Dioxin-like components in human breast milk collected from Hong Kong and Guangzhou

The H4IIE rat hepatoma cell line was employed as a cell model to screen 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD)-TCDD equivalents (EROD-TEQ) of human breast milk samples collected from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. The screening methods employed a 96-well plate spectrofluorometer-EROD assay. For cell-line validation, our results demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in the Ah receptor-mediated response (i.e., CYP1A1 mRNA and EROD) of the cells upon exposure to a number of known Ah receptor agonists, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzothiophene, benzo[a]pyrene, and beta-naphthaflavone. TCDD induced CYP1A1 mRNA and EROD was in a close positive correlation (r = 0.98). For the screening of dioxin-like compounds, breast milk samples collected during lactation weeks 3-5 were used. One hundred (from Hong Kong) and 48 (from Guangzhou) breast milk samples were assayed, of which 65% and 68% of the samples, respectively, showed detectable dioxin-like activities using the H4IIE cell EROD screening method. For sixty-five samples from Hong Kong the mean EROD-TEQ values ranged from 58.1 to 96.5 pg/g of milk fat for those aged 21-36 years while 32 samples from Guangzhou had mean values of 98.8-202.1 pg/g of milk fat. In comparisons of the EROD-TEQ values for different age groups from both cities, there were no significant differences (P < 0.05). However, the mean and median EROD-TEQ values of the Guangzhou population were in general higher than those of the Hong Kong population. The results of the present study indicate that it is feasible to use the H4IIE cell-line as a model for screening dioxin-like compounds in human breast milk. In addition, the method is rapid and cost-effective, particularly for a routine and high-throughput sample screening analysis, compared to the costly and time-intensive chemical analytical techniques. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computer assisted peak recognition for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) in environmental samples

A software has been developed for the peak recognition of 136 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) after high resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Based on the retention times of C-13 labelled 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/F internal standards, the retention times of all PCDD and PCDF can be calibrated automatically and accurately. Therefore, it is very convenient to identify the peaks by comparing the retention of samples and the calibrated retention times of their chromatograms. Hence, this approach is very significant because it is impossible to obtain always a standard chromatogram and PCDD/F analysis are very expensive and time consuming. The calibration results can be transferred to Excel for calculation. The approach is a first step to store costly and environmentally relevant data for future application.

Fast Discrimination of Commerical Corn Varieties Based on Near Infrared Spectra

The existing methods for the discrimination of varieties of commodity corn seed are unable to process batch data and speed up identification, and very time consuming and costly. The present paper developed a new approach to the fast discrimination of varieties of commodity corn by means of near infrared spectral data. Firstly, the experiment obtained spectral data of 37 varieties of commodity corn seed with the Fourier transform near infrared spectrometer in the wavenurnber range from 4 000 to 12 000 cm (1). Secondly, the original data were pretreated using statistics method of normalization in order to eliminate noise and improve the efficiency of models. Thirdly, a new way based on sample standard deviation was used to select the characteristic spectral regions, and it can search very different wavenumbers among all wavenumbers and reduce the amount of data in part. Fourthly, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compress spectral data into several variables, and the cumulate reliabilities of the first ten components were more than 99.98%. Finally, according to the first ten components, recognition models were established based on BPR. For every 25 samples in each variety, 15 samples were randomly selected as the training set. The remaining 10 samples of the same variety were used as the first testing set, and all the 900 samples of the other varieties were used as the second testing set. Calculation results showed that the average correctness recognition rate of the 37 varieties of corn seed was 94.3%. Testing results indicate that the discrimination method had higher precision than the discrimination of various kinds of commodity corn seed. In short, it is feasible to discriminate various varieties of commodity corn seed based on near infrared spectroscopy and BPR.

投加溶胞菌群对剩余污泥消化影响的初步研究

活性污泥法是目前世界上普遍应用的污水生物处理工艺，其在运行过程中产生大量的剩余污泥。由于剩余污泥处理费用巨大及污泥最终处置对环境具有潜在危害问题，污泥的处理和处置已经成为水处理领域关注的焦点。本文利用实验室筛选的溶胞菌群，在好氧消化的同时对污泥进行前处理，促进剩余污泥的破解与溶胞，再通过两相厌氧处理对污泥进行进一步消化，以研究投加溶胞菌对剩余污泥消化的影响。 本研究中溶胞菌污泥减量化技术分为两个部分，第一，污泥在溶胞菌作用下的好氧消化与污泥传统好氧消化的对比研究，利用取自成都三瓦窑污水处理厂剩余污泥，向好氧污泥消化反应器中投加溶胞菌，检测各项污泥指标，并通过同传统好氧污泥消化对比，以研究溶胞菌对污泥好氧消化的影响。第二， 经过溶胞菌处理后好氧消化的剩余污泥进行两相厌氧处理研究。通过建立好氧溶胞联合两相厌氧消化系统的来处理剩余污泥，并与相同条件运行的两相厌氧消化系统做对比，检测运行过程中系统中物质成分变化，研究了其处理能力和运行稳定性，探索了两相厌氧消化系统中的发酵类型差别，验证了好氧溶胞对剩余污泥的破解效果。 研究结果表明：污泥在溶胞菌作用下的好氧消化效果和消化效率均优于传统好氧消化。在溶胞菌群存在的情况下，剩余污泥的TSS和VSS去除率达到40%和53%，远高于传统好氧消化的12%和20%。污泥经过溶胞及好氧消化后，TCOD去除率达到54.4%。经过溶胞菌处理后的剩余污泥再进入两相厌氧处理系统，进入厌氧处理系统的剩余污泥的VSS／TSS比值约为0.62。在两相厌氧处理水力停留时间(HRT)为8d时，溶胞处理污泥厌氧消化后VSS去除率达到55.17%，对照组两相厌氧系统的VSS去除率平均值为18.53%。经过溶胞处理的两相厌氧系统的污泥减量了能力远高于对照组。两相厌氧系统的pH值和碱度说明系统运行较为稳定。产酸相的有机酸中乙酸含量高于丙酸和丁酸，说明发酵末端产物以乙酸为主。在20天的试验周期内，污泥溶胞处理后、两相厌氧系统产甲烷相产气量累积产气量为1.2L，对照组只有375ml。气体中甲烷含量都在55%左右。该研究结果表明，好氧溶胞对污泥有破解能力，溶胞处理对两相厌氧中产酸相水解污泥细胞有明显的促进作用，提高了产酸相的水解酸化能力和效率。该研究对于利用生物溶胞途径提高污泥消化效率具有重要意义。 The actived sludge process has been used more and more extensively, but the procedure will lead to a large quantity of excess sludge. The treatment of Excess activated sludge has becomes a focuses not only for it is a seriously negative effect on environment but also for the costly disposal comes subsequently. The cell lysing bacterium was keeped in our lab to joined in the digestion of the excess activated sludge which was carrying at the same time with pre-processing of sludge to investigated the influence of cell lysing bacterium on excess sludge. There are two part in the method of cell lysing bacterium digesting sludge technology, the first, comparison of excess sludge digestion between anaerobic Cell-lysing Pretreatment and Conventional Aerobic Process. The sludge which was collected from San Wanyao disposal plant in Chengdu was thrown into the aerobic process system with cell-lysing bacterium, then, the indexes were detected to compare the difference between the cell-lysing bacterium in aerobic process and the traditional method to determine the influence of cell-lysing bacterium on aerobic process ; The second, the research on the sludge which was pro-treated with cell-lysing and aerobic digestion in the diphase of anaerobic digestion system. The system of cell-lysing combined with diphase of anaerobic digesting was created to compare to the diphase of anaerobic digested system, the changes of mass constituent was detected to study the ability and steady of disposal. Moreover, the research explored the difference among the types of fermentation. The efficacious of aerobic process was been proved. The result shows that the digesting rate of aerobic process with cell-lysing bacterium was higher than the traditional process. The ratio of sludge is reach to 40%~53%, which was far more effectively than the traditional process rate of 12%~20%. The TCOD of sludge which was treated with cell lysing bacterium and Aerobic Process is reach to 54.4%. Then, the sludge was thrown into the diphase of anaerobic digesting system. VSS／TSS of sludge is 0.62, HRT is 6d, the reduction of VSS is reach to 40.8%. The pH and alkalinity indicate the steady running of the diphase anaerobic digest system. In the acerbity phasing, the content of acetic acid was more than butanoic acid and propanoic acid in organic acid, it is demonstrated that the main composition of final production of fermentation was Acetic Acid. During the 20d of experiment, methylhydride phasing of diphase anaerobic digest system produced 1.2L methylhydride, however, there is only 375ml in CK, the content of methylhydride in all gas phase was around the rate of 55%. The average ratio of VSS was 18.53% in CK diphase anaerobic digest system which was far more unavailable than the mass sludge rate of 55.17%. Results demonstrated that aerobic cell-lysing digested the sludge, the treat of cell-lysing could obviously promoted the hydrolyzeing of sludge cell in the acerbity phasing, which improved the ability and rate of hydrolization and acidification. This study is significant in inhenceing the rate of sludge digestion in the method of cell-lysing bacterium.

Development of external electron-beam enhancement of the Penning ionization gauge ion source

To study the injection of additional electrons from an external electron gun into the plasma of a Penning ionization gauge (PIG) ion source, a test bench for the external electron-beam enhancement of the PIG (E-PIG) ion source was set up. A source magnet assembly was built to satisfy the request for magnetic field configuration of the E-PIG ion source. Numerical calculations have been done to optimize the magnetic field configuration so as to fit the primary electrons to be fed into the PIG discharge chamber along the spreading magnetic field lines. Many possible methods for improving the performance and stability of the PIG ion source have been used in the E-PIG ion source, including the use of multicrystal LaB6 cathode and optimized axial magnetic field. This article presents a detailed design of the E-PIG ion source. Substantial enhancement of ion charge state is expected to be observed which demonstrates that the E-PIG is a viable alternative to other much more costly and difficult to operate devices for the production of intense ion beams of higher charge state.

An Engineering-Purpose Preparation Strategy for Ammonium-Type Ionic Liquid with High Purity

A new strategy for preparing ammonium-type ionic liquid (IL) by acid/base neutralization reaction was proposed. The method contributed to preparing hydroxide-based ammonium IL and resulting task specific ionic liquid (TSIL) with high purity using a low-costly and environment-friendly synthetic. route. Halide contamination in the prepared ILs could be markedly decreased than those prepared by well-established anion metathesis method. Moreover, some novel TSILs composed of cations and anions with big steric hindrances could be prepared by this method. Physicochemical properties of the bifunctional TSILs, i.e., density, water content, decomposition temperature, and munal solubility, were also studied in this article.

Preparation of colorless ionic liquids "on water" for spectroscopy

Although colorless ionic liquids (ILs) are most desirable, as synthesized they frequently bear color, despite appearing pure by most analytical techniques. It leads to some uncertainties and limits for the fundamental research and applications of ILs, such as spectroscopy. Using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BMIMBr), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (HMIMBr) as models, we demonstrated that following classic preparing method except that the water was added as solvent, colorless ILs could be facilely prepared. Neither critical pre-treatment of starting materials and pre-cautions during the reaction nor time-consuming and costly post-decolor-purification was needed, The effects of "on water" reaction conditions on preparing colorless IL and the reason why using water as solvent could produce colorless ILs were also preliminary investigated.

Morphological and reproductive response of Caragana microphylla to different stocking rates

Understanding the effect on host plants of defending against herbivores is important in grazing ecology and grassland management. In this study, the morphological and reproductive responses of Caragana microphylla Lam. to grazing sheep were investigated using a 15-year grazing experiment with six stocking rates in the Inner Mongolia steppe of China. Plant height, rachis length, leaflet size, and number of pods decreased significantly, whereas spine density and length increased significantly with increased stocking rate. Significant negative correlations were observed between production of vegetative and reproductive organs and defensive organs, indicating that it is costly for C. microphylla to defend against herbivores and that morphological miniaturization and a tradeoff between production and defense were main responses of C. microphylla to herbivores. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

克拉2异常高压气藏地质特征及开发技术研究

Kela-2 gas field in Tarim Basin is the main supply source for West-to-East Pipeline project, also the largest abnormally-pressured gas field discovered in China currently. The geological characterization, fine geological modeling and field development plan are all the world-class difficult problems. This work includes an integrated geological and gas reservoir engineering study using advanced technology and approaches, the scientific development plan of Kela-2 gas field as well as the optimizations of the drilling, production and surface schemes. Then, it's expected that the Kela-2 gas field can be developed high-efficiently.Kuche depression is one part of the thrust belt of the South Tianshan Mountains, Kela-2 field is located at the Kelasu structural zone in the north of Kuche depression. The field territory is heavily rugged with deeply cut gullies, complex geological underground structure, variable rock types, thrust structure development. Therefore, considerable efforts have been made to develop an integrated technique to acquire, process and interpret the seismic data in complicated mountain region. Consequently a set of seismic-related techniques in the complicated mountain region has been developed and successfully utilized to interpret the structure of Kela-2 gas field.The main reservoir depositional system of Kela 2 gas field is a platform - fan delta - braided river system. The reservoir rocks are medium-fine and extremely fine grained sandstones with high structure maturity and low composition maturity. The pore system structure is featured by medium-small pore, medium-fine throat and medium-low assortment. The reservoir of Kela-2 gas field is characteristic of medium porosity and medium permeability. The pay zone is very thick and its lateral distribution is stable with a good connection of sand body. The overpressure is caused mainly by the strongly tectonic squash activities, and other factors including the later rapid raise and compartment of the high-pressure fluid, the injection of high-pressure fluid into the reservoir.Based on the deliverability tests available, the average binomial deliverability equation is provided applicable for the overall field. The experimental results of rock stress-sensitive tests are employed to analyze the change trend of petrophysical properties against net confining stress, and establish the stress-based average deliverability equation. The results demonstrate the effect of rock deformation on the deliverability is limited to less than 5% in the early period of Kela-2 gas field, indicating the insignificant effect on deliverability of rock deformation.In terms of the well pattern comparisons and development planning optimizations, it is recommended that the producers should be located almost linearly along the structural axis. A total of 9 producers have a stable gas supply volume of 10.76 BCMPY for 17 years. For Kela-2 gas field the total construction investment is estimated at ￥7,697,690,000 RMB with the internal earning rate of 25.02% after taxation, the net present value of ￥7,420,160,000 RMB and the payback period of 5.66 years. The high profits of this field development project are much satisfactory.

金融工作者的抑郁症状的影响因素及其形成机制研究

Ill-health prevails in the workplace. A key problem encountered in the area of stress management is a lack of research into the way job burnout turns into mental problems, especially depressive symptoms, the most prevalent and costly psychiatric condition in the workplace. This research belongs to a cross-discipline area of industrial psychiatry and organizational behavior, which has seldom been investigated before. This research will contribute to the theoretical development of organizational behavior, especially to stress management and industrial psychiatry. This study aims to explore etiological factors and mechanisms of depressive symptoms of workers in the financial industry. By using literature review, semi-structured interviews and surveys as the major research methods, this Ph.D. study systematically investigated the risk factors of workers’ depressive symptoms within and outside of the work area. These risk factors are worker-work environment fits, work family conflicts, and workers’ psychological vulnerabilities to depression. A thorough literature review and 20 semi-structured interviews of brokers in different kinds of financial markets show the feasibility and necessity of this Ph.D. study when it comes to the issue of financial workers’ depressive symptoms. Two surveys of workplace-etiological factors of depressive symptoms were conducted among 244 financial workers and 1024 financial workers. This cross-sample verification showed that worker-work environment fit was a good framework to study risk factors of workers’ depressive symptoms. Results revealed that job demands-abilities misfit could lead to job burnout which in turn contributed to worker’s depressive symptoms; besides this, work effort-reward imbalance could directly cause workers’ depressive symptoms. Emotional labor enhanced the positive effect of job burnout on workers’ depressive symptoms. In the third study, a prominent risk factor outside of the work area, namely work family conflict, and workers’ psychological vulnerabilities of depression were included with workplace etiological factors to investigate the overall predictive model of depressive symptoms of financial workers. The survey was conducted among the same 1024 financial workers. Results indicated that work effort-reward imbalance, job burnout and work interfering in family life were three external etiological factors of workers’ depressive symptoms. Neuroticism, autonomy and low emotional intelligence were three individual etiological factors which had a positive effect on workers’ depressive symptoms. Moreover, neuroticism enhanced the relationship between job burnout and depressive symptoms as well as between work interfering in family life and depressive symptoms. Autonomy aggravated the relationship between job burnout and depressive symptoms. However, emotional intelligence attenuated the relationship between job burnout and depressive symptoms as well as between work effort-reward imbalance and depressive symptoms. Besides, workers’ dysfunctional attitudes played a partial mediating role in the relationships between above etiological factors and depressive symptoms. In the same sample, research evidence of impairments of workers’ depressive symptoms to their work-life quality was also obtained. Specifically, depressive symptoms could predict workers’ presenteeism, absenteeism and turnover intention. Their subjective well-being was also lowered when suffering more severe depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical basis to management practices targeted to set up the Employee Assistance Program or even more specilised rehabilitation programs for workers with depressive symptoms so as to improve their work-life quality and and establish a harmonious enterprise.