Physiological ecology of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at the southern end of their distribution, the San Francisco Estuary and Gulf of the Farallones, California

Juvenile chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, from natal streams in California’s Central Valley demonstrated little estuarine dependency but grew rapidly once in coastal waters. We collected juvenile chinook salmon at locations spanning the San Francisco Estuary from the western side of the freshwater delta—at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers—to the estuary exit at the Golden Gate and in the coastal waters of the Gulf of the Farallones. Juveniles spent about 40 d migrating through the estuary at an estimated rate of 1.6 km/d or faster during their migration season (May and June 1997) toward the ocean. Mean growth in length (0.18 mm/d) and weight (0.02 g/d) was insignificant in young chinook salmon while in the estuary, but estimated daily growth of 0.6 mm/d and 0.5 g/d in the ocean was rapid (P≤0.001). Condition (K factor) declined in the estuary, but improved markedly in ocean fish. Total body protein, total lipid, triacylglycerols (TAG), polar lipids, cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acids concentrations did not change in juveniles in the estuary, but total lipid and TAG were depleted in ocean juveniles. As young chinook migrated from freshwater to the ocean, their prey changed progressively in importance from invertebrates to fish larvae. Once in coastal waters, juvenile salmon appear to employ a strategy of rapid growth at the expense of energy reserves to increase survival potential. In 1997, environmental conditions did not impede development: freshwater discharge was above average and water temperatures were only slightly elevated, within the species’ tolerance. Data suggest that chinook salmon from California’s Central Valley have evolved a strong ecological propensity for a ocean-type life history. But unlike populations in the Pacific Northwest, they show little estuarine dependency and proceed to the ocean to benefit from the upwelling-driven, biologically productive coastal waters.

Pesca experimental de corrico na zona sul da costa de Mocambique

Based on the proven existence of large pelagic fish resources in the southern coast of Mozambique, an experimental fishing trolling program has been designed to study the possibility of resources exploitation through the introduction of trolling technique on artisanal vessels (Project FAO/TCP/MOZ/5653). Although operational problems occurred, the program carried out during the year 1957, provided a collection of data and knowledge. It allowed the preparation of present paper, which could serve as an indicator for a possible implementation of this fishing method in the Mozambican artisanal sector. Sharing this study, the author expects to give a further contribution to the development of a greater pelagic fishery in the waters of Mozambique.

羊草草原群落氮素平衡和碳水化合物贮藏对氮素添加的响应

草地在世界各种不同的气候带和土壤类型区均有分布，约占陆地面积的24%。尽管二十世纪中叶以来，人类通过各种措施，使氮素由大气圈进入生物圈的量已经翻了一翻，但是，草地生态系统由于没有得到足够的氮素补充，其生产力至少是季节性地受到氮素的制约。我国草原生态系统的退化与氮素匮乏已经引起了广泛重视。尽管一些研究者的工作已经涉及到氮素循环的一些方面，但是关于草原生态系统的氮素平衡过程的系统研究迄今尚未开展。地下器官中贮藏养分的积累是多年生牧草抵御不良环境条件的物质保障，碳水化合物是我国典型草原植物重要的贮藏营养物质。但是关于我国草原生态系统贮藏养分的研究还相当匮乏。值得一提的是，不合理的人类活动也加剧了草地生态系统氮素的损失，甚至对全球环境和人类健康产生了重要影响。为此，我们在中国科学院内蒙古草原生态系统定位研究站的羊草样地设计了氮素添加试验，采用15N稀释法对典型草原羊草群落的氮素吸收利用、氮素平衡进行了研究，并就氮素添加条件下，植物氮素利用与植物竞争的关系、氮素吸收分配与牧草生物产量与品质的关系进行了探讨。同时采用高效液相色谱对羊草群落植物贮藏碳水化合物的种类与含量进行了测定。 15N稀释法的试验结果表明：我国典型草原羊草群落吸收的氮素平均16.41%来源于肥料，83.59%来源于土壤。氮素添加不仅显著促进了羊草群落地上器官对肥料氮索和土壤氮素的吸收量，而且促进了地下器官对肥料氮素和土壤氮素的吸收量。生物量达到最大时，羊草群落吸收的氮素分配到地下器官中的比例平均为74.85%，分配到地上器官中的比例平均为25.15%。植物吸收的肥料氮素在地上和地下器官之间的分配比例约各占50%。 在我国典型草原羊草群落，植物对肥料氮素的回收率仅为31.61%，氮素添加显著影响羊草群落植物对肥料氮素的回收，随着氮素添加量的提高，地上和地下植物器官对肥料氮素的回收量均显著提高。凋落物的肥料氮素回收率为2.92%，地下凋落物的回收率显著高于地上凋落物。肥料氮素的土壤存留率为36.16%，主要分布在地表至40cm的土层范围内(>95%)。各土层存留的标记肥料氮素量均随着氮素添加量的增加而显著提高。肥料氮素的当季损失率为21.77%-43.38%。风险：收益分析表明，在本试验条件下，添加5.25gN/m2与28gN/m2的处理风险大于收益，添加17.5g/m2的处理风险最低，收益最高，在草原生态系统的管理中可以参考。 为了了解羊草群落植物的竞争能力是否对羊草群落植物的相对多度有影响，我们对不同盖度的10个物种的15N吸收速率、15N分配、植物组织氮素含量、单株生物量、根／冠比、氮素生产力等反映植物竞争能力的指标进行了测定和分析。发现向根系的氮素分配比例、根／冠比、和氮素生产力与植物的相对盖度显著正相关，向地上器官的氮素分配比例、氮素吸收速率与相对盖度呈显著负相关，而植物组织氮素含量、和单株生物量与植物相对盖度无关。 试验前，我们认为氮素吸收速率应该与植物的相对多度显著正相关，但是本试验发现却是显著负相关。这一结果说明，高的氮素吸收速率并不能代表较高的竞争能力，而是稀少植物能够与优势植物共存的一种生理机制。 氮素的吸收与分配显著地影响牧草的生物产量和品质。氮素添加提高了羊草生物量，促进了生物量向地上器官的分配比例，降低了向根系的分配比例，使根／冠比显著降低。氮素添加促进了羊草对氮素的吸收以及向茎叶中的分配比例，降低了向根系的分配比例，提高了羊草各器官的氮素含量和地上器官的蛋白质含量，对根系的蛋白质含量无显著影响。本试验条件下，氮素添加水平为17.5gN/m2时，羊草根、茎、叶生物产量均最高。与17.5gN/m2的处理相比较，添加28gN/m2的处理，羊草的生物产量以及牧草蛋白质含量均无显著差异。初步认为，本实验条件下，17. 5gN/m2是较为适宜的氮素添加量。 地下器官中贮藏养分的积累是多年生牧草抵御不良环境条件的物质保障，碳水化合物是我国典型草原植物重要的贮藏营养。采用高效液相色谱(HPLC)对羊草群落地下器官的贮藏性碳水化合物进行了分析。结果表明，羊草群落地下贮藏碳水化合物种类主要包括甘露糖醇、果聚糖、蔗糖、葡萄糖和果糖。其中甘露糖醇是最主要贮藏碳水化合物，约占60%;其次是果聚糖，约占30%。氮素添加量对羊草群落地下贮藏碳水化合物有显著影响。在0～50 g NH4N03. m-2.yr-1范围内，随着氮素添加量的增加，总糖、果聚糖、甘露糖醇的含量均逐渐升高。氮素添加时期对羊草群落地下贮藏碳水化合物含量亦有显著影响。7月初（雨季）添加氮素比4月份（牧草开始返青）更有利于牧草地下贮藏碳水化合物的积累。 对羊草根茎中的贮藏性碳水化合物的测定结果表明，羊草根茎中的贮藏碳水化合物组分主要包括果聚糖、甘露糖醇、蔗糖、葡萄糖和果糖。其中果聚糖是最主要贮藏碳水化合物，约占60%：其次是甘露糖醇，约占20%。氮素添加量对羊草根茎中的贮藏碳水化合物有显著影响。在0～17.5 g N/m2范围内，随着氮素添加量的增加，总糖、果聚糖、甘露糖醇的含量均逐渐升高。氮素添加时期对羊草根茎中的贮藏碳水化合物的含量亦有显著影响。在7月初添加氮素比4月份添加氮素更有利于贮藏碳水化合物的积累。

CLADP - THE CAMBRIDGE LINEAR ANALYSIS AND DESIGN PROGRAMS USER REFERENCE MANUAL (4TH ISSUE: APRIL 1983).

CLADP is an engineering software program developed at Cambridge University for the interactive computer aided design of feedback control systems. CLADP contains a wide range of tools for the analysis of complex systems, and the assessment of their performance when feedback control is applied, thus enabling control systems to be designed to meet difficult performance objectives. The range of tools within CLADP include the latest techniques in the field whose central theme is the extension of classical frequency domain concepts (well known and well proven for single loop systems) to multivariable or multiloop systems, and by making extensive use of graphical presentation information is provided in a readily understood form.

Effects of morphine and its withdrawal on Y-maze spatial recognition memory in mice

Effects of morphine on acquisition and retrieval of memory have been proven in the avoidance paradigms. In present study, we used a two-trial recognition Y-maze to test the effects of acute morphine and morphine withdrawal on spatial recognition memory. T

SOI diode temperature sensor operated at ultra high temperatures-a critical analysis

This paper investigates the performance of diode temperature sensors when operated at ultra high temperatures (above 250°C). A low leakage Silicon On Insulator (SOI) diode was designed and fabricated in a 1 μm CMOS process and suspended within a dielectric membrane for efficient thermal insulation. The diode can be used for accurate temperature monitoring in a variety of sensors such as microcalorimeters, IR detectors, or thermal flow sensors. A CMOS compatible micro-heater was integrated with the diode for local heating. It was found that the diode forward voltage exhibited a linear dependence on temperature as long as the reverse saturation current remained below the forward driving current. We have proven experimentally that the maximum temperature can be as high as 550°C. Long term continuous operation at high temperatures (400°C) showed good stability of the voltage drop. Furthermore, we carried out a detailed theoretical analysis to determine the maximum operating temperature and exlain the presence of nonlinearity factors at ultra high temperatures. © 2008 IEEE.

Laminar to turbulent flow transition measurements using an array of SOI-CMOS MEMS wall shear stress sensors

The successful utilization of an array of silicon on insulator complementary metal oxide semiconductor (SOICMOS) micro thermal shear stress sensors for flow measurements at macro-scale is demonstrated. The sensors use CMOS aluminum metallization as the sensing material and are embedded in low thermal conductivity silicon oxide membranes. They have been fabricated using a commercial 1 μm SOI-CMOS process and a post-CMOS DRIE back etch. The sensors with two different sizes were evaluated. The small sensors (18.5 ×18.5 μm2 sensing area on 266 × 266 μm2 oxide membrane) have an ultra low power (100 °C temperature rise at 6mW) and a small time constant of only 5.46 μs which corresponds to a cut-off frequency of 122 kHz. The large sensors (130 × 130 μm2 sensing area on 500 × 500 μm2 membrane) have a time constant of 9.82 μs (cut-off frequency of 67.9 kHz). The sensors' performance has proven to be robust under transonic and supersonic flow conditions. Also, they have successfully identified laminar, separated, transitional and turbulent boundary layers in a low speed flow. © 2008 IEEE.

Project neptune: Improved operation of water distribution networks

Water service providers (WSPs) in the UK have statutory obligations to supply drinking water to all customers that complies with increasingly stringent water quality regulations and minimum flow and pressure criteria. At the same time, the industry is required by regulators and investors to demonstrate increasing operational efficiency and to meet a wide range of performance criteria that are expected to improve year-on-year. Most WSPs have an ideal for improving the operation of their water supply systems based on increased knowledge and understanding of their assets and a shift to proactive management followed by steadily increasing degrees of system monitoring, automation and optimisation. The fundamental mission is, however, to ensure security of supply, with no interruptions and water quality of the highest standard at the tap. Unfortunately, advanced technologies required to fully understand, manage and automate water supply system operation either do not yet exist, are only partially evolved, or have not yet been reliably proven for live water distribution systems. It is this deficiency that the project NEPTUNE seeks to address by carrying out research into 3 main areas; these are: data and knowledge management; pressure management (including energy management); and the associated complex decision support systems on which to base interventions. The 3-year project started in April of 2007 and has already resulted in a number of research findings under the three main research priority areas (RPA). The paper summarises in greater detail the overall project objectives, the RPA activities and the areas of research innovation that are being undertaken in this major, UK collaborative study. Copyright 2009 ASCE.

Biological activities of skin secretions of the salamander Tylototriton verrucosus

Water-soluble skin secretions of salamander Tylototriton venucosus, first described by Anderson in 1871, were studied for their biological and enzymatic activities. They were found to be toxic to mice with an intraperitoneal LD50 of 11.5 mg/kg. Using Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, it was proven that the toxic components of the secretions are proteins with molecular weights ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 Da. The secretions of T. venucosus display a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities and also contain both proteolytic activity and trypsin inhibitory activity. In contrast, neither hemolytic nor hemorrhagic activities were found. The secretions were determined to have phospholipase A(2) activity; however, no acetylcholine esterase activity was detectable under the assay conditions.

Antihemostatic molecules from saliva of blood-feeding arthropods

The ability to feed on vertebrate blood has evolved many times in various arthropod clades. Consequently, saliva of blood-feeding arthropods has proven to be a rich source of antihemostatic molecules. A variety of platelet aggregation inhibitors antagonize platelet responses to wound-generated signals, including ADP, thrombin, and collagen. Anticoagulants disrupt elements of both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Vasodilators include nitrophorins (nitric oxide storage and transport heme proteins), a variety of peptides that mimic endogenous vasodilatory neuropeptides, and proteins that catabolize or sequester endogenous vasoconstrictors. Multiple salivary proteins may be directed against each component of hemostasis, resulting in both redundancy and in some cases cooperative interactions between antihemostatic proteins. The complexity and redundancy of saliva ensures an efficient blood meal for the arthropod, but it also provides a diverse array of novel antihemostatic molecules for the pharmacologist.

Frog skins keep redox homeostasis by antioxidant peptides with rapid radical scavenging ability

The question of how amphibians can protect themselves from reactive oxygen species when exposed to the sun in an oxygen-rich atmosphere is important and interesting, not only from an evolutionary viewpoint, but also as a primer for researchers interested in mammalian skin biology, in which such peptide systems for antioxidant defense are not well studied. The identification of an antioxidant peptide named antioxidin-RL from frog (Odorrana livida) skin in this report supports the idea that a peptide antioxidant system may be a widespread antioxidant strategy among amphibian skins. Its ability to eliminate most of the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical tested within 2 s, which is much faster than the commercial antioxidant factor butylated hydroxytoluene, suggests that it has a potentially large impact on redox homeostasis in amphibian skins. Cys10 is proven to be responsible for its rapid radical scavenging function and tyrosines take part in the binding of antioxidin-RL to radicals according to our nuclear magnetic resonance assay. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Degradation of tropical forest in Hainan, China, 1991-2008: Conservation implications for Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)

The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world, confined to mature natural forest in Hainan Island, China. We assessed changes in habitat condition on the island between 1991 and 2008, using vegetation maps generated by remote-sensing images. We defined forest suitable for gibbons based on composition, tree size and canopy cover. During the 17-year period, the area of suitable gibbon forest decreased by 540 km(2) (35%) across the whole island, and by 6.3 km(2) (7%) in the locality of the sole remaining gibbon population at Bawangling National Nature Reserve. The forest patches large enough (>1 km(2)) to support a gibbon group decreased from 754 km(2) to 316 km(2) in total area, and from 92 to 64 in number. Suitable natural forest was mainly replaced by plantations below 760 m, or degraded by logging, grazing and planting of pines above 760 m. Meanwhile, forests in former confirmed gibbon areas became more fragmented: mean area of patches decreased by 53%. We mapped the patches of natural forest in good condition which could potentially support gibbons. We recommend a freeze on further expansion of plantations between core patches at Bawangling, Jiaxi-Houmiling and Yinggeling Nature Reserves in accordance with forest protection regulations; establishment of nature reserves in currently unprotected natural forest patches elsewhere in line with the local government's nature reserve expansion policy; and active natural-forest restoration between remaining fragments at Bawangling. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A philosophical stance on developing industrially relevant strategic technology management toolkits

When considering the potential uptake and utilization of technology management tools by industry, it must be recognized that companies face the difficult challenges of selecting, adopting and integrating individual tools into a toolkit that must be implemented within their current organizational processes and systems. This situation is compounded by the lack of sound advice on integrating well-founded individual tools into a robust toolkit that has the necessary degree of flexibility such that they can be tailored for application to specific problems faced by individual organizations. As an initial stepping stone to offering a toolkit with empirically proven utility, this paper provides a conceptual foundation to the development of toolkits by outlining an underlying philosophical position based on observations from multiple research and commercial collaborations with industry. This stance is underpinned by a set of operationalized principles that can offer guidance to organizations when deciding upon the appropriate form, functions and features that should be embodied by any potential tool/toolkit. For example, a key objective of any tool is to aid decision-making and a core set of powerful, flexible, scaleable and modular tools should be sufficient to allow users to generate, explore, shape and implement possible solutions across a wide array of strategic issues. From our philosophical stance, the preferred mode of engagement is facilitated workshops with a participatory process that enables multiple perspectives and structures the conversation through visual representations in order to manage the cognitive load in the collaborative environment. The generic form of the tools should be configurable for the given context and utilized in a lightweight manner based on the premise of start small and iterate fast. © 2011 IEEE.

The giant panda (Ailurapoda melanoleuca) somatic nucleus can dedifferentiate in rabbit ooplasm and support early development of the reconstructed egg

The giant panda skeletal muscle cells, uterus epithelial cells and mammary gland cells from an adult individual were cultured and used as nucleus donor for the construction of interspecies embryos by transferring them into enucleated rabbit eggs. All the three kinds of somatic cells were able to reprogram in rabbit ooplasm and support early embryo development, of which mammary gland cells were proven to be the Lest, followed by uterus epithelial cells and skeletal muscle cells. The experiments showed that direct injection of mammary gland cell into enucleated rabbit ooplasm, combined with in vivo development in ligated rabbit oviduct, achieved higher blastocyst development than in vitro culture after the somatic cell was injected into the perivitelline space and fused with the enucleated egg by electrical stimulation. The chromosome analysis demonstrated that the genetic materials in reconstructed blastocyst cells were the same as that in panda somatic cells. In addition, giant panda mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was shown to exist in the interspecies reconstructed blastocyst. The data suggest that (i) the ability of ooplasm to dedifferentiate somatic cells is not species-specific; (ii) there is compatibility between interspecies somatic nucleus and ooplasm during early development of the reconstructed egg.

A simple method of tagging prawns

The recognition of individual animals is crucial to many aspects of research. Prawns (Penaeus monodon) present unique difficulties in this respect since they molt regularly. Thus, almost all tagging and marking methods developed for prawns so far have proven inadequate. Some tags or marks are lost during molting; others cause injury to the prawns. A new and efficient method has been developed at the Igang Seafarming Station of the Aquaculture Department. Rectangular brass tags measuring 5 mm by 20 mm and numbered consecutively are used. The prawn is held gently but firmly at the base of the carapace with the left hand while the right hand slips the brass tag around the stalk of the unablated eye and presses the tag gently. All tagging must be made under water to avoid stress. From May 29 to September 7 1977 to a total of 348 unilaterally-ablated adult female prawns were tagged on the unablated eyestalk in 5 batches to enable individual observations on gonadal maturation, molting, and growth. Periodic examinations were made four times a month to coincide with the different phases of the lunar cycle. On each examination, survival and recovery rates were recorded. The data included death due to immediate mortality during ablation and loss to cannibalism for the duration of the experiments. In all five tagging experiments, most of the prawns recovered had their tags intact. These included even dead and molting animals. The eyestalk tagging method is suitable for prawns because the tags can be attached without causing injury and has no effect on the rate of growth, maturity, molting and behavior of the animal. The tags are identifiable and permanent; they remain attached to the animal even after death.