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Factorial Experiment (factorial + experiment)
Selected AbstractsBlocking Two-level Factorial ExperimentsQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2007Murat Kulahci Abstract Blocking is commonly used in experimental design to eliminate unwanted variation by creating more homogeneous conditions for experimental treatments within each block. While it has been a standard practice in experimental design, blocking fractional factorials still presents many challenges due to differences between treatment and blocking variables. Lately, new design criteria such as the total number of clear effects and fractional resolution have been proposed to design blocked two-level fractional factorial experiments. This article presents a flexible matrix representation for two-level fractional factorials that will allow experimenters and software developers to block such experiments based on any design criterion that is suitable with the experimental conditions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Affective Modelling: Profiling Geometrical Models with Human Emotional ResponsesCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 7 2009Cheng-Hung Lo Abstract In this paper, a novel concept, Affective Modelling, is introduced to encapsulate the idea of creating 3D models based on the emotional responses that they may invoke. Research on perceptually-related issues in Computer Graphics focuses mostly on the rendering aspect. Low-level perceptual criteria taken from established Psychology theories or identified by purposefully-designed experiments are utilised to reduce rendering effort or derive quality evaluation schemes. For modelling, similar ideas have been applied to optimise the level of geometrical details. High-level cognitive responses such as emotions/feelings are less addressed in graphics literatures. This paper investigates the possibility of incorporating emotional/affective factors for 3D model creations. Using a glasses frame model as our test case, we demonstrate a methodological framework to build the links between human emotional responses and geometrical features. We design and carry out a factorial experiment to systematically analyse how certain shape factors individually and interactively influence the viewer's impression of the shape of glasses frames. The findings serve as a basis for establishing computational models that facilitate emotionally-guided 3D modelling. [source] Biogeography of wetland rice methanotrophsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Claudia Lüke Summary We focused on the functional guild of methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) as model organisms to get deeper insights into microbial biogeography. The pmoA gene was used as a functional and phylogenetic marker for MOB in two approaches: (i) a pmoA database (> 4000 sequences) was evaluated to obtain insights into MOB diversity in Italian rice paddies, and paddy fields worldwide. The results show a wide geographical distribution of pmoA genotypes that seem to be specifically adapted to paddy fields (e.g. Rice Paddy Cluster 1 and Rice Paddy Cluster 2). (ii) On the smaller geographical scale, we designed a factorial experiment including three different locations, two rice varieties and two habitats (soil and roots) within each of three rice fields. Multivariate analysis of terminal restriction fragment analysis profiles revealed different community patterns at the three field sites, located 10,20 km apart. Root samples were characterized by high abundance of type I MOB whereas the rice variety had no effect. With the agronomical practice being nearly identical, historical contingencies might be responsible for the field site differences. Considering a large reservoir of viable yet inactive MOB cells acting as a microbial seed bank, environmental conditions might have selected and activated a different subset at a time thereby shaping the community. [source] Cooler temperatures increase sensitivity to ultraviolet B radiation in embryos and larvae of the frog Limnodynastes peroniiGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007VINCENT O. Van UITREGT Abstract Recent studies suggest that complex interacting processes are driving global amphibian declines. Increased ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in the solar spectrum associated with ozone depletion has been implicated in declines, and evidence suggests that the effects of UVB radiation on amphibians may be greater at cooler temperatures. We tested the thermal sensitivity of UVB effects on amphibians in a controlled factorial experiment using the striped marsh frog, Limnodynastes peronii as a model species. We compared survival, growth and locomotor performance of embryonic and larval L. peronii reared under low and high UVB exposures at both 20 and 30 °C. Embryonic and larval L. peronii proved extremely sensitive to UVB damage and exhibited greater sensitivity at 20 °C compared with 30 °C. Embryonic survival to Gosner stage 25 was unaffected by UVB exposure at 30 °C, but at 20 °C survival was reduced to 52% under high UVB. Larval survival exhibited a similar trend. At 20 °C, all tadpoles survived under low UVB, whereas under high UVB there was 100% mortality after 15 days of exposure. At 30 °C, 86% survived under low UVB, but only 46% survived under high UVB. Sublethal effects such as, embryonic malformation, retarded larval growth and reduced larval swimming performance were also greater at 20 °C compared with 30 °C. Our results strongly indicate that UVB damage in amphibians is markedly increased at cooler temperatures. Thus, populations of UVB sensitive species occurring at cold climates may be at greater risk of declines due to increased solar UVB radiation. [source] The microbiological and chemical composition of silage over the course of fermentation in round bales relative to that of silage made from unchopped and precision-chopped herbage in laboratory silosGRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008J. McEniry Abstract The composition of baled silage frequently differs from that of comparable conventional silage. A factorial experiment was conducted with three wilting treatments (0, 24 or 48 h) × three ensiling systems [unchopped grass in bales, unchopped grass in laboratory silos (LS), precision-chopped grass in LS] × six stages of ensiling to (i) confirm that the fermentation of unchopped grass in LS could be used as an adequate model for baled silage fermentation, (ii) quantify the differences between baled silage and silage made from precision-chopped herbage across a range of dry-matter contents and (c) quantify the fermentation dynamics within the various treatments. The onset of fermentation as evidenced by the accumulation of fermentation products and the decline in pH were slower (P < 0·05) in baled silage compared with silage made from precision-chopped herbage. Furthermore the pH (P < 0·001) and overall concentration of fermentation acids (P < 0·01) were lower while ammonia-N concentration was generally higher in baled silage, making it more conducive to the activities of Clostridia, Enterobacteria and yeast. Numbers of Enterobacteria were higher (P < 0·001) in baled silage in the early stages of ensilage and persisted in baled silage at the end of the storage period. The implications of a slower onset of fermentation in baled herbage are greater in farm practice, as the fermentation would be further restricted by a more extensive wilting of the herbage prior to ensiling. [source] Manipulation of offspring number and size: benefits of large body size at birth depend upon the rearing environmentJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Tuula A. Oksanen Summary 1Allocation of reproductive effort between the number and size of offspring determines the immediate rearing environment for the growing young. As the number of offspring increases, the amount of parental investment per individual offspring decreases, and the quality of the rearing environment is expected to decrease. This may result in a lower quality of offspring reared in such conditions. 2We studied the effects of the rearing environment on the quality of juvenile bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, with different initial body sizes at birth in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. The rearing environment was manipulated by enlarging both the litter size by two extra pups, and mean offspring body size at birth by replacing the original litter with heavier pups from smaller litters. Offspring quality was estimated from body size measurements, parasitic infection with Eimeria spp. and the level of immune response to a novel antigen. 3The analyses revealed that large body size at birth was an advantage in ,normal' rearing environments, but a disadvantage in poor ones. The initially normal sized offspring grown in enlarged litters had a relatively good capacity for growth and high immune function confirming that a poor rearing environment alone does not reduce their quality. 4Our findings that the benefits of large body size depend on the rearing environment suggest that offspring body size is adjusted in relation to litter size, and thus the evolution of these two traits is combined. [source] Resprouting of the Mediterranean-type shrub Erica australis with modified lignotuber carbohydrate contentJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Alberto Cruz Summary 1The vigour of plant resprouting after fire may be driven by the amount of stored non-structural carbohydrates (NC). However, the extent to which NC reserves limit this response in woody plants has not been established. 2This study analyses the effects of modifying NC concentrations in the lignotuberous Mediterranean-type shrub Erica australis, on resprouting after experimental burning. A factorial experiment with two treatments (shade and burn) was carried out, with three levels per treatment. Plants were shaded (exposure to 100%, 50% or 20% of incident radiation for 1 year), following which they were clipped (control, no fire), or clipped and burned at one of two levels of severity. After this, they were allowed to resprout and grow for 2 years. 3Shading modified NC concentrations in the lignotuber, but not in the roots. Two years after burning, plants subjected to the greatest shading, which reduced their NC concentrations to 44% (sum of NC) or 19% (starch) of that of control plants, had suffered higher mortality after resprouting, had a significantly lower number of resprouts, of shorter length, and had produced lower biomass per plant than less shaded or unshaded plants. However, plants subjected to intermediate shade, which suffered a reduction in NC concentrations to 70% of that of control plants, did not differ in resprouting response from control plants. 4Burning caused more direct mortality, and a severe reduction in both number or biomass of resprouts, than just clipping. There were no significant shade × burning interaction effects. 5While reductions in NC may limit resprouting, such limitation may only occur when NC is reduced to much lower concentrations than caused by commonly experienced conditions. The role of NC reserves in limiting resprouting of lignotuberous, woody plants such as E. australis might therefore not be as important as is commonly assumed. [source] Detection of delayed density dependence in an orchid populationJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000M. P. Gillman Summary 1,Annual censuses of Orchis morio (green-winged orchid) flowering spikes have been taken over a 27-year period in a replicated factorial experiment on the effects of fertilizer application. Census data, combined by block or treatment, were used in time,series analyses to test for density dependence. 2,Partial autocorrelation functions revealed the importance of positive correlations at lag 1 and negative correlations at lag 5. Stepwise multiple regressions provided evidence of delayed density dependence, again with a delay of about 5 years, with no evidence of direct (first-order) density dependence. 3,First-order autocorrelations and delayed density dependence were considered in the light of the known stage structure and generation time of the plant and the possibility of density dependence at different points in the life history. 4,Model structure affects the detection of density dependence, increasing the propensity for type I errors. [source] Carotenoid and protein supplementation have differential effects on pheasant ornamentation and immunityJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007H. G. SMITH Abstract A currently popular hypothesis states that the expression of carotenoid-dependent sexual ornaments and immune function may be correlated because both traits are positively affected by carotenoids. However, such a correlation may arise for another reason: it is well known that immune function is dependent on nutritional condition. A recent study has suggested that the expression of ornaments may too depend on nutritional condition, as males in good nutritional condition are better at assimilating and/or modulating carotenoids. Thus, carotenoid-dependent ornaments and immune function may be correlated because both are dependent on nutritional condition. To elucidate if, and how, ornamentation and immune function are linked, pheasant diets were supplemented with carotenoid and/or protein in a fully factorial experiment. Carotenoid treatment affected wattle coloration and tail growth, but not cellular or humoral immunity. Immunity was unrelated to males' initial ornamentation including wattle colour. Males in better body condition, measured as residual mass, increased their wattle coloration more when carotenoid supplemented. Protein positively affected humoral but not cellular immunity, but had no effect on ornaments. Cellular, but not humoral, immunity increased with male body condition. Thus, there was no evidence that an immune-stimulatory effect of carotenoids resulted in wattle coloration honestly signalling immune function, but wattle coloration may still signal male body condition. [source] Factorial designed experiment to study the effects of excipients on the mechanical properties of pelletsJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 10 2006Abraham B. Bashaiwoldu The aim of this work was to determine the effects of formulation factors on the mechanical properties of pellets produced by the process of extrusion and spheronisation. A range of properties from a simple fracture load to detailed load/displacement curves were used to study the effects of the levels of lactose monohydrate and glyceryl monostearate on the mechanical properties of pellets in terms of their surface tensile strength, pellet deformability and linear strain. A series of independent 22 -factorial designs were employed to establish the relationships between composition of the formulations and pellet properties, whereby the concept of an excess variable was explored. It was found that the spheronisation aid used, microcrystalline cellulose, is the domineering factor in most mechanical properties studied, except for the surface tensile strength, which decreased significantly with an increase in glyceryl monostearate concentration. The change in binder liquid from water to a water/ethanol mixture further changed the behaviour of the systems significantly. The assumption of an excess variable being less critical for the statistical outcome of a factorial experiment has not been found feasible for the systems studied. [source] Investigation of the Effects of Salinity and Dietary Protein Level on Growth and Survival of Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannameiJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007Martin Perez-Velazquez It is presumed that in hypo- and hypersaline environments, shrimp's requirements for some specific nutrients, such as protein, may differ from those known in the marine habitat; however, few investigations have been conducted in this area of study. In the present investigation, the effects of salinity and dietary protein level on the biological performance, tissue protein, and water content of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, were evaluated. In a 3 × 4 factorial experiment, juvenile shrimp with an average initial weight of 0.36 ± 0.02 g were exposed for 32 d to salinities of 2, 35, and 50 ppt and fed experimental diets with crude protein contents of 25, 30, 35, and 40%. A significant effect of salinity on growth of shrimp was detected, with the growth responses (final weight, weight gain) ranked in the order 2 ppt (3.87, 3.50 g) > 35 ppt (3.40, 3.04 g) > 50 ppt (2.84, 2.47 g). No effects of dietary protein level or an interaction between salinity and protein on growth of shrimp were observed under the experimental conditions of this study. Percent survival of shrimp fed the highest protein content (40%, survival of 74%) was, however, significantly lower than those of shrimp fed the other feeds (25, 30 and 35% protein, survival of 99, 91, and 94%, respectively), a result likely associated with the concentration of total ammonia nitrogen, which increased significantly at increasing protein levels. Final water content of whole shrimp was significantly lower in animals exposed to 50 ppt (70.8%) than in shrimp held at 2 (73.7%) and 35 ppt (72.3%). No effect of salinity, protein, or their interaction was observed on the protein content of whole shrimp. The results of the present study are in agreement with reports of superior and inferior growth of L. vannamei reared in hypo- and hypersaline environments, respectively, as compared to what is generally observed in seawater. [source] A Qualitative and Quantitative Approach to Determine the Optimum Combination of Feeding Stimulants for Striped Bass Morone saxatilis Using an Agar Gel CarrierJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 1 2002Elias Papatryphon A series of experiments was conducted to determine the optimum combination of previously identified feeding stimulants (FS), namely L-alanine (Ala), L-serine (Ser), inosine-5,-monophosphate (IMP), and betaine (Bet), for striped bass Morone saxatilis. Three experiments were conducted to determine the optimum combination of FS using an agar gel matrix as a carrier. In the first experiment a 24 factorial experiment was conducted to test all possible combinations of the four FS at two levels, 0 and 0.1 M. Significant interactions between the FS were found, suggesting the complexity of gustatory stimulation and palatability. In the second experiment a 4 × 6 factorial design was employed to test each FS alone and at concentrations ranging from 0 to 8% in order to determine the minimum level at which maximal stimulation is achieved. The results suggest that there is no significant improvement in feed intake beyond the 1 % level of supplementation for all the FS. In addition, Ala produced a significantly greater response compared to all other FS. In the last experiment, a modified single factor method was used to estimate the optimum levels for each FS in a mixture. The range of the concentrations tested was 0,1% of the agar gel for each FS. Combining all four compounds yielded maximal stimulation. The levels of each compound in the final optimum combination of FS were: Ala, 0.4; Ser, 0.6; Bet, 0.4; and IMP, 0.3% of the agar gel. [source] Evaluation of Various Concentrations of Dietary Protein and Animal Protein for Pond-Raised Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Fed to Satiation or at a Restricted RateJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 4 2000Edwin H. Robinson A factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate effect of dietary protein (28% or 32%), animal protein (0, 3, or 6%), and feeding rate (satiation or >90 kg/ha per d) on production characteristics, processing yield, and body composition of pond-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Fingerling channel catfish (average weight: 55 g/fish) were stocked into 60, 0.04-ha ponds at a rate of 18,530 fish/ha. Five ponds were used for each dietary treatment. Fish were fed once daily to satiation or no more than 90 kg/ha per d for 147 d. Fish fed at a rate of >90 kg/ha per d consumed about 85% of the amount of feed consumed by fish fed to satiation. Dietary protein did not affect the total amount of feed fed, amount of feed consumed per fish, weight gain, feed conversion efficiency, or fillet protein. Animal protein had no effect on the total amount of feed fed, amount of feed consumed per fish, weight gain, or fillet protein and ash. Fish fed a diet containing 6% animal protein converted feed more efficiently than fish fed diets containing 0% and 3% animal protein. Fish fed to satiation daily consumed more feed, gained more weight, converted the feed less efficiently, and had a higher carcass yield, a higher level of visceral fat as compared to fish fed at a rate of >90 kg/ha per d. Feeding rate had no effect on fillet protein. Results from this study indicated that both a 28% and a 32% protein diet with or without animal protein provided the same growth rate of channel catfish raised in ponds from fingerlings to marketable size if feed is not restricted below a maximum rate of 90 kg/ha per d. Even though there were some interactions among the three factors evaluated, dietary protein levels of 28% to 32% and animal protein levels of 0% to 6% do not appear to markedly affect carcass yield and fillet proximate composition of pond-raised channel catfish. [source] Understorey plant and soil responses to disturbance and increased nitrogen in boreal forestsJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2009O.H. Manninen Abstract Question: How do N fertilization and disturbance affect the understorey vegetation, microbial properties and soil nutrient concentration in boreal forests? Location: Kuusamo (66°22,N; 29°18,E) and Oulu (65°02,N; 25°47,E) in northern Finland. Methods: We conducted a fully factorial experiment with three factors: site (two levels), N fertilization (four levels) and disturbance (two levels). We measured treatment effects on understorey biomass, vegetation structure, and plant, soil and microbial N and C concentrations. Results: The understorey biomass was not affected by fertilization either in the control or in the disturbance treatment. Fertilization reduced the biomass of deciduous Vaccinium myrtillus. Disturbance had a negative effect on the biomass of V. myrtillus and evergreen Vaccinium vitis-idaea and decreased the relative proportion of evergreen species. Fertilization and disturbance increased the biomass of grass Deschampsia flexuosa and the relative proportion of graminoids. The amount of NH4+ increased in soil after fertilization, and microbial C decreased after disturbance. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the growth of slow-growing Vaccinium species and soil microbes in boreal forests are not limited by N availability. However, significant changes in the proportion of dwarf shrubs to graminoids and a decrease in the biomass of V. myrtillus demonstrate the susceptibility of understorey vegetation to N enrichment. N enrichment and disturbance seem to have similar effects on understorey vegetation. Consequently, increasing N does not affect the rate or the direction of recovery after disturbance. Moreover, our study demonstrates the importance of understorey vegetation as a C source for soil microbes in boreal forests. [source] Insect herbivores and their frass affect Quercus rubra leaf quality and initial stages of subsequent litter decompositionOIKOS, Issue 1 2008Christopher J. Frost Defoliation-induced changes in plant foliage are ubiquitous, though factors mediating induction and the extent of their influence on ecosystem processes such as leaf litter decomposition are poorly understood. Soil nitrogen (N) availability, which can be affected by insect herbivore frass (feces), influences phytochemical induction. We conducted experiments to test the hypotheses that insect frass deposition would (1) reduce phytochemical induction following herbivory and (2) increase the decomposition and nutrient release of the subsequent leaf litter. During the 2002 growing season, 80 Quercus rubra saplings were subjected to a factorial experiment with herbivore and frass manipulations. Leaf samples were collected throughout the growing season to measure the effects of frass deposition on phytochemical induction. In live foliage, herbivore damage increased tannin concentrations early, reduced foliar N concentrations throughout the growing season, and lowered lignin concentrations in the late season. Frass deposition apparently reduced leaf lignin concentrations, but otherwise did not influence leaf chemistry. Following natural senescence, litter samples from the treatment groups were decomposed in replicated litterbags for 18 months at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, NC. In the dead litter samples, initial tannin concentrations were lower in the herbivore damage group and higher in the frass addition group relative to their respective controls. Tannin and N release rates in the first nine months of decomposition were also affected by both damage and frass. However, decomposition rates did not differ among treatment groups. Thus, nutrient dynamics important for some ecosystem processes may be independent from the physical loss of litter mass. Overall, while lingering effects of damage and even frass deposition can therefore carry over and affect ecosystem processes during decomposition, their effects appear short lived relative to abiotic forces that tend to homogenize the decomposition process. [source] Misunderstanding standardized language in research interviewsAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Michael F. Schober Leaving the interpretation of words up to participants in standardized survey interviews, aptitude tests, and experiment instructions can lead to unintended interpretation; more collaborative interviewing methods can promote uniform understanding. In two laboratory studies (a factorial experiment and a more naturalistic investigation), respondents interpreted ordinary survey concepts like ,household furniture' and ,living in a house' quite differently than intended in strictly standardized interviews, when the interpretation was left entirely up to them. Comprehension was more accurate when interviewers responded to requests for clarification with non-standardized paraphrased definitions, and most accurate when interviewers also provided clarification whenever they suspected respondents needed it. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Bioavailability of amino acids chelated and glass embedded zinc to rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fingerlingsAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 4 2001M.J. Apines A 2 × 4 factorial experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of zinc (Zn) from amino acids chelated (Zn,Am) and glass embedded Zn (Zn,Gl) as sources for rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fed practical type diets. Two levels of Zn (20 and 40 mg kg,1) were supplemented to the diets using either zinc sulphate (Zn,Sf), zinc methionine (Zn,Mt), Zn,Am or Zn,Gl. Rainbow trout with an average weight of 2 g were fed the experimental diets for 15 weeks. Growth and feed gain ratio (FGR) were not significantly influenced by the dietary Zn content and forms. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity for both levels of Zn,Am was significantly higher than that of Zn,Sf and Zn,Gl at 20 mg supplementation. In another experiment, fish of about 95 g were fed the same experimental diets to determine the absorption of Zn and it was found to be significantly higher from Zn,Am compared with the rest. Retention from Zn,Am at 20 mg was significantly higher than the rest, excluding Zn,Sf. The results suggest that the availability of Zn from Zn,Am might be superior among the sources compared. [source] Growth, feed utilization and body composition of African bonytongue, Heterotis niloticus, fingerlings fed diets containing various protein and lipid levelsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2010Serge-Eric Monentcham Abstract In order to evaluate the effects of dietary protein and lipid levels on the growth, feed utilization and body composition of Heterotis niloticus fingerlings, a factorial experiment with three replicates was conducted. Six experimental diets containing three crude protein levels (28%, 32% and 36%) and two crude lipid levels (6% and 13%) were tested. Heterotis niloticus (2.34 g) were fed with the diets to apparent satiation, twice a day. For 56 days, weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency (FE) and protein retention (PR) were significantly affected by dietary protein and dietary lipid levels respectively (P<0.01). The highest WG, SGR and FE were observed for fingerlings fed the diet containing 36% protein and 6% lipid, but no significance difference was found between groups fed with the following diets: P28L13 (28% protein and 13% lipid), P32L6, P32L13 and P36L13. A significant interaction between dietary protein and lipid was observed for WG, SGR, FE and PR. The whole-body protein, lipid, moisture and ash content were not significantly affected by dietary lipid levels, but body protein and lipid content were significantly affected by dietary protein. The dietary protein-sparing effect was clearly demonstrated when the dietary energy of lipid increased from 17 to 19.6 kJ g,1 at 28% crude protein on H. niloticus. [source] Effects of water-soluble and fat-soluble choline sources on the performances of juvenile kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus BateAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 16 2005Fady Raafat Michael Abstract The present study was undertaken to clarify the effect and interaction of choline chloride (CC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), the water- and fat-soluble sources of choline, on the performances of kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus juveniles using as response variables such as percent weight gain (%WG), specific growth rate (SGR), survival (SR%), feed efficiency ratio (FER), protein efficiency ratio (PER), proximate composition, fatty acids profile and free choline and PC contents in the whole body of kuruma shrimp. A 40-day feeding trial was conducted as a 2 × 3 factorial experiment with six test diets containing three levels of CC (0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 g kg,1) and two levels of soybean PC (SPC; 2 and 4 g kg,1). Both of the choline sources (CC and SPC) showed a significant interaction (P<0.05) regarding all the evaluated response variables except for the proximate and fatty acid contents. Interestingly, there was a positive effect (P<0.05) of CC observed with increasing its level at the low level of SPC and vice versa. However, the magnitudes of the beneficial effect of CC in terms of the evaluated parameters were changed with the different dietary levels of SPC. Also, the inclusion of higher levels of SPC (4 g kg,1) or CC (0.6 and 1.2 g kg,1) diminished the effect of the other source. [source] Flooding and grazing promote germination and seedling establishment in the perennial grass Paspalum dilatatumAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009PATRICIA S. CORNAGLIA Abstract Seed germination and seedling emergence are key processes for population recruitment. Flooding and grazing are disturbances forming gaps that may strongly influence recruitment patterns in space and time, but their combined effects and action mechanisms have rarely been addressed. In this study we analysed the effects of microhabitat conditions associated with winter flooding and spring-summer defoliation on seed germination and seedling establishment of Paspalum dilatatum, a dominant perennial C4 grass in native grasslands of the Flooding Pampa, Argentina. The dynamics of seedling emergence from natural seed banks and buried seeds was studied in a factorial experiment with flooding and defoliation treatments applied to soil monoliths (mesocosms) collected from natural grassland. Additional laboratory experiments were applied to investigate seed germination under different combinations of temperature, light quality and simulated flooding. Seed germination and seedling emergence of P. dilatatum were promoted by flooding and high intensity defoliation. Gaps generated by flooding were maintained by high intensity defoliation exercising a synergistic effect on survival seedlings. Flooding resulted in the breaking of seed dormancy and higher germination rates associated with alternating temperature and the activation of the phytochrome system. Our results indicate that microhabitat conditions associated with the disturbances forming gaps, such as flooding and heavy grazing, synergistically promote the recruitment process of this dominant grass species. [source] Evaluation of macrofaunal effects on leaf litter breakdown rates in aquatic and terrestrial habitatsAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2006AUGUSTO C. DE A. RIBAS Abstract Decomposition of the organic matter is a key process in the functioning of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, although different factors influence processing rates between and within these habitats. Most patterns were described for temperate regions, with fewer studies in tropical, warmer sites. In this study, we carried out a factorial experiment to compare processing rates of mixed species of leaf litter between terrestrial and aquatic habitats at a tropical site, using ,ne and coarse mesh cages to allow or prevent colonization by macroinvertebrates. The experiment was followed for 10 weeks, and loss of leaf litter mass through time was evaluated using exponential models. We found no interaction between habitat and mesh size and leaf litter breakdown rates did not differ between ,ne and coarse mesh cages, suggesting that macroinvertebrates do not influence leaf litter decomposition in either habitat at our studied site. Leaf breakdown rates were faster in aquatic than in terrestrial habitats and the magnitude of these differences were comparable to studies in temperate regions, suggesting that equivalent factors can influence between-habitat differences detected in our study. [source] The influence of soil type and moisture on pupal survival of Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae)AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Andrew D Hulthen Abstract, Larvae of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, pupate in the soil, but the influence of soil variables on B. tryoni pupal mortality is not known. For other tropical tephritid species, soil moisture has been identified as a major pupal mortality factor. In the laboratory, we tested the effects of soil moisture and soil type on pupal survival through a factorial experiment which used three soil types (loamy sand, loam, sandy clay) and seven soil moisture levels (0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90% and 100%). Minor, but significant, differences in pupal mortality were observed between the soil types, but the most significant factor affecting pupae was extremes of soil moisture. Eighty-five percent pupal mortality occurred at 0% soil moisture and 30% mortality at 100% soil moisture: very low levels of mortality occurred at all intermediate levels. We detected a significant interaction between soil type and moisture level but cannot explain it. In a follow-up experiment, we demonstrated that prepupal wandering larvae of B. tryoni could discriminate between different moisture levels, with significantly greater pupation in loam soil at 75% soil moisture than at either 0% or 100% soil moisture. Results are used to modify a pupal mortality/soil moisture equation used in a recently published DYMEX model of B. tryoni population dynamics. [source] A predictive high-throughput scale-down model of monoclonal antibody production in CHO cellsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 6 2009Rachel Legmann Abstract Multi-factorial experimentation is essential in understanding the link between mammalian cell culture conditions and the glycoprotein product of any biomanufacturing process. This understanding is increasingly demanded as bioprocess development is influenced by the Quality by Design paradigm. We have developed a system that allows hundreds of micro-bioreactors to be run in parallel under controlled conditions, enabling factorial experiments of much larger scope than is possible with traditional systems. A high-throughput analytics workflow was also developed using commercially available instruments to obtain product quality information for each cell culture condition. The micro-bioreactor system was tested by executing a factorial experiment varying four process parameters: pH, dissolved oxygen, feed supplement rate, and reduced glutathione level. A total of 180 micro-bioreactors were run for 2 weeks during this DOE experiment to assess this scaled down micro-bioreactor system as a high-throughput tool for process development. Online measurements of pH, dissolved oxygen, and optical density were complemented by offline measurements of glucose, viability, titer, and product quality. Model accuracy was assessed by regressing the micro-bioreactor results with those obtained in conventional 3,L bioreactors. Excellent agreement was observed between the micro-bioreactor and the bench-top bioreactor. The micro-bioreactor results were further analyzed to link parameter manipulations to process outcomes via leverage plots, and to examine the interactions between process parameters. The results show that feed supplement rate has a significant effect (P,<,0.05) on all performance metrics with higher feed rates resulting in greater cell mass and product titer. Culture pH impacted terminal integrated viable cell concentration, titer and intact immunoglobulin G titer, with better results obtained at the lower pH set point. The results demonstrate that a micro-scale system can be an excellent model of larger scale systems, while providing data sets broader and deeper than are available by traditional methods. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 1107,1120. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Strategies for developing design spaces for viral clearance by anion exchange chromatography during monoclonal antibody productionBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2010Daniel M. Strauss Abstract The quality-by-design (QbD) regulatory initiative promotes the development of process design spaces describing the multidimensional effects and interactions of process variables on critical quality attributes of therapeutic products. However, because of the complex nature of production processes, strategies must be devised to provide for design space development with reasonable allocation of resources while maintaining highly dependable results. Here, we discuss strategies for the determination of design spaces for viral clearance by anion exchange chromatography (AEX) during purification of monoclonal antibodies. We developed a risk assessment for AEX using a formalized method and applying previous knowledge of the effects of certain variables and the mechanism of action for virus removal by this process. We then use design-of-experiments (DOE) concepts to perform a highly fractionated factorial experiment and show that varying many process parameters simultaneously over wide ranges does not affect the ability of the AEX process to remove endogenous retrovirus-like particles from CHO-cell derived feedstocks. Finally, we performed a full factorial design and observed that a high degree of viral clearance was obtained for three different model viruses when the most significant process parameters were varied over ranges relevant to typical manufacturing processes. These experiments indicate the robust nature of viral clearance by the AEX process as well as the design space where removal of viral impurities and contaminants can be assured. In addition, the concepts and methodology presented here provides a general approach for the development of design spaces to assure that quality of biotherapeutic products is maintained. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010 [source] Quantifying the evidence for ecological synergiesECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 12 2008Emily S. Darling Abstract There is increasing concern that multiple drivers of ecological change will interact synergistically to accelerate biodiversity loss. However, the prevalence and magnitude of these interactions remain one of the largest uncertainties in projections of future ecological change. We address this uncertainty by performing a meta-analysis of 112 published factorial experiments that evaluated the impacts of multiple stressors on animal mortality in freshwater, marine and terrestrial communities. We found that, on average, mortalities from the combined action of two stressors were not synergistic and this result was consistent across studies investigating different stressors, study organisms and life-history stages. Furthermore, only one-third of relevant experiments displayed truly synergistic effects, which does not support the prevailing ecological paradigm that synergies are rampant. However, in more than three-quarters of relevant experiments, the outcome of multiple stressor interactions was non-additive (i.e. synergies or antagonisms), suggesting that ecological surprises may be more common than simple additive effects. [source] Ten years of free-air CO2 enrichment altered the mobilization of N from soil in Lolium perenne L. swardsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Manuel K. Schneider Abstract Effects of free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE, 60 Pa pCO2) on plant growth as compared with ambient pCO2 (36 Pa) were studied in swards of Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass) at two levels of N fertilization (14 and 56 g m,2 a,1) from 1993 to 2002. The objectives were to determine how plant growth responded to the availability of C and N in the long term and how the supply of N to the plant from the two sources of N in the soil, soil organic matter (SOM) and mineral fertilizer, varied over time. In three field experiments, 15N-labelled fertilizer was used to distinguish the sources of available N. In 1993, harvestable biomass under elevated pCO2 was 7% higher than under ambient pCO2. This relative pCO2 response increased to 32% in 2002 at high N, but remained low at low N. Between 1993 and 2002, the proportions and amounts of N in harvestable biomass derived from SOM (excluding remobilized fertilizer) were, at high N, increasingly higher at elevated pCO2 than at ambient pCO2. Two factorial experiments confirmed that at high N, but not at low N, a higher proportion of N in harvestable biomass was derived from soil (including remobilized fertilizer) following 7 and 9 years of elevated pCO2, when compared with ambient pCO2. It is suggested that N availability in the soil initially limited the pCO2 response of harvestable biomass. At high N, the limitation of plant growth decreased over time as a result of the stimulated mobilization of N from soil, especially from SOM. Consequently, harvestable biomass increasingly responded to elevated pCO2. The underlying mechanisms which contributed to the increased mobilization of N from SOM under elevated pCO2 are discussed. This study demonstrated that there are feedback mechanisms in the soil which are only revealed during long-term field experiments. Such investigations are thus, a prerequisite for understanding the responses of ecosystems to elevated pCO2 and N supply. [source] Review article: Basic steps in adapting response surface methodology as mathematical modelling for bioprocess optimisation in the food systemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2010Titus U. Nwabueze Summary Techniques involving choosing process combinations for optimisation without due consideration for relevant experimental designs is scientifically unreliable and irreproducible. Mathematical modelling, of which response surface methodology (RSM) is one, provides a precise map leading to successful optimisation. This paper identified key process variables, building the model and searching the solution through multivariate regression analysis, interpretation of resulting polynomial equations and response surface/contour plots as basic steps in adapting the central composite design to achieve process optimisation. It also gave information on appropriate RSM software packages and choice of order in RSM model and data economy in reducing the factorial experiments from large number parameter combinations to a far less number without losing any information including quadratic and interaction (if present) effects. It is expected that this paper will afford many food scientists and researchers the opportunity for adapting RSM as a mathematical model for achieving bioprocess optimisation in food systems. [source] Influence of herbivory, competition and soil fertility on the abundance of Cirsium arvense in acid grasslandJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000G.R. Edwards Summary 1. ,The extent to which the weed Cirsium arvense (creeping thistle) may be controlled by manipulating interspecific competition and herbivory was examined in two factorial experiments in order to identify non-chemical herbicide-based control methods for the weed. 2. ,In the first experiment, a single spring cultivation of grassland intensively grazed by rabbits led to a 25-fold increase in C. arvense cover within 3 months, the effects of which were still present the following summer. As well as destroying the competing perennial vegetation, cultivation created and dispersed small root fragments (3,5 cm in length) from which almost all shoot recruitment occurred. 3. ,Fencing the cultivated plots against rabbits decreased the cover of C. arvense because ungrazed regrowth from palatable/grazing intolerant species reduced recruitment of C. arvense seedlings and shoots. Seedling competition, in the form of a wildflower seed mix sown soon after cultivation, reduced C. arvense cover on fenced plots to pre-cultivation levels. 4. ,In the second experiment, conducted in a permanent grassland, C. arvense shoot densities on plots fenced against rabbits and treated as a hay meadow were about one-eighth of those found on rabbit-grazed plots where competing vegetation was kept short. Adventitious shoot recruitment was greater on soil disturbances such as molehills and rabbit scrapes than in intact vegetation. Seedling recruitment occurred only on soil disturbances such as molehills. 5. ,Lime and nitrogen fertilizer application to the fenced grassland increased the standing biomass of competing species, which reduced C. arvense shoot density. Outside the fences, rabbit grazing was so concentrated on the competing species of the nitrogen-fertilized and limed areas that C. arvense benefited from competitive release, exhibiting increased shoot density. Cirsium arvense showed pronounced competitive release from grasses, with greater shoot densities where grasses were removed with selective herbicides than where no plant species were removed. 6. ,Exclusion of insects and molluscs with chemical pesticides had no effect on shoot or seedling recruitment or overall shoot density on cultivated soil or in permanent grassland. 7. ,It is concluded that combinations of management procedures that encourage interspecific competition, such as sowing crops soon after cultivation and delaying grazing of them, and nitrogen fertilizer application and non- or reduced grazing of intact grasslands, will help reduce C. arvense abundance. [source] Interaction between phosphorus and biodegradable organic carbon on drinking water biofilm subject to chlorinationJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2010S.-K. Park Abstract Aims:, To examine whether phosphorus and biodegradable organic carbon interact to impact biofilm density and physiological function of biofilm-forming bacteria under conditions relevant to chlorinated drinking water distribution systems. Materials and Results:, The 2 × 2 factorial experiments with low and high levels of phosphorus and biodegradable organic carbon were performed on 4 -week-old drinking water biofilms in four separate pipe systems in the presence of chlorine. Experimental results revealed that biofilm heterotrophic plate count levels increased with the increase in biodegradable organic carbon concentration, showed no response to increases in levels of phosphorus and was not affected by interaction between phosphorus and biodegradable organic carbon. However, a significant positive interaction between phosphorus and biodegradable organic carbon was found to exist on biofilm mass and physiological function and/or metabolic potentials of biofilm communities; the effects of biodegradable organic carbon on biofilm mass and physiological function of biofilm-forming bacteria were accelerated in going from low to high level of phosphorus. Conclusions:, Biodegradable organic carbon was found to be the primary nutrient in regulating biofilm formation in drinking water regardless of the presence of chlorine. It can be therefore concluded that the removal of an easily biodegradable organic carbon is necessary to minimize the biofilm growth potential induced by the intrusion of phosphorus. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Phosphorus introduced to drinking water may interact with biodegradable organic carbon, thus leading to measurable impact on the biofilm formation. [source] The influence of nutrient loading, dissolved inorganic carbon and higher trophic levels on the interaction between submerged plants and periphytonJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2002J. Iwan Jones Summary 1We studied the growth of a submerged aquatic plant in relation to periphytic and planktonic algae over a range of nutrient and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) availabilities. 2In consecutive years two factorial experiments were conducted in 48 artificial ponds (each 3.14 m3), comprising four concentrations of DIC (1.5, 2.5, 3.5 or 4.5 mm) each crossed with three separate nutrient loadings (10 µg L,1 P and 0.2 mg L N, 50 µg L,1 P and 1 mg L N, or 200 µg L,1 P and 4 mg L N). The second experiment differed by the inclusion of fish in the ponds. 3In the first year DIC had no effect on plant growth, but nutrient loading did. Plants failed to grow in treatments where phytoplankton density was high (> 100 µg L,1). Where phytoplankton was low, high numbers of invertebrates colonized the ponds, and periphyton abundance on the plants was low. In the second year, where phytoplankton never achieved the densities of the previous year, there was a significant effect of DIC concentration on plant growth but not of nutrients. Invertebrate abundance was lower and periphyton on the plants correspondingly higher. 4In both years increased nutrient loading had no effect on the abundance of periphyton growing on the surface of the plants. Periphyton abundance was determined by the density of grazing invertebrates in the ponds. 5There was a negative relationship between periphyton density and final plant density, which became significantly less steep with increasing DIC, indicating that periphyton and plants were competing for carbon. 6DIC concentration has the potential to influence community structure in shallow lakes, altering competitive interactions between periphyton and plants and rendering low DIC lakes more prone to loss of plants when nutrient loading increases. However, the expression of this competition between periphyton and plants will depend on the density of grazing invertebrates present, which is itself influenced by the intensity of fish predation on those invertebrates. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||