GENETIC PROGRAMMING: A NEW PARADIGM IN RAINFALL RUNOFF MODELING1

ABSTRACT: Genetic Programming (GP) is a domain‐independent evolutionary programming technique that evolves computer programs to solve, or approximately solve, problems. To verify GP's capability, a simple example with known relation in the area of symbolic regression, is considered first. GP is then utilized as a flow forecasting tool. A catchment in Singapore with a drainage area of about 6 km² is considered in this study. Six storms of different intensities and durations are used to train GP and then verify the trained GP. Analysis of the GP induced rainfall and runoff relationship shows that the cause and effect relationship between rainfall and runoff is consistent with the hydrologic process. The result shows that the runoff prediction accuracy of symbolic regression based models, measured in terms of root mean square error and correlation coefficient, is reasonably high. Thus, GP induced rainfall runoff relationships can be a viable alternative to traditional rainfall runoff models.     

A Social Contract for Biotechnology: Shared Visions for Risky Technologies?

Future technological developmentsconcerning food, agriculture, and theenvironment face a gulf of social legitimationfrom a skeptical public and media, in the wakeof the crises of BSE, GM food, and foot andmouth disease in the UK (House of Lords, 2000). Keyethical issues were ignored by the bioindustry,regulators, and the Government, leaving alegacy of distrust. The paper examinesagricultural biotechnology in terms of a socialcontract, whose conditions would have to be fulfilled togain acceptance of novel applications. Variouscurrent and future GM applications areevaluated against these conditions. Successwould depend critically on how far a sharedvision can be found with the public. Tore-establish trust, significant changes areidentified in the planning and pursuit ofbiotechnology.     

基于遗传算法与人工神经网络相结合的玉米估产研究

在遗传算法 (GeneticAlgorithm )与误差反传 (BackPropagation)网络结构模型相结合的基础上 ,设计了用遗传算法训练神经网络权重的新方法 ,并对吉林省梨树县的玉米进行了估产研究 ,同时与BP算法和灰色系统理论模型进行了比较。经检验 ,计算值与实际值接近 ,并优于灰色理论模型 ,具有良好的预测效果 ,从而为农作物估产提供了新方法     

云南潞西上芒岗红色粘土型金矿地质特征

潞西上芒岗红色粘土型金矿赋存于下二叠统岩溶面之上的第三、第四系红色粘土层中 ,矿体形态受地形控制明显 ,呈似层状。品位较高 ,规模中等 ,适合于露天开采。矿体的红土化作用不彻底 ,去硅富铁铝能力低 ,常见高岭石与伊利石共生。矿石中石英、褐铁矿、粘土矿物为主要载金矿物。成矿物质来自燕山中晚期形成的中侏罗勐嘎组中段与二叠系的沙子坡组的断层接触破碎带内的卡林型金矿。在湿热条件下 ,金发生活化、迁移、富集 ,在潜水面附近成矿。     

Prenatal diagnosis in a family with mitochondrial acetoacetyl-coenzyme a thiolase deficiency with the use of the polymerase chain reaction followed by the heteroduplex detection method

Mitochondrial acetoacetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) thiolase deficiency is an organic aciduria which affects isoleucine and ketone body catabolism. GK16 (the index patient) was affected with this disorder and previous studies had revealed that GK16 was a compound heterozygote with IVS8(+1) gt to tt and A301P mutations. In a subsequent pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis was performed and the fetus's amniocytes were analysed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by the heteroduplex detection method on a Mutation Detection Enhancement gel. The fetus was identified as a carrier of the IVS8(+1) mutation. We confirmed the diagnosis by immunoblot analysis of extracted amniocytes and gene analysis with blood filter paper after delivery. This is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of this disorder at the gene level.     

True trisomy 15 mosaicism,detected by amniocentesis at 12 weeks of gestation and fetal echocardiography

A case of mosaicism of trisomy 15, with two-thirds of the cells trisomic, was detected at 12 weeks of gestation in amniotic fluid cell cultures obtained with the filtration technique. Ultrasound examination at 13 weeks showed a nodule protruding into the amniotic cavity which was speculated to be remnants of a co-twin, causing the trisomic cell line. At 20 weeks of gestation, a malformation scan (level III) was normal, but supplementary fetal echocardiography revealed a severe cardiac defect (mitral atresia and a ventricular septal defect). Fetal lymphocytes obtained by cordocentesis showed trisomy 15 mosaicism, but only in 5 per cent of the mitoses. After termination, the same percentage of trisomy 15 mosaicism was found in cells from skin and tendon as in the original early amniocentesis. No sign of earlier twinning was found in the placenta or membranes. We conclude that mosaicism in early amniotic fluid obtained by the filter technique in this case reflected the true karyotype accurately and that supplementary echocardiography added significantly to the interpretation of the clinical implications.     

Genetic amniocentesis at 7–14 weeks of gestation

Genetic amniocentesis performed at 7–14 weeks of gestation was studied in a series of 138 patients of whom 50 wanted termination of pregnancy (⩽ 12 weeks). The material for analysis consisted of 132 samples due to two sampling failures and four samples being handled incorrectly. Forty-eight samples (36 per cent) were taken at 7–12 weeks of gestation, mainly transvaginally (36/48:75 per cent). The success rate of culture and karyotyping increased with the duration of pregnancy, but was only satisfactory from week 11 onwards. The time until harvest was then 14–15 days. The transvaginal approach is easy to perform and was accepted by the women, but we experienced bacterial or fungal overgrowth in 17 per cent of these samples, whereas no infection occurred in the samples taken transabdominally (n = 96). We conclude that genetic amniocentesis is feasible from week 11, but further studies concerning side effects, especially focusing on the procedure-related abortion risk, should be carried out before early amniocentesis is routinely applied.     

利用rep-PCR研究云南尼泊尔桤木根瘤内Frankia基因多样性

利用rep-PCR指纹技术对云南5个地区的尼泊尔桤木根瘤内Frankia菌基因多样性进行研究,实验发现Frankia菌呈现丰富的基因多样性.所有71个样品被分为11种不同的基因类型.除高黎贡山外,不同地域都有某种基因型占优势,显示Frankia菌基因型与地域有紧密关系.所观察的5个地区中,高黎贡山Frankia菌基因型种类最多,多样性指数最高,基因多样性最为丰富.结合高黎贡山地理资料及其它生物多样性相关研究,推测与高黎贡山尼泊尔桤木共生的Frankia可能作为种储备库,为其它地区的寄主植物提供了祖先菌株.图8表1参13