Effect of60Co gamma radiation on the rice weevil,Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

The effect of gramma radiation on the rice weevil,Sitophilus oryzae (L.) was studied. Adults were subjected to 12 doses ranging from 0 to 180 Gy of gamma radiation from a⁶⁰Co source. The time to onset of death and the duration of the period of mortality were investigated. Survival of the adults was decreased with increase of the doses. LD₅₀ and LD_99,9 values were calculated.With one figure and one table     

地方特色植物在昆明的适应性调查研究

通过世博园中国园区在设计及建设中地方特色植物的应用分析，得出了地方特色植物在造园时均受到重视的结论，并实际调查造园植物的生长状况，初步掌握各省区地方特色植物在昆明的适应性。经植物区系分析，探讨地方特色植物的异地利用问题，为昆明园林建设中观赏植物的应用提供借鉴和参考。     

Pathological changes induced by three myxosporeans in the intestine of cultured tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes (Temminck and Schlegel)

Pathological changes in cultured tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes , with emaciation disease in Kyushu, Japan were studied histologically. In most cases, diseased fish were heavily infected with at least one of three myxosporeans ( Myxidium fugu , Myxidium sp. and Leptotheca fugu ) and two unidentified hyperparasitic microsporeans, attached to, or in, the intestinal epithelium. Myxidium fugu attached to the surface of the epithelium, caused no noticeable effects on the host tissue, irrespective of its infection with the hyperparasite. Myxidium sp., which proliferated in the epithelium, induced severe pathological changes including accumulation of cell debris between the epithelium and lamina propria and resultant detachment of the epithelium. Leptotheca fugu, another histozoic myxosporean, induced degeneration of the epithelium, associated with massive infiltration of macrophages into the epithelium to encapsulate parasites. When L. fugu was infected with its hyperparasitic microsporean, shortened villi were also observed. This is probably because passage of macrophage-parasite aggregates through the basement membrane of the epithelium severely damaged the epithelial structure. It is evident histologically that, unlike epicellular M. fugu , histozoic Myxidium sp. and L. fugu with or without hyperparasitic microsporeans, were highly pathogenic to host fish. This strongly suggests that they are causative agents of the emaciation disease.     

Fishes of the Irrawaddy River: Diversity and conservation

1. Few conservation studies have examined fish communities in entire drainage basins, especially in developing regions such as Southeast Asia, one of the most diverse biomes globally. The aim of this study was to establish conservation projections for the whole of the Irrawaddy River system, based on fish diversity patterns, human impact, and environmental change.
2. The Irrawaddy River is one of the five largest rivers in Southeast Asia. Although it has very high diversity of fish species and species endemism, our understanding of resident fish status remains poor.
3. Based on 1,726 field survey and 1,056 database records, 470 fish species and their distribution patterns (i.e. alpha, beta, threatened species, and endemic species diversities) in sub-basins of the Irrawaddy drainage were identified. Canonical correspondence analysis of diversity and environmental patterns indicated that climatic factors had the largest effect on diversity, compatible with the species–energy theory.
4. Fish conservation priorities of sub-basins were evaluated based on diversity patterns and human impact. The delta and Manipur basin regions were highlighted as areas of focus for future fish diversity conservation, and the importance of connectivity in the Irrawaddy main stem was demonstrated.
5. The results of this study will be valuable for future management of the Irrawaddy basin and as a reference for other river basins when implementing protection strategies for fish diversity. This study also advocates the need for systematic investigations across entire drainage basins and further detailed studies on the ecological conditions of poorly studied river systems.

     

Evaluation of Air Pollution Burden from Contribution of Motorcycle Emission in Bangkok

This study investigated the relationship between exhaust emission from motorcycles and ambient air quality in Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR). The test result revealed that averagepollutant concentrations of the test motorcycles in terms of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide were 8.38, 16.69 and 0.04 g km^-1, respectively. The finding also indicated that two-stroke motorcycles emitted 1.5 and 5 times more carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emission, respectively perkilometer driven than do four-stroke motorcycles. Four air sampling stations were strategically established to evaluate the air pollution problems in Bangkok arising from vehicle exhaust emission. Investigation was carried out to determine the correlation between average air pollutant concentration with different traffic configuration in each traffic zone of Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMA) during peak/non peak hours, day/night times and weekday/weekend. The average concentrationsof PM₁₀ particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide in Bangkok street air were found tobe 84.33 μg m^-3 (24 hr ave.), 7.05 mg m^-3 (8 hr ave.), 56.74 μg m^-3 (1 hr ave.) and 9.60 μg m^-3 (24 hr ave.), respectively.     

前裂长管茧蜂对桔小实蝇的寄生效能研究

通过组建前裂长管茧蜂的实验种群生殖力生命表,结果表明,前裂长管茧蜂羽化后有1～3 d不等的产卵前期,生殖活动的高峰期出现在羽化后的4～10 d,单日寄生桔小实蝇幼虫量不超过20头,平均每头雌蜂约能繁育125个后代.种群中以雌性个体为主;雌雄比例接近2:1.世代净增殖力和内禀增长率分别为44.44和0.158 1.田间放蜂试验结果表明,当按1:1、1:5及1:10的蜂虫比释放时,15 d后的寄生率分别为36.01%、12.50%和5.18%,但随后寄生率急剧下降.     

Preparation and dielectric properties of polyvinyl alcohol (Co,Zn Acetate) Fiber/n-Si and polyvinyl alcohol (Ni,Zn Acetate)/n-Si Schottky diodes

Dielectric properties and ac electrical conductivity (σ _ac ) of Au/PVA(Co, Zn acetate)/n-Si and Au/PVA(Ni, Zn acetate)/n-Si Schottky diodes (SDs) have been investigated in dark and under illumination by using experimental capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G/ω-V) measurements at 1 MHz and room temperature. Experimental results indicate that the change in dielectric constant (ɛ′), dielectric loss (ɛ″), loss tangent (tanδ), the real (M′) and imaginary (M″) parts of electric modulus and ac electrical conductivity (σ _ac ) with illumination were found to change linearly with illumination level (P). On the other hand, the ɛ′, ɛ″, tanδ and σ _ac vs P have positive slope while the M′ and M″ vs P have negative slope. Such behavior of dielectric properties and σ _ac can be attributed to illumination induced electron-hole pairs under illumination effect in the depletion region of SDs. The obtained results under illumination suggest that these devices can be used as a sensor in optical applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of boron doped alumina stabilized zirconia fibers

Boron doped PVA/Zr-Al acetate nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning using PVA as a precursor. The effect of calcination temperature on morphology and crystal structure was investigated at 250, 500, and 800 °C. The study also establishes the effect of boron doping on the morphology of PVA/Zr-Al acetate nanofibers at various calcination temperatures. The measurements showed that the conductivity, pH, viscosity and the surface tension of the hybrid polymer solutions have increased with boron doping. In addition, the fibers were characterized by FTIR, DSC, XPS, XRD and SEM techniques. The addition of boron did not only increase the thermal stability of the fibers, but also increased the average fiber diameters, which gave stronger fibers. The DSC results indicated that the melting temperature (Tm) of the fibers was increased from 256 to 270 °C with the addition of boron. XRD peak patterns showed that after further heat treatment at 800 °C, zirconia exists in two phases of tetragonal and monoclinic modifications. Moreover, alumina does not transform into the γ-Al₂O₃ and θ-Al₂O₃ phase at 800 °C. The SEM appearance of the fibers showed that the addition of boron resulted in the formation of crosslinked bright surfaced fibers.     

Insecticide resistance inFrankliniella occidentalis: Corroboration of laboratory assays with field data and cross-resistance in a cypermethrin-resistant strain

Field efficacy of five insecticides to a greenhouse strain ofFrankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) of known resistance status was studied. In a greenhouse trial, the mortality of aF. occidentalis strain (Uncali) which exhibited resistance only against cypermethrin in laboratory assays, reached 56%, 68%, 82%, 94% and 99%, 24 h after application of abamectin, cypermethrin, endosulfan, malathion and methomyl, respectively. In the laboratory, for larval mortality equal to that achieved in the field, much lower doses — half of the field dose of cypermethrin and endosulfan, and one-third and one-sixth of malathion and methomyl, respectively, were required in topical application. Because of differences between laboratory and field responses ofF. occidentalis to insecticides, a sound resistance evaluation program to determine field efficacy of insecticides is needed. Resistance increased 28.0- and 139.3-fold at LC₅₀ in theF. occidentalis strain subjected to 27 and 44 cycles of cypermethrin selection, respectively. A slight cross-resistance of two- to threefold was found with endosulfan, malathion and methomyl and no cross-resistance was observed with abamectin. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting August 4, 2008.