Total Sums Research Articles

Genotype × environment interactions for chilling tolerance of rice recombinant inbred lines under different low temperature environments

Chilling injury is one of the major environmental stresses in rice cultivation in high-latitude and high-altitude regions. In this study, we cultivated a set of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from Milyang 23 ( indica)/Tong 88-7 ( japonica) crosses in Kunming (high-altitude location), Yanji (high-latitude location), Chuncheon (cold water irrigation), and Suwon (normal) to evaluate the genotype × environment (G × E) interactions for chilling tolerance. RILs were the most severely damaged under the natural chilling air temperatures in Kunming. Significant G × E interactions in all measured agronomic traits were detected, and thus, the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) statistical model was applied to dissect the G × E interactions. The biplots of grand mean and IPCA1 (interaction principal component axes) of chilling-related traits accounted for most of the total treatment sums of squares. The IPCA scores of spikelet fertility and phenotypic acceptability were relatively smaller in Chuncheon than in Yanji and Kunming, implying that the screening for chilling tolerance with cold water irrigation in Chuncheon was more stable, whereas the Yanji and Kunming plantings were more sensitive to G × E interactions for chilling tolerance. These results demonstrate that multi-locational screening should be the best strategy for developing widely adaptable chilling-tolerant varieties in rice.

Study on high-temperature spectra of asymptotic asymmetric-top radical SiO2

Total internal partition sums are calculated in the product approximation at temperatures up to 6000 K for the asymptotic asymmetric-top SiO2 molecule. The rotational partition function and the vibrational partition function are calculated with the rigid-top model and in the harmonic oscillator approximation, respectively. Our values of the total internal partition sums are consistent with the calculated value in the Gaussian program within −0.137% at 296 K. Using the calculated partition functions and the rotationless transition dipole moment squared as a constant, we calculate the line intensities of 001–000 band of SiO2 at normal, medium and high temperatures. Simulated spectra of the 001–000 band of the asymptotic asymmetric-top SiO2 molecule at 2000, 5000 and 6000 K are also obtained.

Bateman (1948): pioneer in the measurement of sexual selection

Bateman (1948): pioneer in the measurement of sexual selection

Ein neuer Weg zur quantitativen elektronischen CTG-Analyse

Recently it was found that a significant correlation exists between the variables of the foetal acid-base balance (ABB) and the parameters of the foetal heart rate (FHR). This dependency can be used for diagnostic purposes. Until now FHR could be evaluated off- and online by computer using scoring procedures, i. e., discontinuous methods, which need considerable computational efforts since FHR must reliably be separated into baseline (BL), decelerations and accelerations. Therefore, the question must arise whether a continuous and less cumbersome evaluation of individual FHR-parameters might lead to even better results? The last 30 min of 465 direct recordings of foetuses all delivered by the vaginal route were stored in a computer and analysed offline using our own MATLAB programmes. Five variables were computed for every single minute: The microfluctuation, the oscillation amplitude, the mean frequency, the sum of the absolute differences of time periods and the sum of the absolute differences of frequencies. In this paper the last two variables will be abbreviated 'total sums'. All minutes of a FHR tracing were treated equally i. e. there was no separation anymore between BL and decelerations (accelerations). In order to analyse the physiological intercorrelation of the five variables mentioned above a 'pH window' was chosen between 7.275 and 7.325 [7.275< or =pH, (umbilicalartery (UA)< or =7.325]. Thereafter, the influence of hypoxia and acidosis on the five variables was evaluated. According to the results obtained two of the five variables, the 'total sums', were not further analysed. Using the remaining variables 'frequency', 'oscillation amplitude' and 'microfluctuation' a new index, the WAS index, was created. This index offers the opportunity to evaluate the FHR continuously using 'coding lines' for each of the three parameters. The WAS index was designed according to the FHR characteristics of the awake (Wach), acidotic (Azidotisch) (pH, UA=ca. 7,000) and sleeping (Schlafend) foetus. Using the last 30 WAS indices covering the last 30 min of a single FHR tracing, a WAS score and the corresponding prognostic pH value was computed. These prognostic pH values were compared with the measured pH values of UA blood using again correlation analysis. Without any hypoxia and acidosis (pH, UA window) the five FHR variables are closely correlated with each other. Accepting minutes with decelerations only, the correlation between the 'total sums' and the remaining three parameters vanishes. Accepting hypoxia and acidosis (pH, UA > or =6.960) oscillation amplitude now offers the closest correlation with actual pH, UA (r=-0.440 p<<10 (-4)) followed by microfluctuation (r=0.224, p<0.001) and frequency (r=0.056, P: n. s.). This pattern is obviously due to the retention of all decelerations in the FHR tracings. The 'total sums' show less close correlations with pH, UA and BE(oxy) when compared with microfluctuation and oscillation amplitude (SumPER vs. pH, UA r=-0.125, p<0.001 and SumFRQ vs. pH, UA r=-0.154, p<0.001). All five variables under investigation show a better correlation with pH, UA when compared with BE(oxy) UA. The WAS score computed (mean) for the last 30 min of delivery leads to close correlations (p<<10(-4)) with all variables of the foetal ABB: pH, UA r=0.608; BE(oxy) r=0.535, pCO(2) r=-0.469 and sO(2) r=0.259. The median WAS score amounts to 0.176, the mean to 0.174+/-0.023; it is normally distributed in this sample. FHR characteristics in different foetal behavioural states offer the opportunity to design a new index, the WAS index, which shows close (p<<10(-4)) correlations with all variables of the foetal ABB. Thus, the pH value in cord blood can be predicted within clinically reasonable limits. The qualitative CTG analysis remains untouched.

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Sediment Leachates of Small Watercourses in the Brno City Suburban Area (South Moravia, Czech Republic)

Sediments of two small watercourses Leskava and Troubsky Brook in the Brno city suburban area were examined for their ecotoxicity. Using a standard procedure, extracts of the sediments were prepared for diagnostic tests. These extracts were tested for acute toxicity to fresh-water organisms. The ecotoxicological tests were performed on the fresh-water algaPseudokirchneriella subcapitata, the vascular water plantLemna minor, on a representative of invertebrates – the water fleaDaphnia magnaand on theXenopus laevisfrog embryo and luminiscentVibrio fischeribacteria. Possible toxic effects were evaluated using the test determining the inhibition of the growth of white mustard rootSinapis alba. Results of ecotoxicological assessment of sediment leachates showed that their quality varied significantly during the year. Differences were found between results of sediment evaluations from different collection profiles, which may indicate effects of point source pollution. Of the ecotoxicological tests used, the most sensitive organisms included the green algaePseudokirchneriella subcapitata, bioluminiscent bacteriaVibrio fischeriand the African clawed frogXenopus laevis. The highest concentrations of arsenic were found by chemical analysis in both spring and autumn sediment leachate samples collected at Site L1 (Leskava). The highest organic pollutant concentrations were found in autumn sediment leachate samples from Site L1. In total PAH sums, phenanthrene was the dominant pollutant at all the sites investigated.

Age-related changes of muscle and plasma amino acids in healthy children

The aim of the study was to explore if changes in muscle and plasma amino acid concentrations developed during growth and differed from levels seen in adults. The gradient and concentrations of free amino acids in muscle and plasma were investigated in relation to age in metabolic healthy children. Plasma and specimens from the abdominal muscle were obtained during elective surgery. The children were grouped into three groups (group 1: < 1 year, n = 8; group 2: 1-4 years, n = 13 and group 3: 5-15 years, n = 15). A reference group of healthy adults (21-38 years, n = 22) was included in their comparisons and reflected specific differences between children and adults. In muscle the concentrations of 8 out of 19 amino acids analysed increased with age, namely taurine, aspartate, threonine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, histidine, as well as the total sums of branched chain amino acids (BCAA), basic amino acids (BAA) and total sum of amino acids (P < 0.05). In plasma the concentrations of threonine, glutamine, valine, cysteine, methionine, leucine, lysine, tryptophane, arginine, BCAA, BAA and the essential amino acids correlated with age (P < 0.05). These results indicate that there is an age dependency of the amino acid pattern in skeletal muscle and plasma during growth.

Efficient importance sampling for binary contingency tables

Importance sampling has been reported to produce algorithms with excellent empirical performance in counting problems. However, the theoretical support for its e¢ ciency in these applications has been very limited. In this paper, we propose a methodology that can be used to design e¢ cient importance sampling algorithms for counting and test their e¢ ciency rigorously. We apply our techniques after transforming the problem into a rare-event simulation problem –thereby connecting complexity analysis of counting problems with e¢ ciency in the context of rare-event simulation. As an illustration of our approach, we consider the problem of counting the number of binary tables with …xed column and row sums, cj’s and ri’s respectively, and total marginal sums d = P j cj. Assuming that maxj cj = o d 1=2 � , P c 2 = O(d) and the rj’s are bounded we show that a suitable importance sampling algorithm (proposed by Chen, Diaconis, Holmes and Liu (2005)) requires O(d 2 2 � 1 ) operations to produce an estimate that has -relative error with probability 1 �. In addition, if maxj cj = o d 1=4 �0 � for some �0 > 0, the same coverage can be guaranteed with O d 2 2 log � 1 �� operations.

Comparing the Penman–Monteith equation and a modified Jarvis–Stewart model with an artificial neural network to estimate stand-scale transpiration and canopy conductance

The responses of canopy conductance to variation in solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture have been extensively modelled using a Jarvis–Stewart (JS) model. Modelled canopy conductance has then often been used to predict transpiration using the Penman–Monteith (PM) model. We previously suggested an alternative approach in which the JS model is modified to directly estimate transpiration rather than canopy conductance. In the present study we used this alternative approach to model tree water fluxes from an Australian native forest over an annual cycle. For comparative purposes we also modelled canopy conductance and estimated transpiration via the PM model. Finally we applied an artificial neural network as a statistical benchmark to compare the performance of both models. Both the PM and modified JS models were parameterised using solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture as inputs with results that compare well with previous studies. Both models performed comparably well during the summer period. However, during winter the PM model was found to fail during periods of high rates of transpiration. In contrast, the modified JS model was able to replicate observed sapflow measurements throughout the year although it too tended to underestimate rates of transpiration in winter under conditions of high rates of transpiration. Both approaches to modelling transpiration gave good agreement with hourly, daily and total sums of sapflow measurements with the modified JS and PM models explaining 87% and 86% of the variance, respectively. We conclude that these three approaches have merit at different time-scales.

Study on the high temperature line intensities of the symmetric-top molecule NH3

The line intensities of 0300 a—0000 s transition of the symmetric-top NH3 molecule at high temperature were obtained by directly calculating the partition functions while regarding the rotationless transition dipole moment squared as a constant. The calculated values of the total internal partition sums (TIPS) are consistent with the data of HITRAN database within 0.19% at 296 K. The calculated line intensities data at 2000 K and 3000 K are also in excellent agreement with the data in HITRAN database with discrepancies less than -0.65% and -1.77%, which strongly supports the calculations of partition function and line intensity at high temperature. Then we extended the calculation to higher temperature. The line intensities and simulated spectra of 3ν2 band of the symmetric-top NH3 molecule at 4000 K and 5000 K were reported. The results are of significance for the study of the high-temperature molecular spectra in experiment and in theory.

Effects of spirodiclofen on the reproductive potential of two-spotted spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) ovipositing females

A laboratory bioassay was conducted to evaluate the effects of spirodiclofen on the survival and reproduction of young and mated females of two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch). The females were sprayed with a series of acaricide concentrations (96, 48, 24, 12, and 6 mg/l) 24-30 h after adult emergence, i.e., at the age most likely to exhibit dispersal behavior and close to their reproductive maximum. The proportions of T. urticae females that survived treatment without symptoms of poisoning were concentration-dependent, ranging between 0.41 and 0.88 (0.96 in the control). With the exception of females that survived 6 mg/l, fecundity of the treated female mites was strongly affected during the exposure, compared to the control. The mean daily fecundity (EL) and mean daily fertility (EH) of surviving females, transferred daily to new leaf disks over the following five days, significantly decreased as spirodiclofen concentrations increased. In treatments with 6 mg/l and 12 mg/l, only the latter concentration significantly reduced both EL and EH, compared to the control. In females that survived 24 mg/l and 48 mg/l, these life history parameters were reduced by over 90%, while treatment with 96 mg/l completely terminated egg-laying. The treated females lived for a significantly shorter time than untreated ones, with the exception of females that survived 6 mg/l. Compared to the control females, gross fecundity (GL) and gross fertility (GH) of the treated females were strongly reduced on the first and second day; from the third day onward, females treated with the lowest concentrations achieved marked recovery, their GL and GH going even above the values in the control. However, net fecundity (NL) and net fertility (NH) of all treated females decreased considerably throughout the trial, indicating that survival rates of these females were lower, compared to the control. Calculated as total sums of gross and net daily schedules within five days, fecundity and fertility significantly decreased as spirodiclofen concentration increased. The two lowest concentrations failed to achieve a significant reduction of GL, while GH, NL, and NH were significantly lower than control values starting with the females treated with 6 mg/L. A high percentage of unhatched eggs, especially during the initial two days after treatment (35-100%), further contributed to the significant reduction in fertility of the females treated with spirodiclofen. All concentrations of spirodiclofen significantly reduced the instantaneous rate of increase. Regression analysis showed a linear population decline with increased acaricide concentrations (y = 1.13 - 0.24x; R2 = 0.91, p &lt; 0.05).

Study on High-Temperature Spectra of Asymptotic Asymmetric-Top Molecule O3

The line intensities of 001-000 transition of the asymptotic asymmetric-top O3 molecule at several temperatures are calculated by directly calculating the partition functions and regarding the rotationless transition dipole moment squared as a constant. The calculated values of the total internal partition sums (TIPS) are consistent with the data of HITRAN database with −0.61% at 296 K. The calculated line intensity data at 500 K and 3000 K are also in excellent agreement with the data in HITRAN database with less than 0.659% and 5.458% at 500 K and 3000 K, which provide a strong support for the calculations of partition function and line intensity at high temperature. Then we extend the calculation to higher temperatures. The line intensities and simulated spectra of ν3 band of the asymptotic asymmetric-top O3 molecule at 4000 and 5000 K are reported. The results are of significance for the studying of the molecular high-temperature spectrum including experimental measurements and theoretical calculations.

Inheritance of long chain fatty acid content in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

A large industrial oil market has recently developed for high erucic acid (>500 g kg−1) rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars. This research was conducted to: (i) determine genetic effects for five fatty acids, (ii) determine if maternal effects influence fatty acid content of progeny, and (iii) estimate correlations among fatty acid contents in hybrid progeny. Lines with very high erucic acid content and very low erucic acid content were used to develop eight generations to estimate additive, dominance, and epistatic effects for fatty acid content using Generation Means Analyses. Mean oleic, linoleic, linolenic, eicosenoic and erucic acid content differed among generations and additive genetic effects were important for control of all five fatty acids, contributing from 84% to 97% of the total sums of squares for each fatty acid. Epistasis was observed in the inheritance of eicosenoic acid. Maternal effects were not detected.

Water balance estimation of a poorly gauged catchment in West Africa using dynamically downscaled meteorological fields and remote sensing information

Scientifically sound decisions in sustainable water management are usually based on hydrological modeling which can only be accomplished by meteorological driving information. Especially in regions with weak infrastructure this task is hampered by limited hydro-meteorological information in sufficient spatial and temporal resolution. We investigated three approaches to provide required meteorological fields driving the distributed hydrological model: the results of the mesoscale meteorological model MM5 which are available near real time, the TRMM product 3B42 available with approximately one month delay, and station data available with a delay of one year or more. The study site is the White Volta catchment in the semi-arid environment of West Africa. The results for 2004 show that the meteorological model is able to provide meteorological input data for near real time water balance estimations. In this study the TRMM product does not improve the simulation results. Besides missing important meteorological data, also gridded information on land surface properties (albedo, LAI, etc.) is usually difficult to obtain, albeit it is an essential input for distributed hydrological models. This information is commonly taken from “static” tables depending on the land use. Satellite remote sensing provides worldwide spatially detailed information on land surface properties which is particularly suitable for large regions in remote settings. Therefore the MODIS products for albedo and LAI were processed to annual time series including the identification and replacement of low quality observations by interpolation. The impact using MODIS data on the spatial distribution of water balance variables occurs mainly on local scale. The hydrological simulations using MODIS LAI and albedo values result in higher annual evapotranspiration and lower total discharge sums for 2004. Altogether it is concluded that hydrological decision support systems in regions with weak infrastructure can benefit significantly from the integration of atmospheric modeling and satellite-derived land surface data.

Line intensities of the asymptotic asymmetric-top radical HO2 at high temperatures

The total internal partition sums were calculated in the product approximation at temperatures up to 5000 K for the asymptotic asymmetric-top HO2 molecule. The calculations of the rotational partition function and the vibrational partition function were carried out with the rigid-top model and in the harmonic oscillator approximation, respectively. Our values of the total internal partition sums are consistent with the data of HITRAN database with -0.14% at 296 K. Using the calculated partition functions, we have calculated the line intensities of v2 band of HO2 at several high temperatures. The results showed that the calculated line intensities are in very good agreement with those of HITRAN database at temperatures up to 3000 K, which provides a strong support for the calculations of partition functions and line intensities at high temperatures. Then we have extended the calculation to higher temperatures. The simulated spectra of v2 band of the asymptotic asymmetric-top HO2 molecule at 4000 and 5000K are also obtained.

Spatial distribution of unmonitored inland water discharges to the sea

We develop a modelling methodology and investigate how spatial data on catchment surface characteristics may be used for quantifying relative coastal discharge contributions of streams and diffuse submarine groundwater discharge along the coastlines of unmonitored near-coastal catchment areas. The methodology is applied to two small Swedish coastal catchments areas, considering also two different ways to estimate evapotranspiration and its spatial variation within the catchments. Despite considerable differences between the characteristics of the two catchment areas, their relative coastal distribution results are similar, with about 80% of the total coastal discharge occurring through focused flows in visible and permanent streams, whereas the remaining 20% is diffuse and may occur through submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), small transient streams or both at different points in time. Evapotranspiration differs between the two used models, which results in relatively uncertain local flux values within the diffuse flow fields. The large focused stream flows and the mean values and total sums of diffuse flows (such as SGD) along some considerable coastline length, however, are constrained by the catchment-scale hydrological balance and considerably more robust and certain to estimate than the spatially variable small local fluxes within the diffuse flow fields.

High Temperature Spectrum for ν3Band of Carbon Dioxide

The total internal partition sums (TIPS) are calculatedat the temperature up to 6000 K for 12C16O2. Using thecalculated partition functions, we produce the line intensities ofν3 band of 12C16O2 at several high temperatures.The results show that the calculated line intensities are in very goodagreement with those of HITRAN database at the temperature up to 3000 K,which provides a strong support for the calculations of TIPS and lineintensities at high temperature. Then the calculation is extended tofurther high temperature, and the simulated spectra of ν3 band of12C16O2 at 5000 and 6000 K are reported.

Line intensities of 3000—0200 and 1001—0110 transition bands of 14N216O at high temperature

The total internal partition sums (TIPS) were calculated for nitrous oxide with the product approximation. For rotational partition sums Qrot, the centrifugal distortion corrections are under consideration. The calculation method for the vibrational partition sums Qvib used is the harmonic oscillator approximation. Using experimental transition moment squared and Herman-Waills factor coefficients and the calculated partition functions, we computed the line intensities of 3000—0200 and 1001—0110 transitions of nitrous oxide at several temperatures. The agreement between the calculated line intensities and experimental results and those extrapolated from HITRAN database is fairly good at temperatures up to 3000 K, which shows that the calculation of partition function and line intensity at high temperature is reliable. Furthermore, the line intensities and spectral simulations at the higher temperatures of 4000 and 5000 K are also presented.

Mesophilic and psychrotrophic aerobe sporulating microorganisms in raw cow’s milk

Abstract We studied the occurrence of mesophilic and psychrotrophic aerobic sporulating microorganisms (MPAS) in raw cow’s milk and their relations to microflora in milk. We took 294 samples of raw cow’s milk from 14 farms during one year. Briefly the method for MPAS assessment is to inactivate the milk sample by heating it to 80-82°C for 30 minutes. Mesophilic aerobic sporulates are incubated at 30°C for 3 days-, and psychrotrophic aerobic sporulates at 7°C for 10 days. Results of studied microbiological parameters characterize the sampled milk as complying with requirements of the EU regulation 92/46 and standard STN 57 0529. MPAS count was within the span 2.5–340 CFU/ml. The average value ofMPAS was 59.4 CFU/ml, with variation coefficient 93.1%. Counts up to 50 CFU/ml were in 55.4% samples, the value was not higher than 100 in 85%, and in 3.1% of the samples the MPAS count was higher than 200. MPAS do not show correlation with any of the studied microbiological parameters; marked influences of season were not observed either. On the basis of obtained results, it is possible to support the proposal of an initial limit of maximum 200 CFU/ml for the introduction of a MPAS parameter. MPAS count found in the same dishes at incubation for mesophilic and subsequently strictly psychrophilic microorganisms was 56.9 CFU/ml on average. This represents 95.8% of total CFU sums of individual dishes at two temperatures. The correlation coefficient of these two types of results, r = 0.99,gives evidence of close dependence expressed by the linear regression equation. Use of two incubation temperatures, one after another with an identical set of dishes, enables us to exclude overestimation of results due to sporulates able to grow at both incubation temperatures.

Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Develop Prediction Equations to Predict Carcass Fat-Free Lean Mass

Carcass measurements of 203 pigs representing 7 genetic populations and 4 target weights (100, 114, 128, and 152 kg) were used to evaluate alternative equations to predict carcass fat tissue-free lean mass. Independent variables in the equations included carcass weight and measures of backfat depth and longissimus area. Alternative sets of equations were calculated to evaluate the inclusion of a random effect of week of processing and of the quadratic and cross-product independent variables. In addition, equations were developed from data including the overall data set as well as from the 3 lightest and 3 heaviest target weights. Overall, the addition of the random effect of week did not change the residual standard deviations of the prediction equations. For 4 equations, the inclusion of the random effect of week reduced the absolute value of the regression coefficients. The best equations developed from either the light or heavy pig data sets had less total residual sums of squares and less residual sums of squares accounted for by target BW group than did the best equations developed from the overall data set. In 2 of the 4 cases, the best linear equation developed from the light or heavy data sets had less residual sums of squares than the best equation based on the overall data set.

Stability of Barbiturates in Fixed Tissues and Formalin Solutions

This study reports the results of the retention and quantitation of barbiturates in fresh tissue, in liver tissue fixed in formalin, and in the formalin solutions in which the same tissues were fixed for six months. Biological materials came from four cases of death due to phenobarbital and two due to butalbital. Results showed the presence of barbiturates in all studied materials. Mean recovery rates of phenobarbital in fixed liver were 57.11% and 30.84% in formalin from liver; and those of butalbital in fixed liver were 21.66% and 66.56% in formalin from liver. Total sums of recovery rates in formalin solutions and fixed tissues for phenobarbital (87.95%) and butalbital (88.22%) were comparable with those of the extraction efficiency of the method (90.2%) and indicate that these barbiturates have good stability even in biological specimens subjected to chemical fixation. This fact may be useful in qualitative evaluation of cases.