Multi-objective optimization of a novel crude lipase-catalyzed fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) production using low-order polynomial and Kriging models

In this paper, conventional response surface methodology (RSM) based on low-order polynomials and an alternative Kriging-based method are used for the model-based single and multi-objective optimization of fatty-acid methyl ester (FAME) production catalyzed by a novel crude lipase from the yeast Cryptococcus diffluens (D44). The coefficient of determination for the two modeling approaches was calculated as 0.97 for the Kriging method, and 0.86 for RSM; showing a more reliable representation of experimental data by Kriging. Both models were used to perform single (maximizing FAME titer and temporal productivity separately) and multi-objective (maximizing FAME titer and temporal productivity simultaneously) optimizations of four important operating conditions (reaction time and temperature; amount of crude enzyme; and volume of methanol used). In all cases, the highest temperature considered (60°C) gave the best results. A reduction of reaction time in half was seen to be necessary to achieve optimum productivity compared to titer, when the two objectives were considered separately. The observed trade-off between the two objectives was quantified via multi-objective optimization using Pareto-front analysis.     

Dynamic responses and damage of storage tanks under the coupling effect of blast wave and fragment impact

Blast wave and fragment are two main types of physical damage effects representing a significant threat to storage tank structures in chemical industrial parks. Compared with the effect of only blast wave or fragment, the coupling effect of them may cause more severe consequences and is worthy of study. A numerical study of the dynamic responses and damage of a vertical storage tank subjected to the coupling effect of blast wave and fragment is conducted based on a typical accident. The simulation results reveal that stress-concentration and rapid increase of the stress exist in the impacted region of the storage tank under the coupling effect, which leads to the structural damage of the tank exhibiting different failure modes. The coupling effect is significantly apparent following a dramatic increase of the plastic strain, and the damage of the storage tank is further aggravated. From the displacement response and energy absorption, the overall damage of the storage tank subjected to the coupling effect is more severe than that caused by blast wave and fragment separately, which also indicates that the coupling effect is an enhanced damage effect. Besides, the contribution of blast wave and fragment to the coupling effect depends on scaled distance. The results of the study help reveal the coupling effect of blast wave and fragment and prevent domino accidents caused by the coupling effect.     

集胞藻钙化对Cd胁迫的生理响应

为了研究在藻体钙化情况下Cd对集胞藻的胁迫作用,采用实验室模拟方法,通过不同浓度Ca2 、Cd2 配比下培养基中生物量、光合溶解氧、叶绿素等一系列生理指标的变化来反映钙化条件下Cd2 对集胞藻细胞的胁迫程度.结果显示,钙离子的存在能够使Cd2 对藻细胞的毒害作用减小并保护其受到进一步损害;二因素影响下交互试验,发现Ca2 、Cd2 分别与生物量呈现明显的负相关(|FCa2 |＞F0.05|FCd2 |＞F0.05),两者的交互作用与其呈显著正相关(FCd2 ＞F0.05).SEM和EDS观察到钙化层的产生.这说明重金属Cd对藻体胁迫压力的减小是由于钙化层的保护作用.     

庆阳市庆城县退耕还林区土壤纤毛虫群落特征

为研究土壤纤毛虫群落对不同退耕模式生态恢复的响应及利用其群落特征来评价退还效果,采用“非淹没培养皿法”、活体观察法和培养直接计数法对甘肃省庆阳市庆城县退耕10年后的多树种混交林(APR)和单一树种经济林(A)以及两个农田对照样地(CK1和CK2)的土壤纤毛虫群落特征进行定性定量研究,同时测定各样地土壤温度、含水量、pH值、电导率、土壤孔隙度、有机质、总氮、总磷、总钾、速效氮、速效磷和速效钾含量,并分析不同退耕还模式下土壤纤毛虫群落特征参数与土壤理化因子间的相关关系。结果为:共鉴定到土壤纤毛虫127种,隶属10纲21目34科52属;退耕样地与农田对照样地土壤纤毛虫物种分布存在明显差异,退耕样地间的物种相似性减小,群落组成复杂化,纤毛虫密度、多样性指数和丰富度指数均显著高于对照(P<0.05),其中混交林物种多样性最高;土壤纤毛虫优势类群由农田样地的肾形目(Colpodida)逐渐过渡为退耕样地的散毛目(Sporadotrichida);相关性分析可知,有机质、总氮、孔隙度和pH是影响土壤纤毛虫群落组成的关键因子,不同退耕模式下土壤纤毛虫群落组成差异较大,表明土壤纤毛虫群落对该地区退耕还林生态恢复工程发生了积极的响应,因此土壤纤毛虫群落特征参数可以作为评价退还效果的重要指标。     

根际土壤中Cd、Pb形态转化及其植物效应

采用根袋盆栽试验和连续形态分析方法研究根际土壤中Cd、Pb形态转化及其植物效应。结果表明，(1)在低Cd质量分数(≤1mg／kg)污染条件下，根际土壤中cd主要以残渣态存在；在较高cd质量分数(≥5mg／kg)污染条件下，cd主要以交换态和碳酸盐结合态存在，即根际土壤中Cd由残渣态向交换态和碳酸盐结合态转化，Cd活性增强。(2)Pb在根际土壤中主要以有机结合态和铁锰氧化物结合态存在，交换态质量分数很低，并随Pb污染水平的提高，其主要存在形态未改变。(3)土壤中Cd、Pb总质量分数及各形态质量分数(残渣态除外)与小麦根、茎叶中Cd、Pb质量分数呈正相关性，而与鲜质量呈负相关性；当w(Cd)添加量≥5mg／kg时，小麦鲜质量明显下降；当w(Pb)≥500mg／kg时，小麦鲜质量下降。     

Small sample estimation for Taylor's power law

An analysis of counts of sample size N=2 arising from a survey of the grass Bromus commutatus identified several factors which might seriously affect the estimation of parameters of Taylor's power law for such small sample sizes. The small sample estimation of Taylor's power law was studied by simulation. For each of five small sample sizes, N=2, 3, 5, 15 and 30, samples were simulated from populations for which the underlying known relationship between variance and mean was given by ² = c^d. One thousand samples generated from the negative binomial distribution were simulated for each of the six combinations of c=1,2 and 11, and d=1, 2, at each of four mean densities, =0.5, 1, 10 and 100, giving 4000 samples for each combination. Estimates of Taylor's power law parameters were obtained for each combination by regressing log₁₀ s ² on log₁₀ m, where s ² and m are the sample variance and mean, respectively. Bias in the parameter estimates, b and log₁₀ a, reduced as N increased and increased with c for both values of d and these relationships were described well by quadratic response surfaces. The factors which affect small-sample estimation are: (i) exclusion of samples for which m = s ² = 0; (ii) exclusion of samples for which s ² = 0, but m > 0; (iii) correlation between log₁₀ s ² and log₁₀ m; (iv) restriction on the maximum variance expressible in a sample; (v) restriction on the minimum variance expressible in a sample; (vi) underestimation of log₁₀ s ² for skew distributions; and (vii) the limited set of possible values of m and s ². These factors and their effect on the parameter estimates are discussed in relation to the simulated samples. The effects of maximum variance restriction and underestimation of log₁₀ s ² were found to be the most severe. We conclude that Taylor's power law should be used with caution if the majority of samples from which s ² and m are calculated have size, N, less than 15. An example is given of the estimated effect of bias when Taylor's power law is used to derive an efficient sampling scheme.     

Exposure to variable spatial information in the early rearing environment generates asymmetries in social interactions in cod (Gadus morhua)

Many re-introduction programs used for conservation of populations and species threatened with extinction advocate the use of enriched rearing environments to train animals how to behave appropriately in the wild. Curiously, most of the current fish re-stocking programs have paid little attention to lessons previously learned in bird and mammal re-introductions. Many rehabilitation programs that use releases of hatchery fish observe higher mortality in released fish compared to wild, with most mortality arising shortly after release. One explanation for this mortality is based purely on selection processes; many hatchery fish normally selected out of the population thrive in the predator free, food-rich hatcheries. Alternatively, mortalities may be high because hatchery nursery environments fail to shape fish behaviour appropriately. Here, we empirically address the effect of enrichment in the early rearing environment in coastal cod (Gadus morhua). We find asymmetries in aggressive behaviour when fish reared in plain or enriched environments are allowed to interact. Furthermore, cod reared in standard, impoverished, hatchery environments spend less time in shelter, are more active, and show weaker anti-predator responses than fish reared with access to heterogeneous spatial cues. These results suggest that the constant, plain environments of fish farms may generate behavioural deficits that could reasonably be expected to be associated with lower survival in fish released into the wild.     

棉铃虫天敌中红侧沟茧蜂Microplitis mediator对不同处理棉花的趋性行为反应

采用机械损伤(处理A)、棉铃虫取食为害(处理B)、棉铃虫取食棉花 棉铃虫复合物(处理B H)、水杨酸诱导(处理C)、机械损伤加棉铃虫口腔分泌物(处理D)5种方式诱导现蕾期棉花植株,并应用Y型嗅觉仪测定处理后棉花对棉铃虫天敌中红侧沟茧蜂搜索寄主行为的影响.处理B、处理B H和处理C棉花对中红侧沟茧蜂有显著的引诱作用.健康棉株、处理A及处理D棉花对中红侧沟茧蜂没有明显的吸引.中红侧沟茧蜂对处理C、处理B H以及处理B棉花没有明显的趋性差异.利用气质联用系统对各处理棉花挥发性物质进行定性和定量分析.表明处理B、处理B H、处理C棉花挥发物种类和含量均比对照棉花多,处理A及处理D棉花与对照棉花挥发物种类和含量差异不显著.处理C、处理B及处理B H棉花中β-月桂烯、β-蒎烯、α-蒎烯的含量明显增加.处理C棉花柠檬烯的含量发生明显变化.图2表1参19     

砂页岩赤红壤磷肥活化效果及其机理研究

应用不同活化剂处理不同性质的磷肥，并对其在砂页岩赤红壤中的生物效应及作用机理进行了研究。结果表明，在砂页岩赤红壤上，施用供试的儿种经活化剂处理的磷肥均能显著提高蔬菜生物量。砂页岩赤红壤中的铁、锰质量分数与磷素的有效性有密切的关系，且在还原条件下，土壤铁、锰对磷的固定作用更大；硅、钙可促进土壤中磷的释放。供试活化剂不仅可促进难溶磷的释放，还可控制水溶性磷的释放，使土壤供磷性能平稳；有机活化剂的用量，用于难溶性磷促释时其质量分数为3％，用于水溶性磷控释时其质量分数约为14％。在土壤-植物体系中，活化剂对磷的促释和控释机理是它通过对土壤铁、锰、铝质量分数的调节而实现对磷的活化。     

The communal crop: modulation of sucrose response thresholds of pre-foraging honey bees with incoming nectar quality

We examined whether the quality (concentration) of incoming sucrose solutions returned by foraging honey bees affected the response thresholds of pre-foraging members of the colony. Six pairs of colonies were given ad libitum access to sucrose solution feeders. A colony from each pair was switched from 20–50% sugar concentration feeders while the other continued to have access to 20% sucrose feeders. Proboscis extension response (PER) scores to an increasing series of sucrose concentrations were significantly higher in pre-foragers of colonies foraging on 20% sucrose throughout compared to pre-foragers in colonies where foraging was switched to 50% sucrose. Although all colonies had honey stores, the concentration of sugar solution in non-foraging bees crops were significantly lower in bees from colonies foraging on 20% sucrose compared to those from colonies foraging on 50% sucrose. Because response thresholds to sugar of young bees were modulated by the concentration of sucrose solution returned to colonies, we repeated the 2000 study of Pankiw and Page that potentially confounded baseline response thresholds with modulated scores due to experience in the colony. Here, we examined PER scores to sucrose in bees within 6 h of emergence, prior to feeding experience, and their forage choice 2 to 3 weeks later. Pollen foragers had higher PER scores as newly emerged bees compared to bees that eventually became nectar foragers. These results confirm those of the 2000 study by Pankiw and Page. Combined, these experiments demonstrate that variation in pre-forager sucrose response thresholds are established prior to emerging as adults but may be modulated by incoming resources later on. Whether this modulation has long-term effects on foraging behavior is unknown but modulation has short-term effects and the potential to act as a means of communication among all bees in the colony.Communicated by M. Giurfa