Design training and aesthetic evaluation: An intergroup comparison

A number of studies have observed differences in the evaluation of visual, aesthetic stimuli between those with and without professional training in art and design. If exposure to design training underlies such differences it follows that evidence of training effects should be observable when comparing subjects at different stages of design training, and not observable when comparing subjects at different stages of non-design training. In addition, this evidence should be consistent with directional predictions. The study reported in this paper investigated this question using a sample of 192 trained and untrained subjects in an evaluative task. Subjects were from two departments (Design and Computer Studies) of the same educational establishment and comprised balanced groups of lecturers, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students. The results obtained demonstrated evaluative differences and patterns of association both within and between the subject groups consistent with a training hypothesis.     

Negative Off‐Site Impacts of Ecological Restoration: Understanding and Addressing the Conflict

Abstract: Ecological restoration is a key component of biological conservation. Nevertheless, unlike protection of existing areas, restoration changes existing land use and can therefore be more controversial. Some restoration projects negatively affect surrounding landowners, creating social constraints to restoration success. Just as negative off‐site impacts (i.e., negative externalities) flow from industrial areas to natural areas, restoration projects can generate negative externalities for commercial land uses, such as agriculture. Negative externalities from industry have led to government regulation to prevent human health and environmental impacts. Negative externalities from restoration projects have elicited similar legal constraint on at least one large‐scale conservation project, riparian restoration in the Sacramento River Conservation Area. The negative externalities of restoration that are perceived to be the direct result of specific goals, such as endangered species management, are likely to be more contentious than externalities arising from unintended phenomena such as weed invasion. Restoration planners should give equal consideration to off‐site characteristics as to on‐site characteristics when choosing sites for restoration and designing projects. Efforts to control externalities can lead to off‐site ecological benefits.     

The behavioral component in the meaning of places

How do people think about the physical setting in the world around them? Part of the answer to this question may be in terms of the behaviors that occur there. To explore people's knowledge of behavior—place associations, twenty places (shown via color photographs) were assessed in five ways: (a) ratings of the place's suitability for each of eleven behaviors, (b) ratings of the expected frequency of occurrence of the eleven behaviors, (c) free listings of reasons for going to each place, (d) free listings of activities-while-there and (e) free listings of activities associated with the place. Results showed that people can distinguish places on the basis of behaviors, that the behavioral component of place meaning is composed of distinct aspects, and that knowledge of behavior is related to a global, overall representation of a place.     

Unexpected structural chromosome rearrangements in prenatal diagnosis

Among 5315 prenatal diagnoses performed for various indications (maternal age, neural tube defect, metabolic diseases, X-linked diseases, pathologic pregnancies) 29 unexpected structural chromosome rearrangements were found in fetal cells. Fourteen were de novo chromosome rearrangements, six unbalanced, and eight balanced. Fifteen were inherited and balanced rearrangements. This high frequency of structural anomalies is discussed.     

Extinction risk of the endemic vascular flora of Kauai,Hawaii, based on IUCN assessments

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) is the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of species. Governmental agencies and conservation organizations increasingly rely on IUCN Red List assessments to develop conservation policies and priorities. Funding agencies use the assessments as evaluation criteria, and researchers use meta-analysis of red-list data to address fundamental and applied conservation science questions. However, the circa 143,000 IUCN assessments represent a fraction of the world's biodiversity and are biased in regional and organismal coverage. These biases may affect conservation priorities, funding, and uses of these data to understand global patterns. Isolated oceanic islands are characterized by high endemicity, but the unique biodiversity of many islands is experiencing high extinction rates. The archipelago of Hawaii has one of the highest levels of endemism of any floristic region; 90% of its 1367 native vascular plant taxa are classified as endemic. We used the IUCN's assessment of the complete single-island endemic (SIE) vascular plant flora of Kauai, Hawaii, to assess the proportion and drivers of decline of threatened plants in an oceanic island setting. We compared the IUCN assessments with federal, state, and other local assessments of Kauai species or taxa of conservation concern. Finally, we conducted a preliminary assessment for all 1044 native vascular plants of Hawaii based on IUCN criterion B by estimating area of occupancy, extent of occurrence, and number of locations to determine whether the pattern found for the SIE vascular flora of Kauai is comparable to the native vascular flora of the Hawaiian Islands. We compared our results with patterns observed for assessments of other floras. According to IUCN, 256 SIE vascular plant taxa are threatened with extinction and 5% are already extinct. This is the highest extinction risk reported for any flora to date. The preliminary assessment of the native vascular flora of Hawaii showed that 72% (753 taxa) is threatened. The flora of Hawaii may be one of the world's most threatened; thus, increased and novel conservation measures in the state and on other remote oceanic islands are urgently needed.     

基于改进灰色模型的管壁蜡沉积厚度预测研究

为对含蜡原油管道中的蜡沉积厚度进行准确预测,在函数cot(x2)变换的基础上,结合平移变换思想,利用cot(x2+c)变换建立新的改进GM(1,1)模型。以现场管道结蜡数据和室内环道结蜡数据为例,对比改进GM(1,1)模型、基于函数cot(x2)变换建立的GM(1,1)模型及传统GM(1,1)模型之间的预测精度,并分析平移量c对改进GM(1,1)模型预测精度的影响。结果表明:改进GM(1,1)模型的预测精度最高,其次是基于函数cot(x2)变换建立的GM(1,1)模型,而传统GM(1,1)模型的预测精度最低;随着平移量的增大,改进GM(1,1)模型的平均相对预测误差呈现出先减小后增大的趋势,因此合理的平移量有助于模型精度的提高。应用改进GM(1,1)模型来预测管道蜡沉积厚度是可行的,该方法可为含蜡原油管道蜡沉积厚度的准确预测提供参考和借鉴。     

转cry1Ab基因水稻中毒蛋白的表达、分泌及其在土壤中的残留

研究了转cry1Ab基因水稻(克螟稻)中Cry1Ab毒蛋白的表达、根系分泌及其在土壤中的残留规律.结果表明,分蘖始期至成熟期,克螟稻地上部和根部中的Cry1Ab毒蛋白的表达量(FW)分别为3.23～8.22 μg/g和0.68～0.89 μg/g.生育期间克螟稻根系分泌的Cry1Ab毒蛋白含量仅为1.66～48.02 ng/(株·d).试验证实,克螟稻根际土中的Cry1Ab毒蛋白残留含量低于检测限(<0.5ng/g 干燥土).生物测定还表明,克螟稻根际土及其提取液对棉铃虫初孵幼虫和3龄幼虫不产生致死性效应.相对于Cry1Ab毒蛋白的根系分泌转移,克螟稻秸秆还田对土壤环境的影响应引起重视.     

管制员安全能力模型研究

为准确评价管制员安全能力,基于能力的定义和管制员工作职责,界定管制员安全能力的内涵;依据该内涵及其工作特性,建立由身体素质、业务素质和意识3个结构维度组成的管制员安全能力模型。其中,身体素质包括生理状况和心理状况;业务素质包括教育状况、培训状况、技能状况和经验状况;意识包括安全意识和工作意识。在各项指标性质差异较大情况下,利用功效系数法实现评价指标的标准化以减小误差,客观反映指标情况,同时采用G1-法和熵值法集成的主客观综合赋权法确定指标的权重,在一定程度上弥补主客观单一赋权的不足,最后通过逼近理想解排序法(TOPSIS)评价管制员安全能力。结果表明,按照从大到小排序对管制员安全能力的影响因素依次为意识、身体素质和业务素质。就对所论能力的影响而言,心理状况强于生理状况;技能状况强教育、培训和经验状况;安全意识对意识的影响大于工作意识。