Increase in membrane thickness during development compensates for eggshell thinning due to calcium uptake by the embryo in falcons

We compared membrane thickness of fully developed eggs with those of non-developed eggs in different endangered falcon taxa. To our knowledge, membrane thickness variation during development has never been examined before in falcons or any other wild bird. Yet, the egg membrane constitutes an important protective barrier for the developing embryo. Because eggshell thinning is a general process that occurs during bird development, caused by calcium uptake by the embryo, eggs are expected to be less protected and vulnerable to breakage near the end of development. Thus, egg membranes could play an important protective role in the later stages of development by getting relatively thicker. We used linear mixed models to explore the variation in membrane thickness (n = 378 eggs) in relation to developmental stage, taxon, female age, mass and identity (73 females), egg-laying sequence (105 clutches) and the study zone. Our results are consistent with the prediction that egg membranes are thicker in fully developed eggs than in non-developed eggs, suggesting that the increase in membrane thickness during development may compensate for eggshell thinning. In addition, our data shown that thicker membranes are associated with larger, heavier and relatively wider eggs, as well as with eggs that had thinner eggshells. Egg-laying sequence, female age and the study zone did not explain the observed variation of membrane thickness in the falcon taxa studied. As we provide quantitative data on membrane thickness variation during development in falcons not subjected to contamination or food limitation (i.e. bred under captive conditions), our data may be used as a reference for studies on eggs from natural populations. Considering the large variation in membrane thickness and the multiple factors affecting on it and its importance in the protection of the embryo, we encourage other researchers to include measurements on membranes in studies exploring eggshell thickness variation.     

Male behaviors reveal multiple pherotypes within vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera; Pseudococcidae) populations

The vine mealybug (VM) females collected in Israel produce two sex pheromone compounds: lavandulyl senecioate (LS) and (S)-lavandulyl isovalerate (LI). The males display ambiguous behavior to LI: repulsion in the vineyard and attraction of laboratory-reared males. We addressed the question of individual male behavior, i.e., do males respond to both LS and LI, or might they display a distinct response to each of the two pheromone compounds. We compared male pherotype frequencies between wild-caught and laboratory-reared populations. Then, we examined the relationship between pherotype composition and male capture rates in pheromone traps. Finally, we addressed the heredity of the pherotypes. The Israeli VM populations contain nine different male pherotypes, as defined according to the male behavior to pheromone compounds. The studied Portuguese populations included five of the nine pherotypes; none of the Portuguese males were attracted to LI. It seems that the high frequency of males that were attracted to LI is related to dense VM populations. It is hypothesized that selection for the male pherotypes, I males, those that respond to LI, occur under high-density rearing conditions. This may result from shorter development times of males and females that produce more I male pherotypes. The lower relative frequency of trapping of males in LI-baited traps than expected from the percentage determined in a Petri dish arena suggests that males that respond solely to LS (S males) are better fliers. The results also suggest that the pherotype trait is inherited by both sexes of the VM.     

Improvement of fuel injection system of locomotive diesel engine

The traditional locomotive diesels are usually designed for the performance of rated condition and much fuel will be consumed. A new plunger piston matching parts of fuel injection pump and injector nozzle matching parts were designed. The experimental results of fuel injection pump test and diesel engine show that the fuel consumption rate can be decreased a lot in the most of the working conditions. The forced lubrication is adopted for the new injector nozzle matching parts, which can reduce failure rate and increase service life. The design has been patented by Chinese State Patent Office.     

纳米TiO_2的溶胶-微波法合成及其光催化性能研究

以钛酸四正丁酯为原料,采用溶胶-凝胶法、溶胶-水热法及溶胶-微波法三种方法合成出纳米TiO2,借助XRD、UV-Vis吸收光谱等测试手段对其进行了表征,并以甲基橙为模型污染物,考察了样品的光催化性能。物相分析表明,所得样品均为锐钛矿相TiO2,与其它两种方法相比,溶胶-微波法合成的样品衍射峰明显宽化,强度明显降低,说明该法合成出纳米TiO2粒径较小;UV-Vis吸收光谱表明,溶胶-微波法合成的样品在可见光区和紫外光区对光均呈现更强的吸收,说明该法合成的粉末对光具有更高的利用率。光催化实验表明,溶胶-微波法合成样品的光催化活性高于另两种方法,紫外灯连续照射5h,甲基橙溶液脱色率为99.06%。此外,将该样品用于延安卷烟厂蒸叶车间废水的光催化氧化处理,效果较好,太阳光照射3d后COD去除率为77.4%。     

皮江法炼镁行业清洁生产评价方法研究

文章在查阅大量国内外相关统计数据、国家行业标准及对镁行业专家进行咨询基础上,确定了指标体系中各指标的国际先进水平、国内先进水平、国内一般水平、淘汰水平四个等级的标准值。采用层次分析法确定指标权重,将专家意见和分析者的判断直接而有效的综合起来,在此基础上,采用模糊数学中的综合评判方法进行定量分析,并运用"最大隶属度"原则进行评价,判断出清洁生产水平等级和存在问题的环节。     

皮江法炼镁行业清洁生产指标体系建立

通过对皮江法炼镁行业生产工艺的深入分析,按照内容全面兼具科学性、简洁性和开放性的设计原则下,结合理论分析、专家咨询、频度统计法等方法初步提出皮江法炼镁行业的清洁生产指标体系.该指标体系包括定性指标、定量指标两大类,其中定性指标分为环境管理与安全卫生、原材料质量、工艺技术特征、污染物排放情况四个一级指标,定量指标分为资源消耗,能源消耗、综合利用、工艺技术、污染物排放五个一级指标.     

直接进样气相色谱法测定水中的1,2-环氧丙烷

建立了气相色谱法测定水中1,2-环氧丙烷的方法.采用小体积直接进样,键合交联毛细管柱分离,氢火焰离子化检测器,在几分钟内完成了测定.该方法线形测定范围为0.859～17.18 mg/L,相对标准偏差不大于8%,加标回收率为97.0%～104%,标准曲线相关系数为0.9996,检出限为0.01 mg/L,可用于水中1,2-环氧丙烷的分析测定.     

沘江两岸耕地土壤重金属径流迁移模拟研究

为研究重金属污染土壤在暴雨径流条件下是否存在水环境风险,对亚洲最大铅锌矿所在地,即沘江两岸耕地土壤中重金属元素As、Zn、Cd、Pb累积状况进行系统调查,并选择上游、中游、下游污染程度不同的3个代表性供试土壤,通过人工模拟降雨方法,研究不同坡度(5°、15°和25°)和不同降雨强度(30 mm/h和60 mm/h)下沘江流域耕地土壤中重金属元素As、Zn、Cd、Pb随地表径流迁移流失的环境风险.结果表明:1)沘江两岸耕地土壤重金属累积存在不同程度的污染,流域内中风险组As、Zn、Pb、Cd的含量超标率分别为7.69％～85.71％、7.69％～100％、23.08％～46.67％和38.46％～60％,高风险组Pb和Cd的含量超标率分别为53.33％～71.43％和40％～100％,流域不同位置耕地土壤中重金属As、Zn、Cd、Pb平均累积量从大到小表现为上游、中游、下游;2)模拟研究结果显示,沘江流域耕地土壤的地表径流水中出现不同程度重金属污染,上游耕地土壤的径流中As、Zn、Cd、Pb均被检出,中游耕地土壤的径流中Zn、Cd、Pb被检出,下游耕地土壤的径流中只有Cd被检出,其中Cd和Pb质量浓度在地表水Ⅳ-劣V类之间波动,径流中As和Zn质量浓度均未超过I类水质标准;3)地表径流水中As、Zn、Cd、Pb的质量浓度和迁移量都随着坡度和降雨强度的增加而增大.沘江两岸耕地土壤中存在重金属污染,土壤污染程度、降雨强度和坡度都可能对研究区域耕地土壤重金属径流迁移造成影响.     

Corticosterone in thin-billed prion <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pachyptila belcheri</Emphasis> chicks: diel rhythm,timing of fledging and nutritional stress

Glucocorticosteroids (GCs) of the hypothalam–pituitary–adrenal axis play a role in association with both stressful events and daily life processes. However, relatively little is known about the role of GCs in relation to daily and seasonal life processes in animals in the wild. In this paper, we present data on basal levels of plasma corticosterone CORT in chicks of a pelagic seabird, the thin-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri, during two predictable changes in demands, the daily activity pattern and the preparation for fledging. By comparing chicks fed recently with unfed chicks, we test how GC levels are modified according to nutritional condition. In accordance with their nocturnal feeding rhythm, chicks had a clear daily rhythm with increased CORT secretion at night, but CORT levels during the active phase were also highly elevated in unfed chicks compared with fed chicks. Close to fledging, chicks rapidly increased basal CORT levels, and again unfed chicks had higher levels than fed chicks, although the age effect here was stronger than the effect of recent feeding. The present data thus support the hypothesis that GC levels are adjusted to life stages with predictable changes in demands, but food availability and/or internal energy stores also affect the level to which GCs increase.