Effect of Climatic Factors on the Growth of Representatives of the Genus Pinus (Pinaceae) under Conditions of Introduction

Four introduced and one aboriginal species of the genus Pinus L. have been studied in the middle taiga subzone of southern Karelia. Significant interspecific differences in the dates of onset, cessation, and peak of the growth of shoots and needles have been revealed. It has been shown that their annual increment depends on the rate of growth, rather than on its duration. The dynamics of shoot and needle growth in introduced and aboriginal species, though largely similar, differ in some respects. These differences reflect species-specific responses to hydrothermal conditions in a certain growing season.     

Shock Wave Cleaning of Air Filters

The trends in and relationships between ambient air concentrations of sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols at 48 urban sites and 27 nonurban sites throughout the U.S. between 1963 and 1972 have been analyzed. The substantial decreases in ambient SO₂ concentrations measured at urban sites in the eastern and midwestern U.S. are consistent with the corresponding reductions in local SO₂ emissions, but these decreases have been accompanied by only modest decreases in ambient sulfate concentrations. Large differences in the amounts of SO₂ emitted within individual air quality control regions are associated with much smaller differences in the corresponding ambient sulfate concentrations. Substantial changes in the patterns of SO₂ emissions between air quality regions result in essentially no differences between ambient sulfate concentrations in those air quality regions. Comparisons of several air quality regions in the eastern and western U.S. with similar SO₂ emission levels and patterns of emissions clearly demonstrates the higher ambient sulfate concentration levels in eastern air quality control regions. Relationships between SO₂, sulfates, and vanadium concentrations at eastern nonurban U.S. sites cannot be explained by local emission sources. These various observed results can be best explained by long distance sulfur oxide transport with chemical conversion of SO₂ to sulfates occurring over ranges of hundreds of kilometers. This conclusion has been suggested earlier and the present analysis strongly supports previous discussions. An impact of long range transport of sulfates is to emphasize the need for Consistent strategies for reduction of sulfur oxides throughout large geographical regions. Additions of large capacities involving elevated sources in mid-continental or western regions could result in significant increases in sulfate concentrations well downwind of such sources. Some of the types of research activities required to quantitate crucial experimental parameters are discussed.     

Characteristics of aerosols collected in central Taiwan during an Asian dust event in spring 2000

Aerosol samples for PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) were collected at four locations in central Taiwan from 26 to 31 March 2000, a period that experienced exceedingly high PM levels from 29 to 30 March due to the passage of an Asian dust storm. The samples were analyzed for mass, metallic elements, ions, and carbon. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the dust storm on the characteristics of local ambient particulate matter. The results indicate that the concentrations of the crustal elements Ca, Mg, Al, Fe and the sea salt species Na+ and Cl- in PM(2.5-10) during the dust episode exceed the mean concentrations in the non-dust period by factors of 3.1, 2.9, 2.6, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.1 respectively. Enrichment factors of Ca, Fe, and Mg in PM(2.5-10) during the dust event are close to unity, indicating that these elements are from soil. Reconstruction of aerosol compositions revealed that soil of coarse particulates elevated approximately 50% in the dust event. It is noted that during the dust event, the ratio of Mg/Al in PM(2.5-10) ranged from 0.21 to 0.25 while that of Ca/Al ranged from 0.6 to 0.9, levels more constant than those obtained in non-dust period.     

A study on emission of phthalate esters from plastic materials using a passive flux sampler

Phthalate esters are used as plasticizer in many plastics, and several studies have shown their toxicity. Phthalate esters are gradually emitted over time, and so it is conceivable that they pose a significant health risk. This study aims to investigate the temperature dependence of the emissions of various phthalate esters and to estimate the health risks of these emissions at various temperatures. A passive-type sampler was developed to measure the flux of phthalate esters from the surface of plastic materials. With this sampler, we examined three widely used plastic materials: synthetic leather, wallpaper and vinyl flooring. The observed maximum emissions of diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) from these materials at 20°C were 0.89, 0.77, and 14 μg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. Emissions at 80°C were 2.8, 4.5×10², and 1.5×10³ μg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The results showed this temperature dependence is determined primarily by the type of phthalate ester and less so by the type of material. The estimation from the results of temperature dependence indicated the concentration of DEHP in a vehicle left out in the sunshine during the day can exceed the recommended levels of Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.     

Possible involvement of the glycocalyx in the ichthyotoxicity of Chattonella marina (Raphidophyceae): immunological approach using antiserum against cell surface structures of the flagellate

Although the ichthyotoxic mechanism of Chattonella marina is still unknown, several lines of evidence suggest that the reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion (O₂^-), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)_, and hydroxyl radical (·OH), produced by C. marina are involved in the mortality of fish exposed to this flagellate. Recently, we found that the cell-free supernatant prepared from C. marina, which is considered to contain the glycocalyx, showed NADPH-dependent O₂^- generation. In this study, we prepared antiserum against the crude glycocalyx of C. marina. Using indirect immunofluorescence, it was confirmed that the antiserum specifically reacted with C. marina cells. In addition to C. marina, the antiserum also reacted with other raphidophycean flagellates such as Heterosigma akashiwo, Olisthodiscus luteus, and Fibrocapsa japonica, whereas no reactivity was observed against six other flagellate species tested. These results suggest that raphidophycean flagellates have common epitopes recognized by the antiserum. Interestingly, immunohistochemical analysis of paraformaldehyde-fixed gill lamellae from yellowtail exposed to C. marina revealed that the antiserum stained the surface of gill lamellae, while no such staining pattern was observed in control gill lamellae. These results suggest that the glycocalyx may be discharged when C. marina cells are inhaled into the fishes' mouths and then come into contact with the gill surface. Based on the present results, together with our previous findings, we propose that continuous accumulation of the discharged glycocalyx on the gill surface occurs during C. marina exposure, which may be responsible for the ROS-mediated severe gill tissue damage leading to fish death.     

Influence of host plants on sexual communication in the herbivorous bug Lygocoris pabulinus

Summary. Host plant volatiles may be involved in the sexual communication of insects in several ways. In the pheromone-producing sex, these volatiles may affect pheromone production or release and, in the receptive sex, plant volatiles may have a synergistic effect on the attraction to sex pheromone. We conducted three types of experiments to determine if and how plant volatiles are involved in the sexual communication of Lygocoris pabulinus (L.) (Heteroptera: Miridae), the females of which attract males. In a one-choice cylinder bioassay, females were offered to males on two different plants, belonging to different plant families, i.e. potato leaves and goosefoot leaves, to determine if specific plant volatiles were involved in the attraction of males towards females. Females on potato leaves were as attractive as females on goosefoot leaves, but significantly more attractive than females without plant material. The latter result suggests an interaction between females and potato leaves. However, in two-choice flying and walking bioassays, using delta traps in a wind tunnel and a vertical Y-track olfactometer, males were attracted to females irrespective of the presence of potato leaves. This difference in result is probably due to the fact that in the latter assays females were confined with pollen as an alternative food source, while females in the one-choice assay had access to water only, so that they may have suffered from malnutrition. Males in the one-choice assay were also attracted to potato leaves from which females had been removed, indicating that attractive components from females are deposited and adsorbed to the substrate. Plants are probably only indirectly involved in sexual communication, their surface merely functioning as a substrate from which pheromone is released. Males may subsequently be attracted to such plants or substrates. Clean plant material was not attractive to L. pabulinus males, hence plant volatiles alone do not seem to be used by these males as possible mate location cues.     

Production of new concrete with leather tannery waste used as partial replacement of the natural sand

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Leather production is a technology that boosts the economy because of its versatility and durability. However, the wastes generated throughout the...