Spatial distribution characteristics of stomata at the areole level in Michelia cavaleriei var. platypetala (Magnoliaceae)

Background and AimsIn hierarchically reticulate venation patterns, smaller orders of veins form areoles in which stomata are located. This study aimed to quantify the spatial relationship among stomata at the areole level.MethodsFor each of 12 leaves of M. cavaleriei var. platypetala, we assumed that stomatal characteristics were symmetrical on either side of the midrib, and divided the leaf surface on one side of the midrib into six layers equidistantly spaced along the apical–basal axis. We then further divided each layer into three positions equidistantly spaced from midrib to leaf margin, resulting in a total of 18 sampling locations. In addition, for 60 leaves, we sampled three positions from midrib to margin within only the widest layer of the leaf. Stomatal density and mean nearest neighbour distance (MNND) were calculated for each section. A replicated spatial point pattern approach quantified stomatal spatial relationships at different distances (0–300 μm).Key ResultsA tendency towards regular arrangement (inhibition as opposed to attraction or clustering) was observed between stomatal centres at distances <100 μm. Leaf layer (leaf length dimension) had no significant effect on local stomatal density, MNND or the spatial distribution characteristics of stomatal centres. In addition, we did not find greater inhibition at the centre of areoles, and in positions farther from the midrib.ConclusionsSpatial inhibition might be caused by the one-cell-spacing rule, resulting in more regular arrangement of stomata, and it was found to exist at distances up to ~100 μm. This work implies that leaf hydraulic architecture, consisting of both vascular and mesophyll properties, is sufficient to prevent important spatial variability in water supply at the areole level.     

Efficient Simulation of Multivariate Binomial and Poisson Distributions

Power investigations, for example, in statistical procedures for the assessment of agreement among multiple raters often require the simultaneous simulation of several dependent binomial or Poisson distributions to appropriately model the stochastical dependencies between the raters' results. Regarding the rather large dimensions of the random vectors to be generated and the even larger number of interactions to be introduced into the simulation scenarios to determine all necessary information on their distributions' dependence stucture, one needs efficient and fast algorithms for the simulation of multivariate Poisson and binomial distributions. Therefore two equivalent models for the multivariate Poisson distribution are combined to obtain an algorithm for the quick implementation of its multivariate dependence structure. Simulation of the multivariate Poisson distribution then becomes feasible by first generating and then convoluting independent univariate Poisson variates with appropriate expectations. The latter can be computed via linear recursion formulae. Similar means for simulation are also considered for the binomial setting. In this scenario it turns out, however, that exact computation of the probability function is even easier to perform; therefore corresponding linear recursion formulae for the point probabilities of multivariate binomial distributions are presented, which only require information about the index parameter and the (simultaneous) success probabilities, that is the multivariate dependence structure among the binomial marginals.     

Cross-flow ultrafiltration of proteins through asymmetric polysulfonic membranes: I. Retention curves and pore size distributions

Flux and retention of 0.1%w/w aqueous solutions of several proteins [lysozyme, pepsin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), lipase, and gamma-globulin] with molecular weights of 14.6, 36, 67, 801 and 150 kDa are studied when they are tangentially filtered, with transmembrane pressure differences until 1 MPa and circulation velocities in the re-tentate loop from 0.04 to 1.98 m/s (laminar regime), through two asymmetric polysulfone commercial membranes (E-100 with a nominal pore size of 0.01 mum and E-500 with a nominal pore size of 0.04 mum). Results are analyzed with the film theory for the concentration-polarization phenomenon, obtaining the mass transfer coefficient along with the apparent and true retention coefficients for the cell used, as a function of the feed circulation velocity and the molecular weight of the solute. The standard retention curves lead to pore size distributions differing from the nominal ones. These differences can be attributed to the modifications of the membranes when they are in operational conditions, probably due to protein adsorption. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Low oxygen tolerance of different life stages of temperate freshwater fish species

Data on low dissolved oxygen (DO₂) tolerance of freshwater fish species of north‐western Europe were used to create species sensitivity distributions (SSD). Lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) and 100% lethal concentrations (LC₁₀₀) data were collected from the scientific literature. Comparisons were made among life stages as well as between native and exotic species. In addition, lethal DO₂ concentrations were compared to oxygen concentrations corresponding to maximum tolerable water temperatures of the same species. Fish eggs and embryos were the least tolerant. Juveniles had a significantly lower mean LOEC than adults, but there was no difference in mean LC₁₀₀ between the two groups. The difference in lethal oxygen concentrations between adults and juveniles was largest for three salmonids, although it remains uncertain if this was a result of smoltification. There were no significant differences between native and exotic species; however, data on exotics are limited. DO₂ concentrations converted from maximum tolerable water temperatures were 3·9 times higher than the measured lethal DO₂ concentrations, which may reflect changes in respiration rates (Q₁₀) and may also relate to the simplicity of the model used.     

Short‐term and long‐term effects of acute kidney injury in chronic kidney disease patients: A longitudinal analysis

We use data from an ongoing cohort study of chronic kidney patients at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, to investigate the influence of acute kidney injury (AKI) on the subsequent rate of change of kidney function amongst patients already diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We use a linear mixed effects modelling framework to enable estimation of both acute and chronic effects of AKI events on kidney function. We model the fixed effects by a piece‐wise linear function with three change‐points to capture the acute changes in kidney function that characterise an AKI event, and the random effects by the sum of three components: a random intercept, a stationary stochastic process with Matérn correlation structure, and measurement error. We consider both multivariate Normal and multivariate t versions of the random effects. For either specification, we estimate model parameters by maximum likelihood and evaluate the plug‐in predictive distributions of the random effects given the data. We find that following an AKI event the average long‐term rate of decline in kidney function is almost doubled, regardless of the severity of the event. We also identify and present examples of individual patients whose kidney function trajectories diverge substantially from the population‐average.     

Spatial patterns and feeding of meiobenthic harpacticoid copepods in relation to resident microbial flora

Distributional and feeding relationships of harpacticoid copepods and their microbial prey were examined in a tidal channel at Great Sippewissett Marsh. A horizontal zonation of photosynthetic microorganisms was composed of: 1) a diatom area; 2) a purple sulfur bacterial (Thiocapsa sp.) area; and 3) a clear area. Four species of harpacticoid copepods were associated with given areas. Leptocaris brevicornis occurred in very high densities in the diatom area but in relatively low densities in other areas. Mesochra lilljeborgi occurred in significantly higher densities in the purple and clear areas.Feeding experiments, using resident microbial flora labelled with NaH¹⁴CO₃ and ³H-thymidine, were conducted to determine which foods are 1) ingested but simply pass through the gut and 2) ingested, and retained. These experiments indicated that L. brevicornis ingested diatoms and the heterotrophs associated with the diatoms, but only retained the heterotrophic portion. Microscopic examination indicated that diatoms were passed out intact in feces. Oscillatoria sp. (cyanobacterium) was not ingested. Mesochra lilljeborgi ingested Spirulina sp. (cyanobacterium), Thiocapsa sp., and the heterotrophs associated with Thiocapsa but only retained the Thiocapsa label.These data for harpacticoids suggest that spatial distributions of meiofauna may be closely coupled with microbial food organisms which they consume. Also, that while several microbial foods may be ingested, only certain microbes are digested and assimilated as a food resource, further indicating the complexity of feeding relationships among the meiofauna.