Estimating number of families for an urban fox population by using two public data sets

The number of families in the urban fox population of Sapporo, Japan, was estimated from two sets of data reported by the public to government: records of road-killed foxes (information-A) and records of complaints about foxes (information-B). We assumed that fox populations consist of families that have exclusive home ranges, i.e., territories, during the period between gestation and dispersal. The urban area was then divided into hexagons that correspond to the territories. The locations from the two sets of records during the territorial period were plotted on the map. The number of fox families for which information-A and/or B was reported was estimated by counting the number of hexagons that include the record. The total number of families was estimated by using a double-observation method. We adopted Chapman’s unbiased estimator which is based on the hypergeometric distribution that corresponds to the conditional likelihood. We demonstrated the possibility of estimating the abundance of animals from government data such as road kill and complaints if the animals have territories. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Three-dimensional structure of endothelial cells in hepatic sinusoids of the rat as revealed by the Golgi method

Summary The three-dimensional structure of endothelial cells in the hepatic sinusoids of the rat was studied by application of light- and electron microscopy on Golgi-impregnated specimens. A number of endothelial cells could thus be individually delineated throughout the hepatic lobules. The cytoplasm, showing heavy silver deposits, consists of two distinct areas, a thick and thin portion. The thick portion, issuing from the region of the perikaryon, branches and tapers toward the cell periphery. The thin portion, occupying the remainder of the cytoplasm, consists largely of highly fenestrated sieve plates. Some intralobular variation can be noted; the thick portion of the endothelial cells is well developed in the periportal zone, while the cells in the centrilobular zone are relatively rich in thin portions. In addition, the area of distribution of an individual endothelial cell is larger in the centrilobular sinusoids than in the periportal zone. Some endothelial cells also possess unique cytoplasmic processes projecting into the intercellular space between hepatocytes and connecting the sinusoidal walls of neighboring sinusoids. These processes may anchor the endothelial cells to the hepatic plates.     

Statistical methods for estimating doubling time in in vitro cell growth

Summary Doubling time has been widely used to represent the growth pattern of cells. A traditional method for finding the doubling time is to apply gray-scaled cells, where the logarithmic transformed scale is used. As an alternative statistical method, the log-linear model was recently proposed, for which actual cell numbers are used instead of the transformed gray-scaled cells. In this paper, I extend the log-linear model and propose the extended log-linear model. This model is designed for extra-Poisson variation, where the log-linear model produces the less appropriate estimate of the doubling time. Moreover, I compare statistical properties of the gray-scaled method, the log-linear model, and the extended log-linear model. For this purpose, I perform a Monte Carlo simulation study with three data-generating models: the additive error model, the multiplicative error model, and the overdispersed Poisson model. From the simulation study, I found that the gray-scaled method highly depends on the normality assumption of the gray-scaled cells; hence, this method is appropriate when the error model is multiplicative with the log-normally distributed errors. However, it is less efficient for other types of error distributions, especially when the error model is additive or the errors follow the Poisson distribution. The estimated standard error for the doubling time is not accurate in this case. The log-linear model was found to be efficient when the errors follow the Poisson distribution or nearly Poisson distribution. The efficiency of the log-linear model was decreased accordingly as the overdispersion increased, compared to the extended log-linear model. When the error model is additive or multiplicative with Gamma-distributed errors, the log-linear model is more efficient than the gray-scaled method. The extended log-linear model performs well overall for all three data-generating models. The loss of efficiency of the extended log-linear model is observed only when the error model is multiplicative with log-normally distributed errors, where the gray-scaled method is appropriate. However, the extended log-linear model is more efficient than the log-linear model in this case.     

树干径流过程的动态响应模型

本文用实验测试法测量了干流过程。结果表明,干流过程曲线与R-L-C电路瞬态响应过程(包括输入、输出曲线)极为相似。据此,可用R-L-C电路瞬态响应过程曲线拟合干流过程,求出解析解。在计算机上调试参数,讨论其水文学意义,定性分析参数与影响干流因子的关系,取得了满意的结果。     

Evolution of jumping capacity in Tropidurinae lizards: does habitat complexity influence obstacle‐crossing ability?

Jumping performance is relevant for lizards in many ecological contexts and might be favoured during the colonization of structurally complex habitats. Although ground-dwelling lizards use jumps to overcome small obstacles in their natural environments, jumping capacity has been mostly studied in arboreal species. Here, we analysed the evolution of jumping behaviour and performance in lizards from eight ground-dwelling species of Tropidurinae attempting to cross obstacles of different heights in a jumping track, both when undisturbed and under continuous stimulation. To establish ecological correlates with habitat complexity, individuals from two contrasting Brazilian habitats, the arid Caatingas (sand species) and the savannah-like Cerrados (rock species), were compared. Rock species jumped more often and crossed higher obstacles than sand ones in both tests, and performed more vertical than horizontal jumps. Although sand species performed less jumps, they were more successful at crossing the obstacles presented in comparison with rock species. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed these findings and demonstrated a large divergence in jumping capacity between sister-species from different habitats. Therefore, the differences in propensity and endurance for jumping activity appear to be independent of phylogenetic relationships in Tropidurinae and likely reflect an adaptation to the contrasting environments inhabited. The ecological implications of these findings are discussed.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 91 , 393–402.     

Extensive unfolding of the C-LytA choline-binding module by submicellar concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulphate

We have investigated the stability of the choline-binding module C-LytA against sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-induced unfolding at pH 7.0 and 20 degrees C. A major intermediate with an unfolded N-terminal region accumulates at around 0.75 mM SDS, whereas 2.0 mM SDS was sufficient for a complete unfolding. This might be the first report of a protein being extensively unfolded by submicellar concentrations of SDS, occurring through formation of detergent clusters on the protein surface. All transitions were reversible upon SDS complexation with beta-cyclodextrin, allowing the calculation of thermodynamic parameters. A model for the unfolding of C-LytA by SDS is presented and compared to a previous denaturation scheme by guanidine hydrochloride.     

农地整理中路沟渠生态化设计研究进展

农地整理是人类对农田生态系统的强烈干扰.传统农地整理中路沟渠设计的主要技术经济指标是方便生产通行和调配水资源以及提高水的利用率,尚缺少系统化、生态化考量,已经影响了农田物种扩散,导致生物栖息地环境的退化,并对农田生态系统的生物竞争机制、缓冲和补偿能力、抵御虫害能力产生了显著的负效应.本文系统总结了路沟渠生态化的功能,着重介绍了近年来生态化路沟渠的形式与结构设计、路沟渠生态工法参数的试验以及路沟渠生态材料选择的技术和方法.未来的相关研究应根据各级道路、灌排沟渠的不同功能要求和规格,按照田间不同生物的习性和栖息要求,精确设计能够满足大多数生物需求的农田路沟渠形态、结构和控制性尺寸,切实解决农地整理带来的上述问题.     

观察导管和筛管的两种简便方法

采用将徒手切片煮沸透明的方法改进了两种观察导管和筛管的方法     

Differences between observed and predicted energy costs at rest and during exercise in three subsistence-level populations

Estimates of daily energy expenditure are important for many areas of research in human ecology and adaptability. The most common technique for estimating human energy expenditure under field conditions, the factorial method, generally relies on activity-specific energy costs derived from published sources, based largely on North American and European subjects. There is concern that such data may not be appropriate for non-Western populations because of differences in metabolic costs. The present study addresses this concern by comparing measured vs. predicted energy costs at rest and during sub-maximal exercise in 83 subjects (52 males, 31 females) from three subsistence-level populations (Siberian herders and high-land and coastal Ecuadorian farmers). Energy costs at rest (i.e., lying, sitting and standing) and while performing a standard stepping exercise did not significantly differ among the three groups. However, resting energy costs were significantly elevated over predicted levels (+16% in men, +11% in women), whereas exercising costs were comparable to predicted values (?6% in men, +3% in women). Elevations in resting energy needs appear to reflect responses to thermal stress. These results indicate that temperature adjustments of resting energy costs are critical for accurately predicting daily energy needs among traditionally living populations. o 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.