青少年双生子体型指征相关指标的遗传度研究(英文)

目的:用经典的双生子设计探讨遗传因素对青少年身高、体重、体质指数(BMI)等体型指征的影响程度。方法:从青岛市双生子库中选择自愿参加本研究的362对11-19岁双生子,测量身高、体重。同性别的双生子通过16个多态标记进行卵型鉴定,在此基础上,应用Mx软件构建结构方程模型分析计算遗传度。结果:对362对有效双生子数据进行分析,其中同卵双生子194对,异卵双生子168对,身高的最佳拟合模型ACE模型,体重和BMI的最佳拟合模型为AE模型。调整年龄性别后,身高的遗传度为66%,体重的遗传度为84%,体质指数的遗传度为75%。结论:在青少年体型指征的相关指标中,身高、体重、BMI受遗传因素影响都较大。     

Standing crop and aboveground biomass partitioning of a dwarf mangrove forest in Taylor River Slough,Florida

The structure and standing crop biomass of a dwarf mangrove forest, located in the salinity transition zone ofTaylor River Slough in the Everglades National Park, were studied. Although the four mangrove species reported for Florida occurred at the study site, dwarf Rhizophora mangle trees dominated the forest. The structural characteristics of the mangrove forest were relatively simple: tree height varied from 0.9 to 1.2 meters, and tree density ranged from 7062 to 23 778 stems ha^–1. An allometric relationship was developed to estimate leaf, branch, prop root, and total aboveground biomass of dwarf Rhizophora mangle trees. Total aboveground biomass and their components were best estimated as a power function of the crown area times number of prop roots as an independent variable (Y = B × X^–0.5083). The allometric equation for each tree component was highly significant (p<0.0001), with all r² values greater than 0.90. The allometric relationship was used to estimate total aboveground biomass that ranged from 7.9 to 23.2 ton ha^–1. Rhizophora mangle contributed 85% of total standing crop biomass. Conocarpus erectus, Laguncularia racemosa, and Avicennia germinans contributed the remaining biomass. Average aboveground biomass allocation was 69% for prop roots, 25% for stem and branches, and 6% for leaves. This aboveground biomass partitioning pattern, which gives a major role to prop roots that have the potential to produce an extensive root system, may be an important biological strategy in response to low phosphorus availability and relatively reduced soils that characterize mangrove forests in South Florida.     

THE EFFECTS OF EXTENDED WORKING HOURS ON HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING—A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOUR INDEPENDENT SAMPLES

Using structural equation modeling, it can be shown that long weekly working hours and work on weekends, nights, and in shifts have detrimental effects on psychovegetative health. Employees' reported subjective work-life balance also decreases with increasing number of hours worked/week, days worked on weekends, or at nights, and with working shifts. A decrease in work-life balance in turn increases the risk of psychovegetative impairments (PVIs). Thus, long and unusual working hours increase the risk of psychovegetative health impairments both directly and indirectly, moderated by the subjective work-life balance. In fact, the indirect effects of working time on PVIs via the work-life balance seem to be stronger than the direct effects. Results of a cross-validation study of four independent and representative samples from Germany and the European Union (N?>?50,000) indicate high structural stability of these results and thus an increased validity and range for generalization. (Author correspondence: anna.wirtz@gawo-ev.de)     

Evolution of dispersal and life history interact to drive accelerating spread of an invasive species

Populations on the edge of an expanding range are subject to unique evolutionary pressures acting on their life‐history and dispersal traits. Empirical evidence and theory suggest that traits there can evolve rapidly enough to interact with ecological dynamics, potentially giving rise to accelerating spread. Nevertheless, which of several evolutionary mechanisms drive this interaction between evolution and spread remains an open question. We propose an integrated theoretical framework for partitioning the contributions of different evolutionary mechanisms to accelerating spread, and we apply this model to invasive cane toads in northern Australia. In doing so, we identify a previously unrecognised evolutionary process that involves an interaction between life‐history and dispersal evolution during range shift. In roughly equal parts, life‐history evolution, dispersal evolution and their interaction led to a doubling of distance spread by cane toads in our model, highlighting the potential importance of multiple evolutionary processes in the dynamics of range expansion.     

Interrelation between HeLa-S3 cell transfection and hemolysis in red blood cell suspension using pulsed ultrasound of various duty cycles

We have studied the in vitro transfection of a plasmid DNA with the lacZ gene to HeLa-S3 cells and hemolysis in a red blood cell (RBC) suspension under pulsed ultrasound with duty cycles of 10, 20 and 30% using a digital sonifier at a frequency of 20 kHz and an intensity of 6.2 W/cm² on the surface of a horn tip. Cultured HeLa-S3 cells in suspension were exposed to pulsed ultrasound for an apparent exposure time t from 0 to 60 s. HeLa-S3 viability decreased as a single exponential function of the total exposure time t=t with a common time constant =3.8 s for three duty cycles. Transfection was evaluated by counting the number of -galactosidase(-Gal)-positive cells relative to the total number of cells. Pulsed ultrasound provided an enhanced transfer of the -Gal plasmid to HeLa-S3 cells, 3.4-fold as compared with that in the case of the control. The optimal transfection efficiencies were 0.75, 0.80 and 0.74% near t= with =10, 20 and 30%, respectively. The number ratio of -Gal-positive cells to the surviving cells after exposure increased with t according to a modified logistic equation. The degree of hemolysis also increased exponentially with t at a time constant =₀/ for the RBC suspension in physiological saline at a hematocrit concentration of 0.5% with ₀=0.9 s. Thus the total exposure time for the optimal transfection efficiency was , that is, nearly four times of ₀. Hemolysis in the RBC suspension may be a useful model for determining optimal transfection by pulsed ultrasound of various duty cycles.     

Robust parameter estimation during logistic modeling of batch and fed‐batch culture kinetics

Methods for robust logistic modeling of batch and fed‐batch mammalian cell cultures are presented in this study. Linearized forms of the logistic growth, logistic decline, and generalized logistic equation were derived to obtain initial estimates of the parameters by linear least squares. These initial estimates facilitated subsequent determination of refined values by nonlinear optimization using three different algorithms. Data from BHK, CHO, and hybridoma cells in batch or fed‐batch cultures at volumes ranging from 100 mL–300 L were tested with the above approach and solution convergence was obtained for all three nonlinear optimization approaches for all data sets. This result, despite the sensitivity of logistic equations to parameter variation because of their exponential nature, demonstrated that robust estimation of logistic parameters was possible by this combination of linearization followed by nonlinear optimization. The approach is relatively simple and can be implemented in a spreadsheet to robustly model mammalian cell culture batch or fed‐batch data. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

生物种群动态微分方程模型参数估计方法

本文以数值分析和最优化技术的有机结合为基础,提出了一种新的对动态微分方程模型直接进行数据拟合和参数估计方法,并以Logistic微分方程、生物种间竞争关系微分方程以及一种复合形态的Logistic微分方程为例进行了数据拟合试验．结果表明,该方法对各种动态微分方程模型均能进行最优拟合分析并求解其参数．同时发现,以前有的作者〔1,2,3,4,5〕提出的方法所得到的参数估计值存在系统误差且误差较大．     

吉林蛟河针阔混交林林层结构对生产力的影响

探讨不同林层物种多样性和林分结构与森林生产力之间的关系,为森林可持续经营管理策略优化提供理论支持。以吉林蛟河30 hm²针阔混交林固定监测样地中的38432株木本植物的野外调查数据为研究对象,利用结构方程模型探讨了不同林层物种多样性和林分结构多样性对森林生产力的作用机制。结果表明：（1）林冠层林分结构多样性和生产力之间呈负相关关系,路径系数为-0.138;林下层林分结构多样性和生产力之间呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.083。（2）林冠层物种多样性和生产力之间呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.099;林下层物种多样性和生产力之间关系不显著,且物种多样性在林冠层和林下层呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.147。物种多样性和林分结构多样性与森林生产力之间不存在唯一的关系,这种关系的大小、方向和潜在机制与林层有关。为此,在森林经营过程中要充分考虑不同林层物种多样性和林分结构多样性与森林生产力之间的关系。     

Cannibalism as a life boat mechanism

Under certain conditions a cannibalistic population can survive when food for the adults is too scarce to support a non-cannibalistic population. Cannibalism can have this lifeboat effect if (i) the juveniles feed on a resource inaccessible to the adults; and (ii) the adults are cannibalistic and thus incorporate indirectly the inaccessible resource. Using a simple model we conclude that the mechanism works when, at low population densities, the average yield, in terms of new offspring, due to the energy provided by one cannibalized juvenile is larger than one.     

A comparison of the Schumacher with other functions for describing growth in pigs

This study was undertaken to introduce the Schumacher equation and compare it with established functions for describing growth in pigs. The relationship between live weight (LW) and cumulative feed intake was also investigated. A database was constructed from three independent trials in which LW, age and intake were measured from birth to 937 days. Three growth functions were used for analysis of growth versus age: Gompertz, Schumacher and Weibull; and the Richards and monomolecular equations were used for analysis of cumulative feed intake versus LW. The growth functions have different points of inflexion. Liveweight at inflexion is W_f/e for the Gompertz, where W_f is the final weight, W_f/e² for the Schumacher, and W_f − (W_f − W₀) exp[−(n − 1)/n] for the Weibull, where W₀ is initial body weight and n is a shape parameter. Meta-analysis of the data using mixed model and nonlinear regression procedures was conducted to identify the most appropriate growth function. Functions were compared using F-tests or Bayesian Information Criteria, which give a value based on best fit and number of parameters in the model. The three equations were fitted to five individual pig growth profiles and to the composite data. Although the Weibull had a lower residual mean square, it did not significantly improve the fit compared to the simpler models and appears to be over-parameterised. The results suggest that model selection should be based on the type and amount of data available for analysis. Residuals plot showed that Schumacher and Weibull better predict the initial growth phase, however, all models showed largest magnitude of residuals towards the end of the growth profile. The monomolecular equation was most appropriate for describing LW against cumulative feed intake and may be used to formulate diets based on the efficiency of conversion of feed to LW at various stages of the animal's life span.