Traditional homegardens of Kerala: a sustainable human ecosystem

An analogue approach to analysing the traditional homegardens of Keralavis-à-vis natural climax ecosystems is adopted. The traditional homegarden is apparently a climax ecosystem, where ecological succession is consciously manipulated by human beings. High intensity of vertical and horizontal space use, the highly dynamic chronological structure and the capacity to perform essential ecological processes make this ecosystem relatively sustainable. Homegardens in Kerala effectively serve as human ecosystems with their low input demand, staggered supply of outputs, and enhancement of habitat quality. However, recent trends in agrarian structure and the high market orientation exert pressures on the homegarden, and its sustainability as a human ecosystem is in question.This joint paper is based on part of the research conducted by Darley Jose for the degree of M.Sc. (Natural Resource Management) at the Agricultural University of Norway under the guidance of N. Shanmugaratnam.     

北京低山地区土壤酶活性与土壤理化性质的关系

通过对北京低山地区土壤的理化性质和脲酶、过氧化氢酶以及多酚氧化酶的分析，探讨了供试土壤中３种酶活性状况及其与土壤理化性质的关系。研究结果表明：３种土壤酶活性均表现出随土壤深度增加而降低的规律性；３种土壤酶活性间具有良好相关性，显示了３种酶在土壤生物化学过程中的共性关系；土壤酶活性同多种土壤性质呈现良好相关性，其中，土壤有机质含量和土壤全氮量对酶活性影响最大。     

福建寿宁县兽害猖獗的成因及对策初探

1998～2006年,以寿宁县为调查对象,运用机械抽样法调查样带69条,运用访问调查法调查猎户农户100余户,运用点面互换法调查全县范围内农田作物受害程度。结果表明,全县近半数的村,15%的耕地存在兽害,99%的兽害及其损失源于野猪的活动。分析表明,兽害的成因有种群爆发、物种灭绝和生态系统衰败诸多因素,而人为干扰是各种现象的起因。最后提出治理山区兽害的对策,尤其应加强生态系统恢复和自然保护区建设。     

大学生日常活动的时空特征研究——以酃湖大学城为例

以衡阳大学城的两所高校衡阳师范学院和湖南工学院为例,开展了在校大学生的日常活动调研,探讨了其日常活动的时间特征和空间特征。结果发现:在时间上,周一至周五,大学生日常活动具有时间上的重叠性和活动方式的确定性以及活动区位的固定性;周六周日或节假日,大学生的日常活动则呈现出较大的差异。在空间上,周一至周五,大学生的活动空间具有局限性;到了周末,其活动范围有所扩大,不同活动类型也会有不同的活动空间。     

Comparative analysis of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathway activation and inhibition in human and canine melanoma

The lack of advanced animal models of human cancers is considered a barrier to developing effective therapeutics. Canine and human melanomas are histologically disparate but show similar disease progression and response to therapies. The purpose of these studies was to compare human and canine melanoma tumours and cell lines regarding MAPK and PI3K/AKT signalling dysregulation, and response to select molecularly targeted agents. Pathway activation was investigated via microarray and mutational analysis. Growth inhibition and cell cycle effects were assessed for pathway inhibitors AZD6244 (MAPK) and rapamycin (PI3K/AKT) in human and canine melanoma cells. Human and canine melanoma share similar differential gene expression patterns within the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Constitutive pathway activation and similar sensitivity to AZD6244 and rapamycin was observed in human and canine cells. These results show that human and canine melanoma share activation and sensitivity to inhibition of cancer‐related signalling pathways despite differences in activating mutations.     

Recurrent Temporary Paralysis Reported After Human Rabies Post‐Exposure Prophylaxis

Adverse events can occur after rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and linkage to causality is often difficult to determine. We report a case of recurrent temporary paralysis that began immediately after the initiation of rabies PEP in a man exposed to a bat. The recurrent temporary paralysis first occurred in the patient after his initial dose and then again after day 3 of his rabies PEP. The PEP was terminated prior to a serologic response. The patient continued to experience numerous discrete episodes of temporary paralysis for over two years.     

传统村落整体人文生态系统浅析

指出了整体人文生态系统是人与自然环境协同演化发展形成的有机整体 ,传统村落的整体人文生态系统更是人与自然和谐发展的典型范例.从认知、理解、运用三个层面浅析了传统村落整体人文生态系统 ,并以永定县客家土楼传统村落、元阳县哈尼族传统村落为例评价了传统村落的整体人文生态系统 ,以定位该村落的现状 ,分析了其特征来剖析该村落的遗产价值 ,最后提出了对其保护与开发的简要规划.     

农村普惠金融对农业绿色全要素生产率的影响研究——基于空间溢出效应的视角

提高农业绿色全要素生产率是实现农业高质量发展的必由之路,也是落实绿色发展理念和推进农业现代化转型的题中之义。在测度农村普惠金融发展水平和农业绿色全要素生产率的基础上,运用空间杜宾模型和调节效应模型实证检验农村普惠金融、人力资本对农业绿色全要素生产率的影响效果。研究发现：农村普惠金融能够显著提升本地区与相邻地区农业绿色全要素生产率;人力资本积累有利于提升相邻地区农业绿色全要素生产率,但对本地区农业绿色全要素生产率的提升无显著影响;人力资本水平越高,农村普惠金融对农业绿色全要素生产率的提升效果越明显,且具有空间溢出效应。进一步研究发现,农村普惠金融的发展主要通过提高农户对金融业务接纳度来推动本地区农业绿色全要素生产率提升。在农村普惠金融对农业绿色全要素生产率的空间溢出效应中,增加金融覆盖密度、改善金融使用情况以及提高金融服务效率均有利于相邻地区农业绿色全要素生产率提升,促进效果依次减弱。因此,深入发展农村普惠金融,以人力资本为载体,重点培育金融服务型人才、构建农村普惠金融与人力资本的协同发展机制是实现农业绿色全要素生产率全面提升的优选之路。     

Nonphytotoxic copper oxide nanoparticles are powerful “nanoweapons” that trigger resistance in tobacco against the soil-borne fungal pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae

Investigations into the potential application of nanoparticles acting as nanofungicides in sustainable agriculture are rapidly expanding due to the high antimicrobial properties of these compounds, which do not risk inducing pathogen resistance to fungicides.  A detailed understanding of the impact of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi is yet to be obtained.  This study aimed to explore the in vitro antifungal activity and control efficacy of CuO NPs applied via irrigation with respect to tobacco black shank (TBS) disease caused by Phytophthora nicotianae.  The results revealed that CuO NPs greatly interfered with the reproductive growth process of this fungus, repressing hyphal growth, spore germination and sporangium production.  Additionally, morphological damage, intracellular ROS accumulation and increased SOD enzyme activity in hyphae were the antifungicidal mechanisms of these NPs.  In pot experiments, treatment with CuO NPs at 100 mg L^–1 significantly suppressed TBS development, compared with the effect on control plants, and the control efficacy reached 33.69% without inducing phytotoxicity.  Exposure to CuO NPs significantly activated a series of defense enzymes, and resistance genes in tobacco can further explain the mechanisms by which CuO NPs suppressed fungal infection.  The Cu content in both the leaves and roots of P. nicotianae-infested plants increased by 50.03 and 27.25%, respectively, after treatment with 100 mg L^–1 CuO NPs, compared with that of healthy plants.  In particular, a higher Cu content was observed in infected roots than in leaves.  Therefore, this study showed the potential of CuO NPs applied as nanofungicides and as nanoinducers of fungus resistance genes for the management of TBS through inhibition of pathogen infection and stimulation of plant defenses.