Chemical egg defense in Photuris firefly “femmes fatales”

Summary. Female Photuris fireflies contain defensive chemicals of two types. They sequester steroidal pyrones (lucibufagins) from male fireflies of the genus Photinus that they eat, and themselves produce the defensive betaine N-methylquinolinium 2-carboxylate. Chemical analyses of Photuris eggs showed that females that fed on Photinus males endow their eggs with both lucibufagin and the betaine, while those that did not feed on Photinus lay eggs that contain betaine, but virtually no lucibufagin. Photuris females collected in the field during the Photinus flight season laid eggs that invariably contained betaine, but lucibufagin only at times. Predation experiments showed that Photuris eggs are essentially unacceptable to larvae of a coccinellid beetle (Harmonia axyridis) and an ant (Leptothorax longispinosus), but moderately acceptable to an earwig (Forficula auricularia). When applied experimentally to palatable insect eggs, lucibufagin proved deterrent to these three predators, while the betaine proved deterrent to the ant and coccinellid larva only. Both types of defensive compound decreased egg predation in the field. By endowing their eggs with both exogenous and endogenous chemicals, Photuris females are essentially “maximizing their options”– when feeding on Photinus, their eggs are doubly protected, but they are not entirely defenseless when the females are unable to procure lucibufagin. Received 12 August 1999; accepted 27 August 1999     

智能型防碰天车装置的安全可靠性分析

针对目前油田钻井现场使用的智能型防碰天车装置存在一些安全问题，分析了问题的实质是设计测量精度和安全可靠性不高。提出了具体改进设计的方案与意见。     

环境治理工程评标的双基点模型及应用

动用多指标综合排序的双基点法，建立了环境治理工程评标的数学模型。应用实例表明，该模型可以为环境治理工程评标提供客观、合理的方法。     

江苏省地震前兆信息数据库系统(JSEPIDS)简介

数据库技术是管理数据的一种最新方法,它研究如何组织和存储数据,如何高效地获取和处理数据。本文建立的江苏省地震前兆信息数据库系统是把作为地震预报的三大学科的观测数据集中起来,统一管理,该系统具有友好的用户界面,采用全中文交互式操作环境,易于扩充,为实现数据共享和台网数字化提供了前提条件。     

Analysis of Meteorological Drought Pattern During Different Climatic and Cropping Seasons in Bangladesh

Drought is one of the most frequent natural disasters in Bangladesh which severely affect agro‐based economy and people's livelihood in almost every year. Characterization of droughts in a systematic way is therefore critical in order to take necessary actions toward drought mitigation and sustainable development. In this study, standardized precipitation index is used to understand the spatial distribution of meteorological droughts during various climatic seasons such as premonsoon, monsoon, and winter seasons as well as cropping seasons such as Pre‐Kharif (March‐May), Kharif (May‐October), and Rabi (December‐February). Rainfall data collected from 29 rainfall gauge stations located in different parts of the country were used for a period of 50 years (1961‐2010). The study reveals that the spatial characteristics of droughts vary widely according to season. Premonsoon droughts are more frequent in the northwest, monsoon droughts mainly occur in the west and northwest, winter droughts in the west, and the Rabi and Kharif droughts are more frequent in the north and northwest of Bangladesh. It is expected that the findings of the study will support drought monitoring and mitigation activities in Bangladesh.     

推行清洁生产 企业扭亏为盈

巨化集团公司锦纶厂逐步推行清洁生产，从原材料的选择、工艺改造、设备更新、综合利用、节约用水、加强管理等各方面采取了一系列措施，经两年努力，使企业扭亏为盈。实践证明，推行清洁生产是化工企业减亏增盈和防治污染的有效途径。     

长江源区各拉丹冬峰雪冰中微粒季节变化及其环境意义

分析了长江源区各拉丹冬峰冰川区不同海拔采集的3个雪坑SP1、SP2和SP3样品中δ18O、不溶微粒数量浓度及主要离子浓度,以探讨本研究区域雪冰微粒含量变化及其来源.结果显示,不同粒径微粒含量变化趋势一致,3个雪坑中细微粒含量分别占总微粒的88%、78%、86%.中微粒分别占10%、19%、11%;不同粒径微粒数量浓度之间的相关系数均达0.9以上(置信度可达99%),具有良好的相关性.雪冰中不溶微粒浓度同Ca2 、Mg2 、SO2-4一样,具有明显的季节波动.非季风期微粒浓度要高于季风期2～4倍.3个雪坑非季风期微粒通量分别占一个年层雪冰中微粒总通量的73.6%、92.3%、97%,即初春季节沙尘暴对于各拉丹冬雪冰中微粒沉降贡献远大于夏.秋季节.结合NCAR/NCEP再分析资料.应用HYSPLIT-4模式模拟的不同季节5 d后向气团轨迹图表明,各拉丹冬峰冰川I区雪冰中不溶性微粒可能来源于中亚、南亚和青藏高原本身,其中影响最大的可能是青藏高原自身的沙尘源区,同时冰川区裸露基岩对雪冰中不溶微粒含量亦有贡献.     

Monitoring Diffuse Impacts: Australian Tourism Developments

/ The scientific quality of monitoring for diffuse environmental impacts has rarely been quantified. This paper presents an analysis of all formal environmental monitoring programs for Australian tourism developments over a 15-year period from 1980 to 1995. The tourism sector provides a good test bed for this study because tourism developments are (1) often adjacent to or even within conservation reserves and other relatively undisturbed natural environments, and (2) often clustered, with resulting cumulative impacts that require detection at an early stage. Here we analyze the precision and reliability with which monitoring programs as actually implemented can detect diffuse environmental impacts against natural variation. Of 175 Australian tourism developments subject to EIA from 1980 to 1993 inclusive, only 13 were subject to formal monitoring. Only 44 individual parameters, in total, were monitored for all these developments together. No baseline monitoring was conducted for nine of the 44 parameters. For the remaining 35, only one was monitored for a full year. Before, after, control, impact, paired sampling (BACIP) monitoring designs were used for 24 of the 44 parameters, and power analysis in 10. The scientific quality of monitoring was significantly better for developments subject to control by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). The key factor appears to be the way in which GBRMPA uses external referees and manages external consultants. The GBRMPA model merits wider adoption.     

中国近三千年来火灾群发周期分析

中国近三千年来大火灾害事件存在着多种时间尺度的群发期。主要的群发期出现在中国周代（６００—４９０ａＢ．Ｃ）、西汉（６０－０ａＢ．Ｃ）、东汉（１００－２００ａＡ．Ｄ）、南北朝（４８０－５７０ａＡ．Ｄ）、唐代（７００－８５０ａＡ．Ｄ）、宋代（１１２０－１２４０ａＡ．Ｄ）、明代（１５００－１６００ａＡ．Ｄ）及清代（１６６０－１７６０ａＡ．Ｄ）八个时期。多尺度群发周期序列为５１７、１７３、１２９、９０、６３、４４、３２、２３、１６、１１年，具有普适性、可公度性、标度不变性。     

Uncertainties in a risk management context in early phases of offshore petroleum field development

The current risk management approach for the Norwegian offshore petroleum industry came into effect in 2001 and has been stable with minor changes for 15 years. Relatively few new installations were slated for development until quite recently, and several new projects have been started in the last few years. The paper considers the risk management approach in the pre-FEED phase and builds on two case studies selected from the most recent cases. These case studies have been evaluated with respect to how uncertainties are considered in the early phase, based on the submission of the Plan for Development and Operation, their evaluations by authorities and the supporting documents. Both case studies involve new concepts for which there is no experience from similar environments and/or water depths. In spite of what could have been expected, the case studies conclude that uncertainties have not been in focus at all during concept development. This appears to be definitely the case for the licensees, but also to be the case for the authorities. Some suggestions are presented for what could have been considered by the licensees and authorities.