Female sex pheromone and male behavioral responses of the bombycid moth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trilocha varians</Emphasis>: comparison with those of the domesticated silkmoth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis>

Analysis of female sex pheromone components and subsequent field trap experiments demonstrated that the bombycid moth Trilocha varians uses a mixture of (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal (bombykal) and (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienyl acetate (bombykyl acetate) as a sex pheromone. Both of these components are derivatives of (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienol (bombykol), the sex pheromone of the domesticated silkmoth Bombyx mori. This finding prompted us to compare the antennal and behavioral responses of T. varians and B. mori to bombykol, bombykal, and bombykyl acetate in detail. The antennae of T. varians males responded to bombykal and bombykyl acetate but not to bombykol, and males were attracted only when lures contained both bombykal and bombykyl acetate. In contrast, the antennae of B. mori males responded to all the three components. Behavioral analysis showed that B. mori males responded to neither bombykal nor bombykyl acetate. Meanwhile, the wing fluttering response of B. mori males to bombykol was strongly inhibited by bombykal and bombykyl acetate, thereby indicating that bombykal and bombykyl acetate act as behavioral antagonists for B. mori males. T. varians would serve as a reference species for B. mori in future investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of sex pheromone communication systems in bombycid moths.     

Southeastward transport of Asian dust: Source,transport and its contributions to Taiwan

Atmospheric Aluminum measured in northern Taiwan from 2003 to 2006 is used as a dust tracer, from which dust concentrations are derived, and major Asian dust events are determined. The source locations for the major dust events are traced back and identified, and the processes leading to the southeastward transport of Asian dust is investigated. The derived dust concentrations are compared to the local PM₁₀ (particle with size less than 10 μm) concentrations, and the impacts of Asian dust on the air quality of Taiwan are quantified.According to the backward trajectory and dust observation analyses, most of the southeastward transport of major Asian dust events originate from Mongolia and Inner Mongolia in northern China, and only one out of 16 events is generated from western China. Modeling studies and weather analyses of dust events suggest that the southeastward transport of Asian dust is usually generated behind a surface front and transported downwind behind the associated upper level trough. The associated upper level trough is usually deep, in which the northwesterly wind behind the trough favors the southeastward transport of dust to lower latitudes. Dust transported to Taipei generally occur during periods of large-scale subsidence.Asian dust contributes about 15 μg m^?3 of aerosol particles to northern Taiwan during winter monsoon, which accounts for about 24–30% of the PM₁₀ concentrations to the northern Taiwan. The contributions of Asian dust are raised pronouncedly to about 60–70% during major dust events. The impacts of Asian dust on Taiwan's air quality are most substantial in December. The Asian dust impacts decrease in other months, but still remain at around 30% in the late winter to early spring.     

Observation of SO2 dry deposition velocity at a high elevation flux tower over an evergreen broadleaf forest in Central Taiwan

A 60-m flux tower was built on a 2100 m mountain for the measurement of the air pollutant concentration and the evaluation of dry deposition velocity in Central Taiwan. The tower was constructed in an evergreen broadleaf forest, which is the dominant species of forest in the world. Multiple-level SO₂ concentrations and meteorological variables at the site were measured from February to April 2008. The results showed that the mean dry deposition velocities of SO₂ were 0.61 cm s^?1 during daytime and 0.27 cm s^?1 during nighttime. From the comparison of the monthly data, a tendency was observed that the dry deposition velocity increases with LAI and solar radiation. Furthermore, it was observed that the deposition velocity was larger over wet canopy than over dry canopy, and that higher deposition velocities in the wet season were mainly caused by non-stomatal uptake of wet canopy. Over wet canopy, the mean dry deposition velocities of SO₂ were estimated to be 0.83 cm s^?1 during daytime and 0.47 cm s^?1 during nighttime; and 0.44 cm s^?1 during daytime and 0.19 cm s^?1 during nighttime over dry canopy. There is good agreement between the results of this study and those in other studies and the predictions of Zhang et al. (2003a). The medians (geometric means) of derived r_c during daytime are 233 (266) m s^?1 over dry canopy and 147 (146) m s^?1 over wet canopy. It was found that solar radiation is the critical important meteorological variable determining stomatal resistance during daytime. For non-stomatal resistance, clear dependencies were observed on the friction velocity and relative humidity.     

Treatment and toxicity evaluation of methylene blue using electrochemical oxidation,fly ash adsorption and combined electrochemical oxidation-fly ash adsorption

Treatment of a basic dye, methylene blue, by electrochemical oxidation, fly ash adsorption, and combined electrochemical oxidation-fly ash adsorption was compared. Methylene blue at 100 mg L^?1 was used in this study. The toxicity was also monitored by the Vibrio fischeri light inhibition test.When electrochemical oxidation was used, 99% color and 84% COD were removed from the methylene blue solution in 20 min at a current density of 428 A m^?2, NaCl of 1000 mg L^?1, and pH₀ of 7. However, the decolorized solution showed high toxicity (100% light inhibition).For fly ash adsorption, a high dose of fly ash (>20,000 mg L^?1) was needed to remove methylene blue, and the Freundlich isotherm described the adsorption behavior well.In the combined electrochemical oxidation-fly ash adsorption treatment, the addition of 4000 mg L^?1 fly ash effectively reduced intermediate toxicity and decreased the COD of the electrochemical oxidation-treated methylene blue solution. The results indicated that the combined process effectively removed color, COD, and intermediate toxicity of the methylene blue solution.     

A real-time warning model for teamwork performance and system safety in nuclear power plants

In order to increase system safety and team performance, this study aimed to develop a real-time warning model (RTWM) by assessing team response time, error rates, and mental workload. Toward this goal, the group method of data handling (GMDH) algorithm was applied to physiological indices to predict team performance. Then fuzzy logic, fuzzy inference and linguistic variable sets representing the Team Performance and Safety Index were applied to construct the RTWM. To model the RTWM, experiments were conducted on computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) in the personal computer transient analyzer (PCTRAN) simulator. The simulator and teamwork are designed to simulate the real tasks of the control room of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) in Taiwan. In addition, important physiological parameters, the NASA-TLX questionnaire, team response time, and team error rates were collected from 39 participants. The results revealed that there was a significant positive correlation between the error rates of teamwork and the interval of event arrival time. This indicated that a pre-alarm device is necessary because vigilance decreased with time. Moreover, a predictive teamwork performance model applying the GMDH algorithm and the RTWM with a fuzzy inference system was developed in this study. The proposed model can efficiently predict teamwork performance to maintain appropriate mental workload as well as ensure system safety.     

Taiwan's industrial heavy metal pollution threatens terrestrial biota

The bioconcentration levels of essential (Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Zn) and non-essential (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Sn) elements have been investigated in different terrestrial biota such as fungi, plant, earthworm, snail, crab, insect, amphibian, lizard, snake, and bat including the associated soil, to investigate the ecosystem health status in Kenting National Park, Taiwan. High bioconcentrations of Cd, Hg, and Sn in snail, earthworm, crab, lizard, snake, and bat indicated a contaminated terrestrial ecosystem. High concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Sn in plant species, effective bioaccumulation of Cd by earthworm, snail, crab and bat, as well as very high levels of Hg found in invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles revealed a strong influence from industrial pollution on the biotic community. This study for the first time presents data on the impact of heavy metal pollution on various terrestrial organisms in Taiwan.     

Tunnel study of on-road vehicle emissions and the photochemical potential in Taiwan

Motor vehicle emission factors of carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) were calculated inside the Chung-Cheng Tunnel of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The results were compared with those model predictions from the Mobile Taiwan 2.0 model. Individual concentrations of 21 species of NMVOCs were also determined. Photochemical potential of NMVOCs was evaluated by using the maximum incremental reactivity (MIR). Field data showed that the integrated emission factors of CO and NMVOCs for actual fleet were 6.3 and 1.5 g/veh km, respectively. The error range of these factors may be up to 45%. The predicted values by the Mobile Taiwan 2.0 model closely matched the observed data. Concentrations of isopentane, 2-methylpentane, toluene and m,p-xylene were the dominant species of NMVOCs. The ratio of maximum incremental reactivity to NMVOCs concentration was 3.9, similar to those of the studies in the US Fort McHenry and Tuscarora Tunnel.     

Pericentric inversion of the Y chromosome and prenatal diagnosis

Pericentric inversion of the human Y chromosome has been estimated to occur with a frequency of 1–2 per thousand in various populations, and the results of this study, derived from over 12 000 prenatal diagnosis cases, is 1.15 per 1000. In these cases, it was concluded that there was no clinical significance because the fathers and male fetuses had the same pericentric inversion. Chromosome analysis of the father is advisable to determine whether or not the inversion is familial in order to be able to provide genetic counselling.