农田防护林可持续集约经营模型的应用

选择具有典型代表的辽宁北部平原区、河北坝上农牧交错区和渭北旱塬区农田防护林为研究对象 ,以主栽树种杨树林带为研究材料 ,针对每个特定类型区的主要自然灾害因子和防护目的 ,统计分析调查研究数据 ,确定了辽宁北部、河北坝上和渭北旱塬 3类型区农田防护林可持续集约经营模型的最优经营参数 .其中林带最适疏透度分别为 0 2 5～ 0 35、0 2 0～ 0 30和 0 2 75～ 0 375 ;主林带间距分别为 45 0～ 5 0 0m、2 0 0m和 2 0 0～2 5 0m ;副林带间距分别为 5 0 0～ 10 0 0m、5 0 0m和 35 0～ 45 0m ;林带带面宽度分别为 8m、9m和 4 5～ 8m ;林带行数分别为 3～ 4、6和 2～ 4;林带树木株行距分别为 2m× 1 5～ 3m、1 5m× 1 5m和 1 5～ 3m× 1 5～ 3m ,主栽树种的防护成熟龄分别为 15～ 16a、14～ 15a和 12～ 14a ;防护成熟期分别为 10a、10～ 11a和 12～ 14a ;最佳更新方式分别为隔带更新、半带嫁接更新和隔带更新 .

Synthesis and Application of Thiadiazoloquinoxaline-Containing Chromophores as Dopants for Efficient Near-Infrared Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

series of a donor-acceptor-donor type of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent chromophores based on [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline (TQ) as an electron acceptor and triphenylamine as an electron donor are synthesized and characterized. By introducing pendent phenyl groups or changing the pi-conjugation length in the TQ core, we tuned tile energy levels of these chromophores, resulting in the NIR emission in a range from 784 to 868 nm. High thermal stability and glass transition temperatures allow these chromophores to be used as dopant emitters, which can be processed by vapor deposition for the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) having the multilayered structure of ITO/MoO3/NPB/Alq(3):dopant emitter/BCP/Alq(3)/LiF/Al. The electroluminescence spectra of the devices based on these new chromophores cover a range from 748 to 870 nm. With 2 wt % of dopant 1, the LED device shows an exclusive NIR emission at 752 nm with the external quantum efficiency (EQE) as high as 1.12% over a wide range of current density (e.g., around 200 mA cm(-2)).

An Extremely High Molar Extinction Coefficient Ruthenium Sensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: The Effects of pi-Conjugation Extension

We report a heteroleptic ruthenium complex (007) featuring the electron-rich 5-octyl-2,2'-bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) moiety conjugated with 2,2-bipyridine and exhibiting 10.7% power conversion efficiency measured at the AM1.5G conditions, thanks to the enhanced light-harvesting that is closely related to photocurrent. This C107 sensitizer has an extremely high molar extinction coefficient,of 27.4 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 559 nm in comparison to its analogue C103 (20.5 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 550 nm) or Z907 (12.2 x 10(3) M(-1)cm(-1) at 521 nm) with the corresponding 5-hexyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiopliene- or nonyl-substituted bipyridyl unit. The augmentation of molar extinction coefficients and the bathochromic shift of low-energy absorption peaks along with the pi-conjugation extension are detailed by TD-DFT calculations. The absorptivity of mesoporous titania films grafted with Z907, C103, or C107 sublinearly increases with the molar extinction coefficient of sensitizers, which is consistent with the finding derived from the surface coverage measurements that the packing density of those sensitizers decreases with the geometric enlargement of ancillary ligands.

A new type of polymer-supported metallocene catalyst for ethylene polymerization

A new polymer-supported metallocene catalyst has been prepared, The polymer-supported metallocene displayed considerably high activity in ethylene polymerization, the highest being 3.62x10(7) gPE/molZr.h, the molecular weight of the polyethylene produced was Mn = 1.29x10(5). about 3-4 times those of corresponding homogeneous zirconocenes. The polymer-supported metallocene keeps the characteristics of homogeneous metallocene catalysts, and offers some features, such as adaptable to gas phase and slurry processes: easy to prepare in low cost: relatively high activity and lower MAO/Zr ratio; lower inorganic residues in the polyolefins as compared to cases of SiO2, Al2O3 or MgCl2; unitary active structure, no complex surface as with SiO2; good control of morphology of the resulting polymer.

γ辐照新型聚芳醚酮的介电行为

对γ辐照新型聚芳醚酮(PEK-C)的介电行为进行研究。20—200℃范围内的介电温度谱和30Hz—1MHz的频率谱表明。经过2.02 MGy剂量辐照后,PEK-C的介电行为发生了明显变化,不仅谱图形状有了改变,而且因辐照的PEK-C结构中产生了稳定的三苯自由基,介电系数ε′和介电损耗因子ε″大幅度增加,在20℃,1kHz时前者由3上升到5,后者由5.4×10~(-3)上升到4.6×10~(-1)。

Highly brominated mono- and bis-phenols from the marine red alga Symphyocladia latiuscula with radical-scavenging activity

Four new highly brominated and fully substituted mono- and bis-phenols, 1-(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)pyrrolidin-2-one (1), 1,2-bis(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl)ethane (2), 6-(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)-2,5-dibromo-3,4-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether (3), and 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl sulfone (4), were characterized from the marine red alga Symphyocladia latiuscula. In addition, five known bromophenols, bis(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl)methane (5), bis(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl) ether (6), 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether (7), 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxymethylbenzene (8), and 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (9), were also isolated and identified. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR as well as by low- and high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis. Structurally, all of these compounds are highly brominated and fully substituted, and contain one or two 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl unit(s) in each of the molecules. In addition, compound 4 possesses a unique sulfone structural feature. Each of the isolated compounds was evaluated for alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity and all were found to be potent, with IC50 values ranging from 8.1 to 24.7 mu M, compared to the known positive control butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), with an IC50 of 81.8 mu M.

三种红藻活性物质的发现及松节藻醇提物抗糖尿病药理研究

海藻是海洋生物中的一大类群，由于其特殊的生活环境，能够代谢产生大量结构独特多变和活性特殊多样的代谢产物，是化学和生物活性多样性研究的重要对象之一。我国海域辽阔，海藻资源丰富，为寻找结构新颖、生理活性独特的先导化合物，加强对海藻资源的开发利用，本论文对中国沿海的三种海洋红藻进行了化学成分和生物活性研究，同时对山东青岛海域生物量丰富的一种海洋红藻松节藻进行了动物体内抗糖尿病活性研究。 利用正相硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20柱色谱以及反相HPLC和重结晶等现代分离手段，对山东青岛沿海的红藻扇形叉枝藻（Gymnogongrus flabelliformis）进行了系统的化学成分研究，从中得到单体化合物26个，通过波谱学方法（IR、MS、NMR等）鉴定了他们的结构，分别为(3R,6R,7E)-(+)-3-O-phenylacetyl- 4,7-megastigmadiene-9-one（1），(3R,7E)-(-)-3-O-phenylacetyl-5,7-megastigmadiene -9-one（2），(3S,6R,7E)-(+)-3-hydroxyl-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one（3），(3S,5R,6S,7E)- (-)-3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-7-megastigmene-9-one（4），(3S,5S,6R,7E)-(+)-3-hydroxy- 5,6-epoxy-7-megastigmene-9-one（5），Dehydrovomifoliol（6），(3R)-(-)-4-[(2R,4S)-4- acetoxy-2-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexylidene]-3-buten-2-one（7），2,3,3′-三溴-4,4′,5,5′-四羟基-1′-乙氧甲基双苯基甲烷（8），2,2′,3,3′-四溴-4,4′,5,5′-四羟基双苯基甲烷（9），3-溴-4,5-二羟基苯甲醛（10），2,3-二溴-4,5-二羟基苯甲基甲醚（11），2,3-二溴-4,5-二羟基苯甲醇（12），N, N-二甲基酪胺（13），4-羟基苯甲酸乙酯（14），4-羟基苯甲基乙醚（15），4-羟基苯乙基乙酯（16），4-羟基苯乙酸甲酯（17），4-羟基苯甲醛（18），豆甾-4-烯-3-酮（19），胆甾-4-烯-3-酮（20），胆甾醇（21），尿嘧啶（22），尿嘧啶核苷（23），腺嘌呤核苷（24），丁二酸（25），5-羟基-4-甲基-5-戊基-2,5-二氢呋喃-2-酮（26）。其中化合物1、2为新化合物，化合物3为新天然产物，所有化合物均为首次从该属海藻中分离得到。通过 MTT 法对部分单体化合物进行了肿瘤细胞毒活性筛选, 结果表明，化合物8、9、10、12对筛选的所有细胞株均有较强细胞毒活性，化合物11对人肺癌细胞株（A549）、人肝癌细胞株（Bel 7402）、人结肠癌细胞株（HCT-8）有一定细胞毒活性。通过研究单体化合物对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞TNF-分泌的影响，对其进行抗炎活性筛选，结果表明，化合物8、9、11、13、17、23、24、25对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞TNF-分泌表现出明显的抑制作用。 从采自山东荣成镆铘岛的红藻小珊瑚藻（Corallina pilulifera）的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离得到16个单体化合物，通过波谱学方法鉴定化合物结构14个（另外2个正在鉴定中），分别为2α-乙氧酰基-2β-羟基-A-降胆甾-5-烯-4-酮（27），胆甾-4-烯-3-酮（28），胆甾醇（29），3β-羟基-胆甾-5,24(28)-二烯-7-酮（30），2α-羟基-胆甾-4-烯-3-酮（31），6α-羟基-胆甾-4-烯-3-酮（32），3β-羟基-胆甾-5-烯-7-酮（33），(E)-phytol epoxide（34），Phytenal（35），3,7,11,15- tetramethyl-hexadec-2-en-1-oll（Phytol）（36），Loloilide（37），(3S,5R,6S,7E)-(-)-3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-7- megastigmene-9-one（38），Dehydrovomifoliol（39），4-羟基苯甲醛（40）。其中，化合物 31为新天然产物，化合物27为首次从植物中分离得到，所有化合物均为首次从该种海藻中分离得到。通过 MTT 法对分离得到的单体化合物进行了肿瘤细胞毒活性筛选,化合物27和化合物32对筛选的所有肿瘤细胞株均有细胞毒活性，且化合物27对人胃癌细胞株（BGC-823）、人结肠癌细胞株（HCT-8）和人卵巢癌细胞株（A2780）具有中等强度抑制活性。化合物28、化合物31和化合物33对人肝癌细胞株（Bel 7402）、人结肠癌细胞株（HCT-8）和人卵巢癌细胞株（A2780）有一定细胞毒活性。 从采自广西北海涠洲岛的多管藻Polysiphonia sp.的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离得到6个单体化合物，通过波谱学方法鉴定化合物结构5个（另外1个仍在鉴定），分别为胆甾醇（41），3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-hexadec-2-en-1-ol（Phytol）（42），3-吲哚甲醛（43），4-羟基苯甲醛（44），4-羟基苯甲酸（45）。 对山东青岛沿海的松节藻 (Rhodomela confervoides) 乙醇提取物进行了初步的体内抗糖尿病活性研究，采用链脲佐菌素诱导的2型糖尿病（STZ-DM）大鼠模型对其进行体内降糖实验，结果发现，松节藻乙醇提取物在糖尿病大鼠体内不仅具有显著的降血糖作用，且呈现良好的量–效关系，而且能够纠正糖尿病引发的物质代谢紊乱，增加体重，提高试验动物的成活率，因此具有良好的应用开发前景。

中国近海沉积物中黑碳和多环芳烃的研究

黑碳和多环芳烃都是燃烧产生的污染物，并广泛存在于土壤及海洋特别是近海沉积物中。由于黑碳和多环芳烃对环境及生态系统具有不同的影响途径和危害，多年来一直受到环境研究者的极大重视。本文对我国近海几个海区（渤海湾、北黄海、胶州湾、南海珠江口及其邻近海区）沉积物中黑碳和多环芳烃的含量、分布及来源进行了研究，并首次对各海区表层沉积物中黑碳和多环芳烃的相关性进行了分析。 数据显示，中国近海各海区（渤海湾、北黄海、胶州湾、南海珠江口及其邻近海区）表层沉积物中黑碳的浓度范围为0.1 - 2.45 mg/gdw，占总有机碳浓度的1 - 41%，具有较大的空间差异。渤海湾表层沉积物中黑碳浓度最高（平均为2.18 mg/gdw），占沉积物中总有机碳浓度的27 - 41%。相比之下，北黄海、胶州湾和南海珠江口及其邻近海区表层沉积物中黑碳浓度较低，分别占沉积物中总有机碳浓度的6%、8%和5%。黑碳的分布主要受其来源的影响，陆地来源和河流输入是中国近岸海区表层沉积物中黑碳的重要来源。该研究显示黑碳在沉积物中的埋藏可能代表我国近海各海区碳循环中的一个重要碳汇。 中国近海各海区（渤海湾、北黄海、南海珠江口及其邻近海区）表层沉积物中多环芳烃的浓度范围为47.5 – 3673.5 ng/g（均为干重），亦具有很大的空间差异。渤海湾中多环芳烃的浓度最高（82.9 – 3673.5 ng/g），反映了该地区受人类污染严重的特征。在三个海区表层沉积物中，单组分多环芳烃的分布也具有明显不同的特征，渤海湾主要以5、6环的多环芳烃为主，而北黄海和南海珠江口及其邻近海区3、4环多环芳烃的浓度较高。基于多环芳烃的单组分分布特征和一些特殊指数，可以得到渤海湾表层沉积物中的多环芳烃以木材、煤的不完全燃烧来源为主，而北黄海海区和南海珠江口及其邻近海区的多环芳烃显示出木材、煤的燃烧和石油燃烧的混合来源。 中国近海表层沉积物中黑碳浓度与多环芳烃的浓度并不存在很好的相关性，这说明中国近海表层沉积物中的黑碳和多环芳烃具有不同的来源，且在沉积物中的埋藏受控于不同的地球化学作用。

青海赖草属一新种

报道了青海赖草属植物一新种：圆稃赖草（Leymus oblongolenmatus L．Zhi et L．B．Cai）。该种的主要特征如下：多年生草本，杆直立、光滑、疏丛，高60～90cm。叶鞘粗糙，边缘膜质，长于或短于节间，叶舌膜质；叶片边缘内卷。穗状花序直立、密集、黄绿色，长10～15cm，宽5～15mm，穗轴粗糙，小穗常3～4枚生于每节，含3～6小花；颖披针形，长4～7mm，具3～5脉，边缘膜质；外稃长圆状披针形，不明显3脉，背部疏生短柔毛；花药黄色，长4～5mm。该种与L．paboahus相似。

甘肃西峰晚第三纪红粘土地层中的蜗牛化石记录及其古环境意义

In this study, 260 mollusk fossil samples from a Red Clay sequence at Xifeng, Gansu province, in the northern China were analyzed quantitatively. 12 fossil species and four fossil zones have been identified. Three main ecological groups were determined based on ecological requirement of each mollusk taxon. According to fossil composition and succession of three ecological groups, the author discussed the origin and sedimentary environment of the red clay deposits, and the process of ecological environmental changes as well as the variations of the East Asia monsoons during 6.2-2.4 Ma in the Loess Plateau. A preliminary study on periodicity of paleoclimatic changes was also conducted by using spectral analysis method. The main results and conclusions are presented as follows:A continuous land mollusk fossil sequence of 6.2-2.4 Ma from Xifeng Red Clay Formation has been established, which provided a basic data for studying the environmental changes during late Miocene to Pliocene.The study of composition and preservation condition of mollusk fossils reveals a terrestrial in situ ecological population in the Red Clay Formation. All of identifiable mollusk species are composed of terrestrial taxa, which support the view that the Red Clay is an eolian origin, similar to the overlying Quaternary loess deposits.The mollusk record reveals the processes of ecological and environmental changes during 6.2-2.4 Ma in the Loess Plateau. Climatic changes experienced cold and dry from 6.2-5.4 Ma, warm and wet during 5.4-4.5 Ma, mild and moderate from 4.5-3-4 Ma, to rapid cooling and drying after 3.4 Ma. From '5.4- 2.4 Ma, climate was stepwise cooling. The cooling trend is in good agreement with a general1 0global cooling trend during this period, as documented by marine 5 0 records.4. Three remarked ecological shifts took place in mollusk assemblages from 6.2-2.4 Ma, focused on about 5.4, 4.5 and 3.4 Ma. The warming shift around 5.4 Ma was probably related to the rising of the global temperature. The cooling shifts around 4,5 and 3.4 Ma however might be closely linked to the uplift of Tibet Plateau and the development of Northern Hemisphere ice sheet.The succession in mollusk ecological groups also recorded the variability of the East Asian winter and summer monsoon. The winter monsoon dominated two periods from 6.2-5.4 Ma and from 3.4-2.4 Ma, while the summer monsoon was strong during 5.4-4.5 Ma. The variations in winter and summer monsoons were in phase during 4.5-3.4 Ma. Monsoon regimes changed with the duration about 1 Ma, which roughly corresponds to the cycle driven by tectonic activity on the time scales of ICP-IO7 years. In addition, mollusk fossils recorded the large amplitude and high frequency fluctuations overlapped on 105-107 years climate cycle.The maximum entropy spectral analysis and filter-band analysis of total mollusk individuals and three typical ecological groups suggest that the climate changes controlled mainly by solar insolation had periods about 70 ka and 40 ka on the time scales of 105 during late Miocene-Pliocene. Climatic periodicity intensified from 4.0 Ma, which reflected strengthened forcing by high latitude ice volume.

东营凹陷博兴含油气系统研究

本文以油气地质学、有机地球化学等学科的理论为指导，综合利用地质、地球化学、地球物理、分析测试等资料，结合盆地分析，充分运用油气成藏动力学和流体封存箱等新理论，运用含油气系统分析方法，对东营凹陷西南部博兴地区含油气系统的静态要素和动态过程进行了综合研究。首次在含油气系统内进行了油气成藏系统的划分和评价，建立了油气藏形成的地质概念模式，探讨了油气成藏机理，系统总结了油气富集规律及其控制因素，指出了进一步勘探的方向。主要取得了以下成果和认识：（1）通过盆地沉积充填综合研究，将博兴地区第三系划分出5个层序，提出馆陶组与下伏地层间、孔店组与下伏中生界地层间区域性不整合面，是区内油气聚集成藏的有利部位。提出地层的发育明显受构造控制，高青断层和石村断层控制了博兴注陷的构造一沉积演化、地层格架和沉积体系的空间展布，进而对烃源岩、储集层的发育、油气的运移和聚集具有明显的制约作用。（2）运用含油气系统分析方法，对博兴地区的成藏静态地质要素和动态作用进行了深入研究。指出研究区油气成藏条件优越，沙四上、沙三段是主要烃源岩，区内发现的石油可分为沙三型、沙四型和混合型；系统内各类储层发育，沙三段、沙一段和馆陶组构成了三套区域性盖层，生储盖具有三种不同的配置关系。晚第三纪馆陶期一明化镇期是生、排烃和油气运聚高峰期。（3）系统总结了研究区的油气藏类型及特征，探讨了它们在空间上的展布规律。纯化、小营、正理庄等地区以构造油气藏为主，高青断裂带、金家斜坡带以地层和构造一地层复合油气藏为主，梁家楼、乔庄、大芦湖等地区以构造一岩性、粉胜油气藏为主。构造汾由气藏分布于各层系，沙一段以构造一岩性、岩性油气藏为主，东营组、中生界以地层和构造一地层复合油气藏为主。（4）首次提出了在含油气系统内进一步划分油气成藏系统的新方案，明了壳了成藏系统的内涵，提出成藏系统是相对独立的油气运聚单元，润明了成藏系统的划分原则和方法。将研究区划分为西部高青断裂带、中部金家一正f甲川樊家、东部纯化－梁家楼和！北部小营平方匕等4个油气成藏系统，并对各系统进行了分析和评价。进步划分出8个成藏子系统，揭示了构造背景对各子系统们油气藏形成的控制作用。（5）根据地层压力与油气藏形成特征，提出了两种成藏动力学机制：自源封闭成藏动力学机制和它源开放成藏动力学机制。利用流体封存箱理论解释了本区油气运移聚集的机理模式，提出研究区油气藏的形成具有箱内成藏和箱外成藏两种成藏模式，前者具异常压力，为自源封闭成藏机制；后者为正常压力，为它源开放成藏机制，大多数为箱内成藏。(6)首次利用流体包裹体分析资料，结合烃源岩大量生排烃期、圈闭形成史，提出博兴地区具有两期成藏，晚期为主的特点，主要成藏期为晚第三纪馆陶一明化镇时期，北部及东部烃源岩层系中的油气藏形成相对较早；而西部和南斜坡金家地区油气藏形成较晚，主要成藏期大致在明化镇组沉积中后期，并延续至第四纪。（7）系统分析了油气富集的基本规律及主要控制因素，提出油气主要富集于汁－陷中部及边部的正向构造带，油气分布受构造背景、断裂、岩性、地层不整合、区－域性盖层等多种因素控制，明确了油气勘探的目标。

Context-Dependent Pharmacology Exhibited by Negative Allosteric Modulators of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 7

Phenotypic studies of mice lacking metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 (mGluR7) suggest that antagonists of this receptor may be promising for the treatment of central nervous system disorders such as anxiety and depression. Suzuki et al. (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 323: 147-156, 2007) recently reported the in vitro characterization of a novel mGluR7 antagonist called 6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methyl-3-(4-pyridinyl)-isoxazolo[4,5-c]pyridin-4(5H)-one (MMPIP), which noncompetitively inhibited the activity of orthosteric and allosteric agonists at mGluR7. We describe that MMPIP acts as a noncompetitive antagonist in calcium mobilization assays in cells coexpressing mGluR7 and the promiscuous G protein G alpha(15). Assessment of the activity of a small library of MMPIP-derived compounds using this assay reveals that, despite similar potencies, compounds exhibit differences in negative co-operativity for agonist-mediated calcium mobilization. Examination of the inhibitory activity of MMPIP and analogs using endogenous G(i/o)-coupled assay readouts indicates that the pharmacology of these ligands seems to be context-dependent, and MMPIP exhibits differences in negative cooperativity in certain cellular backgrounds. Electrophysiological studies reveal that, in contrast to the orthosteric antagonist (2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxyclycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl) propanoic acid (LY341495), MMPIP is unable to block agonist-mediated responses at the Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapse, a location at which neurotransmission has been shown to be modulated by mGluR7 activity. Thus, MMPIP and related compounds differentially inhibit coupling of mGluR7 in different cellular backgrounds and may not antagonize the coupling of this receptor to native G(i/o) signaling pathways in all cellular contexts. The pharmacology of this compound represents a striking example of the potential for context-dependent blockade of receptor responses by negative allosteric modulators.

Opportunities and constraints of peri-urban buffalo and dairy cattle systems in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

In the big cities of Pakistan, peri-urban dairy production plays an important role for household income generation and the supply of milk and meat to the urban population. On the other hand, milk production in general, and peri-urban dairy production in particular, faces numerous problems that have been well known for decades. Peri-urban dairy producers have been especially neglected by politicians as well as non-government-organizations (NGOs). Against this background, a study in Pakistan’s third largest city, Faisalabad (Punjab Province), was carried out with the aims of gathering basic information, determining major constraints and identifying options for improvements of the peri-urban milk production systems. For data collection, 145 peri-urban households (HH) engaged in dairy production were interviewed face to face using a structured and pretested questionnaire with an interpreter. For analyses, HH were classified into three wealth groups according to their own perception. Thus, 38 HH were poor, 95 HH well off and 12 HH rich (26.2%, 65.5% and 8.3%, respectively). The richer the respondents perceived their HH, the more frequently they were actually in possession of high value HH assets like phones, bank accounts, motorbikes, tractors and cars. Although there was no difference between the wealth groups with respect to the number of HH members (about 10, range: 1 to 23), the educational level of the HH heads differed significantly: on average, heads of poor HH had followed education for 3 years, compared to 6 years for well off HH and 8 years for rich HH. About 40% of the poor and well off HH also had off-farm incomes, while the percentage was much higher - two thirds (67%) - for the rich HH. The majority of the HH were landless (62%); the rest (55 HH) possessed agricultural land from 0.1 to 10.1 ha (average 2.8 ha), where they were growing green fodder: maize, sorghum and pearl millet in summer; berseem, sugar cane and wheat were grown in winter. Dairy animals accounted for about 60% of the herds; the number of dairy animals per HH ranged from 2 to 50 buffaloes (Nili-Ravi breed) and from 0 to 20 cows (mostly crossbred, also Sahiwal). About 37% (n=54) of the HH did not keep cattle. About three quarters of the dairy animals were lactating. The majority of the people taking care of the animals were family workers; 17.3% were hired labourers (exclusively male), employed by 11 rich and 32 well off HH; none of the poor HH employed workers, but the percentages were 33.7% for the well off and 91.7% for the rich HH. The total number of workers increased significantly with increasing wealth (poor: 2.0; well off:2.5; rich: 3.4). Overall, 69 female labourers were recorded, making up 16.8% of employed workers and one fourth of the HH’s own labourers. Apparently, their only duty was to clean the animals´ living areas; only one of them was also watering and showering the animals. Poor HH relied more on female workers than the other two groups: 27.1% of the workers of poor HH were women, but only 14.8% and 6.8% of the labour force of well off and rich HH were female. Two thirds (70%) of the HH sold milk to dhodis (middlemen) and one third (35%) to neighbours; three HH (2%) did doorstep delivery and one HH (1%) had its own shop. The 91 HH keeping both species usually sold mixed milk (97%). Clients for mixed and pure buffalo milk were dhodis (78%, respectively 59%) and neighbours (28%, respectively 47%). The highest milk prices per liter (Pakistani Rupees, 100 PKR @ 0.8 Euro) were paid by alternative clients (44 PKR; 4 HH), followed by neighbours (40 PKR, 50 HH); dhodis paid lower prices (36 PKR, 99 HH). Prices for pure buffalo and mixed milk did not differ significantly. However, HH obtaining the maximum price from the respective clients for the respective type of milk got between 20% (mixed milk, alternative clients) and 68% (mixed milk, dhodi) more than HH fetching the minimum price. Some HH (19%) reported 7% higher prices for the current summer than the preceding winter. Amount of milk sold and distance from the HH to the city center did not influence milk prices. Respondents usually named problems that directly affected their income and that were directly and constantly visible to them, such as high costs, little space and fodder shortages. Other constraints that are only influencing their income indirectly, e.g. the relatively low genetic potential of their animals due to neglected breeding as well as the short- and long-term health problems correlated with imbalanced feeding and insufficient health care, were rarely named. The same accounts for problems accompanying improper dung management (storage, disposal, burning instead of recycling) for the environment and human health. Most of the named problems are linked to each other and should be addressed within the context of the entire system. Therefore, further research should focus on systematic investigations and improvement options, taking a holistic and interdisciplinary approach instead of only working in single fields. Concerted efforts of dairy farmers, researchers, NGOs and political decision makers are necessary to create an economic, ecological and social framework that allows dairy production to serve the entire society. For this, different improvement options should be tested in terms of their impact on environment and income of the farmers, as well as feasibility and sustainability in the peri-urban zones of Faisalabad.

Activation of glutathione peroxidase via Nrf1 mediates genistein's protection against oxidative endothelial cell injury

Cellular actions of isoflavones may mediate the beneficial health effects associated with high soy consumption. We have investigated protection by genistein and daidzein against oxidative stress-induced endothelial injury. Genistein but not daidzein protected endothelial cells from damage induced by oxidative stress. This protection was accompanied by decreases in intracellular glutathione levels that could be explained by the generation of glutathionyl conjugates of the oxidised genistein metabolite, 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone. Both isoflavones evoked increased protein expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase-heavy subunit (gamma-GCS-HS) and increased cytosolic accumulation and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. However, only genistein led to increases in the cytosolic accumulation and nuclear translocation of Nrf1 and the increased expression of and activity of glutathione peroxidase. These results suggest that genistein-induced protective effects depend primarily on the activation of glutathione peroxidase mediated by Nrf1 activation, and not on Nrf2 activation or increases in glutathione synthesis. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.