Seasonal decline in reproductive performance varies with colony size in the fairy martin, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Petrochelidon ariel</Emphasis>

Reproductive success within populations often varies with the timing of breeding, typically declining over the season. This variation is usually attributed to seasonal changes in resource availability and/or differences in the quality or experience of breeders. In colonial species, the timing of breeding may be of particular importance because the costs and benefits of colonial breeding are likely to vary over the season and also with colony size. In this study, we examine the relationship between timing of breeding and reproductive performance (clutch size and nest success) both within and between variable sized colonies (n = 18) of fairy martins, Petrochelidon ariel. In four of these colonies, we also experimentally delayed laying in selected nests to disentangle the effects of laying date and individual quality/experience on reproductive success. Within colonies, later laying birds produced smaller clutches, but only in larger colonies. The general seasonal decline in nest success was also more pronounced in larger colonies. Late laying birds were generally smaller than earlier laying birds, but morphological differences were also related to colony size, suggesting optimal colony size also varies with phenotype. Experimentally delayed clutches were larger than concurrently produced non-delayed clutches, but only in larger colonies. Similarly, delayed clutches were more likely to produce fledglings, particularly later in the season and in larger colonies. We suggest that the reduced performance of late breeding pairs in larger colonies resulted primarily from inexperienced/low quality birds preferring to settle in larger colonies, possibly exacerbated by an increase in the costs of coloniality (e.g., resource depletion and ectoparasite infestations) with date and colony size. These findings highlight the importance of phenotype-related differences in settlement decisions and reproductive performance to an improved understanding of colonial breeding and variation in colony size.     

Evaluation of soil fertility using infrared spectroscopy: a review

Soil fertility is conventionally evaluated by soil properties such as C, N, and P contents. Evaluation of soil fertility is now becoming a routine work for soil management and crop production. However, laboratory-analysis based determination of soil properties is time and cost consuming, which is not suitable for precision agriculture. Here, infrared spectroscopy (IR) appears as an alternative and fast technique to measure soil fertility. The IR transmission method is generally used in soil qualitative analysis, while the IR reflectance can be used in soil quantitative analysis, and most of soil-related research is focused on reflectance spectroscopy. Infrared reflectance spectra, including diffuse reflectance spectra and total attenuated reflectance spectra, are involved in soil quantitative analysis. We observe an excellent performance of predicting soil C and N contents using IR spectra. Moreover, in most of cases the predictions of the contents of soil P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and some other microelements are satisfactory. Soil water, soil clays, and soil microbes can also be characterized and evaluated using IR spectroscopy. In recent years, a new method named infrared photoacoustic spectra was applied in soil analysis. Infrared-photoacoustic spectra is indeed more convenient for sample pretreatment and spectra recording, and the recorded soil spectra contain more useful information versus conventional reflectance spectroscopy. Though currently the application of infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy in soil analysis is limited, it appears promising to measure soil fertility. The application of infrared spectroscopy in soil fertility is largely dependent on spectra pretreatment and multivariate calibration due to strong interferences in the spectra. Partial least square (PLS) and artificial neural network (ANN) are two widely used mathematical tools in the prediction of soil properties, and more mathematical tools combined models will benefit the prediction performance. To make full use of soil infrared spectra, soil spectra library construction is needed in future, and a standard procedure should be first decided in the construction. Based on soil infrared spectra library soil fertility can be fast evaluated combining suitable mathematical model, which will play an important role in the sustainable agriculture.     

城市大气颗粒物毒性效应及机制的研究进展

大气颗粒物（PM）严重影响人体的健康,其与人类多种疾病的发生存在着明显的暴露-效应关系.本文简述了大气颗粒物的组分和来源,从大气颗粒物的呼吸系统毒性、心血管毒性、免疫毒性、神经毒性、遗传毒性等方面,系统地阐述了其对人体健康的危害,并对大气颗粒物的毒性机制进行了总结和讨论,指出了目前相关研究中存在的问题,展望了该领域的研究趋势,为后续研究和控制大气颗粒物的健康危害提供相应的科学参考依据.     

Higher nitrates, P and lower pH in soils under medicinal plants versus crop plants

This report shows a higher soil quality under medicinal plants versus food-crop plants. Long-term continuous cultivation of food crops induces changes of soil properties that can lead to fertility loss and, in turn, decline of food productivity. Effect of cropping on soil changes has been studied mainly for food crops and vegetables worldwide, whereas soil changes in herbal fields are scarcely known. Therefore, we compared here soil nutrients and soil chemical properties of herbal fields, cultivated with Chinese medicinal plants, and food-crop fields. Fields are located at the famous traditional planting base of Chinese medicinal plants in Anguo, China. The results showed that in herbal fields, soil nitrate, available P, soil organic matter (SOM), and electrical conductivity decreased with soil depth, whereas soil pH and soil water content increased with depth. In herbal fields, soil nitrate, available P contents, and soil electrical conductivity were higher than those of food-crop fields at various soil layers. SOM and soil water content were similar in herbal and food-crop fields. Soil pH of herbal fields at 0–20 cm was lower than those of food-crop fields. Findings show overall that soil nutrient accumulation and changes under medicinal plants are higher than food-crop fields.     

MicroRNA:POPs诱导动脉粥样硬化的潜在调控者

目前动脉粥样硬化在全世界以惊人的速度增长,成为21世纪公共健康的严重挑战。持久性有机污染物(persistent organic pollutants,POPs)具有生物富集性和持久性,可通过各种环境介质对人体健康产生危害。研究表明POPs能够改变基因表达,加速动脉粥样硬化的发生发展,因而POPs被认为是动脉粥样硬化的致病风险因素之一。MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是生物进化过程中高度保守的一组非编码小分子RNA,在转录后水平调节基因的表达。miRNAs的差异表达涉及一系列疾病的生理和病理过程。有证据显示,POPs能够引起生物体内miRNAs的表达紊乱,从而引起基因的差异表达。大量文献报道也显示miRNAs在动脉粥样硬化中起重要作用。因此,POPs可能通过miRNA的潜在调控从而导致动脉粥样硬化的发生发展。     

马氏珠母贝hsp90基因的克隆及芘胁迫对其表达水平的影响

利用简并引物PCR(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)方法和cDNA末端快速扩增(rapid amplification of cDNA ends,RACE)技术获得马氏珠母贝Pinctada martensii hsp90基因cDNA序列,全长为2 584 bp。根据所得序列设计定量特异性PCR引物,采用半定量RT-PCR以及实时荧光定量(real-time PCR)PCR检测了马氏珠母贝外套膜、鳃、肝胰腺、闭壳肌、性腺、腹足等组织中hsp90基因的表达水平。同时,利用荧光定量PCR技术检测了芘暴露处理前后马氏珠母贝肝胰腺组织中hsp90基因的表达水平。研究结果表明:马氏珠母贝hsp90基因在不同组织中的表达水平为性腺鳃肝胰腺外套膜腹足闭壳肌,表现出组织差异性。芘胁迫对马氏珠母贝hsp90基因的表达有一定的诱导作用,暴露后第1天和第5天,随染毒浓度的增加,hsp90基因的表达上调,呈现出一定的剂量-效应关系,于染毒后第7天基本恢复。研究结果显示,马氏珠母贝hsp90基因可以作为一种理想的分子生物标记物用于监测海洋环境中芘的污染。     

Modeling agricultural non-point source pollution in a high-precipitation coastal area of China

Non-point source （NPS） pollution simulation in the high-precipitation coastal areas of China is difficult because varying annual typhoon incidence leads to highly contrasting rainfall patterns in dry years and wet years. An IMPULSE （Integrated Model of Non-point Sources Pollution Processes） based NPS model of the Changtan Reservoir watershed, which is a typical high-precipitation coastal area in China, was established based on the analysis of point and NPS pollution data, a digital elevation model, and data on land-use, soil, meteorology, economy, and agricultural management practice. Pre-processed pre-rain- fall soil moisture levels were introduced during the simulation to model the effects of typhoons on hydrology. Rainfall events were simulated sequentially through the year and the model was calibrated and verified using hydrological and water quality data. Accuracy of the simulated rainfall runoff and water quality in the Changtan watershed was found to be acceptable. The study showed that the NPS modeling system could be applied to the simulation and prediction ofNPS loadings in the Changtan Reservoir watershed.     

Timing crisis information release via television

When and how often to release information on television are important issues in crisis and emergency risk communication. There is a lot of crisis information, including warnings and news, to which people should have access, but most of it is not significantly urgent to interrupt the broadcasting of television programmes. Hence, the right timing for the release of crisis information should be selected based on the importance of the crisis and any associated communication requirements. Using recursive methods, this paper builds an audience coverage model of crisis information release. Based on 2007 Household Using TV (HUT) data for Hefei City, China, the optimal combination of broadcasting sequence (with frequencies between one and eight times) is obtained using the implicit enumeration method. The developed model is applicable to effective transmission of crisis information, with the aim of reducing interference with the normal television transmission process and decreasing the psychological effect on audiences. The same model can be employed for other purposes, such as news coverage and weather and road information.     

叠层橡胶支座串联隔震体系抗火性能研究

对叠层橡胶隔震支座在高温作用下的温度场进行数值模拟,利用小模型试件进行温度传导及温度场分布试验。在叠层橡胶隔震支座经历420℃的高温作用后,将隔震支座模型试件与钢筋混凝土柱串联,并对串联隔震体系的力学性能进行压剪往复试验。结果表明,叠层橡胶隔震支座在高温作用下的性能退化相当明显,承载状态下的橡胶隔震支座在稍高的温度作用下就开始发生畸变。这表明在实际工程中对叠层橡胶隔震支座采取防火保护措施对保证隔震结构承载力安全非常重要。     

人工湿地植物研究进展

人工湿地具有去除污染效果好、运行费用低和易维护等特点,已被广泛用于污水处理中.湿地植物在其中起着重要作用,主要包括直接吸收氮、磷等污染物,通过根系输氧促进根区的氧化还原反应与好氧微生物活动及增强和维持介质的水力传输等.综述了人工湿地植物的去污机理,阐述了湿地植物对生物可降解的有机物、营养性污染物和有毒有害物质净化的研究成果与应用,并展望今后进一步研究的重点.