女性择偶偏好的周期转换效应：三种解释视角

进化心理学的研究显示,女性更喜欢那些拥有男性化面孔及特定体味、身体对称、外表健康的男性,并且这种偏好会随着女性的月经周期而发生转变。在排卵期表现出明显的男性化偏好,而在其他时段偏好不明显,该效应被称为＂周期转换效应＂。通过梳理三种主流的解释视角,即基因选择假设、激素刺激假设和排卵引起知觉偏差的假设,结合＂周期转换效应＂遇到的挑战,从而指出未来的研究方向。     

基因序列专利正当性：美国论争与启示

美国专利政策及相关判例在＂亲专利＂与＂反专利＂之间摇摆不定,导致专利正当性论争不断,尤以基因领域专利正当性论争为盛。论争双方各执一词、分庭抗礼,两极立场无不从法律层面、专利政策以及群体利益等角度予以证立和驳斥。论争虽仁者见仁、智者见智,但不可避免地造成基因领域专利适格主题、专利效力等问题困惑不堪。如此情境下,唯有梳理主线,解决实际问题才更为明智。     

试论中国人体基因资源安全及法律保护

21世纪是生命科学的世纪,生物产业对生物资源的依赖性,使得生物基因资源成为重要的战略资源。中国由于其特殊的社会历史条件,人体基因资源十分丰富。中国的人体基因资源优势正引起全球关注,通过法律手段有效地保护我国的人体基因资源,增强其安全性,已成为我国的当务之急。     

文化进化的meme理论及其难题

meme概念来自英国著名生物学家道金斯。道金斯把meme看做是文化进化的基本单元。meme概念提出后得到了学术界一些学者的赞同,在他们的努力下,20世纪末逐步形成了用meme解释文化进化的新领域。meme理论把文化进化看做是文化复制因子--meme遗传、变异和选择的结果。但是meme存在的合法性及其进化的机制受到了许多学者的质疑,meme理论还面临着许多尚未解决的难题,现有的科学证据并不能确定meme的存在,同样也不能确定meme储存和传递的机制。     

Estimation of gene/haplotype frequencies in genetic marker systems based on phenotype data

Two equivalent methods (gene counting and maximum likelihood) for estimating gene frequencies in a general genetic marker system based on observed phenotype data are derived. Under the maximum likelihood approach, an expression is given for the estimated covariance matrix from which estimated standard errors of the estimators can be found. In addition, consideration is given to the problem of estimating gene frequencies when there are available several independent population data sets.     

Estimation of Sobol's sensitivity indices under generalized linear models

We derive explicit formulas for Sobol's sensitivity indices (SSIs) under the generalized linear models (GLMs) with independent or multivariate normal inputs. We argue that the main-effect SSIs provide a powerful tool for variable selection under GLMs with identity links under polynomial regressions. We also show via examples that the SSI-based variable selection results are similar to the ones obtained by the random forest algorithm but without the computational burden of data permutation. Finally, applying our results to the problem of gene network discovery, we identify through the SSI analysis of a public microarray dataset several novel higher-order gene–gene interactions missed out by the more standard inference methods. The relevant functions for SSI analysis derived here under GLMs with identity, log, and logit links are implemented and made available in the R package Sobol sensitivity.     

Looking Forward in Candidate Gene Research: Concerns and Suggestions

Candidate Gene × Environment (cGxE) interaction research holds promise for helping us understand for whom and why environments matter for families and development. In their commentary on our target article (G. L. Schlomer, G. M. Fosco, H. H. Cleveland, D. J. Vandenbergh, & M. E. Feinberg, 2015), J. E. Salvatore and D. M. Dick (2015) present their view of the current state and future of cGxE research and frame the debate regarding its merits for advancing knowledge of gene–environment interplay. In this reply, we discuss points of agreement and departure and provide a list of 5 domains by which the quality of cGxE research should be evaluated. Our hope is that researchers will use this list as a guide for their own work.     

文化基因论研究的基本趋势和内容——吴秋林教授访谈录

该访谈录使用问答的方式展开的是文化基因论研究的基本趋势和内容,认为展开文化基因研究才是实现完整人类的基本研究,生物基因的研究实现的只是“半人”（生物人）,而另外一半人（文化人）的研究应该用文化基因研究来实现。文化基因研究中存在着一系列相关重要概念,如文化基因密码,自意识、文化汤、文化原点、支点、节点、衍生点、信仰块、体质人、文化人等。     

我国科学技术创新能力不足之原因

我国当前科学技术创新能力不足的根本原因是科学工作者缺乏西方科学所具有的哲学思想、文化基因和教育环境,提升中国科学技术创新能力的关键是加强西方哲学思想的学习和熏陶,加大教育改革力度,推行多元化教育;崇尚理性主义精神等。     

Fitting asymmetric bimodal data with selected distributions

ABSTRACT

This article discusses two asymmetrization methods, Azzalini's representation and beta generation, to generate asymmetric bimodal models including two novel beta-generated models. The practical utility of these models is assessed with nine data sets from different fields of applied sciences. Besides this tutorial assessment, some methodological contributions are made: a random number generator for the asymmetric Rathie–Swamee model is developed (generators for the other models are already known and briefly described) and a new likelihood ratio test of unimodality is compared via simulations with other available tests. Several tools have been used to quantify and test for bimodality and assess goodness of fit including Bayesian information criterion, measures of agreement with the empirical distribution and the Kolmogorov–Smirnoff test. In the nine case studies, the results favoured models derived from Azzalini's asymmetrization, but no single model provided a best fit across the applications considered. In only two cases the normal mixture was selected as best model. Parameter estimation has been done by likelihood maximization. Numerical optimization must be performed with care since local optima are often present. We concluded that the models considered are flexible enough to fit different bimodal shapes and that the tools studied should be used with care and attention to detail.