Effect of stocking density on the behavior of newly transformed juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii

This study characterized the behavioral activity of Macrobrachium rosenbergii in the early stages of development, under different stocking densities (25 and 40 animals/m²), and during the light and dark phases of a 24-h cycle. Observations of individuals were made in 8 aquariums. Behavioral recording lasted 15 min/aquarium, 4 times/day and 4 days/week, 4 weeks in total. Food was offered twice daily. Observational methods included a combination of behavioral sampling and scan sampling. During the light phase, inactivity, cleaning and remaining in a shelter were the most frequent behaviors. During the dark phase the subjects displayed a higher frequency of feeding, exploration, swimming, and digging. At low density, the animals gained more weight and exhibited greater growth overall. These results indicate a behavioral pattern that is more favorable to animals in the lower density cultivation environment that can also create better living conditions for these shrimp, favor survival rates and therefore improve management success.     

Psychological perspectives of ecosystem health

Behavior-based and person-based perspectives are integrated to summarize approaches for dealing with the human element of ecosystem health. Behavior is selected by its consequences, and therefore interventions are needed to decrease the natural reinforcing consequences (e.g., convenience, efficiency) of environment-destructive behaviors and to increase the reinforcing consequences of environment-protective behaviors. An ABC Model (for Activator-Behavior-Consequence) can be applied effectively to design intervention programs for benefiting the human behavior aspects of ecosystem health. However, intervention agents are needed to implement positive behavior-change techniques, and this requires people to actively care enough to emit other-directed (or altruistic) behaviors for the health of the ecosystem. Person factors which influence one's propensity to actively care include: self-esteem, belongingness, and empowerment, influenced by perceptions of self-efficacy (I can do it), personal control (I am in control), and optimism (I expect the best). Strategies are reviewed for increasing these person states or expectancies. The health of our ecosystem depends upon people changing their behaviors and attitudes regarding the environment. Behavior-based psychology offers the technology for changing behaviors and attitudes in desirable directions; person-based psychology offers the states or expectancies needed in people to increase their willingness to actively care for the environment. By applying the theory and principles from these subdisciplines of applied psychology, the critical human element of our ecosystem can be accounted for and managed effectively.     

Addressing the conflict between partner notification and patient confidentiality in serodiscordant relationships: How can Ubuntu help?

This study evaluates the conflict between patient confidentiality and partner notification in sero‐discordant relationships, and argues the thesis that based on a theoretical formulation of Ubuntu, a health provider is obliged to facilitate friendly relationships in which individuals are true subjects and/or objects of communal friendship. In serodiscordant relationships, the health professional can fulfil this obligation by notifying “others” (particularly a partner with whom an HIV positive patient has a “present” and “actual relationship”) of their spouse's HIV seroconversion, since without such relevant information a partner (subject) of an HIV positive patient cannot “appropriately” care for the patient's condition (object). There is a need to move away from the medical traditional emphasis that has for so long put primacy on doctor‐patient confidentiality as is the case with the Health Professions Council of South Africa Guidelines (Booklet 12) which favours patient confidentiality over partner notification. Given empirical evidence to support effectiveness of partner notification amongst sero‐discordant couples, there is thus, a need to focus emphasis on latter. This shift is necessary for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development of Goal of ending HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. I proposed in this study that African ethics, specifically Ubuntu, will do a better job than current ethical frameworks at ensuring that partner notification receives more emphasis in the care of serodiscordant couples. If this framework is integrated into ethical guidelines and codes, it would significantly enhance the care of serodiscordant couples, as well as further boost global effort at ending HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030.     

基于应用能力培养的微生物学教学内容优化

微生物学作为生物学科的重要组成部分,是诸多专业的专业基础课程,在不同层次、不同类型、不同专业的高校,其教学基本遵循相同或相似的注重课程理论体系的经典教学模式,该模式不利于普通地方院校本科生应用能力的培养。为此,笔者根据微生物学科研项目思路的构建程序和微生物学实际应用的关键操作技术,以实验项目选择和实验项目顺序调整为突破口,优化微生物学理论和实验教学内容,使两者相辅相成融为一体,以充分发挥专业基础课程在培养学生应用能力方面的作用。     

国家人勇担国家责，积极推动中国生物经济与生物产业发展

作为国家级研究机构,中国科学院各级研究所一直以来的重要使命就是心系国家事、肩扛国家责、永做国家人,站在国际科学发展前沿的高度,紧抓国家社会发展中重大需求的科学与技术问题,布局研究所及其项目和吸引人才。本文以个人视角,回顾了2004年回国接任微生物研究所所长后,开始思考工业生物技术的发展,布局天津研发中心,经过多年努力,在院党组的领导与支持下,中国科学院天津工业生物技术研究所建成,已经取得了重要成果;还回顾了建所初衷和早期成长发展历程以及与微生物研究所的关系。通过思考科学、技术、工程(医学)之间的关系,提出从事基础科学研究的科研人员进行转化应用的路径,即“想法-假说-实验-概念-论文-技术-样品-产品-商品”的9层逻辑关系,希望科学家能够做出解决实际问题的实用工作,并展望了未来工业生物技术的远景。     

害虫趋光性及其应用技术的研究进展

本文简要概述了害虫趋光性的特性、在生产上的主要应用途径和应用技术研究进展现状,并进行了相关分析,提出了今后需要进一步重视解决和明确的若干问题。     

Effects of enzyme loading and β-glucosidase supplementation on enzymatic hydrolysis of switchgrass processed by leading pretreatment technologies

The objective of this work is to investigate the effects of cellulase loading and β-glucosidase supplementation on enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated Dacotah switchgrass. To assess the difference among various pretreatment methods, the profiles of sugars and intermediates were determined for differently treated substrates. For all pretreatments, 72 h glucan/xylan digestibilities increased sharply with enzyme loading up to 25 mg protein/g-glucan, after which the response varied depending on the pretreatment method. For a fixed level of enzyme loading, dilute sulfuric acid (DA), SO₂, and Lime pretreatments exhibited higher digestibility than the soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) and ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX). Supplementation of Novozyme-188 to Spezyme-CP improved the 72 h glucan digestibility only for the SAA treated samples. The effect of β-glucosidase supplementation was discernible only at the early phase of hydrolysis where accumulation of cellobiose and oligomers is significant. Addition of β-glucosidase increased the xylan digestibility of alkaline treated samples due to the β-xylosidase activity present in Novozyme-188.     

Reclaiming Applied Anthropology: Its Past, Present, and Future

Growing concerns about anthropology's impact in both academia and the broader social arena have led to calls for more "public" and more relevant anthropology. In this article, we expand on these exhortations, by calling for systematic joining of critical social theory with application and pragmatic engagement with contemporary problems. We argue for the repositioning of applied anthropology as a vital component of the broader discipline and suggest that it should serve as a framework for constructing a more engaged anthropology. In revisiting disciplinary history and critiques of applied anthropology, we demonstrate the central role that application has played throughout anthropology's evolution, address common misconceptions that serve as barriers to disciplinary integration, examine the role of advocacy in relation to greater engagement as well as the relationship of theory to practice, and conclude with an assessment of the diverse work that is subsumed under the inclusive rubric of "anthropology in use."