Artificial neural network modeling of caste odor discrimination based on cuticular hydrocarbons in termites

Summary. Individuals in an insect colony need to identify one another according to caste. Nothing is known about the sensory process allowing nestmates to discriminate minute variations in the cuticular hydrocarbon mixture. The purpose of this study was to attempt to model caste odors discrimination in four species of Reticulitermes termites for the first time by a non-linear mathematical approach using an "artificial neural network" (ANN). Several rounds of testing were carried out using 1 – the whole hydrocarbon mixtures 2 – mixtures containing the hydrocarbons selected by principal component analysis (PCA) as the most implicated in caste discrimination. Discrimination between worker and soldier castes was tested in all four species. For two species we tested discrimination of four castes (workers, soldiers, nymphs, neotenics). To test cuticular pattern similarity in two sibling species (R. santonensis and R. flavipes), we performed two experiments using one species for training and the other for query. Using whole hydrocarbons mixtures, worker/soldier discrimination was always successful in all species. Network performance decreased with the number of hydrocarbons used as inputs. Four-caste discrimination was less successful. In the experiment with the sibling species, the ANN was able to distinguish soldiers but not workers. The results of this study suggest that non-linear mathematical analysis is a good tool for classification of castes based on cuticular hydrocarbon mixture. In addition this study confirms that hydrocarbon mixtures observed are real chemical entities and constitute a true chemical signature or odor. Whole mixtures are not always necessary for discrimination. Received 23 July 1998; accepted 9 October 1998.     

高温煤气脱硫剂研究进展

系统地介绍了国外高温煤气脱硫剂的研究开发现状,指出我国重点研究开发铁系、锰系、锌系、铜系和钙系脱硫剂。     

模糊神经网络控制在污水处理中的应用研究

对模糊神经网络(FNN)技术应用于污水处理进行了研究,提出了一个具有五层的模糊神经网络控制器,仿真实验表明,该控制系统具有很强的鲁棒性与容错性.该控制器能够自动调整隶属度函数、动态优化控制规则,将其应用于溶解氧控制和出水水质预测,结果表明可以快速、有效地使溶解氧浓度达到期望值,实际出水水质预测结果也具有很好的收敛性和预测精度.     

石煤渣生产工业窑炉保温材料的工艺研究

以石煤渣为主要原料研制的工业窑炉保温材料，具有较高的耐压强度和较低的导热率。分析研究了保温材料在烧成工艺过程中的物理化学变化，同时通过试验确定了干燥和烧成过程的工艺参数，为石煤渣治理和综合利用开辟了一种新的途径。     

Pollutants removal and simulation model of combined membrane process for wastewater treatment and reuse in submarine cabin for long voyage

A laboratory scale test was conducted in a combined membrane process (CMP) with a capacity of 2.91 m3/d for 240 d to treat the mixed wastewater of humidity condensate, hygiene wastewater and urine in submarine cabin during prolonged voyage. Removal performance of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4 +-N), turbidity and anionic surfactants (LAS) was investigated under di erent conditions. It was observed that the e uent COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS flocculated in ranges of 0.19–0.85 mg/L, 0.03–0.18 mg/L, 0.0–0.15 NTU and 0.0–0.05 mg/L, respectively in spite of considerable fluctuation in corresponding influent of 2120–5350 mg/L, 79.5–129.3 mg/L, 110–181.1NTU and 4.9–5.4 mg/L. The e uent quality of the CMP could meet the requirements of mechanical water and hygiene water according to the class I water quality standards in China (GB3838-2002). The removal rates of COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS removed in the MBR were more than 90%, which indicated that biodegradation is indispensable and plays a major role in the wastewater treatment and reuse. A model, built on the back propagation neural network (BPNN) theory, was developed for the simulation of CMP and produced high reliability. The average error of COD and NH4 +-N was 5.14% and 6.20%, respectively, and the root mean squared error of turbidity and LAS was 2.76% and 1.41%, respectively. The results indicated that the model well fitted the laboratory data, and was able to simulate the removal of COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS. It also suggested that the model proposed could reflect and manage the operation of CMP for the treatment of the mixed wastewaters in submarine.     

煤与秸秆成型燃料的复合生命周期对比评价

利用复合生命周期对比评价方法,引入能量返还率、资源耗竭系数、环境影响负荷和生命周期成本4个参数,对煤和秸秆成型燃料在整个生命周期内的能源消耗、环境影响和经济性做了对比分析.同时,为了平衡能源、环境与经济三者之间的关系,建立EEE (Energy, Environment, Economic)综合指标进行整体评价.结果表明,在整个生命周期内,与煤相比,秸秆成型燃料的能量返还率低、资源耗竭系数小.秸秆成型燃料的全球变暖潜值、酸化潜值、富营养化潜值、工业烟尘、粉尘潜值及固体废弃物潜值均比煤小,因此,秸秆成型燃料的环境影响负荷比煤小.秸秆成型燃料的EEE指标值比煤小79.8%,所以,从平衡生命周期能源消耗、环境排放和经济性角度出发,秸秆成型燃料具有替代煤的潜力.但是,秸秆成型燃料的生命周期成本比煤高,其大力推广需要政府的财政补贴.     

Traffic accident reconstruction and an approach for prediction of fault rates using artificial neural networks: A case study in Turkey

Objective: Currently, in Turkey, fault rates in traffic accidents are determined according to the initiative of accident experts (no speed analyses of vehicles just considering accident type) and there are no specific quantitative instructions on fault rates related to procession of accidents which just represents the type of collision (side impact, head to head, rear end, etc.) in No. 2918 Turkish Highway Traffic Act (THTA 1983). The aim of this study is to introduce a scientific and systematic approach for determination of fault rates in most frequent property damage–only (PDO) traffic accidents in Turkey.

Methods: In this study, data (police reports, skid marks, deformation, crush depth, etc.) collected from the most frequent and controversial accident types (4 sample vehicle–vehicle scenarios) that consist of PDO were inserted into a reconstruction software called vCrash. Sample real-world scenarios were simulated on the software to generate different vehicle deformations that also correspond to energy-equivalent speed data just before the crash. These values were used to train a multilayer feedforward artificial neural network (MFANN), function fitting neural network (FITNET, a specialized version of MFANN), and generalized regression neural network (GRNN) models within 10-fold cross-validation to predict fault rates without using software. The performance of the artificial neural network (ANN) prediction models was evaluated using mean square error (MSE) and multiple correlation coefficient (R).

Results: It was shown that the MFANN model performed better for predicting fault rates (i.e., lower MSE and higher R) than FITNET and GRNN models for accident scenarios 1, 2, and 3, whereas FITNET performed the best for scenario 4. The FITNET model showed the second best results for prediction for the first 3 scenarios. Because there is no training phase in GRNN, the GRNN model produced results much faster than MFANN and FITNET models. However, the GRNN model had the worst prediction results. The R values for prediction of fault rates were close to 1 for all folds and scenarios.

Conclusions: This study focuses on exhibiting new aspects and scientific approaches for determining fault rates of involvement in most frequent PDO accidents occurring in Turkey by discussing some deficiencies in THTA and without regard to initiative and/or experience of experts. This study yields judicious decisions to be made especially on forensic investigations and events involving insurance companies. Referring to this approach, injury/fatal and/or pedestrian-related accidents may be analyzed as future work by developing new scientific models.     

取暖锅炉耗煤量核定方法探讨

利用采暖建筑所需的理论热负荷值,对单一取暖锅炉单位供暖面积所需耗煤量进行估算,通过估算出的耗煤量,结合国家现有的煤种、治理装置脱硫、除尘效率等参数,可以计算出燃煤锅炉单位取暖面积主要污染物排放量,为排污收费提供科学的依据。     

沈阳市煤炭行业大气污染物排放调查及污染当量数核算

通过对沈阳市具有代表性的几家煤矿企业废气污染物排放状况的监测研究,由此核算该行业主要大气污染物产生量,各污染因子的污染当量数,并确定了生产单位产品时产生的废气排污费征收额度,为大气污染物排放总量的控制管理提供技术依据。     

国内石油储运业现状及安全建议

分析了国内石油储运业的现状与发展趋势,提出几点建议。