurial food production – serves multiple functions in neighbourhoods; yet these are not well delineated. Expectations for urban farming often centre on traditional measures of economic development, potentially overlooking other benefits. Through a qualitative case study conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, we sought to understand community perceptions regarding the ways in which urban farms can benefit cities. Interviews with residents, neighbourhood leaders, and urban farmers in three residential neighbourhoods with urban farms revealed the pathways by which community members view farms as improving neighbourhoods. Benefits stemmed from four primary changes urban farms made to study neighbourhoods: creation of public projects welcoming involvement, physical improvement of degraded space, production of local food, and creation of new businesses. These changes led to multiple perceived benefits including increased social connectedness, a transformed physical landscape, improved neighbourhood reputation, increased access to fresh produce, and educational, youth development, and employment opportunities. Our findings demonstrate the importance of a multifunctional paradigm that accounts for social and educational functions in assessing the value of urban farming and bring empirical evidence to the concept of multifunctional agriculture. Urban farms with strong social aims may appear to contribute little to economic development if measured using traditional indicators of success such as job creation or fiscal impacts, but provide numerous other benefits for community development.