Bayesian experimental design for nonlinear mixed-effects models with application to HIV dynamics

Bayesian experimental design is investigated for Bayesian analysis of nonlinear mixed-effects models. Existence of the posterior risk for parameter estimation is shown. When the same prior distribution is used for both design and inference, existence of the preposterior risk for design is also proven. If the prior distribution used in design is different from that used for inference, sufficient conditions are established for existence of the preposterior risk for design. A case study of design for an experiment in population HIV dynamics is provided.     

草基-鱼塘生态系统的能量转化与养分循环研究

应用模拟试验的方法,研究了“草基-鱼塘”系统中的能量转化与养分循环.结果表明,该系统中饲草对太阳能的利用率为0.83%,鱼对饲料能的转化率为7.3%.与以粮食作为鱼饲料比较,单位面积草地的产鱼当量是粮食作物的1.6倍.鱼对饲料N、P、K的转化率分别为16.8%、32.3%和2.0%.塘泥沉积的N、P分别占饲料的23.4%和56.1%;猪对饲料N、P、K的转化率分别为20.5%、33.7%和4.6%,猪粪尿回收饲料N为36.4%、P为63.8%、K为39.4%.猪-草-鱼结合的基塘系统其能量和养分转化效率均高于单一的养鱼系统.     

Age Determination of Bovine Foetuses

The need for methods for age determination of foetuses is defined. X-ray examination of the foetal head is recommended as the surest basis for age determination. Calculations are made concerning the correlation between cranial length and foetal age, and the methods used for measurements are described in detail. Measurements of the metacarpus and metatarsus may also be used, but they give a poorer correlation. A formula is worked out for age determination based on cranial measurements. On x-ray photographs, tooth development is seen to occur in an obvious sequence. This is described. However, the interpretation of these observations is subjective and requires control material for comparison. The same is true for the sequence of ossification of the skeleton, which in foetuses < 120 days gives the surest basis for evaluation. Here, too, a wide range of control material for comparison is necessary. The sequence in the appearance of body hair — development and eruption — is noted, as far as the head is concerned. This alone gives an insecure basis for evaluation. By using the 4 systems of parameters mentioned, the age of a foetus can be determined within an error of ± 4—5 days.     

A surgical operating apparatus for fish and its use in the pinealectomy of salmonids

A surgical operating apparatus for fish that is effective for cranial surgery is described. The fishes are secured with clamp-arms which extend against the pectoral and pelvic girdles. The head is held by a plexiglass mouthpiece, designed specifically for the fish species under investigation. The mouthpiece is also responsible for gill irrigation. The use of the apparatus for the surgical pinealectomy of salmonids is described.     

A general purpose computerized display and analysis system for image processing in nuclear medicine.

In this work a general purpose image processor is described, which takes into account the special features and the various requirements for analysing images in nuclear medicine. A new approach for system structure involving encoding and representing medical images is given. This encoder, which is part of the image processor, is efficient especially for long-term storage and for certain pattern recognition in medical imaging. In this processor a statistical package is incorporated for collecting medical statistics using the acquired patient data. This information is used together with the encoder for an automated diagnostic system.     

草基—鱼塘生态系统的能量转化与养分循环研究

应用模拟试验的方法,研究了“草基-鱼塘”系统中的能量转化与养分循环．结果 表明,该系统中饲草对太阳能的利用率为 ０． ８３％,鱼对饲料能的转化率为 ７． ３％．与以粮 食作为鱼饲料比较,单位面积草地的产鱼当量是粮食作物的１．６倍．鱼对饲料Ｎ、Ｐ、Ｋ的 转化率分别为１６．８％、３２．３％和２．０％．塘泥沉积的Ｎ、Ｐ分别占饲料的２３．４％和５６．１％; 猪对饲料 Ｎ、 Ｐ、 Ｋ的转化率分别为 ２０． ５％、 ３３． ７％和 ４． ６％,猪粪尿回收饲料 Ｎ为 ３６． ４％、 Ｐ为 ６３． ８％、 Ｋ为 ３９． ４％．猪-草-鱼结合的基塘系统其能量和养分转化效率均高于单一的 养鱼系统．     

An extension of the proportional-hazards model for grouped data

A family of transformations for probabilities is considered for the analysis of grouped survival data. Additive and multiplicative models for the hazard function are compared. A method is suggested for estimating the scale on which an additive representation of the hazard, in terms of explanatory variables, is appropriate. Computations are performed using GLIM. A test for departures from the grouped proportional-hazards model is introduced. An example is analyzed by the methods put forward.     

Application of a miniature biochip using the molecular beacon probe in breast cancer gene BRCA1 detection

We report for the first time the application of a biochip using the molecular beacon (MB) detection scheme. The usability of this biochip novel detection system for the analysis of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 is demonstrated using molecular beacon probes. The MB is designed for the BRCA1 gene and a miniature biochip system is used for detection. The performance of the biochip-MB detection system is evaluated. The optimum conditions for the MB system for highest fluorescence detection sensitivity are investigated for the detection system. The detection of BRCA1 gene is successfully demonstrated in solution and the limit of detection (LOD) is estimated as 70 nM.     

湖南土家族的体质特征

以20至69岁的湖南土家族人为观察测量对象,根据1392人(男896,女496)的身高,1038人(男668,女370)的头部测量,364人(男235,女129)的五官测量和观察结果,分析该民族的体质特征,并与国内其他民族相比较。     

Open access

Scientific communication is a misnomer. The process of scientific publication is much less a forum where information is exchanged for information than a market where information is exchanged for attention. Nevertheless, the exchange of information for attention is a somewhat peculiar market, since it seems much more natural to sell the information one has produced laboriously for money. Why publish a discovery, why share it with other researchers when knowledge is power?     

Removal of histological sections from glass for electron microscopy: use of Quetol 651 resin and heat

A method is described for using the epoxy resin Quetol 651 and heat for convenient and rapid separation of conventional histological sections from glass slides for subsequent ultrathin sectioning for retrospective electron microscopy. The same method is useful when Epon-Araldite is substituted for the Quetol 651 resin.     

Does bone mineralization reflect economic conditions? An examination using a national US sample

BACKGROUND: Bone density is the most important determinant of osteoporotic fractures, which lead to significant morbidity, disability and mortality for older persons, particularly women. Sensitive periods for bone mineralization in infancy, childhood and adolescence overlap with those for height attainment. After peak density is reached in early adulthood, there is age-related decline. We ask whether bone density, as height, reflects economic conditions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a probability sample of the US population which over-sampled Blacks and Mexican Americans, we examine the associations between adult bone mineral content (BMC) adjusted for bone and body size and three economic indicators: education, height and the poverty income ratio (PIR). We compare four groups: US-born Whites, Blacks and Mexican Americans and Mexican-born Mexican Americans. RESULTS: Education is positively associated with BMC only for White women, although there are similar, non-significant associations for Black women and White and Black men. For women, BMC is more strongly associated with height for Mexican Americans, especially the Mexican-born, than for Whites. For men, the only significant association is a negative one with education for men born in Mexico. PIR is not significantly associated with BMC, although there is pattern of lower income being associated with lower BMC for Whites and Blacks and higher BMC for Mexican Americans. CONCLUSION: Bone density does not reflect economic conditions as strongly or consistently as does physical stature. However, for women there is evidence that lower economic status in childhood or adolescence is associated with lower bone density.     

演化极端结合分支分类方法

从生物演化的逆方向考虑,提出一种聚合的分支分类运算方法,称为演化极端结合分支分类法。文章阐明其设计思路、演算步骤,并以实例具体说明其演算过程。最后以演化长度系数、合理解与合理方法等概念,对演化极端结合法进行评价。     

The P1 ParA protein and its ATPase activity play a direct role in the segregation of plasmid copies to daughter cells

The P1 ParA protein is an ATPase that recognizes the parA promoter region where it acts to autoregulate the P1 parA–parB operon. The ParB protein is essential for plasmid partition and recognizes the cis -acting partition site parS . The regulatory role of ParA is also essential because a controlled level of ParB protein is critical for partition. However, we show that this regulatory activity is not the only role for ParA in partition. Efficient partition can be achieved without autoregulation as long as Par protein levels are kept within a range of low values. The properties of ParA mutants in these conditions showed that ParA is essential for some critical step in the partition process that is independent of par operon regulation. The putative nucleotide-binding site for the ParA ATPase was identified and disrupted by mutation. The resulting mutant was substantially defective for autoregulation and completely inactive for partition in a system in which the need for autoregulation is abolished. Thus, the ParA nucleotide-binding site appears to be necessary both for the repressor activity of ParA and for some essential step in the partition process itself. We propose that the nucleotide-bound form of the enzyme adopts a configuration that favours binding to the operator, but that the ATPase activity of ParA is required for some energetic step in partition of the plasmid copies to daughter cells.     

维吾尔族的体质特征研究

１９９１年５月,对新疆伊梨维吾尔族５２９人（男２７１,女２５８）进行了活体观察和测量。观察２９项,测量９２项。维吾尔族的主要特征是：黑直发,黑褐色眼,眉毛较浓密,大都有上眼脸皱褶,鼻根中等偏高,大多为直形鼻,鼻尖向前,鼻基部下垂,大多有达尔文结节,耳垢湿型。头面部指数分型,属于特短头型,阔头型和高头型。身材中等偏高,平均身高男１６８．６毫米,女１５７８．８毫米。     

"基因电脑克隆"软件SiClone的并行优化研究与实现

生物信息学中,发现、鉴别新基因是承上启下的一步,它既承接了过往如“基因组测序”的工作,又是未来“后基因时代”研究的基石．“基因电脑克隆”是利用计算手段发现、鉴别新基因的方法,SiClone软件实现了“基因电脑克隆”功能．本文对SiClone软件操作的数据库提出并行处理方案,并详述了基于MPI(message passing interface)平台实现的并行优化版本PSiClone．根据已得到的EST数据库,展示了软件并行版PSiClone的运行性能,试验数据库EST序列条数仅仅是NCBI(The National Center for Biotechnology Information)dbEST庞大数据库的很小部分,这也暗示我们软件的并行工作对于大数据库的比较和运算将更有应用前景．     

Thresholds of bifurcation of the degree of circular polarization of the bremsstrahlung-generated pump field harmonics in plasma

It is established that, for a Maxwellian plasma in a monochromatic pump field, the phenomenon of bifurcation of the degree of circular polarization of the field harmonics is of a universal nature. A general equation determining the thresholds for this phenomenon for arbitrary harmonics is derived, and a set of its solutions is presented for illustrative purposes.     

Removal of Histological Sections from Glass for Electron Microscopy: Use of Quetol 651 Resin and Heat

A method is described for using the epoxy resin Quetol 651 and heat for convenient and rapid separation of conventional histological sections from glass slides for subsequent ultrathin sectioning for retrospective electron microscopy. The same method is useful when Epon-Araldite is substituted for the Quetol 651 resin.     

Likelihood of a particular order of genetic markers and the construction of genetic maps

We model the recombination process of fungal systems via chromatid exchange in meiosis, which accounts for any type of bivalent configuration in a genetic interval in any specified order of genetic markers, for both random spore and tetrad data. First, a probability model framework is developed for two genes and then generalized for an arbitrary number of genes. Maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) for both random and tetrad data are developed. It is shown that the MLE of recombination for tetrad data is uniformly more efficient over that from random spore data by a factor of at least 4 usually. The MLE for the generalized probability framework is computed using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. Pearson's chi-squared statistic is computed as a measure of goodness of fit using a product-multinomial setup. We implement our model with genetic marker data on the whole genome of Neurospora crassa. Simulated annealing is used to search for the best order of genetic markers for each chromosome, and the goodness of fit value is evaluated for model assumptions. Inferred map orders are corroborated by genomic sequence, with the exception of linkage groups I, II, and V.     

A component of C. elegans meiotic chromosome axes at the interface of homolog alignment, synapsis, nuclear reorganization, and recombination

A universal feature of meiotic prophase is the pairing of homologous chromosomes, a fundamental prerequisite for the successful completion of all subsequent meiotic events. HIM-3 is a Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis-specific non-cohesin component of chromosome axes that is required for synapsis. Our characterization of new him-3 alleles reveals previously unknown functions for the protein. HIM-3 is required for the establishment of initial contacts between homologs, for the nuclear reorganization characteristic of early meiotic prophase, and for the coordination of these events with synaptonemal complex (SC) assembly. Despite the absence of homolog alignment, we find that recombination is initiated efficiently, indicating that initial pairing is not a prerequisite for early steps of the recombination pathway. Surprisingly, RAD-51-marked recombination intermediates disappear with apparent wild-type kinetics in him-3 null mutants in which homologs are spatially unavailable for recombination, raising the possibility that HIM-3's presence at chromosome axes inhibits the use of sister chromatids as templates for repair. We propose that HIM-3 is a molecular link between multiple landmark events of meiotic prophase; it is critical for establishing chromosome identity by configuring homologs to facilitate their recognition while simultaneously imposing structural constraints that later promote the formation of the crossover essential for proper segregation.