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Sampling
Kinds of Sampling Terms modified by Sampling Selected AbstractsINCREASED SAMPLING FOR INFERRING PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN BOSTRYCHIA RADICANS/B.JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 6 2006MORITZIANA (RHODOMELACEAE, RHODOPHYTA) IN THE EASTERN USA Zuccarello and West (2003) reported on the phylogenetic diversity of algae identified as Bostrychia radicans (Montagne) Montagne and B. moritziana (Sonder ex Kützing) J. Agardh from around the world. They showed that the species complex consisted of seven distinct lineages, of which two lineages were common on the East Coast of the USA and eastern Gulf of Mexico. The distribution of haplotypes within these lineages on the East Coast of the USA showed a general north,south distribution. One haplotype of lineage 5 (B) was mostly collected in northern areas, while the other common haplotype (C) was more southerly in distribution. Samples in lineage 6 (haplotype D) were not found north of Sapelo Island, Georgia. Increased sampling from the eastern USA over 5 years later has revealed an altered pattern. Haplotype D is distributed in North Carolina and is common in some populations. Haplotype C is rare or absent in many sampled populations. Haplotype B is only observed in the northern sampled sites on both sides of the Florida peninsula. This disjunct distribution agrees with geological scenarios for a strait between the western Gulf of Mexico and southern Georgia in the Miocene/Pliocene, which closed in the late Pliocene. This paper highlights the importance of increased sampling to determine phylogeographic patterns and hypotheses of dispersal scenarios in algae. [source] EFFECT OF TAXON SAMPLING, CHARACTER WEIGHTING, AND COMBINED DATA ON THE INTERPRETATION OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE HETEROKONT ALGAE,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Leslie R. Goertzen Nuclear ribosomal small subunit and chloroplast rbcL sequence data for heterokont algae and potential outgroup taxa were analyzed separately and together using maximum parsimony. A series of taxon sampling and character weighting experiments was performed. Traditional classes (e.g. diatoms, Phaeophyceae, etc.) were monophyletic in most analyses of either data set and in analyses of combined data. Relationships among classes and of heterokont algae to outgroup taxa were sensitive to taxon sampling. Bootstrap (BS) values were not always predictive of stability of nodes in taxon sampling experiments or between analyses of different data sets. Reweighting sites by the rescaled consistency index artificially inflates BS values in the analysis of rbcL data. Inclusion of the third codon position from rbcL enhanced signal despite the superficial appearance of mutational saturation. Incongruence between data sets was largely due to placement of a few problematic taxa, and so data were combined. BS values for the combined analysis were much higher than for analyses of each data set alone, although combining data did not improve support for heterokont monophyly. [source] TO DIVE OR NOT TO DIVE: SCUBA VERSUS ROV SAMPLING OF MACROALGAE AT 30M DEPTHJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2001Article first published online: 24 SEP 200 Spalding, H. L. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing, Rd., Moss Landing, CA 95039 USA Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and enriched air Nitrox SCUBA diving have recently become available to researchers for studying the deep-water environment. Each use a different technique for collecting macroalgal abundance data: ROVs use collections and high-resolution digital video which can be quantified using an integrative laser and computer imagery program (high tech), while divers often count the densities of individuals and use a point contact method for sampling percent (%) cover in situ (low tech). While the types of data collected by both techniques are the same, the effects of the different sampling methods on data resolution are unknown. As part of a larger study on deep-water macroalgae in central California, I compared the abundance of common macroalgae (% cover of macroalgal groups and individuals/m2) collected by divers and the ROV Ventana at a depth of 30m at 3 locations in central California. Generally, there were no significant differences between diver and ROV data in the % cover of coralline Rhodophyta, non-coralline Rhodophyta, and Pleurophycus gardneri/m2. The use of a laser-calibrated computer imagery program and an ROV with user-controlled lighting greatly decreased lab analysis time, and a method for sampling macroalgal layers with the ROV was developed. Thus, ROVs with high-resolution digital video and supplemental macroalgal collections can be used to quantify deep-water algae as accurately as in situ divers, but without the limited dive time, depth limits, and physical demands of the latter. [source] CRANIAL TIBIAL ARTERY CATHETER FOR MONITORING PRESSURES AND SAMPLINGJOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue S1 2004DT Crowe A technique for placement of a long-term arterial catheter that the author developed was used in 20 canine patients. The catheter was used for pressure monitoring and arterial blood sampling. The technique involved the following steps post-sedation and placement of a local anesthetic: 1Clipping and prepping of the medial aspect of the distal tibia and proximal metatarsal region; 2Incision over the medial tibial malleolus just caudal to the cranial tibial muscle-tendon; 3Blunt dissection of the space just caudal to the cranial tibialis tendon; 4Isolation of the cranial tibial artery and loop placement proximally and distally; 5Placement of a 3 Fr. polyurethane 4,8 cm catheter using a Seldinger wire technique; 6Placement of a suture in the periosteium of the distal tibia and anchoring of the catheter with this suture; 7Closure of the skin incision with sutures or staples; 8Bandage application to hold the catheter in place. The entire surgical procedure was done using sterile technique. The catheter was able to be kept in place and working for up to 9 days (averaged 4 days). This compared favorably retrospectively over dorsalis pedis catheters that lasted only a maximum of 4 days. (average 1.5 days). Because of the size of the catheter (3 Fr.) it provided improved waveforms over that observed with the dorsalis pedis catheter (22 g) and its occlusion rate was very low (2 in 20). The cranial tibial artery catheter was found to be particularly effective because the catheter was able to be inserted several cm up the artery and the catheter was able to be anchored well. No major complications were observed with this technique. Because of its effectiveness it is recommended to be used routinely over femoral artery and dorsal pedis artery catheters. [source] HAIR SAMPLING AND GENOTYPING FROM HAIR FOLLICLES: A MINIMALLY-INVASIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR GENETICS STUDIES IN SMALL, MOBILE PINNIPEDS AND OTHER MAMMALSMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007Abigail K. Caudron First page of article [source] THE "SEAL PRICK": A LOW INVASIVE METHOD FOR BLOOD SAMPLING IN MALE ELEPHANT SEALSMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2005Simona Sanvito [source] TWO-STEP EMPIRICAL LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION UNDER STRATIFIED SAMPLING WHEN AGGREGATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE,THE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 5 2006ESMERALDA A. RAMALHO Empirical likelihood is appropriate to estimate moment condition models when a random sample from the target population is available. However, many economic surveys are subject to some form of stratification, in which case direct application of empirical likelihood will produce inconsistent estimators. In this paper we propose a two-step empirical likelihood estimator to deal with stratified samples in models defined by unconditional moment restrictions in the presence of some aggregate information such as the mean and the variance of the variable of interest. A Monte Carlo simulation study reveals promising results for many versions of the two-step empirical likelihood estimator. [source] SYSTEMS WITH NONEQUIDISTANT SAMPLING: CONTROLLABLE?ASIAN JOURNAL OF CONTROL, Issue 4 2005OBSERVABLE? ABSTRACT Some qualitative properties of systems with nonequidistant sampling are investigated. First, it is proved that the nonequidistant sampling pattern mentioned in [1] does not affect the controllability and observability of time-varying linear systems during discretization. The result is claimed to be true for linear systems with periodic behavior and time-varying sampling. Second, closed-loop stability conditions are established, respectively, for linear and nonlinear sampled-data systems consisting of continuous plants and linear digital feedback controllers. The stability results are extended to general systems consisting of nonlinear continuous plants and nonlinear digital controllers with time-varying sampling periods. [source] SAMPLING AND ESTIMATION IN THE PRESENCE OF CUT-OFF SAMPLINGAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF STATISTICS, Issue 3 2010David Haziza Summary Cut-off sampling consists of deliberately excluding a set of units from possible selection in a sample, for example if the contribution of the excluded units to the total is small or if the inclusion of these units in the sample involves high costs. If the characteristics of interest of the excluded units differ from those of the rest of the population, the use of naïve estimators may result in highly biased estimates. In this paper, we discuss the use of auxiliary information to reduce the bias by means of calibration and balanced sampling. We show that the use of the available auxiliary information related to both the variable of interest and the probability of being excluded enables us to reduce the potential bias. A short numerical study supports our findings. [source] VARIANCE ESTIMATION IN TWO-PHASE SAMPLINGAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF STATISTICS, Issue 2 2009M.A. Hidiroglou Summary Two-phase sampling is often used for estimating a population total or mean when the cost per unit of collecting auxiliary variables, x, is much smaller than the cost per unit of measuring a characteristic of interest, y. In the first phase, a large sample s1 is drawn according to a specific sampling design p(s1), and auxiliary data x are observed for the units i,s1. Given the first-phase sample s1, a second-phase sample s2 is selected from s1 according to a specified sampling design {p(s2,s1) }, and (y, x) is observed for the units i,s2. In some cases, the population totals of some components of x may also be known. Two-phase sampling is used for stratification at the second phase or both phases and for regression estimation. Horvitz,Thompson-type variance estimators are used for variance estimation. However, the Horvitz,Thompson (Horvitz & Thompson, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 1952) variance estimator in uni-phase sampling is known to be highly unstable and may take negative values when the units are selected with unequal probabilities. On the other hand, the Sen,Yates,Grundy variance estimator is relatively stable and non-negative for several unequal probability sampling designs with fixed sample sizes. In this paper, we extend the Sen,Yates,Grundy (Sen, J. Ind. Soc. Agric. Statist. 1953; Yates & Grundy, J. Roy. Statist. Soc. Ser. B 1953) variance estimator to two-phase sampling, assuming fixed first-phase sample size and fixed second-phase sample size given the first-phase sample. We apply the new variance estimators to two-phase sampling designs with stratification at the second phase or both phases. We also develop Sen,Yates,Grundy-type variance estimators of the two-phase regression estimators that make use of the first-phase auxiliary data and known population totals of some of the auxiliary variables. [source] Deterministic Importance Sampling with Error DiffusionCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 4 2009László Szirmay-Kalos This paper proposes a deterministic importance sampling algorithm that is based on the recognition that delta-sigma modulation is equivalent to importance sampling. We propose a generalization for delta-sigma modulation in arbitrary dimensions, taking care of the curse of dimensionality as well. Unlike previous sampling techniques that transform low-discrepancy and highly stratified samples in the unit cube to the integration domain, our error diffusion sampler ensures the proper distribution and stratification directly in the integration domain. We also present applications, including environment mapping and global illumination rendering with virtual point sources. [source] Compression and Importance Sampling of Near-Field Light SourcesCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 8 2008Albert Mas I.3.7 Computer Graphics: Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism Abstract This paper presents a method for compressing measured datasets of the near-field emission of physical light sources (represented by raysets). We create a mesh on the bounding surface of the light source that stores illumination information. The mesh is augmented with information about directional distribution and energy density. We have developed a new approach to smoothly generate random samples on the illumination distribution represented by the mesh, and to efficiently handle importance sampling of points and directions. We will show that our representation can compress a 10 million particle rayset into a mesh of a few hundred triangles. We also show that the error of this representation is low, even for very close objects. [source] Dynamic Sampling and Rendering of Algebraic Point Set SurfacesCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 2 2008Gaël Guennebaud Abstract Algebraic Point Set Surfaces (APSS) define a smooth surface from a set of points using local moving least-squares (MLS) fitting of algebraic spheres. In this paper we first revisit the spherical fitting problem and provide a new, more generic solution that includes intuitive parameters for curvature control of the fitted spheres. As a second contribution we present a novel real-time rendering system of such surfaces using a dynamic up-sampling strategy combined with a conventional splatting algorithm for high quality rendering. Our approach also includes a new view dependent geometric error tailored to efficient and adaptive up-sampling of the surface. One of the key features of our system is its high degree of flexibility that enables us to achieve high performance even for highly dynamic data or complex models by exploiting temporal coherence at the primitive level. We also address the issue of efficient spatial search data structures with respect to construction, access and GPU friendliness. Finally, we present an efficient parallel GPU implementation of the algorithms and search structures. [source] Pulsed saturation of the standard two-pool model for magnetization transfer.CONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 1 2004Part II: The transition to steady state Abstract The transition of the tissue signal to steady state under periodic selective saturation of macromolecular magnetization can be observed by single-shot echo-planar imaging. The general solution for a two-pool system with linear exchange kinetics contains two transient components. The rapid minor transient causes an initial delay of the transition for fast pulse repetition (PR) and weak saturation. The slow major transient combines progressive direct saturation and transferred saturation. Its PR -dependence provides similar information as the steady state, but is less sensitive to direct saturation and fitting errors. Sampling at different PR allows to quantify all system parameters. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 21A: 50,62, 2004 [source] Influence of Temporal Scale of Sampling on Detection of Relationships between Invasive Plants and the Diversity Patterns of Plants and ButterfliesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004RALPH MAC NALLY But monitoring is often neglected because it can be expensive and time-consuming. Accordingly, it is valuable to determine whether the temporal extent of sampling alters the validity of inferences about the response of diversity measures to environmental variables affected by restoration actions. Non-native species alter ecosystems in undesirable ways, frequently homogenizing flora and fauna and extirpating local populations of native species. In the Mojave Desert, invasion of salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.) and human efforts to eradicate salt-cedar have altered vegetation structure, vegetation composition, and some measures of faunal diversity. We examined whether similar inferences about relationships between plants and butterflies in the Muddy River drainage (Nevada, U.S.A.) could have been obtained by sampling less intensively (fewer visits per site over the same period of time) or less extensively (equal frequency of visits but over a more limited period of time). We also tested whether rank order of butterfly species with respect to occurrence rate (proportion of sites occupied) would be reflected accurately in temporal subsamples. Temporal subsampling did not lead to erroneous inferences about the relative importance of six vegetation-based predictor variables on the species richness of butterflies. Regardless of the temporal scale of sampling, the species composition of butterflies was more similar in sites with similar species composition of plants. The rank order of occurrence of butterfly species in the temporal subsamples was highly correlated with the rank order of species occurrence in the full data set. Thus, similar inferences about associations between vegetation and butterflies and about relative occurrence rates of individual species of butterflies could be obtained by less intensive or extensive temporal sampling. If compromises between temporal intensity and extent of sampling must be made, our results suggest that maximizing temporal extent will better capture variation in biotic interactions and species occurrence. Resumen:,El monitoreo es un componente importante de los esfuerzos de restauración y de manejo adoptivo. Pero el monitoreo a menudo es desatendido porque puede ser costoso y consume tiempo. En consecuencia, es valioso determinar si la extensión temporal del muestreo altera la validez de inferencias sobre la respuesta de medidas de diversidad a variables ambientales afectadas por acciones de restauración. Las especies no nativas alteran a los ecosistemas de manera indeseable, frecuentemente homogenizan la flora y fauna y extirpan poblaciones locales de especies nativas. En el Desierto Mojave, la invasión de Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. y los esfuerzos humanos para erradicarla han alterado la estructura y composición de la vegetación y algunas medidas de diversidad de fauna. Examinamos si se podían obtener inferencias similares sobre las relaciones entre plantas y mariposas en la cuenca Muddy River (Nevada, E.U.A.) muestreando menos intensivamente (menos visitas por sitio en el mismo período de tiempo) o menos extensivamente (igual frecuencia de visitas pero sobre un período de tiempo más limitado). También probamos si el orden jerárquico de especies de mariposas con respecto a la tasa de ocurrencia (proporción de sitios ocupados) se reflejaba con precisión en las submuestras temporales. El submuestreo temporal no condujo a inferencias erróneas acerca de la importancia relativa de seis variables predictivas basadas en vegetación sobre la riqueza de especies de mariposas. A pesar de la escala temporal del muestreo, la composición de especies de mariposas fue más similar en sitios con composición de especies de plantas similar. El orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies de mariposas en las muestras subtemporales estuvo muy correlacionado con el orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies en todo el conjunto de datos. Por lo tanto, se pudieron obtener inferencias similares de las asociaciones entre vegetación y mariposas y de las tasas de ocurrencia relativa de especies individuales de mariposas con muestreo temporal menos intensivo o extensivo. Si se deben hacer compromisos entre la intensidad y extensión de muestreo temporal, nuestros resultados sugieren que la maximización de la extensión temporal capturará la variación en interacciones bióticas y ocurrencia de especies más adecuadamente. [source] NON-GYNAECOLOGICAL CYTOLOGY: THE CLINICIAN'S VIEWCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2006I. Penman There is increased recognition of the importance of accurate staging of malignancies of the GI tract and lung, greater use of neoadjuvant therapies and more protocol-driven management. This is particularly important where regional lymph node involvement significantly impacts on curability. Multidetector CT and PET scanning have resulted in greater detection of potential abnormalities which, if positive for malignancy, would change management. There is also a greater recognition that many enlarged nodes may be inflammatory and that size criteria alone are unreliable in determining involvement. In other situations, especially pancreatic masses, not all represent carcinoma as focal chronic pancreatitis, autoimmune pancreatitis etc can catch out the unwary. A preoperative tissue diagnosis is essential and even if unresectable, oncologists are increasingly reluctant to initiate chemotherapy or enroll patients into trials without this. The approach to obtaining tissue is often hampered by the small size or relative inaccessibility of lesions by percutaneous approaches. As such novel techniques such as endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided FNA have been developed. A 120cm needle is passed through the instrument and, under real-time visualisation, through the gastrointestinal wall to sample adjacent lymph nodes or masses. Multiple studies have demonstrated the safety and performance of this technique. In oesophageal cancer, confirmation of node positivity by has a major negative influence on curative resection rates and will often lead to a decision to use neoadjuvant chemotherapy or a non-operative approach. Sampling of lymph nodes at the true coeliac axis upstages the patient to M1a status (stage IV) disease and makes the patient incurable. In NSCLC, subcarinal lymph nodes are frequently present but may be inflammatory. If positive these represent N2 (stage IIIA) disease and in most centres again makes the patient inoperable. Access to these lymph nodes would otherwise require mediastinosocopy whereas this can be done simply, safely and quickly by EUS. Overall the sensitivity for EUS , FNA of mediastinal or upper abdominal lymph nodes is 83,90% with an accuracy of 80,90%. In pancreatic cancer performance is less good but pooled analysis of published studies indicates a sensitivity of 85% and accuracy of 88%. In a recent spin-off from EUS, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) instruments have been developed and the ability to sample anterior mediastinal nodes has been demonstrated. It is likely that this EBUS , FNA technique will become increasingly utilised and may replace mediastinoscopy. The development of techniques such as EUS and EBUS to allow FNA sampling of lesions has increased the role of non-gynaecological cytology significantly in recent years. Cytology therefore remains important for a broad range of specialties and there is ongoing need for careful and close co-operation between cytologists and clinicians in these specialties. References:, 1. Williams DB, Sahai AV, Aabakken L, Penman ID, van Velse A, Webb J et al. Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy: a large single centre experience. Gut. 1999; 44: 720,6. 2. Silvestri GA, Hoffman BJ, Bhutani MS et al. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. Ann Thorac Surg 1996; 61: 1441,6. 3. Rintoul RC, Skwarski KM, Murchison JT, Wallace WA, Walker WS, Penman ID. Endobronchial and endoscopic ultrasound real-time fine-needle aspiration staging of the mediastinum ). Eur Resp J 2005; 25: 1,6. [source] Determinants of coverage in Community-based Therapeutic Care programmes: towards a joint quantitative and qualitative analysisDISASTERS, Issue 2 2010Saúl Guerrero One of the most important elements behind the success of Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC) programmes for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition has been their ability to achieve high levels of coverage. In CTC, coverage is measured using the Centric System Area Sampling (CSAS) method, which provides accurate and reliable estimates of programme coverage as well as information on the primary reasons for non-attendance. Another important feature of CTC programmes is their use of socio-cultural assessments to determine potential barriers to access and to develop context-specific responses. By analysing data on non-attendance provided by CSAS surveys, in conjunction with data from socio-cultural assessments, it is possible to identify common factors responsible for failures in programme coverage. This paper focuses on an analysis of data from 12 CTC programmes across five African countries. It pinpoints three common factors (distance to sites, community awareness of the programme, and the way in which rejections are handled at the sites) that, together, account for approximately 75 per cent of non-attendance. [source] The Use of Cluster Sampling to Determine Aid Needs in Grozny, Chechnya in 1995DISASTERS, Issue 3 2000Sean Drysdale War broke out in Chechnya in November 1994 following a three-year economic blockade. It caused widespread destruction in the capital Grozny. In April 1995 Medical Relief International - or Merlin, a British medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) - began a programme to provide medical supplies, support health centres, control communicable disease and promote preventive health-care in Grozny. In July 1995 the agency undertook a city-wide needs assessment using a modification of the cluster sampling technique developed by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. This showed that most people had enough drinking-water, food and fuel but that provision of medical care was inadequate. The survey allowed Merlin to redirect resources earmarked for a clean water programme towards health education and improving primary health-care services. It also showed that rapid assessment by a statistically satisfactory method is both possible and useful in such a situation. [source] The effects of fire, local environment and time on ant assemblages in fens and forestsDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2005Jaime S. Ratchford ABSTRACT We investigated the effects of the abiotic environment, plant community composition and disturbance by fire on ant assemblages in two distinct habitat types in the Siskiyou Mountains in northern California and southern Oregon, USA. Sampling over 2 years in burned and unburned Darlingtonia fens and their adjacent upland forests, we found that the effects of disturbance by fire depended on habitat type. In forests, fire intensity predicted richness in ant assemblages in both years after the fire, and plant community composition predicted richness 2 years after the fire. No factors were associated with richness in the species-poor fen ant assemblages. Species-specific responses to both habitat type and disturbance by fire were idiosyncratic. Assemblage composition depended on habitat type, but not disturbance by fire, and the composition of each assemblage between years was more dissimilar in burned than unburned sites. [source] Efficient sampling and data reduction techniques for probabilistic seismic lifeline risk assessmentEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 10 2010Nirmal Jayaram Abstract Probabilistic seismic risk assessment for spatially distributed lifelines is less straightforward than for individual structures. While procedures such as the ,PEER framework' have been developed for risk assessment of individual structures, these are not easily applicable to distributed lifeline systems, due to difficulties in describing ground-motion intensity (e.g. spectral acceleration) over a region (in contrast to ground-motion intensity at a single site, which is easily quantified using Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis), and since the link between the ground-motion intensities and lifeline performance is usually not available in closed form. As a result, Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and its variants are well suited for characterizing ground motions and computing resulting losses to lifelines. This paper proposes a simulation-based framework for developing a small but stochastically representative catalog of earthquake ground-motion intensity maps that can be used for lifeline risk assessment. In this framework, Importance Sampling is used to preferentially sample ,important' ground-motion intensity maps, and K -Means Clustering is used to identify and combine redundant maps in order to obtain a small catalog. The effects of sampling and clustering are accounted for through a weighting on each remaining map, so that the resulting catalog is still a probabilistically correct representation. The feasibility of the proposed simulation framework is illustrated by using it to assess the seismic risk of a simplified model of the San Francisco Bay Area transportation network. A catalog of just 150 intensity maps is generated to represent hazard at 1038 sites from 10 regional fault segments causing earthquakes with magnitudes between five and eight. The risk estimates obtained using these maps are consistent with those obtained using conventional MCS utilizing many orders of magnitudes more ground-motion intensity maps. Therefore, the proposed technique can be used to drastically reduce the computational expense of a simulation-based risk assessment, without compromising the accuracy of the risk estimates. This will facilitate computationally intensive risk analysis of systems such as transportation networks. Finally, the study shows that the uncertainties in the ground-motion intensities and the spatial correlations between ground-motion intensities at various sites must be modeled in order to obtain unbiased estimates of lifeline risk. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A practical protocol to assess impacts of unplanned disturbance: a case study in Tuggerah Lakes Estuary, NSWECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION, Issue 2003A. J. Underwood Summary Environmental managers are often confronted with unplanned or accidental disturbances that may lead to environmental impacts. Procedures for detecting or measuring the size of such impacts are complicated because of the lack of data available before the disturbance and because of the intrinsic variability of most natural measures. Here, a protocol for detecting impacts is illustrated for single-measure variables (numbers of individual species) and multivariate measures (relative abundances of invertebrates in assemblages). The present paper describes a case concerning drainage of acidified water into an estuary due to construction of a drainage channel in an area of wetland for which there had been no prior investigations (i.e. no ,before' data). The spatial extent of any impact was also unknowable. Sampling was, therefore, designed to allow for impacts of only a few tens of metres (using control sites 50 m from the mouth of the channel) and impacts covering much larger areas (500 m and 1 km from the mouth of the channel). Invertebrates in the mud around the channel and in control sites were sampled in replicated cores and the amount of seagrass in each core was weighed. Average abundances of invertebrate animals and weights of seagrass were compared, as was variation among samples in potentially impacted and control sites (using univariate analyses of variance). Sets of species were compared using multivariate methods to test the hypothesis that there was an impact at one of the scales examined. In fact, there was no evidence for any sort of impact on the fauna or seagrasses; the disturbance was a short-term pulse without any obvious or sustained ecological response. One consequence of the study was that the local council was able to demonstrate no impact requiring remediation and no penalties were imposed for the unapproved construction of the channel. The implications of this type of study after an environmental disturbance are discussed. The present study identifies the need for clear definition of relevant hypotheses, coupled with rigorous planning of sampling and analyses, so that reliable answers are available to regulators and managers. [source] The Effects of Random and Discrete Sampling when Estimating Continuous,Time DiffusionsECONOMETRICA, Issue 2 2003Sahalia, Yacine Aït High,frequency financial data are not only discretely sampled in time but the time separating successive observations is often random. We analyze the consequences of this dual feature of the data when estimating a continuous,time model. In particular, we measure the additional effects of the randomness of the sampling intervals over and beyond those due to the discreteness of the data. We also examine the effect of simply ignoring the sampling randomness. We find that in many situations the randomness of the sampling has a larger impact than the discreteness of the data. [source] Fast Mapping of Gunshot Residues by Batch Injection Analysis with Anodic Stripping Voltammetry of Lead at the Hanging Mercury Drop ElectrodeELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 2 2005Adriana De, Donato Abstract The forensic analysis of lead in gunshot residues (GSR) sampled on the hands of potential shooters is rendered faster, simpler and less expensive by a new batch injection analysis (BIA) method, based on differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). A simple "J" shaped adaptor was designed to direct the flux of the analyte injected with a micropipettor onto the hanging mercury drop electrode of any commercial electrode stand. Sampling methods for GSR were compared and lifting with adhesive tape was elected for field use. The tapes are glued on polyethylene screens and stored in capped vials. Sampling with multiple strips provides coarse mapping of the distribution of lead on the shooter's hands. After a dissolution/extraction step with chloroform/aqueous 0.10,mol,L,1 HCl, 100,,L of the aqueous phase are injected during 25,s for accumulation of lead on the HMDE at ,0.60,V (vs. Ag/AgCl). A detection limit of 20,ng/mL of Pb(II), outreaching for GSR analysis, is reached without oxygen removal, at a frequency of 20 injections per hour. Results for sequences of shootings with a revolver and a pistol are presented. [source] Alcohol in Mayan Guatemala: consumption, distribution, production and composition of cuxaADDICTION, Issue 5 2009Fotis Kanteres ABSTRACT Aims To describe the consumption, distribution, production and chemical composition of alcohol, including cuxa (pronounced ,coo sha'), in Nahualá, a highland Mayan municipality in Guatemala. Cuxa is a sugarcane-derived spirit, in part produced clandestinely, that has been distributed in the community for several decades. Methods Key informant interviews with alcohol distributors and consumers, cuxa producers and health professionals, as well as analyses of questionnaires from a sample of 47 spouses who came to the local health centre for problems related to their husband's drinking. Sampling and chemical analysis of cuxa from 12 of 13 identified sales points in the head-town of Nahualá and its nearby settlements (10 km radius). Fieldwork was conducted between November 2007 and March 2008. Results Alcohol consumption was found to be integrated culturally in this community. The overall drinking culture was marked by irregular heavy drinking occasions, especially around market days, with substantial inebriation and health problems, especially among street inhabiting drinkers. Cuxa contributed to these problems, and cuxa drinking was socially stigmatized. Cuxa was produced both clandestinely and industrially, and sold legally by taverns and illegally by clandestine distributors. The alcoholic strength of the samples was typically between 17 and 19% vol.; clandestinely produced cuxa samples showed acetaldehyde contamination. Conclusions Measures should be taken to reduce the harm associated with alcohol in this community, including efforts to reduce acetaldehyde levels in cuxa. [source] Sampling and analysis of microcystins: Implications for the development of standardized methodsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Angeline R. Tillmanns Abstract Microcystins (MC), a group of cyanotoxins, have been found in lakes and rivers worldwide. One goal of MC research is to develop models which predict MC concentrations, but these efforts have been hampered by a lack of standardized methods necessary for comparing data across studies. Here, we investigate the effect of chemical analysis (HPLC-PDA and ELISA), sample collection (whole water, plankton tow and surface scum), and choice of normalizing parameter (volume, dry weight, and chlorophyll a) on reported MC concentrations. Samples were collected over three years from a temperate mesotrophic, shallow lake with episodic blooms of cyanobacteria. We found that microcystins were up to four times higher in lake samples when analyzed by ELISA relative to HPLC-PDA and that MC concentration measured by HPLC explained less than half of the variation in MC concentrations measured by ELISA. Also, samples collected by plankton tow gave consistently higher concentrations than whole water samples. An additional HPLC analysis of two chlorophyte cultures revealed the presence of compounds with a similar UV absorbance spectrum to MC-LR, suggesting that identifying MC based solely on UV absorbance is not valid. Our results document the discrepancy in MC concentrations that can arise by using different methods throughout all stages of sampling, analysis, and reporting of MC concentrations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 132,143, 2007. [source] Sampling and variance estimation on continuous domainsENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 6 2006Cynthia Cooper Abstract This paper explores fundamental concepts of design- and model-based approaches to sampling and estimation for a response defined on a continuous domain. The paper discusses the concepts in design-based methods as applied in a continuous domain, the meaning of model-based sampling, and the interpretation of the design-based variance of a model-based estimate. A model-assisted variance estimator is examined for circumstances for which a direct design-based estimator may be inadequate or not available. The alternative model-assisted variance estimator is demonstrated in simulations on a realization of a response generated by a process with exponential covariance structure. The empirical results demonstrate that the model-assisted variance estimator is less biased and more efficient than Horvitz,Thompson and Yates,Grundy variance estimators applied to a continuous-domain response. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sampling and analytical plus subsampling variance components for five soil indicators observed at regional scaleEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009B. G. Rawlins Summary When comparing soil baseline measurements with resampled values there are four main sources of error. These are: i) location (errors in relocating the sample site), ii) sampling errors (representing the site with a sample of material) iii) subsampling error (selecting material for analysis) and iv) analytical error (error in laboratory measurements). In general we cannot separate the subsampling and analytical sources of error (since we always analyse a different subsample of a specimen), so in this paper we combine these two sources into subsampling plus analytical error. More information is required on the relative magnitudes of location and sampling errors for the design of effective resampling strategies to monitor changes in soil indicators. Recently completed soil surveys of the UK with widely differing soils included a duplicate site and subsampling protocol to quantify ii), and the sum of iii) and iv) above. Sampling variances are estimated from measurements on duplicate samples , two samples collected on a support of side length 20 m separated by a short distance (21 m). Analytical and subsampling variances are estimated from analyses of two subsamples from each duplicate site. After accounting for variation caused by region, parent material class and land use, we undertook a nested analysis of data from 196 duplicate sites across three regions to estimate the relative magnitude of medium-scale (between sites), sampling and subsampling plus analytical variance components, for five topsoil indicators: total metal concentrations of copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn), soil pH and soil organic carbon (SOC) content. The variance components for each indicator diminish by about an order of magnitude from medium-scale, to sampling, to analytical plus subsampling. Each of the three fixed effects (parent material, land use and region) were statistically significant for each of the five indicators. The most effective way to minimise the overall uncertainty of our observations at sample sites is to reduce the sampling variance. [source] Evidence for plant viruses in the region of Argentina Islands, AntarcticaFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Valery Polischuk Abstract This work focused on the assessment of plant virus occurrence among primitive and higher plants in the Antarctic region. Sampling occurred during two seasons (2004/5 and 2005/6) at the Ukrainian Antarctic Station ,Academician Vernadskiy' positioned on Argentina Islands. Collected plant samples of four moss genera (Polytrichum, Plagiatecium, Sanionia and Barbilophozia) and one higher monocot plant species, Deschampsia antarctica, were further subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to test for the presence of common plant viruses. Surprisingly, samples of Barbilophozia and Polytrichum mosses were found to contain antigens of viruses from the genus Tobamovirus, Tobacco mosaic virus and Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, which normally parasitize angiosperms. By contrast, samples of the monocot Deschampsia antarctica were positive for viruses typically infecting dicots: Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, Cucumber mosaic virus and Tomato spotted wilt virus. Serological data for Deschampsia antarctica were supported in part by transmission electron microscopy observations and bioassay results. The results demonstrate comparatively high diversity of plant viruses detected in Antarctica; the results also raise questions of virus specificity and host susceptibility, as the detected viruses normally infect dicotyledonous plants. However, the means of plant virus emergence in the region remain elusive and are discussed. [source] Discards from the commercial gillnet fishery for dusky flathead, Platycephalus fuscus, in New South Wales, Australia: spatial variability and initial effects of change in minimum legal length of target speciesFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2004C. A. Gray Abstract A scientific observer programme was used to quantify the composition and magnitude of discards in the gillnet fishery for dusky flathead, Platycephalus fuscus (Cuvier), in three barrier estuaries in New South Wales, Australia, during the 2001 fishing season. Regulations only permit the retention of legal-sized dusky flathead and legal-sized blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus L., and mud crab, Scylla serrata (Forskål); all other organisms were discarded. Sampling was stratified into two time periods; before and after 1 July 2001 which coincided with the increase in the minimum legal length (MLL) of dusky flathead from 33 to 36 cm total length (TL). Eighty one catches were sampled, yielding 38 finfish species and two portunid crab species. Legal-sized dusky flathead were the most abundant organism captured, accounting for 23,47% by number and 34,54% by weight of the mean observed catch depending on the estuary and survey period, with a mean catch of 25,59 flathead weighing 13,25 kg per fishing-night. Species composition and relative abundance of catches differed among estuaries, but not between sampling periods. Predominant bycatch species included legal and undersize blue swimmer crab, sea mullet, Mugil cephalus L., luderick, Girella tricuspidata (Quoy & Gaimard), bream, Acanthopagrus australis (Günther) and yellowfin leatherjacket, Meuschenia trachylepis (Günther). These five species accounted for 82% of total bycatch by number and 71% by weight, pooled across the three estuaries. More crabs were retained than discarded, with retained legal-size crabs (byproduct) accounting for 16% of total bycatch by number and 13% by weight, with an average of 5,22 crabs weighing 1,6 kg being caught per fishing-night, depending on the estuary. Overall, 7% of dusky flathead captured (number) were below the MLL of 36 cm and discarded, suggesting the nets as currently configured may be relatively selective in catching legal-size flathead. However, 41% of dusky flathead were <40 cm TL, indicating that if the MLL for this species is increased to this length as proposed, new nets must be introduced into the fishery. The findings are discussed in terms of making the flathead fishery more sustainable, including alternative management strategies for the fishery. [source] Survival and vitality of Gremmeniella abietina on Pinus sylvestris slash in northern SwedenFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2006J. Witzell Summary Survival and vitality of Gremmeniella abietina on Pinus sylvestris slash was studied in northern Sweden during 2003 and 2004. Once a month between September 2003 and April 2004, two to three trees were cut down and debranched. Shoots with pycnidia were sampled at the felling date and then at every consecutive month. The percentage of germinated conidia from each shoot was calculated after 24, 48 and 72 h incubation. The vitality of G. abietina pycnidia in the slash remained high the whole period. Intact pycnidia were found on slash several months after the time of conidial sporulation, which indicates that new pycnidia may be produced on dead pine branches. Sampling of shoots from slash on 13- to 18-month-old clear-cuts showed conidial germination capacity as high as in pycnidia collected in fresh slash. Due to survival of G. abietina in slash it is recommended to postpone planting of P. sylvestris seedlings in northern boreal areas to the third vegetation period after sanitary clear-cuts. Résumé La survie et la vitalité de Gremmeniella abietina dans des rémanents de Pinus sylvestris ont étéétudiées dans le nord de la Suède pendant les années 2003 et 2004. Une fois par mois entre septembre 2003 et avril 2004, 2 ou 3 arbres ont été abattus et ébranchés. Des pousses avec pycnides ont étééchantillonnées à la date d'abattage et les mois suivants. Le pourcentage de conidies germées a été calculé pour chaque pousse après 24, 48 et 72 heures d'incubation. La vitalité des pycnides de G. abietina dans les rémanents est restée élevée tout au long de la période. Des pycnides intactes ont été trouvées dans les rémanents plusieurs mois après la période de sporulation conidienne, ce qui suggère que de nouvelles pycnides peuvent être produites sur des branches mortes de pin. Des échantillonnages de pousses dans des rémanents de coupes rases réalisées 13,18 mois plus tôt ont montré une capacité de germination des conidies aussi élevée que dans les pycnides collectées dans des rémanents fraîchement coupés. Du fait de la survie de G. abietina dans les rémanents, il est conseillé de reporter la plantation des semis de P. sylvestris dans les zones septentrionales boréales à la troisième saison de végétation après les coupes sanitaires. Zusammenfassung Das Überleben und die Vitalität von Gremmeniella abietina auf Schlagabraum von Pinus sylvestris wurde in den Jahren 2003 und 2004 untersucht. Zwischen September 2003 und April 2004 wurden in jedem Monat einmal 2,3 Bäume gefällt und entastet. Zum Zeitpunkt des Fällens und in jedem folgenden Monat wurden Triebe mit Pyknidien gesammelt. Von jedem Trieb wurde die Keimrate der Konidien nach 24, 48 und 72 Stunden Inkubation bestimmt. Während der gesamten Beobachtungsdauer blieb die Vitalität der Pyknidien im Schlagabraum hoch. Mehrere Monate nach der Sporulation wurden intakte Pyknidien gefunden, ein Hinweis darauf, dass möglicherweise neue Pyknidien auf den toten Kiefernzweigen gebildet wurden. Auf dem Schlagabraum von 13,18 Monate alten Kahlschlägen war die Keimfähigkeit der Konidien ähnlich hoch wie bei Pyknidien von frischem Schlagabraum. Aufgrund des langen Überlebens von G. abietina in Schlagabraum wird für die nördlichen borealen Gebiete empfohlen, nach phytosanitären Kahlschlägen P. sylvestris -Sämlinge erst in der dritten Vegetationsperiode zu pflanzen. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||