芘污染对马氏珠母贝(Pinctada martensi)D型面盘幼虫发育的影响

多环芳烃(PAHs)是一类广泛存在于环境中的持久性有机污染物,大多具有潜在毒性、致癌性及致畸诱变作用。选取马氏珠母贝(Pinctada martensi)作为模式动物,研究芘对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫发育的影响。将马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫暴露于不同浓度(2、4、8、16和32μg·L-1)芘(pyrene)中,在暴露后第12、24、36、48、60、72和84小时,分别测定其死亡率和畸形率,并观察形态学的变化。结果表明,芘对D型面盘幼虫的发育有显著影响,同一浓度组的死亡率与时间呈正相关。在2～32μg·L-1浓度范围内,不同暴露时间段,死亡率与浓度呈正相关。芘暴露对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫的形态也有显著影响,随着芘浓度的增大幼虫畸形的比例增高,并呈现明显的剂量-效应关系,其中8和32μg·L-1浓度组的响应最敏感。同时,芘暴露对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫的半数致死浓度(LC50)随着时间的推移逐渐降低,60h后趋于稳定,LC50值为43.50μg·L-1。研究结果表明,芘暴露能影响马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫的发育,并可能对其种群结构产生不利影响。     

Mortality rate and population density regulation in the great tit, Parus major L.: A review

A comparative analysis of published estimates of survival rates in different populations of great tits is made separately for adult and juvenile birds. The relationship between environmental conditions and demographic parameters in the reproduction of populations is discussed. Published in Russian in Ekologiya, 2006, No. 3, pp. 199–207. The article was translated by the author.     

Economic Valuation of Health Impact of PM10 Pollution in Beijing from 2001 to 2006

In light of the practical need for research to inform policy in Beijing,this study evaluates the economic cost of the impact of PM10 pollution in Beijing from 2001 to 2006,taking health as the main impact,and mortality as the main outcome.Based on the literature review,this study adopts relatively conservative parameters as the basis for calculating the health impacts.It concludes that nearly 30% of mortality among registered residents above age 30 in Beijing can be attributed to PM10 pollution,and that the economic cost equals 0.8%-1.2% of the city's GDP over the same period.This is lower than the results of previous studies,but still high enough to warrant a commitment to solve the city's air pollution problem.     

Body condition and reproductive characteristics of female water voles (Arvicola terrestris L.)

The relationship between long-term dynamics of reproductive parameters and body condition were studied in female water voles from a cycling population. Body condition was estimated from the deviation of body weight (excluding the weight of the uterus with embryos) from the theoretically expected weight calculated from the equation of body weight regression with respect to body length. As the index of body condition increases upon transition from decline to peak in the population cycle, the numbers of corpora lutea and live embryos also increase and the risk of resorption of the entire litter becomes lower.     

Comparative Analysis of Coat Color Morphs in a Polymorphic Population of the Northern Mole Vole

Long-term stationary observations (1985–2000) on a polymorphic population of the northern mole vole (Ellobius talpinus Pall.) in Kurgan oblast were performed using the mark-recapture method. Original data were obtained on the abundance and structure of this population, which comprised individuals of three color morphs: black, brown, and intermediate (bicolor). Each morph proved to have its specific features with respect to abundance, age and sex composition, migration, birthrate, mortality, and life span. In general, this polymorphism contributes to population heterogeneity and the maintenance of population homeostasis.     

Impact of drought‐related vaccination on livestock mortality in pastoralist areas of Ethiopia

Under a national Livestock Policy Forum in Ethiopia the impact of livestock vaccination during drought was assessed in order to inform the development of a best‐practice guideline. For each of the different types of vaccine used during drought years there was no significant difference in livestock mortality, for any species, in vaccinated compared with non‐vaccinated herds. The limited impact of vaccination on livestock mortality was attributed to weaknesses in the design and implementation of vaccination programmes, including use of inappropriate vaccines, low vaccination coverage, problems with vaccine dosing, incorrect timing of vaccination and problems with vaccine storage. If these weaknesses could be overcome vaccination could be a useful means to protect livestock assets, with considerable benefit‐cost ratios. Vaccination should be conducted as a standard preventive measure during normal years, and programme design should be informed by participatory epidemiological studies.     

Mortality from road traffic accidents in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city: A 20-year analysis in Shenzhen, 1994–2013

Objective: This study aimed to describe the trends of motorization and mortality rates from road traffic accidents and examine their associations in a rapidly urbanizing city in China, Shenzhen.

Methods: Using data from the Shenzhen Deaths Registry between 1994 and 2013, we calculated the annual mortality rates of road traffic accidents, in addition to the age- and sex-specific mortality rates and their annual percentage changes (APCs) for the period of 2000–2013. We also examined the associations between mortality rate of road traffic accidents and traffic growth with Spearman's rank correlation analysis and a log-linear model derived from Smeed's law.

Results: A total of 20,196 deaths due to road traffic accidents, including 14,391 (71.3%) male deaths and 5,805 (28.7%) female deaths, were recorded in Shenzhen from 1994 to 2013. The annual mortality rates in terms of deaths per population and deaths per vehicle changed in similar patterns, demonstrating an increase since 1994 and peaking in 1997, followed by a steady decrease thereafter. The decrease in mortality was faster in individuals aged 20 year or older compared to those younger than 20 years. The mortality rates in term of deaths per population were positively correlated with the total number of vehicles per kilometer of road but negatively correlated with the motorization rate in term of vehicles per population. The estimated model for deaths due to road traffic accidents in relation to the total population and the number of registered vehicles was ln (deaths/10,000 vehicles) = ?1.902 × ln (vehicles/population) ? 1.961. The coefficient was statistically significant (P < .001) and the coefficient of determination was 0.966, indicating a good model fit.

Conclusions: We described a generally decreasing trend in the mortality rates of road traffic accidents in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city based observations in the 20-year period from 1994 to 2013. The decreased mortality rate may be explained by the expansion of road network construction, improved road safety regulations and management, as well as more accessible ambulance services in recent years. Nevertheless, road traffic accidents remain a universal problem of great public health concern in the whole population.     

Infant handling and mortality in yellow baboons (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Papio cynocephalus</Emphasis>): evidence for female reproductive competition?

This study examines negative and positive infant handling behavior in 24 free-ranging yellow baboon infants (Papio cynocephalus) studied over a 5-year period in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. We test predictions of the female reproductive competition hypothesis to explain patterns of infant handling behavior by adult females (excluding the infants mother) in relation to observed cases of infant mortality by age 3 months (25% of infants in this study). Results show that: (1) low-ranking infants received more negative infant handling than high-ranking infants; conversely high-ranking infants received more positive infant handling; (2) female kin engaged in higher levels of positive infant handling than did non-kin, whereas non-kin showed higher levels of negative infant handling; (3) rates of negative infant handling varied by season, with high levels at the onset of the rainy season; and (4) high level of negative infant handling was a significant predictor of infant mortality by age 3 months (infant rank and sex did not predict survival). We discuss how the occurrence and interpretation of infant handling behavior in the literature has likely been confused by different definitions of this behavior, as well as differences in the socio-ecological context in which this behavior occurs.Communicated by C. Nunn     

扬中县土壤背景值及其与恶性肿瘤死亡率关系

本文对我国癌症高发区扬中县土壤环境背景值作了论述,并与同期调查的全国和江苏省土壤背景值进行对比,采用多元素综合效应比值、相关、多元回归分析法,探讨了癌症发病率与土壤微量元素间的关系。     

Response of successive three generations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), fed on cotton bolls under elevated CO2

The growth, development and consumption of successive three generations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera （Htibner）, fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2 （double-ambient vs. ambient） in open-top chambers were examined. Significant decreases in protein, total amino acid, water and nitrogen content and increases in free fatty acid were observed in cotton bolls. Changes in quality of cotton bolls affected the growth, development and food utilization of H. armigera. Significantly longer larval development duration in three successive generations and lower pupal weight of the second and third generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower fecundity was also found in successive three generations of H. armigera fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The consumption per larva occurred significant increase in successive three generations and frass per larva were also significantly increased during the second and third generations under elevated CO2. Significantly lower relative growth rate, efficiency of conversion of ingested food and significant higher relative consumption rate in successive three generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower potential female fecundity, larval numbers and population consumption were found in the second and third generations of cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The integrative effect of higher larval mortality rate and lower adult fecundity resulted in significant decreases in potential population consumption in the latter two generations. The results show that elevated CO2 adversely affects cotton bolls quality, which indicates the potential population dynamics and potential population consumption of cotton bollworm will alleviate the harm to the plants in the future rising CO2 atmosphere.