电子鼻同步检测花生霉菌及霉菌毒素

利用电子鼻技术,建立了花生受不同霉菌感染后的霉变程度及毒素含量的同步快速检测方法。花生经辐照灭菌后接种5 种常见霉菌（3 种产毒菌株、2 种非产毒菌株）,于培养箱（26 ℃、相对湿度80%）中培养6 d。每天取出不同霉菌污染的样品采集电子鼻信号,同时测定其菌落总数和黄曲霉毒素B1（aflatoxin B1,AFB1）含量,建立不同霉菌感染下霉变程度及毒素含量定性判别模型。主成分分析结果显示不同霉菌污染下有一定的聚类趋势,且污染样品位于可接受样品的上方;利用线性判别分析和偏最小二乘判别分析整体准确率达到80%以上,其中根据产毒菌株和非产毒菌株分类正确率高于95.7%,根据AFB1含量分类正确率90%以上,根据菌落总数分类正确率较低。所有模型中假阴性均低于17%。因此,电子鼻技术对不同霉菌感染下的霉变程度及毒素含量的测定具有可行性。未来研究应继续扩大样品数量,补充受其他更多霉菌侵染及不同品种的花生样品,同时考虑实际情况,以提高模型的准确性和稳定性。     

How should urban water be priced? – An empirical analysis for the city of Mekelle,Ethiopia

Urban water utilities have focused on setting water prices to cover average costs, usually using increasing block rate designs. In an attempt to contribute to the use of efficient, equitable, and revenue-sufficient pricing, this paper estimates the long-run marginal and average social costs of water supply in Mekelle city using a multi-product translog cost function that incorporates the shadow price of natural water. Findings show that the marginal social costs of providing one m³ of residential and non-residential water are Birr 5.33 and 7.71 (Birr = Ethiopian currency: 1 Euro ≈ 23 Birr), respectively, while the average current prices are Birr 4.46 and 6.10/m³. On the other hand, the average social costs of residential and non-residential water are estimated at Birr 14.34 and 16.36/m³, respectively, implying that marginal social cost-based prices would still lead to a revenue deficit of approximately Birr 9/m³.     

Hypertonic NaCl infusions affect milk composition in goats

The capability of goats to maintain milk production during water deprivation is remarkable and not yet fully understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether intravenous infusions of hypertonic NaCl cause release of both vasopressin and oxytocin and whether the peptides, in combination with the hyperosmolality, affect milk flow and milk composition. Six Swedish domestic landrace goats in their first to third lactation were milked every 30 min during experiments. Hypertonic NaCl (HNaCl) or isotonic NaCl (IsoNaCl) were infused for 90 min. Goats were not allowed to drink during infusions. Plasma vasopressin concentration increased during HNaCl infusions, and did not change in response to IsoNaCl infusions. Plasma oxytocin concentration did not change during either infusion. Milk flow was maintained during the infusions. Milk fat concentration decreased in the three samples taken before onset of the infusions, but then increased gradually during HNaCl infusions, while it continued to fall during the IsoNaCl infusions. Milk osmolality followed the rise in plasma osmolality during the HNaCl infusions and did not change in IsoNaCl experiments. Milk lactose concentration increased throughout both series of experiments, the concentration being higher during HNaCl infusions. Milk protein concentration did not change during HNaCl infusions, but fell in the IsoNaCl experiments. It is concluded that the hyperosmolality in combination with elevated plasma vasopressin levels did not disturb the secretory activity of the mammary cells, but rather facilitated emptying of the alveolar milk. Such a mechanism may help to explain the sustained milk production in water deprived goats.     

Biostatistical analysis of quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy images

Semiquantitative immunofluorescence microscopy has become a key methodology in biomedical research. Typical statistical workflows are considered in the context of avoiding pseudo‐replication and marginalising experimental error. However, immunofluorescence microscopy naturally generates hierarchically structured data that can be leveraged to improve statistical power and enrich biological interpretation. Herein, we describe a robust distribution fitting procedure and compare several statistical tests, outlining their potential advantages/disadvantages in the context of biological interpretation. Further, we describe tractable procedures for power analysis that incorporates the underlying distribution, sample size and number of images captured per sample. The procedures outlined have significant potential for increasing understanding of biological processes and decreasing both ethical and financial burden through experimental optimization.