Divergent temporal changes of heavy metals in the soil induced by natural versus anthropogenic forces: A case study in the Yangtze River delta area, China.

The contributions of natural versus anthropogenic forces on temporal changes of metals in the soil of the Yangtze River delta region were successfully quantified by combining repeated soil sampling, geostatistics and the modified principal component scores and multiple linear regressions approach. The findings show that the mean concentrations of Cu, Cd, As, Hg, Cr and Ni generally exhibited a decrease trend from 2010 to 2020. The decline of soil Hg was most outstanding, decreased by 20 % as a whole.

Estimating the contribution of atmosphere on heavy metals accumulation in the aboveground wheat tissues induced by anthropogenic forcing.

The influence of atmosphere pollution on human health is receiving more and more concerns as strengthened anthropogenic activity had brought excessive pollutant into the atmosphere. To date, the quantitative estimation about the contribution of atmosphere on the accumulation of heavy metal in the edible cereal parts induced by anthropogenic forcing is scarce. Taking the Yangtze River Delta area, China as an example, this study estimates quantitatively the influence of atmosphere on the concentration of heavy metal in the aboveground wheat tissues induced by anthropogenic industrial activity at the regional scale.

Cadmium source identification in soils and high-risk regions predicted by geographical detector method.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soils has become a serious and widespread environmental problem, especially in areas with high natural background Cd values, but the mechanism of Cd enrichment in these areas is still unclear. This study uses the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi), a typical area with a high background Cd level and Cd pollution related to mining activities, as an example to explore the source and predict areas with high Cd risk in soils based on the geographical detector method. The areas with high Cd in Guangxi soils were classified into non-mining areas and mining areas according to their potential Cd sources.

The vertical migration and speciation of the Pb in the paddy soil: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Migration of Pb in the soil can be enhanced by acidification and frequent change of environmental condition. The paddy soil, where the environmental condition such as redox fluctuates frequently due to soil submergence and drainage, may offer a favorable condition for Pb migrating to deeper soil and further contaminate groundwater by leaching or irrigation. To date, not much is known about how quickly Pb migrates in the soil and the relevant transformation of Pb.

Atmospheric contribution to boron enrichment in aboveground wheat tissues.

Boron is an essential trace element for all organisms and has both beneficial and harmful biological functions. A particular amount of boron is discharged into the environment every year because of industrial activities; however, the effects of environmental boron emissions on boron accumulation in cereals has not yet been estimated. The present study characterized the accumulation of boron in wheat under different ecological conditions in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) area.

Ecological geochemical assessment and source identification of trace elements in atmospheric deposition of an emerging industrial area: Beibu Gulf economic zone.

Industrialization and urbanization have led to a deterioration in air quality and provoked some serious environmental concerns. Fifty-four samples of atmospheric deposition were collected from an emerging industrial area and analyzed to determine the concentrations of 11 trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, S and Zn). Multivariate geostatistical analyses were conducted to determine the spatial distribution, possible sources and enrichment degrees of trace elements in atmospheric deposition.

Temporal-spatial variation and source apportionment of soil heavy metals in the representative river-alluviation depositional system.

The contributions of major driving forces on temporal changes of heavy metals in the soil in a representative river-alluviation area at the lower of Yangtze River were successfully quantified by combining geostatistics analysis with the modified principal component scores & multiple linear regressions approach (PCS-MLR). The results showed that the temporal (2003-2014) changes of Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr presented a similar spatial distribution pattern, whereas the Cd and Hg showed the distinctive patterns. The temporal changes of soil Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr may be predominated by the emission of the shipbuilding industry, whereas the significant changes of Cd and Hg were possibly predominated by the geochemical and geographical processes, such as the erosion of the Yangtze River water and leaching because of soil acidification.

Annual input fluxes and source identification of trace elements in atmospheric deposition in Shanxi Basin: the largest coal base in China.

Industrialization and urbanization have led to a great deterioration of air quality and provoked some serious environmental concerns. One hundred and five samples of atmospheric deposition were analyzed for their concentrations of 13 trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Al, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, and Zn) in Shanxi Basin, which includes six isolate basins. The input fluxes of the trace elements in atmospheric deposition were observed and evaluated.

Annual input fluxes of heavy metals in agricultural soil of Hainan Island, China.

The accumulation of heavy metals in farmland has become an important issue related to food security and environmental risk. The annual inputs of heavy metals (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn) to agricultural soil for a full year in Hainan Island have been studied. Three fluxes through the cultivated horizon were considered: (1) atmospheric depositions, (2) fertilization, and (3) irrigation water.

Evaluation of potential effects of soil available phosphorus on soil arsenic availability and paddy rice inorganic arsenic content.

The transfer of arsenic from paddy field to rice is a major exposure route of the highly toxic element to humans. The aim of our study is to explore the effects of soil available phosphorus on As uptake by rice, and identify the effects of soil properties on arsenic transfer from soil to rice under actual field conditions. 56 pairs of topsoil and rice samples were collected.

Anterior cingulum abnormalities in male patients with schizophrenia determined through diffusion tensor imaging.

Objective: This study used diffusion tensor imaging to examine fractional anisotropy in the anterior cingulum and posterior cingulum bundles in patients with schizophrenia.

Method: Twenty-one male patients and 20 healthy comparison men were studied.

Results: Reduced fractional anisotropy was seen for both sides of the anterior cingulum in the schizophrenia patients, who also exhibited less left-greater-than-right asymmetry in the anterior cingulum than was seen in the comparison subjects.

Abnormal anterior cingulum in patients with schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can non-invasively examine the molecular diffusion of water in vivo and directly reflects the anatomical integrity of neural fibers in white matter. Fractional anisotropy (FA) can be calculated from DTI data, and utilized to evaluate white matter integrity. DTI was performed on 30 patients with schizophrenia and 19 healthy controls, and their FA values were subsequently measured in multiple brain regions.

A diffusion tensor imaging study of middle and superior cerebellar peduncle in male patients with schizophrenia.

Many studies have confirmed that the cerebellum takes part in higher-order cognitive coordination; profound fibers projecting to and from the cerebellum underlie its cognitive function. Since the superior and middle cerebellar peduncles are the main pathways of neural fibers in the cerebellum, these structures became the focus of our interest in evaluating the cognitive dysfunction reported in schizophrenia. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to examine the anatomical integrity of the neural fibers in the superior and middle cerebellar peduncles.

[Mental stress and crisis intervention in the patients with SARS and the people related].

It is described the mental stress reaction in the diagnosed or suspicious patients with the SARS, the doctors and nurses treating the SARS, other related people and the masses; and put out the gist and principles of mental crisis intervention respectively.