Neural inhibition sharpens auditory spatial selectivity of bat inferior collicular neurons

This study examines the role of neural inhibition in auditory spatial selectivity of inferior collicular neurons of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, using a two-tone inhibition paradigm. Two-tone inhibition decreases auditory spatial response areas but increases the slopes of directional sensitivity curves of inferior collicular neurons. Inferior collicular neurons have either directionally-selective or hemifield directional sensitivity curves. A directionally-selective curve always has a peak which is at least 50% larger than the minimum. A hemifield directional sensitivity curve rises from an ipsilateral angle by more than 50% and either reaches a plateau or declines by less than 50% over a range of contralateral angles. Two-tone inhibition does not change directionally-selective curves but changes most hemifield directional sensitivity curves into directionally-selective curves. Auditory spatial selectivity determined both with and without two-tone inhibition increases with increasing best-excitatory frequency. Sharpening of auditory spatial selectivity by two-tone inhibition is larger for neurons with smaller differences between excitatory and inhibitory best frequencies. The effect of two-tone inhibition on auditory spatial selectivity increases with increasing inhibitory tone intensity but decreases with increasing intertone interval. The implications of these findings in bat echolocation are discussed. Accepted: 18 January 2000     

Validation of discrete time-to-event prediction models in the presence of competing risks

Clinical prediction models play a key role in risk stratification, therapy assignment and many other fields of medical decision making. Before they can enter clinical practice, their usefulness has to be demonstrated using systematic validation. Methods to assess their predictive performance have been proposed for continuous, binary, and time-to-event outcomes, but the literature on validation methods for discrete time-to-event models with competing risks is sparse. The present paper tries to fill this gap and proposes new methodology to quantify discrimination, calibration, and prediction error (PE) for discrete time-to-event outcomes in the presence of competing risks. In our case study, the goal was to predict the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) attributed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in intensive care units (ICUs). Competing events are extubation, death, and VAP due to other bacteria. The aim of this application is to validate complex prediction models developed in previous work on more recently available validation data.     

朝鲜南部的Pseudogl yptagnostus(三叶虫)并论朝鲜寒武纪斜坡相的意义

朝鲜南部Ｍａｃｈａｒｉ组Ｏｌｅｎｏｉｄｅｓ带的Ａｇｎｏｓｔｕｓ（Ｐｔｙｃｈａｇｎｏｓｔｕｓ？）ｏｒｉｅｎｔａｌｉｓ Ｋｏｂａｙａｓｂｈｉ一种应归于Ａｇｎｏｓ－ｔｏｔｅｓ（Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｇｌｙｐｔａｇｎｏｓｔｕｓ）Ｌｕ,１９６４一属,时代是晚寒武世长山期,不是早期中寒琥世,小林贞一的Ｏｌｅｎｏｉｄｅｓ带是中及晚寒武三叶虫混杂在一起的一个化石带。他建立的该组５个化石带也有问题。Ｃｏｒｅｏｌｅｎｕｓ,Ｃｈ     

淀山湖富营养化过程的统计学特征

湖泊营养物输入及响应指标的统计学规律正在受到越来越广泛的关注。对淀山湖在不同富营养化阶段和近期总磷TP、总氮TN和叶绿素Chl a的频率分布以及TP-Chl a关系的经验方程进行了分析,结果表明:(1)淀山湖TP、TN和Chl a的平均浓度和离散程度随着湖泊富营养化程度的加剧而增加,其中以Chl a的增幅最大;(2)在富营养化条件下,即使营养物TP得到一定程度的控制,Chl a大于15μg/L的概率继续增加了20%以上。仅仅削减营养物的峰值,对降低湖泊初级生产力水平的贡献有限;(3)TP-Chl a对数回归方程的斜率随湖泊富营养化程度的升高而增加,由20世纪80年代的0.54增加到目前的2.46。淀山湖营养物输入及响应指标的统计学特征,可以用来表征水体富营养化程度,评价湖泊生态恢复的进程和效果,为湖泊营养物基准和标准的制定提供最为实际的统计学支持。     

The fecundity patterns of S and L type rotifers of Brachionus plicatilis

Fecundity patterns of S and L type rotifers Brachionus plicatilis, which were previously found to have distinct growth ability, were analyzed using data of age-specific fecundity. The data were obtained by individual cultures of S and L type strains at 17, 24 and 34 °C. The pattern was analyzed by using normal probability functions. When the age was transformed into logarithmic value, the S and L types had an identical pattern of fecundity at every temperature. This fact indicates that the difference of the growth response to the temperature between S and L type strains stemmed only from the differences in net reproduction rate, not from the pattern.     

高黎贡山自然保护区西坡垂直带蚂蚁群落研究

首次研究了高黎贡山自然保护区西坡垂直带蚂蚁群落及共物种多样性。在北段和中北段随海拔升高优势种数目增加,而在南段随海拔升高优势种数目递减。在北段和中北段海随海拔升高优势种所占百分比递减,而在南段随海拔升高优势种所占比例递增。在西坡４个地段均呈现随海拔升高种数目和密度递减的基本规律。北段和中北段随海拔升高优势度指数降低,中南段和南段随海拔升高优势度指数增大。北段随海拔升高多样性指数递增,中北段多样性指数缺乏规律性,中南段和南段随海拔升高多样性指数递减。北段、中北段和中南段均呈现随海拔升高无效度指数递增规律,而南段表现出随海拔升高均匀度指数递减的相反情况。西坡４个地段垂直带上,蚂蚁群落之间的相似系数几乎均在０．００－０．２５,处于极不相似水平,只有１个系数超过此范围,我们认为在原始植被状态下,高黎贡山自然保护区西坡蚂蚁群落的基本规律是随着海拔升高。优势种数目递减,优势种所占比 递增,物种数目递减,优势度指数递增,多样性指数递减,均匀度指数递减。山体中部和下部植被的毁坏导致了实际调查中出现的反常情况。     

Hidden biodiversity in the Arctic – a study of soil seed banks at Disko Island,Qeqertarsuaq, West Greenland

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant community dynamics, and soil seed banks represent seed dispersal in time rather than in space. Despite their potential importance, seed bank dynamics in the Arctic are poorly understood. We investigated soil seed banks and corresponding plant community composition in three contrasting vegetation types in West Greenland, viz. dwarf shrub heaths, herb slopes and fell‐fields. Through germination testing, 31 species were documented in soil seed banks. All of these were herbaceous, while no dwarf‐shrub species, which represents the dominating growth form in the above‐ground vegetation, were emerging from the seed bank. Consequently, across vegetation types, the lowest similarity between seed bank and above‐ground vegetation was found in dwarf shrub heath. Nine plant species were exclusively found in seed bank, all of which were non‐clonal forbs. Seed bank size (total number of seeds) and species richness seemed to increase with the level of natural disturbance. Additionally, we examined the effect of different experimental light and temperature conditions on the quantity and diversity of germinating seeds. The difference in diversity in vegetation and seed bank at the species level will impact population dynamics, regeneration of vegetation after disturbances and its potential to respond to climate change.     

道路边坡绿化防护工程中的生态学原理

随着我国公路和铁路建设的快速发展,公路护坡及山体边坡的绿化工程也日益受到人们的重视并付诸实施。然而,出于急功近利的目的,一些工程并没有按照科学的规律开展工作,结果导致了最终的失败。本文从生态学的观点出发,提出在路坡边坡绿化工程中应遵循的一些生态学原理,如适应性原理、生物多样性原理、生态位原理、生物共生原理、限制因子原理和力能学原理,试图为有关从业人员提供有益的帮助。     

神农架北坡堵河源自然保护区植物多样性研究

为建立自然保护区,保护神农架北坡堵河源地区丰富的生物多样性资源,并为神农架地区植物起源、植被演替以及生物多样性和濒危物种状况深入、准确评价提供基础数据,2002年,采用路线调查与标准地调查相结合的方法,结合历史资料,对堵河源地区的野生植物资源进行了实地野外调查研究,分析了植物区系和植物多样性及其受威胁状况。结果表明:(1)该保护区具有丰富的植物物种多样性,有维管束植物174科730属1733种(含亚种、变种),其中,国家重点保护野生植物有23种;(2)该区植物区系成分具有复杂性、多样性,拥有中国种子植物分布区类型属级水平的全部类型,但明显偏重于温带性质。且植物区系起源古老,有中国特有分布属37个,其中,古特有属27个;(3)该区具有丰富的植被类型,包括4个植被型组,8个植被型,26个群系,具有较高的保护和科研价值。同时针对保护区植物多样性受威胁状况,提出了植被恢复、加强防火设备设施建设、生态移民、保护珍稀濒危植物及社区共管是保护植物多样性的有效措施。     

遂渝铁路边坡草本植物多样性季节动态和空间分布特征

以遂渝铁路边坡植物群落为研究对象,自然边坡为对照,分别于2008年9月、12月、2009年3月和6月对其进行植物调查。采用Margalef指数、Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou指数等指标评价不同季节、坡位和植被类型条件下草本植物多样性的变化。结果表明：在时间尺度上,铁路边坡坡中物种丰富度呈现明显的季节性差异(P<0.05),以秋季最大为2376;铁路边坡各坡位草本植物多样性和均匀度指数也呈现显著季节性变化(P<0.05),且变化规律一致：春季>夏季>冬季>秋季;与铁路边坡不同,自然边坡草本植物丰富度、多样性和均匀度指数变化趋势不明显(P>0.05)。在空间分布上,坡位对铁路边坡物种丰富度影响显著(P<0.05),其中,夏季坡上植物丰富度最大为2.164,春季、秋季和冬季丰富度最大值均在坡中最大,分别为2.261、2.376和1.983;坡位仅对自然边坡秋季物种丰富度和均匀度影响显著(P<0.05),其中,物种丰富度表现为坡上>坡下>坡中,而均匀度为坡中>坡上>坡下。不同植被类型的物种丰富度、多样性和均匀度也有较大差异,自然边坡物种多样性明显大于铁路边坡,总体上自然边坡植被恢复优于铁路边坡。因此,加强对植被恢复的管理是铁路边坡生态恢复的重要环节。