GM Crops: Patently Wrong?

This paper focuses on the ethical justifiability of patents on Genetically Modified (GM) crops. I argue that there are three distinguishing features of GM crops that make it unethical to grant patents on GM crops, even if we assume that the patent system is in general justified. The first half of the paper critiques David Resnik’s recent arguments in favor of patents on GM crops. Resnik argues that we should take a consequentialist approach to the issue, and that the best way to do so is to apply the Precautionary Principle, and that the Precautionary Principle, in this case, supports patents on GM crops. I argue that his argument in favor of a consequentialist treatment is invalid; his Precautionary Principle in any case appears to be incompatible with consequentialism; and his conception of reasonable precautions is too ill-defined to have any argumentative purchase. In the second half of the paper, I argue against GM crop patents, on three grounds. First, there is insufficient evidence to say whether allowing patents on GM crops will make research go faster than not having patents, whilst there is a good reason to think that, other things being equal, a society that allows patents on GM crops will be less just than one that does not. Second, even assuming that patents on GM crops will increase the pace of GM crop research, there is no social need to do so. Third, patents on GM crops will frequently have ethically unacceptable side effects.     

抗滑桩加固三维多地层边坡最小势能稳定性分析

为了分析抗滑桩加固边坡的稳定性,基于最小势能原理,考虑桩土之间的相互作用和滑面储存的剪切势能,提出了抗滑桩加固多地层边坡的三维稳定性分析方法。将该方法与其他方法进行对比验证,并分析了抗滑桩相关参数对边坡稳定性的影响。结果表明:该方法是合理可行的;当抗滑桩位于边坡中部时,对边坡的稳定性更好;当抗滑桩的桩间距大于8 m时,抗滑桩间距的变化对边坡安全系数的影响较小。     

基于KPCA-LSSVM的矿井工作面动力环境安全评价模型

为实现对采前工作面所处动力环境的客观、准确评价,选取9个直接影响工作面 动力环境的指标因素构建安全评价指标体系,建立基于核主成分分析(KPCA)和最小二乘 支持向量机(LSSVM)的工作面动力环境多因素耦合安全评价智能模型。首先根据KPCA理 论对评价指标施行简约化处理,剔除冗余信息,得出6个简约后的评价指标并输入LSSVM 模型中训练学习,最后得到评价模型。选取从平顶山矿区和大同矿区搜集到的30组工作 面历史数据,按照20∶10的比例对模型进行训练和测试,并将测试结果与其他四种模型 结果进行了对比,结果表明:KPCA方法可有效减少数据信息冗余,利用KPCA优化的 LSSVM模型可准确评价工作面动力环境,误判率为0。     

基于聚类和多重评价法的河流质量评价研究

采用多重评价方法与聚类分析法对研究很少的大型江河——沅江下游的水质情况开展了调查、分析和质量评价。主成分分析法评价该江段的水质均属于Ⅰ类~Ⅱ类;加权的Topsis法、综合指数评价法、模糊识别评价法和判别分析法计算也均属于Ⅰ类~Ⅱ类,且方法间重复性较高,相互补充。UPGMA聚类分析发现,沅江桃源江段的水质可分为三个亚区;从修正TSI来看,所调查样点多为中营养水体;Ross法评判发现江段下游水质有变差趋势,除下游靠近县城水体外,多数仅为轻度污染水。总之,采用多重评价法综合对比才能弥补单一方法存在的漏洞,采用主成分分析法+加权的Topsis法+判别分析的水质评估以及TSIm河流富营养化评估和Ross法评估的多重评价和聚类分析等的评价体系能综合水质指标的不同侧重点,能更真实开展水质评价工作。     

我国生态村的建设与展望

防止农村生态环境恶化,充分、合理地利用自然资源,是持续稳定地发展农业生产的必要前提。我国生态村的建设起源于20世纪80年代蓬勃兴起的生态农业实践,本文通过我国生态村建设的兴起、发展与现状的分析,探讨了生态村概念、内涵和目标;总结归纳了我国生态村建设的模式、所遵循的基本原则和技术构成。最后分析了目前存在的问题,并指出了今后的发展趋势和广阔的应用前景。     

应用ICE和PCA方法评价硝基芳烃的综合毒性

应用种间相关估算(ICE)方法预测50种硝基芳烃缺失的生物毒性数据,对通过ICE计算获得的各种生物毒性数据进行主成分分析(PCA),计算综合毒性因子(ITI),进行综合毒性评价.结果表明,除了黄瓜种子发芽抑制毒性以外,其他各种生物毒性都在1%的显著水平上呈显著的线性正相关.硝基芳烃的这些生物毒性机制基本相似,因此应用ICE方法预测其毒性数据是可行的.QSAR分析表明,ITI与分子最低未占轨道能E_lumo有显著的相关性,r=0.869,表明亲电反应性是硝基芳烃的各种生物毒性所综合反映的主要致毒机理.基于ICE和PCA方法计算得到的ITI与基于QSAR和PCA方法计算得到的ITI的大小趋势具有一致性,ICE与PCA方法的联合应用可以成功地评价和预测硝基芳烃的综合毒性.     

Application of nanobalance technique and principal component analysis for detection of the soil fumigant Telone residues in the air

Quartz crystal nanobalance (QCN) technique is considered as a powerful mass sensitive sensor for monitoring of materials in the sub-nanogram level. In the current study, a method based on QCN technique developed to determine Telone in air. Various coating materials including methyl phenyl silicon, 75% phenyl (OV25) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) were employed. The frequency shift of OV25-modified quartz crystal was found to be linear against organohalogen compounds [Telone (soil fumigant), Koril (Herbicide), Endosulfan (organochlorine insecticide) and Chloroform (solvent)] concentrations in the range of 2.4 to 48 mg L^?1 for Telone vapor and 4.8–24 mg L^?1 for three other vapors. The correlation coefficients for Telone, Koril, Endosulfan and Chloroform were 0.992, 0.996, 0.989 and 0.991, respectively. The principal component analysis was also utilized to process the frequency response data of the organic vapors. Using principal component analysis, it was found that more than 93.85% of the data variance could still be explained by use of two principal components (PC1 and PC2). Subsequently, the successful discrimination of Telone and other compounds was quite possible through the principal component analysis of the transient responses of the OV25-modified electrode. In the second method, a molecularly imprinted polymer-coated sensor for Telone was developed. Molecularly imprinted polymer coated quartz crystal (MIP-QCN) showed a selective response to Telone and gave a linear relationship between frequency shift and amount of Telone from 1 to 48 mg L^?1. In this investigation, the proficiency of MIP-QCN and OV25-modified QCN sensors were compared.     

环境工艺方法论研究——对称法

对称法是科学研究的基本方法。本文对对称法在环境工艺中的应用进行了研究,并讨论了其哲学意义。     

砷测定方法的机理

理论研究是做好实验的基础。只有从理论给予说明,才能充分发挥主观能动作用,以有效地排除实验中的异常现象,从而获得理想的实验结果。本文从实验方法、操作技巧等方面剖析了砷测定方法的机理。     

Optimal control of lake pH for mercury bioaccumulation control

Mercury is recognized internationally as an important pollutant since mercury and its compounds are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, and pose human and ecosystem risks. A critical aspect of mercury cycling is its bioaccumulation, mainly as methylmercury, along the aquatic food web resulting in high risk of human exposure through contaminated fish consumption. Since lake acidity (pH) and mercury methylation are correlated, control of lake pH through lake liming is a possible option to mitigate mercury bioaccumulation. This work proposes to use optimal control theory to derive time-dependent lake liming strategies for a tighter control of lake pH. Since the behavior of the freshwater ecosystems such as lakes is often associated with considerable uncertainties, a robust and realistic analysis should incorporate such uncertainties. This work models the time-dependent uncertain variations in the basic lake pH value and derives the liming profiles in the presence of such seasonal pH fluctuations. Established techniques from real options theory are employed for modeling the uncertainty as a stochastic process, and stochastic optimal control is used for deriving liming profiles. The approach is critically evaluated through applications to various case study lakes. Considering the substantial costs associated with liming operations, the work formulates a multi-objective problem highlighting the tradeoff between accurate pH control and liming cost. The results of the control problem solution are also compared with heuristics based liming. The results, while highlighting the success of using time-dependent liming, put forth certain interesting aspects that might be helpful to a decision maker. The analysis is expected to make liming operation more reliable, thereby presenting one more tool to manage the harmful effects of mercury pollution.