Early prenatal diagnosis of short rib-polydactyly (SRP) syndrome type I (Majewski) by ultrasound in a case at risk

Short rib-polydactyly (SRP) syndrome Type I was diagnosed accurately in an at-risk fetus at 16 weeks of gestation by real-time sonography. The most important findings were a narrow thorax, significant shortening of the long bones, particularly the tibiae, and–by directed search–the polydactyly.     

Reducing over-reporting of deterministic co-occurrence patterns in biotic communities

Null models of species co-occurrence are widely used to infer the existence of various ecological processes. Here we investigate the susceptibility of the most commonly used of these models (the C-score in conjunction with the sequential swap algorithm) to type 1 and type 2 errors. To do this we use simulated datasets with a range of numbers of sites, species and coefficients of variation (CV) in species abundance. We find that this model is particularly susceptible to type 1 errors when applied to large matrices and those with low CV in species abundance. As expected, type 2 error rates decrease with increasing numbers of sites and species, although they increase with increasing CV in species abundance. Despite this, power remains acceptable over a wide range of parameter combinations. The susceptibility of this analytical method to type 1 errors indicates that many previous studies may have incorrectly reported the existence of deterministic patterns of species co-occurrence. We demonstrate that in order to overcome the problem of high type 1 error rates, the number of swaps used to generate null distributions for smaller matrices needs to be increased to over 50,000 swaps (well beyond the 5000 commonly used in published analyses and the 30,000 suggested by Lehsten and Harmand, 2006). We also show that this approach reduces type 1 error rates in real datasets. However, even using this solution, larger datasets still suffer from high type 1 error rates. Such datasets therefore require the use of very large numbers of swaps, which calls for improvements in the most commonly used software. In general, users of this powerful analytical method must be aware that they need surprisingly large numbers of swaps to obtain unbiased estimates of structuring in biotic communities.     

THE EFFECT OF SOME BASIC STATISTICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES ON WATER POLLUTION CONTROL1

ABSTRACT: The hypothesis of this paper is that the frequently used regulatory practice which employs point estimates in water pollution control objectives, in combination with monitoring at infrequent intervals, is an inadequate scientific procedure for the measurement and control of pollution. The first part of this paper outlines the relevant sampling theory which applies to the measurement of effluent from industrial plants and describes the possible errors in sampling practice which currently affect the interpretation and enforcement of environmental standards. In the second part of the paper, the authors describe briefly the environmental significance of biological damage functions. In the final part of the paper, the authors recommend that existing pollution control regulations be restructured to be more efficient and effective in the protection of both corporate and social interests. By adopting two different approaches to regulation depending upon the nature of the appropriate damage functions and critical fish species, it is possible to reduce significantly the waste of resources.     

Industrial ecosystem evolution of North Karelia heating energy system

Within the emerging concept of industrial ecology (IE) that belongs to the research and practical field of sustainable development (SD), the natural ecosystem evolution over time has been described as a metaphor that presents systems of type I, type II and type III ecology. Type I describes a situation when there was little life on earth and plenty of resources. In type II, the ecosystem starts to develop material cycles and energy cascades between organisms and species due to increasing amount of life and emerging scarcity of resources. In type III, the mature ecosystem stage, the system actors have developed nearly completely cyclic flows of matter, energy cascades and diverse interdependencies between them. This paper uses the metaphor in the three systems to develop practical models of type I, II and III industrial ecosystems for an economic system of heating energy and its evolution over time. First, the physical flows of matter and energy are described by using two contrasting case system characteristics, 'throughput' and 'roundput'. Throughput means linear material and energy flows. Roundput means material cycles, energy cascades and sustainable use of renewables, i.e., ecosystem type III. Second, the more structural and organisational features are considered with the characteristic of 'diversity' meaning diversity in resources, human involvement and economic actors and technology used. The case system development over time shown with our practical model of type I–III is radically different from the ecosystem evolution as described in the literature on the industrial ecosystem metaphor of type I–III. This conclusion as a research result, however, is tentative, because of the fuzzy and vague meaning assigned to a metaphor and its confusion with a practical model of industrial development in the industrial ecology literature.     

CONFIDENCE INTERVALS FOR FLOOD EVENTS UNDER A PEARSON 3 OR LOG PEARSON 3 DISTRIBUTION1

ABSTRACT: The Pearson type 3 (P3) and log Pearson type 3 (LP3) distributions are very frequently used in flood frequency analysis. Existing methods for constructing confidence intervals for quantiles (X_p) of these two distributions are very crude. Most of these methods are based on the idea of adjusting confidence intervals for quantiles Y_p of the normal distribution to obtain approximate confidence inervals for quantiles X_p of the P3/LP3 distribution. Since there is no theoretical reason why this “base” distribution, Y, should be taken to be normal, we search in the present study for the best possible base distribution for producing confidence intervals for P3/LP3 quantiles. We consider a group of base distributions such as the normal, log normal, Weibull, Gumbel, and exponential. We first assume that the skew coefficient, γ of X, to be known, and develop a method for adjusting confidence intervals for Y_p to produce approximate confidence intervals for X_p. We then compare this method (Method A) with another method (Method B) introduced by Stedinger. Simulation shows that the performance of each of these two methods depends on the base distribution Y that is being used, but as a whole, the normal distribution appears to be the best-fit distribution for producing confidence intervals for P3/LP3 quantiles when γ is assumed to be known. We then extend our method (Method A) to the more important case of unknown coefficient of skewness. It is shown that by taking Y to be Weibull, fairly accurate confidence intervals for P3/LP3 quantiles can be obtained for quite a wide range of sample sizes and coefficients of skewness commonly found in hydrology. The case of the P3 distribution with negative skewness needs further research.     

极值动态新Ⅰ型分布函数的模型及在汕头抗风防灾上的应用

最大风速分布函数的选择是抗风减灾的重要因素,迄今为止国内外所有可选择的分布函数,虽然对一个国家一些城市是好的,但是对另一些城市却不好,好的城市中,拟合优度准则检验结果也不能达到最佳位或趋近为1.本文采用动态的观点,根据不同城市的数据可用不同的参数值,使其可达到优度最佳值或趋近为1,在此思想基础上,改进了现在国内外绝大多数国家规范所采用的极值Ⅰ型,成为极值动态新Ⅰ型,是对分布函数选择彻底改革的一次尝试。按此原理,对汕头1959～1993共35年最大风速数据进行了分析,对各种概率条件下的风速风压提出了应用的数值。     

Assessing the Impact of Pluriactivity on Sustainable Agriculture. A Case Study in Rural Areas of Beotia in Greece

Pluriactivity of farms, or part-time farming, is a common feature of agriculture in all countries regardless of their socioeconomic system and level of development. Currently, pluriactivity is related to the values of sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study is to delineate those specific characteristics of pluriactive farms that contribute to sustainable agriculture. In rural areas of Boetia in Greece, a socioeconomic survey was carried out on 114 farms to determine the types of farming applied. The results demonstrate that pluriactivity is a stable component of the agricultural structure in the rural areas of Boetia. It is widespread in plains, but its presence is more important in mountainous and semimountainous areas. The choice of young farmers is to opt for pluriactivity. Farm size does not differ between pluriactive and full-time farms. Pluriactive and full- time farms use the same level of input and get the same output for the same type of crop. However, pluriactive farmers under the same land-productive conditions are oriented toward a more extensive farming system, managing their land with crops that need less inputs. Considering these findings, it can be claimed that pluriactivity can contribute to diminishing the demand on natural resources in favored (level and irrigated) areas, to continue agricultural production in unfavorable (mountainous and semimountainous) areas, and to help the sustenance of the rural population.     

上海环境空气污染类型的定位

以空气污染类型为切入点，较为系统地对上海市空气污染类型的定位进行了回顾和思考，并提出了重新定位的建议。鉴于回顾、质凝和建议都是建立在大量统计数据之上的，因此，建议定位不仅有助于上海市空气污染防治工作主攻方向的准确把握，而且有利于环境空气质量的持续改善。     

Relationship between types of urban forest and PM2.5 capture at three growth stages of leaves

Particulate matter diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) causes direct harm to human health. Finding forms of urban forest systems that with the ability to reduce the amount of particulate matter in air effectively is the aim of this study. Five commonly cultivated kinds of urban forest types were studied in Beijing city at three stages of leaf growth. Results show that the urban forest system is capable of storing and capturing dust from the air. The types of shrubs and broadleaf trees that have the ability to capture PM_2.5 from the air are most effective when leaves have fully developed. In the leafless season, the conifer and mixed tree types are the most effective in removing dust from the air. For all kinds of forest types and stages of leaf growth, the PM_2.5 concentration is highest in the morning but lower in the afternoon and evening. Grassland cannot control particles suspended in the air, but can reduce dust pollution caused by dust from the ground blown by the wind back into the air.