The influence of confounding factors on the relationship between muscle contraction level and MF and MPF values of EMG signal: a review

The purpose of this article is to gather results of studies on the relationship between median frequency (MF) and mean power frequency (MPF) and the level of muscle contraction, and to use those results to discuss the differences in the trends according to factors related to measurement technique and subject. Twenty-one studies with 63 cases for upper limb muscles and nine studies with 31 cases for lower limb muscles were analysed. Most results showed an increase in parameters with an increased level of muscle contraction, only some studies showed a decrease. The influence on parameters of the level of muscle contraction and factors such as subjects, type of contraction, muscle length and electrodes was analysed for each muscle. It was concluded that when analysing the influence of different factors on MF and MPF, because those factors interact they should be considered together, not separately.     

Hierarchy length in orphaned colonies of the ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Temnothorax nylanderi</Emphasis>

Workers of the ant Temnothorax nylanderi form dominance orders in orphaned colonies in which only one or a few top-ranking workers begin to produce males from unfertilized eggs. Between one and 11 individuals initiated 80% of all aggression in 14 queenless colonies. As predicted from inclusive fitness models (Molet M, van Baalen M, Monnin T, Insectes Soc 52:247–256, 2005), hierarchy length was found to first increase with colony size and then to level off at larger worker numbers. The frequency and skew of aggression decreased with increasing size, indicating that rank orders are less pronounced in larger colonies.     

Male tail streamer length predicts fertilization success in the North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster)

In socially monogamous species, extra-pair paternity has the potential to increase the variance in male reproductive success, thereby affecting the opportunity for sexual selection on male extravagant ornamentation. In the European barn swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica), the tail streamer length is a sexually selected male ornament and an honest indicator of viability. The North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) also shows sexual dimorphism in tail streamer length, but whether this trait holds the same signalling function in this subspecies is a controversial issue, and the available literature is presently scarce. Here, we present data on paternity in the North American barn swallow, including a complete sampling of extra-pair sires in four colonies. We analysed how extra-pair paternity affected the variance in male fertilization success and examined whether male tail streamer (i.e. the outermost tail feather) length correlated with fertilization success (n=86 males). Extra-pair paternity constituted 31% of all offspring and significantly increased the variance in male fertilization success. The number of offspring sired by extra-pair males accounted for almost half of the total variance in male fertilization success. Males with naturally long tail streamers had a higher fertilization success than males with shorter tail streamers, and this pattern was mainly caused by a higher extra-pair success for males with long tail streamers. Males with long tail streamers also paired with early breeding females in prime body condition. These results are consistent with the idea that there is directional sexual selection on male tail streamer length, possibly mediated through male extra-pair mating success or the timing of breeding onset.     

MODIS气溶胶光学厚度对城市空气质量的指示

空气污染指数API(Air Pollution Index)是关系大众生产生活的一个重要指标,论证了一种由MODIS(中分辨率成像光谱仪)反演的气溶胶光学厚度产品AOT(Aerosol Optics Thickness)预报空气质量的方法,即依据API的分级标准,将API用特定的步长分组,再把各组的AOT和API均值建立相关模型,并用该模型来预测空气质量指数,经验证,预测值和实际值之间的精度为77.59%,基本达到业务运行的要求。     

The Information Content of a Scalar Plume – A Plume Tracing Perspective

The ability of many animals and insects to track a plume to its source is a particularly impressive feat when the fluid dynamics is considered. Inspired by this observation this research seeks to identify the information in a passive scalar plume suitable for developing robust and efficient plume tracing algorithms. The subject of this study is a scalar plume emanating from a point source in a turbulent boundary layer which has been modeled in a laboratory facility built specifically for this purpose. A coupled PIV-LIF technique is used to measure the velocity and scalar field in a time resolved fashion. This data set is analyzed and the convergence rates of five single-point statistics, suitable as kernels of plume tracing algorithms, are investigated. The experimental data shows that the scalar fluctuations over long downstream distances from the source are characterized by filamentary structures that lead to relatively slow convergence rates for any statistic that is based on mean concentrations. The scalar intermittency, however, converges rapidly toward its true value, in fact converging to a testable hypothesis for source location direction faster than the time scale of the larger scale plume meander.     

Effect of excessive cadmium chloride on the plasmids of E. coli HB101 in vivo

After Escherichia coli HB101 with plasmid pWH58, pWH98, or pTBa₅ were cultered respectively in amp LB broth which contained 50 mg/L CdCl₂ constantly for 24h, these plasmids were isolated from E. coli, and the effect of excessive CdCl₂ on the E. coli HB101 and plasmid DNA was studied by surveying the growth of E. coli HB101 and plasmid, argarose gel electrophoresis and analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of plasmids, and plasmid transformation. The results showed that 50 mg/L CdCl₂ treatment lagged the growth of E. coli HB101 for at least 4h, but after grown for 24h there were not significant differences in the growths of E. coli HB101s and the productions of plasmids between the treatment and control. These results implified that E. coli HB101 have induced adaptability to cadmium stress and excessive CdCl₂ did not inhibit the replication and amp + genes expression of plasmid DNA in vivo of E. coli significantly. 50 mg/L CdCl₂ treatment for 24 hours might cause the sequences change of plasmid DNA, but could not lead to the random breakage of plasmid DNA strands. Moreover, after 50 mg/L of CdCl₂ treatment in vivo the transformation activities of plasmid did not altered, implied excessive CdCl₂ could not affect the superhelical structure of plasmid and also not break the loop of plasmid DNA evidently.     

A simple,rapid, and highly informative PCR-based procedure for prenatal diagnosis and carrier screening of phenylketonuria

The polymorphic information content (PIC) and the degree of heterozygosity of several polymorphic systems within the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene were determined in 85 European Caucasian and 19 Chinese phenylketonuria (PKU) kindreds. The first system examined, a short tandem repeat (STR), had a PIC of 80 and 73 per cent in these Caucasian and Chinese samples, respectively. The degree of heterozygosity actually observed for this system was 81 and 64 per cent in the Caucasian and Chinese PKU families, respectively. Through the addition of a second polymorphism based on a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR), the PIC was increased to 90 per cent in Caucasians, but only to 75 per cent in Chinese. The degree of heterozygosity observed for this combination was 94 per cent in European PKU families and 67 per cent in Chinese PKU families. The further addition of an Xmnl RFLP increased both the PIC and the level of heterozygosity in Caucasians to 95 per cent, but did not change either of these measures in Chinese. The combined use of these three polymorphisms significantly increases the informativity of prenatal diagnostic and carrier screening procedures in both Caucasian and Chinese PKU kindreds. Furthermore, since each of these polymorphisms can be studied by PCR-based methods, these new tests can be performed more quickly and easily than previous Southern-based procedures.     

Uptake of copper ion by activated sludge and its bacterial community variation analyzed by 16S rDNA

The effect and uptake of copper ion on SBR(sequence batch reactor)biological treatment system was studied.special nutrient and powder activated carbon(PAC)additive were tested as uptake stimulation technique.Results showed that copper ion had higher effect on unacclimated activated sludge system than on acelimated one.The special nutrient adding could enhance the uptake of copper significantly,while PAC adding could improve the sludge settling and decrease the turbidity of effluent.The variation of bacterial community analyzed by 16S rDNA method showed the acclimation of copper could increase copper resistance species,and excess accumulation could cause some species diminish.It was confirmed that acclimation could improve the resistance and uptake ability of microorganism to heavy metal.     

节理化岩体结构面分布密度的确定方法及其应用

目前众多的科研与工程人员都采用岩体结构面统计分析和计算机随机模拟的手段来研究节理化岩体的工程性质,然而许多人忽略了岩体结构面密度具各向异性特征以及野外实际测量条件与理论情况还存在一定的差异,在计算中采用的结构面密度值不尽合理,常常导致分析结论有失偏颇。针对这一情况,充分考虑了结构面“方向校正”和“迹长截尾校正”,并根据野外测线长度进行加权平均,提出了一套较为系统合理的结构面分布密度计算方法,并将其应用于工程实际,取得了较好的结果。     

沉积物再悬浮对浮游细菌群落结构的影响

本研究通过小宇宙的模拟实验,设置3组处理,即无再悬浮的对照组(C)、强(SR)和弱(WR)2个不同再悬浮强度的处理组,采用末端限制性片段长度多态性(terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism,T-RFLP)和变性梯度凝胶电泳(denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis,DGGE)分析不同处理组中浮游细菌群落结构的变化.结果表明,再悬浮处理组浮游细菌的物种丰度高于对照组,并且弱再悬浮中浮游细菌物种丰度高于强再悬浮处理.弱再悬浮中细菌多样性也高于强再悬浮处理.浮游细菌与环境因子的典型对应分析(CCA)和冗余分析(RDA)结果表明,浮游动物枝角类(Cladocera)生物量和颗粒态磷(PP)浓度与浮游细菌群落结构动态变化均表现出显著的相关性(p0.05).由此可见,沉积物再悬浮对浅水湖泊浮游细菌的种类和多样性存在重要影响,其可能通过影响浮游动物群落结构以及水体中营养盐的形态和浓度对浮游细菌群落产生影响.