High Degree Of Association Research Articles

Biometric characteristics of fruits, seeds and plants of Hancornia speciosa Gomes. (Apocynaceae)

The economic and scientific interest in Hancornia speciosa Gomes (mangabeira) has increased in recent years, especially due to the commercialization of its fruits and the extraction of natural compounds with high pharmacological potential. This paper aims to determine and correlate the main physical and biometric characteristics of fruits and seeds of mangaba tree, as well as identifying the most appropriate substrate for the seedling emergence test. The following physical and biometric traits were measured in 100 fruits and 100 seeds: longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, thickness, fresh mass, pulp fresh mass, volume, number of seeds. To identify the best substrate, a completely randomized design with two treatments (substrates) and ten replications of 20 seeds was used. The evaluated substrates were: sand and commercial substrate (Plantmax HT®). The shoot height, root length, stem diameter, total dry mass, and the relation between shoot height and stem diameter were evaluated at 50 days after sowing. Mangaba fruits and seeds showed great variations in their biometric traits, in addition to significant and positive correlation predominant in most characteristics. High fruit pulp yield can be optimized with the selection of plants with fruits show greater fresh mass due to the high degree of association between this characteristic and pulp yield. The use of the commercial substrate resulted in higher shoot height, greater number of leaves, and higher shoot height/stem diameter ratio.

A cluster analysis of the relationship between sucking habits, consistency of food ingested, and taste sensitivity in children.

As sucking habits and eating behavior may be interrelated and also associated with taste, body composition, and sociodemographic factors, the objective was to perform an exploratory analysis to identify groups of children with a high degree of association between intragroup subjects, providing explanation and interpretation of the data. The study initially included 352 prepubertal children (197 girls; 7- to 11-year-old), from whom information about sociodemographic characteristics, duration of breastfeeding, past bottle-feeding and non-nutritive sucking habits, taste sensitivity, body mass index (BMI), and consistency of food ingested were collected. Salivary concentrations of amylase and total protein were also determined. Data were submitted to cluster analysis (hierarchical analysis, K-means, and silhouette plot), one-way ANOVA and correlation tests. Cluster analysis included 159 children, generating three reliable and meaningful clusters: Cluster 1 (labeled "good tasters"), was characterized by older children and higher taste sensitivity; Cluster 2 ("softer food consistency") by longer bottle-feeding duration and children who eat food with lower consistency, and Cluster 3 ("breastfed") by longer breastfeeding duration (silhouette coefficient = 0.61). Cluster 3 also showed the higher percentage of normal-weight children, normal delivery, maternal schooling, and lower rate of past non-nutritional sucking habit. No correlation was found between salivary amylase and total protein concentrations, taste sensitivity and BMI, although taste sensitivity showed to be higher among girls (p = 0.002; power = 88%). The study identified three clusters, highlighting the relationship between nutritional sucking habits, consistency of food ingested, and sociodemographic characteristics. Most importantly, a close relation between bottle-feeding and consumption of soft food consistency was observed.

Factors Underlying Bench Press Performance in Elite Competitive Powerlifters.

Reya, M, Škarabot, J, Cvetičanin, B, and Šarabon, N. Factors underlying bench press performance in elite competitive powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res 35(8): 2179-2186, 2021-Previous investigations of 1 repetition maximum bench press (1RM BP) performance have been either descriptive or have explored a limited number of contributing variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interplay between structural, technical, and neuromuscular factors in relation to 1RM BP in competitive powerlifters. Thirteen national and international level male powerlifters (26 ± 9 years, 178 ± 6 cm, and 93.8 ± 9.9 kg) visited the laboratory twice. Anthropometric and ultrasound measures were taken on the first visit, whereas performance measures (voluntary activation level, isokinetic strength, and kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic measurements during 1RM BP) were recorded on the second visit. Correlation and multiple regression were used to investigate the contribution of structural, technical, and neuromuscular variables to 1RM BP corrected for body mass using the Wilks coefficient. The highest degree of association was shown for structural (lean and bone mass, brachial index, arm circumference, and agonist cross-sectional area [CSA]; r = 0.58-0.74) followed by neuromuscular factors (elbow and shoulder flexion strength; r = 0.57-0.71), whereas technical factors did not correlate with 1RM BP performance (r ≤ 0.49). The multiple regression showed that lean body mass, brachial index, and isometric shoulder flexion torque predicted 59% of the common variance in 1RM BP. These data suggest that in a sample of elite competitive powerlifters, multiple factors contribute to 1RM BP with variables such as lean body mass, the agonist CSA, brachial index, and strength of the elbow and shoulder flexors being the greatest predictors of performance.

Chitosan content modulates durability and structural homogeneity of chitosan-gellan gum assemblies.

Here we report a new and straightforward method to yield durable polyelectrolyte complexes (hydrogel PECs) from gellan gum (GG) and chitosan (CS) assemblies, without metallic and covalent crosslinking agents, commonly used to produce GG and CS-based hydrogels, respectively. This new approach overcomes challenges of obtaining stable and durable GG-based hydrogels with structural homogeneity, avoiding precipitation and aqueous instability, typical of PEC-based materials. PECs are created by blending CS:GG solutions (at 60 °C) with GG:CS weight ratios between 80:20 to 40:60. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows that CS-GG chains are interacting by electrostatic and intermolecular forces, conferring a high degree of association to the washed PECs, characteristic of self-assembling of polymer chains. The CS:GG weight ratio can be tuned to improve polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) high porosity, stability, porous homogeneity, and degradation rate. Physical and thermosensitive CS/GG-based hydrogels can have advantages over conventional materials produced by chemical processes.

The Effect of Training on Employees' Productivity in Public Organizations in U.A.E

Today, many organizations of different sizes are facing challenges related to the productivity of labour and staff. Training of is an important factor that contributes positively to employee's productivity. This study is an attempt to discuss the theories of training and examines the influence of training on the productivity of employees in the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in U.A.E. It is assumed in this study that many organizations in U.A.E have weak interest to use new theories in training and want to continue on traditional methods which may not lead to the desired results. Therefore, the lack of effective training is one of the main reasons for low productivity in public organizations in UAE. The findings of this study showed that training is correlated with employee’s productivity in a positive, causal, and high degrees of association. Therefore, it is highly recommended to focus on using suitable training methods that match the type of business and tasks required from employees in order to increase their productivity.

A longitudinal study of parent-reported sensory responsiveness in toddlers at-risk for autism.

Atypical sensory responsivity and sensory interests are now included in the DSM 5 diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) under the broad domain of restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB). However, relatively little is known about the emergence of sensory-related features and their relation to conventionally defined RRB in the first years of life. Prospective, longitudinal parent-report data using the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) were collected for 331 high-risk toddlers (74 of whom met diagnostic criteria for ASD at age 2) and 135 low-risk controls. Longitudinal profiles for SEQ scores were compared between groups across ages 12-24months. Associations between SEQ measures and measures of RRB subtypes (based on the Repetitive Behavior Scale, Revised) were also examined. Longitudinal profiles for all SEQ scores significantly differed between groups. SEQ scores were elevated for the ASD group from age 12months, with differences becoming more pronounced across the 12-24month interval. At both 12 and 24months, most measures derived from the SEQ were significantly associated with all subtypes of RRB. These findings suggest that differences in sensory responsivity may be evident in high-risk infants later diagnosed with ASD in early toddlerhood, and that the magnitude of these differences increases over the second year of life. The high degree of association between SEQ scores and RRB supports the conceptual alignment of these features but also raises questions as to explanatory mechanisms.

Effect of twist on the electromechanical properties of carbon nanotube yarns

Twist is used in dry-spinning of carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn mostly to establish a high degree of association between the loosely bound CNT bundles. By doing so, the CNT yarn undergoes mechanical densification, which increases its strength and changes its electrical properties. The effect of twist on the elastic modulus, tensile strength, strain-to-failure, toughness and piezoresistivity was studied and discussed for CNT yarns subjected to uniaxial tension. Due to the interplay of inter-tube slippage and structural reformation with twist, there is an optimal twist level to achieve desired properties. Low-twist CNT yarns exhibited a lower breaking strength and elongation at rupture but higher elastic modulus compared to medium- and high-twist CNT yarns. The piezoresistive response of the CNT yarns was highest at medium twist followed by high twist levels. Twist-induced compaction in the CNT yarn increases contacts between CNT bundles, improving the mobility of charge carriers. Consequently, porosity is reduced while toughness and conductivity increase with increasing twist. It was observed that specific conductivity of the CNT yarn is not constant but increases with twist angle. The understanding of the piezoresistivity of CNT yarns with respect to twist levels could be useful in optimizing their properties as sensors and actuators.

Reconstructing Solar Wind Inhomogeneous Structures From Stereoscopic Observations in White Light: Small Transients Along the Sun‐Earth Line

AbstractThe Heliospheric Imagers (HI) onboard the two spacecraft of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) provided white‐light images of transients in the solar wind from dual perspectives from 2007 to 2014. In this paper, we develop a new method to identify and locate the transients automatically from simultaneous images from the two inner telescopes, known as HI‐1, based on a correlation analysis. Correlation coefficient (cc) maps along the Sun‐Earth line are constructed for the period from 1 January 2010 to 28 February 2011. From the maps, transients propagating along the Sun‐Earth line are identified, and a 27‐day periodic pattern is revealed, especially for small‐scale transients. Such a periodicity in the transient pattern is consistent with the rotation of the Sun's global magnetic structure and the periodic crossing of the streamer structures and slow solar wind across the Sun‐Earth line, and this substantiates the reliability of our method and the high degree of association between the small‐scale transients of the slow solar wind and the coronal streamers. Besides, it is suggested by the cc map that small‐scale transients along the Sun‐Earth line are more frequent than large‐scale transients by a factor of at least 2, and that they quickly diffused into background solar wind within about 40 Rs in terms of the signal‐to‐noise ratio of white‐light emissions. The method provides a new tool to reconstruct inhomogeneous structures in the heliosphere from multiple perspectives.

Analysis of modularity and integration suggests evolution of dragonfly wing venation mainly in response to functional demands.

Insect wings show a high variability in wing venation. Selection for function, developmental pathways and phylogeny likely influenced wing vein diversification, however, quantitative data to estimate these influences and their interplay are missing. Here, it is tested how dragonfly wing vein configuration is influenced by functional demands, development, phylogeny and allometry using the concepts of modularity and integration. In an evolutionary context, modules are sets of characters that evolve in relative independence to other characters, while integration refers to a high degree of association between subparts of a structure. Results show allometric and phylogenetic signal in the wing shape variation, however, patterns of integration and modularity are not influenced by these two factors. Overall, dragonfly wings are highly integrated structures with almost no modular signal. Configuration changes in one wing vein or wing area thus influence wing shape as a whole. Moreover, the fore- and hindwings correlate with each other in their evolutionary shape variation supporting biomechanical data of wing interdependence. Despite the overall high degree of evolutionary integration, functional hypotheses of modularity could be confirmed for two wing areas, the arculus–triangle complex at the base of the wing which is responsible for passive wing folding especially during flapping flight and the location of the pterostigma, a coloured wing cell which is more heavy that other wing cells and passively regulates wing pitch as well as critical flight speeds during gliding. Although evolving as distinct modules, these specific vein regions also show high integration and evolve at the same rates like the whole wing which suggests an influence of these structures on the shape evolution of the rest of the wing. Their biomechanical role as passive regulators of wing corrugation and wing pitch suggests that these structures decisively influenced the evolution of advanced modern flight styles and explains their retention once they had evolved early within the lineage Odonatoptera.

Severe perineal lacerations after vaginal delivery: are they an anesthesiologist's problem?

Perineal tears or lacerations are common occurrences after vaginal delivery. Understanding the degree of severity of these tears and the immediate and long-term complications of severe perineal lacerations can assist anesthesiologists with the management of these patients in the immediate postpartum period. Severe perineal lacerations have a high degree of association with postpartum depression. The presence of neuraxial labor analgesia decreases the odds of severe perineal lacerations. Neuraxial labor analgesia does not directly predispose parturients to the development of perineal lacerations, and may even be protective against these injuries.

A Comparison of Two Alternate Scaling Approaches Employed for Task Analyses in Credentialing Examination Development

AbstractCredentialing examination developers rely on task (job) analyses for establishing inventories of task and knowledge areas in which competency is required for safe and successful practice in target occupations. There are many ways in which task‐related information may be gathered from practitioner ratings, each with its own advantage and limitation. Two of the myriad alternative task analysis rating approaches are compared in situ: one establishing relative task saliency through a single scale of rated importance and another employing a composite of several independent scales. Outcomes regarding tasks ranked by two practitioner groups are compared. A relatively high degree of association is observed between tasks ranked through each approach, yielding comparable, though not identical examination blueprints.

“Positive” urine testing for Cannabis is associated with increased risk of traffic crashes

Although recent Cannabis use is widely reported to be associated with drug-related traffic accidents, the evidence that Cannabis users show an increased risk of being involved in road crashes is still not unequivocally proved. The purpose of the present work is to provide an objective assessment of this hypothesis, by comparing the frequency of occurrence of positive urine analyses in drivers involved in traffic accidents (n = 1406) with that observed in a control population undergoing mandatory urine drug testing (n = 1953). Urine analyses for drugs of abuse were performed by screening immunometric techniques followed by confirmation with UHPLC-QQQ MS, adopting a cut-off concentration for THC-COOH of 15 ng/mL. A case was classified as “positive” when a driver admitted to hospital for road traffic injuries showed urine concentrations of THC-COOH higher than the cut-off. All samples showing positive results for any other controlled drug in urine or blood alcohol concentrations >0.5 mg/mL were excluded from the study. Subjects positive to THC-COOH, and negative to all the other tested substances were 116 in Group 1 (8.2%) and 16 in Group 2 (0.8%). Subjects resulting negative to any tested substances were 1290 in Group 1 and 1937 in Group 2. The frequency of THC-COOH detection in the two groups was compared by using the “chi square” test, which resulted = 119.57, i.e. highly significant (P <<< 0.01). The Odds Ratio of the two groups was =10.88, showing a high degree of association between the presence of THC-COOH in urine and the occurrence of traffic accidents (P < 0.0001). The presented data, proving a high degree of association between Cannabis use and the occurrence of traffic accidents with injuries of the driver, support the use of urine testing for Cannabis in the procedures for the issuing of the driving licence, particularly in the case of subjects formerly or presently using Cannabis. This finding looks even more relevant in the present times, because of the increasing success of the policies of legalization of Cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes.

MF-GF Horizontal Distance as a Predictor of Sagittal Jaw Dysplasia (A Cephalometric Cross Sectional Study)

To overcome the deficiencies, at least geometric shortcoming, associated with the most commonly available sagittal indicators (ANB, Wits), efforts were employed to develope another an accurate and valuable mean for sagittal skeletal prediction. The study aimed to establish the mean values of a new sagittal approach [MF-GF”] for the assessment of skeletal relationship in its different patterns and whether or not there is a correlation with the other cephalometric indexes used in the study. The total study sample consist of ninety seven pretreatment lateral cephalometric radiograph of Iraqi subjects with a mean age (13.5± 2). Again it has been subdivided into three skeletal relations (I, II, III) according to the combined criteria of (ANB angle, W angle, Wits appraisal) for each relevant class. MF-GF” is a linear distance measured between two lines perpendicular on the Frankfurt line from point M and G of the maxilla and mandible, respectively. Their mean values were (6.83 ± 0.69; 10.29 ± 1.63; 1.52 ± 1.60) for class I; II; III, respectively. A statistical significant mean difference was determined among all the classes. No significant gender differences were detected. A high degree of association was found to be with ANB angle (r= 0.82, P value<0.001) followed by the wits appraisal. It was concluded that the new MF-GF” distance can accurately be utilized in clinical assessment of sagittal jaw relationship in conjunction with other well known methods of sagittal jaw indicators for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Further studies are required to assess the reliability and reproducibility of MF-GF” linear for different skeletal patterns using larger sample and different age groups.

Alveolar Osteitis: Patient\'s Compliance with Post-extraction Instructions Following Permanent Teeth Extraction

The study aims to evaluate the patients' compliance with post-extraction instructions to prevent the development of alveolar osteitis and keep the health of the socket. Alveolar osteitis "Dry socket" is considered one of the most common complications after extraction. Study was based on an observational cross-sectional design involving 201 subjects (individuals). The subjects were evaluated via a survey questionnaire and clinical examination after obtaining their verbal and written consent. The study questionnaire was divided into the following sections; section one records the demographic data about the subject while the second section focuses on self-assessment mainly regarding compliance with post-extraction instructions and pain. A total number of patients included in the study was 201, 122 (60.7%) male and 79 (39.3%) female with an age of more than 18 years. No statistically significant association was reported between a medical condition and dry socket. Out of 201 patients came for clinical examination, 89 felt pain at the site of extraction at different period started from the day of extraction till the day of examination with various pain intensity. Females were the most to feel pain after tooth extraction with 78%. Regarding prevalence, 14 (7%) patients reported having dry socket and poor socket status. A statistically significant association of non-complying patients with the incidence of the dry socket was observed for a wide range of age (18 to 40 years) Conclusion: The study showed a high degree of association between the incidence of dry socket cases for patients with poor compliance with post-extraction instruction. A strong relation was observed between the patients who felt pain and their gender (females) Clinical significance: Based on the findings of the present study, we recommend the need to properly educate patients on the effect of compliance and the various complications and factors affecting the socket status after tooth extraction due to non-compliance.

Estudio de percepción del clima organizacional de las empresas tecnificadas de ganadería de leche de la provincia del Tundama en el departamento de Boyacá

The purpose of this research was to characterize the organizational climate of the technified dairy cattle companies of the province of Tundama in the department of Boyacá, in order to contribute to the generation of human resources management strategies that favor the working environment in the farms. The study included farms dedicated to specialized milk production, affiliated to the Boyacá - FABEGAN Cattle Federation, with a daily average of production per cow, equal to or greater than 12 liters, record management, adopting grassland management systems, double milking, formal sale of milk and good livestock practices. An exploratory, psychometric technological methodology was followed, with descriptive data analysis and a mixed approach. An instrument was constructed and validated by means of a pilot test, a psychometric test by an expert panel. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.9044395 and Pearson's Chi square was 787.14 with 220 degrees of freedom and a probability &lt;2.2 -16, evidencing a high degree of association between the variables. The simple correspondence analysis allowed to establish the affinity of the organizational climate in the farms for each of the 6 response options proposed on a Likert scale. Clustering of the farms was carried out for each dimension of the organizational climate, generating two clusters, hoping that one of them groups the farms that have the behavior closest to the ideal and the other, farther away from the ideal. Finally, strategies were proposed that contribute to improving the organizational climate of Boyacá cattle companies.

A PVC/polypyrrole sensor designed for beef taste detection using electrochemical methods and sensory evaluation

An electrochemical sensor for detection of beef taste was designed in this study. This sensor was based on the structure of polyvinyl chloride/polypyrrole (PVC/PPy), which was polymerized onto the surface of a platinum (Pt) electrode to form a Pt-PPy-PVC film. Detecting by electrochemical methods, the sensor was well characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The sensor was applied to detect 10 rib-eye beef samples and the accuracy of the new sensor was validated by sensory evaluation and ion sensor detection. Several cluster analysis methods were used in the study to distinguish the beef samples. According to the obtained results, the designed sensor showed a high degree of association of electrochemical detection and sensory evaluation, which proved a fast and precise sensor for beef taste detection.

Do conspecific populations exhibit divergent phenological patterns? A study case of widespread savanna species

Widespread savanna tree species can grow and survive at sites that diverge in water availability and seasonality, thus these species may be able to adjust their phenology in response to site variations. Here we evaluated vegetative and reproductive phenology in five woody species whose populations grow at two savannas sites under divergent climatic regimes, inserted in a large transitional zone between the Amazon forest and the semi-arid region. Patterns of leaf fall, leaf flush and flowering were recorded monthly for five woody species growing under longer (LDS) and shorter (SDS) dry seasons. We evaluated the seasonality, the start and peak dates for phenological events and the associations between phenophases and climatic data. We found a close relationship between phenological events and site temperatures, with phenological peaks in the LDS occurring, in general, about one to three months later than at the SDS site. Leaf fall coincides with warmer and drier periods when the day length is shorter. Leaf production and flowering were associated with increased day length in some populations. Our results support the hypothesis that the conspecific populations have a high degree of association with climatic variables, especially temperature and day length, showing distinct phenological responses associated to the local climatic differences.

Relating CEO leadership behavior and organization culture in the Indian context

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between CEO leadership behavior and the culture of the organization within the context of Indian organizations.Design/methodology/approachTwo five-scale questionnaires were completed by senior executives (n=485) who have interaction with their CEO. The first instrument captured the executives’ perspective of their CEO’s leadership behavior along six dimensions (People Centric, Global Ambitions, Opportunity Sensing, Visionary, Exemplary, and Dependable). The second instrument captured the executives’ perspective of their organization’s culture along six dimensions (Results Focused, Talent Development, Employee Empowerment, Equity and Fairness, Open Communication, and Decentralization). These data were analyzed using factor analysis, correlation analysis, and least-squares regression.FindingsA correlation analysis indicates that a significant relationship exists between several aspects of CEO leadership behavior and characteristics of the organizational culture. Regression analysis indicated that the overall CEO leadership behavior prominently explains (R2=0.397) the organization’s culture. Notably, two CEO dimensions, People Centricity and Global Ambition, were found to have an exceptionally high degree of association with the culture of the organization.Research limitations/implicationsThere is consistency between findings from western academic leader-culture research and the same in the Indian work setting.Practical implicationsFindings of this study can serve as a guidepost for the selection of leaders in an organization.Originality/valueThere is a scarcity of leader-organization research involving national culture features; the Indian context is fundamental to this study and is called for by the growing presence of India-born leadership in western organizations.

Morphometric diversity and phylogenetic relationships among Iranian honey bee (Apis mellifera meda Skorikow, 1829) populations using morphological characters

In this study, the morphometric diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Iranian honey bee populations, were investigated using 14 morphometric characteristics. A total of 2250 young adult worker bees from 20 different populations in 20 different provinces of Iran were collected during June to October 2014. The results of nested analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences (P&lt;0.01) between the provinces for all analyzed morphometric traits indicating the existence of a diversity among them. Correlation coefficient analysis showed a high degree of association among the most of the traits. This correlation coefficient should be a putative mean to improve of certain characters in breeding of honey bee. Principal component analysis revealed three principal components explained 81.5% of the total variation. Cluster analysis using WARD method classified honey bee populations into two main groups. The first group includes the honey bees collected from North, Northwest and West portions of Iran. The second group was represented by the honey bees from Eastern North, Central and Southern regions of Iran. The phylogenetic tree based on UPGMA method divided 29 subspecies of honey bee to 5 distinct clusters. The Iranian subspecies honey bee composed of a shared clade with subspecies of Eastern Mediterranean, Near East and Eastern parts of Middle East (O branch).

Multimodal MR-imaging reveals large-scale structural and functional connectivity changes in profound early blindness.

In the setting of profound ocular blindness, numerous lines of evidence demonstrate the existence of dramatic anatomical and functional changes within the brain. However, previous studies based on a variety of distinct measures have often provided inconsistent findings. To help reconcile this issue, we used a multimodal magnetic resonance (MR)-based imaging approach to provide complementary structural and functional information regarding this neuroplastic reorganization. This included gray matter structural morphometry, high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) of white matter connectivity and integrity, and resting state functional connectivity MRI (rsfcMRI) analysis. When comparing the brains of early blind individuals to sighted controls, we found evidence of co-occurring decreases in cortical volume and cortical thickness within visual processing areas of the occipital and temporal cortices respectively. Increases in cortical volume in the early blind were evident within regions of parietal cortex. Investigating white matter connections using HARDI revealed patterns of increased and decreased connectivity when comparing both groups. In the blind, increased white matter connectivity (indexed by increased fiber number) was predominantly left-lateralized, including between frontal and temporal areas implicated with language processing. Decreases in structural connectivity were evident involving frontal and somatosensory regions as well as between occipital and cingulate cortices. Differences in white matter integrity (as indexed by quantitative anisotropy, or QA) were also in general agreement with observed pattern changes in the number of white matter fibers. Analysis of resting state sequences showed evidence of both increased and decreased functional connectivity in the blind compared to sighted controls. Specifically, increased connectivity was evident between temporal and inferior frontal areas. Decreases in functional connectivity were observed between occipital and frontal and somatosensory-motor areas and between temporal (mainly fusiform and parahippocampus) and parietal, frontal, and other temporal areas. Correlations in white matter connectivity and functional connectivity observed between early blind and sighted controls showed an overall high degree of association. However, comparing the relative changes in white matter and functional connectivity between early blind and sighted controls did not show a significant correlation. In summary, these findings provide complimentary evidence, as well as highlight potential contradictions, regarding the nature of regional and large scale neuroplastic reorganization resulting from early onset blindness.