Multikink quantile regression for longitudinal data with application to progesterone data analysis

Motivated by investigating the relationship between progesterone and the days in a menstrual cycle in a longitudinal study, we propose a multikink quantile regression model for longitudinal data analysis. It relaxes the linearity condition and assumes different regression forms in different regions of the domain of the threshold covariate. In this paper, we first propose a multikink quantile regression for longitudinal data. Two estimation procedures are proposed to estimate the regression coefficients and the kink points locations: one is a computationally efficient profile estimator under the working independence framework while the other one considers the within-subject correlations by using the unbiased generalized estimation equation approach. The selection consistency of the number of kink points and the asymptotic normality of two proposed estimators are established. Second, we construct a rank score test based on partial subgradients for the existence of the kink effect in longitudinal studies. Both the null distribution and the local alternative distribution of the test statistic have been derived. Simulation studies show that the proposed methods have excellent finite sample performance. In the application to the longitudinal progesterone data, we identify two kink points in the progesterone curves over different quantiles and observe that the progesterone level remains stable before the day of ovulation, then increases quickly in 5 to 6 days after ovulation and then changes to stable again or drops slightly.     

Role of autophagy in early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats

Early brain injury (EBI) occurred after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) strongly determined the patients’ prognosis. Autophagy was activated in neurons in the acute phase after SAH, while its role in EBI has not been examined. This study was designed to explore the effects of autophagy on EBI post-SAH in rats. A modified endovascular perforating SAH model was established under monitoring of intracranial pressure. Extent of autophagy was regulated by injecting autophagy-regulating drugs (3-methyladenine, wortmannin and rapamycin) 30 min pre-SAH intraventricularly. Simvastatin (20 mg/kg) was prophylactically orally given 14 days before SAH induction. Mortality, neurological scores, brain water content and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability were evaluated at 24 h post-SAH. Microtubule-associated protein light chain-3 (LC3 II/I) and beclin-1 were detected for monitoring of autophagy flux. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling, expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragments were used to detect apoptosis. The results showed that mortality was reduced in rapamycin and simvastatin treated animals. When autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine and wortmannin, the neurological scores were decreased, brain water content and BBB permeability were further aggravated and neuronal apoptosis was increased when compared with the SAH animals. Autophagy was further activated by rapamycin and simvastatin, and apoptosis was inhibited and EBI was ameliorated. The present results indicated that activation of autophagy decreased neuronal apoptosis and ameliorated EBI after SAH. Aiming at autophagy may be a potential effective target for preventing EBI after SAH.     

60Co-γ射线诱变连麦2号M3代主要农艺性状的变异及多元分析

用60Co-γ射线诱变小麦连麦2号,对M3代292个穗行进行了主要农艺性状的变异及多元分析.结果表明:各性状的变异幅度是不同的,变异系数从大到小依次为:穗数＞千粒重＞穗长＞小穗数＞株高＞行粒重＞退化小穗数＞穗粒数＞穗粒重;变异率从大到小依次为:穗数＞千粒重＞株高=行粒重＞穗粒数＞穗长＞穗粒重＞小穗数＞退化小穗数.穗数、...     

高原鼢鼠的挖掘行为及其与土壤硬度的关系

采用无线电遥测法在中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站对高原鼢鼠的挖掘行为及其与土壤硬度的关系进行了研究。结果表明,在相同的硬度条件下,雌雄动物的挖掘行为格局和挖掘效率基本相同。但是雄性动物挖掘所持续的时间显高于雌性动物。随着土壤硬度的增加。高原鼢鼠挖掘的时间及每次挖掘时持续的时间明显增加,而每次的掘土量显减少。野外调查也表明土壤硬度是影响高原鼢鼠对栖息地选择的一个重要因素,高原鼢鼠明显选择土壤     

强筋与弱筋小麦籽粒蛋白质组分与加工品质对灌浆期弱光的响应

选用强筋小麦品种济麦20和弱筋小麦品种山农1391,在大田试验条件下,分别于籽粒灌浆前期(花后6—9 d)、中期(花后16—19 d)和后期(花后26—29 d)对小麦进行弱光照处理,研究了籽粒产量、蛋白质组分及加工品质的变化。灌浆期弱光显著降低小麦籽粒产量,灌浆中期对济麦20和灌浆后期对山农1391的产量降幅最大。弱光处理后,籽粒氮素积累量及氮素收获指数减少。但弱光使籽粒蛋白质含量显著升高,其中灌浆中期弱光升幅最大,原因可能是由于其粒重降低造成的。弱光对可溶性谷蛋白无显著影响,但增加不溶性谷蛋白含量,使谷蛋白聚合指数显著升高,面团形成时间和稳定时间亦升高,籽粒灌浆中、后期弱光对上述指标的影响较前期大。灌浆期短暂的弱光照对改善强筋小麦粉质仪参数有利,但使弱筋小麦变劣;并均伴随籽粒产量的显著降低这一不利影响。     

月光及光照强度对艾虎微生境利用的影响

月光及光照作为一种捕食风险对许多动物的微生境利用有明显的影响。野外的无线电遥测资料和室风模拟光照强度的研究表明,艾虎在明亮的月光期明显增加了加平坦灌丛区域的利用时间,灌丛作用一种隐蔽场所减少了艾虎被捕食的风险,艾虎在明亮的月光期增加对灌丛的利用是一种反捕食策略,无论光照强度如何。艾虎对有隐蔽洞道区域的利用程度较高,在无隐蔽物区域采用短时间的活动方式,在有隐蔽物区域采用长时间活动方式。这表明艾虎在进化过程中形成了反捕食策略,而不是躲避捕食的策略。     

Genome Sequence of the Human-Pathogenic Bacterium Vibrio vulnificus Type Strain ATCC 27562

Vibrio vulnificus, which is the causative agent of cholera, is a Gram-negative, curved, motile, and rod-shaped bacterium. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of the type strain, ATCC 27562, which was the first isolated Vibrio vulnificus strain.