Lignoid chemical defenses in the freshwater macrophyte Saururus cernuus

Summary. Chemical defense against herbivores has rarely been investigated for freshwater plants, possibly due to the common misconception that herbivory on aquatic macrophytes is low and would not select for chemical defenses. In previous work, the freshwater angiosperm Saururus cernuus was shown to be a low preference food for omnivorous crayfish despite its high nutrient value and relatively soft texture. We used feeding by the crayfish Procambarus clarkii to guide fractionation of the deterrent lipid-soluble extract of this plant, leading to the identification of seven deterrent lignoid metabolites, (–)-licarin A, (+)-saucernetin, (–)-dihydroguaiaretic acid, (–)-sauriols A and B, (–)-saucerneol, and (–)-saucerneol methyl ether. Lignans have been implicated in terrestrial plant chemical defenses as insect growth inhibitors, insect toxins, nematocides, antibacterial, and antifungal agents. However, these activities have rarely been demonstrated using ecologically relevant methodologies in terrestrial systems, and never before in freshwater systems. The widespread nature of lignans amongst very distantly related plants, along with their rich diversity of molecular structure, suggests that they could play a large role in mediating plant-herbivore interactions. In addition to the lignoid compounds we identified, there were other compounds present in low concentration or unstable compounds that were deterrent, that did not appear to be lignans, but that we were unable to identify. This plant thus appears to be defended by a complex mixture of natural products. Received 6 June 2000; revised 23 August 2000; accepted 2 September 2000     

Acoustic concomitants of the defensive discharges of a primitive bombardier beetle (Metrius contractus)

Summary. Metrius contractus, a primitive paussoid bombardier beetle, emits its defensive quinonoid froth with accompanying sound (a faint “hiss”), but the sound is not pulsed, indicating that the secretory emission itself is not pulsed. Pulsed secretory delivery in bombardier beetles appears to occur in Brachinini only. Received 8 July 2001; accepted 23 July 2001.     

Benzoic acid, a stimulant of odorant receptors of Bombyx mori, is rapidly metabolized to N-benzoylserine on the antennae

Summary. Benzoic acid is a known stimulant of olfactory receptor cells in trichoid sensilla on the antennae of adult females of Bombyx mori. Exposure of freshly excised antennae, from B. mori females and males, to vapours of [¹⁴C]-benzoic acid revealed that the adsorbed acid is rapidly metabolized (15% conversion in 10 s), suggesting the presence of a highly active enzymatic system. The major product could be identified as N-benzoylserine by use of [²H₅]-benzoic acid, and mass spectrometry linked to a gas chromatograph (GC-MS) or a liquid chromatograph (LC-MS), for analysis of the metabolites. The conjugation of benzoic acid with an amino acid apparently represents a novel mode for the rapid deactivation of odorant molecules. Received 26 March 2001.     

Apples, Pears and Porridge: The Origins and Impact of the Search for 'Coherence' between Humanitarian and Political Responses to Chronic Political Emergencies

During the 1990s a consensus emerged within the international humanitarian system that there was a need to enhance the 'coherence' between humanitarian and political responses to complex political emergencies. Closer integration between aid and political responses was seen to be necessary in order to address the root causes of conflict-induced crises, and to ensure that aid did not exacerbate political tensions. This paper explores the theory and practice of coherence over the past decade. It argues that, by sleight of hand, the coherence agenda has been reinterpreted such that humanitarian action has become the primary form of political action, rather than merely a substitute for it. The coherence agenda has been driven by geopolitical events, domestic policy considerations in donor countries and the more parochial concerns of aid policy, and is reflected in a number of substantive changes in the humanitarian architecture. Many of the tenets of this 'new humanitarianism' have been embraced by the majority of relief agencies, and thus legitimised it. The paper concludes that political humanitarianism, as opposed to active engagement by political and military actors, is flawed ethically and technically. It will provide neither an effective palliative for the ill effects of war, nor address its causes.     

贵州省煤中挥发性和半挥发性微量元素分布规律的初步研究

研究了贵州省四大煤田不同层位、不同煤种中Hg,As,Se,Pb,Cd,Tl,Zn,Sb等挥发性和半挥发性微量元素的分布规律。贵州省原煤中Hg,As,Se,Pb,Cd,Sb等元素的含量高于地壳克拉克值;Tl,Zn等的含量低于地壳克拉克值;另外,除了Pb,Zn外,贵州省原煤中Hg,As,Se,Cd的含量远远高于东北和内蒙古东部地区。微量元素聚类分析结果表明,Hg,As,Sb可能主要分布于煤的黄铁矿中;Zn和Se可能主要赋存于闪锌矿中;Cd可能部分存在于硫化物中,部分存在于硅酸盐矿物相中;Pb可能主要存在于硅酸盐矿物相中;而Tl在煤中的赋存形式较复杂。     

单甲脒饱和蒸气压的测定和估算

用气体的法测单甲脒在１５,２５,３５和４５℃时的饱和蒸气分别为０．２０２,０．５５４６,１．９５,６．２９Ｐａ;亨利常数计算值分别为６．３０×１０＾－４,１．６７×１０＾－３,５．６８×１０＾０－３和１．７８×１０＆－２,根据Ｃｌａｕｓｉｕｓ Ｃｌａｐｅｙｒｏｎ方程求出单甲脒在常温下气化热为８９．２ｋＪ．ｍｏｌ＾－１。     

水中一氯胺和二氯胺的紫外连续流动测定

本文研究了二氯胺与溴化钾的反应及其产物。采用微孔渗透膜分离－紫外分光测定系统,测定水溶液中的一氯胺与二氯胺。本法的线性范围为２×１０＾－５ｍｏｌ·ｌ＾－１－１×＾－２ｍｏｌ·ｌ＾－１,标准偏差在２×１０＾－４ｍｏｌ·ｌ＾－１时为４．３％。     

羊角月芽藻摄取磷形态的动力学研究

将湖水中的磷分成总溶解磷,溶解反应磷,总反应磷、溶解的水解性磷,溶解的光解性磷。研究其在羊角月芽过程中的变化。     

氯酚与富里酸的缔合作用

本文用超滤膜方法证实氯酚与富里酸之间存在缔合作用,并计算出表观缔合常数在２．７＊１０＾３－－１２１＊１０＾３ｍｌ．ｇ＾－１范围内。实验结果表明”ＰＨ、富里酸含量,氯酚取代氯原子个数都能够影响Ｋ值的大小。     

突发环境事件应急监测演习脚本的编写

简述了突发环境事件应急监测演习脚本编写的重要性及相关原则,介绍了按事故情景演变和应急监测工作响应程序两种应急监测演习脚本的编写方法。