Female choice in the opportunistic mating of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Mahale

For female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, the most common mating pattern is opportunistic. In such opportunistic matings, females copulated promiscuously but not randomly. This study describes female mate choice during 1-year observation of six females who exhibited regular genital-swelling cycles. During the study period, 169 opportunistic matings and four restrictive matings were recorded over the course of 51 days. As female estrus progressed, mating frequency and the number of adult male mating partners increased, although the number of potential mating partners did not change. Criteria of female choice examined were the direction and consent/rejection of courtship, proximity maintenance, and female grooming. Adult-male courtships were successful more often than those of adolescent males. During the earlier phase of estrus, females copulated rather promiscuously with many males. But during the later phase of estrus when the likelihood of conception is expected to be highest, they copulated repeatedly with high-ranking adult males. There was a positive correlation between female grooming frequency and mating frequency when the likelihood of conception was greatest. Female chimpanzees are thought to choose high-ranking males as fathers of their offspring. Moreover, female chimpanzees may adopt one or both of two mating strategies, i.e., a many-male strategy and a best-male strategy. Received: 23 November 1998 / Received in revised form: 12 April 1999 / Accepted: 26 April 1999     

Application of environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies for an automotive component

Application of appropriate environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies enables the sustainable development of products and processes. Automotive component manufacturers recognise the potential of applying appropriate strategies for attaining Triple Bottom Line benefits. In this context, three strategies such as eco-efficiency, waste minimisation and material efficiency are being applied to minimise environmental impacts associated with the manufacture of automotive products and its associated processes. A case study of an automotive component manufacturing firm has been exemplified. After conducting the study, the potential environmental impact was reduced by 20% and eco-efficiency was improved by 13%. Further, improvements have been observed in terms of overall resource consumption and material efficiency. The overall power consumption was reduced by 18% and weight of the component was reduced by 11%. The study aimed at improving the sustainable performance of product by incorporating green and environmentally friendlier manufacturing practices.

Abbreviations: USEPA: United Nations Environmental Protection Agency; OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; WBCSD: World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Eco-QFD: Environmental Quality Function Deployment; WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development; LCA: Life Cycle Assessment     

三唑酮对青鳉鱼和大型溞不同测试终点的毒性效应评价

以青鳉鱼和大型溞为代表性水生生物,研究三唑酮对其不同测试终点的慢性毒性效应.结果显示,以生存、生长、繁殖为测试终点,青鳉鱼的NOEC分别为76,60,5μg/L,基于大型溞蜕皮次数、生长和繁殖的NOEC分别为25,100,200μg/L.由此可见,青鳉鱼比大型溞对三唑酮的毒性更敏感.比较不同测试终点,青鳉鱼的繁殖类指标最敏感,其次是生长、生存;相比大型溞的繁殖以及幼溞的生长,其幼溞的蜕皮次数指标更为敏感.因此,低剂量长期暴露下三唑酮会对水生生物的繁殖能力造成一定的损伤,评价其水生态安全应全面考虑不同生物种群的不同测试终点,尤其是鱼类繁殖毒性效应.     

环境雌激素双酚A暴露现状及其雄性生殖毒性研究概况

双酚A(bisphenol A,BPA)作为典型的环境雌激素,在环境中广泛存在,具有接触机会频繁、剂量累积、潜伏期长等特点,是对生殖系统危害极大的一类污染物。研究表明BPA可在地表水、野生动物体内检测出,甚至在健康人群的体液中存在,尤其在婴儿体内含量较高。BPA进入机体后可通过I相和II相代谢酶分解,其分解产物的毒性目前仍不清楚。BPA在体内发挥雌激素样作用,与雌二醇竞争性地结合到雌激素受体上,阻碍雄激素受体的活性,促进促黄体生成素与催乳素的合成,最终抑制雄性激素的合成。BPA可破坏血睾屏障,直接刺激睾丸细胞的凋亡并导致精子质量下降,其中主要通过影响下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴(HPG)上促性腺激素释放激素受体(Gn RHR)、促黄体生成素受体(LHRβ)和促卵泡雌激素(Fshb)的表达和直接刺激睾丸和附睾细胞,降低睾酮合成酶的表达及活性,抑制与精子生成相关蛋白的表达,从而影响生殖能力。同时,BPA代谢过程中消耗大量的抗氧化酶,产生氧自由基,其氧化产物可能会对睾丸和附睾的损伤形成二次打击。总之,双酚A造成雄性生殖损伤障碍主要是损伤HPG轴正负反馈调节的平衡以及影响调节激素相关基因的表达和直接损伤睾丸细胞和精子质量。     

改良SBR工艺实现生活污水除磷与半亚硝化

常温条件下(20~25℃),采用序批式反应器(SBR),应用改进后的运行策略:进水、厌氧搅拌、曝气搅拌、静置沉淀、排水、选择性排泥、污泥床缺氧搅拌,控制污泥龄为20d,溶解氧为0.2~0.5mg/L,实现单污泥系统同步除磷亚硝化的稳定运行.结果表明:总磷去除率为95.9%~97.1%,出水总磷浓度为0.1~0.4mg/L,好氧阶段氨氮去除容积负荷为0.242kg N/(m3·d),出水氨氮和亚硝酸盐氮的比值约为1:1,可以为后续的厌氧氨氧化提供合适的进水.     

6种苯系物对虾夷扇贝的生殖毒性作用

采用半静水式毒性试验,研究了6种苯系物(苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻–二甲苯、间–二甲苯、对–二甲苯)对虾夷扇贝的生殖毒性作用。在水温(16±0.5)℃、盐度30.0、p H 8.0条件下,用0.5、2.5、12.5 mg·L-1的苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻–二甲苯、间–二甲苯、对–二甲苯处理虾夷扇贝的精子、胚胎和幼体,观察6种苯系物对虾夷扇贝的精子活力、卵子受精率、胚胎延滞率、胚胎畸形率、孵化率、幼体畸形率的影响。同时通过透射电镜观察6种苯系物(2.5 mg·L-1)对虾夷扇贝精子超微结构的损伤作用。结果发现:不同浓度苯系物处理组与对照组(0.0 mg·L-1)相比,虾夷扇贝精子的运动时间、卵子受精率及胚胎孵化率显著降低;胚胎发育延滞率、胚胎畸形率和幼体畸形率显著增加为并与处理浓度之间存在显著的剂量—效应关系。以上结果表明实验浓度下,6种苯系物对虾夷扇贝具有较强的胚胎毒性和生殖毒性作用。通过电镜切片发现,2.5 mg·L-1的苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻–二甲苯、间–二甲苯、对–二甲苯导致虾夷扇贝精子超微结构损伤,表现为:精子质膜断裂、部分溶解,线粒体质膜和内嵴断裂、部分溶解。苯系物对虾夷扇贝精子超微结构的损伤可能是影响其精子活力和降低卵子受精率的主要原因之一。上述结果为苯系物对海洋贝类的生殖毒性评价提供基础数据。     

动态惩罚机制下企业安全生产行为演化分析

为揭示动态惩罚机制下企业安全生产行为规律,以企业成本和收益为基础,通过区域内所有企业的博弈,运用演化博弈理论研究不同策略下企业对安全生产投入达标行为演化趋势.研究结果表明:当政府监管能力有约束时,无论企业是否明确预设控制目标,均可能出现投机心理,而政府加大惩罚力度可有效改善整体安全生产水平;同时,企业明确控制目标时,通...     

Male reproductive toxicity of organophosphorous compounds: a review

Fertility is declining in many countries and there has been substantial interest in the potential adverse effects of exposure to environmental hazardous chemicals, including pesticides on male reproduction. Organophosphorous compounds (organophosphates, OP) constitute a heterogeneous category of chemicals specifically designed for the control of pests or plant diseases. OP are known to produce reproductive toxicity, resulting in a decrease in the fertility levels of humans and animals. This review article mainly focused on toxicity of some OP such as acephate, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dimethoate, fenitrothion, malathion, and monocrotophos especially dealing with reproductive toxicity in males. Furthermore, this review deals with mode of action and clinical syndromes of OP. Considerable lab studies on animals concluded that OP produce adverse effects on male reproductive system.     

Build it,but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugarcane ethanol

How consumers might switch from gasoline and diesel to alternative energy sources is not known, since the availability of alternatives is currently very limited. To bridge this gap, we exploit exogenous variation in ethanol prices at Brazil's pumps and uncover substantial consumer heterogeneity in the choice between long-established gasoline and an alternative that is similarly available and usable: sugarcane ethanol. We observe roughly 20% of flexible-fuel motorists choosing gasoline when gasoline is priced 20% above ethanol in energy-adjusted terms ($/mile) and, similarly, 20% of motorists choosing ethanol when ethanol is priced 20% above gasoline. We use transaction-level data to explore “non-price” characteristics which differentiate the two goods in the minds of different groups of consumers. Our findings suggest—and a counterfactual illustrates—that switching away from gasoline en masse, should this be desired, would require considerable price discounts to boost voluntary adoption, in the US and elsewhere.     

The specification of sustainable urban transport strategies

Transport strategies have been developed for nine European cities to achieve optimum performance in terms of a range of objective functions. The functions selected represent economic efficiency, sustainability and a combination of these. The strategies have been based on combinations of a standard set of policy instruments, including public transport infrastructure, frequency and fares, road capacity increases, low cost road pricing and parking charges. The optimisation method is described, and results presented. The reactions of city authorities to the proposed strategies are discussed and implications for transport policy outlined.