Breeding schemes with optimum-contribution selection or truncation selection for beef cattle destined for use on dairy females

We tested the hypothesis that the size of a beef cattle population destined for use on dairy females is smaller under optimum-contribution selection (OCS) than under truncation selection (TRS) at the same genetic gain (ΔG) and the same rate of inbreeding (ΔF). We used stochastic simulation to estimate true ΔG realized at a 0.005 ΔF in breeding schemes with OCS or TRS. The schemes for the beef cattle population also differed in the number of purebred offspring per dam and the total number of purebred offspring per generation. Dams of the next generation were exclusively selected among the one-year-old heifers. All dams were donors for embryo transfer and produced a maximum of 5 or 10 offspring. The total number of purebred offspring per generation was: 400, 800, 1,600 or 4,000 calves, and it was used as a measure of population size. Rate of inbreeding was predicted and controlled using pedigree relationships. Each OCS (TRS) scheme was simulated for 10 discrete generations and replicated 100 (200) times. The OCS scheme and the TRS scheme with a maximum of 10 offspring per dam required approximately 783 and 1,257 purebred offspring per generation to realize a true ΔG of €14 and a ΔF of 0.005 per generation. Schemes with a maximum of 5 offspring per dam required more purebred offspring per generation to realize a similar true ΔG and a similar ΔF. Our results show that OCS and multiple ovulation and embryo transfer act on selection intensity through different mechanisms to achieve fewer selection candidates and fewer selected sires and dams than under TRS at the same ΔG and a fixed ΔF. Therefore, we advocate the use of a breeding scheme with OCS and multiple ovulation and embryo transfer for beef cattle destined for use on dairy females because it is favorable both from an economic perspective and a carbon footprint perspective.     

Teaching and Learning Electrochemistry

Numerous conceptual difficulties and misconceptions have been reported in the science and chemistry education literature about electrochemistry concepts such as electrolytes, redox equations, and about electrochemical (galvanic and electrolytic) cells. Other studies have considered teaching approaches aimed at improving learning and at overcoming misconceptions. This paper reviews these studies and considers strategies and approaches for the effective teaching of electrochemistry. Then, the review focuses on problem solving in equilibrium electrochemistry, especially problems involving the Nernst equation. The main findings of four studies with Greek university chemistry students, dealing with: (i) algorithmic problem‐solving ability; (ii) practice on problem solving; (iii) the effect of the format of a problem; and (iv) the construction and evaluation of a website devoted to electrochemistry problem solving, are reported.     

A charge sharing–based switching scheme for SAR ADCs

This paper presents an energy-efficient switching scheme for successive approximation register (SAR) analogue-to-digital converter (ADC). The proposed scheme employs charge recycling method to keep the capacitor arrays free of transitional energy between bit generations except reset phase. In comparison with the conventional switching scheme, the proposed one achieves 100% transitional energy saving without considering reset phase. In addition, configuration of a 10-bit SAR ADC shows that the proposed switching scheme reduces the capacitor area by 25% compared with the conventional switching scheme.     

Reducing numerical dissipation in smoke simulation

Numerical dissipation acts as artificial viscosity to make smoke viscous. Reducing numerical dissipation is able to recover visual details smeared out by the numerical dissipation. Great efforts have been devoted to suppress the numerical dissipation in smoke simulation in the past few years. In this paper we investigate methods of combating the numerical dissipation. We describe visual consequences of the numerical dissipation and explore sources that introduce the numerical dissipation into course of smoke simulation. Methods are investigated from various aspects including grid variation, high-order advection, sub-grid compensation, invariant conservation, and particle-based improvement, followed by discussion and comparison in terms of visual quality, computational overhead, ease of implementation, adaptivity, and scalability, which leads to their different applicability to various application scenarios.     

Efficient Low Dissipative High Order Schemes for Multiscale MHD Flows, II: Minimization of ∇·B Numerical Error

An adaptive numerical dissipation control in a class of high order filter methods for compressible MHD equations is systematically discussed. The filter schemes consist of a divergence-free preserving high order spatial base scheme with a filter approach which can be divergence-free preserving depending on the type of filter operator being used, the method of applying the filter step, and the type of flow problem to be considered. Some of these filter variants provide a natural and efficient way for the minimization of the divergence of the magnetic field (∇·B) numerical error in the sense that commonly used divergence cleaning is not required. Numerical experiments presented emphasize the performance of the ∇·B numerical error. Many levels of grid refinement and detailed comparison of the filter methods with several commonly used compressible MHD shock-capturing schemes will be illustratedA condensed version appears in the Proceedings of the International Conference on High Performance Scientific Computing, March 10-14, 2003, Hanoi, Vietnam. This is a revised version of a longer internal report, Feb. 19, 2004. The longer internal report was published as a RIACS Technical Report TR03.10, July 2003, NASA Ames Research Center     

HFC电缆分配系统的建设与思考

结合沧州市网络的实际情况，主要分析HFC电缆分配系统双向传输改造的建设标准和实施方案。     

没有SDC的(t，n)门限秘密共享方案

利用椭圆曲线离散问题对数问题的难解性,给出了基于椭圆曲线密码体制的(t,n)门限秘密共享方案。基于门限秘密共享方案一般分为需要SDC和不需要SDC两类,在分布式环境下,一个被所有成员信任的SDC并不存在,不需要SDC的门限秘密共享方案的安全性得到很大的提高,该方案中由组成员共同生成群公钥和私有密钥。并给出了当新成员加入时,无SDC下的周期密钥分片的更新方案。还给出了一个本方案数据实例,最后对本方案的安全性进行了分析。     

水利项目评价指标赋权模型的建立及其应用

提出了用于水利项目方案评价的方法——基于相对最优方案的指标赋权模型,介绍了该方法的基本原理,建立了综合考虑保证出力、年发电量、单位千瓦投资等因素的基于相对最佳方案的指标赋权模型,并用实例加以说明,与模糊优选神经网络模型的评价结果相对比,研究表明该模型适合于水利项目方案的评价和优选。     

一个完善的秘密分享方案

可验证秘密分享在实用密码学领域内是一个非常重要的工具,它在密钥管理协议、门限或分布式签名协议、电子商务、多方安全计算及团体式密码系统等许多方面都有极为广泛的应用。针对一类突发事务须及时、安全解决的特点, 利用离散对数问题的难解性,在假设初始化阶段和秘密恢复阶段始终有一位值得信赖的分发者参与的情况下,提出了一个可公开验证的门限秘密分享方案。     

Understanding the differences between how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks

Research was undertaken to understand how to provide the most appropriate support for novice designers in engineering design. However, how designers apply their experience and knowledge is not understood and further research in this area is required. This paper describes an observational study to understand how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks. Electronic Publication