Introduction

Abstract

Eight pairs of O‐methyl and O‐ethyl O‐(substituted‐phenyl) phenylphosphonothionates were evaluated with respect to their delayed neurotoxic activity in hens. O‐methyl compounds were in all cases more active than their O‐ethyl analogs. The neurotoxic potential of the O‐methyl phenylphosphonothionates was 2,5‐diCl >4‐NO₂ >2,4,5‐triCl and 2,4,6‐triCl >2,4‐diCl >2,5‐diCl‐4‐Br >4‐CN, when single oral doses were given. Both EPN‐ethyl and leptophos‐raethyl were more neurotoxic in multiple dermal than multiple oral dosing regimens. LD₅₀s for mice and flies were established.     

Pseudoreplication in Tropical Forests and the Resulting Effects on Biodiversity Conservation

Tropical forest ecosystems are threatened by habitat conversion and other anthropogenic actions. Timber production forests can augment the conservation value of primary forest reserves, but studies of logging effects often yield contradictory findings and thus inhibit efforts to develop clear conservation strategies. We hypothesized that much of this variability reflects a common methodological flaw, simple pseudoreplication, that confounds logging effects with preexisting spatial variation. We reviewed recent studies of the effects of logging on biodiversity in tropical forests (n = 77) and found that 68% were definitively pseudoreplicated while only 7% were definitively free of pseudoreplication. The remaining proportion could not be clearly categorized. In addition, we collected compositional data on 7 taxa in 24 primary forest research plots and systematically analyzed subsets of these plots to calculate the probability that a pseudoreplicated comparison would incorrectly identify a treatment effect. Rates of false inference (i.e., the spurious detection of a treatment effect) were >0.5 for 2 taxa, 0.3–0.5 for 2 taxa, and <0.3 for 3 taxa. Our findings demonstrate that tropical conservation strategies are being informed by a body of literature that is rife with unwarranted inferences. Addressing pseudoreplication is essential for accurately assessing biodiversity in logged forests, identifying the relative merits of specific management practices and landscape configurations, and effectively balancing conservation with timber production in tropical forests. Pseudoreplicación en Bosques Tropicales y Efectos Resultantes Sobre la Conservación de Biodiversidad     

Variability in the content and composition of alkaloid found in Canadian ergot. iii. triticale and barley∗

Abstract

The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian triticale and barley ergot (Claviceps purpurea). The total alkaloid content was highly variable between individual sclerotia from the same or different sources and ranged from 0.042 to 0.752% for triticale and from 0.082 to 1.04% for barley; average values were 0.239% for Ottawa triticale, 0.289% for Prairie triticale, and 0.264% for barley. Ergocristine and its isomer ergocristinine were the major constituents in both grains. On average, Canadian ergot pooled from rye, wheat, triticale, and barley consists of ergocristine (31%), ergocristinine (13%), ergocristinine (13%), ergotamine (17%), ergotaminine (8%), ergocryptine (5%), ergocryptinine (3%), ergo‐metrine (5%), ergometrinine (2%), ergosine (4%), ergosinine (2%), ergocornine (4%), ergocorninine (2%), and unidentified alkaloids (3%) and an average total alkaloid content of 0.236%. With the exception of rye and barley ergot from the maritime regions, Canadian rye, wheat, triticale, and barley ergot is fairly uniform in individual alkaloid composition.     

Performances of mesophilic anaerobic digestion systems treating poultry mortalities

Abstract

A closed‐loop anaerobic digestion system consisting of a leachbed (LB) and an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) was tested as an alternative for the disposal of poultry mortalities. This paper compares the performances of three LB‐UASB treatment systems with different initial moisture contents in the LBs. Each LB was loaded with one chicken and 5, 10 or 18 liters of water. The LBs initially carried out the hydrolysis/acidification phase while the UASBs the methanogenesis phase. Due to repeated inoculation by the UASBs, the LBs with 10 and 18 liters of water started producing methane on day 5, while the one with 5 liters of water on day 19. However, methane production rates were low before day 40 for the LB with 10 liters of water and day 60 for the other LBs. Methane production gradually improved as the LBs continued to receive ungranulated sludge from the UASBs. The LBs eventually became balanced methane reactors. Continued balanced fermentation in the LBs resulted in leachates with very low substrate concentrations that could no longer support high‐rate methanogenesis in the UASBs. Consequently, methane production rates from the UASBs decreased quickly while that from the LBs reached peak levels. Cumulative methane production from each LB eventually exceeded that from its connecting UASB. After 118 days of digestion, 414, 437 and 470 liters of methane were produced from the three systems, respectively. Cumulative methane production from the LBs with 5 and 18 liters of water accounted for 63% of the total methane produced from their respective systems. The LB with 10 liters of water produced 75% of the total methane from that system. Methane yields ranged from 0.485 to 0.554 m³ (Kg TS) ¹. About 86% of the initial dry weight was biodegraded. All three systems performed very well with little operational problems. Overall, the system that started with 10 liters of water in the LB performed the best. Strategy for enhancing system performances and implementing farm applications are discussed.     

Biochemical effects of some organo‐phosphorus insecticides on new targets in white rats

Abstract

The three S‐n‐propyl phosphates and phosphothioates: RH 218, profenofos and prothiophos were compared with fenitrothion in their potential as inhibitors of rat liver and brain AChE. Fenitrothion was more potent as an inhibitor than the three S‐n‐propyl derivatives. Incubation of hepatic protein enhanced ChE inhibition in brain in the case of fenitrothion, while it reduced the inhibitory effect of the S‐n‐propyl derivatives. On the other hand, the four organophosphorus esters caused hypoglycemia in both male and female rats and also reduced their blood urea with different degrees.     

Effects of plant density on the photosynthetic and chloroplast characteristics of maize under high-yielding conditions

The Science of Nature - Knowledge on animal personality has provided new insights into evolutionary biology and animal ecology, as behavioural types have been shown to affect fitness. Animal...     

欧盟环保新指令拷问中国陶瓷出口

中国企业再次遭遇欧盟的环保大限。不久前实施的欧盟Rohs指令被公认为是对国内电子行业的一次集体环保大考，而这次所出台的环保新指令，又使得国内陶瓷出口企业站在了环保考验的浪尖之上。     

贫困地区可持续发展指标体系及其综合评估--以湖南湘西贫困地区为例

本文依据贫困地区可持续发展固有的制约因素，特殊的内涵与目标，首次利用压力（Pressure)——状态（State)——响应（Respons)模型，构建了贫困地区可持续发展指标体系，并采用专家咨询与定量模型相结合的方法，对湖南湘西贫困地区可持续发展水平作了实证评估与分析。     

资源型城市接续主导产业的选择研究--以白银市为例

本文论述了资源型城市接续主导产业选择的重要性和选择原则，并以白银市为例，利用综合评价值法广告牌了白银市的主导产业和优势产业，然后用特尔斐法对白银市的接续主导产业进行了选择，选择结果比较符合白银市的实际情况。