Higher removal rate of eggs laid by anarchistic queens—a cost of anarchy?

Anarchy, where honeybee workers produce males in the presence of a queen, is extremely rare in natural honeybee populations, suggesting that there are colony-level costs associated with being anarchistic. Yet, no significant costs have yet been identified. A possible reason for this may be that researchers have only focused on the behaviour of anarchistic workers, which have been shown to perform worker-tasks as do wild-type workers. Possibly, therefore, costs associated with anarchy should be sought in anarchistic queens and not workers. A potential cost could be a lower survival rate of eggs laid by anarchistic queens perhaps because their egg-marking signal is not as clear as that of a wild-type queen. In this paper, we determined the removal rate of eggs laid by anarchistic queens in standard worker-policing bioassays. Our results show that eggs laid by anarchistic queens are removed at a higher rate than eggs laid by wild-type queens. This does not seem to be due to differences in hydrocarbons found on the surface of eggs, as both egg types showed the same alkanes and alkenes in similar proportions. We postulate that higher removal rates of queen-laid eggs due to recognition errors may be one reason that anarchy is rare in natural honeybee populations.     

The challenge of integrating non-continuous processes – milk powder plant case study

The integration of non-continuous processes such as a milk powder plant presents a challenge for existing process integration techniques. Current techniques are generally based on steady and continuous operation which for some industries is not the case. Milk production varies considerably during the year as dairy cows in New Zealand are grazed on pasture. In this paper the potential for indirect heat transfer between the several plants using a heat recovery loop and stratified tank at a typical New Zealand dairy factory is investigated. The maximum amount of heat recovery is calculated for a range of recirculation loop temperatures. The maximum amount of heat recovery can be increased considerably if the temperature of the hot fluid in the recirculation loop is varied depending on which condition the site is operating under.     

Future waste disposal in The Netherlands

This paper sets out a few results of research on waste prevention, recycling and disposal in The Netherlands. First, an outline is given of the actual waste disposal. Secondly, a projection is made of the different waste categories as a result of independent developments for the year 2000. Finally, a scenario is presented in which recent Dutch policy on the prevention and recycling of waste, as well as incineration, play important roles. The waste policy will be based on the long-term objective of sustainable development, as mentioned in the Brundtland Commission report. Results are given concerning space, costs and emissions.     

Understanding farmer intentions to connect to a modernised delivery system in an Australian irrigation district: a reasoned action approach

Australian governments have sought to invest in irrigation infrastructure to improve the efficiency of water delivery to rural properties and improve water supply and on-farm efficiency. A programme of rationalising irrigation infrastructure has attracted criticism and doubts about its likely success. Attitude theory in the form of the Reasoned Action Model was applied to understand the intentions of landowners to connect to a ‘modernised’ irrigation system. Attitudes towards connecting to the system, social norms and perceptions of control over the behaviour provided an explanation of intentions to connect. Actual financial capability and other variables were important in discriminating a group of landowners who had already connected to the modernised system from farmers who had not.     

关于气溶胶颗粒物沉积率系数平均方法模型的改进研究

气溶胶颗粒物在壁面的沉积率系数模型的研究已经成为现代气溶胶动力学研究的重要课题.本文通过实验腔测量和理论分析相结合,对Koivisto等(2012)提出的平均方法模型(AM)中的关键参数(即时间间隔)的选取和对测量数据量的要求两个问题进行研究.选取目前广泛使用的最小二乘法模型(LSM)和Lai和Nazaroff(2000)提出的理论分析模型进行对比.研究发现,AM模型中的时间间隔这一关键参数,应由目前的50矫正为20;AM模型和LSM模型均要求实验测量数据个数等于或者大于10,但是AM模型在小数据量情况下的预测结果更精确.     

Genomic analyses of metal resistance genes in three plant growth promoting bacteria of legume plants in Northwest mine tailings,China

To better understand the diversity of metal resistance genetic determinant from microbes that survived at metal tailings in northwest of China, a highly elevated level of heavy metal containing region, genomic analyses was conducted using genome sequence of three native metal-resistant plant growth promoting bacteria(PGPB). It shows that: Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123 contains metal transporters from P-type ATPase, CDF(Cation Diffusion Facilitator), Hup E/Ure J and CHR(chromate ion transporter) family involved in copper, zinc, nickel as well as chromate resistance and homeostasis. Meanwhile, the putative Cop A/Cue O system is expected to mediate copper resistance in Sinorhizobium meliloti CCNWSX0020 while Znt A transporter, assisted with putative Czc D, determines zinc tolerance in Agrobacterium tumefaciens CCNWGS0286. The greenhouse experiment provides the consistent evidence of the plant growth promoting effects of these microbes on their hosts by nitrogen fixation and/or indoleacetic acid(IAA) secretion,indicating a potential in-site phytoremediation usage in the mining tailing regions of China.