圈养大熊猫营巢行为初步观察

2002年2～6月对卧龙保护大熊猫研究中心的圈养大熊猫“雷雷”在半散放条件下的营巢行为和日摄食量的变化首次进行研究。该雌体在自然交配人工授精后一个月开始表现营巢行为。在4个月的观察过程中,大熊猫“雷雷”大约有371%的时间用于营巢或卧在巢中。营巢和卧巢的时间基本发生在上午900～1130时。营巢行为出现前后,个体的日均摄食量不存在显著差异(P=0519)。相关分析表明,日均摄食量与日营巢频次不存在显著相关关系(R=-063,P>005,n=116)。大熊猫“雷雷”总共在圈舍内3个地点营巢,最终在安全性较高、采光好而郁闭度较低的地点营巢成功。圈养大熊猫对营巢材料没有表现选择性。结果表明复杂多样、接近自然状态的圈舍可能有助于大熊猫物种特有行为的发生。研究结果对大熊猫和其它珍稀濒危动物的保护和管理工作具有一定的指导意义。     

黄土丘陵半干旱区人工沙棘林水土保持和土壤水分生态效益分析

沙棘及其混交林减少径流泥沙的作用突出,但结构和混交模式不同所发挥的水保作用大小不同。沙棘林生长季各月消耗利用水分的强度不同。在整个生长季,5月末0－500cm土层平均含水率最低,为5．1％;10月末最高,达8．8％,沙棘林对土壤水分的利用强度受林龄影响,8龄沙棘林年消耗土壤贮水231.2mm,应进行平茬,平茬后第3年末,土壤水分恢复深度达160cm,含水率为10．3％－14．6％,沙棘林具有削减坡位对土壤水分影响的作用,沙棘及其混交林对土壤水分的利用强度相似,林地存在土壤干层现象。     

水稻成熟花药和花粉的结构和组织化学研究

用乙二醇甲基丙烯酸脂(简称GMA)和环氧树脂Epon812包埋的薄切片方法对水稻成熟花药和花粉的结构进行了观察,并对各种结构的性质和细胞中的后含物做了细胞化学的分析.对成熟花药的绒毡层膜及乌氏体的研究采用了分离技术,做了显微和超微观察.证明水稻成熟花药壁和花粉除具一般禾本科植物特征外,还揭示了花药壁表皮上可能有硅质,药壁表皮细胞内含有脂类颗粒,药室内壁具纤维素质的纤维状加厚;发现花粉粒中除了贮存有大量淀粉颗粒外,还含有脂类,成熟花粉中营养核与两个精细胞及两个精细胞间联系紧密;并讨论了薄切片的优越性,绒毡层膜的意义及其上细胞印迹的来源.     

半干旱地区小麦群体的根系特征与抗旱性的关系

对抗旱性能不同的 5个春小麦品种 (分别为A、B、C、D、E)的试验表明 ,在 0～ 1 2 0cm土层中 ,其根密度分别为 66、1 0 4、1 37、1 0 2和 99μg·cm- 3;总根量分别为 78.7、1 2 4 .3、1 64.3、1 2 1 .8和 1 1 8.7g·m- 2 ;产量分别为 2 0 1、2 0 7、1 41、2 1 8和 1 90g·m- 2 .在水分为主导因子的旱作条件下 ,根系过大的品种 ,个体间竞争激烈 ,其群体的抗旱性较差 ;根系较小的品种 ,个体间竞争较弱或无竞争 ,故群体抗旱性较强 .     

Alterations of membrane lipids and in gene expression of ganglioside metabolism in different brain structures in a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I)

Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) is a congenital disorder caused by the deficiency of α-l-iduronidase (IDUA), with the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the CNS. Although GAG toxicity is not fully understood, previous works suggest a GAG-induced alteration in neuronal membrane composition. This study is aimed to evaluate the levels and distribution of gangliosides and cholesterol in different brain regions (cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and hypothalamus) in a model using IDUA knockout (KO) mice (C57BL/6). Lipids were extracted with chloroform–methanol and then total gangliosides and cholesterol were determined, followed by ganglioside profile analyses. While no changes in cholesterol content were observed, the results showed a tissue dependent ganglioside alteration in KO mice: a total ganglioside increase in cortex and cerebellum, and a selective presence of GM3, GM2 and GD3 gangliosides in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. To elucidate this, we evaluated gene expression of ganglioside synthesis (GM3, GD3 and GM2/GD2 synthases) and degradation of (Neuraminidase1) enzymes in the cerebellum and hippocampus by RT-sq-PCR. The results obtained with KO mice showed a reduced expression of GD3 and GM2/GD2 synthases and Neuraminidase1 in cerebellum; and a decrease in GM2/GD2 synthase and Neuraminidase1 in the hippocampus. These data suggest that the observed ganglioside changes result from a combined effect of GAGs on ganglioside biosynthesis and degradation.     

Estimation of the ROC Curve under Verification Bias

The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve is the most commonly used statistical tool for describing the discriminatory accuracy of a diagnostic test. Classical estimation of the ROC curve relies on data from a simple random sample from the target population. In practice, estimation is often complicated due to not all subjects undergoing a definitive assessment of disease status (verification). Estimation of the ROC curve based on data only from subjects with verified disease status may be badly biased. In this work we investigate the properties of the doubly robust (DR) method for estimating the ROC curve under verification bias originally developed by Rotnitzky, Faraggi and Schisterman (2006) for estimating the area under the ROC curve. The DR method can be applied for continuous scaled tests and allows for a non‐ignorable process of selection to verification. We develop the estimator's asymptotic distribution and examine its finite sample properties via a simulation study. We exemplify the DR procedure for estimation of ROC curves with data collected on patients undergoing electron beam computer tomography, a diagnostic test for calcification of the arteries.     

A Bayesian Two‐Part Latent Class Model for Longitudinal Medical Expenditure Data: Assessing the Impact of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity

Summary In 2001, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management required all health plans participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program to offer mental health and substance abuse benefits on par with general medical benefits. The initial evaluation found that, on average, parity did not result in either large spending increases or increased service use over the four‐year observational period. However, some groups of enrollees may have benefited from parity more than others. To address this question, we propose a Bayesian two‐part latent class model to characterize the effect of parity on mental health use and expenditures. Within each class, we fit a two‐part random effects model to separately model the probability of mental health or substance abuse use and mean spending trajectories among those having used services. The regression coefficients and random effect covariances vary across classes, thus permitting class‐varying correlation structures between the two components of the model. Our analysis identified three classes of subjects: a group of low spenders that tended to be male, had relatively rare use of services, and decreased their spending pattern over time; a group of moderate spenders, primarily female, that had an increase in both use and mean spending after the introduction of parity; and a group of high spenders that tended to have chronic service use and constant spending patterns. By examining the joint 95% highest probability density regions of expected changes in use and spending for each class, we confirmed that parity had an impact only on the moderate spender class.