Factorial Discriminant Analysis Research Articles

An Exploratory Study on the Rapid Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Gardenia Fruit Using the Heracles NEO Ultra-Fast Gas Phase Electronic Nose.

Gardenia fruit is a popular functional food and raw material for natural pigments. It comes from a wide range of sources, and different products sharing the same name are very common. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important factors that affect the flavor and quality of gardenia fruit. This study used the Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose with advanced odor analysis performance and high sensitivity to analyze six batches of gardenia fruit from different sources. This study analyzed the VOCs to find a way to quickly identify gardenia fruit. The results show that this method can accurately distinguish the odor characteristics of various gardenia fruit samples. The VOCs in gardenia fruit are mainly organic acid esters, ketones, and aldehyde compounds. By combining principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA), this study found that the hexanal content varied the most in different gardenia fruit samples. The VOCs allowed for the fruit samples to be grouped into two main categories. One fruit sample was quite different from the fruits of other origins. The results provide theoretical support for feasibility of rapid identification and quality control of gardenia fruit and related products in the future.

Phenolic Profiles in Olive Leaves from Different Cultivars in Tuscany and Their Use as a Marker of Varietal and Geographical Origin on a Small Scale.

Olive leaves are a rich source of polyphenols with healthful properties and represent one of the most abundant waste products of olive oil production. The aims of this study were to explore the phenolic composition of olive leaves from the three main Tuscan cultivars (Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio) collected in Siena and Grosseto provinces and to investigate the possible use of these compounds as varietal and geographic origin markers. Discriminant factorial analysis (DFA) was used for distinguishing between different cultivars and locations. Apigenin and caffeoyl-secologanoside showed significant differences between cultivars. DFA showed that ligstroside, apigenin and luteolin have the most influence in determining the differences between sites, whereas total polyphenols, olacein and hydroxytyrosol acetate allowed for separation between leaves from the same province. The results of the present study indicate that concentrations of phenolic compounds, measured through high-resolution mass spectrometry, can be used as a marker for both the cultivar and of geographical origin of olive leaves, and possibly of olive-related products, as well as across small geographic scales (less than 50 km distance between sites).

A strategy to distinguish similar traditional Chinese medicines by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic senses, and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry: Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis and Paederiae scandens Caulis as examples.

Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis (MTC), a popular traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of tumor diseases. Paederiae scandens Caulis (PSC), which is similar in appearance to MTC, is a common counterfeit product. It is difficult for traditional methods to effectively distinguish between MTC and PSC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid and accurate method to identify MTC and PSC. The aim is to distinguish between MTC and PSC by analyzing the differences in nonvolatile organic compounds (NVOCs), taste, odor, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized to analyze the NVOCs of MTC and PSC. Electronic tongue (E-tongue) and electronic nose (E-nose) were used to analyze their taste and odor respectively. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was applied to analyze VOCs. Finally, multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to further investigate the differences between MTC and PSC, including principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, discriminant factor analysis, and soft independent modeling of class analysis. The results of this study indicate that the integrated strategy of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis can be effectively applied to distinguish between MTC and PSC. Using LC-MS, 25 NVOCs were identified in MTC, while 18 NVOCs were identified in PSC. The major compounds in MTC are steroids, while the major compounds in PSC are iridoid glycosides. Similarly, the distinct taste difference between MTC and PSC was precisely revealed by the E-tongue. Specifically, the pronounced bitterness in PSC was proven to stem from iridoid glycosides, whereas the bitterness evident in MTC was intimately tied to steroids. The E-nose detected eight odor components in MTC and six in PSC, respectively. The subsequent statistical analysis uncovered notable differences in their odor profiles. GC-IMS provided a visual representation of the differences in VOCs between MTC and PSC. The results indicated a relatively high relative content of 82 VOCs in MTC, contrasted with 32 VOCs exhibiting a similarly high relative content in PSC. In this study, for the first time, the combined use of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis has proven to be an effective method for distinguishing between MTC and PSC from multiple perspectives. This approach provides a valuable reference for the identification of other visually similar traditional Chinese medicines.

Spatial variability of geotechnical parameters of lateritic gravels in an Olama–Ngomedzap road section in a humid tropical area (Cameroon)

Searching for borrow pits often used during civil engineering constructions is an important step that requires a lot of time and money. The nature of the parent rock, climate, topography, vegetation and time influence the formation of lateritic gravels with different geotechnical properties within the same region. The present study aims at finding the spatial variability of geotechnical parameters of lateritic gravels from two different deposits using a variogram and statistical analysis. Out of 122 lateritic gravel samples collected, 69 were from underdeveloped lithic ferrallitic soils (LFS) and 53 from under developed non-lithic ferrallitic soils (NLFS). The mean values of the coefficient of variation (CV) shows that the geotechnical parameters of LFS-derived lateritic gravels are more dispersed than those developed on NLFS. The fines content, plasticity index (PI) and Californian bearing ratio (CBR) variograms observed mainly in the North and NNE parts of the study area, suggest that, the lateritic gravels in this area have average to good geotechnical characteristics. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that the CBR and the maximum dry density (MDD) are inversely related to the optimum moisture content (OMC). The discriminant factor analysis (DFA) coupled to the ascending hierarchical classification (AHC) shows three families of lateritic gravels: (1) class 1/3, lateritic gravels characterized by MDD, CBR, consistency index (CI), gravels content, and plastic limit (PL); (2) class 2/3, lateritic gravels characterized by fines content, and maximum grain diameter (Dmax) and, (3) class 3/3, lateritic gravels characterized by OMC, liquid limit (LL), PI, PL, and fines content, that fit for road construction.

Influence of soil type and ripening degree on the intensity and sensory dominance of Mexican habanero chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.)

AbstractThe objective of this research was to determine the intensity and sensory dominance of habanero peppers grown in different types of soils and with different degrees of maturation. Chili samples grown in red soil (Mayan name: K'ankab lu'um) and black soil (Mayan name: Box lu'um) were evaluated in an immature state (green coloration) and intermediate ripening (green‐orange coloration) using descriptive analysis (DA) and temporal dominance of sensations (TDS). Sensory representation and classification percentage of chili peppers were evaluated using principal component analysis and discriminant factor analysis. The sensory results demonstrated that intermediate ripening chili peppers presented higher color intensities associated with pungency. Immature chili peppers were characterized by having high odor intensities. The TDS results showed that the dominant attributes were burn feeling, chili flavor, heat, and numbness. Immature chili peppers grown in black soil tend to be burn feeling dominant and chili peppers grown in red soil were characterized as chili flavor. The ripe habanero peppers were chili flavor burn feeling and heat. The correct classification percentage was 89.81%.Practical ApplicationsThis research exposes the sensory differences of habanero peppers with different degrees of maturation and grown in different types of soils. The findings can serve as a reference for future research on the sensory characterization of pungent and for the industry dedicated to the production of habanero chili and for the gastronomy area in charge of the preparation of different dishes that use habanero chili as an ingredient.

Discriminant analysis of ecological factors influencing sarcopenia in older people in South Korea.

This study aimed to investigate the ecological system factors that influence discrimination of sarcopenia among older individuals living in contemporary society. Data analysis included information from 618 older adults individuals aged 65 years or older residing in South Korea. To assess variations in ecological system factors related to SARC-F scores, we conducted correlation analysis and t-tests. Discriminant analysis was used to identify factors contributing to group discrimination. The key findings are summarized as follows. First, significant differences at the p < 0.001 level were observed between the SARC-F score groups in various aspects, including attitudes toward life, wisdom in life, health management, social support, media availability, sports environment, collectivist values, and values associated with death. Further, service environment differences were significant at p < 0.01 level, while social belonging and social activities exhibited significance at p < 0.05. Second, factors influencing group discrimination based on the SARC-F scores were ranked in the following order: health management, attitudes toward life, fear of own death, wisdom in life, physical environment, sports environment, media availability, social support, fear of the own dying, collectivist values, service environment, social activities, and social belonging. Notably, the SARC-F tool, which is used for sarcopenia discrimination, primarily concentrates on physical functioning and demonstrates relatively low sensitivity. Therefore, to enhance the precision of sarcopenia discrimination within a score-based group discrimination process, it is imperative to incorporate ecological system factors that exert a significant influence. These modifications aimed to enhance the clarity and precision of the text in an academic context.

Formulation of Chicken Sausages Enriched with Clove (Syzygium Aromaticum) Powder and Sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.) Flour during the Fermentation Stage

The study evaluated the combined effect of clove and sesame flour during the fermentation stage. The impact of the incorporation of sesame flour in S1 batch (sausages with 80% chicken filet, 17% veal fat, 2% sesame flour, and 1% cloves) and S2 batch (sausages with 80% chicken filet, 16% veal fat and 2% sesame flour, and 2% cloves) compared to Control batch (80% chicken filet, 18% veal fat, and 2% sesame flour) on the physico-chemical, color and molecular structure during the fermentation stage. Results showed that the incorporation of clove in the chicken dry sausages significantly increased the moisture and protein contents since it passed from 14.82 on day 1 in the Control at 30.23 ± 0.90% for S2 on day 1, respectively. The results obtained also showed that clove is a source of antioxidants, since the oxidation indicator parameters decreased with the level of addition of clove. The results demonstrated the potential of using fluorescence spectroscopy for monitoring the quality of sausages, since principal component analysis and factorial discriminant analysis (applied to fluorescence spectra allowed to discriminate between samples according to the level of clove addition (97.22% of correct classification).

Phenotypic diversity of rice bean collection [&lt;i&gt;Vigna umbellata&lt;/i&gt; (Thunb.) Ohwi et Ohashi] in Burkina Faso based on quantitative traits

Ricebean (Vigna umbellata) is a multipurpose legume known for its richness in protein, minerals and vitamins. It is a plant used in soil protection and as green manure with nutritious fodder. Although very important, rice bean is a neglected and underutilized grain legume. In Burkina Faso, few studies have been carried out on this crop of interest. It is in this sense that this present study aimed at analysing the phenotypic diversity of the ricebean collection. The experiment was conducted at Farako-Bâ a research station in a randomized complete block design with three (3) replications. The accessions were evaluated on fifteen (15) quantitative variables. Analysis of variance revealed a highly significant difference (P &lt; 0.001). The diversity analysis carried out with the quantitative traits revealed strong correlations between these traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed 70.80% of total variability. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) structured the accessions into four distinct groups, corroborated by discriminant factor analysis (DFA). Accessions R80, R85 distinguished themselves with both a short cycle and a better quantitative production of seeds and fodder. These early accessions, productive in seeds and fodder, could be exploited within the framework of future ricebean improvement programs.

Assessment of food safety risk using machine learning-assisted hyperspectral imaging: Classification of fungal contamination levels in rice grain

A rapid and nondestructive assessment of food safety risk using machine learning-assisted hyperspectral imaging was developed for classification of fungal contamination in brown rice grain. Brown rice was inoculated with Penicillium. The fungal infected rice was then mixed with healthy rice to obtain 0 %, 5 %, 25 %, 50 % and 100 % (w/w) contamination of infected rice. Volatile compounds including pentamethyl-heptane, decane, dodecane, 3-octanone, and 1-octen-3-ol were found in fungal infected rice, as analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The HSI system was used to collect spectral reflectance and spatial data of the samples covering the wavelength range of 400–1000 nm. The hypercubed data were analyzed using machine learning algorithms, including principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant factor analysis (DFA) and support vector machine (SVM). Using PCA for data reduction, 3 principal components were extracted with a cumulative variance of 90.53 %. DFA (linear and quadratic algorithms) and SVM (linear, quadratic, cubic, and Gaussian algorithms) were then used to classify the samples. HSI integrated with Gaussian SVM gave 93.4% accuracy which was best for classifying rice with different percentages of contamination. The image analysis gave a pseudo-color distribution map which facilitated the visualization of the contaminated rice by presenting data in an uncomplicated image. The machine learning-assisted HSI can be used as a rapid, nondestructive and chemical-free tool for an assessment of food safety risk for rice grain.

Peer-Assessment Academic Integrity Scale (PAAIS-24)

This study aims to develop an academic integrity scale to help lecturers evaluate the academic integrity of university students with peer-assessment learning experiences using the ADDIE research and development method. Twenty-four items were designed using the concepts of academic integrity; honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage validated by six raters and tested on 520 students from various universities in Indonesia. Testing content validity using the Aiken-V formula, construct validity testing using discriminant indexes, factor analysis (Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis), and concurrent validity testing by correlating PAAIS-24 with the developed Academic Integrity Scale. While the reliability test used Cronbach's alpha formula. The study results proved that each item of content validity meets with an Aiken value &gt;0.80; on construct validity testing, the discriminant index value is &gt;0.50, and the EFA and CFA loading factor values are &gt;0.50. In addition, the model is appropriate because the theoretical model of PAAIS-24 is in accordance with empirical data. Whereas in reliability testing, Cronbach's alpha value is 0.95. Lastly, PAAIS-24 is one of the credible instruments. It contributes to developing knowledge that assists lecturers in measuring, assessing, and evaluating student academic integrity based on peer-assessment to promote increased academic performance. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-02-09 Full Text: PDF

Assessments of groundwater recharge process and residence time using hydrochemical and isotopic tracers under arid climate: Insights from Errachidia basin (Central-East Morocco)

The aquifer systems in the Errachidia basin, located to the south of the High Atlas limestone, are constituted by three superimposed and exploitable aquifers (Senonian, Turonian, and Infracenomanian). These aquifers hold economic significance for the central-east region of Morocco. This area experiences an arid to Saharan climate characterized by low precipitation, high temperatures, and very high evaporation. It is one of the most exposed and vulnerable regions to climate change in Morocco. The low local rainfall cannot explain the recharge of the deep aquifers. However, the significant spring discharges from these aquifers indicate the existence of other recharge contributions.The aim of this study is to elucidate the recharge processes of the Cretaceous aquifers in the investigated basin, clarify hydraulic relationships between them and the Jurassic aquifers of the High Atlas Mountains and estimate the residence time of groundwaters. Water samples from aquifers are collected and analyzed for chemical and isotopic elements. Several statistical methods (SOM, discriminant factorial analysis, CPA) are employed. The results reveal that many samples from different aquifers exhibit clear similarities in chemical characteristics, providing evidence of water transfer between aquifers. Isotopic findings are consistent with chemical characterization and mineralization anomalies.Recharge of the investigated aquifers originates from the Jurassic limestone of the High Atlas Mountains, facilitated by the karstic nature of the Jurassic in contact with the permeable formations of the Cretaceous basin. Age dating results, using 3H and 14C values, confirm that most of the investigated groundwater results from a mixing of old and recent recharges. This process of groundwater renewability is relevant. All the findings are valuable for decision-makers to enhance their understanding of the aquifer system's functioning and inform sustainable management strategies for future sustainability.

Typologie des systemes de productions du bovin de race djelli (Bos taurus indicus) dans les communes de Gotheye, Sinder et Say au Niger

The development of Djelli cattle breeding in Niger remains a challenge due to prejudices about its productivity. The particularities of its production systems have not been sufficiently developed. The aim of this study is to develop a typology of local Djelli cattle production systems in six localities in the communes of Gothèye, Sinder and Say in Niger. A survey was carried out among 150 breeders. Discriminant factor analysis (DFA) and hierarchical ascending classification (HAC) were used to identify three types of production system: The first type is made up of transhumant herders whose main activity is livestock rearing and who belong to the Peulh ethnic group. This type is characterized by large herds (27 head). They have 3 breeding cows and 4 suckling cows for 16 breeding females. The second type is made up of sedentary breeders. Their main activities are fishing and trading, and they belong to the Sonrai socio-cultural ethnic group. Their herds are modest (17 head), comprising 2 breeding and 5 suckling cows for 11 breeding females. The third type is made up of semi-transhumant herders. Their main activity is farming, and they belong to the Sonrai socio-cultural ethnic group, with an equally modest herd size (18 head). The number of breeding cows is similar to that of the sedentary herders (2 head). However, the number of sucklers is reduced to 3 head for 10 breeding females. The daily intake of bran concentrate per suckling female is the highest (5 kg of bran concentrate per day). The ratio of lactating females to females of breeding age was r =0.45 in the sedentary group, compared with r =0.30 in the semi-transhumant group and r = 0.25 in the transhumant group. The results also showed that the rearing environment is dominated by a diet of rice straw (39%) and rice bran (49%). The most frequently vaccinated disease on the farms was pasteurellosis (87.3%), and the highest deworming rate was 40%. The environment also revealed a variation in lactating females for the riparian localities of Say and Yelwani (5.4±2.6b and 6.0±2.8b respectively), which are very significantly different (P&lt;0.001) from the non-riparian localities of Koulbaga and Tassikoirey (2.9±1.2a and 2.8±1.20a respectively). In conclusion, sedentary farmers are the most productive in a food environment dominated by rice crop residues and diseases such as pasteurellosis and endoparasites. Key words : Production systems, herd size, sedentary breeders, lactating female

Autonomy of Nursing Students: Methodological Study of Validation of the PALOP Scale Portuguese Short Version.

The cultivation of critical thinking and decision-making skills promotes student autonomy. Only a few instruments measure nursing students' autonomy, and the PALOP® Scale is one of them. This study aimed to semantically and culturally adapt the PALOP® Scale to European Portuguese and assess the psychometric properties of a short version. A methodological study was conducted with 530 second and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students. Content validity was assessed using exploratory and discriminant factor analysis, and reliability was determined through analyses of internal consistency, temporal stability, and floor and ceiling effects. The analysis of the psychometric properties of a short version of the PALOP®-PT Scale revealed complete agreement (100%) among panel members for content validity. The scale also showed discriminative capacity among second- and fourth-year students (t (528) = -7.907, p < 0.001) with a five-factor structure, with a total explained variance of 57.2%. Reliability analysis showed excellent internal consistency (α = 0.935) and moderate temporal stability (95% ICC (3.1) = 0.520 [0.290-0.693], p < 0.01). The short version of the PALOP®-PT Scale is a promising tool to assess nursing students' perceived autonomy and identify necessary adjustments to their professional identity.

Study of the Population Variability of Two Chrysichthys Species in Six Aquatic Ecosystems in Côte d'Ivoire

In Côte d'Ivoire, the genus Chrysichthys are subject to intense exploitation pressure and may be threatened by overfishing. The establishment of a sustainable management program for this resource requires in-depth knowledge of this fish. The population relationships were determined by evaluating the morphological variability of the two species of the subgenus Chrysichthys, which was identified in six rivers. Forty-one morphological measurements were carried out on 167 specimens of the species C. maurus and 160 specimens of the species C. nigrodigitatus. These descriptors were subjected to discriminant factor analysis and classification analysis. Within the C. maurus species, specimens from the Bia River and the Aby Lagoon show few morphological differences. These two populations are distinct from the Ebrié Lagoon and the Bandama River. Specimens of the species C. nigrodigitatus can be divided into three distinct groups. The Bia River population occupies an intermediate position between the lot formed by the Agneby River and the Ebrié Lagoon populations and the lot formed by the Bandama River, the Aby Lagoon, and the Grand-Lahou Lagoon populations. Within each lot, the specimens show a great morphological resemblance (similarity). The similarities of the subgenus Chrysichthys could be explained by a potential capacity for exchange of individuals between rivers. The differences between populations would indicate the probable existence of phenotypic plasticity linked to their environment.

Analysis of umami taste and their contributing compounds in edible fungi based on electronic tongue, sensory evaluation, and chemical analysis.

Edible fungi are rich in nutrients and have unique umami taste, which varies with genotypes, growth conditions, and harvest time. In this study, umami compounds in 12 species of edible fungi are analyzed and identified by electronic tongue. Through principal component analysis and discriminant factor analysis, these 2 methods could be successfully distinguished the variety of 12 edible fungi. Besides, the umami intensity of edible fungi soup is also evaluated by sensory and chemical analysis methods, for example, Tricholoma matsutake is 5.60±0.34 and 5.17±0.38, Coprinus comatus is 7.70±0.23 and 9.83±0.34 through sensory evaluation and electronic tongue respectively, followed by establishing the correlation from the response data by PLS (partial least squares analysis). According to the PLS model, with a correlation coefficients of calibration models greater than 0.7 and the low root mean square error of calibration and root mean square error of prediction values, the results correlate well with each other. Therefore, we can indicate that the electronic tongue is able to analyze and evaluate the umami intensity of edible fungi to some extent.

Automatic characterization and quantitative analysis of seismic facies in naturally fractured reservoir: Case study of Amguid Messaoud field, Algeria

Purpose. Natural fractured reservoirs are a special category of reservoirs due to the effects of porosity and permeability. Optimizing the exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves in this type of reservoir requires a specific study compared to other conventional reservoirs. Methods. We have focused on the quantitative analysis of seismic traces for the purpose of an automatic seismic facies recognition strategy. The study area, the Amguid-Messaoud Basin, is formed by a series of horsts and grabens bounded by submeridional “North-East and South-West” faults, as well as perpendicular “North-West and South-East” faults with-out outcrops of fractures, which have a great influence on reservoir fracturing. A set of statistical data analysis methods, such as principal component analysis, discriminant factor analysis, and automatic classification, have been tested on real data from geophysical seismic data interpretation, in particular the stratigraphic interpretation. Findings. The results obtained show a better use of data, which, however, are of a different nature, leading to a reliable interpretation of the geological environment. Originality. The methodology proved to be useful for constructing a reservoir model and predicting the geological properties of the reservoir along a field. Practical implications. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the best use of data, which, however, are of a different nature, which leads to a reliable interpretation of the geological environment. These methods have proved to be very useful for constructing a reservoir model and predicting the geological properties of the latter along a field.

Discriminant Analysis of the Prognostic Factors for Hearing Outcomes in Patients with Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

This study aims to determine and assess prognostic variables that might affect the hearing result in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss following intratympanic steroid injection. In total, 190 patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss received intratympanic steroid injection. Two hearing indices (recovery and nonrecovery) will be analyzed as dependent variables; patient's age, time period between the onset of hearing loss and treatment, initial level of hearing (hearing loss pre), type of audiogram curve (upsloping, downsloping, and flat), presence of vertigo, presence of tinnitus, and diabetes) will be analyzed as prognostic factor variables. Recovery was seen in 72% of the patients. Different preinjection audiogram curves and hearing grades had a significant effect on recovery, absence of vestibular symptoms and no diabetic history were noted to have a good prognosis. Delay in treatment by more than 30 days from the onset of hearing loss was associated with a worse prognosis. Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss associated with late treatment plan more than 1 month, presence of vertigo, diabetes, and profound prehearing loss were negative prognostic factors. Whereas age, gender, and presence of tinnitus did not affect prognosis. More stable response was obtained when intratympanic steroids were added within 1 month after diagnosis, and the patient presented with mild or moderate hearing loss grade, flat or downsloping pure tone audiometery curve, and absence of vertigo and nondiabetic with significantly good results.

Automatic recognition of food bacteria using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics: A comparative study of multivariate models

Food safety is the foundation of trust for food stakeholders. Contamination, especially from biological sources, at food processing plants can threaten this foundation, resulting in negative impacts on consumer health and substantial economic losses. Therefore, a rapid, effective, and noninvasive method for detecting bacteria in the food industry is essential. In this study, Raman micro-spectroscopy with advanced statistical tools is proposed as a mean of detecting and differentiating between various types of bacteria. This approach circumvents the complexities of traditional culture-based detection methods. Specifically, fifty-two bacterial strains of 39 different genera were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. As a result, about 2563 Raman spectra were generated and integrated into the database. This huge amount of spectral data was analyzed using several chemometric tools, including principal component analysis (PCA), factorial discriminant analysis (FDA) k-nearest neighbors’ algorithm (KNN), and convolutional neural network (CNN). Our multivariate data analysis showed that the developed method is rapid and capable of distinguishing several strains. While, FDA models showed mediocre performances, KNN models provided good bacterial classification for most of the analyzed strains (average correct classification 90–95%). In comparison, CNN achieved a higher classification accuracy, of 97%, compared with other models. Combining Raman spectroscopy with chemometric tools yields a robust bacterial assessment method that is simple, rapid, and efficient.

Personality traits and disorders in Alzheimer's disease.

The relationships between axis II personality disorders and the normative personality traits were explored in the context of current and pre-morbid personality assessment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study was conducted with four groups who were administered the NEO-FFI and the PDQ-4+, in the form of individual interview sessions. Current personality measure: consisting of 44 female participants (AD group) and, the control group, consisting of 80 female participants from the population at large. Pre-morbid personality measure: AD group informants (n=40); control group informants (n=42). The results are in line with the literature review and provide new research data. By factorial discriminant analysis, the current and pre-morbid personality variables that differentiate AD from control groups are identified. The personality traits variables are the best discriminators such as low agreeableness, low openness to experience, and high neuroticism, suggesting that the maladaptive personality functioning can be described extending the range of psychopathology to a dimensional approach. The study of personality variables seems to suggest, in their inclusion, the possibility to increase sensitivity toward an assessment in AD.

Rapid identification and differential markers of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of different sources based on Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose

Since Curcumae Radix decoction pieces have multiple sources, it is difficult to distinguish depending on traditional cha-racters, and the mixed use of multi-source Curcumae Radix will affect its clinical efficacy. Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose was used in this study to quickly identify and analyze the odor components of 40 batches of Curcumae Radix samples from Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Guangxi. Based on the odor fingerprints established for Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of multiple sources, the odor components was identified and analyzed, and the chromatographic peaks were processed and analyzed to establish a rapid identification method. Principal component analysis(PCA), discriminant factor analysis(DFA), and soft independent modeling cluster analysis(SIMCA) were constructed for verification. At the same time, one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) combined with variable importance in projection(VIP) was employed to screen out the odor components with P&lt;0.05 and VIP&gt;1, and 13 odor components such as β-caryophyllene and limonene were hypothesized as the odor differential markers of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of diffe-rent sources. The results showed that Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose can well analyze the odor characteristics and rapidly and accurately discriminate Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of different sources. It can be applied to the quality control(e.g., online detection) in the production of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces. This study provides a new method and idea for the rapid identification and quality control of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces.