High Coefficient Of Variation Research Articles

A synergistic effect of dietary β-glucan and mannan oligosaccharide on growth performance, haematology, body composition, nutrient utilisation, and intestinal morphology in pompano, Trachinotus ovatus

Pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) is an economically important aquacultural species. Intensive pompano cultivation faces numerous obstacles including pathogens, environmental stress, and the use of chemicals and drugs. It has been demonstrated that prebiotics, particularly mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and β-glucan (BG), support growth and improve general health in a variety of species. However, studies on the effects of combining BG and MOS on the pompano performance are lacking. Thus, this study examined the influence of BG and MOS on pompano weighing 13.12±0.14 g for 8 weeks. The results revealed that fish fed BG, MOS, or BG+MOS had significantly increased growth rates (P≤0.001). The survival rate ranged from 97.3% to 99.4% without significant differences (P≤0.022). Fish in the control group had the highest coefficient of variation (CV) (30.78%), whereas fish in the MOS+BG group had the lowest CV (23.10%). RBC and WBC counts were higher in all supplemented-diet treatments (P ≤ 0.042). Among the supplemented diets, the combination diet resulted in the highest RBC and WBC count. The feed conversion ratios (FCR) of fish fed BG, MOS, or MOS + BG decreased significantly (P≤0.017). The FCR of fish fed both BG and MOS was lower than that of fish fed either BG or MOS (P≤0.032). Fish fed both BG and MOS had a higher feed conversion eficiency (FCE) than those fed only BG or MOS (P≤0.014). Protein content was the highest in pompanos fed BG + MOS and lowest in fish fed only BG or MOS. Dietary BG, MOS, or BG + MOS decreased the lipid content in pompano (P≤0.037). The protein efficiency ratio of pompano fed BG+MOS diet was significantly increased (P≤0.021). Villus length, villus width, and villous surface area increased in fish fed the supplemented diet, with the highest values observed in fish fed the combination of BG and MOS. It is recommended to offer pompano, T. ovatus, a mixture of 1 g kg β-glucan and 4 g kg mannan oligosaccharide to improve growth performance, hematology, feed and nutrient utilization, and gut morphology.

Exploitation of the Genetic Variability of Diverse Metric Traits of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum Desf.) Cultivars for Local Adaptation to Semi-Arid Regions of Algeria.

Abiotic stresses pose significant challenges to wheat farming, yet exploiting the genetic variability within germplasm collections offers an opportunity to effectively address these challenges. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of key agronomic traits among twenty durum wheat cultivars, with the intention to pinpoint those better suited to semi-arid conditions. Field trials were conducted at the ITGC-FDPS Institute, Setif, Algeria, during the winter season of 2021/22. A completely randomized design was used with three replicates. Statistical analyses revealed significant variation among the genotypes for most of the studied traits, with some cultivars exhibiting a superior performance in a stressful environment. Notably, traits like the number of grains per spike (NGS) and the grain yield (GY) displayed high genotypic coefficients of variation (CVg). Except for membrane thermostability (MT) and biological yield (BY), the majority of the assessed traits exhibited moderate-to-high heritability estimates. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation studies have confirmed the importance of many yield-related traits in the expression of GY. The harvest index (HI) underscored the highest genotypic direct effect on GY, followed closely by spike number (SN), serving as consistent pathways through which most of the measured traits indirectly influenced GY. The cluster analysis categorized the durum wheat cultivars into seven distinct clusters. The largest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters G3 and G4 (D2 = 6145.86), reflecting maximum dissimilarity between the individuals of these clusters. Hybridizing divergent clusters may benefit future breeding programs aiming to develop potential durum wheat varieties through cross combinations. This study's findings contribute to sustainable agriculture efforts by facilitating the selection of genotypes with enhanced resilience and productivity, particularly for cultivation in challenging semi-arid regions.

Studies of Genetic Variability in Sesame (<i>Sesamum</i> <i>indicum</i> L.) Collections for Morpho-Agronomic Traits at Werer, Ethiopia

Knowledge of genetic variability is necessary to develop a suitable breeding method for crop improvement. Thus, further information on the existence of variability in sesame accessions is needed to set appropriate breeding strategies and improve sesame in terms of yield and desired quality traits. Based on this concern, this research was conducted to estimate the phenotypic and genotypic variability, heritability, and genetic advance among sesame accessions. A total of sixty-four sesame (<i>Sesamum</i> <i>indicum</i> L.) Accessions were evaluated in an 8*8 lattice design with two replications in 2021 at the Werer Agricultural Research Center. The results of the analysis of variance showed that, except for the 50% days to emergence and the number of seeds per pod, there were statistically significant differences between the accessions for all traits. A relatively high (>20%) phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation was estimated for the number of pods per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, seed yield, and biomass yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM) was recorded for thousand seed weight, number of primary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, biomass yield, and seed yield. The information and genetic variability obtained in the present study could be used to plant appropriate breeding procedures and develop genotypes with high productivity in future sesame improvement programs.

High intra-patient variability of tacrolimus within post-operative 1month predicted worse 1-year outcomes in pediatric liver transplant recipients.

The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus (TAC) show high intra-patient variability (IPV), which is associated with poor long-term outcomes following adult liver transplantation(LT). However, this relationship remains to be confirmed in pediatric liver transplant (PLT) recipients. The present study aimed to investigate the association between TAC IPV and grafts or patient outcomes after pediatric liver transplantion. This retrospective study included 848 PLT recipients (including infants) between January, 2016, and June, 2021. The IPV of TAC concentrations was estimated by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV) of trough concentrations in whole blood within 1month after transplantation. Patients were categorized into two groups, low IPV (CV < 45%) and high IPV (CV ≥ 45%), based on the third quartile of the CV distribution. A total of 848 patients were included in our study. The low CV group included 614 patients, with a mean TAC trough concentration of 8.59 ± 1.65ng/ml and a median CV of 32.37%. In contrast, the high CV group included 214 patients, the mean TAC trough concentration and median CV were 8.81 ± 2.00ng/ml and 54.88%, respectively. The median hospital duration was significantly higher in the high CV group (22days vs. 20days, P = 0.01). Univariate analysis was performed to evaluate the significant differences in 1-year recipient survival (P = 0.041) and 1-year graft survival (P = 0.005) between the high- and low-CV groups. Moreover, high CV (HR 2.316, 95%CI 1.026-5.231, P = 0.043) and persistent EBV viremia (HR 13.165, 95%CI 3.090-56.081, P < 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for 1- year mortality after PLT. PLT recipients with high TAC trough concentration of CV in the first month were associated with poor 1-year outcomes. This CV calculation provides a valuable strategy to monitor TAC exposure.

Exploring the Genetic Variability of Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] Genotypes Over Environments

Background: The present investigation was carried out in 50 diverse blackgram genotypes during rabi 2021-22 in three different locations viz., Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai (E1), National Pulses Research Institute, Vamban (E2) and a farmer’s field at Vizhudhudayan, Ariyalur district (E3) for exploring the genetic variability of the blackgram genotypes over environments. Methods: The data on 10 quantitative traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per cluster, total number of pods per plant, pod length (cm), hundred seed weight (g) and seed yield per plant (g) were subjected to genetic variability analysis. Result: The traits viz., plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, total number of pods per plant, hundred seed weight (g) and seed yield per plant (g) revealed a high phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean. Hence, these traits may be given much importance during selection due to their additive gene action. These results might render yield enhancement in future breeding programs.

Genetic Parameters and Association Studies for Yield and Grain Quality Traits in Rice Genotypes Derived from Distant Crosses

In the current study, 49 rice genotypes were studied for thirteen yield and grain quality traits to estimate the variability parameters and character associations. Number of filled grains per panicle and grain yield/plant recorded high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation and most of the characters studied manifested high heritability estimates except for ear bearing tillers/plant and kernel breadth. Grain yield/plant exhibited high estimates for all genetic parameters indicating the predominance of additive gene action in the inheritance of this trait. The results of correlations revealed that, days to 50% flowering, plant height, ear bearing tillers/plant, number of primary branches/panicle, number of filled grains/panicle and test weight exhibited positive and significant correlation with grain yield. The outcome of path coefficient analysis concluded that days to 50% flowering, plant height, ear bearing tillers/plant, number of primary branches/panicle, number of filled grains/panicle and test weight manifested positive direct effects as well as significant positive association with grain yield, and hence direct selection of these traits would improve grain yield/plant.

Evaluation of Germplasm for Reproductive Stage Salinity Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The current study was carried out to identify salt tolerant genotypes by screening 76 rice germplasm at reproductive stage salinity stress. The test entries were subjected to salt stress under field conditions and salinity was noted at different intervals of crop growth period i.e., 30 and 67 days after sowing and at the time of harvesting with the pH value of 5.4 and electrical conductivity of 4.3 dSm-1, 5.3 dSm-1and 7.2 dSm-1 respectively. The characters namely, salinity score, days to 50 percent flowering, plant height, panicle length, productive tillers/plant, number of filled grains/panicle, total number of grains/panicle, spikelet fertility and grain yield/plant were studied under saline conditions. Variability, heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean showed high genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation for grain yield plant-1indicating the presence of considerable amount of variation among the genotypes for potential yield improvement through selection. The trait grain yield per plant had high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean indicating that it is regulated by additive gene action and therefore selection could be practiced based on phenotypic performance. Association studies under saline conditions, revealed favorable and significant correlation of grain yield per plant with days to 50% flowering, panicle length, plant height, total number of grains per panicle, number of filled grains per panicle and productive tillers per plant whereas, spikelet fertility and plant height on the other hand, recorded negative non-significant correlation, indicating the undesirable causes of salinity on plant growth and yield potential.

Probabilistic slope stability analysis: A novel distribution for soils exhibiting highly variable spatial properties

Slope stability calculation depends on the soil properties (cohesion and the friction angle) of the soil. Heterogeneous terrains are frequently observed in civil and mining projects where the properties are highly spatially variable. Based on a real data from case studies, this paper presents a probabilistic analysis of the slope stability of highly heterogeneous terrains with a very high coefficient of variation (COV) of the cohesion distribution. The existing deterministic and probabilistic approaches for calculating slope stability lack the capability to effectively consider the significant heterogeneity present in the terrain The objective of the paper is to develop a new bounded interval distribution having a COV that is as high (>150%) as the COV of the cohesion distribution The results obtained with this new distribution are compared to 4 other semi-infinite distributions. To consider the correlation between cohesion and the friction angle, a specific formulation was developed to generate friction angles varying between fixed minimum and maximum limits and having the desired correlation coefficient, mean, and standard deviation. The new cohesion and friction angle distributions were incorporated and tested in a probabilistic numerical model. The new distribution can presently be applied to geotechnical studies for terrains and heterogenous materials with properties exhibiting high spatial variability.

Clinical assessment of corneal alterations in endocrine disorders

Corneal alterations are frequent in many endocrine disorders like Grave’s ophthalmopathy and diabetes mellitus. Since early diagnosis of such a change can prevent visual impairment, it presents a challenge to an ophthalmologist.Clinical assessment &amp; significance of corneal alterations in endocrine disorders.1. To conduct comprehensive assessment of corneal alterations in endocrine disorders. 2. To Identify specific corneal abnormalities in patients with endocrine disorders. 3. To delineate the clinical significance of corneal alterations in endocrine disorders by determining their impact on visual function and guiding therapeutic strategies.This study was a prospective, observational, hospital-based study conducted over a period of two years including 150 patients of different endocrine disorders. Ocular examination included physical examination to check for any pain on ocular movements, ophthalmoplegia, diplopia, or proptosis. Visual acuity was examined by Snellen’s chart, anterior segment by slit-lamp, intra-ocular pressure by non-contact tonometer, qualitative measurement of corneal sensation by a cotton-wisp and central corneal thickness was measured by pachymetry. Corneal endothelial cell parameters like endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation of cell area (CV), percentage of hexagonal cell (HEX) were measured by clinical specular microscope.The age range was 14 to 82 years with mean age being 48.43±14.2 years. The male to female ratio was 1.34:1. Type-2 diabetes mellitus was the most frequently encountered endocrine disorder (64.7%), followed by hypothyroidism (13.3%). Addison’s disease was the least encountered (0.7%). The most severe changes to the cornea, such as chronic epithelial abnormalities, superficial punctate keratopathy, altered corneal sensations, and dry eyes, were observed in patients with type 2 diabetes, followed by Graves’s ophthalmopathy and hypothyroidism. Patients with T2DM and T1DM had elevated CCT values, reduced endothelial cell density, abnormally high coefficient of variance and low hexagonal cells.The present study showed that different corneal alterations can be possible in endocrine disorders. So all endocrine disorders should undergo comprehensive ophthalmological examination to prevent visual impairment.

Study of Genetic Diversity and Genetic Advance in Brinjal for Morpho-Economic Traits (Solanum melongena L.)

In two distinct environments (E1 and E2), the current experiment was set up using a randomized block design with the goal of determining the extent of genetic diversity, heritability, and genetic advancement among 15 yield-related variables in brinjal. The analysis of variance results revealed that there were significant genetic variances across brinjal genotypes, indicating a significant degree of variability and boosting the opportunity for selection to improve the essential traits. There was a noticeable variance in mean values between the genotypes for several traits, from modest to wide. For most of the features under investigation, with the exception of days to 50% flowering, moderate to high genotypic coefficient of variation, moderate to high heritability, and genetic advancement as a percentage of mean were reported.

Radiological biomarkers reflecting visceral fat distribution help distinguish inflammatory bowel disease subtypes: a multicenter cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo achieve automated quantification of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) distribution in CT images and screen out parameters with discriminative value for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) subtypes.MethodsThis retrospective multicenter study included Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients from three institutions between 2012 and 2021, with patients with acute appendicitis as controls. An automatic VAT segmentation algorithm was developed using abdominal CT scans. The VAT volume, as well as the coefficient of variation (CV) of areas within the lumbar region, was calculated. Binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the potential of indicators to distinguish between IBD subtypes.ResultsThe study included 772 patients (365 CDs, median age [inter-quartile range] = 31.0. (25.0, 42.0) years, 255 males; 241 UCs, 46.0 (34.0, 55.5) years, 138 males; 166 controls, 40.0 (29.0, 53.0) years, 80 males). CD patients had lower VAT volume (CD = 1584.95 ± 1128.31 cm3, UC = 1855.30 ± 1326.12 cm3, controls = 2470.91 ± 1646.42 cm3) but a higher CV (CD = 29.42 ± 15.54 %, p = 0.006 and p ˂ 0.001) compared to UC and controls (25.69 ± 12.61 % vs. 23.42 ± 15.62 %, p = 0.11). Multivariate analysis showed CV was a significant predictor for CD (odds ratio = 6.05 (1.17, 31.12), p = 0.03). The inclusion of CV improved diagnostic efficiency (AUC = 0.811 (0.774, 0.844) vs. 0.803 (0.766, 0.836), p = 0.08).ConclusionCT-based VAT distribution can serve as a potential biomarker for distinguishing IBD subtypes.Critical relevance statementVisceral fat distribution features extracted from CT images using an automated segmentation algorithm (1.14 min) show differences between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and are promising for practical radiological screening.Key points• Radiological parameters reflecting visceral fat distribution were extracted for the discrimination of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).• In CD, visceral fat was concentrated in the lower lumbar vertebrae, and the coefficient of variation was a significant predictor (OR = 6.05 (1.17, 31.12), p = 0.03).• The differences between CD, UC, and controls are promising for practical radiological screening.Graphical

Assessment of Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Seed Yield and Its Contributing Traits in Greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

Vigna radiata L. Wilczek, sometimes known as greengram or mungbean, is a popular pulse crop in India. Most of its cultivation takes place in India's subsistence farming systems. It is cultivated in three distinct seasons in India, despite the extremely low average productivity. Due to the crop's extensive growth in a variety of environmental circumstances, the local germplasm exhibits a high degree of genetic variation. In order to determine the genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advancement of 40 green gram genotypes, a study utilizing twelve quantitative variables was conducted. For every traits, significant variance was discovered using basic descriptive statistics. High Phenotypic Coefficients of Variation (PCV) and high Genotypic Coefficients of Variation (GCV) were identified for seed yield per plant, number of branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, biological yield per plant, number of pods per plant and 100 seed weight. Moderate PCV and GCV values observed for number of seeds per pod, plant height, harvest index, pod length and days to 50% flowering, whereas low PCV and GCV values were observed for days to maturity. Most of the characters studied in the current study had high estimates of heritability coupled with high to moderate genetic advance as a percentage of mean. This may be attributed to the preponderance of additive gene action and their high selective value, meaning that selection pressure can be applied profitably to these characters to improve them rationally.

Preparation and Immunochemical Characterization of a Water-Soluble Gluten Peptide Fraction for Improving the Diagnosis of Celiac Disease.

The diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) is complex and requires a multi-step procedure (symptoms, serology, duodenal biopsy, effect of a gluten-free diet, and optional genetic). The aim of the study was to contribute to the improvement of CD diagnosis by preparing a water-soluble gluten peptide fraction (called Solgluten) and by selecting gluten-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the detection of gluten immunogenic gluten peptides (GIPs) in urine and blood serum spiked with Solgluten. Food-grade Solgluten was prepared by the extraction of a peptic digest of vital gluten with water, centrifugation, and freeze-drying. The process was relatively easy, repeatable, and cheap. The content of gliadin-derived GIPs was 491 mg/g. Solgluten was used as antigenic material to compare two competitive ELISA kits (R7021 and K3012) and two sandwich ELISA kits (M2114 and R7041) in their quality regarding the quantitation of GIPs in urine and blood serum. The quality parameters were the reactivity, sensitivity, coefficients of variation and determination, and curve shape. The evaluation of the kits showed a number of discrepancies in individual quality parameters measured in urine and serum. Due to the lowest limit of quantitation and the highest coefficient of determination, M2114 may be the first choice, while R7021 appeared to be less suitable because of the high coefficients of variation and unfavorable curve progression. The results set the stage for improving CD diagnosis by supplementing conventional blood tests with oral provocation with Solgluten and subsequent ELISA measurement of GIPs that could support the no-biopsy approach and by better assessing the effect of a gluten-free diet by monitoring adherence to the diet by measuring GIPs in urine and blood.

Variation in seed morpho-physiological traits of Nauclea orientalis L. in a seedling seed orchard and the effect of seed sortation on their physiological parameters

The aim of this study was to identify the morpho-physiological diversity of seeds in several mother trees of N. orientalis at 6-year-old in a seedling seed orchard in Parungpanjang, Bogor and to identify the effectiveness of seed sortation in improving the seed germination. A total of 17 mother trees were collected for their fruit, measured the morphology of the seeds and tested their germination. The results showed that fruit and seed dimensions and weight, germination capacity were strongly influenced by the mother tree. Germination capacity and the highest germination capacity was resulted by family no. 22-BT (90%) and 48-MJ (92%). The highest coefficient of variation was given by seed weight per fruit (83.03), followed by germination capacity (66.66) and fruit weight (65.95). Seed sortation had a significant effect on germination capacity, germination rate, and mean germination time, but had no significant effect on germination value. In general, a sieve size of 300-420 μm gave the best results for increasing germination capacity (59.5%), germination rate (1.67% day-1), and mean germination time (18 days). Other sieve sizes, i.e., 420-600 μm was also able to improve seed germination so that for seed sortation applications 300-600 μm sieve sizes can be used.

Time in Range, Time in Tight Range, and Average Glucose Relationships Are Modulated by Glycemic Variability: Identification of a Glucose Distribution Model Connecting Glycemic Parameters Using Real-World Data.

Background: Time in range (TIR), time in tight range (TITR), and average glucose (AG) are used to adjust glycemic therapies in diabetes. However, TIR/TITR and AG can show a disconnect, which may create management difficulties. We aimed to understand the factors influencing the relationships between these glycemic markers. Materials and Methods: Real-world glucose data were collected from self-identified diabetes type 1 and type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D) individuals using flash continuous glucose monitoring (FCGM). The effects of glycemic variability, assessed as glucose coefficient of variation (CV), on the relationship between AG and TIR/TITR were investigated together with the best-fit glucose distribution model that addresses these relationships. Results: Of 29,164 FCGM users (16,367 T1D, 11,061 T2D, and 1736 others), 38,259 glucose readings/individual were available. Comparing low and high CV tertiles, TIR at AG of 150 mg/dL varied from 80% ± 5.6% to 62% ± 6.8%, respectively (P < 0.001), while TITR at AG of 130 mg/dL varied from 65% ± 7.5% to 49% ± 7.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). In contrast, higher CV was associated with increased TIR and TITR at AG levels outside the upper limit of these ranges. Gamma distribution was superior to six other models at explaining AG and TIR/TITR interactions and demonstrated nonlinear interplay between these metrics. Conclusions: The gamma model accurately predicts interactions between CGM-derived glycemic metrics and reveals that glycemic variability can significantly influence the relationship between AG and TIR with opposing effects according to AG levels. Our findings potentially help with clinical diabetes management, particularly when AG and TIR appear mismatched.

Whole-tumor histogram analysis of postcontrast T1-weighted and apparent diffusion coefficient in predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas.

To investigate the value of histogram analysis of postcontrast T1-weighted (T1C) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images in predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas. Forty-seven adult intracranial ependymomas were enrolled and underwent histogram parameters extraction (including minimum, maximum, mean, 1st percentile (Perc.01), Perc.05, Perc.10, Perc.25, Perc.50, Perc.75, Perc.90, Perc.95, Perc.99, standard deviation (SD), variance, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness, kurtosis, and entropy of T1C and ADC) using FireVoxel software. Differences in histogram parameters between grade 2 and grade 3 adult intracranial ependymomas were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between histogram parameters and Ki-67 proliferation index. Grade 3 intracranial ependymomas group showed significantly higher Perc.95, Perc.99, SD, variance, CV, and entropy of T1C; lower minimum, mean, Perc.01, Perc.05, Perc.10, Perc.25, Perc.50 of ADC; and higher CV and entropy of ADC than grade 2 intracranial ependymomas group (all p < 0.05). Entropy (T1C) and Perc.10 (ADC) had a higher diagnostic performance with AUCs of 0.805 and 0.827 among the histogram parameters of T1C and ADC, respectively. The diagnostic performance was improved by combining entropy (T1C) and Perc.10 (ADC), with an AUC of 0.857. Significant correlations were observed between significant histogram parameters of T1C (r = 0.296-0.417, p = 0.001-0.044) and ADC (r = -0.428-0.395, p = 0.003-0.038). Whole-tumor histogram analysis of T1C and ADC may be a promising approach for predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas.

Morphological Variation and Spatial Metabolic Variations in Rhodiola sachalinensis A.Bor. in Different Natural Distribution Areas

To explore the genetic diversity and metabolic characteristics among different locations of wild Rhodiola sachalinensis A.Boriss., we collected specimens from two sites (DHL: 128°23′06″ N, 44°26′31″ E; FHS: 127°59′26″ N, 44°7′22″ E) and measured various biological traits, such as leaf length, leaf width, and plant height. We conducted metabolic analyses to investigate variations among different plant parts. Our study revealed that while the various plant parts of wild R. sachalinensis A.Boriss. from these two locations showed overall numerical similarities, they exhibited relatively high coefficients of variation in traits such as leaf length, leaf width, plant height, and stem thickness. Furthermore, utilizing gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GS-MS), we detected significant differences in primary metabolites among different plant parts from both locations. Using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), we identified 42 and 34 different metabolites in the roots, stems, and leaves of plants from the DHL site and 62 and 50 different metabolites in the roots, stems, and leaves of plants from the FHS site. Metabolic heatmaps suggested that sugar metabolism was more active in the roots compared to other plant parts. Through KEGG pathway analysis, we determined that the primary metabolic differences were concentrated in the citric acid cycle (TCA cycle) and amino acid metabolism, including pathways related to glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. These findings indicate that wild R. sachalinensis A.Boriss. plants from different locations not only exhibit significant variations in biological traits but also demonstrate notable distinctions in the distribution of primary metabolites among different plant parts.

Patellar tendon complaints and shear wave velocity patterns in maturing alpine skiers

Introduction&#x0D; Patellar tendinopathy is frequent in adolescent athletes and particularly accentuated in competitive alpine skiers (Fröhlich et al., 2020). Tendinopathies are characterized by long disease histories, and whether they can be healed completely is an open question (Kettunen et al., 2002). Three-dimensional (3D) shear wave elastography (SWE) has proven valuable in the early detection of tendinopathies (Götschi et al., 2023). The aims of this study were to (1) describe the longitudinal progression of patellar tendon complaint prevalence in competitive alpine skiers during adolescence, (2) compare the SWV patterns of skiers that were symptomatic four years ago with those with no history of patellar tendon complaints and (3) analyse whether shear wave velocity (SWV) average values correlate with SWV coefficient of variation (CV).&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; Forty-seven subjects were analysed in this 4-year follow-up study regarding their patellar tendon complaints and SWV patterns. Symptomatic and asymptomatic skiers were identified by clinical examinations including the criteria of pain sensation under loading and palpation-induced pain. SWV was determined by ultrasound-based 3D SWE. Prevalence differences were assessed using Pearson’s χ2 tests. Group differences in the SWV patterns were analysed using unpaired sample t tests. Correlations between SWV average and CV values were analysed by means of Pearson’s correlation coefficient.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; With proceeding adolescence, the prevalence of patellar tendon complaints significantly decreased from 29.8% at baseline assessment (13-16 years) to 12.7% at follow-up assessment (Pearson’s χ2 = 9.429; p = 0.002). Those skiers who were symptomatic at baseline but asymptomatic at the follow-up still had lower average SWV values and higher CVs than asymptomatic skiers with no history of patellar tendon complaints (p = 0.054 and p = 0.011, respectively). Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between the tendon SWV average values and their CVs (R = -0.55; p &lt; 0.001).&#x0D; Discussion/Conclusion&#x0D; Despite the decreasing prevalence of patellar tendon complaints in youth competitive alpine skiers after their growth spurt, structural abnormalities appear to remain in asymptomatic subjects with a previous history of patellar tendinopathy, indicating potential long-term implications for mechanical tendon proprieties. The SWV average and CV values were negatively correlated, which underlines our hypothesis that a low SWV is associated with a high CV. This altogether may reflect the degenerative processes in patellar tendons affected by complaints in the early stages of a sports career.&#x0D; References&#x0D; Fröhlich, S., Peterhans, L., Stern, C., Frey, W. O., Sutter, R., &amp; Spörri, J. (2020). Remarkably high prevalence of overuse-related knee complaints and MRI abnormalities in youth competitive alpine skiers: A descriptive investigation in 108 athletes aged 13-15 years. BMJ Open Sport &amp; Exercice Medicine, 6(1), Aticle e000738. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000738&#x0D; Götschi, T., Franchi, M. V., Schulz, N., Fröhlich, S., Frey, W. O., Snedeker, J. G., &amp; Spörri, J. (2023). Altered regional 3D shear wave velocity patterns in youth competitive alpine skiers suffering from patellar tendon complaints – A prospective case–control study. European Journal of Sport Science, 23(6), 1068-1076. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2088404&#x0D; Kettunen, J. A., Kvist, M., Alanen, E., &amp; Kujala, U. M. (2002). Long-term prognosis for jumper’s knee in male athletes. A prospective follow-up study. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 30(5), 689-692. https://doi.org/10.1177/03635465020300051001

Upscaling Soil Organic Carbon Measurements at the Continental Scale Using Multivariate Clustering Analysis and Machine Learning

AbstractEstimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are essential for many environmental applications. However, significant inconsistencies exist in SOC stock estimates for the U.S. across current SOC maps. We propose a framework that combines unsupervised multivariate geographic clustering (MGC) and supervised Random Forests regression, improving SOC maps by capturing heterogeneous relationships with SOC drivers. We first used MGC to divide the U.S. into 20 SOC regions based on the similarity of covariates (soil biogeochemical, bioclimatic, biological, and physiographic variables). Subsequently, separate Random Forests models were trained for each SOC region, utilizing environmental covariates and SOC observations. Our estimated SOC stocks for the U.S. (52.6 ± 3.2 Pg for 0–30 cm and 108.3 ± 8.2 Pg for 0–100 cm depth) were within the range estimated by existing products like Harmonized World Soil Database, HWSD (46.7 Pg for 0–30 cm and 90.7 Pg for 0–100 cm depth) and SoilGrids 2.0 (45.7 Pg for 0–30 cm and 133.0 Pg for 0–100 cm depth). However, independent validation with soil profile data from the National Ecological Observatory Network showed that our approach (R2 = 0.51) outperformed the estimates obtained from Harmonized World Soil Database (R2 = 0.23) and SoilGrids 2.0 (R2 = 0.39) for the topsoil (0–30 cm). Uncertainty analysis (e.g., low representativeness and high coefficients of variation) identified regions requiring more measurements, such as Alaska and the deserts of the U.S. Southwest. Our approach effectively captures the heterogeneous relationships between widely available predictors and the current SOC baseline across regions, offering reliable SOC estimates at 1 km resolution for benchmarking Earth system models.

Differential response of maize genotypes to low and normal nitrogen supply at seedling stage

High nitrogen (N) efficiency crop genotypes utilize resources rationally and reduce N losses. To evaluate the extent of genotypic variation in response to N supply, twenty-four maize genotypes were grown in Soilrite (peat mass, vermiculite and pearlite mix) supplied with low N level (2mM) or normal N level (25mM) in Hoagland solution. At 21 DAS the average shoot height (SH), leaf area (LA), stem dry weight (SDW), leaf dry weight (LDW), above ground dry weight (ADW), root dry weight (RDW) and total plant dry weight (PDW) were 38.1, 257.5, 67.3, 121.5, 96.9, 49.4, 76.9 and 140.6% higher respectively in seedlings exposed to normal N treatment than those grown under low N level. The shoot N content (SNC), root N content (RNC), above ground N accumulation (ANA), root N (RNA) and total plant N accumulation (PNA) were found to be 1.79, 2.23, 3.51, 3.30 and 3.44-fold increased at normal N supply over low N. Coefficients of variation (CV) varied greatly and ranged from 10.9-37.8 and 9.4-36.7 under low-N and normal-N treatment, respectively. LA, SDW, LDW, ADW, TDW, SNC, RNC, ANA, RNA and TNA showed significant positive correlation both under low N and normal N regime (p&lt; 0.05). SDW, LDW, ADW, PDW, SNC, RNC, ANA, RNA and PNA were significantly correlated and had high CVs reflecting the difference of N in different maize genotypes and these parameters were selected for calculation of N efficiency comprehensive index. According to the N efficiency comprehensive index scatter map under low and normal N conditions, genotypes HKI-164-D4, HKI-325-17 AN, HKI-1332, DTL-3, DTL-2, DHM-117 and DTL-1 were efficient under both low and normal-N conditions and genotypes DTL-10, SNJ-2011-96, PSRJ-13099, NSJ-211 and Z59-17were inefficient under both low and normal-N conditions