Mercury （Hg） is one of the commonly encountered heavy metals, which is widespread in inshore sediments of China. In order to investigate the toxicity of Hg on marine invertebrates, we studied the effects of the diva...Mercury （Hg） is one of the commonly encountered heavy metals, which is widespread in inshore sediments of China. In order to investigate the toxicity of Hg on marine invertebrates, we studied the effects of the divalent mercuricion （Hg2＋） （at two final concentrations of 0.0025 and 0.0050mgL-1, prepared with HgC12） on metallothionein （MT） content, DNA integrity （DNA strand breaks） and catalase （CAT） in the gills and hepatopancreas, antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GPx）, in the hemolymph, gills and hepatopancreas of the portunid crab Chao,bdisjaponica for an experiment period up to 15 d. The results indicated that MT was significantly induced after 3 d, with a positive correlation with Hg2＋ dose and time in the hepatopancreas and a negative correlation with Hg2＋ dose and time in the gills. While CAT in the hemolymph was not detected, it increased in the hepatopancreas during the entire experiment; SOD and GPx in the three tissues were stimulated after 12h, both attained peak value and then reduced during the experimental period. Meanwhile, DNA strand breaks were all induced significantly after 12 h. These results suggested the detoxification strategies against Hg2＋ in three tissues of C. japonica.展开更多
AIM:This study aimed to determine whether metabolic syndrome is directly or indirectly,through fatty liver,associated with elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in Japanese women. METHODS:From 4 366 wome...AIM:This study aimed to determine whether metabolic syndrome is directly or indirectly,through fatty liver,associated with elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in Japanese women. METHODS:From 4 366 women who received their annual health check-up,4 211 women were selected for analysis. All 4 211 women were negative for both hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis C virus.Clinical and biochemical variables were examined by using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS:A raised GGT level (>68 IU/L) was seen in 258 (6.1%) of the 4 211 women.In univariate analysis,all variables examined (age,body mass index,blood pressure, hemoglobin concentration,fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin Alc,cholesterol,triglyceride,and uric acid) were associated with the elevated GGT level, whereas in multivariate analysis,four variables (age≧50 yr, hemoglobin≧14 g/dL,triglyceride≧150 mg/dL,and presence of diabetes) were significantly and independently associated with raised GGT level.Clinical variables predicting the presence of ultrasonographic evidence of fatty liver were also examined by multivariate analysis;four variables were associated with the presence of fatty liver:BMI≧25 kg/m^2, hemoglobin≧14 g/dL,triglyceride≧150 mg/dL,and uric acid ≧ 7 mg/dL.There was no significant association between the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver. Hypertriglyceridemia was significantly and independently associated with both the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver. CONCLUSION:Metabolic syndrome seemed to be directly, not indirectly through fatty liver,associated with the raised GGT level in Japanese women.展开更多
Over the past several years, the Taiwan Power Company has launched two smart pricing programs to assess the demand response of residential customers： the TOU （time-of-use） rate scheme and the DRI （demand reduction...Over the past several years, the Taiwan Power Company has launched two smart pricing programs to assess the demand response of residential customers： the TOU （time-of-use） rate scheme and the DRI （demand reduction incentive） scheme. This paper discusses these two programs and evaluates their respective performances. We develop an efficient approach based on marginal cost pricing to redesign the TOU rate scheme. In our finding, the TOU price levels could be revised to encourage more customers to participate by enlarging the price gap. Moreover, the DRI scheme can be further improved in order to reach an efficient win-win solution among customers, the utility and society. This can be achieved via a careful design of incentive tariff discounts to take account of the time-of-use or location-specific features of the power supply/demand condition.展开更多
The integrated effect of irrigation and agricultural practices on soil salinity in the Jordan Valley （JV）, where over 60% of Jordan＇s agricultural produce is grown, was investigated in this study during 2009-2010. ...The integrated effect of irrigation and agricultural practices on soil salinity in the Jordan Valley （JV）, where over 60% of Jordan＇s agricultural produce is grown, was investigated in this study during 2009-2010. Due to the differences in agricultural operations, cropping patterns, irrigation management, and weather conditions, 206 top- and sub-soil samples were taken every 1 to 3 km from representative farms along a north-south （N-S） transect with 1 to 2 km lateral extents. Soil electrical conductivity of saturated extract （ECse）, Ca, Mg, K, Na, CI, and Na adsorption ratio （SAR） were determined in saturated paste extracts. Results indicated that about 63% of soils in the JV are indeed saline, out of which almost 46% are moderately to strongly saline. Along the N-S transect of the JV, ECse increased from 4.5 to 14.1 dS m-1 in top-soil samples. Similar increase was observed for the sub-soil samples. The major chemical components of soil salinity; i.e., Ca, Mg, and C1, also showed a similar increase along the N-S transect of the valley. Moreover, compared to previous field sampling, results showed that changes in soil salinity in the JV were dramatic. In addition, it was found that C1 imposed an existing and potential threat to sensitive crops in 60% of the soils in the JV, where C1 concentrations were greater than 710 mg L-1. Under the prevalent arid Mediterranean conditions, improving the management of .irrigation water, crops, and nutrient inputs and increasing water and fertilizer use efficiencies should be indispensable to conserve and sustain the already fragile agricultural soils in the JV.展开更多
基金supported by the 111 Project (B0804)the Agricultural Science and Technology Achievement Transfer Project of TianJin City of China (07050201)
文摘Mercury （Hg） is one of the commonly encountered heavy metals, which is widespread in inshore sediments of China. In order to investigate the toxicity of Hg on marine invertebrates, we studied the effects of the divalent mercuricion （Hg2＋） （at two final concentrations of 0.0025 and 0.0050mgL-1, prepared with HgC12） on metallothionein （MT） content, DNA integrity （DNA strand breaks） and catalase （CAT） in the gills and hepatopancreas, antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GPx）, in the hemolymph, gills and hepatopancreas of the portunid crab Chao,bdisjaponica for an experiment period up to 15 d. The results indicated that MT was significantly induced after 3 d, with a positive correlation with Hg2＋ dose and time in the hepatopancreas and a negative correlation with Hg2＋ dose and time in the gills. While CAT in the hemolymph was not detected, it increased in the hepatopancreas during the entire experiment; SOD and GPx in the three tissues were stimulated after 12h, both attained peak value and then reduced during the experimental period. Meanwhile, DNA strand breaks were all induced significantly after 12 h. These results suggested the detoxification strategies against Hg2＋ in three tissues of C. japonica.
文摘AIM:This study aimed to determine whether metabolic syndrome is directly or indirectly,through fatty liver,associated with elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in Japanese women. METHODS:From 4 366 women who received their annual health check-up,4 211 women were selected for analysis. All 4 211 women were negative for both hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis C virus.Clinical and biochemical variables were examined by using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS:A raised GGT level (>68 IU/L) was seen in 258 (6.1%) of the 4 211 women.In univariate analysis,all variables examined (age,body mass index,blood pressure, hemoglobin concentration,fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin Alc,cholesterol,triglyceride,and uric acid) were associated with the elevated GGT level, whereas in multivariate analysis,four variables (age≧50 yr, hemoglobin≧14 g/dL,triglyceride≧150 mg/dL,and presence of diabetes) were significantly and independently associated with raised GGT level.Clinical variables predicting the presence of ultrasonographic evidence of fatty liver were also examined by multivariate analysis;four variables were associated with the presence of fatty liver:BMI≧25 kg/m^2, hemoglobin≧14 g/dL,triglyceride≧150 mg/dL,and uric acid ≧ 7 mg/dL.There was no significant association between the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver. Hypertriglyceridemia was significantly and independently associated with both the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver. CONCLUSION:Metabolic syndrome seemed to be directly, not indirectly through fatty liver,associated with the raised GGT level in Japanese women.
文摘Over the past several years, the Taiwan Power Company has launched two smart pricing programs to assess the demand response of residential customers： the TOU （time-of-use） rate scheme and the DRI （demand reduction incentive） scheme. This paper discusses these two programs and evaluates their respective performances. We develop an efficient approach based on marginal cost pricing to redesign the TOU rate scheme. In our finding, the TOU price levels could be revised to encourage more customers to participate by enlarging the price gap. Moreover, the DRI scheme can be further improved in order to reach an efficient win-win solution among customers, the utility and society. This can be achieved via a careful design of incentive tariff discounts to take account of the time-of-use or location-specific features of the power supply/demand condition.
文摘The integrated effect of irrigation and agricultural practices on soil salinity in the Jordan Valley （JV）, where over 60% of Jordan＇s agricultural produce is grown, was investigated in this study during 2009-2010. Due to the differences in agricultural operations, cropping patterns, irrigation management, and weather conditions, 206 top- and sub-soil samples were taken every 1 to 3 km from representative farms along a north-south （N-S） transect with 1 to 2 km lateral extents. Soil electrical conductivity of saturated extract （ECse）, Ca, Mg, K, Na, CI, and Na adsorption ratio （SAR） were determined in saturated paste extracts. Results indicated that about 63% of soils in the JV are indeed saline, out of which almost 46% are moderately to strongly saline. Along the N-S transect of the JV, ECse increased from 4.5 to 14.1 dS m-1 in top-soil samples. Similar increase was observed for the sub-soil samples. The major chemical components of soil salinity; i.e., Ca, Mg, and C1, also showed a similar increase along the N-S transect of the valley. Moreover, compared to previous field sampling, results showed that changes in soil salinity in the JV were dramatic. In addition, it was found that C1 imposed an existing and potential threat to sensitive crops in 60% of the soils in the JV, where C1 concentrations were greater than 710 mg L-1. Under the prevalent arid Mediterranean conditions, improving the management of .irrigation water, crops, and nutrient inputs and increasing water and fertilizer use efficiencies should be indispensable to conserve and sustain the already fragile agricultural soils in the JV.
