The Biophysical Performance of Argentina (1970–2009)

The biophysical features of the Argentinean economy are examined using a social metabolism approach. A material flow analysis (MFA) for this economy was conducted for the period 1970–2009. Results show that Argentina follows a resource‐intensive and export‐oriented development model with a persistent physical trade deficit. Also, Argentina's terms of trade (the average weight in tonnes of imports that can be purchased through the sale of 1 tonne of exports) show a declining trend in the period of study. Argentina's economy shows a pattern typical of countries whose economies are based primarily on exports. Comparisons between Argentina's metabolic profile and the metabolic profile of other countries in Latin America and of Australia and Spain show that the Argentinean economy presents the same pattern as other Latin American exporting economies, and its terms of trade are opposite to those of industrialized economies.     

Parallel tool industries in New Caledonian crows

Individual specialization in the use of foraging tools occurs in hunter-gatherer societies but is absent in non-human primate tool use. 'Parallel tool industries' in hunter-gatherers are mainly based on strict sexual division of labour that is highly reliant on social conformity. Here, we show that 12 individuals in a population of New Caledonian crows on Maré Island had strong preferences for either stick tools or pandanus tools. Eight of the 12 crows had exclusive preferences. The individual specialization that we found is probably associated with different foraging niches. However, in spite of sexual size dimorphism there was no significant association between the sex of crows and their tool preferences. Our findings demonstrate that highly organized, strict sexual division of labour is not a necessary prerequisite for the evolution of parallel tool industries.     

Les plus anciennes industries paléolithiques en Russie

Early Paleolithic sites (Oldowan and Acheulian) in the European part of Russia are concentrated in the southern part of the Russian plain, in the piedmont of the Caucasus and in the North Caucasus, south from 50 N latitude. The Taman Paleolithic complex (sites of Bogatyri/Sinyaya Balka, Rodniki 1 and 2, Kermek; and localities of Tsymbal, Lisy and Peresyp), Akushin Paleolithic complex in Central Dagestan (sites of Aynikab 1, Mukhkay 1 and 2) and complex of sites in Maritime Dagestan (sites of Rubas 1, Darvagchay 1, Darvagchay-Zaliv 1 and 4) are discovered and studied. The initial human settlement of southern Russia began about 2 Ma and went through the Caucasian isthmus along the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The most ancient Homo of the first wave of settlement from the African ancestral homeland was able to reach the Caucasus and the southern part of the Russian plain by 2 Ma, as confirmed by the Liventsovka locality in the city of Rostov-on-Don. The Acheulian is represented by stratified sites of the Early Acheulian on the territory of Dagestan. At present, it can be argued that the territory of southern Russia was part of the area of initial human settlement from Africa. It is more difficult to estimate the time and ways of the initial human settlement of Northern Asia. The few sites attributed to the Lower Paleolithic are, for the most part, geologically unconnected or are questioned as to the authenticity of the artifacts. The only clearly stratified Middle Pleistocene site, Karama in the Altai, delivered a pebble tool industry. In addition, the finds of bifaces in Tuva, near the Mongolian border mark the northern limit of the distribution of the Acheulian in Asia.     

西花蓟马和花蓟马在温度逆境下的存活率比较

以外来入侵害虫西花蓟马(Frankliniella occidentalis)和本地种花蓟马(F.intonsa)为对象,研究了高温和低温逆境下两种蓟马各虫态存活率的差异.结果表明:在36℃～44℃高温下暴露2h和4h,不论是西花蓟马还是花蓟马,各虫态的存活率均随温度的升高而降低,但在相同高温处理条件下,同一虫态西花蓟马的存活率要高于花蓟马;在-2℃～-10℃低温下暴露2h和4h,西花蓟马和花蓟马各虫态的存活率均随随温度的降低而下降;在相同低温处理条件下,同一虫态西花蓟马的存活率也要高于花蓟马.由此表明,2种蓟马对高温和低温的适应能力不同,本地种花蓟马对高温和低温均比较敏感,而外来入侵害虫西花蓟马对极端温度具有较强的适应性.     

一种简便的提取蚕蛹蛋白新方法

以蚕蛹为原料,采用一种简便的提取工艺提取蚕蛹蛋白质,结果表明：干蛹约占鲜蛹重的32．5％,干蛹中蛋白质含量为54．2％,成品中蚕蛹蛋白质含量为83．31％,其蚕蛹蛋白收率达干蛹的61．32％,是文献报道用减法提取收率的2．27倍,蚕蛹中蛋白质的回收率达94．33％。     

混农林生态系统服务研究进展

混农林产业是兼顾生态环境修复、土壤资源可持续利用与社会经济效益共赢的生态治理衍生产业,将生态系统服务与混农林实践相结合既是全球生态系统服务研究的主要前沿之一,也是推进石漠化治理向生态产业振兴与生态系统服务提升融合阶段转变的具体路径。研究系统回顾了混农林生态系统服务的研究进展与特征,揭示了混农林生态系统服务与喀斯特地区产业振兴的内在关系,从混农林生态系统服务认知、评估与决策三个层面探讨了喀斯特地区产业振兴的方向,强调未来喀斯特地区应围绕混农林生态系统服务的级联机理、供需关系、权衡协同及影响因素等层面为混农林产业振兴提供决策支撑,进而更好地服务于喀斯特地区以巩固石漠化治理成效,提升生态系统服务,助力乡村振兴。     

Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: economic evidence for human estrus?☆

To see whether estrus was really “lost” during human evolution (as researchers often claim), we examined ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by professional lap dancers working in gentlemen's clubs. Eighteen dancers recorded their menstrual periods, work shifts, and tip earnings for 60 days on a study web site. A mixed-model analysis of 296 work shifts (representing about 5300 lap dances) showed an interaction between cycle phase and hormonal contraception use. Normally cycling participants earned about US$335 per 5-h shift during estrus, US$260 per shift during the luteal phase, and US$185 per shift during menstruation. By contrast, participants using contraceptive pills showed no estrous earnings peak. These results constitute the first direct economic evidence for the existence and importance of estrus in contemporary human females, in a real-world work setting. These results have clear implications for human evolution, sexuality, and economics.     

丁醇萃取发酵耦联生产改良型生物柴油过程的性能优化

传统丙酮丁醇发酵的产物浓度太低,蒸馏回收发酵产品大量耗能.为研究探讨直接利用发酵产物的可能性,在15%高初始玉米醪浓度条件下、以地沟生物柴油为萃取剂,探讨了生物柴油添加量,萃余液回用率、和添加微量电子供体对丁醇发酵耦联生产改良型生物柴油过程各主要性能指标的影响.通过环境条件优化,地沟生物柴油的质量显著提高,16烷值由51.4提高至54.4;添加微量中性红后"丁醇实质性得率"可以达到18%,耗能的发酵产品回收过程有望省去;萃余液回用率超过50%,有望逐步向国家所大力倡导的"节能减排"的工业生产模式靠近.