Spatial dependence model with feature difference

This paper presents a new spatial dependence model with an adjustment of feature difference. The model accounts for the spatial autocorrelation in both the outcome variables and residuals. The feature difference adjustment in the model helps to emphasize feature changes across neighboring units, while suppressing unobserved covariates that are present in the same neighborhood. The prediction at a given unit incorporates components that depend on the differences between the values of its main features and those of its neighboring units. In contrast to conventional spatial regression models, our model does not require a comprehensive list of global covariates necessary to estimate the outcome variable at the unit, as common macro-level covariates are differenced away in the regression analysis. Using the real estate market data in Hong Kong, we applied Gibbs sampling to determine the posterior distribution of each model parameter. The result of our empirical analysis confirms that the adjustment of feature difference with an inclusion of the spatial error autocorrelation produces better out-of-sample prediction performance than other conventional spatial dependence models. In addition, our empirical analysis can identify components with more significant contributions.     

Ctenidins: antimicrobial glycine-rich peptides from the hemocytes of the spider Cupiennius salei

Three novel glycine-rich peptides, named ctenidin 1–3, with activity against the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, were isolated and characterized from hemocytes of the spider Cupiennius salei. Ctenidins have a high glycine content (>70%), similarly to other glycine-rich peptides, the acanthoscurrins, from another spider, Acanthoscurria gomesiana. A combination of mass spectrometry, Edman degradation, and cDNA cloning revealed the presence of three isoforms of ctenidin, at least two of them originating from simple, intronless genes. The full-length sequences of the ctenidins consist of a 19 amino acid residues signal peptide followed by the mature peptides of 109, 119, or 120 amino acid residues. The mature peptides are post-translationally modified by the cleavage of one or two C-terminal cationic amino acid residue(s) and amidation of the newly created mature C-terminus. Tissue expression analysis revealed that ctenidins are constitutively expressed in hemocytes and to a small extent also in the subesophageal nerve mass.     

Discovery of five irregular moons of Neptune

Each giant planet of the Solar System has two main types of moons. 'Regular' moons are typically larger satellites with prograde, nearly circular orbits in the equatorial plane of their host planets at distances of several to tens of planetary radii. The 'irregular' satellites (which are typically smaller) have larger orbits with significant eccentricities and inclinations. Despite these common features, Neptune's irregular satellite system, hitherto thought to consist of Triton and Nereid, has appeared unusual. Triton is as large as Pluto and is postulated to have been captured from heliocentric orbit; it traces a circular but retrograde orbit at 14 planetary radii from Neptune. Nereid, which exhibits one of the largest satellite eccentricities, is believed to have been scattered from a regular satellite orbit to its present orbit during Triton's capture. Here we report the discovery of five irregular moons of Neptune, two with prograde and three with retrograde orbits. These exceedingly faint (apparent red magnitude m(R) = 24.2-25.4) moons, with diameters of 30 to 50 km, were presumably captured by Neptune.     

基于ArcGIS的交通量预测模型

常规交通量预测模型耗时、工作量大.针对美国印第安纳州交通量趋于稳定的特点,借助ArcGIS地统分析软件,分别采用Ordinary Kriging、距离加权倒数(IDW)、径向基函数插值(RBF)等方法对交通量进行预测,并与动态称重系统(WIM)的交通资料进行比对,结果表明采用径向基函数插值中的反高次曲面函数(IMS)插值预测方法适合美国印第安纳州交通量的分布实际,预测误差最小.     

Expression of defensins in non-infected araneomorph spiders

Defensins are a major family of antimicrobial peptides found throughout the phylogenetic tree. From the spider species: Cupiennius salei, Phoneutria reidyi, Polybetes pythagoricus, Tegenaria atrica, and Meta menardi, defensins belonging to the ‘ancestral’ class of invertebrate defensins were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences contain the characteristic six cysteines of this class of defensins and reveal precursors of 60 or 61 amino acid residues. The mature peptides consist of 37 amino acid residues, showing up to 70% identities with tick and scorpion defensins. In C. salei, defensin mRNA was found to be constitutively expressed in hemocytes, ovaries, subesophageal nerve mass, hepatopancreas, and muscle tissue. This is the first report presenting and comparing antimicrobial peptides belonging to the family of defensins from spiders.     

大跨桥梁结构以健康监测和状态评估为目标的有限元模拟

通过对桥梁结构健康监测和评估研究现状的简单评述，讨论了结构健康监测和状态评估中的关键理论与技术问题，介绍了笔者近年来在大型桥梁以健康监测和状态评估为目标的结构模拟方面开展的一系列关键理论和技术问题研究；通过对2个大跨悬索桥——香港的青马大桥和江苏的润扬长江公路大桥的有限元建模和模型修正过程，探讨了大跨桥梁结构以健康监测和状态评估为目标的有限元模拟的技术要求、建模方案与策略．研究表明：大跨桥梁以结构状态评估为目标的有限元模拟，必须是建立于衔接理论基础上的多尺度结构模拟．在桥梁结构整体动力响应分析确定了关键损伤构件的基础上，需进一步建立关键构件的局部模型以分析在桥梁结构全尺度有限元模型中无法模拟的细节行为，即发生于焊连接件的局部应力集中和损伤累积行为．