地理信息系统（GIS）在汞生物地球化学研究中的应用——贵州省汞地球化学数据库的建立及贵阳市土壤年释汞通量的估算

汞污染是全球性的环境问题.从20世纪50年代日本水俣湾汞中毒事件,到最近十年来,在北美及欧洲偏远地区的湖泊中发现鱼体汞含量超标,汞污染的研究一直受到人们的重视,是世界环境污染研究的热点之一.随着对全球汞生物地球化学循环研究工作的不断加深,对其的研究难度逐渐增加,以往单一的研究方法已难见成效.越来越多的研究者认识到,只有将地学领域中采用不同研究方法(地质、地球物理和地球化学等方法)所得到的信息,进行综合分析研究,才能更清楚的了解全球汞的生物地球化学循环.近年来计算机技术的发展,特别是GIS技术的出现,使得这一设想成为现实.地理信息系统(GIS),在一个灵活的空间数据管理环境中,将从不同方面采集、存储和分析的数据提供给用户.用户利用GIS数据中的各种相关的空间或非空间信息,进行各种综合分析研究,从而对全球汞的生物地球化学循环提出新的认识和作出科学的论断.该文偿试将地理信息系统应用在汞的生物地球化学循环研究中.论文的主要内容包括以下两部分:1)地理信息系统的核心是空间数据库,该文建立了贵州省汞地球化学数据库.应用ArcGIS中的MapObjects控件和VB技术相结合开发的贵州省汞地球化学数据库,既能充分发挥管理的优势,又能快速产生友好用户界面,具有快捷、方便、高效等特点.该数据库为贵州省汞地球化学循环研究提供了空间数据管理功能,不仅可以存储大量的空间数据和属性数据,还可以进行空间数据输入、浏览、查询、删除和输出及属性表数据的查询、分析和输出.贵州省汞地球化学数据库为政府决策部门提供了环境监测数据和决策支持系统,也有利于世界范围内汞地球化学研究数据的交流.2)应用贵州省汞地球化学数据库中的贵阳市土壤汞含量数据图,结合贵阳市土壤一大气汞交换通量数据,用多元回归的方法对贵阳市土壤向大气年排汞量进行了估算,结果为:年释汞通量为652Kg,变化范围为463~919Kgyear<'-1>.单位面积的平均释汞量为193~382gKm<'-2>year<'-1>.对比全球背景值,贵阳市土壤年释汞通量的预测值总体偏高,主要是贵阳市的亚热带气候和土壤汞含量偏高的影响.与贵阳市燃煤年排汞量相比,贵阳市土壤释汞通量为0.652tyear<'-1>,仅为目前燃煤排汞量的1/3.说明贵阳市大气汞的来源还是以人为污染为主,但被污染的土壤对大气汞也有不可忽视的贡献.

RS和GIS技术在岩溶山区城市动态研究中的应用－以贵阳市为例

本文以岩溶山区贵阳市为研究对象，利用多时相TM遥感数据及相关资料，结合地理信息系统技术，对贵阳市资源环境进行了初步调查与研究。论文研究内容主要包括三个部分：（1）遥感图象予处理（2）遥感图象分类（3）试验区空间数据库的建立与初步应用。通过本论文的研究，得到以下几点认识和成果：a）在岩溶山区城市能利用TM数据城市环境调查与动态研究。b）探索了一个适合于岩溶山区城市TM遥感土地分类的最佳波段组合。c）通过对TM数据土地分类结果分析。认为试验区土地利用结构不合理。d）制作了试验区一系列不同时相的遥感专题数据图件。通过这些专题图件可以得到试验区的资源环境现状及其变化趋势。e）建立了试验区实间数据库。

遥感（RS）和地理信息系统（GIS）在水文模型中的应用－以普定后寨河流域为例

本文探讨了遥感（RS）和地理信息系统（GIS）在岩溶地区水文模型中的应用情况，并结合中国－比利时政府间国际合作项目“遥感和水文模式技术在岩溶地区土地和水资源管理的应用“部分研究内容，成功地将RS，GIS应用到岩溶地区的水文模型研究中去，并到得了一系列十分有意义的成果。这是首次在国内开展这类工作，在国外将RS，GIS应用到岩溶地区的水文模型研究工作也十分鲜见，固而说论文获取的成果对岩溶地区的科研工作具有重要意义。对生产管理工作也是如此。

Preparation of a novel polysulfone/polyethylene oxide/silicone rubber multilayer composite membrane for hydrogen-nitrogen separation

A novel poly sulfone/polyethylene oxide/silicone rubber (PSOPEO/SR) multilayer composite membrane was fabricated by double coating polysulfone substrate membrane with polyethylene oxide and silicone rubber. Gas permeation experiments were performed at 30 degrees C for hydrogen and nitrogen. PSf(PEO/SR membrane displayed high and steady performance for H-2/N-2: permeances of H-2 and N-2 of 49.51 and 0.601 GPU, respectively, and H-2/N-2 ideal separation factor of 82.3. It was explained that layer interfaces due to the introduction of PEO layer act as the permselective media and are responsible for the higher H-2/N-2 ideal separation factor which has exceeded the intrinsic permselectivities of the three polymers used in this study. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GIS-based Association Between PM10 and Allergic Diseases in Seoul: Implications for Health and Environmental Policy.

PURPOSE: The role of PM10 in the development of allergic diseases remains controversial among epidemiological studies, partly due to the inability to control for spatial variations in large-scale risk factors. This study aims to investigate spatial correspondence between the level of PM10 and allergic diseases at the sub-district level in Seoul, Korea, in order to evaluate whether the impact of PM10 is observable and spatially varies across the subdistricts. METHODS: PM10 measurements at 25 monitoring stations in the city were interpolated to 424 sub-districts where annual inpatient and outpatient count data for 3 types of allergic diseases (atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis) were collected. We estimated multiple ordinary least square regression models to examine the association of the PM10 level with each of the allergic diseases, controlling for various sub-district level covariates. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) models were conducted to evaluate how the impact of PM10 varies across the sub-districts. RESULTS: PM10 was found to be a significant predictor of atopic dermatitis patient count (P<0.01), with greater association when spatially interpolated at the sub-district level. No significant effect of PM10 was observed on allergic rhinitis and asthma when socioeconomic factors were controlled for. GWR models revealed spatial variation of PM10 effects on atopic dermatitis across the sub-districts in Seoul. The relationship of PM10 levels to atopic dermatitis patient counts is found to be significant only in the Gangbuk region (P<0.01), along with other covariates including average land value, poverty rate, level of education and apartment rate (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that PM10 effects on allergic diseases might not be consistent throughout Seoul. GIS-based spatial modeling techniques could play a role in evaluating spatial variation of air pollution impacts on allergic diseases at the sub-district level, which could provide valuable guidelines for environmental and public health policymakers.

Associations between BMI and home, school and route environmental exposures estimated using GPS and GIS: do we see evidence of selective daily mobility bias in children?

BACKGROUND: This study examined whether objective measures of food, physical activity and built environment exposures, in home and non-home settings, contribute to children's body weight. Further, comparing GPS and GIS measures of environmental exposures along routes to and from school, we tested for evidence of selective daily mobility bias when using GPS data. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional analysis, using objective assessments of body weight in relation to multiple environmental exposures. Data presented are from a sample of 94 school-aged children, aged 5-11 years. Children's heights and weights were measured by trained researchers, and used to calculate BMI z-scores. Participants wore a GPS device for one full week. Environmental exposures were estimated within home and school neighbourhoods, and along GIS (modelled) and GPS (actual) routes from home to school. We directly compared associations between BMI and GIS-modelled versus GPS-derived environmental exposures. The study was conducted in Mebane and Mount Airy, North Carolina, USA, in 2011. RESULTS: In adjusted regression models, greater school walkability was associated with significantly lower mean BMI. Greater home walkability was associated with increased BMI, as was greater school access to green space. Adjusted associations between BMI and route exposure characteristics were null. The use of GPS-actual route exposures did not appear to confound associations between environmental exposures and BMI in this sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study found few associations between environmental exposures in home, school and commuting domains and body weight in children. However, walkability of the school neighbourhood may be important. Of the other significant associations observed, some were in unexpected directions. Importantly, we found no evidence of selective daily mobility bias in this sample, although our study design is in need of replication in a free-living adult sample.

Design of a silicone reservoir intravaginal ring for the delivery of oxybutynin.

Oxybutynin, a drug of choice in the treatment of urinary incontinence, has low oral bioavailability due to extensive first-pass metabolism. A toxic metabolite, N-desethyloxybutynin, has been linked to adverse reactions to oral oxybutynin. This study, therefore, reports on the design of an oxybutynin intravaginal ring (IVR) of reservoir design, comprising an oxybutynin silicone elastomer core encased in a non-medicated silicone sheath, manufactured by reaction injection moulding at 50oC. An unusually high initial burst release of oxybutynin (42.7 mg in 24 h) was observed in vitro with a full length core (100 mg drug loading), with subsequent non-zero order drug release. Use of fractional segment cores substantially reduced the burst effect, yielding linear cumulative drug release versus time plots from days 2 to 14. Thus, a 1/8 fractional segment core gave a 24 h burst of 11.28 mg oxybutynin and, thereafter, zero order release at the target dose of 5 mg/day over 14 days. Two oxybutynin cores, each 1/16 of full length, gave a greater release than a single 1/8 core, due to core segment end effects resulting in an increased surface area for release. The burst release was investigated by determining drug solubilities in the propan-1-ol product of elastomer condensation cure (390 mg/ml) and in the elastomer itself (13.9-20.21 mg/ml, by direct extraction and indirect thermal methods). These high oxybutynin solubilities were considered the major contributors to the burst effect. It was concluded that use of a fractional segment core would allow development of a suitable oxybutynin reservoir IVR.

Controlled release of a model antibacterial drug from a novel self-lubricating silicone biomaterial

Abstract There is considerable interest in developing medical devices that provide controlled delivery of biologically active agents, for example, to reduce the incidence of device-related infection. Silicone elastomers are one of the commonest biomaterials used in medical device production. However, they have a relatively high coefficient of friction and the resulting lack of lubricity can cause pain and tissue damage on device insertion and removal. Novel silicone cross-linking agents have recently been reported that produce inherently ‘self-lubricating’ silicone elastomers with very low coefficients of friction. In this study, the model antibacterial drug metronidazole has been incorporated into these self-lubricating silicone elastomers to produce a novel bioactive biomaterial. The in vitro release characteristics of the bioactive component were evaluated as a function of cross-linker composition and drug loading. Although conventional matrix-type release kinetics were observed for metronidazole from the silicone systems, it was also observed that increasing the concentration of the cross-linking agent responsible for the lubricious character (tetra(oleyloxy)silane) relative to that of the standard non-lubricious cross-linking agent (tetrapropoxysilane) produced an increase in the metronidazole flux rate by up to 65% for a specified drug loading. The results highlight the potential for developing lubricious silicone medical devices with enhanced drug release characteristics.

Self-lubricating silicone elastomer biomaterials

Silicone has a relatively high coefficient of friction and silicone medical devices therefore lack inherent lubricity, leading to pain on device insertion and potential tissue trauma. In this study, higher molecular weight tetra(alkoxy) silanes, particularly tetra(oleyloxy) silane, have been used as crosslinkers in the condensation cure of a hydroxy end-functionalised linear poly(dimethylsiloxane). The resulting elastomers displayed a persistent lubricous surface of oleyl alcohol, and coefficients of friction (static and dynamic) approaching zero. Chemical structures of the synthesised silanes and surface alcohol exudate were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Mechanical properties of the elastomers, which were chemically identical to conventionally cured systems, suggested that an 80/20 mixture of tetra(oleyloxy) silane and tetra(propoxysilane) gave the best compromise between desirable mechanical and frictional properties.

A dynamic mechanical method for determining the silicone elastomer solubility of drugs and pharmaceutical excipients in silicone intravaginal drug delivery rings

The silicone elastomer solubilities of a range of drugs and pharmaceutical excipients employed in the development of silicone intravaginal drug delivery rings (polyethylene glycols, norethisterone acetate, estradiol, triclosan, oleyl alcohol, oxybutynin) have been determined using dynamic mechanical analysis. The method involves measuring the concentration-dependent decrease in the storage modulus associated with the melting of the incorporated drug/excipient, and extrapolation to zero change in storage modulus. The study also demonstrates the effect of drug/excipient concentrations on the mechanical stiffness of the silicone devices at 37°C.

Release kinetics of oleyl alcohol from a self-lubricating silicone biomaterial

The development of self-lubricating silicone elastomeric biomaterials, prepared using the novel crosslinking agent tetra( oleyloxy) silane and having very low coefficients of friction, has recently been reported. In this study, the in vitro release characteristics of lubricious oleyl alcohol produced during the silicone curing reaction have been quantitatively evaluated for a range of tetra( propoxy) silane/tetra(oleyloxy) silane crosslinker compositions using a novel evaporative light scattering detection method in combination with high performance liquid chromatography. The mechanism of oleyl alcohol release was seen to deviate from a simple, matrix-controlled diffusion process and instead obeyed an anomalous transport mechanism. An explanation for the observed release behaviour has been proposed based on competitive reaction kinetics between the tetra( oleyloxy) silane and tetra( propoxy) silane substituents of the silicone crosslinking agents.