施氮量对黄土旱塬区冬小麦产量和土壤水分动态的影响

为了探明施氮量对黄土旱塬区冬小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)籽粒产量和麦田土壤水分动态的影响规律,以抗旱性冬小麦品种长武58为供试材料,于2006～2008年连续两个年度在陕西省长武县对不同施氮量条件下麦田土壤贮水量动态、耗水规律、小麦产量和夏闲期降水补给率等特征进行研究。结果表明,麦田土壤贮水量随季节和降水明显变化,同一生育时期2.7m土层的土壤贮水量基本随施氮量的增加而减少。偏旱年每公顷施氮300kg和平水年每公顷施氮225kg均能够获得当年最大的籽粒产量和水分利用效率。每公顷施氮75kg和225kg均能在夏闲期获得较大的降水补给率。每公顷施氮225kg更有利于黄土旱塬区冬小麦的高产和稳产。

Enhanced efficiency of light-emitting polymers through intra-molecular energy transfer

To enhance the photoluminescence and electroluminescence efficiency, light-emitting polymers with energy transferring chromophores including N,N,N'N'-phenylene-diamine, naphthalene-imide, oxadiazole, meta-phenylene vinylene are designed and synthesized.

Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of particulate phosphorus in the Jiaozhou Bay in North China

Based oil the measurements of particulate phosphorus (PP) in the Jiaozhou Bay front May 2003 to April 2004, the spatial distribution, seasonal variation and biogeochemical characteristics of PP Were investigated to Understand the fates and roles of phosphorus in the Jiaozhou Bay ecosystem. The Concentration of the total PP ranged from 0. 07 to 2. 09 mu mol/dm(3). The concentration of POP was from 0. 01 to 1. 83 mu mol/dm(3), with all average of with all average of 0. 33 mu mol/dm(3), which accounted for 50. 4% in total PP. In general, file concentrations of IT in surface water show obvious seasonal variations in the Jiaozhou Bay. POP was the highest in spring, which derived front the accumulation of phyto-detritus and was the lowest ill autumn, which was decomposed into seawaters to participate the recycle of phosphorus. PIP was the highest in spring and summer and Was the lowest in autumn and winter. PLP Was Mainly influenced by river input in the inner bay lint POP derived front autochthonous source in the outer bay. Overkill, the concentrations of IT in the inner bay were higher than those in mouth and the Older bay. In the inner bay. the concentrations of IT with the area near the shore were higher than those in the center of the bay. Totally PP showed the decreasing trend with depth especially in spring and winter. The high value of PP emerged in 20 and 10 in Corresponding to summer and autumn, respectively. The changes of POP showed hysteretic effect compared with the changes of Chl a in the investigated year. However, according to the Change of Chl a, the second high value of POP which should be emerged ill October was missing due to the remineralization of POP and participation in the recycle of phosphorus, which lead to the high concentration of orthophosphate in seawaters.

冀东油田南堡滩海地区油气层损害机理与油气层保护方法研究及应用

Study and Application of Damage Mechanism and Protection Method of reservoir in Nanpu Shallow Beach Sea Area is one of the key research projects of Jidong Oilfield Company of PetroChina Company Limited from 2007 to 2008. Located at Nanpu Sag in Huanghua Depression of Bohaiwan Basin, Nanpu Shallow Beach Sea Area with 1000km2 exploration area posseses three sets, shallow Minghuazhen Formation and Guantao Formation of Upper Tertiary, middle-deep Dongying Formation of Lower Tertiary, deep Ordovician, of oil bearing series, according to the achievement of the connecting 3D seismic structure interpretation and the structural geological comprehensive research. Its main reservoir types include Upper Tertiary structural reservoir, Lower Tertiary structural and lithological-structural reservoir, and Ordovician ancient buried hill reservoir. How to protect reservoir, complete well and lift high efficiently is the key to realize high and stable yield of the oil wells during drilling, completing well, testing and repairing well. It is important for reservoir protecting during drilling that directly relate to efficient exploration. Therefore, beginning with basic characteristics and sensitive analysis of reservoir, study of reservoir damage machinism and analysis of reservoir damage potential factor are emphasized when prediction analysis about three-pressure profiles is carried out. The study both of physical and chemical properties and of the strata of the technology of borehole stabilization and reservoir protecting are outstanding. As the conclusions follow: （1）Based on the laboratory experiment about basalt cores, prediction of three- pressure profiles about 30 wells on No.1 and No.2 structure is practiced. The laws of plane pressure distribution are analyzed. （2）According to the analyses about reservoir feature data and about sensitivity evaluation to damage factor in Nanpu oil field, the scheme of reservoir protecting to the sand reservoir of Guantao Formation and the first section of Dongying Formation is put forward. （3）On basis of the analyses on lithological characteristics, mineral compositions, clay minerals, electrical behavior features, physical and chemical properties of basalt of Guantao formation in No.1 and No.2 structure, instability mechanism of basalt sidewall and technical countermeasures are obtained. （4）Aiming at the characteristics of Ordovician dissolution-pore fracture type carbonate reservoir, the scheme of the reservoir protecting to Ordovician is put forward. Creative study of the film forming and sealing and low invasion reservoir protection drilling fluid are successful. In summary, through the study of reservoir heterogeneity and sensitivity, a set of technology and schemes of reservoir protecting is put forward, which is adaptive during drilling the target bed in the research area and establishes the base for efficient exploration. Significant effect has showed in its application in Nanpu oil field.

Homosexuality and the United Methodist Church: An Ecclesiological Dilemma

Since 1968 The United Methodist Church has publicly debated the status and roles of homosexual persons in the life of the Church, creating considerable conflict within the Denomination. Academic research on the question of homosexuality and the Church has often focused on theological understandings of homosexuality and on the ways the conflict reflects broader "culture wars" in society. Yet little attention has been given to how the Church's concrete practices and polity toward homosexual persons reflect underlying tensions within the ecclesiological identity of the Denomination. This dissertation proposes that the issue of homosexuality is a critically important case study for exploring the practical ecclesiology of The United Methodist Church. In an effort to identify tensions within contemporary United Methodism's practical ecclesiology, it traces in detail the history of the denominational debate over homosexuality since 1968 and articulates the diverse and often conflicting ecclesiological commitments embedded within that debate. Focusing on the debate itself as a practice of the Church, this dissertation illustrates the ways in which the controversy over sexuality reflects the Denomination's conflicted practical ecclesiology. By examining the rhetoric of the sexuality debates in The United Methodist Church from 1968 to 2008, and by articulating the ecclesiological commitments embedded in those debates, the dissertation reveals a fundamental conflict over interpretations of ecclesial unity. Moreover, the dissertation explores the extent to which the conflict over unity reflects ecclesiological tensions present in John Wesley's own practical ecclesiology; and it asks whether or not contemporary interpretations of United Methodist ecclesiology might provide a normative framework for assessing and resolving the underlying ecclesial conflict at work in sexuality debates. The dissertation concludes by exploring the practice of public narrative as a concrete strategy that might be employed by the Denomination to reconcile the diverging ecclesiological visions within the contemporary church so that a clear and consensual ecclesiology might emerge.

Monitoring the vegetation start of season (SOS) across the island of Ireland using the MERIS global vegetation index

The aim of this study was to develop a methodology, based on satellite remote sensing, to estimate the vegetation Start of Season (SOS) across the whole island of Ireland on an annual basis. This growing body of research is known as Land Surface Phenology (LSP) monitoring. The SOS was estimated for each year from a 7-year time series of 10-day composited, 1.2 km reduced resolution MERIS Global Vegetation Index (MGVI) data from 2003 to 2009, using the time series analysis software, TIMESAT. The selection of a 10-day composite period was guided by in-situ observations of leaf unfolding and cloud cover at representative point locations on the island. The MGVI time series was smoothed and the SOS metric extracted at a point corresponding to 20% of the seasonal MGVI amplitude. The SOS metric was extracted on a per pixel basis and gridded for national scale coverage. There were consistent spatial patterns in the SOS grids which were replicated on an annual basis and were qualitatively linked to variation in landcover. Analysis revealed that three statistically separable groups of CORINE Land Cover (CLC) classes could be derived from differences in the SOS, namely agricultural and forest land cover types, peat bogs, and natural and semi-natural vegetation types. These groups demonstrated that managed vegetation, e.g. pastures has a significantly earlier SOS than in unmanaged vegetation e.g. natural grasslands. There was also interannual spatio-temporal variability in the SOS. Such variability was highlighted in a series of anomaly grids showing variation from the 7-year mean SOS. An initial climate analysis indicated that an anomalously cold winter and spring in 2005/2006, linked to a negative North Atlantic Oscillation index value, delayed the 2006 SOS countrywide, while in other years the SOS anomalies showed more complex variation. A correlation study using air temperature as a climate variable revealed the spatial complexity of the air temperature-SOS relationship across the Republic of Ireland as the timing of maximum correlation varied from November to April depending on location. The SOS was found to occur earlier due to warmer winters in the Southeast while it was later with warmer winters in the Northwest. The inverse pattern emerged in the spatial patterns of the spring correlates. This contrasting pattern would appear to be linked to vegetation management as arable cropping is typically practiced in the southeast while there is mixed agriculture and mostly pastures to the west. Therefore, land use as well as air temperature appears to be an important determinant of national scale patterns in the SOS. The TIMESAT tool formed a crucial component of the estimation of SOS across the country in all seven years as it minimised the negative impact of noise and data dropouts in the MGVI time series by applying a smoothing algorithm. The extracted SOS metric was sensitive to temporal and spatial variation in land surface vegetation seasonality while the spatial patterns in the gridded SOS estimates aligned with those in landcover type. The methodology can be extended for a longer time series of FAPAR as MERIS will be replaced by the ESA Sentinel mission in 2013, while the availability of full resolution (300m) MERIS FAPAR and equivalent sensor products holds the possibility of monitoring finer scale seasonality variation. This study has shown the utility of the SOS metric as an indicator of spatiotemporal variability in vegetation phenology, as well as a correlate of other environmental variables such as air temperature. However, the satellite-based method is not seen as a replacement of ground-based observations, but rather as a complementary approach to studying vegetation phenology at the national scale. In future, the method can be extended to extract other metrics of the seasonal cycle in order to gain a more comprehensive view of seasonal vegetation development.

World in motion

Professor Ed Galea CEng, MIFireE provides a welcome to Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics 2003, (PED 2003) to be held in London on 20-22 August 2003.

Debating the division of labour in healthcare in France and England

As Larson (1990) states, professions are historically specific and ‘there is no pattern of social closure around an occupation that is not inflected by the latter’s past, its specific activity and typical context of performance or…the political context in which closure is obtained.’ Larson’s work focuses particularly on the differences between the establishment of professions in France, where there was considerable state intervention, with that in the US and UK, both of which were more market-oriented. This paper is based on data from an evaluation of a large European exchange programme of staff between Kent and Lille, from 2005 to 2008 and discusses the division of labour in healthcare between two occupational groups, medicine and nursing, in England and in France. This division of labour has been extensively discussed in the UK, particularly since from the mid 1990s the nursing role has been extended and innovations such as nurse prescribing have been introduced, whereas such extended roles have not been introduced in France. The paper draws particularly on interview data from mental health practitioners, in which it is argued that whilst the English nurses may on the surface seem to have a wider range of competences and autonomy, in reality they are more constrained, as they operate under protocols and therefore do not exercise professional judgement. Not only do these data illustrate the centrality of professional judgement in discussions about practice, they also demonstrate the circularity of many debates on extended roles.

Exceptional abundance of the snake pipefish (Entelurus aequoreus) in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean

Pipefish (Syngnathidae) have occurred with unprecedented frequency in Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) samples to the west of the British Isles from 2003 to 2005. Identification by mtDNA sequencing established that they were snake pipefish, Entelurus aequoreus. The geographical range of the records were from the outer continental shelf of the Celtic Sea and north-west of Ireland to the mid-Atlantic Ridge between 40° and 57°N, with the greatest abundance near the shelf edge and adjacent oceanic waters south of Ireland and west of Brittany. There were records in every month from February to November but most were in late spring and summer. A proposed mechanism for the increase in abundance of the species is that recent climate change has had beneficial impacts on the reproduction of adults and the survival of larvae and juveniles.

Temporal changes in plankton of the North Sea: community shifts and environmental drivers

This paper analyses long-term and seasonal changes in the North Sea plankton community during the period 1970 to 2008. Based on Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) data covering 38 yr, major changes in both phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and community structure were identified. Regime changes were detected around 1978, 1989 and 1998. The first 2 changes have been discussed in the literature and are defined as a cold episodic event (1978) and a regime shift towards a warm dynamic regime (1989). The effect of these 2 regime changes on plankton indicators was assessed and checked against previous studies. The 1998 change represents a shift in the abundance and seasonal patterns of dinoflagellates and the dominant zooplankton group, the neritic copepods. Furthermore, environmental factors such as air temperature, wind speed and the North Atlantic water inflow were identified as potential drivers of change in seasonal patterns, and the most-likely environmental causes for detected changes were assessed. We suggest that a change in the balance of dissolved nutrients driven by these environmental factors was the cause of the latest change in plankton community structure, which in turn could have affected the North Sea fish community.

Temporal variability in total, micro- and nano-phytoplankton primary production at a coastal site in the Western English Channel

Primary productivity and subsequent carbon cycling in the coastal zone have a significant impact on the global carbon budget. It is currently unclear how anthropogenic activity could alter these budgets but long term coastal time series of hydrological, biogeochemical and biological measurements represent a key means to better understand past drivers, and hence to predicting future seasonal and inter-annual variability in carbon fixation in coastal ecosystems. An 8-year time series of primary production from 2003 to 2010, estimated using a recently developed absorption-based algorithm, was used to determine the nature and extent of change in primary production at a coastal station (L4) in the Western English Channel (WEC). Analysis of the seasonal and inter-annual variability in production demonstrated that on average, nano- and pico-phytoplankton account for 48% of the total carbon fixation and micro-phytoplankton for 52%. A recent decline in the primary production of nano- and pico-phytoplankton from 2005 to 2010 was observed, corresponding with a decrease in winter nutrient concentrations and a decrease in the biomass of Phaeocystis sp. Micro-phytoplankton primary production (PPM) remained relatively constant over the time series and was enhanced in summer during periods of high precipitation. Increases in sea surface temperature, and decreases in wind speeds and salinity were associated with later spring maxima in PPM. Together these trends indicate that predicted increases in temperature and decrease in wind speeds in future would drive later spring production whilst predicted increases in precipitation would also continue these blooms throughout the summer at this site.

Demographic and temporal trends in out of hospital sudden cardiac death in belfast

Objective: To determine the epidemiology of out of hospital sudden cardiac death (OHSCD) in Belfast from 1 August 2003 to 31 July 2004.

Design: Prospective examination of out of hospital cardiac arrests by using the Utstein style and necropsy reports. World Health Organization criteria were applied to determine the number of sudden cardiac deaths.

Results: Of 300 OHSCDs, 197 (66%) in men, mean age (SD) 68 (14) years, 234 (78%) occurred at home. The emergency medical services (EMS) attended 279 (93%). Rhythm on EMS arrival was ventricular fibrillation (VF) in 75 (27%). The call to response interval (CRI) was mean (SD) 8 (3) minutes. Among patients attended by the EMS, 9.7% were resuscitated and 7.2% survived to leave hospital alive. The CRI for survivors was mean (SD) 5 (2) minutes and for non-survivors, 8 (3) minutes (p < 0.001). Ninety one (30%) OHSCDs were witnessed; of these 91 patients 48 (53%) had VF on EMS arrival. The survival rate for witnessed VF arrests was 20 of 48 (41.7%): all 20 survivors had VF as the presenting rhythm and CRI ? 7 minutes. The European age standardised incidence for OHSCD was 122/100 000 (95% confidence interval 111 to 133) for men and 41/100 000 (95% confidence interval 36 to 46) for women.

Conclusion: Despite a 37% reduction in heart attack mortality in Ireland over the past 20 years, the incidence of OHSCD in Belfast has not fallen. In this study, 78% of OHSCDs occurred at home.

Confusing Culture and Politics: Ulster Scots Culture and Music

In Northern Ireland of the mid-1990s, many were caught off-guard by the comet-like arrival of a previously unarticulated Ulster Scots identity, replete with its own folk traditions. The article exploits the author’s position as Traditional Arts Officer of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland from 1998 until 2003 to offer an auto-ethnographic reflection on the literature on cultural politics in Northern Ireland since the outbreak of the Troubles, informed by extensive fieldwork with arts administrators and with contemporary Ulster Scots musicians. The article gives a close reading and historical contextualisation of the Ulster-Scots musical revue On Eagle's Wing, which was developed during this period. The article uses the concept of "suture" articulated by Lacan and developed by Laclau, Mouffe, and Žižek to explain both the potential for Ulster Scots culture to enter political discourse out of a seeming vacuum and its subsequent difficulties, offering an original interpretation of the role of culture in the contemporary trajectory of Northern Ireland politics.

A Longitudinal and Contextual Analysis of Media Representation of Business Ethics

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of media representation of business ethics within 62 international newspapers to explore the longitudinal and contextual evolution of business ethics and associated terminology. Levels of coverage and contextual analysis of the content of the articles are used as surrogate measures of the penetration of business ethics concepts into society. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a text mining application based on two samples of data: analysis of 62 national newspapers in 21 countries from 1990 to 2008; analysis of the content of two samples of articles containing the term business ethics (comprised of 100 newspaper articles spread over an 18-year period from a sample of US and UK newspapers). Findings – The paper demonstrates increased coverage of sustainability topics within the media over the last 18 years associated with events such as the Rio Summit. Whilst some peaks are associated with business ethics scandals, the overall coverage remains steady. There is little apparent use in the media of concepts such as corporate citizenship. The academic community and company ethical codes appear to adopt a wider definition of business ethics more akin to that associated with sustainability, in comparison with the focus taken by the media, especially in the USA. Coverage demonstrates clear regional bias and contextual analysis of the articles in the UK and USA also shows interesting parallels and divergences in the media representation of business ethics. Originality/value – A promising avenue to explore how the evolution of sustainability issues including business ethics can be tracked within a societal context.

Efficacy of sod removal in regenerating fen vegetation for the conservation of the marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia, Montiaghs Moss Nature Reserve, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

The efficacy of ‘sod removal’ as a fenland restoration technique was tested using an experimental approach at Montiaghs Moss Nature Reserve, Northern Ireland, from 2006 to 2008. The site suffered from rank growth of purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea which was out-competing herbaceous species. Soil was removed up to a depth of 15 cm completely denuding vegetation in the experimental plot exposing bare peat. By July 2007, 15.2% of sod-removal areas were revegetated; by October 2008 cover had risen to 64.6%. Of this cover, purple moor-grass accounted for only 9-11% compared to 78- 79% on control plots. Cover of other rank-forming grass species was also significantly reduced. Sod removal significantly increased the cover of species characteristic of fenlands including sedges Carex spp., rushes Juncus spp., marsh pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris and lesser spearwort Ranunculus flammula. It seems likely that sod removal, which lowered the surface of the peat, restored minerotrophic conditions and exposed the historical seed bank stimulating regeneration of some fenland specialists and pioneer species; this resulted in significantly higher species richness on sod removal plots than control plots two years after treatment. There was no demonstrable effect of sod removal on abundance of devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, the larval food plant of the Annex II listed marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia. We recommend that consideration should be given to artificially seeding devil’s-bit scabious soon after sod removal treatment to promote early recolonisation and to increase plant abundance on the site.