Volumetric and aerial rates of heterotrophic bacterial production in epi- and hypolimnia: the role of nutrients and system morphometry

Epilimnetic and hypolimnetic bacterial production (BP) were measured once in summer, by the incorporation of [³H] - Leucine in each of 14 Quebec (Canada) lakes varying in nutrient content and morphometry. The epilimnetic and hypolimnetic BP were evaluated at two scales: the common per unit volume and areal (m^–2) scale. The per unit volume scale epilimnetic BP was best predicted by total phosphorus (TP, r ²=0.63), and by water residence time (WRT r ²=0.57), with WRT serving as a surrogate for the nutrient and organic matter supply from the catchments. Total phosphorus and lake mean depth (Z _m) together explained 79% of the variation in epilimnetic BP (l^–1). In contrast, hypolimnetic BP (l^–1) was neither linked to nutrients (TP or TN) or dissolved organic carbon (DOC) but only to measures of lake morphometry and best of all to hypolimnetic thickness (Zh; r ²=0.74). With increased Zh, there is an increased dilution of settling organic particles and their nutrients, resulting in a decrease in BP per litre. Conversely, when BP is expressed in areal units (m^–2), hypolimnetic production increases with increasing hypolimnetic thickness. Water column thickness is a master variable, which together with Chl a (abundance of particles) determines hypolimnetic BP at the whole system scale even though the trophic status is the best single indicator of epilimnetic BP on a volumetric scale. Conclusions drawn invariably change with the scale of investigation. Moreover, it is clear that lake morphometry has a major impact on BP. A comparison of whole water column integrated BP with literature derived estimates of the equivalent sediment production (m^–2) below suggests that if the estimated sediment rates are not complete technique artefacts, they are likely to be an order of magnitude higher than the water column rates (m^–2) at the maximum depth sampling sites. The relative importance of the sediments could be expected to rise with a decline in the maximum depth of lakes, characterized by progressively thinner hypolimnia. The present findings point to both a primarily allocthonous fuelling of sediment production and an uncoupling of water and sediment BP.     

Application of morphometry in tumor pathology

The application of morphometry in tumor pathology is discussed, e.g., its use in studying the biology of tumors, in creating tumor classification(s), in creating methods for the identification of a tumor in the diagnostic context, and in characterizing diagnostic histopathology in absolute terms. In traditional subjective diagnostic histopathology, reproducibility can be defined satisfactorily, but the definition of accuracy is ambiguous; in morphometric histopathology, a satisfactory definition is found for both concepts but it may be difficult to separate them in practice. Morphometric histopathology can study parameters measured from sections or parameters derived from the primary measurements through calculations. In the histopathology of tumors, the following parameters have turned out to be specially valuable: densitometric measurements of nuclei, nuclear area, perimeter and form factors, nucleolar parameters, the number of mitotic cells per area, the cellularity, the volume fraction of the epithelium, and parameters associated with the fraction of tumor tissue in the sample. The standard deviation or other moments of the distribution of these measurements can be more relevant than the mean values of the results. This indicates that more attention should be given to sampling rules, which are important in defining the efficiency of the methods. For rational application of morphometric methods, it is very important to make a distinction between group morphometry and diagnostic morphometry. The latter engenders numerous sources of variation (variation in section thickness, variation in tissue processing, variation in the techniques of measurement, interobserver variation, interlaboratory variation, variation due to subjective interpretation, etc.), which are usually better controlled in group morphometry. The influence on morphometric parameters of variation in section thickness and tissue shrinkage during processing are discussed.     

The distribution of connective tissue content in swimming muscle of cod (Gadus morbua)

The amount and distribution of connective tissue in the swimming muscle of cod (Gadus morhua) have been determined. By biochemical analysis, the collagen was found to make up 1,5 % of the total protein content. Measured by light microscopical morphometric analysis, the areal fraction of the connective tissue elements was found to be 3,0 % of the total muscle area. The areal fraction of myocommatal connective tissue mentioned above was found to be 2.3 %. The thickness of the endomysial sheath was calculated by morphometry based on electron microscopy, and was found to be 0.30 and 0.16 μ for red and white fibres, respectively. The areal fraction of the endomysial sheaths was 2.3 % in red muscle and 0.5% in white muscle. The endomysial sheaths make up 25% of the total connective tissue in the swimming muscles. These sheaths influence the binding properties of fish muscle products.     

七味白术散联合蒙脱石散对腹泻幼鼠肠道菌群及免疫功能影响的研究

摘要 目的：探讨七味白术散联合蒙脱石散对腹泻幼鼠肠道菌群及免疫功能影响的研究。方法：选择SD雄性幼鼠30只,随机分为对照组、模型组、七味白术散组、蒙脱石散组、七味白术散联合蒙脱石散组,对照组与模型组灌胃给予0.2 mL/10生理盐水,七味白术散组给予0.2 mL/10 g七味白术散,蒙脱石散组给予0.2 mL/10 g蒙脱石散,七味白术散联合蒙脱石散组给予0.2 mL/10 g七味白术散+0.2 mL/10 g蒙脱石散,5组每天定时灌胃一次,均连续给药7天。对比腹泻指数、平均稀便级、稀便率、脾重、胸腺重指数、血清淀粉酶、血清D-木糖水平、回肠、结肠、空肠黏膜厚度及小肠内容物细菌增殖。结果：与对照组相比,其他组脾重、胸腺重指数、血清淀粉酶及D-木糖水平、双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌数量较低,腹泻指数、平均稀便级、稀便率、回肠、结肠、空肠黏膜厚度、大肠杆菌较高（P<0.05）;与模型组相比,蒙脱石散组、七味白术散组、七味白术散联合蒙脱石散组的脾重、胸腺重指数、血清淀粉酶及D-木糖水平、双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌数量较高,腹泻指数、平均稀便级、稀便率、回肠、结肠、空肠黏膜厚度、大肠杆菌较低（P<0.05）;与蒙脱石散组相比,七味白术散组、七味白术散联合蒙脱石散组的脾重、胸腺重指数、血清淀粉酶及D-木糖水平、双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌数量较高,腹泻指数、平均稀便级、稀便率、回肠、结肠、空肠黏膜厚度、大肠杆菌较低（P<0.05）;与七味白术散组相比,七味白术散联合蒙脱石散组的脾重、胸腺重指数、血清淀粉酶、D-木糖水平、双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌数量明显较高,腹泻指数、平均稀便级、稀便率、回肠、结肠、空肠黏膜厚度、大肠杆菌较低（P<0.05）。结论：七味白术散联合蒙脱石散可明显改善腹泻幼鼠的腹泻症状,可能与其可调整腹泻幼鼠肠道菌群及免疫功能有关。     

Internal seiches in Lake Constance: influence on plankton abundance at a fixed sampling site

During thermal stratification, pronounced internal seiches occurin Lake Constance with periods of 4–6 days The amplitudesreach 12 m at the sampling site in berlinger See (northwesternpart of Lake Constance). Seiches change the thickness of thewarm and generally biologically rich epilimnion and, thus, alsothe areal abundance of planktonic organisms at a fixed samplingsite. The potential impact of seiche-dnven changes of epilimneticthickness on observed plankton abundance was calculated usingcontinuously recorded temperature profiles and weekly verticalprofiles of plankton biomass. Observed plankton biomass wasrecalculated by taking into account the effect of changing layerthickness in order to give a more realistic picture of biomasschanges caused by waxing and waning of populations Our calculationsimply that changes of strata thickness do not mask the generalseasonal trend in population dynamics (e g. spring bloom andclear water phase), estimates of average yearly standing stockare not significantly affected if sampling is done at leastweekly. However, changes of strata thickness can alter arealplankton abundance at the sampling site by a factor of 2 within2 days During pronounced seiches, areal abundance of phytoplankton,which generally exhibit a stronger vertical gradient than-mostother plankton, may be changed by a factor of 3–4 withinhours Hence, at our sampling site, the impact of changes instrata thickness cannot be ignored for detailed analysis ofpopulation dynamics of autotrophs involving comparisons betweensingle observations     

Impact of habitat diversity on the sampling effort required for the assessment of river fish communities and IBI

The spatial variation in the fish communities of four small Belgian rivers with variable habitat diversity was investigated by electric fishing to define the minimum sampling distance required for optimal fish stock assessment and determination of the Index of Biotic Integrity. This study shows that the standardised sampling distance of 100 m was not always sufficient to collect most species present. The required minimum sampling distance seems to be correlated with habitat diversity. In homogeneous streams, a mean sample distance of 282, 452 and 572 m is necessary to capture 80, 90 and 95% of all species present, respectively. In heterogeneous streams, these sample distances decrease to 217, 380 and 503 m. Hence, at least 300 m should be sampled to catch most species present with a single-pass sampling method. However, our results show that a 100 m sampling distance as presently used in the Flemish monitoring programs is sufficient to accurately describe the ecological quality since differences in IBI evaluation between adjacent stretches could at least for some rivers be explained by differences in habitat heterogeneity.     

Ovarian weight as an index of fecundity, maturity, and spawning periodicity

Ovarian weight and related indices such as gonadosomatic index were used to index fecundity, egg maturity, and spawning season in gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum . Individually, in simple regression, fecundity and mean egg volume each accounted for only about 50% of the variability in ovarian weight. Together, in multiple regression, fecundity and mean egg volume accounted for 86% of the variation in ovarian weight. The percentage of the variability in ovarian weight explained by each independent variable, while holding constant the value of the other independent variable (partial coefficient of determination), was 72% for fecundity and 78% for mean egg volume. Thus, ovarian weight of gizzard shad confounded information about fecundity and egg maturity and separately could not index them adequately. Attempts to remove the effect of fecundity, so that ovarian weight could serve as an index of maturity, and to remove the effect of egg size so that ovarian weight could serve as an index of fecundity, were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, seasonal oscillations of ovarian weight served as a crude indicator of population Spawning Season.     

Estimation of the Optimal Statistical Quality Control Sampling Time Intervals Using a Residual Risk Measure

Background

An open problem in clinical chemistry is the estimation of the optimal sampling time intervals for the application of statistical quality control (QC) procedures that are based on the measurement of control materials. This is a probabilistic risk assessment problem that requires reliability analysis of the analytical system, and the estimation of the risk caused by the measurement error.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Assuming that the states of the analytical system are the reliability state, the maintenance state, the critical-failure modes and their combinations, we can define risk functions based on the mean time of the states, their measurement error and the medically acceptable measurement error. Consequently, a residual risk measure rr can be defined for each sampling time interval. The rr depends on the state probability vectors of the analytical system, the state transition probability matrices before and after each application of the QC procedure and the state mean time matrices. As optimal sampling time intervals can be defined those minimizing a QC related cost measure while the rr is acceptable. I developed an algorithm that estimates the rr for any QC sampling time interval of a QC procedure applied to analytical systems with an arbitrary number of critical-failure modes, assuming any failure time and measurement error probability density function for each mode. Furthermore, given the acceptable rr, it can estimate the optimal QC sampling time intervals.

Conclusions/Significance

It is possible to rationally estimate the optimal QC sampling time intervals of an analytical system to sustain an acceptable residual risk with the minimum QC related cost. For the optimization the reliability analysis of the analytical system and the risk analysis of the measurement error are needed.     

Statistical Efficiency in Distance Sampling

Distance sampling is a technique for estimating the abundance of animals or other objects in a region, allowing for imperfect detection. This paper evaluates the statistical efficiency of the method when its assumptions are met, both theoretically and by simulation. The theoretical component of the paper is a derivation of the asymptotic variance penalty for the distance sampling estimator arising from uncertainty about the unknown detection parameters. This asymptotic penalty factor is tabulated for several detection functions. It is typically at least 2 but can be much higher, particularly for steeply declining detection rates. The asymptotic result relies on a model which makes the strong assumption that objects are uniformly distributed across the region. The simulation study relaxes this assumption by incorporating over-dispersion when generating object locations. Distance sampling and strip transect estimators are calculated for simulated data, for a variety of overdispersion factors, detection functions, sample sizes and strip widths. The simulation results confirm the theoretical asymptotic penalty in the non-overdispersed case. For a more realistic overdispersion factor of 2, distance sampling estimation outperforms strip transect estimation when a half-normal distance function is correctly assumed, confirming previous literature. When the hazard rate model is correctly assumed, strip transect estimators have lower mean squared error than the usual distance sampling estimator when the strip width is close enough to its optimal value (± 75% when there are 100 detections; ± 50% when there are 200 detections). Whether the ecologist can set the strip width sufficiently accurately will depend on the circumstances of each particular study.     

The left ventricle as confocal prolate spheroids

A model of left ventricle is described which takes into account the physiologic variations of thickness, a function of time and distance prior to and during ejection, by assuming that the prolate spheroids are confocal at a given instant. The hyperbolic segment of arc between innermost and outermost spheroids, confocal with the latter, defines a so-called functional thickness, for which a derivation is given. Results show that this model operates in a range of eccentricity wherein thickness change per unit internal volume change are greatest.     

哺乳类动物数量调查中的截线抽样法与逆向截线法

文本介绍了可用于哺乳动物数量调查的一种新方法--截线抽样法,并在此方法的基础上,结合我国动物调查实践,提出了逆向截线法。逆向截线法在贺兰山自然保护区马鹿数量调查中,取得了较好效果。     

A novel reliability estimation method of complex network based on Monte Carlo

Aiming at the reliability evaluation method of the complex network, and network reliability is an important index in measuring the reliability of large-sized network. The Monte Carlo method is studied, and the general principle of MC simulation and the reliability evaluation approach based on MC are introduced. Sampling is very important in the Monte Carlo simulation, and random variable is studied, and several kinds of discrete distributions are introduced. A novel reliability evaluation method based on Monte Carlo method is proposed. To evaluate network reliability efficiently, the proposed method generates time-pointer of the arc failure events and constructs the event-table of the complex network, and updates the network states, and sampling is selected by geometric distribution. Precision and unbiased of the reliability evaluating are discussed. Furthermore, a series of numerical experiments are implemented to compare the efficiency of the CMC and the other traditional methods under the same experimental condition.     

Effect of sampling scale on the assessment of epiphytic bacterial populations

Bacterial populations on above-ground plant surfaces were estimated at three different biological scales, including leaflet disks, entire leaflets, and whole plants. The influence of sample scale on the estimation of mean bacterial population size per unit and per gram and on the variability among sampling units was quantified at each scale. Populations were highly variable among sampling units at every scale examined, suggesting that there is no optimal scale at which sample variance is reduced. The distribution of population sizes among sample units was sometimes, but not consistently, described by the lognormal. Regardless of the sampling scale, expression of population sizes on a per gram basis may not reduce variance, because population size was not generally a function of sample unit weight within any single sampling scale. In addition, the data show that scaling populations on a per gram basis does not provide a useful means of comparing population estimates from samples taken at different scales. The implications of these results for designing sampling strategies to address specific issues in microbial ecology are discussed. Correspondence to: L.L. Kinkel     

Role of ultrastructural techniques in understanding mechanisms of metal-induced nephrotoxicity

The combined use of ultrastructural morphometry and X-ray microanalysis in conjunction with biochemical analysis is one approach to elucidating mechanisms of metal nephrotoxicity at the cellular level. Ultrastructural morphometry conducted on proximal tubule cells of rats exposed to low levels of methyl mercury for prolonged periods of time showed statistically significant increases in the volume densities of the lysosomal and mitochondrial compartments. These findings were associated with marked changes in lysosomal marker enzymes and mitochondrial heme biosynthesis enzymes leading to the detection of a renal porphyrinuria that occurred before changes in standard tests of renal function. Ultrastructural morphometry, X-ray microanalysis, and biochemical studies of the low-molecular-weight tubular proteinuria produced by injection of cadmium metallothionein (CdMT) showed a rapid proximal tubule cell lysosome uptake and degradation of the CdMT complex, which led to a subsequent decrease in the numerical density (Nv) and average diameter of lysosomes and to an increase in the Nv of apical pinocytolic vesicles with time. The data indicate disruption of the normal primary lysosome-pinocytolic vesicle fusion process and related development of tubular proteinuria. Ultrastructural techniques may provide information useful in elucidating mechanisms of ongoing metal-induced nephrotoxic processes when consideration is given to sampling strategies for morphometric analysis and the inherent detection limits, elemental volatility, translocation effects, and limitations of quantification for X-ray microanalysis in soft biological tissues.     

Anogenital distance and umbilical cord testosterone level in newborns in Zaria, Northern Nigeria

The anogenital distance (AGD) is the distance between the anus and the base of the penis in males and anus to fourchette (AF) distance in females and is a sexually dimorphic index that, on average, is twice as great in males as in females, so it is used as an indicator of appropiate masculine development. In this study, the anogenital distance (AGD) and anthropometric measurements such as birth weight, birth length, head circumference and placenta weight of 200 newborns (100 male, 100 female) were taken and umbilical cord serum was assayed for testosterone concentration using Radioimmunoassay (Microwell). Data obtained were analysed using Student t-test and Pearson's Correlation Analysis as applicable. Results revealed that mean total anogenital distance was 22.53±0.70mm, and it was significantly higher in males: 31.11±0.64mm than in females: 13.89±0.26mm and we observed that there was positive correlation between birth weight and AGD in females. In males head circumference correlated positively with AGD. The mean cord testosterone concentration was 2.78±0.30ng/ml in males and 2.09±0.22ng/ml in females and did not have any significant correlation with anogenital distance. It was concluded that AGD of the population studied, though high was not significantly higher than AGD in other parts of the world and umbilical cord testosterone level did not have any significant effect on AGD. Keywords: Anogenital distance, Ethnicity, Umbilical cord testosterone, Anthropometry.     

Quantitative assessment of pair formation behavior in captive whooping cranes (Grus americana)

Instantaneous scan sampling for mean distance and synchronous action patterns and all-occurrence sampling for unison call, dance, strut, and hoover-up behaviors were conducted for five potential whooping crane pairs at Patuxent Environmental Science Center, Laurel, Maryland. Dance, strut, and hoover-up differed among pairs, as did total frequency of social behaviors. It was unclear whether or not total frequency of social behaviors during pair formation can be used as an index for potential breeding success. The relative importance of different action patterns should be used as indices of pair compatibility in captive whooping cranes. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

An isozyme study of clone diversity and relative importance of sexual and vegetative recruitment in the grass Brachypodium pinnatum

We asked whether differences in abundance and seed prodtiction of Brachypodium pinnatum after 16 yr of four different experimental land use regimes were reflected in differences in vegetative dispersal distance, clone diversity, clone area, and the proportions of sexual and vegetative recruitment. Mean vegetative dispersal distance was 5.5 mm yr'. Electrophoresis of 5 polymorphic isozyme loci of 20 tillers sampled at defined positions in each of twelve 1 × 6 m sampling areas (3 per treatment) revealed considerable clonal diversity. Per sampling area we found on average 9.98 enzyme phenotypes (clones), mean Simpson index was 0.825. and mean Shannon index 0.801. The mean ratio of sexual vs vegetative recruitment was about 1:32000. Despite this low ratio, clonal diversity within the population of" B. pinnatum was higher than reported for other clonal plant populations, possibly because of its high ramet densities. Moan clone area was 5.73 m²-. i.e. mean clone radius was 1.35 m. None of the 10 pairwise correlations between abundance and seed production on the one hand, and number of clones per plot sample, plot Simpson index, plot Shannon index, ratio of vegetative vs sexual recruitment, and clone area on the other, was significant. Mean clone radius was 245 times larger than the mean distance of yearly vegetative dispersal which suggests old ages and low turnover rates of clones. The time scale of the inert response of clonal diversity of B. pinnatum to changes in land use appears to largely exceed the experimental period of 16 yr.     

On the Estimation of the Distribution Function Using Extreme and Median Ranked Set Sampling

We study relationships between extreme ranked set samples (ERSSs) and median ranked set sample (MRSS) with simple random sample (SRS). For a random variable X, we show that the distribution function estimator when using ERSSs and MRSS are more efficient than when using SRS and ranked set sampling for some values of a given x. It is shown that using ERSSs can reduce the necessary sample size by a factor of 1.33 to 4 when estimating the median of the distribution. Asymptotic results for the estimation of the distribution function is given for the center of the distribution function. Data on the bilirubin level of babies in neonatal intensive care is used to illustrate the method.     

Theoretical Comparison of Grab and Composite Sampling Programs

A mathematical formula for determining the sampling frequency on the basis of the coefficients of variation of the various parameters of interest of water quality is developed. The uncertainty or the variability of each sampling program is expressed as a function of the sampling design variable in order to construct a performance index which will enable one to select the best sampling program. The notion of information content is used as a basis for the performance index. Under certain circumstances, the information content of a single composite is more than that of a single grab sample. However, the average of a series of grab samples provides more information than the average of a series of composite samples. This happens because the individual information content (entropy) of discrete portions of the composite sample are confounded in the average. It is shown that if the variability of the proportions is greater than the upper limit (provided in Table 2), the information content of the composite, where the volume of each discrete portion is collected in proportion to the rate of flow (or discharge) at the time it is collected, is much smaller than that of the same number of grab samples or composite samples collected at constant volume-constant time intervals. Time constant, volume proportional-to-flow since last sample composites have the same disadvantages.     

Computer-assisted sperm head morphometry analysis (ASMA) of cryopreserved ram spermatozoa

Normal sperm morphology has been shown to be indicative of male fertility; however, subjective methods of assessing morphology are highly variable. Computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis (ASMA) has been developed for the objective analysis of sperm head dimensions. Developing applicable protocols for sperm head morphometry analysis increases the efficiency of these systems. The objective of the current study was to develop accurate methods for employing ASMA of ram sperm heads. Staining methods, optimal sperm sample numbers microscopic magnification and sampling variation within and between technicians were assessed. Frozen semen from 10 fertile rams was thawed and prepared on slides for morphometric analysis. Staining spermatozoa with hematoxylin and rose bengal stains yielded the best results. Ram sperm head morphometry was accurately evaluated on at least 100 spermatozoa at x 40 objective magnification. Using these techniques, a sample could be analyzed in approximately 3 min. No significant differences in sperm head measurements were detected between 2 technicians. The system properly recognized and digitized ram spermatozoa 95% of the time. The morphometric measurements of sperm heads for all rams were as follows: length = 8.08 microns, width = 4.80 microns, width:length ratio = 0.59, area = 29.13 micron 2 and perimeter = 23.93 microns. The mean within analysis coefficients of variation for all individual analyses and parameters ranged from 4.8% for length to 6.0% for area. The variation between replicate analysis was 2.4% or less for both technicians. When applying proper sample preparation and analysis procedures no differences in measurements or variation were observed between the 2 system operators.