Trajectory of a jet in crossflow in a channel bend

Mixing in rivers is an important issue with many applications in water quality and water resource management. Mixing of effluents with ambient river water is especially important, particularly in river bends, where secondary circulation complicates the mixing process. By comparing measured trajectories from dye tests to velocimetry data measured with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter, this paper models the trajectory of a jet in an open channel bend using a modified formula for a jet trajectory in a straight crossflow. The original formula is shown to be insufficient for modeling the trajectory in the bend. Modifications are proposed using the position of the centre of the main secondary circulation cell to account for the bend effects. In the absence of secondary circulation, the modified formula reduces to the original formula. Once the secondary circulation has developed, the proposed formula is shown to have better residuals, lower root mean squared error, and higher \(R^2\) than the original formula.     

The regional framing of climate change: towards a place-based perspective on regional climate change perception in north Frisia

Numerous studies have begun to tackle the social and cultural dimensions of perceiving and framing climate change. Scholars from geography and environmental psychology in particular have started to highlight the importance of so-called place-based approaches to studying regional and local framings of climate change. This paper stands in this tradition. It reports on findings derived from a nationwide survey of perceptions of and reactions to extreme weather events and interviews conducted with inhabitants of three islands in the coastal region of North Frisia (Germany). Coastal dwellers understand climate change through the lens of local and regional experiences of meteorological phenomena, seasonal changes, knowledge of the sea, and changes in local flora and fauna. Our detailed ecolinguistic analysis revealed six prevailing conceptual metaphors: Climate change is an enemy, preventing climate change is fight/war, climate change is punishment for human sins, climate change is overheating/heat, climate change is hot air/hoax and climate change is eco-dictatorship. These metaphors were used to make sense of climate change at the regional level and provide insights into place-based social and cultural conceptualisations of climate change. An understanding of these meanings should feed into developing more grounded climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in coastal regions.     

Species diversity variation of Cupressus funebris secondary forest in landslide site after 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake北大核心CSCD

The characteristics of species diversity in Cupressus funebris secondary forest under the effect of geological hazard were explored by selecting the typical landslide surface of Fenghuang Mountain, Leigu Town, Beichuan County, which was derived from the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake. The results showed that 93 species belonged to 42 families, and 78 genera were found in the landslide area, where the main families were Compositae, Leguminosae, and Gramineae-based. Further, 97 species in the transition area belonged to 39 families and 80 genera, and the main families were Compositae, Gramineae, and Rosaceae-based. In all, 108 species were recorded in the non-landslide area, which belonged to 59 families and 92 genera, the main families of which were Compositae, Rosaceae, and Gramineae-based. Compositae and Gramineae played important roles in the landslide recovery process after earthquake. The Pielou index (JSW) was the highest in the non-landslide area of the herb layer, whereas the richness index (D) was the lowest; the Shannon-Wiener index (H) and Simpson index (H') showed medium values. In the non-landslide area, the D, H, and H' were the highest in the shrub layer, whereas the JSW was the lowest. Further, the species diversity index of the transitional area was higher than that of the landslide area. In the tree layer, the D and H were both the highest and lowest in the landslide area and transition area, respectively. In contrast, the H' and JSW were the highest in the transition area and the lowest in the non-landslide area. The distribution of vegetation was generally consistent with the distribution of soil nutrients in the spatial distribution of surface soil nutrients. The succession of trees in the landslide area was relatively slow and at the initial stage, and the pioneer species were Coriaria nepalensis, Leptopus chinensis, and Arthraxon lanceolatus in this area. Taken together, the findings suggested that the stability of a plant community can be increased by improving the soil and stabilizing the slope. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Tolerance of the black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) to pH value,pungency, and NaCl in foodstuffs北大核心CSCD

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has been considered impressive as a saprophagous insect, for its high ability to convert organic waste to insect protein and oil. Hence, it has been regarded by the municipal administration that BSF might be used as a medium to deal with food waste. However, food waste in China has been characterized as having a high salt content, oily, and very spicy, which usually renders them unsuitable for animal feeding. In order to assess the technological reliability for BSF conversion of food waste, the tolerance of BSF for pH values, pungency, and NaCl in food were investigated in this case. Results indicated that strong acidity (pH = 3) was not good for the development of BSF, demonstrating less body weight and eclosion failure. In contrast, strong basicity (pH = 11) seemed to be beneficial for larval development with high biomass, and there is no difference in pupation, eclosion, larval biomass, and livability for BSF for pH values between 5 and 11. With regards to salinity, liner correlations were observed; the salinity strength increased along with the extension of the larval phase, but body weight, pupation rate, emerging rate, and livability were still consistent under 6% density of salinity. Influence of pungency on BSF larvae has not yet been found. In conclusion, BSF showed a high tolerance to pH value, pungency, and salinity in foodstuffs. Hence, it is expected that food waste from common environments might have a lesser possibility to cause negative effects on BSF development, which could be good news for BSF conversion technology. As for the process design, the conclusion suggested that food waste optimum for BSF is expected to be alkaline and low-salt, which would be helpful to improve the efficiency and harvest. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

The interaction of heat shock proteins and some components of plant viruses北大核心CSCD

Considerable research has indicated that heat shock proteins (Hsp), as molecular chaperones, carry out many biological activities of plant viruses by folding, transporting, translocating, assembling, or degrading client proteins. It is fundamental to develop resistant plant varieties and novel anti-viral agents by determining the interaction mechanisms between plant viruses and hosts. In this study, we first reviewed the classification, gene and protein structure, and biological significances. We then analyzed the assembling mechanism of Hsp70 or Hsp90, plant host cofactors, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases in a viral replicase complex, and the mechanism of interaction and subcellular localization between Hsp70 and some plant virus components. We highlighted the mechanism of interaction and movement between Hsp70 and some plant virus components and the effect of Hsp expression of plant hosts or viruses. The results indicated where the mechanism occurred, the participating factors, energy supply, and material conversion between Hsps and the plant virus components for the course of the intracellular movement, local movement between cells, and long-distance movement, and showed the Hsp type specificity and the law of dynamic Hsp expression in plant hosts infected by viruses. The studies mainly focused on the two Hsp factors and the plant viral components, indicating limited coordination mechanisms among many nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides in macromolecular protein complexes (MRC). Future research should analyze the translocation mechanism between client proteins and Hsps, the coordination mechanism between Hsps and MRC components, and the relation between MRC and the plant tissue structure. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Fast and complete removal of the 5-fluorouracil drug from water by electro-Fenton oxidation

Cytostatic drugs are a troublesome class of emerging pollutants in water owing to their potential effects on DNA. Here we studied the removal of 5-fluorouracil from water using the electro-Fenton process. Galvanostatic electrolyses were performed with an undivided laboratory-scale cell equipped with a boron-doped diamond anode and a carbon felt cathode. Results show that the fastest degradation and almost complete mineralization was obtained at a Fe²⁺ catalyst concentration of 0.2 mM. The absolute rate constant for oxidation of 5-fluorouracil by hydroxyl radicals was 1.52 × 10⁹ M^?1 s^?1. Oxalic and acetic acids were initially formed as main short-chain aliphatic by-products, then were completely degraded. After 6 h the final solution mainly contained inorganic ions (NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^? and F^?) and less than 10% of residual organic carbon. Hence, electro-Fenton constitutes an interesting alternative to degrade biorefractory drugs.     

Population differentiation of the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in the western North Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico

Information about the genetic population structure of the Atlantic spotted dolphin [Stenella frontalis (G. Cuvier 1829)] in the western North Atlantic would greatly improve conservation and management of this species in USA waters. To this end, mitochondrial control region sequences and five nuclear microsatellite loci were used to test for genetic differentiation of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the western North Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico (n=199). Skin tissue samples were collected from 1994–2000. Significant heterozygote deficiencies in three microsatellite loci within samples collected off the eastern USA coast prompted investigation of a possible Wahlund effect, resulting in evidence for previously unsuspected population subdivision in this region. In subsequent analyses including three putative populations, two in the western North Atlantic (n=38, n=85) and one in the Gulf of Mexico (n=76), significant genetic differentiation was detected for both nuclear DNA (R _ST=0.096, P≤0.0001) and mitochondrial DNA (Φ _ST=0.215, P≤0.0001), as well as for all pair-wise population comparisons for both markers. This genetic evidence for population differentiation coupled to known biogeographic transition zones at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, evidence of female philopatry, and preliminary support for significant genetic differences between previously documented morphotypes of Atlantic spotted dolphins in coastal and offshore waters all indicate that the biology and life history of this species is more complex than previously assumed. Assumptions of large, panmictic populations might not be accurate in other areas where S. frontalis is continuously distributed (e.g., eastern Atlantic), and could have a detrimental effect on long-term viability and maintenance of genetic diversity in this species in regions where incidental human-induced mortality occurs.

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Using the expert model PERPEST to translate measured and predicted pesticide exposure data into ecological risks

An important topic in the registration of pesticides and the interpretation of monitoring data is the estimation of the consequences of a certain concentration of a pesticide for the ecology of aquatic ecosystems. Solving these problems requires predictions of the expected response of the ecosystem to chemical stress. Up until now, a dominant approach to come up with such a prediction is the use of simulation models or safety factors. The disadvantage of the use of safety factors is a crude method that does not provide any insight into the concentration–response relationships at the ecosystem level. On the other hand, simulation models also have serious drawbacks like that they are often very complex, lack transparency, their implementation is expensive and there may be a compilation of errors, due to uncertainties in parameters and processes. In this paper, we present the expert model prediction of the ecological risks of pesticides (PERPEST) that overcomes these problems. It predicts the effects of a given concentration of a pesticide based on the outcome of already performed experiments using experimental ecosystems. This has the great advantage that the outcome is more realistic. The paper especially discusses how this model can be used to translate measured and predicted concentrations of pesticides into ecological risks, by taking data on measured and predicted concentrations of atrazine as an example. It is argued that this model can be of great use to evaluate the outcome of chemical monitoring programmes (e.g. performed in the light of the Water Framework Directive) and can even be used to evaluate the effects of mixtures.     

Population biology and life strategies of Chlorophthalmus agassizii Bonaparte, 1840 (Pisces: Osteichthyes) in the Mediterranean Sea

The population biology and life strategies of Chlorophthalmus agassizii were studied in the Ionian Sea (eastern–central Mediterranean) using the data collected during the experimental trawl surveys carried out from 1995 to 2000. Depth-related trends of both density and size were found. With depth the former decreased while the latter increased. A typical bigger–deeper phenomenon was detected: young-of-the-year individuals occur on the shelf during autumn–winter months and move towards bathyal bottoms as they grow. The sampled population was made up of several size–age groups. The maximum age of 8 years was identified by means of otolith readings. The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated from the age–length key (L _∞=189.04±5.401 mm; k=0.24±0.021; t _o=−1.20±0.132; φ′=3.94) and modal progression analysis (L _∞=218.33±18.397 mm; k=0.164±0.028; t _o=−1.694±0.171; φ′=3.89). Reproduction of this monoecious fish was observed during summer–early autumn. Considering the female portion of the gonad, the size at attainment of 50% maturity was 115 mm TL. The corresponding age is within the third year of life. The simultaneous occurrence of oocytes in different development stages was shown in the ovary. Both the asynchronous ovary and oocyte size distribution indicate that C. agassizii spawns more than once during a reproductive season (batch spawner). Functional fecundity (on average 3,018 hydrated oocytes) was between 37 and 69% of the absolute fecundity and increased significantly with the individual size. Since adult specimens are mostly distributed on the slope, eggs and larvae develop in epipelagic waters and migrate in-shore where juvenile forms recruit on the shelf. Juveniles migrate ontogenetically towards deeper bottoms and after 2–3 years start to reproduce annually within a life span greater than 10 years.