Use of genetic,climatic, and microbiological data to inform reintroduction of a regionally extinct butterfly

Species reintroductions are increasingly used as means of mitigating biodiversity loss. Besides habitat quality at the site targeted for reintroduction, the choice of source population can be critical for success. The butterfly Melanargia russiae (Esper´s marbled white) was extirpated from Hungary over 100 years ago, and a reintroduction program has recently been approved. We used museum specimens of this butterfly, mitochondrial DNA data (mtDNA), endosymbiont screening, and climatic‐similarity analyses to determine which extant populations should be used for its reintroduction. The species displayed 2 main mtDNA lineages across its range: 1 restricted to Iberia and southern France (Iberian lineage) and another found throughout the rest of its range (Eurasian lineage). These 2 lineages possessed highly divergent wsp alleles of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia. The century‐old Hungarian specimens represented an endemic haplotype belonging to the Eurasian lineage, differing by one mutation from the Balkan and eastern European populations. The Hungarian populations of M. russiae occurred in areas with a colder and drier climate relative to most sites with extant known populations. Our results suggest the populations used for reintroduction to Hungary should belong to the Eurasian lineage, preferably from eastern Ukraine (genetically close and living in areas with the highest climatic similarity). Materials stored in museum collections can provide unique opportunities to document historical genetic diversity and help direct conservation.     

Quantifying progress toward a conservation assessment for all plants

The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) set an ambitious target to achieve a conservation assessment for all known plant species by 2020. We consolidated digitally available plant conservation assessments and reconciled their scientific names and assessment status to predefined standards to provide a quantitative measure of progress toward this target. The 241,919 plant conservation assessments generated represent 111,824 accepted land plant species (vascular plants and bryophytes, not algae). At least 73,081 and up to 90,321 species have been assessed at the global scale, representing 21–26% of known plant species. Of these plant species, at least 27,148 and up to 32,542 are threatened. Eighty plant families, including some of the largest, such as Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, and Rubiaceae, are underassessed and should be the focus of assessment effort if the GSPC target is to be met by 2020. Our data set is accessible online (ThreatSearch) and is a baseline that can be used to directly support other GSPC targets and plant conservation action. Although around one‐quarter of a million plant assessments have been compiled, the majority of plants are still unassessed. The challenge now is to build on this progress and redouble efforts to document conservation status of unassessed plants to better inform conservation decisions and conserve the most threatened species.     

Environmental occurrence of Q1, a C9H3C17N2 compound,that has been identified as a natural bioaccumulative organochlorine

Environmental appearance of Q1, a natural heptachloro compound with the molecular formula C₉H₃Cl₇N₂, was studied in samples from different sites all over the world. Q1 was expected to have a bipyrrole backbone, similar to other compounds ascribed to natural sources. A method for isolation of Q1 was developed by combination of adsorption chromatography on silica and normal phase HPLC with an amino phase. UV-detection of Q1 supports the aromatic character of the compound.

The high levels detected in samples of marine mammals and birds suggested that Q1 is both a persistent and a bioaccumulative contaminant. This was underscored by calculated log K_OW in the range of other lipophilic organohalogens. In accordance with earlier studies, highest Q1 concentrations were found in the Southern Hemisphere, but with a highly selective GC/ECNI-MS-SIM method, detection of Q1 was also achieved in many samples from the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to marine mammals and birds, Q1 was also detected in fish from the Mediterranean Sea and the Antarctic. Traces were also detected in SRM 1588 certified cod liver oil, but Q1 was not detected in fish from Hong Kong and Lake Baikal.     

2014年北京市PM2.5质量浓度分析及比对研究

本研究选择污染严重的北京作为研究区域,自2013年12月起至2014年12月,通过设在北五环中国环境科学研究院(CRAES)内的定点监测,获得375天有效平行样品(T和Q)。统计结果表明,2014年北京市PM_(2.5)质量浓度从优良水平的6.9μg/m~3到极重污染的422.1μg/m~3,年均浓度值在100μg/m~3左右。T组和Q组线性相关,但T/Q并非定值,冬季最高,R~2=0.974,对应T/Q=1.014,可能由于冬季污染程度较重,滤膜性能差异可忽略。除春季外,其它三季的PM_(2.5)都是T组>Q组,与石英膜的纤维结构不够致密有关。以T组质量浓度数据为准,与国控监测点奥体中心点公报的日均PM_(2.5)进行比对,结果显示二者基本同步,在春冬季呈现较高的污染浓度,在夏季最低。在严重污染时(PM_(2.5)>250.0μg/m~3),在线监测可能低估PM_(2.5)而T组能更客观地记录实际污染状况。统计2014年全年污染等级分布,4~8月份基本未出现重度污染,而在冬季采暖期10~12月份,优良天数不足50%。综合分析风速、相对湿度对PM_(2.5)质量浓度的影响,证实冬季取暖燃煤和无风、高湿、逆温的静稳天气是霾频发的主要原因。     

Providing the Spark: Impact of financial incentives on battery electric vehicle adoption

To overcome adoption barriers and promote battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as an energy efficient consumer transportation option, a number of states offer subsidies to consumers for BEVs. We use a national data set of vehicle registrations and state-level financial incentives to assess the impact of vehicle purchase subsidies on adoption using both difference-in-differences and synthetic controls methods. We find that incentives offered as direct purchase rebates generate increased levels of new BEV registrations at a rate of approximately 8 percent per thousand dollars of incentive offered. Between 2011 and 2015, vehicle rebate incentives are associated with an increase in overall BEV registrations of approximately 11 percent. Our findings indicate incentives offered as state income tax credits do not have a statistically significant effect on BEV adoptions, though we caution this may be a result of limited temporal variation in BEV incentives across our sample. Responses to rebate incentives do not differ significantly by the make of the vehicle purchased (i.e., Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles). We combine our results with recent assessments of marginal environmental costs of electric vehicle charging and measure net welfare effects of BEV subsidy programs. Our analysis indicates these programs are not welfare-improving if only considering benefits associated with avoided emissions. Additional benefits associated with long-term market growth, production cost savings, network externalities, or accelerated innovation could substantially impact the net welfare outcomes.     

睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌对喹啉类化合物的降解

对喹啉、异喹啉、2-甲基喹啉、3-甲基喹啉、4-甲基喹啉和6-甲基喹啉在睾丸酮丝毛单胞菌(Comamonas testosteroni Q10)作用下的降解及底物之间的相互作用进行研究．结果表明,喹啉和3-甲基喹啉不仅能有效地被降解,而且细菌也有明显的生长,而其它化合物虽有部分降解但没有观察到细胞生长．底物初始浓度的增加对菌Q10有一定抑制作用．喹啉的存在对其它化合物的降解具有不同的促进效应,其中尤以6-甲基喹啉和4-甲基喹啉最为明显．能在较短时间内得到完全去除,而在各二元体系中喹啉的降解受到这些化合物的抑制作用．     

北京市大气细颗粒物对Balb/c 3T3细胞周期的影响

研究了北京市大气细颗粒物有机提取物 (EOC)对Balb c 3T3细胞周期及调节因子的影响 .实验发现 116 μg mL细颗粒物EOC即有明显的细胞毒性 ,抑制细胞生长 ,并存在剂量 反应关系 ,IC50 为 4 0 2 2 μg mL ;流式细胞仪分析显示 136 6 μg mLPM2 5EOC可造成细胞周期改变 ,G0 G1期、G2 M期细胞分布增加 ,分别为 16 2 4 % (P <0 0 1)与 3 17% (P <0 0 5 ) ,S期细胞分布减少 2 0 4 % (P <0 0 1) ,并伴有P5 3含量的增加 ;4 0 9 8、4 78 1μg mL的PM2 5EOC可诱导Balb c3T3细胞凋亡 .提示PM2 5有机提取物可能通过P5 3途径引起Balb c 3T3细胞周期阻滞 ,并诱导细胞凋亡 .     

国产Q345钢在不同热-力路径下的材料性能对比和材料模型应用

为评估和分析钢结构的耐火性能,以我国10个钢厂生产的Q345钢的424次恒载升温试验和152次恒温加载试验结果为依据,对钢材强度和应变以及不同的热-力作用路径下的力学性能进行对比研究。结果表明,在所有热-力作用路径下,恒载升温试验的强度最小,应变最大,临界温度最低;恒温加载试验的强度最大,应变最小,临界温度最高。随温度升高,热-力作用路径对钢材的力学性能影响增大:在450℃以下影响较小,在500℃以上时影响显著。如果规范采用恒温加载试验强度,是不可靠的。恒载升温条件下的ε-T-k材料模型和恒温加载条件下的ε-k-T材料模型均不能单独用于超静定钢结构的性能分析。超静定钢结构的性能分析可把火灾过程离散为若干时段,把每个时段分解为两个独立的应变-温度过程和应变-应力过程,分别应用恒载升温条件下的ε-T-k和恒温加载条件下的ε-k-T材料模型进行分析,然后迭加计算以得出最后的应变。     

甲醛对原癌基因c-myc、MDM2及抑癌基因p53的影响

为研究吸入性甲醛的毒性能否进入动物骨髓组织,引起骨髓组织基因表达发生改变,选择小鼠某些原癌基因和抑癌基因为研究对象,以SPF级balb/c雄性小鼠为材料,采用动态吸入方式染毒2周(5+2模式),染毒浓度分别为0, 0.5, 3.0mg/m3,用半定量RT-PCR方法检测不同浓度甲醛对小鼠染毒后骨髓组织细胞中c-myc、MDM2和p53基因表达的变化.结果表明,在不同浓度的甲醛暴露条件下,与空白对照组相比,小鼠骨髓组织中的c-myc基因,MDM2基因和p53基因表达均发生改变,在3.0mg/m3浓度组与空白对照组存在显著差异(P<0.05), c-myc基因,MDM2基因呈现表达上调,p53基因则呈现表达下调.吸入性甲醛的毒性能进入动物骨髓组织,并能引起骨髓组织基因表达发生改变.     

Contrasting visions of food and farming sustainability: NGOs versus the UK Labour government

In a previous issue of the International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology I described how competing visions of sustainable agriculture are currently battling for hegemonic status (Johnson 2006). One vision seeks to break the hegemony of productionism and the other seeks to continue down its path with a greater emphasis on biotechnology. In this paper, I wish to explore these visions further as they apply to actual existing strategies for sustainable farming and food in the UK. This paper uses discourse analysis to compare the UK government's vision for sustainable farming and food sectors with that of two NGOs: Friends of the Earth and Corporate Watch. The language and discourse in the government's and NGOs' strategy documents is examined for evidence indicating their ideological conception of agricultural sustainability. The paper concludes that, whilst the NGOs are pursuing a strong vision of sustainability, seeking to break productionism's hegemony, the UK government is pursuing an ideologically weak-tomoderate conceptualisation of sustainability, pursuing the high-technology modified version of agricultural productionism.