Biometric Variables Research Articles

Biocontrol Agents of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat: A Meta-Analytic Approach to Elucidate Their Strengths and Weaknesses.

The use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) coping with fungal pathogens causing Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a compelling strategy for disease management, but a better elucidation of their effectiveness is crucial. Meta-analysis is the analysis of the results of multiple studies, which is typically performed to synthesize evidence from many possible sources in a formal probabilistic manner. This meta-analytic study, including 30 pathometric, biometric, physiochemical, genetic, and mycotoxin response variables reported in 56 studies, evidences the BCA effects on FHB in wheat. The effectiveness of BCAs of FHB in wheat in terms of pathogen abundance and disease reductions, biomass and yield conservation, and mycotoxin prevention/control was confirmed. BCAs showed higher efficacy (i) in studies published more recently; (ii) under controlled conditions; (iii) in high susceptible wheat cultivars; (iv) when Fusarium inoculation and BCA treatment did not occur directly on the plant (i.e., at the seed and kernel levels) in terms of disease development and mycotoxin control, and vice versa in terms of biomass conservation; (v) if Fusarium inoculation and BCA treatment occurred by spraying spikes in terms of yield; (vi) at 15 to 21 days post Fusarium inoculation or BCA treatment; and (vii) if they were filamentous fungi. However, BCAs overall were less efficacious than conventional agrochemicals, especially in terms of pathogen abundance and FHB reductions, as well as of mycotoxin prevention/control, although inconsistencies were reported among the investigated moderator variables. This study also highlights the complexity of reaching a good balance among BCA effects, and the need for further research.

Selenium in Acmella Oleracea (l.) R. K. Jansen Grown in Hydroponics: Thresholds Between Biofortification and Toxicity

Objective: With the possibility of using non-conventional food plants to minimise the impact of nutritional deficiencies in selenium, this research sought to determine the levels of maximum absorption efficiency and tolerance of Acmella Oleracea to the element. Theoretical background: Almost 1 billion people in the world are deficient in selenium (Se). As it is a fundamental element for human health, vegetable biophotification programmes, as a form of nutritional supplementation, have covered a range of plants such as lettuce, basil, rice, corn, among others. Method: In a completely randomised experiment, 60 plants were grown in hydroponics, supplemented with Se at doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg.L-1, plus a control. Biometric and physiological variables and Se content in Acmella Oleracea were measured. Factor analysis was used to measure the effects of Se and the plant's dose/response relationship. Results and conclusion: Acmella Oleracea grew and assimilated 818.72±58.59 µg.kg-1 in the aerial part when exposed to a dose of 5 mg.L-1 for 28 days, differing positively from the control plants. The maximum dose that the plant tolerated, already showing signs of toxicity, was 10 mg.L-1 for 28 days. Research implications: This research has implications for the way Acmella Oleracea is managed and can be used as a guide in the breeding process, making this plant an alternative for mitigating Se malnutrition in various parts of the world, especially in the Amazon. Originality/value: This research is original and in line with the objectives of sustainable development and socio-environmental management, as it shows that the use of unconventional vegetables that are often adapted to various regions of the planet can be a viable alternative to mitigate the various forms of malnutrition and food insecurity.

Biometric variability and sexual size dimorphism in the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris

The Great Knot is a species from the Scolopacidae family of waders migrating within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, and studies on this species have contributed greatly to understanding of migration ecophysiology and migration strategies in long-distance migrants. In this paper, we provide the first description of biometric variability and sexual size dimorphism in Great Knots. During the study on the Kamchatka Peninsula, 683 adults and 229 juveniles were measured and sexed molecularly. In adults, the mean measurements of females were larger than in males, except for tarsus length. In juveniles, at the early stage of migration from breeding to wintering grounds, apparently growth was not complete. Sexual dimorphism was small, with only wing length being significantly longer in females than in males. All dimensions of juveniles were smaller than those of adults, especially in bill length. The most sexually dimorphic trait in both adults and juveniles was wing length, and the most effective discriminant function with wing length as a single predictor correctly identified the sex of 76% of birds in both age classes. However, molecular sexing is the method of choice for reliable sexing, especially in juveniles.

Gauging Ambient Environmental Carbon Dioxide Concentration Solely Using Biometric Observations: A Machine Learning Approach

Human body interacts with the environment in various ways among which breathing is an essential part for our body to function. Atmo- spheric gases that are inhaled during respiration have various physio- logical as well as cognitive effects. The biometrics of a person and the environmental variables can be measured using various sensors which can be used to understand the interaction between them. This work extends the study done previously in estimating and understanding the effects of particulate matter on physiological and cognitive re- sponses by now considering CO 2 . The biometric variables of a partic- ipant riding a bicycle are measured of which 329 variables have been considered while an electric vehicle following the participant measures the environmental CO 2 among other environmental variables. After the data have been collected, machine learning models are used to understand the interactions between the body and the environment.

Fuzzy modeling of biometric variables development of tomato crop under irrigation and water salinity effects

Tomato is a demanding crop in terms of handling, mainly because irrigation has a strong influence on fruit production and quality. Salinity changes the absorption, transport, assimilation, and distribution of nutrients in the plant. In general, such effects are analyzed using statistical tests. However, fuzzy models allow simulations between points that are not verified in agricultural experimentation. Currently, systems with artificial intelligence have excelled in the field of applied sciences, particularly fuzzy systems applied to mathematical modeling. The objective of this research was to use fuzzy modeling to analyze the biometric variables during the development of hybrid tomatoes under two different conditions: the first concerning different water tensions in the soil and the second concerning different salinity doses in irrigation. To this end, two models were developed based on an experiment carried out at São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Both models sought to estimate the values of biometric variables of the tomato crop. Thus, two models were developed: Model 1 regarded water tensions and days after sowing (DAS), while Model 2 featured salinity and DAS. Fuzzy models provided results that verified the effects of irrigation and salinity layers. Two Fuzzy Rule-Based Systems (FRBS), an input processor with two variables, a set of linguistic rules defined from statistical procedures with percentiles, the Mamdani fuzzy inference method, and the center of gravity method to defuzzification were elaborated for this purpose. The range between −25 and −10 kPa (for Model 1) and between 0.08 and 3 dS m−1 (for Model 2) provided the development within the ideal parameters for the complete development of the plant cycle. The use of fuzzy logic has shown effectiveness in evaluating the development of tomato crops, thus showing potential for use in agricultural sciences. Moreover, the created fuzzy models showed the same characteristics of the experiment, allowing their use as an automatic technique to estimate ideal parameters for the complete development of the plant cycle. The development of applications (software) that provide the results generated by the artificial intelligence models of the present study is the aim of future research.

INOCULAÇÃO E APLICAÇÃO DE DIFERENTES DOSES DE Azospirillum brasilense E SUA INFLUÊNCIA NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DA CULTURA DO MILHO

Benefits in grain productivity, with low economic cost, ease of application, without causing toxic damage to the environment and with high potential for crop response, are target points in research involving the cultivation of corn. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of inoculation of Azospirillum brasilense on the vegetative structures of the corn crop, envisioning an increase in the development of the plant. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with six treatments and four replications, totaling 24 experiments. Seeds were inoculated with A. brasilense in different doses of the commercial product (0 - 1000 mL), where the plant height (AP), ear insertion height (AIE), stem diameter (DC), total number of leaves (NTF) and number of leaves below the first ear (NFAE), were evaluated. The inoculation of corn seeds based on A. brasilense strain Ab-V5 promoted influence on some biometric variables, with an increase in the total number of leaves (NTF), plant height (AP) and height of ear insertion (AIE) for the evaluated hybrid, resulting in increments in its vegetative development. The dosage of 549 mL per hectare was considered as favorable to result in greater amounts of total leaves (NTF) in the plant, according to the adjustment of the proposed model. The results emphasized that inoculation with this strain is a valid technique and is increasingly used by farmers, and its study is a contributing factor for improvements in agronomic parameters.

Intra and Interspecific Relation of Tree Species Aspects of Seed Biometry, Phenology, Seed Dispersion, and Germination

Bangladesh, with its dense population and diverse ecological landscape, embodies a unique environmental tapestry. This study explores the intricate interplay between tree phenology, seed dispersal seed germination, and biometric characteristics within the context of Bangladesh's rich biodiversity. Through field research conducted from 2020 to 2023 in the Chittagong division, we investigated species such as Artocarpus chama, Avicennia officinalis, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellirica, and Terminalia chebula. The findings reveal significant variations in seed morphology, phenology, germination, and ecological roles among these species. Furthermore, through dendrogram analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), we elucidate the underlying patterns and relationships governing biometric variability. These insights provide valuable contributions to our understanding of ecological processes and inform conservation strategies aimed at preserving Bangladesh's forest tree biodiversity.

Níveis de gordura inerte de palma na ração para cabritos – avaliação de desempenho produtivo e comportamento ingestivo

Fat sources represent an important component in ruminant feed, as they provide 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates, and new sources, such as inert fats from rumen degradation, are a good option due to their fatty acid profile. The objective was to evaluate the performance and ingestive behavior of goats fed increasing levels of inert palm fat in the diet. Sixteen goats were used, distributed in an entirely randomized design, dairy crossbred, entire males, with initial ages of 60 days and 18.66 kg of live weight. The experiment was conducted in an entirely randomized design with repeated measures in time, with four treatments: 0, 25, 50 and 75 grams of inert palm fat per head and four repetitions per treatment. Dry matter (DM), mineral matter (MML) and organic matter (OML) intake was evaluated, and morphometric measurements of treatments and periods were compared by regression study (P<0.05). The evaluations of weight gain were done weekly and the biometric measures, ECC and evaluation of ingestive behavior, fortnightly until the end of the experiment, which lasted 60 days. Only the treatment with the lowest inclusion of inert palm fat kept the DMC below the recommended by the NRC (2007). There was no statistical difference (P>0.05) for average daily gain, weight gain, biometric variables and ingestive behavior as palm inert fat was included in the diet of goats. For the presented ECC data it is noted that it was significant (P<0.05) and increasing keeping within the range for the category. Therefore, it is noted that the use of inert palm fat supplied at different levels did not promote deleterious changes in dry matter intake, morphometric measurements and ingestive behavior.

The Fruit and Veggies for Kidney Health Study: A Prospective Randomized Trial

Providing fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) to health care system patients with elevated urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) reduced ACR, slowed chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in previous studies. This study evaluated a community-based strategy in lower-income populations to identify African Americans with elevated ACR before health care system involvement and sustain them in a 6-month F&V protocol with (F&V+Cook) and without (F&V Only) cooking instructions, with the hypothesis that adjuvant cooking instructions with F&Vs would further reduce ACR. Prospective, randomized, parallel 2-arm design. African American adults with ACR>10mg/g creatinine randomized to 1 of 2 study arms. Two cups/day of F&Vs with or without cooking instructions in participants followed 6 months. Participants sustaining the F&V protocol and between-group indicators of CVD risk, kidney injury, and dietary intake at 6 weeks and 6 months. A total of 142 African American adults (mean age, 57.0 years; ACR, 27.4mg/g; body mass index, 34.4; 24.9% CKD 1; 24.8% CKD 2; 50.4% CKD 3; 55% female) randomized to F&V Only (n=72) or F&V+Cook (n=70), and 71% were retained at 6 months. Participants received 90% of available F&V pick-ups over 6 weeks and 69% over 6 months. In the adjusted model, 6-month ACR was 31% lower for F&V+ Cook than F&V Only (P=0.02). Net 6-week F&V intake significantly increased and biometric variables improved for participants combined into a single group. Small sample size, low-baseline ACR, and potential nonresponse bias for 24-hour dietary recall measure. These data support the feasibility of identifying community-dwelling African Americans with ACR indicating elevated CVD and CKD risk and sustaining a F&V protocol shown to improve kidney outcomes and CVD risk factors and provides preliminary evidence that cooking instructions adjuvant to F&Vs are needed to lower ACR. National Institute on Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases grant "Reducing chronic kidney disease burden in an underserved population" (R21DK113440). NCT03832166. African Americans, particularly those in low-income communities, have increased rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with worsening outcomes over time. Giving fruits and vegetables to individuals with CKD identified in health care systems was previously shown to reduce kidney damage, measured by urine protein albumin, and slow kidney function decline. We recruited African Americans in low-income communities with increased urine albumin levels. They received fruits and vegetables for 6 months, and we tested whether added cooking instructions further reduced urine albumin levels. Most participants continued to receive fruits and vegetables throughout the 6 months. Those given cooking instructions had lower urine albumin levels after 6 months, indicating decreased kidney damage. Providing cooking instructions with fruits and vegetables appears to lessen kidney damage more than just fruits and vegetables alone.

Effects of dietary supplementation with garlic powder (Allium sativum L.) on broiler performance, carcass traits, lymphoid organ development and intestinal biometrics

Aim of study: To assess the effects of dietary supplementation with garlic (Allium sativum L.) powder as a growth-promoting additive on the productive performance, carcass traits, intestinal biometrics, and lymphoid organ development of broilers. Area of study: Machado, Minas Gerais, southeast region of Brazil. Material and methods: A total of 660 one-day-old chicks were used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 g/kg garlic powder), 6 replications, and 22 animals per experimental unit during 42 days of production, divided into phases: initial (1 to 7 days), growth (8 to 22 days), and finishing (23 to 42 days). Main results: In the total production period, the birds that were fed rations containing 5, 7.5 and 10 g/kg garlic powder showed increased weight gain and feed conversion ratio (p<0.05). Among the carcass yield variables, live weight and carcass yield showed a positive linear effect (p<0.05). Birds supplemented with garlic powder showed increased weight (p<0.05) and relative length of the small intestine (p<0.05). The absolute weight of the lymphoid organs, thymus and bursa of Fabricius, and the relative weight of the thymus, bursa of Fabricius and spleen also increased linearly with the level of dietary supplementation with garlic powder (p<0.05). Research highlights: Dietary supplementation with 5 g/kg and higher concentrations of garlic powder is recommended as a growth promoter for broilers because this feed additive enhances lymphoid organ development, improves intestinal biometric variables and consequently maximises the productive performance and carcass yield of broilers from 1 to 42 days of age.

THU288 An Analysis Of The Association Between Age, HbA1c, Central Corneal Thickness, And Lens Thickness Using Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract Disclosure: R.K. Borkhetaria: None. E.V. Karakoleva: None. N. Devireddy: None. D.B. Rosen: None. S.M. Pantanelli: None. An increase in age is positively correlated with an increase in the thickness of the crystalline lens of the eye. Lens thickness changes have also been observed in diabetics. However, whether a predictable relationship exists between HbA1c and certain biometric variables is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate any associations between age, HbA1c levels, central corneal thickness (CCT), and lens thickness (LT) using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) based optical biometer in the eyes of patients with diabetes mellitus. A retrospective, consecutive case series was conducted. CCT and LT were measured with the IOLMaster 700 swept-source optical biometer (Carl Zeiss Meditec). HbA1c of diabetics recorded within 3 months of biometry measurements were abstracted from the medical record. The data were analyzed using a linear regression model. We evaluated 391 eyes of 391 patients: 107 diabetics and 284 age-matched non-diabetics. Amongst non-diabetics, age was positively associated with LT (p<0.001), with an increase in LT of 0.02 mm per year of age. There was no association elucidated between age and CCT in this group (p=0.754). Amongst diabetics, HbA1c was independently associated with LT (p=0.005) after controlling for age, with a decrease in LT of 0.07 mm per 1-unit increase in HbA1c. Age (p=0.119) nor HbA1c (p=0.310) were associated with CCT amongst diabetics. There was a positive correlation between age and lens thickness amongst diabetics and non-diabetics. HbA1c was independently associated with lens thickness amongst diabetics. There was no correlation between age, HbA1c, and central corneal thickness. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Uso de glyphosate no manejo de Panicum maximum cv. BRS Zuri consorciado com milho

ABSTRACT The intercropping between maize and forage species is an alternative commonly used within farming systems. Competition among crops may be a limiting factor in intercropping, compromising maize and forage yield. Although necessary, the literature does not provide satisfactory answers on the interaction of forage crops launched in the market recently, such as BRS Zuri, intercropped with maize. Therefore, techniques such as the use of herbicide subdoses come in as an option to suppress forage growth, making simultaneous cultivation feasible. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of glyphosate herbicide subdoses on the development of Panicum maximum cv. BRS Zuri intercropped with Roundup Ready® (RR) maize and how this interaction reflects on the weed population, forage yield, and biometric and yield variables of maize. The experimental design was randomized blocks with treatments consisting of six subdoses of glyphosate herbicide (0, 48, 96, 240, 480, and 960 g acid equivalent [a.e.] ha-1) and maize in monoculture with four replications. For the conditions of this study, the dose of 480 g a.e. ha-1 of glyphosate may be an alternative since there was weed suppression and adequate forage development. Maize yield was not affected by the presence of forage.

Hafted technologies likely reduced stone tool-related selective pressures acting on the hominin hand

The evolution of the hominin hand has been widely linked to the use and production of flaked stone tool technologies. After the earliest handheld flake tools emerged, shifts in hominin hand anatomy allowing for greater force during precision gripping and ease when manipulating objects in-hand are observed in the fossil record. Previous research has demonstrated how biometric traits, such as hand and digit lengths and precision grip strength, impact functional performance and ergonomic relationships when using flake and core technologies. These studies are consistent with the idea that evolutionary selective pressures would have favoured individuals better able to efficiently and effectively produce and use flaked stone tools. After the advent of composite technologies during the Middle Stone Age and Middle Palaeolithic, fossil evidence reveals differences in hand anatomy between populations, but there is minimal evidence for an increase in precision gripping capabilities. Furthermore, there is little research investigating the selective pressures, if any, impacting manual anatomy after the introduction of hafted composite stone technologies (‘handles’). Here we investigated the possible influence of tool-user biometric variation on the functional performance of 420 hafted Clovis knife replicas. Our results suggest there to be no statistical relationships between biometric variables and cutting performance. Therefore, we argue that the advent of hafted stone technologies may have acted as a ‘performance equaliser’ within populations and removed (or reduced) selective pressures favouring forceful precision gripping capabilities, which in turn could have increased the relative importance of cultural evolutionary selective pressures in the determination of a stone tool’s performance.

Geology constrains biomineralization expression and functional trait distribution in the Mountainsnails

AbstractAimGeographic variation in metabolic resources necessary for functional trait expression can set limits on species distributions. For species that need to produce and maintain biomineralized traits for survival, spatial variation in mineral macronutrients may constrain species distributions by limiting the expression of biomineralized traits. Here, we examine whether Oreohelix land snails that express heavily biomineralized shell ornaments are restricted to CaCO3 rock regions, if they incorporate greater amounts of CaCO3 rock carbon in their shell than less biomineralized smooth forms, and if ornamentation increases shell strength.LocationWestern United States.TaxonOreohelix land snails.MethodsWe used random forest classification models at multiple spatial resolutions to evaluate the contribution of topographic, vegetation, climate, and geologic variables in predicting the presence of heavily biomineralized shell ornaments across the range of Oreohelix. We then measured and compared shell biometric variables, 14C/12C ratios, and peak force for fracture for ornamented and smooth forms from calcareous and non‐calcareous substrates.ResultsDistance to CaCO3 rock was the most important variable in all models and closer proximity to CaCO3 rock was associated with greater probability of local ornamentation classification. Pairwise comparisons of 14C/12C ratios in closely occurring ornamented vs. smooth population pairs revealed ornamented forms incorporate greater CaCO3 rock carbon than smooth forms. Ornamented types measured in this study were generally heavier and required greater peak force for fracture than smooth forms, except when comparing ornamented forms to smooth forms sampled from CaCO3 rock.Main ConclusionsBiomineralization expression, species distribution, and trait function appear to be constrained by mineral supply in a highly diverse group of land snails. This trait‐environment relationship provides a basis for future investigations of CaCO3 macronutrient constraints on shell form and species distribution in other terrestrial molluscs and has a direct impact on the management of Oreohelix species.

How agrometeorological and water deficit variations influence the growth and yield of sugarcane

Edaphoclimatic variables play a crucial role in shaping both the growth and yield of sugarcane. This study aimed to evaluate the intricate relationships among plant variables, agrometeorological factors, and water stress conditions in three successive crop cycles of sugarcane (cane plant, ratoon 1, and ratoon 2). The investigated plant variables included stem height, stalk diameter, number of tillers, leaf area, leaf area index, and stalk fresh yield, alongside growth rates (growth/time). Concurrently, climate variables, such as air temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed, solar and net radiation, reference evapotranspiration, and degree-days, were monitored. Additionally, water stress parameters, including water deficit and water surplus, were quantified. Statistical models were skillfully fitted (r2 > 0.90) to the biometric data, employing thermal time as a critical determinant. Surprisingly, no adverse agrometeorological or soil moisture conditions, as indicated in the literature, were detected when growth rates started to decline. This suggests that other unmeasured stress factors may have influenced the plants during that period. The analysis of the ratio between actual and maximum crop evapotranspiration (ETa/ETc) revealed the most pronounced sensitivity to water deficit during the vegetative growth phase (phase III). Moreover, the study identified that growth achieved satisfactory levels when at least 60% of the maximum crop evapotranspiration was met during the initial phases. A comprehensive cluster analysis encompassing height, leaf area, leaf area index, relative air humidity, soil moisture, and actual evapotranspiration rates provided valuable insights into the interrelated dynamics of these variables. Furthermore, a significant exponential reduction in yield was observed as the number of harvests increased. This decline in yield was attributed to the combined effects of 50% of biometric variables, 63% of agrometeorological variables, and 50% of water stress variables, all of which exhibited negative correlations with yield. Approximately 82%, 63%, and 71% of the correlations among biometric, agrometeorological, and water stress variables, respectively, were strong or very strong (r ≥ 0.70). As a result, this study highlights that: i) estimating sugarcane growth and tracking its developmental stages can be accomplished by employing appropriate models based on thermal time; ii) most biometric measurements exhibit correlations of r < 0.70 with agrometeorological variables; iii) an integrated understanding of biometric, agrometeorological, and water stress variables can effectively explain the observed reductions in sugarcane yield

Putrescine and deficit irrigation as regulatory factors in basil plants metabolism and morpho-physiology

The purpose of this study was to alleviate the harmful effects of water restriction, by applying foliar doses of putrescine (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg L-1) on basil plants, as well as, understand the different soil water levels (60% and 80% of soil capacity) on plant development. We evaluated the physiology and metabolic pathways of plants. Basil plants under water restriction (60% of soil capacity) reduced their growth and dry matter accumulation, leaf water status, physiological variables, and photosynthetic pigments. Furthermore, the exogenous putrescine sprays, influenced the biometric and physiological variables, photosynthetic pigments, and proline levels. Our research suggests that exogenous putrescine sprays promote different behaviours on Basil spp., through the activation of tolerance mechanisms in basil plants under moderate water deficit, principally by the proline accumulation in the leaves. Moreover, the oil chemical profile was determined by the water availability in the soil.

Analysis of psychological biometric data for gender identification using fusion features and deep learning

A person's gender must be correctly identified for many applications, such as tailored services, social sciences, and human-computer interaction, to function properly. Traditional gender identification techniques mostly depend on physical traits, but new developments in psychological biometrics provide interesting alternatives. Over the last several years, several access control systems have included biometric security technologies to increase security. The handwritten signature is the psychological biometric characteristic that is most often used to validate daily documents like letters, contracts, wills, MOUs, etc. This study proposes an innovative Deep Learning (DL) approach to identify a person's gender from an image of their handwritten signature. The fusion of statistical and textural information taken from the trademark photos serves as the foundation for the proposed work. The texture is represented by the Pyramid Histogram of Oriented Gradients (PHOG) features. A novel sequence labelling multidimensional recurrent neural network (SLMRNN) is employed to classify the writer's gender. Extensive experiments are carried out on the gathered dataset to assess the performance of the suggested technique. The efficacy of the fusion features and DL models for gender recognition is evaluated using a variety of measures, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. To evaluate the suggested approach against existing procedures and emphasize its advantages, if any, comparative assessments are also carried out. The findings show that, in comparison to conventional approaches, the combination of behavioral biometric variables with cutting-edge DL algorithms greatly enhances gender identification accuracy. The suggested approach is anticipated to be beneficial in the development of effective computer vision tools for forensic analysis and authentication of papers with handwritten signatures.

DIVERSIDAD DEL MAÍZ EN TRES ZONAS GEOMORFOLÓGICAS DE YUCATÁN, MÉXICO

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) is the main sustenance in the daily diet of Mexican families. As a crop, it is one of the most important in the country of Mexico, and in Yucatan state, it is grown under rainfed conditions in milpas with no mechanizable lands. In this study, an analysis of the phenotypic variability from cob collects of native maize from Yucatan state was carried out, with ethnobotanical information collected within passport data. <strong>Objectives:</strong> To introduce the genetic diversity of maize into a germplasm bank, to know the genetic diversity of native populations based on the characteristics of cob, to know its distribution, to find the potential populations in each collection area for its use in genetic improvement programs. <strong>Methodology: </strong>66 Tuxpeños, 13 Dzit bacal, 6 Nal tel, 13 Xmejen nal, and 2 Nal xoy were collected in the southern, central, and eastern regions of the state, from January to March 2020, by sampling the four cardinal points in each community visited. A vector map of collections in Yucatan was developed and quantitative data of 13 biometric cob variables were recorded in 100 populations (crop cycles: late n=68; intermediate n=26; early n=6), a general data analysis of variance (ANOVA) and by crop cycles were made, principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchically clustered with the average linkage method and discriminant analysis were made. Qualitative data from ethnobotanical surveys with mixed questions applied to milperos at the time of collection are presented. <strong>Results: </strong>The diversity of native maize in Yucatan is made up of three main groups based on the crop cycle: late, intermediate, and early. The southern and eastern regions of Yucatan preserve greater diversity, representing 44 and 40% of the total collections, respectively. There were significant differences in all ear variables; in a late growth cycle, only the grain thickness did not show differences between populations, and in the early growth cycle the grain thickness, width, and length variables were not significant. The PCA explained 80% of the total variation, seven different groups were formed, with greater differentiation in early maize Nal tel, intermediate Xmejen nal and Dzit bacal, contrary to the Tuxpeños late maize. Ten promising populations were identified for selection in each geomorphological region: eight correspond to the southern, two to the eastern, and one to the center of Yucatan state. The main factors to select for sowing corn in the region are: white and yellow maize for yield, the resistance to weevil attack for red maize, and the perception of color and palatability in purple maize. <strong>Implications: </strong>A complete phenotypic characterization in the field is required with a special interest in red-pigmented maize.<strong> Conclusions: </strong>The interest of the milperos in conserving and sowing the different native maize are based on the color of the grain, the benefits and uses that they can obtain from them, which determine the planting area in the milpas of the different races/varieties of maize. Red grain maize is being planted in a lower area in relation to other colors. The southern and eastern geomorphological regions showed a genetic flow between them.</p>

Use of the gonadal tissue of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus as a target for environmental contamination by trace metals

Many environmental monitoring works have been carried out using biomarkers as a tool to identify the effects of oil contamination on marine organisms; however, only a few studies have used sea urchin gonadal tissue for this purpose. Within this context, the present work aimed to understand the impact of an oil spill, proposing the use of sea urchin gonadal tissue as a biomarker for environmental contamination by trace metals in the species Paracentrotus lividus. Biometric analysis, quantification analyses of the elements Cd, Pb, Ni, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, as well as histopathological evaluations were performed in gonads of P. lividus collected from an area affected by hydrocarbons, named as impacted shore (IS) and an area not affected, named reference shore (RS). The results showed that carapace diameter (DC), total wet weight (WW), and Cd concentrations in the gonads were significantly influenced by the interaction between the rocky shores of origin, the months of sampling, and by the sex of the individuals. Moreover, from July until September, the levels of Zn and Cd were significantly lower in male than in female gonads. In July (the month of the oil spill), the indexes of histopathological alterations (IHPA) of membrane dilation were significantly higher in individuals from the IS, compared to the individuals from the RS. In addition, there were significant correlations between biometric variables (wet weight, diameter of carapace, gonadal weight, and gonadosomatic index) and the elements Cd, Cu, Ni, and Mn concentrations. Lastly, a delay in the gametogenic cycle of the sea urchins from IS was also observed. Taken together, these findings suggest that direct exposure to trace metals induces histopathological lesions in P. lividus’ gonads and affects its reproductive cycle.Graphical

Reference Ranges and Development Patterns of Fetal Myocardial Function Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Healthy Fetuses at 17 to 24 Weeks of Gestation.

The purposes of the study were to develop reference ranges and maturation patterns of fetal cardiac function parameters measured by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) using multiple biometric variables at 17 to 24 weeks' gestation among Thai fetuses and to compare with other previous reports. The four-chamber view of the fetal heart in 79 healthy fetuses was suitably analyzed by STE to establish the best-fit regression model. The 95% reference intervals and Z-score equations of fetal cardiac function parameters were computed. The fractional area change of both ventricles, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, LV stroke volume, LV cardiac output (CO), and LV CO per kilogram were all increased according to gestational age (GA) and five fetal biometric measurements. However, the global longitudinal strain, basal-apical length fractional shortening (BAL-FS), BAL annular free wall and septal wall FS, BAL free wall and septal wall annular plane systolic excursions, 24-segment transverse width FS, as well as LV ejection fraction were all independent of GA or other somatic characteristics. There were varying development patterns between fetal right and left ventricles of these cardiac function indices across the gestation period. Our study created Z-score and corresponding centile calculators, 5th and 95th centile reference tables, and corresponding graphs and determined the normal evolution across gestation using multiple somatic growth and age variables between 17 and 24 gestational weeks. These nomograms serve as an essential prerequisite for quantitatively evaluating fetal cardiac contractility and allow for precisely detecting early changes in the fetal heart function. · Most fetal cardiac function measurements were correlated with all the independent variables.. · Fetal ventricular function parameters have their own characteristic maturation changes.. · Racial variability may not occupy an important place for fetal myocardial function during these GA..