Use of sibling relationship reconstruction to complement traditional monitoring in fisheries management and conservation of brown trout

Declining trends in the abundance of many fish urgently call for more efficient and informative monitoring methods that would provide necessary demographic data for the evaluation of existing conservation, restoration, and management actions. We investigated how genetic sibship reconstruction from young‐of‐the‐year brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) juveniles provides valuable, complementary demographic information that allowed us to disentangle the effects of habitat quality and number of breeders on juvenile density. We studied restored (n = 15) and control (n = 15) spawning and nursery habitats in 16 brown trout rivers and streams over 2 consecutive years to evaluate the effectiveness of habitat restoration activities. Similar juvenile densities both in restored and control spawning and nursery grounds were observed. Similarly, no differences in the effective number of breeders, N_b(SA), were detected between habitats, indicating that brown trout readily used recently restored spawning grounds. Only a weak relationship between the N_b(SA) and juvenile density was observed, suggesting that multiple factors affect juvenile abundance. In some areas, very low estimates of N_b(SA) were found at sites with high juvenile density, indicating that a small number of breeders can produce a high number of progeny in favorable conditions. In other sites, high N_b(SA) estimates were associated with low juvenile density, suggesting low habitat quality or lack of suitable spawning substrate in relation to available breeders. Based on these results, we recommend the incorporation of genetic sibship reconstruction to ongoing and future fish evaluation and monitoring programs to gain novel insights into local demographic and evolutionary processes relevant for fisheries management, habitat restoration, and conservation.     

滨海不同生境下盐地碱蓬生物量分配特征研究

盐地碱蓬是黄河三角洲重要的先锋植物,抗盐能力强,分布范围广,对维持该地区生态系统稳定和演替发挥着重要作用。通过野外取样测定,研究了潮间带和潮上带盐地碱蓬种群的形态及生物量分配特征。在个体大小上,潮间带盐地碱蓬在株高和地径上显著低于潮上带盐地碱蓬;潮上带盐地碱蓬密集分布的株高高于散生分布,而生物量低于散生分布。在生物量分配特征上,潮间带盐地碱蓬Ⅰ以发展花、叶为主,潮上带盐地碱蓬Ⅱ的密集分布以优先发展茎为主,潮上带盐地碱蓬Ⅲ的散生分布以发展枝为主,属于种群发展的稳定阶段。因此,盐地碱蓬通过形态特征及生物量分配特征的调节,以适应潮间带和潮上带的不同生境特征,从而达到种群维持和土壤改良的目的。     

粤北山区近25年来耕地表层土壤有机碳变化分析

以粤北山区典型区的连州市为例,利用第二次土壤普查资料和2007年耕地地力调查样点分析结果,对研究区耕地表层（0~20 cm）土壤有机碳质量分数和有机碳密度的变化特征进行了分析。结果表明：25年以来,连州市耕地表层有机碳质量分数和密度有所增加,分别从1982年的16.3 g·kg-1、40.88 t·hm-2上升到2007年的17.37 g·kg-1、43.31 t·hm-2。土壤有机碳随土壤类型的不同而变化复杂,土壤有机碳呈上升趋势的有潴育型水稻土、淹育型水稻土、渗育型水稻土,而沼泽型水稻土、潜育型水稻土和矿毒田呈下降趋势,主要旱地土壤类型（黄壤、红壤、红色石灰土、酸性紫色土）表层土壤有机碳质量分数呈上升趋势。从土地利用类型综合考量,水田、旱地表层土壤有机碳质量分数和密度都呈上升趋势,其中水田的有机碳质量分数和密度分别由80年代初期的18.30 g·kg-1、44.80 t·hm-2上升到2007年的18.78 g·kg-1、46.21 t·hm-2;旱地的有机碳质量分数和密度分别由80年代初期的10.46 g·kg-1、29.27 t·hm-2上升到2007年的13.17 g·kg-1、34.67 t·hm-2。粤北山区耕地表层土壤总体上表现为碳汇。     

白城地区近50年土壤有机碳动态变化研究

基于白城地区第一次、第二次全国土壤普查和野外现场采样共217个土壤剖面数据,利用＂土类-土地利用类型＂权重方法,估算白城地区11个土类从20世纪50年代至2009年近50年的土壤有机碳密度（SOD）和碳储量（SOC）,分析SOD变化规律,探讨其时空演化特征,结果表明,①近50年来,除水稻土和栗钙土SOD随时间增加外,其余各土类SOD随时间持续降低;但不同时期泥炭土SOD均最高,盐碱土均为最低。②近50年来,白城地区的SOD从92.22±21.13 t.hm-2减少至68.01±10.76 t.hm-2;表现为自北向南、自西向东降低的空间分布规律。③近50年来,白城地区SOC减少了6.2×107 t,各县市SOC呈逐年降低态。     

Estimating animal densities and home range in regions with irregular boundaries and holes: A lattice-based alternative to the kernel density estimator

Density estimates based on point processes are often restrained to regions with irregular boundaries or holes. We propose a density estimator, the lattice-based density estimator, which produces reasonable density estimates under these circumstances. The estimation process starts with overlaying the region with nodes, linking these together in a lattice and then computing the density of random walks of length k on the lattice. We use an approximation to the unbiased crossvalidation criterion to find the optimal walk length k. The technique is illustrated using walleye (Sander vitreus) radiotelemetry relocations in Lake Monroe, Indiana. We also use simulation to compare the technique to the traditional kernel density estimate in the situation where there are no significant boundary effects.     

土岩界面地震波能量传递与耗散特性研究——以汶川8.0级地震为例

以汶川8.0级地震为例,应用应力波在弹性介质界面能量分配与反射和透射系数之间的相关性,得出地震波在不同介质中滞留能量的耗散比与介质波阻抗比和上层介质能量衰减比之间的关系。通过离散数值计算发现当能量衰减比一定时,两种介质的波阻抗比在某一特定值时上层介质滞留能量耗散比达到最大,该值随着能量衰减比的增大而增大。这一结论对地震山区的"剥皮型"滑坡提供了一种全新的解释,并得到了路堤工程宏观震害与面波测试资料的验证。     

免疫粒子群优化在波阻抗反演中的应用

针对标准粒子群优化(PSO)算法易出现早熟而陷入局部最优以及进化后期收敛速度慢等缺陷,引入免疫系统的免疫记忆和抗体浓度选择机制,构造了基于免疫机制的粒子群优化(IPSO)算法,并将其应用到波阻抗反演问题中。免疫记忆能够保留高适应度个体,抗体浓度选择机制进一步保证了粒子的多样性,从而能较好地避免早熟收敛,提高算法的全局搜索能力。对理论模型试算表明,IPSO算法在进行波阻抗反演时不仅收敛速度快,而且具有较高的精确度和抗噪性能。     

The unrecognized danger of a new transportation mechanism of injury--pedicabs

Objective

Pedicabs are a new and controversial transportation innovation for tourists in congested areas in several U.S. cities. Scant literature on this trauma mechanism exists. The purpose of this study is to identify the incidence, demographics, morbidity, mortality, and potential for injury prevention of pedicab incidents amongst major trauma admissions at an urban, academic Level I Trauma Center.

Patients & Methods

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of the Trauma Registry from 2000 to 2009. All patients identified as being injured in a pedicab incident were reviewed. Demographics, diagnoses, toxicology, treatments, and injury severity scale (ISS) were collected. Outcomes included mortality, ICU, and hospital length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and hospital charges. A photographic survey of 50 local pedicabs was examined for the presence and use of safety equipment.

Results

During the period of January 2000 to July 2009 there were 15 major trauma victims from identified pedicab incidents. Falling from the pedicab was the mechanism of injury in 14 of 15 cases. There were two fatalities in victims following severe traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, or loss of consciousness was seen in 11/15 victims. Ethanol ingestion was detected in blood tests of 10 of the 14 adult victims. Median charges of hospitalization due to a pedicab related injury was US$29,956 ± 77,482. A photographic survey of 50 local pedicabs reveals very limited use of safety belts by passengers despite existing city ordinances.

Conclusions

Major trauma victims of pedicab incidents in the United States suffer significant injuries and death. Most cases occurred in passengers falling from the pedicab at night after alcohol ingestion. There is an opportunity for implementation of strategies toward improved injury prevention with this new form of transport.     

Survival risk factors for fatal injured car and motorcycle drivers in single alcohol-related and alcohol-unrelated vehicle crashes

Introduction

A high percentage of drivers who die as a result of a single vehicle crash are under the influence of alcohol. We aimed to better understand the prevalence of these fatalities and the ratio of death to injuries based on various risk factors. We focused on alcohol-related and -unrelated single-vehicle crashes to investigate the influence of such risk factors on the time until death for car and motorcycle drivers.

Methods

We combined data from national police reports and a vital registration database in Taiwan. Survival analysis using Cox regression models was used to identify the risk factors of time until death.

Results

Overall, nearly 60% of car driver fatalities and 40% of motorcycle driver fatalities involved the consumption of alcohol. Survival analysis of single-vehicle crashes suggested that the traffic island separation between a car moving at a higher speed and motorcycle traffic resulted in a higher risk of death over time for motorcycle drivers who consumed alcohol. The factors attributed to a higher risk of death over time for motorcycle drivers were older age, crashing into trees, night-time driving, driving on curved roads, and driving on local roads. Driving without restraints and driving on roads with higher speed limits attributed to a higher risk of death over time for car drivers.

Conclusions

The factors that influence the risk of death over time in a motor-vehicle accident involving alcohol depended on different elements, which should each be considered when attempting to reduce this risk.

Impact on Industry

More efforts should be made to investigate the various risk factors in areas with large motorcycle populations.     

Experimental studies of removing typical VOCs by dielectric barrier discharge reactor of different sizes

This research conducted both lab-scale and pilot-scale tests by selecting toluene as the typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and by using the promising non-thermal plasma oxidation technology – dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). To develop baseline engineering data to demonstrate the feasibility of application of self-made DBD reactors, the peak voltage, gas flow speed, initial toluene concentration, discharge frequency and duty ratio were studied. The results showed that toluene removal efficiency improves with increase of electrical voltage, frequency and duty ratio, and declines with increase of polar distance, gas flow speed and toluene initial concentration. When the voltage increases, the energy efficiency rises first and then drops. The energy efficiency reaches the climax when the energy density reaches 150.8 J/L and 101.7 J/L in the lab-scale experiment and pilot-scale experiment respectively.