A Model for the Transient Subdiffusive Behavior of Particles in Mucus

In this study we have applied a model to explain the reported subdiffusion of particles in mucus, based on the measured mean squared displacements ($MSD$). The model considers Brownian diffusion of particles in a confined geometry, made from permeable membranes. The applied model predicts a normal diffusive behavior at very short and long time lags, as observed in several experiments. In between these timescales, we find that the “subdiffusive” regime is only a transient effect, $MSD\propto {\tau }^{\alpha },\alpha <1$. The only parameters in the model are the diffusion-coefficients at the limits of very short and long times, and the distance between the permeable membranes L. Our numerical results are in agreement with published experimental data for realistic assumptions of these parameters. Finally, we show that only particles with a diameter less than 40 nm are able to pass through a mucus layer by passive Brownian motion.     

Optimizing the Distribution of Leg Muscles for Vertical Jumping

A goal of biomechanics and motor control is to understand the design of the human musculoskeletal system. Here we investigated human functional morphology by making predictions about the muscle volume distribution that is optimal for a specific motor task. We examined a well-studied and relatively simple human movement, vertical jumping. We investigated how high a human could jump if muscle volume were optimized for jumping, and determined how the optimal parameters improve performance. We used a four-link inverted pendulum model of human vertical jumping actuated by Hill-type muscles, that well-approximates skilled human performance. We optimized muscle volume by allowing the cross-sectional area and muscle fiber optimum length to be changed for each muscle, while maintaining constant total muscle volume. We observed, perhaps surprisingly, that the reference model, based on human anthropometric data, is relatively good for vertical jumping; it achieves 90% of the jump height predicted by a model with muscles designed specifically for jumping. Alteration of cross-sectional areas—which determine the maximum force deliverable by the muscles—constitutes the majority of improvement to jump height. The optimal distribution results in large vastus, gastrocnemius and hamstrings muscles that deliver more work, while producing a kinematic pattern essentially identical to the reference model. Work output is increased by removing muscle from rectus femoris, which cannot do work on the skeleton given its moment arm at the hip and the joint excursions during push-off. The gluteus composes a disproportionate amount of muscle volume and jump height is improved by moving it to other muscles. This approach represents a way to test hypotheses about optimal human functional morphology. Future studies may extend this approach to address other morphological questions in ethological tasks such as locomotion, and feature other sets of parameters such as properties of the skeletal segments.     

A Dynamic Model for Determining the Temporal Distribution of Environmental Burden

Abstract: In an article on the role of temporal information in life-cycle assessment in this journal, Field and colleagues argued that frequently it is not the single product but the "fleet" (or cohort) of products that "is the appropriate unit of analysis," and that in focusing on the fleet one "explicitly introduces the notion of time as a critical element of comparative life-cycle assessments. …" Major transitions, such as replacement of one fleet of products by an alternative fleet, correspond to a system in a transient rather than steady state, and explicit consideration of time is central to transient analysis.
One tool increasingly used as part of life-cycle assessment, economic input-output (EIO) analysis, at best deals with time in an implicit fashion. This article illustrates how the sequential interindustry model (SIM), a formulation of the EIOmodel that explicitly represents time, might be utilized in life-cycle assessment. SIM introduces this temporal component by explicitly accounting for the time required by production activities and the resulting sequencing of the inputs. This can be thought of as engineering rather than accounting information. The data demands of such a model are not likely to be met at present or at any time in the near future. Even so, simulation methods and the use of so-called synthetic data have a history of productive use in a number of fields, including the social sciences.
SIM also utilizes the contribution of Joshi on the application of the EIO model to environmental impact and the inclusion of the use as well as the production phases of a product in EIO analysis. The possibility of accounting for discounting of future events, with its impact on decision making, is also briefly discussed.     

Vertical Distribution of Chlorophyll in the Upper Volga Reservoirs

The vertical distribution of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a, CHL) was investigated in August 2015 at 25 sampling stations in the Ivankovo, Uglich, and Rybinsk reservoirs (Upper Volga, Russia) using a bbe Moldaenke Fluoroprob submersible fluorimeter. Three types of CHL vertical distribution were identified under homothermy. There was a gradual CHL decline in the water column at the upper part of reservoirs; a sharp decline at a certain depth in most riverine sections; and uniform distribution opposite the mouth of a small river (the Kashinka River, Uglich Reservoir), as well as at the open lacustrine sites of the Rybinsk Reservoir under wind-driven mixing. The average CHL content in the euphotic layer at the stations of three groups were 25.0 ± 6.3, 44.1 ± 4.0, and 20.8 ± 2.9 μg/L, respectively; the CHL contributions to the PAR absorption were 47 ± 9%, 66 ± 4%, and 38 ± 6%. Under thermal stratification the vertical distribution of CHL corresponds to the course of the temperature dynamics (r = 0.85).     

千岛湖浮游甲壳动物垂直分布与昼夜垂直移动

2004年6月、9月、12月及2005年3月于千岛湖温馨岛站点(29°38′10.5″N,119°01′54.1″E)进行浮游甲壳动物垂直分布分层采样,分析千岛湖浮游甲壳动物的垂直分布特征及优势种昼夜垂直移动状况。结果显示,千岛湖浮游甲壳动物主要分布在10～21 m水层,不同季节中心水层分布深度12月9月6月3月;浮游动物昼夜垂直移动春(3月)、夏(6月)两季幅度较大,秋(9月)、冬(12月)季节幅度较小;浮游甲壳动物优势种在各个水层都有分布,密集区大都集中在中上水层(10～21 m),不同种类昼夜垂直移动幅度有所不同;昼夜垂直移动显著的种类有特异荡镖水蚤(Neutrodiaptanus incongruens)、近邻剑水蚤(Cyclops vicinus)、球状许水蚤(Schmackeria forbesi)、透明溞(Daphnia hyaline)、长额象鼻溞(Bosmina longirostris),不显著的种类为右突新镖水蚤(Neodiaptomus schmackeri)、短尾秀体溞(Diaphanosoma brachyurum)。光照、温度、饵料是影响千岛湖浮游甲壳动物垂直分布及昼夜垂直移动的主要因素。     

A Mathematical Model of Chlamydial Infection Incorporating Movement of Chlamydial Particles

We present a spatiotemporal mathematical model of chlamydial infection, host immune response, and movement of infectious particles. The resulting partial differential equations model both the dynamics of the infection and changes in infection profile observed spatially along the length of the host genital tract. This model advances previous Chlamydia modelling by incorporating spatial change. Numerical solutions and model analysis are carried out, and we present a hypothesis regarding the potential for treatment and prevention of infection by increasing chlamydial particle motility.     

A Model of Alpha-Helical Distribution in Proteins

It is shown that alpha-helical content of eleven proteins is well correlated with alanine plus leucine content. These residues, taken singly or together, are to a first approximation randomly distributed in the four proteins whose tertiary structures have been determined (i.e., myoglobin, lysozyme, ribonuclease, α-chymotrypsin). A model based on the concept that certain randomly distributed residues specifically participate in helix nucleation is shown to be in reasonable agreement with the presently published structures.     

A Growth Model of Root Mass and Vertical Distribution, Dependent on Carbon Substrate from Photosynthesis and with Non-limiting Soil Conditions

A mechanistic root growth model is developed, in which it isassumed that water and nutrients are readily available and arenon-limiting to the growth process. Growth is controlled byphotosynthate supply, which is parameterized in terms of theconcentration of carbon substrate; it is assumed that thereis an upper limit to the root density – that is, the structuralweight of root per unit soil volume. Horizontal homogeneityis assumed throughout. Newly synthesized root structure is placedin a transient pool of mobile root material, from which materialis returned to the spatially fixed root structure with first-orderkinetics. Root penetration into uncolonized soil horizons isachieved by ascribing a diffusion-like process to the mobilematerial. Carbon substrate transport occurs by movement down,and proportional to, the concentration gradient within the fixedroot. The two pseudo-diffusion coefficients, along with parametersfor the maximum rooting density, and the availability and utilizationof carbon substrate, determine the time course of root growthand the development of the root profile. The model includesprocesses such as maintenance and growth respiration which utilizecarbon substrate and also the effects of senescence on rootstructure. Realistic results with exponential-type root distributions withdepth are obtained. A range of parameter values is considered,and the response of the model to changing the availability ofphotosynthate is examined. Model, root, soil, growth, profile     

A Model of Filiform Hair Distribution on the Cricket Cercus

Crickets and other orthopteran insects sense air currents with a pair of abdominal appendages resembling antennae, called cerci. Each cercus in the common house cricket Acheta domesticus is covered with between 500 to 750 filiform mechanosensory hairs. The distribution of the hairs on the cerci, as well as the global patterns of their movement axes, are very stereotypical across different animals in this species, and the development of this system has been studied extensively. Although hypotheses regarding the mechanisms underlying pattern development of the hair array have been proposed in previous studies, no quantitative modeling studies have been published that test these hypotheses. We demonstrate that several aspects of the global pattern of mechanosensory hairs can be predicted with considerable accuracy using a simple model based on two independent morphogen systems. One system constrains inter-hair spacing, and the second system determines the directional movement axes of the hairs.     

A Bond-Fluctuation Model of Translational Dynamics of Chain-like Particles through Mucosal Scaffolds

Mucus scaffolds represent one of the most common barriers in targeted drug delivery and can remarkably reduce the outcome of pharmacological therapies. An efficient transport of drug particles through a mucus barrier is a precondition for an efficient drug delivery. Understanding the transport mechanism is particularly important for treatment of disorders such as cystic fibrosis. These are characterized by an onset of high-density mucus scaffolds imposing an increased steric filtering. In this study, we employed the bond-fluctuation model to analyze the effect of steric interactions on slowing the translational dynamics of compound chain-like particles traversing through scaffolds of different configurations (regular isotropic and anisotropic versus irregular random). The model, which accounts for both the geometry-imposed steric interaction as well as the intrachain steric interaction between the chain subunits, yields a transient subdiffusive motional pattern persists between the short-time and long-time Gaussian diffusion limits. The motion is analyzed in terms of a mean-squared displacement, diffusion coefficient, and radius of gyration. With higher levels of restriction or larger particles, the subdiffusive motional regime persists longer. The study also demonstrates that an important feature of the motion is also geometry-induced chain accommodation. The presented model is generic and could also be applied to studying the translational dynamics of other particles with more complex architecture such as dendrites or chain-decorated nanoparticles.     

Vertical Distribution of Rotylenchulus reniformis in Cotton Fields

The possible impact of Rotylenchulus reniformis below plow depth was evaluated by measuring the vertical distribution of R. reniformis and soil texture in 20 symptomatic fields on 17 farms across six states. The mean nematode population density per field, 0 to 122 cm deep, ranged from 0.4 to 63 nematodes/g soil, and in 15 fields more than half of the R. reniformis present were below 30.5 cm, which is the greatest depth usually plowed by farmers or sampled by consultants. In 11 fields measured, root density was greatest in the top 15 cm of soil; however, roots consistently penetrated 92 to 122 cm deep by midseason, and in five fields in Texas and Louisiana the ratio of nematodes to root-length density within soil increased with depth. Repeated sampling during the year in Texas indicated that up to 20% of the nematodes in soil below 60 cm in the fall survived the winter. Differences between Baermann funnel and sugar flotation extraction methods were not important when compared with field-to-field differences in nematode populations and field-specific vertical distribution patterns. The results support the interpretation that R. reniformis below plow depth can significantly impact diagnosis and treatment of cotton fields infested with R. reniformis.     

Vertical Distribution of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Sweet Potato

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are harmful pests that have become a severe threat to crop production worldwide. Diversity of PPN at horizontal and spatial scales influence the effectiveness of control strategies. This study evaluated the vertical distribution of PPN genera at 0 cm to 30 cm and 30 cm to 60 cm in sweet potato fields in Central, Manyatta, and Nembure regions of Embu County, Kenya. A significant region × depth interaction was observed for Tylenchus. For all the other nematode genera, there were no significant variations in the abundance at 0 cm to 30 cm and 30 cm to 60 cm depths. However, Helicotylenchus, Meloidogyne, and Scutellonema occurred in greater numbers at both depths in all regions. Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were higher at 0 cm to 30 cm depth while Pielou’s evenness was similar at both depths in the three regions. Diversity partitioning of genus richness, Shannon, and Simpson diversities across all regions at 0 cm to 30 cm, indicated that β component contributed 61.9%, 35.6%, and 22.6% of γ diversity, respectively. Coinertia analysis indicated a significant covariation between nematode genera and soil properties. The results show that management of PPN in sweet potato fields should be targeted at soil depths that are not less than 60 cm.     

Decreased Ultraviolet-B Radiation Alters the Vertical Biomass Distribution in Cocksfoot

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate whether small differences in UV-B irradiance would lead to changes in competition between cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L. cv. Athos) and white clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. Mervi). Plants were grown in greenhouses covered with different thicknesses of UV-transmittant plexi (3 and 5 mm) resulting in 82 % and 88 % of ambient UV-B radiation. Aboveground biomass was harvested at 4-week intervals and the vertical distribution of biomass, leaf thickness and specific leaf area were determined. Tillering, stubble and root biomass and crop height were also measured. There was only one significant effect: at 88 % of ambient UV-B radiation a larger fraction of the biomass was present in the lower layers and a smaller fraction was present in the upper layers.     

Significance of Bacterial Activity for the Distribution and Dynamics of Transparent Exopolymer Particles in the Mediterranean Sea

The study of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in the Mediterranean Sea is particularly relevant as they can be promoters of mucilage events, a frequent phenomenon there. We assessed the influence of bacterioplankton on TEP distribution and dynamics across the west–east axis of the Mediterranean Sea. We performed an extensive study of TEP, dissolved carbohydrates, and their relationships with bacterial abundance and bacterial production (BP). A significant and positive relationship was observed between BP and TEP in the study region (r ²?=?0.51, p?<?0.001). The direct release of TEP by bacteria was experimentally corroborated using regrowth cultures where increases in TEP tracked bacterial growth in abundance and production. These TEP increases were positively related to the increases in BP (r ²?=?0.78, p?<?0.05). The consistency (similar slopes) of the regression lines between BP and TEP in natural conditions and between the increases of BP and TEP in the experiments underlines the relevant role of bacteria in the formation of TEP in this area.     

Temporal Changes in the Vertical Distribution of Pratylenchus penetrans under Raspberry

Population densities of Pratylenchus penetrans and the biomass of fine roots of raspberry at depths of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm were determined every 2 weeks for 2 years. The vertical distribution of P. penetrans varied from season to season, but the seasonal changes were not similar for the 2 years. In most seasons, the greatest population density was in the 5 to 10-cm-depth interval. Population densities of P. penetrans were not consistently correlated with the vertical distribution of raspberry roots in any season.     

一类具有垂直传染的SIR传染病模型

讨论了一类具有垂直传染的SIR传染病模型：(dS)/(dt)=6(1-m)(S R) (1- m)pb′I-βSI,(dI)/(dt)=βSI qb′I-d′I-rI,(dR)/(dt)=rI mb(S R) mpb′I-dR获得了无病平衡点与地方病平衡点的全局稳定性．     

Vertical Distribution of Bacteria in Forest Lakes of Karelia

Biology Bulletin - Abstract—The total abundance of bacteria, the number of saprophytic, oligotrophic, and sulfate-reducing microorganisms, the shapes of bacterial cells, the primary and...     

Vertical Distribution of Bacterivorous Nematodes under Different Land Uses

The vertical distribution of dominant genera of bacterivorous nematodes to 150-cm depth in an aquic brown soil was compared after 14 years of four contrasting land uses, i.e., cropland-rice (CR), cropland-maize (CM), abandoned cropland (AC), and woodland (WL). The study was conducted at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, a Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) site in Northeast China. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance with land use and depth as independent variables. More than 70% of Chiloplacus, Eucephalobus, and Monhystera spp. were present in the uppermost soil layer (0 to 5 cm) in the CR treatment. In contrast, Chiloplacus and Prismatolaimus spp. were distributed down to 100-cm depth in the AC and CM treatments, respectively. Differences in numbers of Acrobeles, Acrobeloides, Cephalobus, Chiloplacus, Eucephalobus, Monhystera, Plectus, and Prismatolaimus were found among land uses and at various depths. Soil C and N were correlated positively with numbers of Monhystera and Plectus in the CR treatment, Acrobeloides in the CM treatment, and Acrobeles and Acrobeloides in the AC treatment. Soil pH was correlated negatively with Monhystera, Plectus (CR), and Acrobeloides (CM, AC). The relationship of pH with Acrobeles depended on land use: positive in the WL treatment and negative in the AC treatment. Our results suggested that Cephalobus and Prismatolaimus in the CR treatment, and Chiloplacus and Prismatolaimus in the WL treatment, were insensitive to soil properties measured. Differences in vertical distribution should be considered when studying dominant bacterivorous nematode genera among land uses.     

Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Prokaryotic Communities Along A Sediment Vertical Profile of A Deep-Sea Mud Volcano

We investigated the top 30-cm sediment prokaryotic community structure in 5-cm spatial resolution, at an active site of the Amsterdam mud volcano, East Mediterranean Sea, based on the 16S rRNA gene diversity. A total of 339 and 526 sequences were retrieved, corresponding to 25 and 213 unique (≥98% similarity) phylotypes of Archaea and Bacteria, respectively, in all depths. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index H was higher for Bacteria (1.92–4.03) than for Archaea (0.99–1.91) and varied differently between the two groups. Archaea were dominated by anaerobic methanotrophs ANME-1, -2 and -3 groups and were related to phylotypes involved in anaerobic oxidation of methane from similar habitats. The much more complex Bacteria community consisted of 20 phylogenetic groups at the phylum/candidate division level. Proteobacteria, in particular δ-Proteobacteria, was the dominant group. In most sediment layers, the dominant phylotypes of both the Archaea and Bacteria communities were found in neighbouring layers, suggesting some overlap in species richness. The similarity of certain prokaryotic communities was also depicted by using four different similarity indices. The direct comparison of the retrieved phylotypes with those from the Kazan mud volcano of the same field revealed that 40.0% of the Archaea and 16.9% of the Bacteria phylotypes are common between the two systems. The majority of these phylotypes are closely related to phylotypes originating from other mud volcanoes, implying a degree of endemicity in these systems.