Regional differences and sources of organochlorine pesticides in soils surrounding chemical industrial parks

Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB)) were investigated in 105 soil samples collected in vicinity of the chemical industrial parks in Tianjin, China. OCP concentrations significantly varied in the study area, high HCH and DDT levels were found close to the chemical industrial parks. The intensity of agricultural activity and distance from the potential OCP emitters have important influences on the OCP residue distributions. Principal component analysis indicates that HCH pollution is a mix of historical technical HCH and current lindane pollution and DDT pollution input is only due to technical DDT sources. The significant correlations of OCP compounds reveal that HCHs, DDTs and HCB could have some similar sources of origin

Identification of sources of elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an industrial area in Tianjin, China

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gas chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometry detector in 105 topsoil samples from an industrial area around Bohai Bay, Tianjin in the North of China. Results demonstrated that concentrations of PAHs in 104 soil samples from this area ranged from 68.7 to 5,590 ng g (-aEuro parts per thousand 1) dry weight with a mean of a16PAHs 814 +/- 813 ng g (-aEuro parts per thousand 1), which suggests that there exists mid to high levels of PAH contamination. The concentration of a16PAHs in one soil sample from Tianjin Port was exceptionally high (48,700 ng g (-aEuro parts per thousand 1)). Ninety-three of the 105 soil samples were considered to be contaminated with PAHs (> 200 ng g (-aEuro parts per thousand 1)), and 25 were heavily polluted (> 1,000 ng g (-aEuro parts per thousand 1)). The sites with high PAHs concentration are mainly distributed around chemical industry parks and near highways. Two low molecular weight PAHs, naphthalene and phenanthrene, were the dominant components in the soil samples, which accounted for 22.1% and 10.7% of the a16PAHs concentration, respectively. According to the observed molecular indices, house heating in winter, straw stalk combustion in open areas after harvest, and petroleum input were common sources of PAHs in this area, while factory discharge and vehicle exhaust were the major sources around chemical industrial parks and near highways. Biological processes were probably another main source of low molecular weight PAHs

Single image example-based super-resolution using cross-scale patch matching and Markov random field modelling

Example-based super-resolution has become increasingly popular over the last few years for its ability to overcome the limitations of classical multi-frame approach. In this paper we present a new example-based method that uses the input low-resolution image itself as a search space for high-resolution patches by exploiting self-similarity across different resolution scales. Found examples are combined in a high-resolution image by the means of Markov Random Field modelling that forces their global agreement. Additionally, we apply back-projection and steering kernel regression as post-processing techniques. In this way, we are able to produce sharp and artefact-free results that are comparable or better than standard interpolation and state-of-the-art super-resolution techniques

Three-dimensional conceptual model for service-oriented simulation

In this letter, we propose a novel three-dimensional conceptual model for an emerging service-oriented simulation paradigm. The model can be used as a guideline or an analytic means to find the potential and possible future directions of the current simulation frameworks. In particular, the model inspects the crossover between the disciplines of modeling and simulation, service-orientation, and software/systems engineering. Finally, two specific simulation frameworks are studied as examples.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figures, 3 table, Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A, 2009, 10(8): 1075-108

The phosphorylation state of eNOS modulates vascular reactivity and outcome of cerebral ischemia in vivo

NO plays critical roles in vascular function. We show that modulation of the eNOS serine 1179 (S1179) phosphorylation site affects vascular reactivity and determines stroke size in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing only a phosphomimetic (S1179D) form of eNOS show greater vascular reactivity, develop less severe strokes, and have improved cerebral blood flow in a middle cerebral artery occlusion model than mice expressing an unphosphorylatable (S1179A) form. These results provide a molecular mechanism by which multiple diverse cardiovascular risks, such as diabetes and obesity, may be centrally integrated by eNOS phosphorylation in vivo to influence blood flow and cardiovascular disease. They also demonstrate the in vivo relevance of posttranslational modification of eNOS in vascular function

Dynamic and Postdeformation Recrystallization of Nuclear-Grade 316LN Stainless Steel

Nuclear-grade 316LN stainless steel was subjected to single and double compressions at 1173–1473 K and strain rates of 0.01–10 s⁻¹. The dynamic and postdeformation recrystallization was investigated through analysis of the stress–strain curves and microstructure evolution. The thermal deformation equation and the quantitative relationships between the critical stress for the initiation of dynamic recrystallization and the Zener–Hollomon parameter, Z, and between the dynamic recrystallization grain size D and Z were derived. Dynamic recrystallization developed through an ordinary mechanism at low Z values and through a necklace mechanism at high Z values, with a critical Z value of about 3.6 10¹⁶ . At 1273–1473 K, softening of 316LN stainless steel after deformation was characterized by an Avrami-type equation, where the Avrami parameter, n, has no appreciable temperature dependence, and an average value of n and the activation energy, Qrex , were 0.68 and 129 kJ/mol, respectively.Нержавеющая сталь 316LN ядерного класса подвергалась одно- и двукратному сжатию при 1173...1473 К и скорости деформации 0,01...10 с⁻¹. Динамическая и постдеформационная рекристаллизация изучалась с помощью анализа зависимости деформации от напряжения и развития микроструктуры. Были выведены уравнение тепловой деформации и количественные зависимости между критическим напряжением инициирования динамической рекристаллизации и параметром Зенера Холломона Z, а также между размером зерна D при динамической рекристаллизации и Z. Динамическая рекристаллизация развивалась по обычному механизму при низких значениях Z и по механизму ожерелья при высоких значениях Z, при критическом значении Z примерно 3 6 10¹⁶. При 1273...1473 К разупрочнение нержавеющей стали 316LN после деформирования описывается уравнением Аврами, где параметр Аврами n не проявляет выраженной температурной зависимости, а его среднее значение и энергия активации Qrex составляют 0,68 и 129 кДж/моль соответственно

Decay of charged scalar field around a black hole: quasinormal modes of R-N, R-N-AdS and dilaton black holes

It is well known that the charged scalar perturbations of the Reissner-Nordstrom metric will decay slower at very late times than the neutral ones, thereby dominating in the late time signal. We show that at the stage of quasinormal ringing, on the contrary, the neutral perturbations will decay slower for RN, RNAdS and dilaton black holes. The QN frequencies of the nearly extreme RN black hole have the same imaginary parts (damping times) for charged and neutral perturbations. An explanation of this fact is not clear but, possibly, is connected with the Choptuik scaling.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, 4 figures, considerable changes made and wrong interpretation of computations correcte

Big data analytics in logistics and supply chain management: Certain investigations for research and applications

2015-2016 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journa