便携式木材绞盘机新型卷筒离合器设计

在利用便携式木材绞盘机进行木材生产试验过程中,发现卷筒离合器在分离与接合过程中易出现卡阻现象,从而影响集材生产效率。在对牙嵌式离合器结构进行受力分析和卡阻原因分析的基础上,基于Solid Works的建模分析设计方法,设计了一种新型多孔旋转圆柱式卷筒离合器,该方法有效缩短了新型卷筒离合器的设计周期。新型卷筒离合器采用圆柱销与圆孔的嵌合,代替牙嵌式离合器牙嵌轴与牙嵌套的嵌合,同等试验条件下,旋转柱销式卷筒离合器平均分离时间分别比柱销式卷筒离合器节省3.71 s、比牙嵌式卷筒离合器节省8 s,改善了便携式木材绞盘机卡阻后离合器分离困难的现象,节约了离合器分离时间,从而有效提高了便携式木材绞盘机在集材作业中的生产效率。     

Artificial neural network modeling of microbial community structures in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Microbial communities vary across the landscape in forest soils, but prediction of their biomass and composition is a difficult challenge due to the large numbers of variables that influence their community structures. Here we examine the use of artificial neural network (ANN) models for extraction of patterns among soil chemical variables and microbial community structures in forest soils from three regions of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. At each location, variations in soil chemical properties and FAME profiles of microbial community structures were mapped at 20 × 20 m intervals within 10 ha parcels. Geostatistical analyses showed that spatial variability in soil physical and chemical variables could be mapped at scale distances of 20 m, but that FAME profiles representing the microbial communities were highly variable and had no spatial dependence at the same scale in most cases. RDA analysis showed that FAME signatures representing different microbial groups were positively associated with soil pH, OM, P and base cations concentrations, whereas microbial biomass was negatively associated with the same environmental factors. In contrast, ANN models revealed clear relationships between microbial community structures at each parcel location, and generated verifiable predictions of variations in FAME profiles in relation to soil pH, texture, and the relative abundances of base cations. The results suggest that ANN modeling provides a useful approach for describing the relationships between microbial community structures and soil properties in tropical forest soils that were not able to be captured using geostatistical and RDA analyses.     

Challenges and opportunities of unmanned aerial vehicles as a new tool for crop pest control

The application of pesticides is not simply delivering chemicals to the target area. It also involves considering the negative aspects and developing strategies to deal with them during the application process, to ensure the maximization of pesticides use efficiency and the maintenance of the ecosystem. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers demonstrate unique advantages compared to traditional ground sprayers, particularly in terms of maneuverability and labor intensity reduction, showed great potential for chemical application in pest control. It is undeniable that there exist challenges in the practice of UAV spraying, such as higher potential risks of pesticide drift or pathogen transmission, uncertainty canopy deposition for different crops, and unexpected leaf breakage induced by downwash flow. Maximizing the utilization of downwash flow while avoiding lateral air movement outside the intended target crop area is a major issue for chemical application with UAV sprayers, particularly in light of the increasingly apparent consensus on the need for enhanced environmental protection during the chemical application process. It must be considered that the operation strategy in different scenarios and for different crop targets is not the same, unique requirements should be given on nozzle atomization, flight parameters, adjuvants and aircraft types in specific working situations. In future, the implementation of spray drift prediction, technical procedures development, and other solutions aimed at reducing pesticide drift and improving deposition quality, is expected to promote the adoption of UAV sprayers by more farmers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.     

猪瘟病毒广西流行毒株E0基因的克隆与分析

应用RT-PCR方法对猪瘟病毒E0基因进行扩增、克隆及测序,用DNA Star分析软件对6株毒株与猪瘟兔化弱毒苗(HCLV)、石门(Shimen)株、Paderborn株、GXWZ02株的相应片段进行比较分析,构建了CSFV遗传进化树。序列分析表明,广西流行株与HCLV株、Shimen株、Paderborn株、GXWZ02株之间核苷酸的同源性分别为80.8%~81.5%、82.8%~83.3%、93.1%~94.2%、93.7%~94.2%,推导的氨基酸同源性分别为88.3%~89.7%、89.7%~91.1%、96.2%~97.7%、97.7%~99.1%;6株广西CSFV流行毒株与国内外已发表的14株病毒相应序列进行比较,构建遗传进化树,结果表明所比较的20株毒株分为2个基因群,广西流行毒株均属于基因群Ⅱ。本研究成功地对广西流行猪瘟病毒株的E0基因进行了测序分析,表明近年来广西流行毒株未发生较大的变异,但病毒株有远离疫苗株发展的趋势。     

A variance-covariance structure to take into account repeated measurements and heteroscedasticity in growth modeling

This study proposes a within-subject variance-covariance (VC) structure to take into account repeated measurements and heteroscedasticity in a context of growth modeling. The VC structure integrates a variance function and a continuous autoregressive covariance structure. It was tested on a nonlinear growth model parameterized with data from permanent sample plots. Using a stand-level approach, basal area growth was independently modeled for red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.] in mixed stands. For both species, the implementation of the VC structure significantly improved the maximum likelihood of the model. In both cases, it efficiently accounted for heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation, since the normalized residuals no longer exhibited departures from the assumptions of independent error terms with homogeneous variances. Moreover, compared with traditional nonlinear least squares (NLS) models, models parameterized with this VC structure may generate more accurate predictions when prior information is available. This case study demonstrates that the implementation of a VC structure may provide parameter estimates that are consistent with asymptotically unbiased variances in a context of nonlinear growth modeling using a stand-level approach. Since the variances are no longer biased, the hypothesis tests performed on the estimates are valid when the number of observations is large.     

Economic evaluation of forest drainage and fertilization in northern Ontario peatlands with an investment decision model

Drainage and fertilization of an existing peatland black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) stand and 24 possible methods of planting a clear-cut area near Cochrane, Ontario were evaluated by means of a recently developed forestry investment decision model, FIDME.Results indicate that, on the basis of the cost estimates used and assumptions made, drainage of the existing stand is the most economical treatment if it can reduce the rotation age by 30 years or more. Drainage combined with fertilization is the second best alternative if this treatment can reduce the rotation age by 40 years or more. Fertilization of the undrained site ranks a distant third, and then only if it reduces the rotation age by 10 years; otherwise, it will be uneconomical to apply.In the case of the clear-cut area, planting bare-root stock on a mechanically prepared but undrained site without weed control ranked first among the 24 alternatives considered; the same treatment, but with weed control included, ranked second. Planting containerized seedlings on a mechanically prepared but undrained site with weed control ranked third, followed by planting bare-root stock on a mechanically prepared and drained site with weed control. In contrast, planting containerized seedlings on an unprepared site and with no weed control ranked as the least cost-effective method considered.     

Height–diameter equations for boreal tree species in Ontario using a mixed-effects modeling approach

Height–diameter relationships based on stand characteristics (trees/ha, basal area, and dominant stand height) were investigated for balsam fir, balsam poplar, black spruce, jack pine, red pine, trembling aspen, white birch, and white spruce using data from permanent growth study plots in northern Ontario, Canada. Approximately half the data were used to estimate model parameters with the rest used for model evaluation. Multiple Chapman–Richards functions with parameters expressed in terms of various stand characteristics were fit to determine the best models for predicting height.     

Expression of Jagged2/Notch3 signaling molecules in pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by monocrotaline

AIM: To study the expression of Jagged2/Notch3 signaling molecules in pulmonary vascular wall of pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by monocrotaline. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (C group,n=15), solvent control group (S group,n=15) and monocrotaline model groups (M group,n=15). The model of pulmonary hypertension was established by a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (50 mg/kg). The rats in S group were given a single subcutaneous injection of the same dose of solvent. After 4 weeks, the pulmonary vascular remodeling was assessed by HE staining, and the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) were determined by right heart catheterization. The expression of Jagged2/Notch3/Hes5 molecules in the pulmonary vascular wall was detected by immunohistochemical method and real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with S group and C group, the percentage of medial wall thickness of smaller arteries in model group increased significantly (P<0.01). The levels of mPAP and RVSP in M group were significantly higher than those in S group and C groups (P<0.01). The results of real-time PCR showed that the expression of Jagged2, Notch3 and Hes5 was significantly increased in M group compared with S group and C group. The data from immunohistochemical detection indicated that Jagged2 mainly expressed in the intima of small lung artery, Notch3 and Hes5 mainly expressed in the medial smooth muscle cells. Compared with S group and C group, the expression of Jagged2 and Notch3 was significantly increased in the lung small arteries of M group. CONCLUSION: The activation of Jagged2/Notch3 signaling pathway might play an important role in the formation of pulmonary hypertension.