Necessity for modification of management parameters when using low quality water

The research assessed the necessity for modification of management variables when treated wastewater (TW) is used for an existing border irrigation in lieu of normal water (NW). The infiltration parameters, characterized by Kostiakov equation, for normal water and treated wastewater were firstly obtained utilizing the double-cylinder infiltrometer. Secondly, the performance parameters considering the low quarter concept were computed through simulations for certain ranges of input data which included three roughness coefficients; three field slopes; three applied depths; and two field lengths. The zero inertia model was utilized to simulate flow along free outflow borders with longitudinal slope. The infiltration rate and consequently its amount were found to decrease with application of treated wastewater. The declined infiltration led to a decrease in the application efficiency equal to nearly 15% as a contrast to an increase in the runoff ratio from 7% for normal water to 31% for treated water. Moreover, the low quarter depths were 150 and 125 mm for normal water and treated water, respectively, indicating that there was less water stored in the field low quarter. It was ultimately evident that the management parameters, application rate and time, need to be modified when treated wastewater is alternatively used in lieu of normal water for which the system was supposedly designed to obtain maximum efficiency.     

A comparison of soil-water distribution under ridge and bed cultivated potatoes

Data is presented comparing infiltration of irrigation and rain water to potato crops planted in ridges and beds in East Anglia, UK. An automatic soil water station (ASWS) was used to monitor soil water content and potential in the two cultivation systems. The ASWS data indicated that most of the water bypassed the potatoes planted in ridges as irrigation water applied to the crop from a boom irrigator was shed off the ridges infiltrating in the furrows. This was due to the water repellent nature of the sandy soil and meant that the irrigation water bypassed the potatoes. A soil water deficit built up in the core of the ridge as the crop grew and was not replenished by irrigations. A second early potato crop planted in beds was more successful at capturing water as the flat bed increased water infiltration around the crop. This has major implications for cultivation practice, scab control and crop water management. Instruments measuring soil water potential, content, temperature and rainfall were connected to a data logger powered by a solar panel and proved a successful way of monitoring infiltration. Hourly data was collected so that a high temporal resolution data set could be constructed in order to increase conceptual understanding of hydrological processes at a scale appropriate to the crop.     

Understanding the relationship between volunteers’ motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science in rice ecosystems in the Northern Philippines

This study relies on the Flying Beauties Citizen Science project conducted in the Philippines to assess personal motivations and learning outcomes of volunteers who were involved in documenting butterflies and dragonflies in rice ecosystems. While evaluation of motivations of volunteers in Citizen Science is not new, at least in affluent western countries, little is done in investigating volunteers’ motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science projects in low-income countries. Using surveys, we collected data from volunteers that were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. We adopted a two stages evaluation format—before and after volunteers finished the project exercise. We compared pre-motivations to motivations attained and changes in level of knowledge before and after the project ended. We use Spearman’s Rho, Kendall’s Tau—nonparametric tests to draw correlations between variables. The results showed that key determinants that drove people to volunteer in the project were (a) learning about species and (b) being part of scientific research and the principal learning outcome was improved awareness about ecosystem functions of the species.     

《信息资源检索与利用》翻转课堂运用——基于学生自评学习表单的实施

以学生自评学习任务表单为构架,在高校《信息资源检索与利用》课程中运用翻转课堂的教学模式,提升学生的学习兴趣,强化知识学习与内化吸收过程。设计“学生自评学习任务表单”,重构教学内容结构为单个具体可执行的任务,师生围绕着学习任务表单进行课上课下的教学协调。     

从图书馆三要素分析图书馆焦虑及其化解途径

图书馆是学生的第二课堂,图书馆存在的价值和意义就在于满足读者的需求,服务教学与科研。然而,图书馆焦虑严重阻碍了读者对于图书馆的使用,使图书馆无法发挥其应有的作用。本文从图书馆三要素馆舍、馆藏、馆员3方面分析可能引起图书馆焦虑的原因,并指出此三方面具体的改进措施,以期找出化解图书馆焦虑的方法和途径。     

Influence of Age on Surfactant Isolated from Healthy Horses Maintained on Pasture

Background: Surfactant alterations are described in horses after exercise, anesthesia, and prolonged transport, in horses with recurrent airway obstruction, and in neonatal foals. The effect of horse age or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) sample characteristics on surfactant is unknown.
Objectives: To evaluate surfactant phospholipid composition and function in healthy horses, and to investigate the influence of age and BALF sample characteristics on surfactant.
Animals: Seventeen healthy horses 6–25 years of age maintained on pasture year-round.
Methods: BALF was collected by standard procedures and was assessed for recovery volume, nucleated cell count (NCC), and cytology. Cell-free BALF was separated into crude surfactant pellet (CSP) and surfactant supernatant (Supe) by ultracentrifugation. Phospholipid and protein content were determined from both fractions. CSP phospholipid composition was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light scatter detector. Surface tension of CSP was evaluated with a pulsating bubble surfactometer. Regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between age, BALF sample characteristics, and surfactant variables.
Results: Results and conclusions were derived from 15 horses. Increasing age was associated with decreased phospholipid content in CSP but not Supe. Age did not affect protein content of CSP or Supe, or surfactant phospholipid composition or function. Age-related surfactant changes were unaffected by BALF recovery percentage, NCC, and cytological profile.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Older horses have decreased surfactant phospholipid content, which might be because of age-related pulmonary changes. Surfactant composition is unaffected by BALF sample characteristics at a BALF recovery percentage of at least 50%.     

农村居民点整理模式与利益分配研究进展

通过对农村居民点整理的研究文献的梳理分析,发现该领域研究成果较多。国外农村居民点整理模式体现出整体主体多元化、重视利益分配的合理性、注重生态景观美化等理念和制度特点,这也为其具体操作中的利益分配奠定了基础。国内对此问题的研究主要集中在农村居民点整理概念与内涵、模式分类、驱动力、效益评价等问题上。对各类整理模式的整体性特点,尤其是不足之处的研究有所涉及,但较薄弱。针对农村居民点整理中各利益主体的利益分配问题,鲜有文献将其作为研究对象,有少数学者在研究相关问题时,体现出要关注此问题的思想萌芽。探讨合理的农村居民点整理模式,切实保障各整理主体利益,将是后续研究的重要内容。     

Dyeing and fastness properties of natural dyes extracted from eucalyptus leaves using padding techniques

A natural dye extracted from eucalyptus leaves was applied to a silk and wool fabric by the use of two padding techniques, namely the pad-batch and pad-dry techniques under different conditions. Silk and wool fabrics dyed in a solution composed of eucalyptus extract from leaves showed a shade of pale yellow to brown. The exception was when the fabric was dyed with ferrous mordant, resulting in a shade of dark grayish-brown. The fastness properties ranged from good to excellent, while light fastness was fair to good.     

Effect of Previous Experience on Grazing Patterns and Diet Selection of Brangus Cows in the Chihuahuan Desert

The ability to adapt to different environments is critical when livestock are moved because of drought or other management considerations. The impact of previous experience on grazing patterns and diet selection of Brangus cows in desert conditions was evaluated. Cows originating from a humid-subtropical environment (Leona, Texas) were brought to the Chihuahuan Desert (naïve) and evaluated against cows that spent their life in the Chihuahuan Desert (native) and cows that were born and raised in the Chihuahuan Desert but were moved to Leona, Texas during the preceding 3 yr (tourist). In addition, native cows with recent experience in desert conditions were compared with naïve cows and tourist cows that had not been in the Chihuahuan Desert for at least 3 yr. All cows were mature and had similar pedigrees (n = 21). Cows from the three groups were tracked in three extensive pastures (> 1 000 ha) for three 8–10-d periods during winter, early summer, and later summer. Cows never grazed in the experimental pastures before the study, but native and tourist cows had grazed adjacent pastures. Fecal near-infrared spectroscopy was used to estimate diet quality. Naïve cows used 335 ha ± 83 standard error (SE) less area (P = 0.06) and were 479 m ± 105 SE closer to water (P = 0.03) than cows born and raised in the Chihuahuan Desert (native and tourist cows pooled) when first evaluated in winter. After pooling all data, native cows were farther (P = 0.06) from water (730 m ± 283 SE) and spent less time at water (10.53% ± 3.93 SE) than cows that did not spend their entire life in the desert (naïve and tourist pooled). During winter and early summer (drought conditions), naïve cows selected diets with lower (P < 0.05) crude protein (CP) than cows born in the desert, but during late summer after abundant precipitation naïve cows selected a diet with higher (P = 0.07) CP. Although Brangus cows are highly adaptable, animals raised in nearby pastures appear to have advantages over naïve animals when grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland.     

Effects of inoculation with stress-adapted arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus deserticola on growth of Solanum melogena L. and Sorghum sudanese Staph. seedlings under salinity and heavy metal stress conditions

The beneficial effects of a Glomus deserticola strain isolated from the rhizosphere of grasses (belonging to Poaceae family) growing along the industrial waste from a distillery were investigated under stress conditions. The study was conducted to assess the efficacy of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal ecotype in salinity and heavy metal (HM) tolerance of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) in soils amended with various stress levels of NaCl, zinc and cadmium. Mycorrhizal (M) seedlings produced a significantly (p < 0.05) greater growth response and were more tolerant to salt and HM stresses than nonmycorrhizal (NM) seedlings in all treatments. The HM contents in the plant tissues were significantly higher in M than NM eggplants. Furthermore, when the efficacy was compared with other AM isolates in HM-polluted soils with Sudan grass (Sorghum sudanese Staph.) as a test plant, the AM ecotype responded best to these soils, as evident from the significantly greater growth response and its aggressiveness in colonizing roots in all soil types tested. These results suggest that this G. deserticola ecotype can be used as an effective tool to alleviate the adverse effects of excessive salinity and HM toxicity on plant growth. Finally, the isolate may have potential in the bioremediation of polluted soils.