Does the mechanism of sex determination constrain the potential for sex manipulation? A test in geckos with contrasting sex-determining systems

The concentration of yolk steroids was suggested to influence offspring gender in oviparous animals subject to both temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and genotypic sex determination (GSD). However, the proposed mechanisms of steroid effects are thought to differ between TSD and GSD: a direct effect of oestrogens on gonad feminisation in TSD species vs a differential induction of male-producing or female-producing gametes in GSD species. Geckos offer an ideal opportunity for testing these suggested mechanisms. Closely related gecko species differ in their modes of sex determination. They lay clutches of two synchronously formed eggs; both eggs share equal steroid levels. If identical hormonal composition and environment during vitellogenesis, gravidity and incubation determine the sex of the progeny, siblings should share the same gender in both TSD and GSD geckos. We found strong support for this prediction in a TSD gecko species. Among clutches that were incubated at the temperature that produced both sexes, there were no clutches with siblings of the opposite sex. On the other hand, about half of the clutches yielded siblings of the opposite sex in four GSD species. These results suggest that sex-determining systems constrain the ability of the female to produce single-sex siblings and, hence, it seems that the GSD mechanism constrains the opportunities for sex ratio manipulation in geckos via yolk steroid manipulation.     

退浆废水中聚乙烯醇定量测量的研究进展

中国纺织行业产生的退浆废水中聚乙烯醇（PVA）可生化性能差,其对环境的危害越来越受到环保人士的关注。因此定量检测PVA在处理退浆废水研究中显得尤为重要,然而至今没有形成一套定量测量PVA的规范方法。本文介绍了目前退浆废水中聚乙烯醇定量测量的常用方法：单波长和双波长分光光度法,以及目前测量所选用的显色体系、显色剂加入量、测量波长等条件。并从多角度分析了测量条件不规范的原因,提出了一些改进的建议,为规范PVA的定量测量研究提供参考。     

Comparative study on standardized ignition sources used for explosion testing

For the determination of safety characteristics of gases, vapors and dusts different types of ignition sources are used in international standards and guidelines. The paper presents test results of a comparative calorimetric and visual study between four different types of ignition sources. The ignition procedures were analyzed visually with a high-speed camera and electric recordings. In addition to that, the influence of the electrode-orientation, -distance as well as ignition energy on the reproducibility of the exploding wire igniter was tested.The exploding wire is already in use for standardized determination of safety characteristics of gases, first tests on the suitability of the exploding wire igniter for dust testing have been carried out but are not standardized yet. Using the exploding wire, the ignition energy can be varied from 2 J to 10 000 J (2 x 5000 J) and thus it could be used for gases, vapors, dusts and hybrid mixtures. Moreover it can be used at high initial pressures and it is the only ignition source with an easily measurable ignition energy release. Furthermore, it does not introduce another chemical reaction into the system.Finally, a proposal for a standard ignition source for explosion tests on hybrid mixtures is derived from the test results.     

吹扫—捕集/气相色谱法测定水中挥发性卤代烃

建立了吹扫—捕集 /气相色谱 /电子捕获检测器联用测定水中 5种挥发性卤代烃分析方法 ,且按国家水质分析标准方法 (GB/T 1 71 3 0 -1 997)所确定的三氯甲烷、四氯化碳、三氯乙烯、四氯乙烯、三溴甲烷 5种挥发性卤代烃进行实验 ,采用 Supelcoport担体层析柱对去离子水处理 ,所获得的纯水无色谱干扰峰 ,本法按国家水质分析标准方法列出的 5种挥发性卤代烃进行测定在国内尚未见报导。当纯水的进样体积为 5 .0 ml时 ,其最低检出浓度为 1× 1 0 - 2～ 6× 1 0 - 4(μg/L)之间 ;相对误差在 1 .1 %～ 2 .4%之间 ;加标回收率在 82 .5 %～ 1 0 8%之间 ;相关系数在 0 .9980～ 0 .9999之间。可快速、高灵敏度、简便、准确、精密地测定水中 5种挥发性卤代烃 ,本法适用于饮用水和地表水中挥发性卤代烃的测定     

污水生化需氧量(BOD)的在线自动监测

采用由程序控制的自动采样器、自动稀释器和流动注射 微生物传感器组成的BOD在线自动监测仪 ,对污水BOD进行了在线自动监测。用该仪器监测配制标样和质控标样的结果具有良好的准确度和精密度。该仪器安装于污水处理厂出水口 ,连续运行 1 0d状态良好 ,且测定结果与标准稀释法测得的BOD5有良好的相关性     

Kin conflict over caste determination in social Hymenoptera

We argue that caste determination, the process whereby females in the social Hymenoptera develop into either queens or workers, is subject to kin-selected conflict. Potential conflict arises because developing females are more closely related to their would-be offspring than to those of other females. Therefore, they may favour becoming queens contrary to the interests of other developing females and of existing queens and workers. We suggest two contexts leading to potential caste conflict. The first occurs when queens are reared in a reproductive phase following an ergonomic phase of worker production, while the second occurs when queens and workers are reared simultaneously. The first context assumes that workers' per capita contribution to colony survival and productivity falls with rising colony size. A critical feature influencing whether potential conflict is realized is the extent to which developing females can determine their own caste (“self-determination”). Self-determination is facilitated when female larvae control their own food intake and when queen-worker size dimorphism is low. We know of no strong evidence for actual conflict over caste fate arising in the first context. However, stingless bees and polygynous ants with excess queen-potential larvae that are either forced to develop as workers or are culled as adults demonstrate actual caste conflict in the second context. Caste conflict does not preclude caste regulation for “the good of the colony”, but such regulation is contingent on either the absence of potential conflict or on developing females losing control of their caste fate. Received: 22 March 1999 / Received in revised form: 15 June 1999 / Accepted: 19 June 1999     

带有阶跃函数的GIM（1）预测模型及其应用

结合某水域地面水ＲＯＤ５的预测实践,研究提出了带有阶跃函数的ＧＩＭ（１）预测模型,并给出了估计这种模型参数的简便方法,从而扩大了ＧＩＭ（１）模型在环境系统中的应用范围,实例表明,运用该方法得到的模型比常规ＧＩＭ（１）具有更高的精度。     

Influence of High Levels of Total Suspended Solids on Measurement of Cod and Bod in the Yellow River, China

Using the Yellow River, China, the study explores the problem of the use of COD and BOD₅ as water quality management parameters in the presence of very high levels of suspended sediment (TSS) that characterize this river. Although the amount of natural organic matter per unit of suspended sediment of the Yellow River is not high, the very high concentration of mineral sediment in the Yellow River results in a large concentration of organic matter, which artificially inflates the laboratory values of COD and, as a consequent, leads to greatly exaggerated reports of pollution of the Yellow River. BOD₅ can more accurately reflect the pollution of the Yellow River than COD; however, measured values of BOD under-report the actual values due to settling of the sediment in the incubation chamber resulting in values that are 21.6--38.3% less than the actual values. Therefore corrections are required for laboratory COD and BOD values so that the values are not artifacts of the sediment regime. Our work provides new insight into this phenomenon and demonstrates how correction factors may be determined and used with pollution data. Our work also suggests that the actual pollution levels of the Yellow River are probably not as high as reported by monitoring agencies.     

大气气溶胶酸式硫酸盐的FTIR研究

在详细分析了硫酸盐和酸式硫酸盐的红外光谱特征的基础上,利用傅利叶变换红外光谱仪,ＫＢｒ压片的制样方式,选择７５０－５００ｃｍ＾－１作为定量范围,对１９９４年春,夏、冬和１９９５年春季北京中关村地区气溶胶样品中的ＳＯ４＾２－和ＨＳＯ４＾－进行了定量测定,ＳＯ４＾２－和ＨＳＯ４＾－在大气中的含量分别为２．５６至６０．４μｇ＝ｍ＾３和未检出至５．７μｇ／ｍ＾３,从而建立了直接测定大气气溶胶中酸式硫酸盐的     

分光光度法测定大气气溶胶中铬

研究采用分光光度法测定大气气溶胶中铬,测定波长为540nm.铬浓度在0.05 μ g/50mL～10μg/50mL范围内与吸光度呈良好的线性关系,大气气溶胶中铬的检出浓度为2.2×10-4 μg·m-3.当铬的浓度为0.07 μ g/50mL时,方法的相对标准偏差为12%(n=3),加标回收率为79%～113%.