Are economic selection indices always superior to a desired gains index?

Conclusions The comparison of different selection indices is justified only if the indices are constrated to achieve the same profit function, even when each index is not optimized with respect to that profit function.When a profit function is known and is non-linear, the desired gains index may be more efficient than the economic index. The optimum desired gains index should be determined by iterative techniques over several generations to compare the genetic progress with the economic index, because gains by the economic index are not linear and the changes observed in the initial generations of selection are not the same rates in future generations, although those changes are linear in the case of the desired gains index.     

Ponderal indices at birth

At birth, the index weight/height is the highest correlated with weight, height and cephalic perimeter, for the index of Quételet (BMI) the correlations are also significant although lower. In both cases, the variation with age is significant. For the Rohrer index, the situation is different, the changes with age being almost absent. In front of these results, can we decide which index would be adequate to establish the nutritional status at birth? For Cole (1986), for such a ponderal index the correlation with height would have to be absent. Rolland-Cachera (1982) proposed also that the correlations with height would be absent but would be high with weight. In the case of the newborns of our study the only index being not correlated to height is the Rohrer index with low correlation also with the cephalic perimeter and high correlation with weight (although here the correlation is even higher with BMI and W/H). During the utero-placentary disfunction the foetal weight is affected but not height and cephalic perimeter: in this case, the advantage is also to an index correlated with weight but not with height.     

露天煤矿区生态风险评价方法

以露天煤矿区这一脆弱生态系统为对象进行了生态风险评价方法的探讨 ,阐述了生态风险评价的基本概念。针对露天矿区生态环境特点 ,通过描述露天矿区的主要生态环境问题 ,分析了矿区风险源、风险受体以及评价终点 ,最后建立了典型露天煤矿区生态风险的评价指标体系 ,对露天矿区这一典型退化生态系统进行了生态风险评价方法及评价步骤的探索     

A Broadband Nanosensor based on Multi-Interference of Surface Plasmon Polaritons

A novel broadband refractive index nanosensor based on multi-interference of surface plasmon polaritons is reported. It is composed of a metallic nanoslit flanked by periodical grooves on its two sides. Extraordinary high-throughput, high-resolution, and high-sensitivity detections can be realized by observing the shift of the resonant wavelength. The sensor covers a large range of the refractive index change due to both the narrow linewidth of the single resonant peak in the broadband spectrum and the sensitive shift of the peak position withthe refractive index change. A theoretical model is developed to well predict the optical response of the sensor. An excellent linearity between the resonant wavelength and the refractive index can be achieved. The sensitivity, which is 620 nm/refractive index unit, can be further increased by tuning the period of the grooves and the high throughput; high resolution can be simultaneously achieved by adding the number of grooves.     

基于“源-汇”生态过程的景观格局识别方法——景观空间负荷对比指数

正确理解景观格局与生态过程的关系是进一步深化景观生态学研究的关键,但是由于景观格局和生态过程涉及到不同的研究尺度,并且随着尺度的变化而变化,加上面状生态过程监测数据无法直接获得,导致很难定量描述景观格局与生态过程之间的关系。本文以非点源污染作为研究的典型生态过程,通过分析不同景观类型及其空间分布格局在非点源污染形成过程中的地位和作用,借用洛伦兹曲线的理论,从距离、相对高度和坡度三个方面建立了不受尺度限制的景观格局评价模型——景观空间负荷对比指数。该指数可以较好地将具有面状特性的景观格局与点状监测数据有机地结合在一起,使定量研究流域景观格局与生态过程的关系成为可能。该评价模型的特点有以下几个：①不受空间尺度的限制,具有跨尺度的功能;②适宜于环境背景(降雨和土壤等)相似的地区;③景观空间负荷对比指数具有相对比较意义,其值越大,表示该类景观空间格局对流域出口监测点的贡献越大,反之越小;④景观空间负荷对比指数不能用来预测流域出口监测点非点源污染或水土流失的值,但是可以通过比较计算不同流域景观空间负荷对比指数,来判断流域发生养分(水土)流失的危险性。     

水土保持林土壤改良效益评价研究

森林效益评价是目前林业研究的热点,也是难点问题,通过评价水土保持林土壤改良效益,对效益评价的方法和思路进行了探索。指出水土保持林土壤改良效益指标体系的总目标层为效益评价综合指数,准则层包括土壤肥力、抗蚀性能和抗冲性能３个方面,指标层由水稳性团聚体含量、有机质含量、土壤酶活性、ｐＨ值、平均重量直径、团聚度、分散率、土壤硬度和渗透系数构成。在计算效益评价综合指数时,首先要对各项指标的实测数据进行处理,     

Analysis of noninvasive macromolecular transport measurements in the lung

Several groups of investigators are measuring transcapillary protein flux in the lung using noninvasive methods. Results from these studies are reported using several different protein transport indexes, including pulmonary transvascular transfer coefficient, relative extravascular protein, pulmonary transcapillary escape rate, protein leak index, lung transferrin index, slope index, and lung-to-heart count ratios. The purpose of this study is to discover the relationships between these indexes by employing a two-compartment theory of protein transcapillary transport in the lung. We found that all the above indexes can be related to a single index, which we call the normalized slope index. This index is the time rate of change of radioactivity originating from protein in lung interstitium divided by radioactivity arising from protein in lung plasma, normalized by this ratio at time 0, and corrected for blood volume changes. In particular the normalized slope index is shown to be the same as pulmonary transcapillary escape rate under normal sampling conditions and is relatively unaffected by changes in interstitial volume. The response of the normalized slope index to changes in microvascular pressure and microvascular permeability is explored by applying a two-pore model of the microvascular barrier. Results indicate that the normalized slope index is relatively insensitive to changes in microvascular pressure but is greatly affected by changes in microvascular permeability (i.e., changes in large-pore size or number). Since all published leak indexes are related, we would encourage all investigators in the field to adopt a single leak index. We recommend that when a two-compartment model is applied to external detection data, the results be expressed as pulmonary transcapillary escape rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A novel approach to assess the impact of landuse activity on chemical and biological parameters in river catchments

1. Natural variation in environmental parameters, as well as practical constraints in study design and sampling methodology, often pose difficulties in treating impact assessments in river catchments as controlled field experiments. It is frequently impossible to develop robust relationships between reference and test stations prior to the onset of an impact and the range of statistical tools which can be adopted in data analysis to detect a change or disturbance is limited. 2. In an attempt to overcome these problems we introduce a novel disturbance index to assess the impact of landuse activities on river systems. The index identifies differences in hydrochemical parameters and macroinvertebrate community metrics between reference and test stations (at a set level of significance). This approach allows for objective assessment of the occurrence and direction of change as well as the duration of an impact. The disturbance index can be applied at different scales – for a single stream, a catchment or a region. 3. In this paper we describe the derivation of the index and illustrate its utility through worked examples. We use the index to assess impact of clearfelling on hydrochemical parameters such as hydrogen ion concentration, total hardness, suspended solids, conductivity and nitrate concentration as well as on macroinvertebrate parameters including abundance, richness, reciprocal of Simpson's diversity index, evenness, Ephemeroptera/Plecoptera/Trichoptera (EPT) richness and percentage of EPT taxa. 4. The sensitivity of the disturbance index changes with scale of application however, and the clearfelling (CF) index has proven sensitive to the detection of even quite small changes, although in these cases ecological significance should be considered. We show that the CF index, particularly when derived from a regional scale, is a conservative index but is very robust to variation in the number of samples used in its derivation. The application of the index corresponded very well with the application of more standard statistical approaches. We believe that the index can thus be applied to other impact studies with similar project design.     

广西壮族颅骨的测量与研究

本文以来源于壮族居民世代聚居地区,生前资料比较可靠的150例颅骨为材料并用多因素分析等6方法探索壮族的体质特征、人种地位、地区类型及可能的起源。结果表明,壮族居民属黄色人种南亚类型,中华民族的华南,与柳江人,Chen皮岩人有最接近的亲缘关系。     

高寒草地植物物种多样性与功能多样性的关系

物种多样性与功能多样性的关系是生态学当前研究的热点问题之一,不同区域典型生态系统物种多样性和功能多样性的关系研究有利于生物多样性保护理论的全面发展。以青藏高原地区的主要草地生态系统—高寒草甸和高寒草原为研究对象,采用4个物种多样性指数(Patrick丰富度指数、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数和Simpson优势度指数)和9个功能多样性指数(FAD功能性状距离指数、MFAD功能性状平均距离指数、基于样地的FDp和基于群落的FDc功能树状图指数、FRic功能体积指数、FEve功能均匀度指数、Rao功能离散度常二次熵指数、FDiv功能离散指数、FDis功能分散指数),分析了高寒草地植物物种多样性、功能多样性关系及其与初级生产力的关系,以期阐明3个科学问题:不同草地类型的高寒草地生态系统植物物种多样性和功能多样性有何差异?高寒草地生态系统的植物物种多样性和功能多样性有何关系?高寒草地生态系统物种多样性、功能多样性对生态系统功能的影响有何异同?研究结果表明:(1)与高寒草原相比,高寒草甸具有更高的物种多样性、功能丰富度和功能离散度;(2)高寒草甸中,Patrick丰富度与功能丰富度指数(FAD、MFAD、FDp、FDc)和功能离散度指数(FDiv)的具有较强的相关性,最优拟合方程分别为幂函数和二次多项式函数;(3)高寒草原中,Patrick丰富度与功能丰富度指数(FAD、MFAD、FDp、FDc、FRic)、Shannon指数和Simpson指数与FEve指数的相关性较强,最优拟合方程为二次多项式函数,Pielou指数与FEve指数的相关性较强,最优拟合方程为指数函数;(4)高寒草甸的初级生产力分别与物种丰富度指数Patrick、功能离散指数FDiv具有较强的相关性;而高寒草原的初级生产力与4个物种多样性指数间均具有较强的相关性,与功能离散指数FDiv具有较强的相关性,最佳拟合方程均为二次多项式函数。研究的总体结论为:物种多样性、功能多样性、二者之间的关系以及二者与生态系统服务功能(以初级生产力为例)之间的关系在高寒草甸和高寒草原群落中表现迥异,因此在研究青藏高原高寒草地的生态功能时,不能仅仅测度传统的物种多样性,还应测度与物种多样性、生态功能密切相关的功能多样性。     

Selection indices for non-linear profit functions

Summary Conventional selection index theory assumes that the total merit or profitability of animals is a linear function of measurable traits. However, in many cases merit may be a non-linear function of these traits. A linear selection index can still be used in this situation but the optimum index depends on the selection intensity to be used and on the number of generation over which the selection response is to be maximized. Nonlinear selection indices have been suggested but these result in a lower selection response than the best linear index. Linear selection indices suggested in the past are shown to correspond to the optimum linear index for either a very small selection response or, in the case of restricted indices, a very large selection response. The economic value of a trait may depend on management decisions taken by the farmer. In this situation the economic values should be calculated assuming that the management decisions taken maximize profit given the present genetic value of the animals.     

Robustness and sensitivity of weighting and aggregation in constructing composite indices

A composite index is a combination of various sources of information known as indicators, measured in or of a system in order to provide a summary of the system that is itself not directly measurable. For the index to be useful and meaningful, its construction requires careful consideration of several important aspects of the potentially disparate and multiple indicators that help convey its meaning. In general there are five key steps that should be considered when constructing a composite index, one of which is how the indicators should be weighted and aggregated to form the index. This step is critical in index construction, yet there seems to be no documented evidence about making objective weighting and aggregation choices in constructing indices so that they are robust. This sort of evidence would be particularly helpful for deciding whether any of the existing indices for assessing stream health would suffice for assessing the health of a given set of stream data or whether developing a new index is warranted. Thus we designed a simulation study to test the robustness and sensitivity of the weighting and aggregation choices in four existing stream health indices. The four indices mainly differed in their choices of standardization and weighting and aggregation techniques. The three main general conclusions about these existing approaches are the recommendation to use bootstrapping to approximate the distribution of the stream health index; the standardization technique employed should use all of the available indicators; and the use of reference (or pristine) sites as a standardization tool is not essential. Since the study is based on artificial data, the findings should be applicable and relevant to indices in other fields of study such as economics, social sciences, finance and medicine.     

An index for microcarrier dispersion inside a horizontally rotating bioreactor for animal cell culture

An index of particle dispersion is used to quantify the degree of particle dispersion inside the horizontally rotating bioreactor. Resin particles were suspended inside a horizontally rotating cylinder. The states of particle dispersion were observed and recorded on video, from which data the index of particle dispersion was calculated. The effect of the operating parameters particle concentration and cylinder rotational speed on the state of particle dispersion were described using the index. By comparing the quantitative and qualitative classifications of particle dispersion it was confirmed that the new index does reflect the degree of particle dispersion. From the comparison it can also be concluded that if the index is greater than 0.96, the particle distribution can be considered uniform.     

便携式脑循环功能分析仪的研制

介绍了一种结构新颖的便携式脑循环功能分析仪的基本原理、参数算法和仪器设计方法。该仪器动用超声多普勒、超声脉冲和臂式自动血压模块检测颈动脉血流速度、血管管径及肱动脉舒张压和收缩压。根据血液动力学原理建立了简化的脑血管动力学参数计算方法,可获得人体颈动脉系统外周阻力、动态阻力、临界压力及搏动指数等反映脑循环功能状况的动力学参数。该仪器结构精巧、操作便捷、指标敏感,适用于各级医院、医疗机构,特别是基层医院和社区康复中心对脑血管病进行早期诊断。     

松突圆蚧虫口数量与危害程度的关系

通过大面积的野外调查研究。结果表明：松突圆蚧每针束平均虫口数量（a）、针束最高虫口数量（b）、有虫针束率（c）和危害程度（d）4个指标之间均呈显著或极显著正相关。在野外虫口数量调查中可用针束最高虫口数量替代每针束平均虫口数量指标,以有虫针束率指标作为每针束平均虫口数量和针束最高虫口数量的有效参考指标。在危害程度的调查中,可用有虫针束率作为替代指标,以针束最高虫口数量和每针束平均虫口数量分别作为第1和第2参考指标。3个虫口数量指标中以有虫针束率对危害程度的直接作用最大,其次是针束最高虫口数量,每针束平均虫口数量最低。在间接作用中,针束最高虫口数量通过有虫针束率对危害程度的影响最大,每针束平均虫口数量通过有虫针束率的间接影响较大。     

长期指数选择的遗传效果分析—计算机模拟研究

本文利用Monte Carlo模拟技术研究比较了普通选择指数、实际选择指数、约束指数和单性状选择四种方法的长期选择效果及对群体遗传结构的影响。50世代的结果表明:群体大小和遗传参数能明显影响长期指数选择的反应;实际指数选择是有效的,其总体效果好于普通指数;约束选择的早期反应虽低于普通指数,但后期效果好,而且对群体遗传结构影响较小。同时,指数选择使性状加性遗传方差和遗传力衰减变化,而遗传相关依指数公式的系数呈定向改变。建议多性状长期选择时应用实际指数法或约束指数法。     

达赉湖自然保护区冬春季鸟类生物多样性与生境的关系

2004年4月-5月,利用样带法对达赉湖自然保护区5种主要生境类型中冬春季鸟类生物多样性进行了调查,利用Shannon-Wiener指数和Smith相关性系数分析了这5种生境类型中冬春季鸟类的生物多样性、区系、鸟类的群落组成、群落间的相似性和均匀度。结果表明,古北界鸟类是组成达赉湖鸟类群落的主体(约占冬春季鸟类的86%);芦苇湿地的鸟类多样性接近于芦苇甸的2倍:芦苇湿地鸟类群落的物种多样性最高(Shannon-Wiener指数为1.3001),而芦苇甸中鸟类群落的物种多样性最低(Shannon-Wiener指数为0.6629);芦苇湿地和芦苇甸两鸟类群落组成的相关性指数仅为0.038;从具有共同物种的多少考虑,典型草原和芨芨草原鸟类群落之间的关联较大。     

The use of constrained selection indexes in breeding for economic merit

Summary Various methods exist for the derivation of restricted and/or desired gains selection indexes, and their use in applied breeding has been advocated. It is shown that there exists a set of implied linear economic weights for all constrained indexes and their derivation is given. Where economic weights are linear and known, a standard selection index is, by definition, optimal and thus a constrained index will usually be suboptimal. It is argued that economic weights can always be estimated and that the effects of uncertain weights can be examined by sensitivity analysis. If economic weights are nonlinear, use of the first order (linear) economic weights or a derived linear index, using previously described methods, will give very close to optimum economic selection responses. Examples from the literature indicate that severe losses of potential economic gain can possibly occur through use of a constrained index. It is concluded that constrained indexes should be avoided for economic genetic selection.     

A note on the dominance hierarchy index

The realized (observed) value of Landau’s dominance hierarchy index is examined. Under a model of constant pairwise dominance probabilities, the observed index is shown to be a strongly consistent estimator of the underlying (true) index. However, a large number of encounters between animals is shown to be required in order to reduce bias and variance to practical levels except when the pairwise dominance probabilities are near one.