Levels of Pesticide Residues in Food: Evaluation of Data from Total Diet Studies in Italy

Abstract

Total Diet Studies on pesticide residues in foods carried out in Italy in the last two decades are briefly summarized and data are discussed. Health risk assessment is expressed by the ratio total intake/ADI (%ADI ingested) for each compound and by the sum of the percentages of ADI for each compound within the same class of pesticides.

The total dietary intake of chlorinated pesticides, that was almost 100% of ADI in the years 1970-74, decreased down to 10% in the period 1978-84. This trend was confirmed for DDT in recent years, while data on Lindane and Heptachlor seem to be constant.

As regards the organophosphorus pesticides the sum of the percentages of ADI ingested for each compound, extrapolated from recent data (1990-1991) is about 20% and can be regarded as reasonably acceptable because the study included practically all the mainly used compounds.

Only few data are available for some pesticides like dithiocarbamates, especially EBDCs and their derivatives (e.g. ETU), other carbamates (e.g. aldicarb), paraquat etc. Moreover, analytical methods for these compounds should be improved.

The need for a considerable improvement in the number and organization of monitoring structures, in the use of standardized analytical procedures, in good laboratory practice standards and in the realibility of “monitoring protocols” and their homogeneity is evidenced.     

一种基于STM32的NAND flash的块分配框架设计

STM32对大容量数据文件存储与管理问题可通过NAND flash来解决。而NAND flash的高效管理需要文件系统参与。NAND flash有特殊的块读写及擦除机制,一般的嵌入式文件系统组织结构并不完全兼容NAND flash。针对NAND flash的特点兼顾STM32的资源承受力要提出新的NAND flash块分配框架,框架通过块分配槽这种数据结构,在不使用块分配表与垃圾表的情况下,实现了NAND flash均衡负载与垃圾块的回收;同时通过节点分配栈与文件节点表的配合来提高STM32对文件的读写速度,空间利用率和系统性能。仿真实验和计算结果表明该块分配框架可有效提高NAND flash块的均衡负载与节省RAM空间。     

基于MetropolisQ学习的蜂窝网络在线信道分配

针对现有的蜂窝网络的在线动态分配模型具有的信道需求量大、呼叫动态变化时阻塞率高和收敛速度慢的缺点,设计了一种基于MetropoisQ学习的蜂窝网络的在线信道分配方法。首先,在考虑同信道限制、邻居信道限制和同小区限制的基础上,设计了在线信道分配的数学模型,然后在Q-Learning算法基础上的设计了一种基于资格迹的Q(λ)算法实现信道的在线分配,为了进一步提高收敛速度,采用Metropois规则对算法中动作的选择方式进行改进,实现探索和利用的平衡。为了验证文中方法,采用Matlab工具上进行实验,仿真实验结果表明文中方法能实现蜂窝通信网络的在线信道分配,且与其它方法比较,具有较少的信道需求量、较低的阻塞率和收敛速度,较其它方法具有较大优越性。     

The long‐term extreme price risk measure of portfolio in inventory financing: An application to dynamic impawn rate interval

Different from the short‐term risk measure for traditional financial assets (stocks, bonds, etc.), the key to illiquid inventory portfolio traded in the over‐the‐counter markets is to estimate the long‐term extreme price risk with time varying volatility. In this article, a new long‐term extreme price risk (value at risk and conditional value at risk) measure method for inventory portfolio and an application to dynamic impawn rate interval are proposed. To realize this, we first establish AutoRegressive Moving Average‐Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity‐Extreme Value Theory model and multivariatet‐Copula to depict the autocorrelation, fat tails, and volatility clustering of returns of inventories and the nonlinear dependence structure of inventories. Furthermore, we obtain the long‐term extreme price risk with time varying volatility via Monte Carlo simulation instead of square‐root‐of time rule. The results show that, first, benefits from risk diversification is significant; second, long‐term extreme price risk measure of inventory portfolio via Monte Carlo method outperforms the square‐root‐of time rule; the last is that the dynamic rate interval based on the long‐term price risk is superior to the crude rules of thumb in terms of reducing efficiency loss and improving risk coverage. In summary, this article provides a new quantitative framework for managing the risk of portfolio in inventory financing practice for banks constrained by risk limitation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 20: 17–34, 2015     

Quality-by-Design-Based Development of n-Propyl-Gallate-Loaded Hyaluronic-Acid-Coated Liposomes for Intranasal Administration

The present study aimed to develop n-propyl gallate (PG)-encapsulated liposomes through a novel direct pouring method using the quality-by-design (QbD) approach. A further aim was to coat liposomes with hyaluronic acid (HA) to improve the stability of the formulation in nasal mucosa. The QbD method was used for the determination of critical quality attributes in the formulation of PG-loaded liposomes coated with HA. The optimized formulation was determined by applying the Box–Behnken design to investigate the effect of composition and process variables on particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential. Physiochemical characterization, in vitro release, and permeability tests, as well as accelerated stability studies, were performed with the optimized liposomal formulation. The optimized formulation resulted in 90 ± 3.6% encapsulation efficiency, 167.9 ± 3.5 nm average hydrodynamic diameter, 0.129 ± 0.002 PDI, and −33.9 ± 4.5 zeta potential. Coated liposomes showed significantly improved properties in 24 h in an in vitro release test (>60%), in vitro permeability measurement (420 μg/cm²) within 60 min, and also in accelerated stability studies compared to uncoated liposomes. A hydrogen-peroxide-scavenging assay showed improved stability of PG-containing liposomes. It can be concluded that the optimization of PG-encapsulated liposomes coated with HA has great potential for targeting several brain diseases.     

Operational risk: Emerging markets,sectors and measurement

The role of decision support systems in mitigating operational risks in firms is well established. However, there is a lack of investment in decision support systems in emerging markets, even though inadequate operational risk management is a key cause of discouraging external investment. This has also been exacerbated by insufficient understanding of operational risk in emerging markets, which can be attributed to past operational risk measurement techniques, limited studies on emerging markets and inadequate data.     

Real-World Forward Rate Dynamics With Affine Realizations

We investigate the existence of affine realizations for Lévy driven interest rate term structure models under the real-world probability measure, which so far has only been studied under an assumed risk-neutral probability measure. For models driven by Wiener processes, all results obtained under the risk-neutral approach concerning the existence of affine realizations are transferred to the general case. A similar result holds true for models driven by compound Poisson processes with finite jump size distributions. However, in the presence of jumps with infinite activity we obtain severe restrictions on the structure of the market price of risk; typically, it must even be constant.     

北江干流沉积物重金属污染生态风险评价

通过北江干流水体沉积物重金属含量,研究其典型污染物的潜在生态风险。采集了北江干流韶关至清远段7份沉积物样品,经混酸消解后,以电感耦合等离子体质谱仪测定沉积物中重金属含量,并对沉积物重金属分布特征进行了分析。同时利用Hakanson的潜在生态危害指数（RI）评价模式,对北江干流沉积物重金属生态风险进行了评价。评价结果表明,北江干流沉积物中重金属综合生态危害程度均表现为很高级别,其生态危害因子Pb、Cd已成为北江干流突发性水污染事故潜在预警因子。     

Organophosphate esters by GC–MS: An optimized method for aquatic risk assessment

Organophosphate esters used as flame retardants and plasticizers are ubiquitous contaminants in surface waters. Many studies indicate that these compounds are neurotoxicants, endocrine disruptors, and may affect reproduction and development of aquatic organisms. Thus, analytical methods that allow accurate quantification of these contaminants at environmentally relevant concentrations are desirable for risk assessment studies. In this study, a method based on solid phase extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was developed for determination of organophosphate esters in river water extracts. Multivariate optimization was used to determine the best conditions for injection of larger volumes of sample in a Programmable Temperature Vaporization inlet. Furthermore, the matrix effect on the instrumental response was evaluated and compensated by association of extraction‐blank‐matched calibration and isotopically labeled focus standards. The method quantification limits ranged from 0.009 to 0.11 µg/L, staying below the predicted non‐effect concentration for the aquatic compartment for all analytes, which is a requisite for using in risk assessment studies. The method was applied to freshwater samples collected in rivers from the Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and eight out of the ten target organophosphate esters were quantified, being tris(2‐chloroisopropyl) phosphate and tris(phenyl) phosphate the most frequently detected compounds.     

Accumulation of selected metals in the fruits of medicinal plants grown in urban environment of Islamabad,Pakistan

The present study is based on the measurement of selected metals (Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Sr and Zn) in the fruits of eight medicinal plants (Carrisa opeca, Phyllanthus emblica, Solanum nigrum, Zizyphus nummularia, Zizyphus mauritiana, Physalis minima, Opuntia dillenii and Phoenix dactylifera) and relevant soil samples by atomic absorption spectrometry. Highest average concentrations of Cu (14.4 mg/kg), Cr (19.0 mg/kg), and Zn (125 mg/kg) were found in the fruits of P. minima, C. opeca and Z. nummularia, respectively, while O. dillenii showed the elevated mean levels of Cd (3.49 mg/kg), Sr (61.4 mg/kg), Mg (0.21%), Ca (6.62%) and Mn (44.6 mg/kg). However, highest average levels of Pb (41.7 mg/kg) and Co (38.4 mg/kg) were found in Z. mauritiana. Overall, most of the fruit samples showed higher contributions of Ca and Mg, followed by Fe, Zn, Co and Pb. In the case of soil samples, highest concentration was observed for Ca, followed by Fe, Mg, Mn and Sr, while lowest concentration was shown by Cd. Bioaccumulation factors exhibited significantly higher accumulation of Co (0.813–1.829) and Pb (0.060–2.350) from the soil to the fruits. Principal component analysis revealed significant anthropogenic contributions of Pb, Fe and Co in the fruit samples. Contamination factors and enrichment factors of Cd and Pb in the soil indicated very high contamination and extreme enrichment of these metals.