Comparison of photosynthetic responses to manganese toxicity of deciduous broad-leaved trees in northern Japan

The effects of manganese (Mn) toxicity on photosynthesis of four tree species in northern Japan representing different successional traits were examined. The four species are: Betula ermanii (Be) and Alnus hirsuta (Ah) representing two early successional species, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica (Ud) as the mid-successional species, and Acer mono (Am) as the late successional species. Seedlings were grown hydroponically in a solution containing nutrients and Mn of four concentrations (1, 10, 50, 100 mg litre(-1)) for 50 days. Gas exchange measurements indicate that in all species, Mn accumulation in leaves resulted in the decline of light-saturated net photosynthetic rate ai ambient CO(2) pressure (35 Pa, Pn(amb)) and at saturating (5%) CO(2) pressure (Pn(sat)), and of carboxylation efficiency but has little effect on the maximum efficiency of photochemistry. Sensitivity to elevated levels of Mn differed among species where the decline of Pn(amb) was much more modest in the two early successional species of Be and Ah than the mid- and late successional species of Ud and Am. The same trends were observed in both Pn(sat) and carboxylation efficiency. Based on these results, we suggest that early successional species (Betula ermanii and Alnus hirsuta) have greater tolerance for excess Mn in leaves than mid- and late successional species.     

Obligate commensalism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Curvemysella paula</Emphasis> (Bivalvia: Galeommatidae) with hermit crabs

Curvemysella paula is a markedly crescent-shaped bivalve that lives inside snail shells occupied by hermit crabs. Here, we describe the unique symbiotic life, growth pattern, and reproductive biology of this bivalve, based on specimens collected from the shallow, muddy bottom of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. C. paula was found attached to columellae in the siphonal canal, mainly of nassariid snail shells occupied by two types of hermit crabs: Diogenes edwardsii (Diogenidae) and Spiropagurus spiriger (Paguridae). The crescent-shaped shell of C. paula is an adaptation to symbiotic life in the narrow interspace between the snail shell and the hermit-crab abdomen. C. paula is a protandric hermaphrodite. In our samples, each host snail shell harbored one (or rarely a few) large female and several males. All the female bivalves settled on the host shells with their anterior end facing outward and benefited from currents created by the hermit crab when feeding. In the muddy bottom, snail shells are a limited resource for both the hermit crabs and symbiotic bivalves. The bivalves benefit from the mobility of the hermit crabs, which prevent the shells from becoming buried in the mud. C. paula represents the only example of obligate commensalism with hermit crabs found in Bivalvia.     

Treatment of methylene blue-containing wastewater using microorganisms supported on granular activated carbon under packed column operation

We studied the feasibility of using biological granular activated carbon-packed column in treating methylene blue-containing wastewater. The granular activated carbon with immobilized microbes was packed into a column and fed with 3 liter methylene blue-containing wastewater daily. With initial 1350 mg/l of methylene blue and 1550 mg/l of chemical oxygen demand, it was observed that the colour and chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies were 99 and 78%, respectively. The high treatment performance of the system could be due to the simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes and advantages of immobilized microbes compare to suspended cell system.     

Carbon Sequestration by Carbonization of Biomass and Forestation: Three Case Studies

We proposed the carbon sink project called “Carbon Sequestration by Forestation and Carbonization (CFC),” which involves biomass utilization and land conservation by incorporating the products of biomass carbonization into the agents for soil improvement, water purification, etc. Our purpose was to demonstrate the potential of the CFC scheme for carbon sequestration, particularly carbon storage in soil. Case studies were conducted in both developing and developed countries. 1. In southern Sumatra, Indonesia, 88,369 Mg-C year⁻¹ of wood residue from a plantation forest and excess bark from a pulp mill would be converted into 15,571 Mg-C year⁻¹ of the net carbon sink by biochar for soil improvement. The fixed carbon recovery of the system is 21.0%. 2. In a semiarid region in western Australia, the carbonization of wood residue was incorporated with multipurpose projects of a mallee eucalyptus plantation that involved the function of salinity prevention. During the project period of 35 years, the total carbon sink would reach 1,035,450 Mg-C with 14.0% by aboveground biomass, 33.1% by belowground biomass and 52.8% by biochar in soil. 3. In southern Kyushu, Japan, the study was focused on the effective use of surplus heat from a garbage incinerator for carbonizing woody materials. Sawdust of 936.0 Mg-C year⁻¹ would be converted into the net carbon sink of 298.5 Mg-C year⁻¹ by carbonization, with the fixed carbon recovery of the system being 31.9%. Consequently, the CFC project could encourage the creation of a carbon sink in soil. However, we recognize that the quality standard of biochar, the stability of biochar in soil, and the methods for monitoring biochar utilization must be clarified before incorporating biochar carbon into the carbon credit system. Throughout this article (except for diagrams and in citation details) carbonized biomass is, with the authors'agreement, called ‘biochar’ in lieu of the commonly used but misleading word ‘charcoal’ (Editor).     

Material properties of water-swelling material used as a water cutoff treatment material at waste landfill sites

Water-swelling material (WSM) is a fluid sealant obtained by blending high-absorbency polymer, a filler, and a solvent by using a synthetic resin elastomer as the base material. In this research, we studied experimentally the composition of WSM, the extent of swelling, the strength of the WSM and the long-term performance of the swelling material used as a jointed water cutoff treatment material at waste landfill sites. One of the results was that adjusting the degree of etherification of the high-absorbency polymer, which is a component of the WSM, and the resin content of the synthetic elastomer contributed to improvement of the swelling of the sealant and the strength of the swelling material. Further, in long-term tests, the strength of the WSM tended to become stabilized and it was confirmed that it had sufficient pressure resistance for use in coastal landfill sites, where its application as a water cutoff treatment material is being considered.     

Influence of transportation and pumping on the properties of concrete with large amount of copper slag fine aggregate in actual construction of port and harbor structures

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Copper slag fine aggregate (CUS) is 30% denser than normal aggregate is an effective material for port and harbor structures demanding high-density...     

Individual variation in pheromone emission and termination patterns in female Anomala cuprea

Summary. Individual variations in pheromone emission patterns were examined in a scarab beetle, Anomala cuprea Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), by headspace collection of airborne volatiles from individual females. The amount of pheromone obtained varied among virgin females, and about 16% of these females (“silent” females) did not emit detectable amount of pheromone throughout the experimental period. There was no clear temporal pattern of peak pheromone emission for 19 days after the onset. More than half of the laboratory mated females completely stopped releasing pheromone after the first mating, while the rest of them continued releasing pheromone, frequently followed by additional mating. Received 26 March 2001; accepted 28 January 2002.     

Major climate-change issues covered by the daily newspapers of Bangladesh

Communications research scholars, political scientists, and policy analysts have significantly recognized the role of news media in reporting and portraying public issues. Nowadays, climate change is an important global environmental concern for the world communities. Study on the media coverage of climate-change issues is vitally important to know the present situation of both the global and regional climate, as well as to assess the causes, mitigation and adaptation techniques, and its adverse impacts. This study demonstrates the coverage of newspapers in Bangladesh on climate change from May 2006 through June 2009 for the three most popular newspapers of Bangladesh, namely The Prothom Alo, The Daily Ittefaq, and The Daily Star. Natural disasters was the major climate-change issue that received the most coverage, along with agriculture, biodiversity, global warming, climate change, crime, water scarcity, food scarcity, politics, wetlands, tourisms, rivers, forestry and miscellaneous issues. Local communication concerned with climate-change issues was given preference in the coverage by the newspapers throughout the study period. The study will be useful for awareness-program formulation on climate-change mitigation and adaptation in Bangladesh.     

Decolorization of oxygen-delignified bleaching effluent and biobleaching of oxygen-delignified kraft pulp by non-white-rot fungus Geotrichum candidum Dec 1

Decolorization of oxygen-delignified bleaching effluent (abbreviated as OBE) and biobleaching of oxygen-delignified kraft pulp (OKP) were conducted using a non-white rot fungus Geotrichum candidum Dec 1 (abbreviated as Dec 1) which has ability to decolorize various synthetic dyes and molasses. Dec 1 decolorized up to 77% of OBE for 6 days. In addition, Dec 1 increased the brightness of OKP from 47.8% to 51.2% and decreased the kappa value of OKP from 12.4 to 10.4 points during a 6-day incubation period at a 25% of pulpconcentration. At 2% pulp-concentration, the brightness of OKP increased by 13% and the kappa value of OKP decreased by 4 points only for a 3-day incubation period. When the decolorized OBE was used for bleaching of OKP, the brightness of OKP increased to 62.7% under the shaking culture to a 2% pulp-concentration using culture fluid of decolorized OBE. It was revealed that Dec 1 is a potential to apply for decolorization of wastewater and biobleaching of pulp in paper-mills.     

Neonatal outcomes of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in full term versus early term deliveries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to review the optimal timing of delivery at term for neonates with prenatally diagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We reviewed the literature up to December 19, 2022 using MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library databases. The inclusion criteria were original articles, comparative studies of CDH neonates delivered at an early term (37–38 weeks of gestation) and at full term (39 weeks of gestation or later), and comparative studies investigating outcomes of CDH neonates. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, including 985 neonates delivered at an early term and 629 delivered at full term. The cumulative rate of survival to discharge showed no significant difference between CDH neonates delivered at an early term (395/515; 76.7%) or at full term (345/467; 73.9%) (risk ratio [RR] 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89–1.16; p = 0.85). Furthermore, the number of neonates requiring oxygen therapy at discharge was not significantly different between CDH neonates delivered at an early term (32/370; 8.6%) and at full term (14/154; 9.1%) (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.36–2.70; p = 0.99). Therefore, the optimal timing of delivery at term for neonates with CDH remains unclear.