The changes in common carp blood after short-term zinc exposure

Blood zinc level, hematological parameters and blood cell morphology were evaluated in common carp immediately after 3 h exposure to 20 mg dm(-3) of zinc (Zn0), and in 24, 48 and 96 hours after the end of it (Zn24, Zn48, Zn96). Blood zinc level in the non-exposed fish was 8 mg dm(-3), reached a maximum of 20 mg dm(-3) in Zn48, while it dropped to 9 mg dm(-3) in Zn96. Zinc caused a stress reaction in fish indicated by an increase in hematocrit value in Zn0, and elevated plasma glucose level and trombocytosis which persisted until the end of the experiment. Zinc-exposed fish showed an increased frequency of abnormal erythrocytes, and a compensatory release of immature erythrocytes to the blood stream. In zinc-treated fish, leukocyte count initially increased and subsequently decreased significantly below the control level due to a drop in lymphocyte number. Lymphocyte viability was reduced, and abnormal lymphocytes appeared. A decreased count of juvenile neutrophiles, and reduced phagocyte activity also occurred. The results indicate possible zinc-induced disturbances in both specific and non-specific immune mechanisms.     

Evaluating and Ranking the Vulnerability of Global Marine Ecosystems to Anthropogenic Threats

Abstract:  Marine ecosystems are threatened by a suite of anthropogenic stressors. Mitigating multiple threats is a daunting task, particularly when funding constraints limit the number of threats that can be addressed. Threats are typically assessed and prioritized via expert opinion workshops that often leave no record of the rationale for decisions, making it difficult to update recommendations with new information. We devised a transparent, repeatable, and modifiable method for collecting expert opinion that describes and documents how threats affect marine ecosystems. Experts were asked to assess the functional impact, scale, and frequency of a threat to an ecosystem; the resistance and recovery time of an ecosystem to a threat; and the certainty of these estimates. To quantify impacts of 38 distinct anthropogenic threats on 23 marine ecosystems, we surveyed 135 experts from 19 different countries. Survey results showed that all ecosystems are threatened by at least nine threats and that nine ecosystems are threatened by > 90% of existing threats. The greatest threats (highest impact scores) were increasing sea temperature, demersal destructive fishing, and point-source organic pollution. Rocky reef, coral reef, hard-shelf, mangrove, and offshore epipelagic ecosystems were identified as the most threatened. These general results, however, may be partly influenced by the specific expertise and geography of respondents, and should be interpreted with caution. This approach to threat analysis can identify the greatest threats (globally or locally), most widespread threats, most (or least) sensitive ecosystems, most (or least) threatened ecosystems, and other metrics of conservation value. Additionally, it can be easily modified, updated as new data become available, and scaled to local or regional settings, which would facilitate informed and transparent conservation priority setting.     

糖萜素对早期断奶仔猪血液生化指标及免疫机能的影响研究

本试验研究了添加糖萜素对早期断奶仔猪血液生化指标及免疫机能的影响．选用21日龄左右健康无病、体重基本一致的杜长大猪进行饲喂试验，随机分为5组，每组3个重复，每重复8头猪，自由采食和自由饮水．试验设计为：第Ⅰ组为对照组，第Ⅱ、Ⅲ组在每公斤基础日粮中分别加入250rag、500rag糖萜素，第Ⅳ、Ⅴ组在每公斤基础日粮中分别加入250mg糖萜素＋4mg黄霉素、4mg黄霉素，结果表明：①糖萜素与黄霉素单用及联用均能提高仔猪血清中’IP、GLO和G／A的值。而以第Ⅲ组的效果最好．②糖萜素与黄霉素单用及联用均能显著提高血清IgA（P〈0．01），与对照组相比分别提高43．21%、104．89％、73．21％、27．74％，IgG（P〈0．05）而对IgM无显著影响（P〉0．05），CD3均有一定程度的提高（P〉0．05）．③血清中BUN试验组比对照组分别提高2．67％、2．96％、2．8l％、2．52％，各试验组间差异不显著（P〉0．05），对血清中GLU影响不大．④血清中GOT、GPT、ALK（均有所提高，但差异不显著（P〉0．05），而LDH活性与对照组相比分别下降2．7l％、4．02％、2．96％、1．65％，糖萜素与黄霉素的联合应用表现一定的协同作用，但效果不显著．     

杜仲叶.粉对肉鸡生产性能及血液生化指标的影响

为探明杜仲叶粉对肉鸡生产性能及血液生化指标的影响，按0．5％、1％、1．5％、2％的比例在肉鸡的基础日粮中添加杜仲叶粉，以不添加杜仲叶粉作为对照，经60天饲养试验期后，对各组鸡的日增重、饲料报酬(增重与耗料之比)、胴体品质及血液生化指标进行检测，结果表明：杜仲叶粉能提高肉鸡饲料报酬，改善胴体品质，改善血液生化指标．     

Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

Abstract:  Translocation has become a widely used conservation tool but remains only marginally successful. High mortality is often attributed to predation, but for highly social species, founder group composition may also play a critical role in postrelease survival. I compared the fitness of black-tailed prairie dogs translocated with or without their family groups. Animals in the family translocated groups were individually marked and observed until coterie membership was determined. Nonfamily translocated animals were trapped without regard to family membership. I measured fitness by retrapping all marked animals remaining at release sites in the summer following release. Family translocated animals were five times more likely to survive and had significantly higher reproductive success than those translocated without families. Predation was an important impediment of translocation success, but family translocation significantly reduced the success of predators on newly established prairie dog colonies. Postrelease survival was also affected by the timing of release, but appeared to be more important for juveniles than adults. These results demonstrate the importance of considering familiarity when translocations are required. More broadly, these results illustrate the value of applying animal behavior to conservation efforts and suggest that other species dependent on social interactions for survival and reproduction may benefit substantially from the maintenance of social groups during translocations.     

Ethnic differences in determinants of participation and non-participation in prenatal screening for Down syndrome: A theoretical framework

Objective To develop a theoretical framework for analysing ethnic differences in determinants of participation and non-participation in prenatal screening for Down syndrome. Methods We applied Weinstein's Precaution Adoption Process (PAP) Model to the decision of whether or not to participate in prenatal screening for Down syndrome. The prenatal screening stage model was specified by reviewing the empirical literature and by data from seven focus group interviews with Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese pregnant women in the Netherlands. Results We identified 11 empirical studies on ethnic differences in determinants of participation and non-participation in prenatal screening for Down syndrome. The focus group interviews showed that almost all stages and determinants in the stage model were relevant in women's decision-making process. However, there were ethnic variations in the relevance of determinants, such as beliefs about personal consequences of having a child with Down syndrome or cultural and religious norms. Discussion The prenatal screening stage model can be applied as a framework to describe the decision-making process of pregnant women from different ethnic backgrounds. It provides scope for developing culturally sensitive, tailored methods to guide pregnant women towards informed decision-making on participation or non-participation in prenatal screening for Down syndrome. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国城市污水处理良性运营机制探讨

污水处理不仅能减轻水污染排放，而又是开源节流、实现污水资源化的前提，是解决城市缺水问题的基本途径之一。然而中国城市污水处理面临着设施不足、处理率低和处理资金不足的问题。本文从分析产生上述问题的原因着手，提出城市污水处理业的发展必须走市场化的道路。     

中国健康青年女性全血比粘度参考值与地理因素的关系

收集了中国各地用毛细管法测定的健康青年女性全血比粘度参考值，并对其与地理因素的关系进行了研究，发现海拨高度是影响健康青年女性全血比粘度参考值最主要的因素，随着海拨高度的逐渐增大，健康青年女性全血比粘度参考值也在逐渐的增大，相关性很显著，推导出了一个回归方程，可以用回归方程估算某个地区的健康青年女性全血比粘度参考值．