Bayes' theorem in paleopathological diagnosis

The utility of Bayes' theorem in paleopathological diagnoses is explored. Since this theorem has been used heavily by modern clinical medicine, its usefulness in that field is described first. Next, the mechanics of the theorem are discussed, along with methods for deriving the prior probabilities needed for its application. Following this, the sources of these prior probabilities and their accompanying problems in paleopathology are considered. Finally, an application using prehistoric rib lesions is presented to demonstrate the utility of this method to paleopathology.     

Statistical comparison of proximity matrices: applications in animal behaviour

Animal behaviour studies often require the diagnosis and statistical evaluation of patterns among individuals of a group. However, association values derived for all pairs of individuals are mathematically interrelated and, hence, difficult to evaluate. A general method of matrix comparison, called the Mantel test, is described which accounts for such interdependencies. In this test, two square difference matrices are compared to determine whether a statistical association exists between corresponding elements. For example, distances in one of the matrices might represent differences in songs for each pair of a group of birds, while distances in the other matrix could be the geographic distances between each of the same bird pairs; the test would assess whether or not birds close to one another have songs that are more similar than those pairs that are located further apart geographically. Distances in the matrices can be of a variety of sorts (depending on the application), including for instance geographic distances, morphological differences, or behavioural differences. The test has wide applicability in studies of animal behaviour, and we present three examples. First, dialects of splendid sunbirds (Nectarinia coccinigaster) were investigated to determine whether local or regional patterns of geographic variation in song were present, and whether birds with similar dialects were concentrated within the same habitat. Second, dominance hierarchies of white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) and dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis oreganus) were analysed by constructing appropriate hypothesis matrices that were contrasted against a matrix summarizing behavioural interrelationships of flock members. In the third application, involving progressions of yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus), an approach was developed to assess whether members of a given sex occur adjacent (or at least closer) to one another in progression order more often than expected by chance, and also whether individuals of a given sex tend to be found at or near the end of a progression more frequently than predicted. Other possible applications of the Mantel test are discussed, and a detailed computational example is included.     

植物大年结实及其与动物贮食行为之间的关系

大年结实(mast seeding)是多生年植物种群周期性同步大量繁殖的一种自然现象。大年结实作为植物适应环境条件、提高繁殖能力的一种策略而备受关注, 但其驱动机制和进化意义尚存在较大争议。在依赖动物扩散种子的植物中, 大年结实被认为是一种调控动物贮食行为、提高种子扩散效率, 并最终增加繁殖成功率的一种策略; 动物介导的植物间互作可能是促进植物共存的进化驱动力。本文简要梳理了大年结实现象的各种假说, 提出了一个包括气候、资源、动植物互作的理解大年结实机制的概念框架, 并着重讨论了大年结实和动物贮食行为之间的关系及其进化和生态意义。建议未来研究需要借助长期生态监测和分子生物学方法, 揭示植物大年结实与动物贮食行为之间的生态与进化过程。     

以肠道菌群为靶向的粪菌移植法及其在畜牧业的应用潜能

肠道微生物与宿主机体健康息息相关。粪便微生物移植(又称为粪菌移植,fecal microbiota transplantation,FMT)通过将健康供体粪便中的完整肠道菌群移入肠道微生态失衡的患者胃肠道内,经肠道菌群重构、恢复至正常状态。用FMT治疗某些肠道疾病如复发性艰难梭菌感染、溃疡性结肠炎、肠易激综合症、克罗恩病效果显著,且可能对因肠道菌群紊乱引起的肠道外疾病的治疗有潜在价值。本文主要对FMT技术的发展进程、在疾病上的研究以及在畜牧业上的应用潜能进行综述,并分析其应用的制约因素。     

Valence and attention in animal behaviour

Zusammenfassung Jeder Gegenstand oder jedes Ereignis, inbezug auf die das Tier ein Gebaren (“behaviour”) zeigt, wird als “valent” bezeichnet, es wird gesagt, dass sie „Valenz” besitzen. Auf Grund der Analyse einer Experimentaluntersuchung vonF. Brock über die „Umwelt” des EinsiedlerkrebsesPagurus arrosor wird gezeigt, dass diese „Valenz” sich auf die Bedürfnisse des Tiers und die Beachtung durch das Tier bezieht. Die Folgerungen des Begriffs der „Valenz” werden entwickelt und die Notwendigkeit wird erwiesen, das Gebaren („behaviour”) der Tiere in seiner Bezogenheit auf ihre eigenen Merkwelten, nicht auf die unsrige, zu betrachten.

---

Résumé L'auteur dit de chaque objet ou de chaque événement par rapport auquel l'animal montre du „behaviour”, qu'il est „valent”, qu'il possède de la „valence”. En se basant sur l'analyse des recherches expérimentales deF. Brock sur le „Umwelt” de l'hermitePagurus arrosor, l'auteur démontre que la „valence” est relative aux besoins de l'animal et à l'attention de la part de l'animal. Il développe ensuite les conséquences diverses que l'idée de „valence” implique et il prouve qu'il est nécessaire d'observer le „behaviour” de l'animal par rapport à sa propre perception et non pas par rapport à la n?tre.

     

用GGE双标图分析甘蔗品种性状稳定性及试点代表性

算术平均法经常被用于评估甘蔗品种产量的稳定性和适应性,并用方差分析来估计区域试验的试验误差.然而,地点和年份的差异使品种的差异难以得到准确评估.为客观评价甘蔗品种的稳定性和适应性,本研究采用GGE双标图对2008-2009年我国甘蔗区域试验5个试点中的7个甘蔗品种试验数据进行分析.结果表明： 福农30号为蔗茎产量高且稳产性高的品种,粤甘18号为含糖量高且性状稳定的品种,福农28号和云蔗99 91为高蔗糖分且性状稳定的品种,粤甘16号的蔗茎产量和含糖量最高,但稳定性一般;在各试点中,福建漳州和广东遂溪的代表性和鉴别力较强.GGE双标图分析为客观评价甘蔗参试品种的丰产性和稳定性提供了直观、有效的手段,为甘蔗新品种的鉴定与推广提供了科学依据.     

Human evolutionary psychology and animal behaviour

Homo sapiens is increasingly being studied within the evolutionary (adaptationist, selectionist) framework favoured by animal behaviour researchers. There are various labels for such work, including evolutionary psychology, human behavioural ecology and human sociobiology. Collectively, we call these areas 'human evolutionary psychology' (HEP) because their shared objective is an evolutionary understanding of human information processing and decision making. Sexual selection and sex differences have been especially prominent in recent HEP research, but many other topics have been addressed, including parent-offspring relations, reciprocity and exploitation, foraging strategies and spatial cognition. Many HEP researchers began their scientific careers in animal behaviour, and in many ways, HEP research is scarcely distinguishable from other animal behaviour research. Currently controversial issues in HEP, such as the explanation(s) for observed levels of heritable diversity, the kinds of data needed to test adaptationist hypotheses, and the characterization of a species-typical 'environment of evolutionary adaptedness', are issues in animal behaviour as well. What gives HEP a distinct methodological flavour is that the research animal can talk, an ability that has both advantages and pitfalls for researchers. The proper use of self-reports and other verbal data in HEP might usefully become a subject of future research in its own right. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Teamwork, pleasure and bargaining in animal social behaviour

Intimate behaviour between animals is hypothesized to enable teamwork. The pleasure experienced in grooming, preening, dancing, mating and singing in synchrony is hypothesized to motivate participants to coordinate actions directed towards a shared goal that enhances each individual's fitness. This cooperative behaviour evolves as a mutual direct benefit, not as altruism. Teamwork leads to an equilibrium set of returns to the participants that may be modelled as a Nash bargaining solution instead of as the more familiar Nash equilibrium. The dynamics leading to that equilibrium may be modelled based on joint action instead of the more familiar individualistic action. Confusions by Binmore (J. Evol. Biol. 2010; 23: 1351) about this hypothesis are corrected.     

扩增片段长度多态性实验技术及在动物遗传多样性研究中的应用

扩增片段长度多态性(AFLP)是一种有效的分子遗传标记方法,具有经济、简便、模板需要量少、重复性高、结果可靠等优点。目前AFLP在动物方面的应用还不是很多,处于初级阶段,主要用于鉴定分类关系、种群遗传多样性分析、遗传连锁图谱构建等方面。     

Biomedical and agricultural applications of animal transgenesis

Additive transgenesis by pronuclear injection of the mouse zygote has been in use for more than 20 yr and gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells for almost as long. Together, these techniques have revolutionized animal biology by helping to unravel much of what we now know about gene function. Both additive transgenics and targeting can also be performed in livestock species but the impact has not yet been substantial. In part, this has been the result of the inefficiency of the techniques but—at least in agriculture—also to a lack of obvious practicality. This review assesses the extent to which this situation is changing, with particular reference to applications in biopharming, xenotransplantation, and large animal models.     

动物行为的研究方法

简要介绍了动物行为的各种研究方法及动物行为观察的几点原则,包括熟悉研究对象,坚持长期跟踪观察;在不被动物觉察的情况下进行观察和对动物个体进行鉴定和识别等。