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Broflanilide is a newly-developed meta-diamide insecticide, proposed for the control of a wide variety of chewing pests on many crops. In view of the proposed use of broflanilide and its environmental fate, it may be exposed to consumers and non-target organisms, which adversely affect human and the environment. In this paper, a rapid, sensitive and valid UPLC-MS/MS method was established for simultaneous analysis of broflanilide and its two major metabolites, DM-8007 and S (PFP-OH)-8007, in cauliflower. Then, the dissipation behaviors and final residues of broflanilide and its two major metabolites in cauliflower from eight sites with different climatic conditions in China were studied via the described analytical method. In addition, the acute toxicity test of 9.5 % suspension concentrate of broflanilide, broflanilide standard, DM-8007 and S (PFP-OH)-8007 were conducted to non-target terrestrial organisms. Risk assessment for human and non-target terrestrial organisms in cauliflower production was evaluated based on the maximum annual application rates and intervals. The results showed that the highest residue of broflanilide detected in cauliflower samples was all lower than the corresponding MRLs (2 mg/kg) in Japan. Chronic food dietary risk estimates for broflanilide do not exceed 50 % for all the Chinese population groups. Moreover, broflanilide is of low acute toxicity to birds and earthworm, while broflanilide and its metabolites is classified as highly toxic to adult honeybees. Acute risks of broflanilide to birds and earthworms were deemed to be acceptable in a realistic worst-case scenario, while its risk to adult honeybees and ladybug was unacceptable. A protection statement for honeybees and ladybug is required to recognize the high toxicity of broflanilide on related product labels. The study will be conducive to provide guidance for the rational application of broflanilide in cauliflower production. [Display omitted] • Chronic food dietary risk does not exceed 50 % for all the Chinese population. • Broflanilide is of low acute toxicity to birds and earthworm. • Broflanilide and its metabolites is highly toxic to adult honeybees. • Acute risk to adult honeybees and ladybug was unacceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on data of the manufacturing sector of China and Japan from 2003 to 2016, this paper attempts to measure the progresses in energy-biased technology and energy efficiency by constructing a threshold panel regression model with variables including foreign direct investment (FDI) and energy consumption structure to explain energy efficiency using energy-biased technology as the key explaining variable. The estimation indicates significant differences in the energy efficiency of China's and Japan's manufacturing industries. In general, Japan's total energy efficiency is higher than China's. The industry with more intensive technology has higher energy efficiency which rises much faster. The paper finds that the energy efficiency of China's manufacturing sector shows an upward trend in general, while Japan's fluctuates more, showing two peaks and two troughs. Our empirical results show that there is a threshold value of progress in energy-biased technology; below this, progress in energy-biased technology will have a positive effect on energy efficiency and beyond it, the effect will be negative. Since this effect is not one-way, we define it as a 'double-edged effect'. It is estimated that the level of energy-biased technology progress of most manufacturing industries in China is below the threshold value, indicating that the technology progress in China's manufacturing sector has not been excessively biased towards energy consumption, and the impact on energy efficiency is still positive. The China-Japan comparison shows that the threshold value for Japan's manufacturing sector is significantly lower than that for China's, indicating a marginal effect on the 'double-edged effect': The threshold value will decrease when energy efficiency reaches a certain level. Therefore, it is necessary to offset these negative externalities from technological progress with other factors such as by increasing FDI and improving energy consumption structure. • This paper examines the influence of energy-biased technological progress alone on energy efficiency. • It proves the influence of energy-biased technological progress on energy efficiency to be nonlinear. • It measures the energy-biased technological progress and energy efficiency of some industries of the manufacturing sector of China and Japan. • It proves the rebound effect to be conditional in the manufacturing sector of China and Japan. • It also proves the threshold effect in the influence of energy-biased technological progress on energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we report the phylogeographic history of Clintonia udensis Trautv. & Mey. (Liliaceae) inferred from two types of chloroplast DNA markers, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and DNA sequences. Eighty samples were collected from 20 natural populations, 19 located in China and one in Japan, across the entire range of the species in East Asia. High genetic diversity (h T(PCR-RFLP)=0.972, h T(sequencing)=0.874) and significant differentiation (N ST(PCR-RFLP)=0.893, N ST(sequencing)=0.988 and G ST(PCR-RFLP)=0.777, G ST(sequencing)=0.978) were detected at the species level. These findings are consistent with a scenario of clonal reproduction and locally restricted gene exchange. The level of diversity of tetraploid populations was slightly greater than that of diploid populations. Significant molecular variation was found between tetraploids and diploids. Tetraploids may be autopolyploids and may have formed repeatedly in different locations. At least three regions of origin could be recognized. Twenty-six distinct haplotypes were identified. Haplotype frequency distributions were strongly skewed, with most haplotypes (n =25) represented by only one sample each and thus restricted to a single population. Non-overlapping distributions of cpDNA haplotypes and strong genetic differentiation among populations and/or different ploid level were consistent with the findings of a nested clade analysis, which inferred long-distance colonization as the major process influencing the spatial haplotype distribution of this species. Nested clade analysis showed that the 26 haplotypes formed two 3-step, four 2-step and eleven 1-step clades, with twelve clades showing significant geographical associations. Higher N ST than G ST (P <0.05) suggested a distinct phylogeographical pattern. Based on mismatch distribution analysis and neutrality tests, we found no evidence of population expansion in the species. Our analyses indicate that the history of C. udensis involved both long-distance migration and the tectonic events of Mountains in East Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By constructing an artificial perched watertable at about a 1 m depth from the soil surface in an area where the annual precipitation occurs only in the summer season, it was intended to retain summer runoff in this watertable and prevent excess moisture loss. The water in the artificially permeable layer could be used for plants as capillary water in the dry spring season. For this purpose, a machine to construct the artificial perched watertable was developed. This paper deals with the development of part of the machine, a sand gun which deposits sand in the underground horizontal soil cavity (perched watertable) formed by high-pressure air.The results showed that the optimum configuration of the sand gun was that sand should be initially charged in the injector. Then, high air pressure would act on top of the sand pillar, and the sand in the injector would be injected explosively from the nozzle. Thus, the sand would not be injected continuously but injected in batch mode. In this system, if the underground nozzle was clogged by soil, the obstructing soil could be blown off by the high-pressure air. The charge tank pressure required for sand injection for both Chinese and Japanese sands was different with the soil water content and showed a maximum of 0·4 MPa at a soil water content of 10% dry basis (d.b.). There was no difference in the transportation distance for the Chinese and the Japanese sands. The pressure in the charge tank required for sand transportation showed a maximum of 0·8 MPa at a soil water content of 10% d.b. The air pressure in the charge tank required for sand transportation was always larger than the air pressure in the charge tank required for sand injection. Hence, when sand is deposited into the underground soil cavity, the charge tank pressure should be the value of the air pressure required for sand transportation. Even if the injector had more than one nozzle, the nozzles which had the least resistance, worked first and then other nozzles worked one by one and the soil cavity was perfectly filled by sand. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]