Oviposition-stimulating activity of (E)-capsaicin identified in Capsicum annuum fruit and related compounds towards Helicoverpa assulta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Summary. The oviposition-stimulating activity of (E)-capsaicin identified in the fruits of red pepper, Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae), towards the oriental tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa assulta (Guenée), was examined in the laboratory by using choice and no-choice bioassays. Results were compared with those of the commercially available capsanthin and dihydrocapsaicin, another known constituents of C. annuum fruit, and (Z)-capsaicin. In no-choice oviposition bioassays at 10.5 μg/cm², (E)-capsaicin was the most active oviposition stimulant. Weak stimulatory activity was observed with capsanthin, (Z)-capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. In choice oviposition bioassays at 2.6 μg/cm², there were significant differences in oviposition-stimulating activity between (E)-capsaicin and each of the other three alkaloids. Structure-activity relationships indicate that the presence of double bond and its trans configuration appeared to play a crucial role in the oviposition-stimulating activity. On the basis of our results, (E)-capsaicin acts as a contact oviposition stimulant of female H. assulta.     

Formulation of a soil-pesticide transport model based on a compartmental approach

A semianalytical soil-pesticide transport model is formulated based on a compartmental approach to determine spatial and temporal variations of pesticide residues across a soil profile. The compartmental model is implemented by drawing an analogy between a series of continuous-flow stirred tank reactors and a soil horizon that consists of multiple perfectly mixed compartments. The analogy is strengthened by exploiting a relation between the compartment series and the conventional convective-dispersive equation (CDE) for vertical transport in the soil. Consequently, the number of compartments in the model formulation is not free, but dictated as a function of transport parameters. The model formulation allows consideration of arbitrary boundary value specifications and also, for some cases, spatially varying initial concentration profiles. Sorption kinetics is represented via a two-site model that involves a linear sorption isotherm and a first-order irreversible sorption or a radial diffusive penetrating model. For these three cases, analysis of the compartmental model allows the resultant concentration profiles to be expressed in terms of the Poisson distribution. When a nonlinear kinetic sorption model is used to simulate the sorption processes, an analytical solution is not found and a numerical approach is required.     

Integrated Environmental Assessment of the Mid-Atlantic Region with Analytical Network Process

A decision analysis method for integrating environmental indicators was developed. This was a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Being able to take into account the interdependency among variables, the method was capable of ranking ecosystems in terms of environmental conditions and suggesting cumulative impacts across a large region. Using data on land cover, population, roads, streams, air pollution, and topography of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, we were able to point out areas which were in relatively poor condition and/or vulnerable to future deterioration regarding various environmental aspects. The method offered an easy and comprehensive way to combine the strengths of conventional multivariate statistics (PCA) and decision-making science tool (ANP) for integrated environmental assessment.     

An Overview of Data Integration Methods for Regional Assessment

The U.S. Environmental Protections Agency's (U.S. EPA) Regional Vulnerability Assessment(ReVA) program has focused much of its research over the last five years on developing and evaluating integration methods for spatial data. An initial strategic priority was to use existing data from monitoring programs, model results, and other spatial data. Because most of these data were not collected with an intention of integrating into a regional assessment of conditions and vulnerabilities, issues exist that may preclude the use of some methods or require some sort of data preparation. Additionally, to support multi-criteria decision-making, methods need to be able to address a series of assessment questions that provide insights into where environmental risks are a priority. This paper provides an overview of twelve spatial integration methods that can be applied towards regional assessment, along with preliminary results as to how sensitive each method is to data issues that will likely be encountered with the use of existing data.     

Indigenous pig production and welfare of ultra-poor ethnic minority households in the Northern mountains of Vietnam

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Eliminating ultra-poverty has received particular attention of policymakers and scholars. The ultra-poor in mountainous regions often live on...     

A dental stool with chest support reduces lower back muscle activation

Activation of back musculature during work tasks leads to fatigue and potential injury. This is especially prevalent in dentists who perform much of their work from a seated position. We examined the use of an ergonomic dental stool with mid-sternum chest support for reducing lower back muscle activation. Electromyography of lower back extensors was assessed from 30 dental students for 20?s during three conditions in random order: (a) sitting upright at 90° of hip flexion on a standard stool, (b) leaning forward at 80° of hip flexion on a standard stool, and (c) leaning forward at 80° of hip flexion while sitting on an ergonomic stool. Muscular activity of the back extensors was reduced when using the ergonomic stool compared to the standard stool, by 33–50% (p?相似文献   

Towards eco-agro industrial clusters in aquatic production: the case of shrimp processing industry in Vietnam

The concept of industrial ecology has been applied in this research to study possibilities to develop an eco-industrial cluster model for fishery production industry in Vietnam. By learning from experiments of other developed countries, we apply the principles of Industrial Ecology and of Ecological Modernization in the context of Vietnam. We design a physical-technological conceptual model for minimizing waste in agro-industries, with a case study of frozen shrimp production. The results indicate that it is possible and feasible to develop an eco-industrial cluster including aquaculture, fishery processing companies, by-product plants, and wastewater treatment units. By doing so, aquaculture and industry can cooperate for environmentally sound development. Actors and institutions that may govern the proposed eco-industrial cluster of shrimp processing industry are also analysed in this paper. The economic feasibility of the designed eco-agro industrial cluster for fish production in Vietnam depends on the energy savings and effective revenues gained from selling the produced valuable materials, such as Chitosan and animal feed.     

Spatial Patterns of Land Use Changes Across a Mediterranean Metropolitan Landscape: Implications for Biodiversity Management

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) is an acknowledged cause of the current biodiversity crisis, but the link between LUCC and biodiversity conservation remains largely unknown at the regional scale, especially due to the traditional lack of consistent biodiversity data. We provide a methodological approach for assessing this link through defining a set of major pressures on biodiversity from LUCC and evaluating their extent, distribution, and association with a set of physical factors. The study was performed in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (MRB, NE of Spain) between 1956 and 2000. We generated a LUCC map for the time period, which was reclassified into a set of pressures on biodiversity (forestation, deforestation, crop abandonment, and urbanization). We then explored the association of these pressures with a set of physical factors using redundancy analysis (RDA). Pressures encompassed 38.8 % of the MRB area. Urbanization and forestation were the dominating pressures, followed by crop abandonment and deforestation. RDA showed a significant distribution gradient of these pressures in relation to the studied physical factors: while forestation and deforestation are concentrated in remote mountain areas, urbanization mainly occurs in lowlands and especially on the coast, and close to previous urban centers and roads. Unchanged areas are concentrated in rainy and relatively remote mountain areas. Results also showed a dramatic loss of open habitats and of the traditional land use gradient, both featuring Mediterranean landscapes and extremely important for their biodiversity conservation. Implications of these results for biodiversity management are finally discussed.     

Processes in informal end-processing of e-waste generated from personal computers in Vietnam

Informal treatment of e-waste plays an important role in many countries which have no or weak formal waste management structures. One of the challenges for assessing informal e-waste recycling technologies is to identify their disadvantages and potential technology improvement. The analysis of informal recycling processes starts with a balance of input and output materials for each of the processes. Main obstacles are the fact that in most cases, mixed or variety materials serve as input and, secondly by nature, the informal sector does not systematically measure and monitor the process. This study presents the processes and available data for informal e-waste recycling of desktop personal computer as it consists of components made of plastic and many metals within the Vietnamese context. To identify the most relevant processes, critical flows and technology gap, two scenarios are compared: (1) current situation in which recycling activities are taken in recycling craft villages and (2) appropriately selected BAT. The selected materials from e-waste cover a wide range of recycling processes and technologies: Printed Circuit Board treatment, metal (ferrous metal, aluminum and copper) and plastic recycling.

     

下游集中补给型泥石流动力学特征与防治对策——以四川省泸定县干沟泥石流为例

干沟泥石流是一条典型的下游集中补给型泥石流沟,其物源的启动、流通与堆积在700 m范围内完成.以2005年干沟泥石流过程为例,应用三种计算公式对该沟泥石流的动力学参数进行了计算.通过计算发现,三种公式计算结果差别不大,并取其平均值作为计算结果.根据干沟泥石流流量计算和形态调查对比分析,认为2005年干沟泥石流的形成过程具有明显的堵溃效应,且前期降雨对泥石流的发生影响较为明显.在对干沟泥石流动力学参数计算、物源补给特征及形成过程分析的基础上,认为干沟在2005年后易形成高频泥石流,对该沟泥石流开展监测预警尤为必要,提出了该沟泥石流监测预警方式并予以实施,可为干沟泥石流的防灾减灾提供科学依据.