Comparing radio-tracking and visual detection methods to quantify group size measures

1. Average values of animal group sizes are prone to be overestimated in traditional field studies because small groups and singletons are easier to overlook than large ones. This kind of bias also applies for the method of locating groups by tracking previously radio-collared individuals in the wild. If the researcher randomly chooses a collared animal to locate a group to visit, a large group has higher probability to be selected than a small one, simply because it has more members.2. The question arises whether location of groups by means of finding collared animals has smaller or greater bias than searching for groups by visual observation. If the bias is smaller or same, this method can be recommended  for finding groups. However, such a comparison cannot be made by speculation, only by empirical investigation.3. The present study compares the two methods empirically, by statistically comparing group size measures (mean, median, quantiles, frequency distribution, and ‘typical group size’) between two data sets. These data sets  comprise of Rocky Mountain mule deer group size values collected in the same area during the same period of time, referring either to groups located by the traditional ‘search and observe method’ or located by tracking formerly collared individuals.4. All group size measures are statistically similar in the two samples, thus we conclude that the two methods yielded similar biases. Although the true group size measures are not known, we presume that both methods have overestimated them. We propose that these results do not necessary apply to other species, thus cannot be generalized. The reason for this is that bias may depend on factors specific to the species: bias of visual observation may depend on how well the species conceals itself in the existing habitat, and the bias associated with finding groups using collared animals is likely dependent on group size distribution and also on the proportion of collared animals in the population

Effect of ELISA kit manufacturing process and incubation time on progesterone concentration measured in dog serum for ovulation diagnosis – Short communication

Twenty-two serum samples of healthy bitches were tested with the frozen and lyophilised version of the same ELISA kit (Quanticheck, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Budapest, Hungary). Samples were chosen on the basis of their progesterone (P4) concentrations, which were between 1.00 and 20.00 ng/mL. As it is well known, this range has the highest clinical relevance in ovulation diagnosis. Both types of microplates were read at 15-min intervals from the 15th until the 90th minute (min) of incubation, and the results were compared with those of frozen plates at 60 min of incubation as 100 percent. Lyophilised microplates gave on average 18 percent higher results than the frozen version at equal incubation times. The highest difference between lyophilised and frozen samples was observed at 45 and 60 min of incubation. Ninety-four percent of the reaction in the frozen microplate occurred in the first 15 min, and during the subsequent 30 min the reaction seemingly stopped. After the 45th min of incubation, this 94 percent increased to 108 percent in the subsequent 30 min, which remained the final approximate result at the end of the 90 min of incubation. In contrast to the frozen microplate, the measured concentration increased continuously in the lyophilised version and reached the highest level at the 60th min. The results of the lyophilised microplate reached the same level at 30 min of incubation as those of the frozen version at 60 min. In conclusion, a mechanical increase or decrease of the incubation time does not generate a linear change in the test results. This study demonstrated that the results of a series of samples collected from the same bitch cannot be compared if they are measured with different laboratory methods or different ELISA kits

Coverage-adjusted confidence intervals for a binomial proportion

We consider the classic problem of interval estimation of a proportion $p$ based on binomial sampling. The "exact" Clopper-Pearson confidence interval for $p$ is known to be unnecessarily conservative. We propose coverage-adjustments of the Clopper-Pearson interval using prior and posterior distributions of $p$. The adjusted intervals have improved coverage and are often shorter than competing intervals found in the literature. Using new heatmap-type plots for comparing confidence intervals, we find that the coverage-adjusted intervals are particularly suitable for $p$ close to 0 or 1.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, 2 table

A gazda-parazita kapcsolat evolúciós-ökológiai vizsgálata = Evolutionary ecological studies on the host-parasite relationship

Pályázatunk munkaterve mozaikos felépítésű volt, több, egymáshoz is kapcsolódó, de mégis megkülönböztethető résztémát ölelt fel. Valamennyi résztéma a gazda-parazita kapcsolatok és a tágan értelmezett, természettudományos szemléletű epidemiológia kérdéseihez kapcsolódott, és különösen a gazda-parazita kapcsolatok evolúciós, ökológiai és viselkedéstudományi elemzéséhez köthető. Munkáink egy része metodikai fejlesztés volt, ezek eredményei új tudományos szoftverek a parazitológia és a térbeli epidemiológia terén. Más eredményeink új tudományos hipotézisek létrehozását célozták (4 dolgozat). Tanulmányaink a gazda-parazita evolúciós-ökológiai kapcsolatok terén többek közt a madarak ivóz-higiéniai adaptációit és toll-lyukait, valamint a tetvek fajgazdagságát és ivari dimorfizmusát elemezték. Számos dolgozatunk konkrét biológiai-epidemiológiai esettanulmányt foglalt magába (pl. veszettség, kutyák bolha-, kullancs-, Babesia- és Borrelia-fertőzöttsége, őzek papilloma-vírus, madarak Usutu-vírus fertőzöttsége). Két dolgozatunk a biológiai fegyverek történetével és a biológiai biztonsággal foglalkozott. Eredményeinket impaktos lapban publikált mintegy 20 db tanulmányban, illetve számos más hazai és nemzetközi fórumon is közzé tettük. E munkáink egy részét máris citálják az ISI Web of Science-ben. | This research project was based on a mosaic-like research plan consisting of several small subject connected to each other. Each of these was related to biological epidemiology, or - more specifically - to the evolutionary, ecological and behavioural study of pathogens and diseases. Part of our studies were methodological, these mostly resulted in new scientific software. Another type of our results comes in the form of new hypotheses (4 articles). Our studies within the field of the evolution and ecology of host-parasite interactions investigated the drinking-water preferences of birds, the origin of feather holes in small passerines, the taxonomic richness and the sexual size dimorphism of avian lice. Furthermore, we have analysed particular epidemics like rabies, flea, tick, Babesia and Borrelia infections of dogs, the Papilloma virus infections of the roe deer, and the Usutu virus infections of wild birds. Two of our studies examine some aspects of the history of biological warfare. Results of the above studies were published in cca. 20 papers in relevant scientific journals and also at several other Hungarian and international forums, and some of these are already cited in ISI Web of Science

Control of ovulation after prostaglandin treatment by means of ultrasonography and effect of the time of ovulation on conception rate in dairy cows

Primiparous and multiparous lactating crossbred dairy cows (after Day 40 postpartum) with a mature corpus luteum (CL) (diameter of ≥ 17 mm determined by ultrasonography) and having a follicle with a diameter of ≥ 10 mm were treated with natural prostaglandin F2α (n = 80). Those from the cows that showed oestrus within 5 days after treatment were inseminated (Group 1: n = 39). Other group of cows showing oestrus without treatment (Group 2: n = 41) were inseminated and served as controls. The ovaries of each cow were scanned by transrectal ultrasonography from the day of detected oestrus (Day −1p.m.) until ovulation, to measure the changes in the areas of the CL and the largest follicle and to determine the occurrence of ovulation. Although no significant differences were found between the treated and untreated cows in terms of a reduction in the area of the corpora lutea and of an increase in the area of the dominant follicles, the mean area of these follicles in Group 2 was somewhat greater than in Group 1. The highest conception rate was achieved if AI was performed at the same day as ovulation occurred in both groups (conception rate in treated group was: 62.5%, in untreated group: 66.6%, respectively) between Day 0a.m. to Day 0p.m.. In Group 1, 54.5% conception rate has been achieved if ovulation occurred between Day 0p.m. to Day 1p.m., or 50% between Day 1p.m. to Day 2p.m. after AI, and 53.3% and 44.4% in Group 2, respectively. The conception rate for cows that ovulated before AI in Group 2 was 25%. No ovulation occurred in 7 cows until Day 2p.m. after AI and none of them became pregnant. The overall conception rate was approximately 50% in both groups, but when the cows had ovulated too early or too late relative to the time of AI, the conception rate was significantly lower, thus determination of the optimal time for AI is of great practical importance in dairy herds

A növekedési hormon genotípus (AluI polimorfizmus) hatása egyes metabolikus és hormonális jellemzők ellés utáni alakulására, valamint az első ovuláció időpontjára holstein fríz tehenekben = The influence of STH genotype (AluI polymorphism) on certain metabolic and endocrine characteristics, and the day of first ovulation in postpartum Holstein Friesin cows

Az STH genotípusnak (AluI-polimorfizmus) az ellés után fellépő energiahiányos állapot dekompenzálódásával (ketózis) és a szaporodási mutatók alakulásával mutatott összefüggéseit vizsgálták tejhasznosítású (holstein fríz) tehenekben, illetve üszőkben. Megállapításaik: (1) Az egyes genotípusok eloszlása: LL kb. 80-85 %, LV kb. 10-15 %, VV legfeljebb 2-3 %. (2) Nem volt kimutatható jelentősebb közvetlen befolyása az ellés előtti napokban biztosított különböző energiaszintű takarmányozásra adott metabolikus és endokrin válaszra, a hasnyál-mirigy inzulin termelésére, a plazma NEFA, BHB, inzulin és IGF-I ellés utáni plazma-koncentrációjára, továbbá a tejtermelés nagyságára. (3) Nagyszámú állaton vizsgálva kimutatható az STH polimorfizmus összefüggése az elléstől az első ovulációig eltelő időtartam hosszával, és/vagy az ellés utáni első 30 napon bekövetkező kondíciópont-csökkenés mértékével. (4) Munkánk során ? a V hordozók alacsony számaránya miatt ? szándékaink ellenére nem sikerült ugyan megnyugtató számú adat birtokába jutnunk, valószínű azonban, hogy az STH genotípusnak nincs közvetlen hatás a luteinizációnak a posztovulációs P4-szintemelkedés ütemében megnyilvánuló intenzitására sem. Az STH polimorfizmus és az állat metbolikus, továbbá szaporodási jellemzőinek tisztázásához azonban még további vizsgálatok szükségesek. | The interrelations of STH (Alu-I) genotype with decompensation of postpartum negative energy balance (hyperketonaemia, ketolactia kenonuria) as well as with reproduction were studied in dairy cows (Exp. 1-4) and heifers (Exp. 5). The main observations: (1) The incidence of various genotypes in the studied herds: LL: about 80-85 %, LV: about 10-15 %, VV: max. 2-3 %. (2) The STH genotype did not have direct influence on the endocrine and metabolic response on different levels of energy supply in the pre-calving period, the pancreatic insulin production, the plasma levels of NEFA, BHB, insulin and IGF-I in the postpartum period, furthermore on the milk production. (3) Hen it was studied in large number of animals, there were interrelations between the STH genotype, the degree of body condition loss and the duration of postpartum acyclicity / time of the first postpartum ovulation. (4) Although in this trial ? due to the low rate of valin carriers (LV+VV genotypes) ? we could not get clear improvement, but it is almost sure that the STH genotype do not have any direct effects on the luteinisation, represented by the post-ovulatory rise of plasma progesterone levels. However, also further studies are required for the clarification of physiological details in interrelationships of STH genotypes, metabolism and reproduction

Comparison of measures of crowding, group size, and diversity

In ecology, diversity is often measured as the mean rarity of species in a community. In behavioral sciences and parasitology, mean crowding is the size of the group to which a typical individual belongs. In this paper, focusing mostly on the mathematical aspect, we demonstrate that diversity and crowding are closely related notions. We show that mean crowding can be transformed into diversity and vice versa. Based on this general equivalence rule, notions, relationships, and methods developed in one field can be adapted to the other one. In relation to crowding,we introduce the notion “effective number of groups” that corresponds to the “effective number of species” used in diversity studies.We define new aggregation indices thatmirror evenness indices known from diversity theory. We also construct aggregation profiles and orderings of populations based on aggregation indices. By uniting the mathematical interpretation of the ecological notion of diversity and the ethological notion of typical group size (or crowding, in parasitology), our insight opens a new avenue of both theoretical andmethodological research. This is exemplified here using real-life abundance data of avian parasites