OPTIMAL INVESTMENT IN THE PROTECTION OF A VULNERABLE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE

It is assumed that the probability of destruction of a biological asset by natural hazards can be reduced through investment in protection. Specifically a model, in which the hazard rate depends on both the age of the asset and the accumulated invested protection capital, is assumed. The protection capital depreciates through time and its effectiveness in reducing the hazard rate is subject to diminishing returns. It is shown how the investment schedule to maximize the expected net present value of the asset can be determined using the methods of deterministic optimal control, with the survival probability regarded as a state variable. The optimal investment pattern involves “bang-bang-singular” control. A numerical scheme for determining jointly the optimal investment policy and the optimal harvest (or replacement) age is outlined and a numerical example involving forest fire protection is given.     

Tissue-specific δ13C in ancient and modern tropical seabirds and flying fish in the Xisha Islands,South China Sea

We analyzed ¹³C characteristics in samples of bird bones, feathers, eggshell carbonate and membrane from modern specimens of red-footed booby (Sula sula) as well as fish muscle, scales, and bones from its predominant food source, flying fish (Exocoetus volitans), and muscle from its secondary food source squid (Loligo chinensis), as well as in ancient sub-fossil samples of seabird and flying fish at the Xisha Islands, South China Sea. δ¹³C is tissue-specific in both seabirds and flying fish due to the variance in turn-over among the tissues and differences in the type and content of amino acids across a diverse range of tissues. The δ¹³C discrimination factors also differed significantly among the various tissues between tropical seabirds and their prey. A Suess effect, caused by fossil fuel combustion and the emission of carbon with fewer ¹³C isotopes, was observed in the bird and fish tissue from ancient to modern time. Our study provides a multiple variability index for δ¹³C in organisms along a food chain, and verifies that tissue-specific ¹³C analysis is essential to identify diet and species and thus is a valuable tool for research on tropical seabird ecology.     

Feature Selection Using Tree Model and Classification Through Convolutional Neural Network for Structural Damage Detection

Structural damage detection(SDD)remains highly challenging,due to the difficulty in selecting the optimal damage features from a vast amount of information.In this study,a tree model-based method using decision tree and random forest was employed for feature selection of vibration response signals in SDD.Signal datasets were obtained by numerical experiments and vibration experiments,respectively.Dataset features extracted using this method were input into a convolutional neural network to determine the location of structural damage.Results indicated a 5％to 10％improvement in detection accuracy compared to using original datasets without feature selection,demonstrating the feasibility of this method.The proposed method,based on tree model and classification,addresses the issue of extracting effective information from numerous vibration response signals in structural health monitoring.     

长白山重点国有林区森林资源动态分析--以临江林业局为例

以临江林业局为例,分析了1977—2008年长白山重点国有林区森林资源动态变化情况,并提出今后森林资源经营管理的建议.结果表明:临江林业局林业用地面积和有林地面积均呈先下降后上升趋势,林地利用效率逐渐提高.1977—1997年,天然林面积逐年大幅减少,减少率约为37%,而后逐年上升;阔叶林蓄积所占比例大幅减少,针叶林蓄积比例大幅增加,针阔混交林蓄积占比趋向合理;1987年,中龄林面积和蓄积比例均很大;2008年林分各龄组面积和蓄积占比趋向合理.     

次生栎林酸沉降中SO2-4含量和pH值的变化特征

对下蜀次生栎林不同降水组份中硫含量和ｐＨ 值进行连续的观测与分析;揭示了ＳＯ２ －４ 和ｐＨ 值在不同降水组份中的变化规律以及ＳＯ２ －４ 与其它化学成分的相互关系,结果为进一步阐明本区酸性沉降物对森林生态系统的影响提供了理论依据。     

Anticancer Agents from the Australian Tropical Rainforest: Spiroacetals EBC‐23, 24, 25, 72, 73, 75 and 76

EBC‐23, 24, 25, 72, 73, 75 and 76 were isolated from the fruit of Cinnamomum laubatii (family Lauraceae) in the Australian tropical rainforests. EBC‐23 ( 1 ) was synthesized stereoselectively, in nine linear steps in 8 % overall yield, to confirm the reported relative stereochemistry and determine the absolute stereochemistry. Key to the total synthesis was a series of Tietze–Smith linchpin reactions. The novel spiroacetal structural motif, exemplified by EBC‐23 ( 1 ), was found to inhibit the growth of the androgen‐independent prostate tumor cell line DU145 in the mouse model, indicating potential for the treatment of refractory solid tumors in adults.     

Different Species of Mercury in the Livers of Tropical Dolphins

Abstract

Four kinds of mercury species (inorganic mercury (Hg_inorg), methylmercury (MeHg), total organic mercury (ΣHg_org), and insoluble mercury, deemed to be mercuric selenide (HgSe), were determined in the livers of dolphins from the Brazilian coast. The MeHg was identified and quantified in the toluene layer on a Gas Chromatograph with an Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). The ΣHg_org was isolated by acid leaching (H₂SO₄-KBr-CuSO₄) and then extracted into CH₂Cl₂. The ΣHg_org and Hg_inorg were determined by Cold-Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CV-AAS). The MeHg was the smallest fraction of Hg_tot, with a median of 9%, whereas the highest fraction of the Hg_tot was as HgSe, corresponding to 53%. The fractions of Hg_inorg and ΣHg_org corresponded to 30% and 39%, respectively. The lowest fraction of MeHg and the highest fraction of HgSe in the liver of all animals are related to different capacities or strategies of detoxification of methylmercury in this organ.