中药复方对鸡免疫器官指数及IL-2表达的动态影响

将300只1日龄公雏鸡随机分为3组,两组分别给予中药方Ⅰ和方Ⅱ(由石膏、苍术、黄柏、藿香分别按质量比1∶1∶1∶1和0.5∶1∶1∶1比例组成,按体重0.3 mg/kg的剂量饮水),对照组按照常规方法饲养。分别于雏鸡第7、21、35、49日龄时,每组随机抽取5只鸡剖杀,取腔上囊、脾、胸腺测定免疫器官指数和IL-2平均阳性表达率,以探讨中药复方对雏鸡免疫器官指数及其IL-2表达的动态影响。结果显示,随着用药时间的增加,中药方Ⅰ和方Ⅱ可显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)提高腔上囊、脾和胸腺等免疫器官指数及其IL-2的平均阳性表达率,方Ⅰ对各免疫器官IL-2阳性表达率的影响最为显著(P<0.05)。证实该中药复方可促进雏鸡细胞免疫水平,增强其非特异性免疫功能,并促进免疫器官的发育。     

贵州地区嗜尸蝇类调查

目的　调查贵州地区与尸体有关的蝇类。方法　根据昆虫学调查方法 ,设定调查地域 12个 ,于 2月、 5月、 8月和 11月的 10～ 2 0日采集一次标本。结果　全年 12个地域 44次共采集嗜尸蝇类标本 3 743 3只 ,经鉴定隶属于 5科 17属 2 7种。结论　取得了贵州地区嗜尸蝇种及区域、季节分布的资料 ,填补了在《中国蝇类》中未见贵州报道的空白。为下一步研究各嗜尸蝇种的生活史打下了基础 ,为推测死者的死亡季节及死亡环境提供参考依据。     

Bayesian mixture modelling for glass refractive index measurement

Glass is a common type of physical evidence in forensic science. Broken glass recovered from a suspect may have similar physical characteristics to glass collected at a crime scene and therefore can be used as evidence. Statistical treatment of this evidence involves computing a measure of the weight of evidence. This may be done in a Bayesian framework that incorporates information from the circumstances of the crime. One of the most crucial quantities in this calculation is the assessment of the relative rarity of the characteristics of the glass, essentially the probability distribution used to model the physical characteristics of recovered glass. Typical characteristics used in casework are the elemental composition of glass and the refractive index measurement. There is a considerable body of scientific literature devoted to the modelling of this information. For example a kernel density estimation has been used to model the background population of glass based on the refractive index measurement and a multivariate Gaussian finite mixture model has been used to model the elemental composition of glass. In this paper, we present an alternative approach, the Dirichlet Process Mixture Model, to model the glass refractive index measurement in a Bayesian methodology. A key advantage is that using this method allows us to model the probability density distribution of refractive index measurements in a more flexible way.     

Macro-determinants of the Lithuanian housing market: a test for Granger causality

This research examines the macro-determinants of the Lithuanian housing market. The study employs the Granger causality test to assess the interdependence of a number of macro-variables and the national housing price index. Regardless of the limitations involved with this methodology, the empirical findings suggest that the Lithuanian housing market relates to growth in building activity, interest rates, inflation, and employment. Considering all of these results, the research highlights useful policy implications for property market participants. Investors and developers can employ this information to guide their investment decisions. Likewise, the government and central bank could use this updated knowledge to drive a successful macroeconomic program.     

The Effect of Soft Tissue on Temperature Estimation from Burnt Bone Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

This study investigated the effect of soft tissue and different exposure times on the prediction of burning temperatures of bone when using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Ovis aries rib bones were burnt at different temperatures and for varying time intervals. Results of a linear regression analysis indicated that burn temperatures can be predicted with a standard error of ±70°C from defleshed bone spectra. Exposure time does not have a significant impact on prediction accuracy. The presence of soft tissue has a significant impact on heat‐induced changes of the bone matrix in low (<300°C) as well as high temperatures (>800°C), slowing down combustion in the former and accelerating it in the latter (p < 0.05). At medium temperatures, no significant difference was noted. These results provide forensic investigators a new perspective with which to interpret the results of crystallinity measures derived from burnt bone.     

Quality of Political Management and the Role of Corruption: A Cross-Country Analysis

Using the Bertelsmann Transformation Political Management Index (PMI, 2008), which measures the role and quality of political leaders, this study empirically investigates the relationship among corruption, economic freedom, and political management, controlling for the underlying socio-economic and cultural factors that shape the success of a country's political leadership. The results suggest that corruption significantly affects the quality of political management and that the effect is dependent on the level of economic freedom.     

Bringing direct democracy back in: toward a three-dimensional measure of democracy

Most procedural definitions and measurements of democracy are missing one crucial component: direct popular decision-making. This is an important gap that does not allow users of data to ascertain some important variation among democracies. Thus, I propose a new measure that is strongly anchored in a procedural definition of democracy but includes this missing dimension. The proposed measure is well rooted in the literature and introduces a dimension whereby citizens may become the masters of their political fate at any time and without the consent of elected authorities, while avoiding the inclusion of extraneous attributes that are not highlighted in democratic theory. Tests of the validity of the new indicator, using Latin American cases, show that there is enough room for its inclusion without the typical collinearity problems this literature faces. This indicator is not only sound, but it is empirically appealing as it performs better than others when testing relevant hypotheses.     

Sibship Analysis Based on Parental Genotype Reconstruction from Any Number of Reference Siblings

Previous analyses of alleged siblings have calculated the conditional probability of a test sibling's genotype given a reference sibling's genotype; however, more genetic information is available when two or more reference siblings are tested. Based on the root concept of identity by descent (IBD), we present a sibship method of parental genotype reconstruction (PGR) that can use any number of reference sibs. Nine PGR patterns, along with their respective IBD proportions of full‐sibs and half‐sibs, were identified and used to calculate joint sibship probabilities and likelihood ratio formulas. In addition, a correction PGR was developed for situations involving the same genotype repeating in the reference sibs. The method is simple and can be applied to any number of alleged full or half‐siblings.     

Regionalizing Multilateralism: Estimating the Power of Potential Regional Voting Blocs in the IMF

This paper explores the voting power of hypothetical regional voting blocs in the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund. We first discuss the prospect of regionally defined groups becoming more significant in the Fund’s decision-making process. After briefly outlining the IMF’s formal decision procedures, including its weighted voting system, use of special majorities, and the function of voting groups in the Fund’s Executive Board we define three indices of a priori voting power — the Banzhaf, Johnston, and Shapley-Shubik indices — which are then applied to existing voting groups. Following this we simulate several regionally defined a priori coalitions and their potential to influence outcomes in passing resolutions in the Fund using a simple majority. The coalitions we specify are based on the assumption that members of the IMF will form into voting blocs based on regionally-defined preferences. The procedures employed use existing voting weights to project the relative strengths of alternative regional blocs that could emerge within the IMF. Our results indicate that the United States would have the greatest voting power in almost all scenarios. A voting bloc comprised of European countries, however, would be able to dominate the United States unless the U.S. formed an Asia-Pacific bloc. Japan, the PRC, and other Asian countries appear to be unable to form voting blocs that would provide them with more voting power than the United States.     

脑炎原虫病兔血液中几种免疫指标的检测

为了调查脑炎原虫病兔血液中几种免疫指标的变化,采用E-玫瑰花环试验、流式细胞仪检测、间接ELISA试验和双向免疫琼脂扩散试验对12只病兔和12只对照兔血液中的T细胞、CD4+T细胞、CD8+T细胞和IgG进行了测定。结果显示,脑炎原虫病兔与对照兔相比,E-玫瑰花环形成率增高,CD4+T细胞没有明显变化,但CD8+T细胞明显增多,CD4+/CD8+T细胞的比值变小,血液中IgG含量增高,双向免疫琼脂扩散时形成沉淀线的抗体稀释倍数增大。据此认为,脑炎原虫病兔的体液免疫和细胞免疫均增强,但以细胞免疫为主,CD4+/CD8+T细胞的比值变小可能与兔脑炎原虫所引起的隐性或慢性感染有关。