Optimal age-dependent sustainable harvesting of natural resource populations: Sustainability value

We studied the optimal age-dependent harvesting of a natural resource population that achieves a maximum income under the constraint of sustainability, i.e. the reproductive adults numbers must exceed a given minimum. The resource species is assumed to be semelparous (a single reproduction over a life). The economic value and natural mortality coefficient can vary with age. The optimal age-dependent harvesting under the sustainability constraint is obtained using Pontryagin’s maximum principle. The constraint of resource sustainability can be treated as an additional term measured in the same units as economic income. Specifically, three terms: (1) current harvesting value, (2) future harvesting value, and (3) sustainability value, are calculated for each age, and the resources should be harvested at the maximum rate when their current harvesting value is greater than the sum of future harvesting value and sustainability value, and should not be harvested otherwise. Numerical analyses of several cases demonstrated that the optimal harvesting schedule depends critically on the natural mortality coefficient and the functional form of the economic value of the resource.     

Sustainability indices for exploited populations

Evaluating the sustainability of hunting is key to the conservation of species exploited for bushmeat. Researchers are often hampered by a lack of basic biological data, the usual response to which is to develop sustainability indices based on highly simplified population models. However, the standard indices in the bushmeat literature do not perform well under realistic conditions of uncertainty, bias in parameter estimation, and habitat loss. Another possible approach to estimating the sustainability of hunting under uncertainty is to use Bayesian statistics, but this is mathematically demanding. Red listing of threatened species has to be carried out in extremely data-poor situations: uncertainty has been incorporated into this process in a relatively simple and intuitive way using fuzzy numbers. The current methods for estimating sustainability of bushmeat hunting also do not incorporate spatial heterogeneity. No-take areas are one management tool that can address uncertainty in a spatially explicit way.     

论可持续发展的历史观与生态观

可持续发展是指既满足当代人需求,又不损害人类后代满足其自身需求的能力的发展［１］;或者说是指在资源和环境所能承载的前提下,人口、经济、社会的协调、健康向前发展,即做到经济可持续、社会可持续和生态可持续。纵观可持续发展思想的产生与形成过程,可以看出它有着深刻的历史背景和生态背景。１　可持续发展思潮形成的历史背景文明是人类改造世界的物质和精神成果的总和,是人类处在开化状态和社会向前发展的集中体现［２］。人类结束生物进化进入文明演替至今,已经历了史前文明、农业文明、工业文明３个阶段,如今又开始了后工业…     

An ingenious technique based on the usage of fluorone-based dye; pyrosin B in prucalopride assay in different matrices through an “on–off” dye native fluorescence probe

Prucalopride (PCD), is a modern medication approved by the United States in 2018 to alleviate constipation caused by motility issues. PCD demonstrates a strong affinity and selectivity toward the 5-HT4 receptor. The study here introduces a feasible, direct, non-extractive, and affordable pathway for PCD analytical tracking. The fluorimetric study is based on the on–off effect on the emission amplitude of fluorone-based dye (pyrosin B). In a one-pot experiment, the complex between PCD and pyrosin B is formed instantly in an acidic medium. Correlation between decreased pyrosin B emission and PCD concentrations provides a linear calibration plot from 50 to 900 ng/mL. PCD–dye complex system affecting variables were meticulously tuned. The values of the estimated limit of quantitation and limit of detection for the current methodology were 47.5 and 15.7 ng/mL, respectively. Conformity of the strategy validity was achieved by a comprehensive study of the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use criteria. The method was convincingly applied for PCD assay in tablets and content uniformity investigation. Furthermore, PCD tracking in the spiked biological fluid was applied. Finally, the method uses distilled water as dispersing medium which rise accommodation with the green chemistry principle.     

Structural consensus in ligand-protein docking identifies recognition peptide motifs that bind streptavidin

Computational structure prediction of streptavidin-peptide complexes for known recognition sequences and a number of random di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides has been conducted, and mechanisms of peptide recognition with streptavidin have been investigated by a new computational protocol. The structural consensus criterion, which is computed from multiple docking simulations and measures the accessibility of the dominant binding mode, identifies recognition motifs from a set of random peptide sequences, whereas energetic analysis is less discriminatory. The predicted conformations of recognition tripeptide and tetrapeptide sequences are also in structural harmony and composed of peptide fragments that are individually unfrustrated in their bound conformation, resulting in a minimally frustrated energy landscape for recognition peptides. Proteins 28:421–433, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The Precautionary Principle in Practice: Applying the Ashford Framework to Technological Risk

The precautionary principle reflects an old adage — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Its four central components include: taking preventative action in the face of uncertainty; shifting the burden of proof to proponents of an activity; exploring a wide range of alternatives to possibly harmful actions; and increasing public participation in decision processes. Scholars in a range of fields have identified U.S. environmental laws, regulations, and decisions exhibiting precaution de facto. This study moves beyond the traditional treatments of the subject, the morass of definitions systematizing precaution into its basic elements. It poses a further question, within the current legal system and existing laws, how might the precautionary principle be implemented by modifying aspects of a statute? By applying a conceptual legal precautionary framework to a specific example of technological risk management, Washington State's energy facility siting statute, we reveal deficiencies in four areas: compensation issues; burden of proof; Type I or II error preferences; and systematic comparisons. Supplying these would, in all likelihood, ensure a more effective statute and process as well as an outcome consistent with legislative goals. However, were an explicit statement of the precautionary principle introduced, parties dissatisfied with an outcome would seek judicial review, and extensive litigation could counter the legislative mandate of abundant energy at a reasonable cost.     

Elevated CO2 and temperature alter nitrogen allocation in Douglas-fir

The effects of elevated CO₂ and temperature on principal carbon constituents (PCC) and C and N allocation between needle, woody (stem and branches) and root tissue of Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco seedlings were determined. The seedlings were grown in sun‐lit controlled‐environment chambers that contained a native soil. Chambers were controlled to reproduce ambient or ambient +180 ppm CO₂ and either ambient temperature or ambient +3.5 °C for 4 years. There were no significant CO₂ × temperature interactions; consequently the data are presented for the CO₂ and temperature effects. At the final harvest, elevated CO₂ decreased the nonpolar fraction of the PCC and increased the polar fraction and amount of sugars in the needles. In contrast, elevated temperature increased the nonpolar fraction of the PCC and decreased sugars in needles. There were no CO₂ or temperature effects on the PCC fractions in the woody tissue or root tissue. Elevated CO₂ and temperature had no significant effects on the C content of any of the plant tissues or fractions. In contrast, the foliar N content declined under elevated CO₂ and increased under elevated temperature; there were no significant effects in other tissues. The changes in the foliar N concentrations were in the cellulose and lignin fractions, the fractions, which contain protein, and are the consequences of changes in N allocation under the treatments. These results indicate reallocation of N among plant organs to optimize C assimilation, which is mediated via changes in the selectivity of Rubisco and carbohydrate modulation of gene expression.     

太子参试管微块根形成及其应用初探

太子参组培苗单茎节段插入含45g·L^-1蔗糖的MS培养基中,于60μmol·m^-2·s^-1光照强度下培养120d后,其节部位长出不定根膨大形成与太子参体内块根相似、重量约为块根1/20的微块根,平均每株可形成1.54个微块根。微块根移植入大田后,其生长特性和物候期与大田块根相似,都有低温萌芽、高温休眠的特性;开花结果、不定根膨大、块根成熟等也相似。同时,组培中的微块根还具有易培养、耐贮存、体积小、易移栽和繁殖系数高等优点,在生产中具有很大的应用潜力。     

Domain motions of hyaluronan lyase underlying processive hyaluronan translocation

Hyaluronan lyase (Hyal) is a surface enzyme occurring in many bacterial organisms including members of Streptococcus species. Streptococcal Hyal primarily degrades hyaluronan‐substrate (HA) of the extracellular matrix. This degradation appears to facilitate the spread of this bacterium throughout host tissues. Unlike purely endolytic degradation of its other substrates, unsulfated chondroitin or some chondroitin sulfates, the degradation of HA by Hyal proceeds by processive exolytic cleavage of one disaccharide at a time following an initial endolytic cut. Molecular dynamics (MD) studies of Hyal from Streptococcus pneumoniae are presented that address the enzyme's molecular mechanism of action and the role of domain motions for processive functionality. The analysis of extensive sub‐microsecond MD simulations of this enzyme action on HA‐substrates of different lengths and the connection between the domain dynamics of Hyal and the translocation of the HA‐substrate reveals that opening/closing and twisting domain motions of the Hyal are intimately linked to processive HA degradation. Enforced simulations confirmed this finding as the domain motions in SpnHyal were found to be induced by enforced substrate translocation. These results establish the dynamic interplay between Hyal flexibility and substrate translocation and provide insight into the processive mechanism of Hyal. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.