Effects of age and sex ratios on offspring recruitment rates in translocated black rhinoceros

Success of animal translocations depends on improving postrelease demographic rates toward establishment and subsequent growth of released populations. Short‐term metrics for evaluating translocation success and its drivers, like postrelease survival and fecundity, are unlikely to represent longer‐term outcomes. We used information theory to investigate 25 years of data on black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) translocations. We used the offspring recruitment rate (ORR) of translocated females—a metric integrating survival, fecundity, and offspring recruitment at sexual maturity—to detect determinants of success. Our unambiguously best model (AICω = 0.986) predicted that ORR increases with female age at release as a function of lower postrelease adult rhinoceros sex ratio (males:females). Delay of first postrelease reproduction and failure of some females to recruit any calves to sexual maturity most influenced the pattern of ORRs, and the leading causes of recruitment failure were postrelease female death (23% of all females) and failure to calve (24% of surviving females). We recommend translocating older females (≥6 years old) because they do not exhibit the reproductive delay and low ORRs of juveniles (<4 years old) or the higher rates of recruitment failure of juveniles and young adults (4–5.9 years old). Where translocation of juveniles is necessary, they should be released into female‐biased populations, where they have higher ORRs. Our study offers the unique advantage of a long‐term analysis across a large number of replicate populations—a science‐by‐management experiment as a proxy for a manipulative experiment, and a rare opportunity, particularly for a large, critically endangered taxon such as the black rhinoceros. Our findings differ from previous recommendations, reinforce the importance of long‐term data sets and comprehensive metrics of translocation success, and suggest attention be shifted from ecological to social constraints on population growth and species recovery, particularly when translocating species with polygynous breeding systems.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Harlequin ichthyosis presenting as distal arthrogryposis using three-dimensional ultrasound

We describe a case of Harlequin Icthyosis where the main 2D and 3D ultrasound findings were digital contractures as opposed to the more commonly described severe facial dysmorphisms. A prenatal finding of distal arthrogryposis can therefore include harlequin icthyosis as a differential diagnosis, where 3D ultrasound may then disclose the facial features more commonly associated with the condition. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

亚硒酸钠对水稻愈伤诱导和绿苗分化的影响

实验证明，亚硒酸钠对水稻外植体（成熟胚、幼穗）、愈伤组织和再生绿芽体细胞的生长都有不同程度的抑制作用，其抑制程度依次为再生绿芽＞愈伤组织＞外植体，但能促进它们的绿苗分化频率，特别在低硒浓度（１ｍｇ／Ｌ）处理组，并可改变它们的过氧化物酶同工酶的活性。     

Crystallization behavior of predominantly syndiotactic poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)

Predominantly syndiotactic poly(-hydroxybutyrate), syn-PHB, of variable syndioregularity (syndyad fractions 0.59, 0.62, 0.64, and 0.71) and molecular weight was prepared by the dibutyltin dimethoxide catalyzed ring opening of racemic-butyrolactone (BL). The crystallization behavior of the syn-PHB polymers was investigated by DSC and X-ray diffraction analyses. DSC of films after melting and annealing showed at least one, and often two distinct melting transitions occuring over a broad (often 40°C) temperature range. These results indicate that syn-PHB chain segments of variable syndioregularity form crystalline regions with very different thermodynamic stabilities. Maximum degrees of crystallinity for melt annealed 0.64- and 0.71-syn-PHB was observed at an annealing temperature (T _c ) of 30°C. AtT _c values at 45°C and higher, crystallization of relatively lower syndioregular chain segments was apparently excluded to variable degrees dependent onT _c and sample syndiotactic dyad content. After crystallization of syn-PHB samples at elevated temperatures, ambient temperature annealing resulted in an observed lower temperature melting transition at 50°C. This result showed little to no dependence on syn-PHB syndio-regularity andT _c . Both solution precipitated 0.62-syn-PHB and 0.71-syn-PHB have WAXS patterns with poorly resolved crystalline reflections superimposed on amorphous haloes indicating low levels of crystallinity (17% and 25%, respectively) and poorly formed crystals. Isothermal crystallization monitored by DSC showed that the syn- and natural origin PHB showed fastest crystallization rates at temperatures between 50°C and 70°C and 60°C and 90°C, respectively. From the dependence of the higher melting transition onT _c it was determined that the equilibrium melting temperatures for 0.62-syn-PHB (M _n =83,700 g/mol) and a 0.64-syn-PHB (M _n =11,900 g/mol) were 157 and 154°C, respectively. An Avrami analysis of syn-PHB yielded results similar to that found for natural origin PHB indicating that crystal growth occurs by a two-dimensional mechanism.Guest Editor: Dr. Graham Swift, Rohm & Haas.     

天然水中痕量磷酸根、亚砷酸根和砷酸根的浮膜分光光度法测定

本文研究了孔雀绿与磷（砷）酸钼的离子对膜的形成条件。并依此与共存元素分离，进行痕量磷酸根、亚砷酸根和砷酸根的浮膜分光光度法测定。选用硫酸为介质，考察了25种共存离子对测定的影响。拟定了天然水中痕量磷酸根、亚砷酸根和砷酸根的分析方法．操作简便，结果令人满意。     

PCrNi3MoVA钢动态再结晶晶粒尺寸的影响因素

此文利用Formastor-Press热模拟试验机研究了Z参数、奥氏体起始晶粒尺寸D_0和应变ε对PCrNi3MoVA铜动态再结晶晶粒尺寸D_(dyn)的影响。通过对试验数据进行分析发现以下规律:①1nD_(dyn)=a+blnZ,②lnD_(dyn)=c+dlnD_0;③lnD_(dyn)=e+flnε 10％≤ε≤40％,其中a、b、c、d、e、f为不同的常数,据此,此文采用线性回归方法获得了上述这些常数的值。     

Chemical forms of cobalt and nickel extracted by M1, M3 and CaCl2 DTPA

Mehlich 1(M1), mehlich 3(M3) and CaCl₂ DTPA have been used to predict the available micronutrient in soil. However, the forms of micronutrient extractable by these extractants are not known. In the present study, ten soils, collected from five provinces and the capital of China, representing a wide range of chemical and physical properties, were analyzed by sequential extraction to isolate five forms of cobalt and nickel, they are exchangeable, carbonate bound, Fe Mn oxide bound, organically bound and residual forms. The chemical forms extracted by M1, M3 and CaCl₂ DTPA were also investigated. The results show strong correlation between the carbonate bound or organically bound forms of Co or Ni and the amounts of extractable by any of the above three extractants. The main forms extracted by these extractants are carbonate and organically bound forms. The ranking of these three extractants for extraction of Co and Ni are M1>M3=CaCl₂ DTPA and M1=M3>CaCl₂ DTPA, respectively.     

Admixture of maternal metaphases in first trimester direct chromosome preparations?

The autoradiographic labelling of different cell types in chorionic villi and decidual tissue was investigated after [³H]-thymidine incorporation in vitro. Although the extent of labelling was found to be lower in decidual than in villus tissue the possibility that direct chromosome preparations may contain maternal metaphases should be considered. The need for careful selection of villi for direct cytogenetic analysis was stressed.     

影响活性污泥脱氮的效果及对策

以九江大化肥污水Ａ／Ｏ脱氮工艺为例，详细地分析了影响活性污泥脱氮效果的几个因素，提出了一些相应对策来提高脱氮效果