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Jul 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-23-4648
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
The purpose of the trial was to check the effects of two grapevine treatments on the plant activity and on the bioactivity and biovariability of the soil. An alkaline complex of Soluble Biobased Substances (SBS) was used in soil at 30 g per plant in a single solution. Salicylic Acid (SA) was used on leaves at 150 mg l-1 every two weeks at 50 ml plant. The plants were examined for their foliar pH and NIR spectra. The soil bioactivity was monitored by means of hay-Litterbag-NIRS (LBN) in combination with the Teabag Index (TBI), using rooibos and green tea that had been buried for 60 days. The evolution of the TBI presented here concerns the TBI-NIRS spectroscopic method used for discriminant analysis. A new algorithm was used to estimate the soil microbiome from the green Teabag spectra. The obtained results showed that the plants and the soil responded to the treatments. In fact, SBS, but not SA, lowered the leaf pH by 5%, an unexpected and original result. Both treatments increased the variability of the leaf composition, with a lower discrimination, based on the NIR spectra, from the Control (75%) to 44% (SA) and 38% (SBS). The TBI method, which is based on weights, was less efficient (67%) than the TBI-NIRS of rooibos (96%) or the LBN of hay (80%), but it was like the TBI-NIRS of green tea (74%). The LBN analyses indicated that the mycorrhizal index had increased by 8% in SA but had reduced by 7% in SBS, while both treatments reduced the activity of the microbes, which did not affect the soil respiration rate. The mineral N in the soil was substantially raised by about 11÷69%. The Taxa profiles showed marked deviations from the Control. Moreover, the SBS treatment reduced the Glomeromycota by 35%, which matched to the reduction in the mycorrhizal index. The most favored Bacteria from the treatments were Proteobateriaand Actinobacteria, with Mortierellomycota being the most penalized. Neither treatment affected the production, but both delayed the technological maturity by 9-11%, while the SBS retarded the phenolic maturity by about 18%. It has been concluded that a simple treatment of vines can affect the bioactivity in the leaves and berries as well as the biovariability of the soil.
Mar 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-20-3213
Y Trivedi GunjanCorresponding author
Co-founder, Society for Energy & Emotions, Wellness Space, Ahmedabad, India
Introduction Scientific evidence has established the benefits of meditation and sound vibrations on emotional and physiological health. Aim of the Study The study explored changes in mood and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) after HSB Sound Bath Meditation on healthy individuals. The objectives of the study were to understand if a 40-minute-long seated HSB Sound Bath Meditation results in changes (a) in mood measured via Positive And Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) Survey and (b) in physiological parameters, as measured by HRV. Methods The psychological parameters were measured with PANAS (N=77) and Abbreviated POMS, (N=17). The physiology was measured with HRV parameters such as Heart Rate (HR), Stress Index (SI) and Root Mean Square of Standard Deviation (RMSSD) using the EmWave Pro device (N=15). HRV data analysis was conducted with Kubios HRV Premium and analyzed using a paired T-Test. Results All the subjects after meditation showed improvement in Positive Affect (PA) and a reduction in Negative Affect (NA). The HRV parameters showed a trend showing overall relaxation with a significant reduction in HR, SI and an increase in RMSSD. Consistent with changes in positive, negative mood and HRV, all the participants showed a reduction in tension, anger, fatigue, depression and confusion and improvement in esteem related affect and vigor. Conclusion The findings show that seated HSB Sound Bath Meditation session has a positive impact on mood-related measures and physiology. Future work in this area could explore comparison with a control group and a longer study duration comprising multiple sessions.
Oct 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-19-3027
Y Trivedi GunjanCorresponding author
Research Scholar, JJT University, Rajasthan, India and Co-founder, Society for Energy & Emotions, Wellness Space, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India,
Introduction Sound vibrations have a profound impact on the body and the mind with evidence confirming reduced anxiety and increased wellbeing. The likely reason for driving the benefit is relaxation. The Himalayan Singing Bowls, used for therapeutic intervention to enhance the individual’s emotional & physical wellbeing, may facilitate faster and deeper relaxation as compared to simple, supine relaxation. Aim of the Study The study aimed to validate the hypothesis that short 20 minutes sessions to relax with the help of the Himalayan Singing Bowl (HSB) could provide better depth of relaxation as compared to Supine Silence (SS) based on the objective assessment of physiology parameters i.e. Stress Index & Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Methods Seven metal Himalayan singing bowls were used in a particular sequence learned from an expert teacher for 16 subjects. The SS group consisted of 17 subjects. The HRV data was measured by the Emwave Pro device and analyzed using Kubios HRV Premium software. The analysis compared key HRV parameters within and between the groups. Result Overall, as expected, both groups achieved relaxation as measured by changes in HRV parameters. However, further analysis confirmed a more consistent relaxation, as measured by a statistically significant reduction in stress index and an increase in HRV, for HSB group. The HSB group achieved more consistent depth of relaxation during each subsequent 5 minutes interval throughout the session as compared to SS group. Conclusion The study confirms that singing bowls sessions can be leveraged as a tool for inducing good quality relaxation response (increased parasympathetic tone, reduced stress) to facilitate healing and energy recovery in just 20 minutes and achieve significant health benefits. More comprehensive studies must be conducted to further evaluate the findings with more sample size, different methods of relaxation and varied demographics.
Jan 2019
Excessive variability in behavioral performance and neuronal activation is a common finding in studies of schizophrenia. Recent evidence suggests that this may be due to an imbalance in the ratio of excitation to inhibition in brain function, or E/I imbalance. We used computational modeling of visual system activity to determine whether different potential causes of E/I imbalance would generate effects resembling those reported in schizophrenia. Three major findings emerged. First, reductions in retinal and lateral geniculate nucleus signaling initially led to increases in firing rate variability within the context of reduced V1 activation; however, with prolonged adaptation to weakened sensory signaling, compensatory hyper-activation in V1 neurons occurred, but variability was no longer increased. Second, direct increases in V1 excitation, or decreases in inhibition, led to the highest levels of initial activation but not variability; however, with prolonged inhibitory adaptation to increased excitation, overall activity was no longer elevated, but an increase in firing rate variability was observed. Third, the greatest fluctuation in firing rate variability, in response to the same stimulus across increasing contrast levels, was observed with reductions in sensory signaling, but only immediately after model perturbations; with prolonged adaption, the largest fluctuations were associated with increased excitation or reduced inhibition within V1. Implication of these findings are that schizophrenia-related increases in neuronal response variability may arise from at least two sources: 1) weakened sensory signaling and its associated low signal-to-noise ratio; and 2) compensatory but incomplete inhibitory responses to continuous increases in cortical excitation.
Mar 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2476-1710.jdt-16-1332
Petrowski KatjaCorresponding author
Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Dresden, Germany University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Fetscherstr.
Background: Unemployment is a chronic stressor which is associated with higher levels of impaired physical and mental wellbeing, e.g. reduced heart rate variability (HRV) and decline in self-esteem and self-efficacy. The present study investigated the effectivity of a HRV-biofeedback-training in increasing HRV and general self-efficacy. Method: A total of n = 22 unemployed individuals with adjustment disorder participated in this study (14 females, mean ages 42.53 ± 8.88 years). All participants performed randomized the “stress tests” for heart rate (HR) and HRV assessment: timed breathing, d2-attention-stress-test and math-test drawn from the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Four sessions HRV-biofeedback à 20 min within 2 weeks were administered. HR and HRV were assessed before and after biofeedback training. ECG preprocessing and analysis were performed with the Stressball software program (BioSign GmbH, Ottenhofen, Germany). The RMSSD time domain measure was calculated as HRV index. Clinical outcome measures were the ADNM total score and the general self-efficacy scale (GSE). Results: Participants were well matched in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. ANOVA didn’t demonstrate significant time x group interaction effects neither for HRV parameters (HR, RMSSD) nor for psychological parameters (ADNM, GSE). Conclusion: Our findings do not indicate that HRV-biofeedback can increase HRV nor general self-efficacy in unemployed subjects with adjustment disorder. Implications for future studies are discussed.
Feb 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2576-6694.jbbs-26-5964
Flanagan DennisCorresponding author
The combination of ultrasonography (US) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been proposed as a multimodal imaging strategy capable of uniting realtime softtissue assessment with highresolution threedimensional visualization of osseous structures. This study critically evaluated whether such integration provides measurable diagnostic or workflow advantages in mandibular imaging. Despite strong theoretical justification, the combined use of US and CBCT failed to demonstrate clinically meaningful improvements in diagnostic accuracy, confidence, or efficiency when compared with CBCT alone. Fundamental physical mismatches, hardware incompatibilities, geometric constraints, and operatordependent variability limited the anticipated synergistic benefits. These negative findings underscore the importance of reporting unsuccessful integration attempts to guide future research and prevent premature clinical adoption of technically incompatible imaging paradigms.
Mar 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2644-1101.jhp-24-5387
K. Shin HannahCorresponding author
The formation of narratives while listening to music is seen across cultures, but narrative perception in Asian Americans who have bicultural identities is not well understood. This study analyzed the potential effect of cultural identity on adolescents’ ability to form narratives with East Asian music. Two groups of adolescents (n=42), Asian American (n=28) and Non-Asian American (n=14), listened to three music excerpts with varying degrees of Asian and Western influences. The most Asian-influenced excerpt was a Gugak Korean traditional piece titled T’ungae sanjo, performed on traditional Korean folk instruments and creating a distinctly East Asian sound. The Mixed excerpt, containing both Western and Asian influences, was from Tan Dun’s Eight Memories in Watercolor. It contained a Chinese folk melody while being performed on a Western instrument. Finally, the most Western-influenced excerpt was from Toru Takemitsu’s Rain Tree Sketch. The piece contained octatonicism, a musical technique prominent in modern Western composers’ works. Participants completed a survey containing a free response question where they described their imagined narratives and a survey containing 4 questions measuring narrative engagement. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and reflexive thematic analysis were used to yield the results from the data collected. Results demonstrated that the extent of narrativization was dependent on enculturation. Asian Americans, with their bicultural identities, demonstrated consistent narrativization across all excerpts. In contrast, non-Asian Americans narrativized significantly less for the traditional Asian excerpt. Within the free responses, both cohorts identified similar themes with the Western-influenced music, as they have had overlapping exposure to Western culture leading to shared thought patterns. However, there was substantial thematic variability between cohorts with the Asian-influenced music, as the two cohorts had different levels of exposure to Asian culture. This study thus reinforces the notion that enculturation has a profound effect on narrativization in music, demonstrated through Asian American adolescents’ abilities to narrativize to music containing both Asian and Western roots.
Dec 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2693-1176.ijgh-23-4854
Isea RaulCorresponding author
A potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease is vagus nerve therapy, which has been made possible by considerable advances in neuroscience. An essential component of the autonomic nervous system, the vagus nerve regulates memory, inflammation, and cognition. Researchers hope to delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease and improve cognitive function by implanting a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). Alzheimer's patients have higher heart rate variability, according to an ECG study, which may be advantageous. To completely grasp its mechanics and long-term effectiveness, more research is necessary.
Aug 2023
Almabadi BayanCorresponding author
DADA2 (deficiency of adenosine deaminase type 2) is an autoinflammatory autosomal recessive disease resulting from biallelic loss of function mutations in ADA2 gene. Clinical presentation and age of onset vary widely even among related patients, and variability of symptoms and severity manifestations include bone marrow failure, autoinflammation, immunodeficiency and vasculitis. Here, we report a case of young male with adult onset DADA2, who presented with fever, lower limbs skin rash, joint pain, and anemia resembling systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). DADA2 has an extremely variable clinical phenotype. It was described into three categories: inflammatory/vascular, immune dysregulation, and hematologic. However, the data is scant in describing autoimmunity phenotype in DADA2 and further studies are required to investigate the clinical correlation and presence of autoantibodies. We recommend genetic testing in cases with lupus-like disease especially if there is consanguinity between parents and family history of vasculitis.
Jan 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2766-8681.jcsr-21-3762
N. Moos EvgenyCorresponding author
RGU named for S.Esenin, Ryazan, Russia
Diagnosis of heart rate variability as an indicator of the impact of external and internal media can serve to make changes in the educational environment. The approach to the organization of the educational process is developed on the basis of quantitative indicators of the students’ functional state using the hardware-software complex " Varikard ".
Sep 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-21-3955
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino, Via A. Doria 10, 10123 Torino (Italy).
In the cultivation of vines the risk of hail appears to be increasing with the ongoing climate change. The use of protective plastic nets is spreading, but there is little knowledge on the additional processing costs and on the phenological and qualitative consequences, moreover, as depending on different colors of the nets. Thus, a randomized trial was carried out in Nebbiolo, a wine of great aging, testing three plastic anti-hail nets colored in green, gray and black. Results showed that 24% more-time was necessary for the canopy management practices under the nets. The black nets advanced the ripening process, with a berry weight decrease of about 13%. A significant decrease in the seed number per berry was observed under the black nets (-45%), while a rise (+102%) was observed under the green and gray nets with a parallel increase in the pH of the juice (+13%) and in malic acid (+28%) under the green nets. The berry skin did not show any significant differences in polyphenol and anthocyanin profiles, while the plants that matured in the upper part of the vineyard showed higher level in the berry skin extractable flavan-reactive to vanillin, and total polyphenol. On the other hand, in the seeds grown under green nets an increase in the extractable polyphenol compounds was observed, sign of a delay in seed ripening, with a higher tannin polymerization ratio, preserving the malic acid, and decreasing the acidity of the berry. In conclusion, the use of colored green may be a useful tool against excessive microclimatic warming and / or irradiation. The field internal variability affects much more the ripening dynamics than the nets used. A second aim was to develop a smart NIR SCiOTM model for polyphenols and the results were in line with the favorable expectations, providing R2 predictions of about 0.74 from the skin and 0.81 from the seeds.
Mar 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-21-3765
A. Weber SimonCorresponding author
Cellogic GmbH, Niedstrasse 21, 12159 Berlin, Germany
Acute post-operative delirium (POD) and long-term post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are frequent and associated with increased mortality, dependency on care giving and institutionalization rates. The POCD-related cost burden on the German long-term care insurance provides an indication for the savings potential from risk-adapted treatment schemes. Comprehensive estimates have not been assessed or published so far. A model-based cost-analysis was designed to estimate POCD-related costs in the long-term care insurance. Comprehensive analysis of inpatient operations and procedures (OPS-codes) served as the base for case number calculations, which were then used as input to the actual cost model. POCD-incidence rates were obtained from the BioCog study. Various sensitivity analyses were performed to assess uncertainty of the model results. Total POCD related annual costs in the German long-term care insurance account for approximately 1.6 billion EUR according to the base case of our analysis. Total annual costs for all POCD cases depend on surgery numbers, incidence rates, other assumptions, and uncertain input parameters. The financial burden to the long-term care insurance is substantial, even in a conservative scenario of the cost model. Variability of results stems from uncertain assumptions, POCD-incidence rates and from uncertain patient numbers who are undergoing surgery and are therefore at risk to develop POCD.
Mar 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-21-3754
Abdalla AbuzerCorresponding author
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
Themain left coronary artery and its branches have wide variability in its morphology regarding caliber, as seen through angiographic imaging. This study aims to determine the diameters of the left coronary artery and its branches among the Sudanese population & to correlate these diameters and the personal and health data. Angiography of 441 patients of both sexes was used in this study. Personal and health information was obtained from the records. We found that the left coronary artery's diameter was between 2.90- 4.90mm, with an average of 3.96mm. The diameter of the left circumflex artery in the range between 1.70- 4.70mm, with an average of 2.73mm, and that of the anterior descending artery in the range between 1.20- 4.70mm, with an average of 2.78mm. We correlated the diameters of the three arteries and the variables of age, gender, BMI, coronary artery disease, smoking habits, and hypertension. Wefound many correlations to be significant. We concluded that the diameters of the left coronary artery and its branches are affected by age, gender, BMI, coronary artery disease, smoking habits, and hypertension.
Jun 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2643-2811.jmbr-20-3402
Stanley Raj A.Corresponding author
Department of Physics, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamilnadu- 600034, India.
This research paper focuses on rainfall variations in Tamil Nadu, India using Wavelet, Linear regression and Artificial Neural Networks model from 2004 to 2017. As the rainfall is the key factor in understanding climate change, the seasonal datasets from 2004-2017 of Tamil Nadu state has been taken for study. The salient feature of this study is the application of Neural Networks and wavelet analysis. It reveals that the rainfall variations are ambiguous that it does not maintain a constant pattern. Wavelet coefficients of multiresolution spectrogram reveals that the intensity of rainfall in each year. Linear regression model divulge the pattern of rainfall followed in every season and the results show that except winter season all other season suffers deficient rainfall. The deficiency of rainfall may be due to different parameters like ElNino or LaNina pattern or global warming. Results showed that all seasons except winter does not maintain consistency in the rainfall variability. Winter season provides the positive slope values of 4.7 and 0.6 for January and February respectively. Moreover Artificial Neural Networks training provides prominent results of Regression value 0.98 which is comparably high with other seasons taken for study.
Oct 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-19-3015
Gupta RajCorresponding author
Centre for Advancement of Sustainable Agriculture, National Agriculture Science Centre Complex, Todapur Road, New Delhi, 110012, India
Monsoon rains provide relief from the sweltering summer heat conditions, replenish depleted profile moisture to breathe new life in soils. With appropriate management of rain water, Indian summer monsoons boost the level of ‘reservoir of life’. Our inability to manage spatial and temporal rainfall variation features of deficit and excess rainfall episodes and their interactions with soil variability is a major cause of uncertainty in agricultural production. In the past, entire focus of national efforts was on rainwater harvesting, storage and distribution through canal networks and greater reliance on ground water pumping to meet immediate crop water demands. These approaches have resulted in wide spread problems of natural resource fatigue and unsustainable water supplies. This paper analyses the complexities of climate change-land degradation-food security nexus and suggests the need for adopting alternate approaches emphasising on in situ conservation of rain water and its efficient use such as to reverse the processes that contribute to land degradation in specific landscapes.
Sep 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2689-4602.jes-19-2990
Shkliarevsky GennadyCorresponding author
Bard College
There is hardly anything more central to our universe than conservation. Many scientific fields and disciplines view the law of conservation as one of the most fundamental universal laws. The Darwinian model pivots the process of evolution on variability, reproduction, and natural selection. Conservation plays a marginal role in this model and is not really universal, as the model allows exceptions to conservation, i.e. non-conservation, to play an equally important role in evolution. This anomalous role of conservation in the Darwinian model raises questions: What is the reason for this anomaly? Is conservation really universal, as we tend to believe or is it not, as the Darwinian model suggests? This contribution proposes a new model of evolution that focuses on levels of organization, rather than of species, organisms, or populations. It argues that conservation is central to evolution. Not only does this new model restores the universal status of conservation but it also makes possible to resolve some outstanding problems and controversies that continue to plague the Darwinian model. The article tries to advance the broad Darwinian project that seeks to explain the process of evolution as a product of the spontaneous processes in nature.
May 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-19-2780
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino, Italy
The inoculation of soil with a bio-fertilizer (BF), with arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, characterizes a Symbiotic (S) agriculture mode, aimed at promoting the yield and health of crops through modifications in the rhizosphere as well as in the plant phenotype. The main objective of this study was to reduce the incidence of Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS, involving Xylella fastidiosasubsp.pauca) that afflicts the olive groves in Apulia (Italy). Non-inoculated control (C) plants were compared with Symbiotic (S) plants inoculated with 20 kg ha-1 of Micosat F ®, through a 15 cm deep scarification, in the groves of seven farms covering an area of 27 ha. In addition to a visual observation of 484 plants, to obtain a gradation of the disease severity, some objective rapid type methods were utilized to survey the plants and soil , namely leaf pH, NIR tomoscopy of the leaves, hay-litter-bag probes coupled with NIR spectroscopy and the prediction of soil induced respiration. The fingerprinting of the S and C types of leaves and litter-bags was ascertained by means of the use of a random forest algorithm in the classification matrices. The results on the symptoms appeared variable: they were significantly mitigated in two groves out of six, but they were aggravated in one. All the rapid measurements became essentials in a “holistic” model which was able to explain over 95% of the average mitigation / null / aggravation response to BF inoculation. The holistic model gathers differential and compositional analyses of the leaf (pH, crude protein, water) and of the soil (respiration), but depends mainly on the fingerprinting of the C and S leaves and litter-bags. Two keys were identified for a successful inoculation: a high degree of variability of the soil conditions permitting hospitality for the BF with enhancement of the microbial activity in the S soil (lowering the fingerprint of the control litter-bags) and homogeneity of the leaves (with increases in the fingerprint of the S leaves treated with BF). In short, the inoculation of diseased plants with one BF consortium is far from being the ultimate remedy to mitigate OQDS in all situations. Further studies are needed, at a field level, to clarify the soil hosting capacity and to define the mycorrhizal and / or endophytic * plant * pathogen interactions, even using rapid methods.
May 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2690-4837.ijip-19-2842
A.S. Sardenberg RodrigoCorresponding author
Head of Thoracic Surgery/ Hospital Paulistano, Americas Serviços Médicos São Paulo, United Health Group, Rua Martiniano de Carvalho
Cesarean sections (CS) are one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. There is great variability in the percentage of cesarean sections between countries, varying from 3% to 42.9%5. In the US, approximately 32% of deliveries occur through a cesarean section. Overall, a drastic increase in cesarean section rate has been reported reaching its highest level at the present time. In Brazil, considering the types of births by live births from 2006 to 2016, the national percentage of cesarean section was 52.37%. The variability in this percentage can still be perceived within Brazilian territory. The highest cesarean rate occurred in the Southern region, representing 58.33% of births, while the lowest rate occurred in the Northern region, with 41.79%. It is possible to see the steady increase in the percentage of CS over time, from 45.01% in 2006 to 55.39% in 2016.
Mar 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-19-2691
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino, Italy
In precision agriculture (PA) fertilizing, based on soil testing, production maps and crop nitrogen (N) demand, is the key to maximizing yields and tempering fertilizer costs. A trend study has considered the output / input relationships performed on a farm that has progressively adapted to PA procedures over two decades. The evolutions of the variability parameters of yield, comprising the repeatability coefficient of repeated plots, the vegetative vigour (NDRE) at the panicle initiation (pi) stage, and the nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) were monitored and compared by means of mixed linear models over a six-year period, after the variable nitrogen (N) fertilization rate (VNFR) had been enlarged to the whole 230 ha of one farm. At pi key fertilization stage, a corrective dose was applied by tacking the correlation between Npi and the measured NDRE in strong negative mode. The evolution of the yield, for the 2012-2017 interval, based on 1165 ha-1 parcel-data, showed a significant yearly increase of 2.3% more than the regional trend (+0.5%). The variability parameters of the yield, that is, the standard deviation (+7.3%), range (+7.1%), coefficient of variation (+5.4%) and maximum (+2.1%) were enhanced over the years, but the minimum remained stable. The repeatability of the parcel yield generally appeared low (r = +0.31), but it tended to increase by 8.3% year-1 (P = 0.018). At the same time, the vegetational vigour also showed significant increases of the NDRE means (+3.0%) as well as of the maximum (+0.8%), but also large oscillations in the standard deviation and in the coefficient of variation. No significant regression of the NDRE on the coefficient of variation of the yield was established. The favorable increase in yield was found to be independent of the distributed N-total. A strong negative correlation (imposed) between N-pi and NDRE (-0.90) and a negative correlation with production were observed for a sample field (but in the area of maximum production). It is recommended that a partial correlation between Yield and N-tot should be considered in the I /O features for a parity of NDRE, which apparently decreases the negativity of the relationship. In short: with the same total input of N, the PA increased the yield, but also its variability – and it did not reduce the variability as predicted by the theory - by strengthening the repeatability. This is an evidence that in many of the parcels with minimum yield the limiting factors cannot be referred to the N availability.
Oct 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-9467.jgrc-18-2339
Sarmah PrabaleeCorresponding author
Jr. Scientist-S2 (PBG), AICRP on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat, Assam, India.
We evaluated a set of 37 chilli genotypes collected and maintained at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat for 27 different traits related to plant habit (5), leaf (6), flower (2), fruit (13) and biotic stress (1). The variation in fruit yield among the genotypes could be attributed to high coefficients of variability for component traits viz., number of fruits per plant (91.7%), plant height (80.8%), leaf breadth (55.9 %), fruit weight (49.7%), leaf length (45.4%) fruit length (35.8%), fruit breadth (35.5%) and number of branches per plant (22.2%). Maximum phenotypic variants were observed for fruit traits followed by leaf characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis revealed Euclidean distances varying from a minimum of 2.065 and a maximum of 13.311 indicating the diverse nature of the genotypes. UPGMA clustering grouped the genotypes into 5 distinct clusters. The largest one, cluster I, had 26 genotypes belonging to Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum. Cluster II consisted of Capsicum annuum var. conoides with cone-shaped fruits. Cluster III included Moni Jolokia, a perennial shrub with cone-shaped globose erect fruits which clustered in between the other local C. annuum sp. Bireek and Mem Jolokia. The fourth cluster (IV) included the local chilli genotypes - Mem Jolokia, Bhekuri Jolokia and Haitha Jolokia which were perennial, with green stem and leaves. Cluster V included the C. chinense genotypes consisting of Manipuri Bhut, Bor Bhut and Lota Bhut. The first principal component explained 34.93% of the total variation contributed by mostly leaf and fruit characteristics. The fruit characters in this component showed significant positive correlation with leaf length, breadth and plant height indicating their importance in the morphological characterization of the chilli genotypes.
Jan 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2577-2279.ijha-17-1903
Jacobs ReinhildeCorresponding author
OMFS IMPATH research group, Dept. Imaging & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
The aim of the present study was to compare mandibular neurovascular canal anatomy in human and great apes by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The anatomical variability of mandibular neurovascular canals (mandibular, incisive and lingual canals) of 129 modern humans and great apes (Homo, Pan and Gorilla) were analyzed by linear measurements on CBCT images. The Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test and Dunn’s all pairs for joint ranks were applied to compare the variability of mandibular canals among these groups. Human, Chimpanzee and Gorilla groups showed significant differences in the dimensions of the mandibular canal, mental foramen, incisive canal, lingual canal and anterior mandibular bone width. Bifid mandibular canals and anterior loops were the anatomical variations most frequently observed in the Gorilla. Humans had a larger mental foramen and a distinctive incisive canal. The latter could not be identified in the Gorilla group. The variability in the anatomy within mandibles of human and non-human primates, shows different forms in the neurovascular structures. In comparison to the mandible of great apes, the incisive canal is suggested to be a feature unique to the human mandible.
Apr 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-0436.jos-17-988
Chen Ying-LingCorresponding author
University of Tennessee Space Institute, 411 B. H. Goethert Parkway, Tullahoma.
Photorefraction (PR) methods have beenwidely used for pediatric vision screening since the 1980’s. While PR is easy to implement, the accuracy of refractive error measurements in humans has been unsatisfactory, largely due to the variations of intraocular scattering, the retinal reflectance, and pupil size. The objective of our studies was to clinically evaluate the accuracy of refraction measurements of an improved PR-based device, the Dynamic Ocular Evaluation System (DOES), and to investigate whether the accuracy is affected by the patient’s age, race, and pupil size, which are relevant to individual intraocular scattering and retinal reflectance. We performed DOES measurements in 99 volunteers (198 eyes) under two environmental light conditions and using four fixation targets. These results were compared to the standard clinical refraction testing performed the same day. The correlation and standard deviation were determined by Bland-Altman analysis. The influence of intraocular scattering, retinal reflectance, and pupil size was evaluated by comparing results from different age groups, races, and lighting conditions. In the region between -4 diopter (D) and +4D, the device showed a binocular refraction measurement accuracy of 0.45 D, 0.3 D, and 0.18 D root-mean-square (RMS) error (n=1337) for spherical equivalent and cross cylinders Jo and J45, respectively. Inaccuracy increased at high refraction (>4D). Age, race, and pupil size did not appear to significantly affect DOES PR measurement. This suggests that enhancements in the PR system and analysis may satisfactorily correct intersubject variability that currently limits the clinical use of PR devices and measurements.
Jun 2014 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-12-167
Ilia RCorresponding author
Cardiology Department, Soroka Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Direct intercoronary continuity is a rare angiographic finding. We report an unusual case of a 51-year old male with coronary disease who demonstrated intermittent variability in the directions of flow as a result of changes in his coronary disease.
Feb 2014 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-13-191
L. Fazeli PariyaCorresponding author
Edward R. Roybal Center for Translational Research in Aging and Mobility; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Birmingham, AL, USA
Objective: This cross-sectional study examined cognitive subtypes and influential factors in HIV-positive (HIV+) adults. Method: Two-step cluster analysis was conducted on a neurocognitive test battery in a sample (N = 78) of adults and older adults with HIV (Mage = 46.1). Next, cognitive, functional, and mental and physical health differences were compared between the HIV+ clusters and an HIV- reference group (N = 84; Mage = 47.9). Results: A two-cluster solution emerged, with a lower performing cluster exhibiting poorer performance across all domains except psychomotor speed, and a “normal” cluster displaying similar performance as the HIV- group. The most influential factors to classification in the lower performing cluster were older age and presence of stroke and hypertension. There were trends for longer duration of HIV-infection, higher unemployment rates, and greater prevalence of Hepatitis C co-infection in the lower performing cluster. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there are not unique cognitive subtypes in HIV, but rather a subset of individuals who exhibit globally normal performance and those with below average performance. Older age and the related cardiovascular comorbidities of both aging and HIV medications may be key influential factors to variability in neurocognitive functioning in this population and thus should be considered in future studies. Implications for research and practice are provided.
Jan 2014 DOI 10.14302/issn.2326-0793.jpgr-13-357
I. Chen EmilyCorresponding author
Proteomics Shared Resource at the Columbia University Medical Center, Herbert Irvine Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY 10032.
Mass spectrometry (MS) has been successfully used to analyze biological samples and advances of MS-based approaches have turn MS data from largely qualitative to quantitative. These MS-based quantitative approaches using label-free, tags, or stable isotope labeling have their own strengths and limitations. The variability introduced by different methods prior to quantitative mass spectrometry should be considered, and accuracy and precision of MS measurements can also vary depending on the strategy used for MS quantification. Therefore, the development of methods for accurate protein quantitation is one of the most challenging areas of proteomics. Using these quantitative approaches, one can investigate the dynamics of proteome through differential protein expression in normal biological processes and diseases.