安顺大气降水中低分子有机酸及其与贵州其它地区对比研究

低分子有机酸是对流层大气的重要组成成分，广泛分布于大气中的气相、液相、气溶胶中。本文以贵州省安顺作为研究区域，在 2007 年 6 月~2008年 6月期间，收集大气降水样品118个，对降水中主要成份尤其是低分子有机酸及其对自由酸度的贡献进行了为期一年的研究。并通过与贵州其它3个地区的对比，重点讨论了大气降水中低分子有机酸时间和空间的变化规律、成因机制、对降水自由酸度的贡献以及来源等关键问题。得出的主要结论如下： （1） 安顺降水总体呈酸性，pH雨量加权平均值为 4.89，范围在3.57～7.09，酸雨频率为 57.0%。降水的电导率平均值为46.52μs•cm-1，变化范围为6.01～298.00 μs•cm-1，该值远远高于降水背景站点，表明该地区受到了明显的人为活动影响。 （2） 安顺大气降水中离子浓度的顺序依次为SO42->Ca2+>NH4+>NO3-> Mg2+>K+>Na+>Cl->H+>HCOOHt>CH3COOHt >(COOH)2(t)2-。大气降水中最重要的离子为SO42-、NO3-（阴离子）和Ca2+、NH4+ 和Mg2+（阳离子），平均浓度依次为140.9、46.1、124.2、45.4和36.2µmol/L。相关性分析和聚类分析表明，安顺SO2和NOx具有同源特征，且进入降水的途径相同。大气中的铵主要以硫酸铵与硝酸铵的形式存在于大气中，成为大气中重要的酸性气溶胶。另外，CaSO4、NaCl、MgCl2、(NH4)2SO4、NH4NO3、KNO3、H2SO4、HNO3是降水的主要化学组分。降水中Ca2+、NH4+、Mg2+和K+的中和因子分别为0.38、0.14、0.22、0.05，表明降水中最重要的中和物质是Ca2+，其次是Mg2+和NH4+。源分析表明，安顺大气降水中的K+和Ca2+主要来自以岩石和土壤为主的陆相输入，而SO42-和NO3-主要来自人为活动的贡献，其人为贡献量高达97.0%和94.3%。Mg2+主要来自陆源输入，仅有9.1%来自海水的贡献。Cl-属于海盐性离子，但在安顺降水中，仅有57.3%来自海相输入，小部分（1.3%）来自岩石和土壤风化的贡献，人类活动排放的Cl-也是该地区一个重要来源。 （3） 安顺大气降水中共检测出7种低分子有机酸，含量最高的有机酸组成依次是甲酸(HCOO-)、乙酸(CH3COO-)和草酸（(COO)22-），雨量加权平均浓度分别为8.77、6.90和2.84µmol/L。降水中所测有机酸的平均总含量为19.00µmol/L，对阴离子总和的贡献为12.6%。对于 pH<5 的降水，甲酸、乙酸和草酸对自由酸度的平均贡献值（按最大贡献率法计算）分别为 19.2%、5.9和7.8%，总有机酸（三者之和）对自由酸度的平均贡献值为32.9%。这些事实表明，安顺大气降水中的有机酸是降水化学物质的重要组成部分，会对降水的物理和化学特征产生重要的影响。采样期间，安顺甲酸、乙酸和草酸的湿沉降通量分别为10.81、10.46和3.94 mmol/m2/year。根据气液平衡理论，估算出甲酸和乙酸的干沉降量，分别为4.78和1.63mmol/m2/year。 （4） 安顺降水有机酸浓度存在着明显的季节性变化，四季的有机酸浓度由高到低分别为：冬季>春季>夏季>秋季；非生长季节>生长季节。这种季节变化特征显然与植物生长的季节变化特征不一致。表明安顺大气中的有机酸浓度的影响因素非常复杂；植物生长、降雨量（降雨强度和持续时间）和人为活动等因素的季节变化都会影响大气有机酸的组成和分布特征。在连续降雨过程的监测中发现甲酸和乙酸的浓度是随降雨过程（时间）同步变化，这说明甲酸与乙酸很可能存在相同的来源或者相似的源强，它们在大气中的清除方式也可能相同。而草酸的浓度与日照强度和温度有关，与降雨发生的时间有很重要的关系，表明草酸多来源于光化学反应为主的间接来源。另外，还发现降雨初期降水酸性要强于降雨后期，这表明降雨对大气中污染物质有明显的清除和稀释作用。 （5） 相关性分析表明，甲酸和乙酸之间存在显著的相关关系，相关系数为0.80，这种强烈的正相关表明甲酸和乙酸具有相似的排放源或者排放源不同但有相似的排放强度；草酸与甲酸和乙酸也都具有显著相关关系,这可能是因为草酸与甲酸和乙酸具有相同的排放源或者是草酸的前体物如甲醛与甲酸、乙酸具有相似的排放源；甲酸与NH4+、NO3- 和NO2-的相关关系也很高，表明甲酸的主要来源是农业活动或者生物质燃烧和汽车尾气排放等。乙酸和草酸的情况与甲酸类似。论文建立了甲酸与乙酸分析浓度比值(F/A)T的判定方程曲线，结果表明安顺有机酸主要来源于直接来源，包括植物直接释放，生物质燃烧，汽车尾气排放等；间接来源如不饱和碳烃化合物（如烯烃和异戊二烯）和醛类物质(如甲醛）的光化学氧化不是该地区有机酸的主要来源。 （6） 对比贵州其它3个监测站点的降雨数据后，发现大气降水对降水酸度的贡献，偏远地区（尚重）要远大于工业城市。另外，安顺和尚重大气有机酸以直接来源为主。其中，尚重有机酸的主要来源是植物释放，而安顺有机酸的主要来源是生物质燃烧、汽车尾气等人类活动的释放。贵阳市有机酸的主要来源是间接来源，即有机酸前体物的光化学氧化。遵义有机酸的来源具有明显的季节周期性，在夏秋以直接释放为主，而春冬季节以间接释放为主。

Shear modulus of two-dimensional foams: The effect of area dispersity and disorder

Cox, S.J. and Whittick, E.L. (2006) Shear modulus of two-dimensional foams: The effect of area dispersity and disorder. Euro. Phys. J. E 21:49-56 Sponsorship: EPSRC

Aferição de competências em Endodontia percepcionadas pelos finalistas em Medicina Dentária e pelos Médicos Dentistas licenciados na Faculdade de Ciências de Saúde da Universidade Fernando Pessoa

Monografia apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciada em Medicina Dentária

Efectos de la introducción de especies megatérmicas sobre características agronómicas y edáficas de un ambiente halomórfico de la pampa inundable

En la pampa inundable se ha producido un importante aumento de carga animal durante la última década. Para sostenerlo son necesarias alternativas tecnológicas que permitan mejorar las áreas con pastizales menos productivos, como son las estepas de halófitas o bajos alcalino - sódicos. En la presente tesis se evaluaron los efectos de la introducción de Chloris gayana (Chloris) y Panicum coloratum (Panicum) sobre las características agronómicas y edáficas de un ambiente halomórfico de esta región. Para ello se realizó un experimento a campo al Noreste de la región (35° 24.851` S., 57° 43.2`O.) sobre un suelo Natracualf típico donde se sembraron estas especies y se dejaron parcelas con el pastizal natural en clausura (E. Clausura) y pastoreo (E. Pastoreo) como testigo. La implantación de Chloris y Panicum incrementó en 90 por ciento y 117 por ciento respectivamente la Productividad Primaria Neta Aérea respecto de la estepa de halófitas, aunque no superó su calidad nutricional. Las parcelas sembradas duplicaron en cobertura al pastizal natural y el contenido de materia orgánica de sus suelos se incrementó significativamente (3,1 Chloris y 2,8 Panicum vs. 2,1 E. Clausura y 2,25 en E. Pastoreo). Tanto la densidad aparente (1,21 Chloris y 1,24 Panicum vs. 1,31 en las estepas) como el Cambio en Diámetro Medio Ponderado (CDMP) (0,33 Chloris y 0,33 Panicum vs. 0,45 E, Pastoreo y 0,77 E. Clausura) fueron significativamente inferiores en las parcelas sembradas, mientras que la tasa de infiltración del agua (3,19 Chloris y 2,56 Panicum vs. 2 E. Clasura y 1,48 E. Pastoreo) fue significativamente superior. Sobre los parámetros de halomorfismo edáfico evaluados se registró sólo una leve disminución del PH superficial que no llegaría a afectar el fuerte carácter sódico del suelo. Concluyendo, tanto C. Gayana como P. coloratum podrían considerarse alternativas promisorias para mejorar ambientes halomórficos, aunque se requiere estudiar mejor aspectos como implantación, supervivencia a bajas temperaturas y excesos hídricos, y efectos fitorremediadores bajo pastoreo.

Determining the irrigated area under center - pivots systems in the southewestern of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) employing satellite images

p.109-119

Contributions to the bryological flora of the tropical and subtropical forests from the Argentina (Bryophyta, Musci).

The authors present here a list of 32 mosses belonging to 15 families: Brachytheciaceae, Cryphaeaceae, Entodontaceae, Hedwigiaceae, Hypnaceae, Leptodontaceae, Meteoriaceae, Neckeraceae, Pilotrichaceae, Polytrichaceae, Pterobryaceae, Racopilaceae, Rigodiaceae, Stereophyllaceae, and Trachypodaceae, all collected in the mountainous forests of the Yungas of the NW of the Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca and Tucumán provinces), and also in the rainforests from the NE of the country (Misiones province). Eight species: Atrichum polycarpum, Chrysohypnum elegantulum, Pilosium chlorophyllum, Pilotrichella flexilis, Porotrichodendron lindigii, Pseudotrachypus martinicensis, Steerecleus scariosus, and Thamnobryum fasciculatum are new records for the bryologic flora from Argentina. Braunia imberbis and Squamidium brasiliense are two new records for the bryophytic flora of the Catamarca province; Porotrichodendron superbum is new for the Salta province, while Forsstroemia coronata is the first record for the Catamarca and Jujuy provinces. Aerolindigia capillacea, Braunia reflexifolia, Chryso-hypnum diminutivum, Meteorium deppei and Meteoridium remotifolium are five new citations for the Jujuy province, and Schoenobryum concavifolium is new for the bryophytic flora of the Misiones province. Many studied species occur more frequently in the Yungas than in the NE rainforests; others show separated distribution but live in both areas, the Yungas and Paranaense area, and others are more or less restricted to the Paranaense rainforest of the NE of Argentina. The taxonomy of species is updated, and comments are included on bibliographical precedents, ecology and chorology of each taxon.

First report of "Cotoneaster pannosus" Franch. ("Rosaceae") in Tarragona Province, and updated distribution area in Spain

Cotoneaster pannosus (Rosaceae), an ornamental shrub native to China, is reported for the first time in Tarragona Province (Catalonia, Spain). Data on demography and accompanying species for the new locality are provided, in addition to a chrorological update at nation level.

Contribution to the knowlegde of Galician xenoflora (NW Iberian Peninsula, Spain).

Information on 12 exotic plants of diverse interest for the Galician flora are presented. All of them were collected in Ribeira council (SW of the A Coruña province). The total includes 8 novelties at a regional level (Aeonium haworthii, Aloe mitriformis, Brugmansia × candida, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Osteospermum ecklonis, Pelargonium capitatum, Sedum mexicanum, Sparaxis tricolor), and 2 provincial novelties. In addition, information on two taxa hardly mentioned in the literature on Galician vascular flora is also included. All the cited specimens are deposited at the SANT Herbarium.

Past, present and future nutrient loads of the North Sea: causes and consequences

Comprehensive, aggregate nutrient budgets were established for two compartments of the North Sea, the shallow coastal and deeper open regions, and for three different periods, representing pre-eutrophication (∼1950), eutrophication (∼1990) and contemporary (∼2000) phases. The aim was to quantify the major budget components, to identify their sources of variability, to specify the anthropogenic components, and to draw implications for past and future policy. For all three periods, open North Sea budgets were dominated (75%) by fluxes from and to the North-East Atlantic; sediment exchange was of secondary importance (18%). For the coastal North Sea, fluxes during the eutrophication period were dominated by sediment exchange (49% of all inputs), followed by exchange with the open sea (21%), and anthropogenic inputs (19%). Between 1950 and 1990, N-loading of coastal waters increased by a factor of 1.62 and P-loading by 1.45. These loads declined after 1990. Interannual variability in Atlantic inflow was found to correspond to a variability of 11% in nutrient load to the open North Sea. Area-specific external loads of both the open and coastal North Sea were below Vollenweider-type critical loads when expressed relative to depth and flushing. External area-specific load of the coastal North Sea has declined since 1990 from 1.8 to about 1.4 g P m−2 y−1 in 2000, which is close to the estimate of 1.3 for 1950. N-load declined less, leading to an increase in N/P ratio.

Genetic and migratory evidence for sympatric spawning of tropical Pacific eels from Vanuatu

The spawning areas of tropical anguillid eels in the South Pacific are poorly known, and more information about their life histories is needed to facilitate conservation. We genetically characterized 83 out of 84 eels caught on Gaua Island (Vanuatu) and tagged 8 eels with pop-up satellite transmitters. Based on morphological evidence, 32 eels were identified as Anguilla marmorata, 45 as A. megastoma and 7 as A. obscura. Thirteen of these eels possessed a mitochondrial DNA sequence (control region, 527 bp) or nuclear haplotype (GTH2b, 268 bp) conflicting with their species designation. These individuals also had multi-locus genotypes (6 microsatellite loci) intermediate between the species, and 9 of these eels further possessed heterozygote genotypes at species-diagnostic nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We classified these individuals as possibly admixed between A. marmorata and A. megastoma. One A. marmorata and 1 A. megastoma migrated 634 and 874 km, respectively, towards the border between the South Equatorial Current and the South Equatorial Counter Current. Both species descended from around 200 m depth at night to 750 m during the day. Lunar cycle affected the upper limit of migration depths of both species. The tags remained attached for 3 and 5 mo and surfaced <300 km from the pop-up location of a previously tagged A. marmorata pop-up location. A salinity maximum at the pop-up locations corresponding to the upper nighttime eel migration depths may serve as a seamark of the spawning area. The similar pop-up locations of both species and the evidence for admixture suggest that these tropical eels share a sympatric spawning area.

Nomenclature and syntaxonomic notes on some high-rank syntaxa of the European grassland vegetation

We present descriptions of a new order (Ranunculo cortusifolii-Geranietalia reuteri and of a new alliance (Stachyo lusitanicae-Cheirolophion sempervirentis) for the herbaceous fringe communities of Macaronesia and of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, respectively. A new alliance, the Polygalo mediterraneae-Bromion erecti (mesophilous post-cultural grasslands), was introduced for the Peninsular Italy. We further validate and typify the Armerietalia rumelicae (perennial grasslands supported by nutrient-poor on siliceous bedrocks at altitudes characterized by the submediterranean climate of central-southern Balkan Peninsula), the Securigero-Dasypyrion villosae (lawn and fallow-land tall-grass annual vegetation of Italy), and the Cirsio vallis-demoni-Nardion (acidophilous grasslands on siliceous substrates of the Southern Italy). Nomenclatural issues (validity, legitimacy, synonymy, formal corrections) have been discussed and clarified for the following names: Brachypodio-Brometalia, Bromo pannonici-Festucion csikhegyensis, Corynephoro-Plantaginion radicatae, Heleochloion, Hieracio-Plantaginion radicatae, Nardetea strictae, Nardetalia strictae, Nardo-Callunetea, Nardo-Galion saxatilis, Oligo-Bromion, Paspalo-Heleochloetalia, Plantagini-Corynephorion and Scorzoneret alia villosae. 

Intercultural competence in the area of drug dependencies

This article takes a multidimensional or biopsychosocial conception of drug dependency as its starting point. Within this analytical framework, we advocate making the intercultural dimension more visible, since it is essential for the design and implementation of integral intervention processes. We propose intercultural competence as a working model that can increase the capacities of institutions and professionals —a particularly important consideration in the case of social work— in order to effectively address the aforementioned cultural dimension. After an extensive review of the scientific literature, we have defined five processes that can contribute to strengthening an institution’s intercultural competence and four processes that can do the same for a professional’s intercultural competence. Though selected for application in the area of drug dependencies, all these processes can also prove useful in improving attention to any other kind of culturally diverse group or person.

Prosodic Characteristics of Skilled Reading: Fluency and Expressiveness in 8- 10-year-old Readers

Statistical methods of describing prosody were used to study fluency, expressiveness and their relationship among 8-10-year-old readers. There were robust relationships between expressiveness and variables associated with pitch mobility; and between fluency and measures associated with temporal organization. Interactions indicated that the relationships were not simple. Differences between groups depended on sentence content and position. Some measures offer a basis for rules aimed at assigning individuals to skill categories. The effects suggest psychological hypotheses about the underlying mechanisms.

Physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of soil/saprolite cores from a field research site, Tennessee

Site characterization is an essential initial step in determining the feasibility of remedial alternatives at hazardous waste sites. Physicochemical and mineralogical characterization of U-contaminated soils in deeply weathered saprolite at Area 2 of the DOE Field Research Center (FRC) site, Oak Ridge, TN, was accomplished to examine the feasibility of bioremediation. Concentrations of U in soil–saprolite (up to 291 mg kg–1 in oxalate-extractable Uo) were closely related to low pH (ca. 4–5), high effective cation exchange capacity without Ca (64.7–83.2 cmolc kg–1), amorphous Mn content (up to 9910 mg kg–1), and the decreased presence of relative clay mineral contents in the bulk samples (i.e., illite 2.5–12 wt. %, average 32 wt. %). The pH of the fill material ranged from 7.0 to 10.5, whereas the pH of the saprolite ranged from 4.5 to 8. Uranium concentration was highest (about 300 mg kg–1) at around 6 m below land surface near the saprolite–fill interface. The pH of ground water at Area 2 tended to be between 6 and 7 with U concentrations of about 0.9 to 1.7 mg L–1. These site specific characteristics of Area 2, which has lower U and nitrate contamination levels and more neutral ground water pH compared with FRC Areas 1 and 3 (ca. 5.5 and

Quantitative analysis of MRP-8 in gingival crevicular fluid in periodontal health and disease using microbore HPLC.

BACKGROUND:

The protein components of GCF can be separated by reverse-phase microbore HPLC on a C18 column with detection on the basis of 214 nm absorbance. A single major symmetrical protein peak eluting with a retention time of 26 min (50% acetonitrile) was evident in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from periodontitis patients but not in healthy GCF. This protein was identified as human MRP-8 by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and liquid chromatography quadropole mass spectrometry.

AIMS:

To quantify the amount of MRP-8 detectable in GCF from individual healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis affected sites and to study the relationship, if any, between the levels of this responsive protein and periodontal health and disease.

METHODS:

GCF was sampled (30 s) from healthy, gingivitis, and periodontitis sites in peridontitis subjects (n=15) and from controls (n=5) with clinically healthy gingiva and no periodontitis. Purified MRP-8 was sequenced by Edmann degradation and the phenylthiohydantoin (PTH) amino acid yield determined (by comparison of peak area with external PTH amino acid standards). This value was subsequently used to calculate the relative amount of protein in the peak eluting with a retention time of 26.0 min (MRP-8) in individual GCF chromatograms.

RESULTS:

Higher levels of MRP-8 were detected in inflammatory sites: periodontitis 457.0 (281.0) ng; gingivitis 413.5 (394.5) ng compared with periodontally healthy sites in diseased subjects 14.6 (14.3) ng and in controls 18.6 (18.5) ng, p=0.003. There was at least 20-fold more MRP-8 in the inflammatory compared with the healthy sites studied.

CONCLUSIONS:

The preliminary data indicate that MRP-8 is present in GCF, with significantly greater amounts present at diseased than healthy sites. A systematic study of the relationship of this protein to periodontal disease could prove useful in further clarifying whether MRP-8 could be a reliable GCF biomarker of gingivitis and periodontitis.