No detectable carotenoid concentrations in serum of llamas and alpacas

Carotenoids are lipid‐soluble pigments and important for a variety of physiological functions. They are major dietary vitamin A precursors and act as lipophilic antioxidants in a variety of tissues and are associated with important health benefits in humans and animals. All animals must acquire carotenoids from their diet, but to our knowledge, there are no studies investigating the intestinal carotenoid absorption and their blood concentrations in New World camelids. The present study aimed to assess the serum concentrations of selected carotenoids in llamas (n = 13) and alpacas (n = 27). Serum carotenoids as well as retinol (vitamin A) and α‐tocopherol (vitamin E) were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and these were unable to detect any carotenoids (α‐ and β‐carotene, α‐ and β‐cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene) in the samples. The concentrations of retinol in alpacas (2.89 ± 1.13 μmol/l; mean ± SD) were higher (p = 0.024) than those found in llamas (2.05 ± 0.87 μmol/l); however, the concentrations of α‐tocopherol were not significantly (p = 0.166) different (llamas: 3.98 ± 1.83 μmol/l; alpacas: 4.95 ± 2.14 μmol/l). The results show that both llamas and alpacas are not able to absorb intact carotenoids, but efficiently convert provitamin A carotenoids to retinol.     

世界气象公园体系的创建

首先提出一个全新的"世界气象公园"概念,讨论其功能、特征和意义,侧重评述丰富多彩的气象景观资源构成和探讨世界气象公园体系建立路线图。拟以黄山作为第一个世界气象公园的典范,在我国试点建设黄山、桂林、峨眉山等首批世界气象公园成功后,再在其他国家延伸扩展,最终在世界气象组织领导下,创建世界气象公园体系,为世界各地独具特色的气象景观资源评价及其可持续发展利用提供实现平台,使地球自然遗产保护体系达到全覆盖。     

基于系统论的世界遗产资源保护模式研究——以自然和文化双遗产地峨眉山为例

如何科学完整地保护管理好世界级的遗产资源,一直是我国理论界和决策层关注的重点。本研究通过对峨眉山世界遗产资源的深入调研和分析,总结出峨眉山世界遗产地基于系统论的遗产资源综合保护模式,分析了该模式要素结构和模式功能,提出该模式的特点是:具有高度权威、集中统一的综合管理机构,是整合资源优势、科学保护管理遗产资源的必备条件和关键,并进一步提出了该模式的广泛借鉴意义。     

No country is an island in regulating food safety:How the WTO monitors Chinese food safety laws through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism(TPRM)

Established within the framework of the World Trade Organization(WTO),the Trade Policy Review Mechanism(TPRM) reviews periodically the trade policies of all WTO Members. The review includes many aspects of food safety regulation. China's trade policy is reviewed every two years. This paper analyses in detail the reviews of China's trade policy in 2006,2008,2010,2012 and 2014. It focuses in particular on food safety laws and types of standards,alignment of domestic standards with international standards,the role of different domestic institutions,transparency and notification of food safety measures under the WTO agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures(SPS) and on Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT Agreement),import and export,and geographical indications(GIs). It concludes that the WTO TPRM can contribute,within its mandate,to reform of Chinese food safety laws and improvement of food safety in China. It notes that China has already undertaken substantial reforms of its system for regulating food safety. It recommends that China should continue to participate actively in the TPRM,follow its own path with regard to alignment and learn selectively from other WTO Members.     

‘Friendly islands’ in an unfriendly system: Examining the process of Tonga's WTO accession

Tonga became the 151st member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in July 2007. This article considers the issues that Tonga faced during its WTO accession process, and the potential impact of the reforms it has made in compliance with the terms of its accession. It notes that WTO membership may offer some benefits to Tonga, including improved market access for its exports and the provision of technical assistance. The taxation and regulatory reforms necessitated by accession might also have some positive development effects. However, this article argues that the costs of WTO accession outweigh these benefits. This is because Tonga faced numerous challenges during its accession process, which led it to agree to substantial trade concessions. In addition, the ‘special and differential’ (S&D) treatment provisions intended to assist developing countries like Tonga once they become WTO members are inadequate. While this article focuses on Tonga, the issues raised are relevant to other Pacific SIDS engaged in WTO accession negotiations, including Vanuatu and Samoa.     

中国经济的现实与未来:分析与展望

中国的长期发展使其经济实力和国际影响力显著增强,并使得人民币开始成为国际货币市场中的另一种财富标志。虽然对中国的可持续发展能力和政府作用仍存在种种质疑,但通过产业结构的调整和政治体制改革的深化,中国应能保持其发展趋势并在未来的多极世界中获得更大的话语权。     

旱后复水条件下磷添加对白羊草根系形态及氮磷累积的影响

植物生长及养分利用特征可揭示半干旱区植物对多变水肥环境条件的适应策略。在白羊草分蘖期设置2个供水条件(正常供水和干旱胁迫21天后复水)和2个磷添加水平(复水当日1 kg干土添加0,0.2 g P_2O_5),2周后测定其根冠生物量、根系形态以及氮磷含量。结果表明,旱后复水条件下,磷添加后白羊草根冠生物量、总生物量和根冠比无显著变化,总根长和根表面积显著增加27.1%和24.1%,比根长和比根面积分别显著增加18.3%和15.9%,根系平均直径显著降低1.3%;白羊草地上部、根系和整株磷含量分别显著增加61.1%,35.8%和49.6%,磷累积量分别显著增加68.6%,52.0%和61.3%,氮磷比显著降低。除地上部氮累积量外,各水分和磷处理下白羊草地上部、根系和整株氮磷累积量与总根长和根表面积呈显著正相关关系。本研究表明,根长和根表面积增加是白羊草响应水肥环境条件改善的主要策略。     

奥运后北京建设世界城市的研究

世界城市作为全球化经济的有力推动者和主要受益者,承担世界性的生产要素聚集和配置功能.2008奥运会的成功举办,对于北京建设世界城市来说具有积极而深远的意义.奥运会后,北京应从提升城市品牌、增大经济规模、扩大全球政治经济影响力、打造世界性的金融中心和发展特色的旅游和会展业等几个方面入手,力争发展成为具有全球影响力的世界城市.     

利用世行贷款 推动黄土高原水土保持工作

<正> 黄土高原水土保持世行贷款项目是我国水土保持利用外资的第一个大型项目,是黄土高原水土保持的“三峡工程”.项目区涉及陕、晋、甘、蒙4省(区)的7个地(盟)、21个县(市、旗),总面积15559km~2,其中水土流失面积13990km~2.项目实施期间(1994～2001年)项目区计划新增治理面积54.66万hm~2,其中基本农田9.49万hm~2,造林26.9万hm~2,新建果园2.77万hm~2,种草15.5万hm~2,兴建治沟骨干工程238座、淤地坝2208座.期末项目区治理面积将达到8445km~2,治理程度由21.3%提高到60.4%.项目总投资21.645亿元,其中利用世行贷款13.05亿元(1.5亿美元),占总投资的60.3%;国内配套资金8.595亿元,占总投资的39.7%.     

Biotic affinities of rocky reef fishes,invertebrates and macroalgae in different zones of the Port Davey marine protected area,south‐western Tasmania

• 1. Assemblages of fishes, invertebrates, and macroalgae showed strong and predictable distributional patterns within the newly declared Port Davey marine protected area (MPA) in south‐western Tasmania. Biotic assemblages in the eastern estuarine section of the MPA within Bathurst Channel were extremely anomalous, both in relation to biota elsewhere in the Port Davey region and also to those present along the wider Tasmanian and Australian coasts. Much of this variation was due to the phenomenon of deepwater emergence, with species in 5 m water depth in eastern Bathurst Channel possessing a mean maximum recorded depth of 200 m, compared with<80 m for the same metric when calculated for sites studied elsewhere around Australia. Deepwater emergence in Bathurst Channel was particularly notable for sessile organisms, although also evident among fishes and mobile macro‐invertebrates.
• 2. Quantitative baseline surveys of reef‐associated species were undertaken at sites interspersed among MPA management zone types and biotic community types, thereby providing an appropriate benchmark for assessing ecological changes in different management zones within the Port Davey region through the long term. Distinctive biota present in eastern and western Bathurst Channel, and eastern Port Davey, are well protected within ‘no‐take’ sanctuary zones; however, a bias in location of sanctuary zones towards areas with little fishery resources resulted in less protection for the western Port Davey biota, which also extends along the open coast. Although the lack of high level protection for sites with fishery resources detracts from conservation goals, the Port Davey MPA nevertheless represents a major advance in environmental protection because the ecologically unique, fully protected locations are a necessary inclusion within any comprehensive Australian MPA network. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.