Removing data and using metafounders alleviates biases for all traits in Lacaune dairy sheep predictions

Bias in dairy genetic evaluations, when it exists, has to be understood and properly addressed. The origin of biases is not always clear. We analyzed 40 yr of records from the Lacaune dairy sheep breeding program to evaluate the extent of bias, assess possible corrections, and emit hypotheses on its origin. The data set included 7 traits (milk yield, fat and protein contents, somatic cell score, teat angle, udder cleft, and udder depth) with records from 600,000 to 5 million depending on the trait, ～1,900,000 animals, and ～5,900 genotyped elite artificial insemination rams. For the ～8% animals with missing sire, we fit 25 unknown parent groups. We used the linear regression method to compare “partial” and “whole” predictions of young rams before and after progeny testing, with 7 cut-off points, and we obtained estimates of their bias, (over)dispersion, and accuracy in early proofs. We tried (1) several scenarios as follows: multiple or single trait, the “official” (routine) evaluation, which is a mixture of both single and multiple trait, and “deletion” of data before 1990; and (2) several models as follows: BLUP and single-step genomic (SSG)BLUP with fixed unknown parent groups or metafounders, where, for metafounders, their relationship matrix gamma was estimated using either a model for inbreeding trend, or base allele frequencies estimated by peeling. The estimate of gamma obtained by modeling the inbreeding trend resulted in an estimated increase of inbreeding, based on markers, faster than the pedigree-based one. The estimated genetic trends were similar for most models and scenarios across all traits, but were shrunken when gamma was estimated by peeling. This was due to shrinking of the estimates of metafounders in the latter case. Across scenarios, all traits showed bias, generally as an overestimate of genetic trend for milk yield and an underestimate for the other traits. As for the slope, it showed overdispersion of estimated breeding values for all traits. Using multiple-trait models slightly reduced the overestimate of genetic trend and the overdispersion, as did including genomic information (i.e., SSGBLUP) when the gamma matrix was estimated by the model for inbreeding trend. However, only deletion of historical data before 1990 resulted in elimination of both kind of biases. The SSGBLUP resulted in more accurate early proofs than BLUP for all traits. We considered that a snowball effect of small errors in each genetic evaluation, combined with selection, may have resulted in biased evaluations. Improving statistical methods reduced some bias but not all, and a simple solution for this data set was to remove historical records.     

Productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay as the sole forage

Groundwater depletion is one of the most pressing issues facing the dairy industry in arid regions. One strategy to improve the industry's drought resilience involves feeding drought-tolerant forage crops in place of traditional forage crops such as alfalfa and corn silage. The objective of this study was to assess the productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay (Eragrostis tef) as the sole forage. Teff is a warm-season annual grass native to Ethiopia that is well adapted to drought conditions. Nine multiparous Holstein cows (185 ± 31 d in milk; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 18-d periods (14 d acclimation and 4 d sampling). Diets were either control, where dietary forage consisted of a combination of corn silage, alfalfa hay, and native grass hay, or 1 of 2 teff diets (teff-A and teff-B), where teff hay [13.97 ± 0.32% crude protein, dry matter (DM) basis] was the sole forage. All 3 diets were formulated for similar DM, crude protein, and nonfiber carbohydrate concentrations. Control and teff-A were matched for concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from forage (18.2 ± 0.15% of DM), and teff-B included slightly less, providing 16.6% NDF from forage. Dry matter intake, milk and component production, body weight, body condition score, as well as DM and NDF digestibility were monitored and assessed using mixed model analysis, with significance declared at P < 0.05. Treatment had no effect on dry matter intake (28.1 ± 0.75 kg/d). Similarly, treatment had no effect on milk production (40.7 ± 1.8 kg/d). Concentrations of milk fat (3.90 ± 0.16%) and lactose (4.68 ± 0.07%) were also unaffected by treatment. Teff-A and teff-B increased milk protein concentration compared with the control (3.07 vs. 3.16 ± 0.09%). Treatment had no effect on energy-corrected milk yield (43.4 ± 1.3 kg/d), body weight, or body condition score change. Additionally, treatment had no effect on total-tract DM or NDF digestibility. Results from this study indicate that teff hay has potential to replace alfalfa and corn silage in the diets of lactating dairy cattle without loss of productivity.     

The structural variability of quarters and residential areas in the historical texture of the city of Yazd based on Islamic rules and jurisprudence: a case study of Golchinan quarter

According to many researchers and scholars, religious beliefs can be considered as the most influential factor in forming Muslim urban spaces and their architectural elements. In fact, historical cities reflect the culture and beliefs of their residences. Among all historical places in Iranian cities, the historical texture of the city of Yazd, especially the quarters since the age of Qajar dynasty, are well preserved. The present study aims at identifying the Islamic principles and values influencing the formation of architectural spaces and the extent of their applications in one of the historical quarters known as Golchinan. The results of the conformation of the theoretical findings with the data acquired from field studies revealed that almost 90% of the urban and architectural spaces (e.g. residential areas, mosques, bazaars, and pathways) in Yazd are directly influenced by Islamic principles. In other words, there is a strong conformity between the accepted Islamic values of the society and what actually was applied to urban constructions during Qajar dynasty.     

温度效应及环空条件对井口抬升影响规律研究

为预测深水高温井生产过程中的井口抬升量,基于套管热膨胀效应及热力学基本原理,建立了不同温升条件下单层自由套管及多层套管耦合井口系统抬升量预测模型,设计了3层同心钢管柱为主体的试验装置,开展了不同工况下井口抬升模拟试验,得到了温度效应、环空上端部约束状态和环空压力等因素对井口抬升量的影响规律,提出了解决深水水下井口抬升的主要工程措施。研究结果表明:以试验模型为例,当最内层管柱温度从45℃升高至150℃的过程中,在模拟传热条件下,3层管柱环空上端部敞开时,各层管柱抬升量与其温升呈线性增长规律;环空上端部焊接为整体时,73.0和114.3 mm管柱最终抬升量相对上端部敞开状态分别减小26.50%和21.80%,177.8 mm管柱最终抬升量增加4.06%;环空密闭并加压20 MPa时,73.0、114.3和177.8 mm管柱最终抬升量相对无压力时分别增加了23.84%、26.79%和25.36%;温度及环空条件对井口抬升量影响显著,理论预测值与试验值误差为1.59%~8.93%。研究结果可为深水高温井井口抬升控制措施的制定提供技术支持。     

ENSO事件对渭河流域气象干旱和水文干旱的影响

利用渭河流域1960~2012年13个气象站的逐日降雨资料和三个水文站的径流资料,分析ENSO事件对该区域的降雨、径流、气象干旱和水文干旱的影响。结果表明,ENSO事件对渭河流域的降雨量和径流的影响较为明显,尤其是在7、8、9、10月;EI Ni1o事件对降雨量/径流有减少作用,而La Ni1a事件对降雨量/径流有增加效应;ENSO事件对径流的影响具有空间和时间的差异性,且由下游到上游逐渐变大;渭河流域共发生142次气象干旱和76次水文干旱,发生气象干旱和水文干旱平均持续时间分别为2.56、3.40个月,气象干旱和水文干旱发生次数呈增加趋势;ENSO事件对气象干旱和水文干旱的影响较大,经过卡方检验,在10月EI Ni1o事件和La Ni1a事件与气象干旱的发生有显著(α=0.05)关系,同时10月EI Ni1o事件和水文干旱的发生也有显著关系。     

广西玉林胜果寺古代冶铸遗址研究

玉林胜果寺古代冶铸遗址位于广西玉林市兴业县龙安镇杨前村胜果寺附近的丘陵,面积超过2 000m~2。采用扫描电镜及能谱分析(SEM-EDS)、金相和矿相等研究方法,对胜果寺古代冶铸遗址的5个冶金遗物炉渣样品进行成分和显微组织分析检测。结果表明,该遗址为生铁冶铸遗址,炼渣属锰硅铝系高锰炉渣。冶炼产品除供本地铸锅等生产生活用品外,大量运往韶州涔水场浸铜。     

黑根霉Q3Y在旱胁迫效应下的菌丝生长特性及糖化产物

选取产糖化酶较强和糖化能力较高的黑根霉（Rhizopus nigricans）Q3Y进行菌丝体的抗旱逆境液态发酵培养，分析了菌株Q3Y菌丝生长状况及菌丝对糯米的利用。结果表明，在土豆汁培养基中添加0.50%的琼脂，使其黏度达到500 mPa·s，黑根霉菌Q3Y在该培养基中菌丝生长状态良好，细胞分散均匀；在料水比为6∶10（g∶mL），含水量为62.5%糯米培养液中，黑根霉菌株Q3Y菌丝体能得到更好的生长，培养72 h还原糖、可溶性总糖及糖化酶酶活分别达到26 g/100mL、32 g/100mL、23.0 U/mL。     

长江流域上游干旱特征分析

为分析长江流域上游干旱特征,利用1961年1月至2012年12月长江上游共69个气象站的气象数据资料,以帕尔默干旱指数(PDSI)为主要指标对长江上游流域的干旱强度、干旱持续时间、干旱频率等干旱特征进行比较分析。结果表明,长江上游区域PDSI的月际变化较大,旱涝期交替出现,同时年代干旱最强值呈现先减弱后增强的趋势,并在2006年达到干旱强度最强值;干旱持续时间较长的干旱事件主要发生在1960、1970年代,平均干旱持续月数为4.2个月;上游干旱频率主要以初始干旱为主,其中年际干旱集中在1960年代末期至1970年代初期和2000年代后期两个阶段,季节干旱主要发生在冬季。研究成果可为长江流域上游的干旱治理提供参考。     

Die Baugesellschaft Gebrüder Rank und ihre spanischen Ziegelgewölbe in München

The Rank construction company and the introduction of brick vaults in Munich after 1945 The construction of vaults without scaffolding with thin bricks has a centuries‐old tradition, particularly in Spain and Italy. Since the beginning of the 19^th century, it has been successfully spread mainly on the American double continent. The Rank Brothers construction company in Munich is known to date as one of those construction companies that began building with concrete in its home city very early on. New investigations, which were made possible above all by the provision of archive material by Paul Basiner, now point to an additional focus of this company's work. The architects and engineers of the company had been also able to familiarise themselves with this traditional Spanish brick‐vaulted construction method via the branch office in Spain, which was established from 1911 on. This knowledge was particularly in demand in the years following World War II, when the destroyed vaults had to be rebuilt with simple means and low material consumption. Together with Carl Sattler, who had become acquainted with similar construction methods in Italy, brick vaults were initially used to complete the construction of the Landeszentralbank in Munich. In the following years, Rank was able to provide many buildings in and around Munich with brick vaults. It was not until the 1960s that this construction technique went out of fashion and was thus somewhat forgotten.     

石碹窑洞建筑空间营造特色探析——以山西太原周家庄村周家粮铺院为例

山西省太原市西南的蒙山南麓风峪沟沿线遍布众多石碹窑洞，形成了具有明显地域性特点的传统建筑群。通过对其中周家庄古村的调查研究，将古村内石碹窑洞群中具有代表性的周家粮铺院作为研究对象，以此院落的建筑布局、内部空间营造及建造技术特点为主要内容，对该地区建筑遗存信息和文献资料进行整理研究，对建筑群体进行实地勘查及计算机建模，为山西传统村落的保护和可持续发展提供合理依据。