Effects of Temperature–Climate Patterns on the Production of Some Competitive Species on Grounds of Modelling

Climate change has serious effects on the setting up and the operation of natural ecosystems. Small increase in temperature could cause rise in the amount of some species or potential disappearance of others. During our researches, the dispersion of the species and biomass production of a theoretical ecosystem were examined on the effect of the temperature–climate change. The answers of the ecosystems which are given to the climate change could be described by means of global climate modelling and dynamic vegetation models. The examination of the operation of the ecosystems is only possible in huge centres on supercomputers because of the number and the complexity of the calculation. The number of the calculation could be decreased to the level of a PC by considering the temperature and the reproduction during modelling a theoretical ecosystem, and several important theoretical questions could be answered.     

Salinity effects on glucose uptake and catabolism in the obligately psychrophilic marine bacterium Vibrio marinus

Studies on the effects of various salinities on the uptake and catabolism of glucose in Vibrio marinus MP-1 revealed several significant shifts in total uptake and respiration as the cells were subjected to increasingly greater concentrations of NaCl. As the salinity increased from 0.30 to 1.0 M NaCl, there was a decrease in the C₆/C₁ (CO₂) ratio. The resulting patterns suggests that the relative participation of the hexose monophosphate pathway in glucose catabolism was altered. This pathway is apparently shut down in the region of the minimum-growth salinity, and may be related to growth limitation at rower salinities. The shift in C₆/C₁ ratio was not affected by changing the incubation temperature, nor was it dependent specifically on the presence of Na⁺ or Cl^-. As the salinity increased from 0.15 to 0.30 M NaCl, there was a shift in the total uptake patterns which suggests the formation and loss of metabolic by-products derived from the first, second, sixth, and presumably fifth carbons of glucose.This paper was taken in part from a dissertation by the senior author, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Ph.D. degree, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Published as technical paper No. 3647, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Joint submissions,output related payments and environmental co-operatives: Can the Dutch experience innovate UK agri-environment policy?

This paper describes three relatively recent innovations in the Dutch agri-environment programme which have helped nature management to be contiguous with natural features allowing the landscape to be managed whole rather than piecemeal—and thus generate higher quality and greater scope in environmental management. The first two, joint submissions by neighbouring farmers and payments related to the level of environmental output delivered, are scheme innovations. The third, Environmental Co-operatives (EC)—clubs of neighbouring farmers that inter alia co-ordinate and help manage the scheme innovations—is an institutional innovation. None has an equivalent in the UK. Evidence from interviews with farmer and non-farmer members, policy makers, academics and other interested parties show the role EC play in overcoming some of the postulated problems of the two scheme innovations. Not all the problems have been overcome, and cost-benefit analyses have not been conducted, nevertheless there is sufficient evidence to suggest that these innovations have benefited all actors involved: farmers, the government, the environment and the rural economy. Analysis of UK agri-environment policy using actor network theory (ANT) suggests the UK government will need to show similar levels of trust in and commitment to the farming community before these innovations could be introduced in the UK.     

Training obstetricians and midwives to present screening tests: Evaluation of two brief interventions

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of two brief training interventions to improve obstetricians' and midwives' explanations to patients of a routine prenatal screening test. Health professionals were randomly allocated to one of two intervention groups or a control group. Information-giving about the test and communication skills were assessed at baseline, post-training and 3-month follow-up from audiotaped consultations. Both intervention groups received a 1-h training session involving small group discussions focused around a video. In addition, one group received individual feedback on their baseline and post-training consultations. Twenty-six midwives and nine obstetricians completed the study according to the protocol. Changes between baseline and post-training, and between baseline and follow-up, were computed. Information-giving and communication skills improved significantly in subjects receiving training and feedback on their performance, with the greatest improvements occurring before feedback was given. Those receiving training without feedback significantly improved their communication skills and showed some improvement in information-giving. These results show that modest improvements in communication can be made with relatively brief training. Greater and more sustained improvements may be found if all staff were trained, and trained on a regular basis.     

Biamnial elevated alpha-fetoprotein and positive acetylcholinesterase in twins,one with anencephaly

Anencephaly in twin B was accompanied by elevated amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and a positive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) band on gel electrophoresis in both twin sacs, although twin A was normal. AChE results did not help distinguish the false positive AFP in this set of twins, implying that AChE may diffuse transamniotically as has been previously postulated for AFP. In light of the low concordance rate for neural tube defects in twins, patient counselling in this situation must include the information that AFP and AChE may be falsely elevated in normal twin when the other twin has a neural tube defect.     

A prospective cytogenetic study of third-trimester placentae in small-for-date but otherwise normal newborns

Data in the literature suggest that confined placental mosaicism might be associated with intrauterine growth retardation. However, this association may be coincidental and due to bias of ascertainment. We therefore started a prospective study based on the cytogenetic evaluation of placentae derived from growth-retarded newborns. We further minimized possible bias by excluding those small-for-date infants displaying findings which already could explain intrauterine growth retardation (mothers who are smokers, multiple pregnancies, gestosis, dysmorphic infants). In a collection of 71 small-for-gestational age newborns, we did not see a single case of true confined placental mosaicism.     

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS AND FILMS

Ten years ago in the United States, per capita water use for all purposes was about 1500 gallons a day. By the year 2000, our population will have grown from 200 to 350 million, and each person, in effect, will be using 2500 gallons per day, This could result in our using as much as 75 percent of the total average runoff from US. Rivers
Perhaps as much as 40,000 cubic miles of saline water are stored in rocks at various depths underlying extensive areas of the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This water, once considered of no value and even a nuisance, now represents a vast potential source of water, either as replacement of fresh water for certain uses or as the raw material for desalting techniques which have been studied intensively in recent years. Desalination creates new water in the sense that saline water, never before used, becomes part of our water economy.