High Coefficient Of Variation Research Articles

Effects of metabolic parameters’ variability on cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients

BackgroundMetabolic abnormalities such as dyslipidemia, glucose and high blood pressure are common in diabetic patients. Visit-to-visit variabilities in these measures have been reported as potential residual cardiovascular risk factors. However, the relationship between these variabilities and their effects on cardiovascular prognosis have not been studied.MethodsA total of 22,310 diabetic patients with ≥ 3 measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP), blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) levels during a minimum of three years at three tertiary general hospitals were selected. They were divided into high/low variability groups for each variable based on the coefficient of variation (CV) values. The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.ResultsAll high CV groups had a higher incidence of MACE than those with low CV (6.0% vs. 2.5% for SBP-CV groups, 5.5% vs. 3.0% for TC-CV groups, 4.7% vs. 3.8% for TG-CV groups, 5.8% vs. 2.7% for glucose-CV groups). In multivariable Cox regression analysis,, high SBP-CV (HR 1.79 [95% CI 1.54–2.07], p < 0.01), high TC-CV (HR 1.54 [95% CI 1.34–1.77], p < 0.01), high TG-CV (HR 1.15 [95% CI 1.01–1.31], p = 0.040) and high glucose-CV (HR 1.61 [95% CI 1.40–1.86], p < 0.01) were independent predictors of MACE.ConclusionVariability of SBP, TC, TG and glucose are important residual risk factors for cardiovascular events in diabetic patients.

Evaluation of extraction methods for untargeted metabolomic studies for future applications in zebrafish larvae infection models

Sample preparation in untargeted metabolomics should allow reproducible extractions of as many molecules as possible. Thus, optimizing sample preparation is crucial. This study compared six different extraction procedures to find the most suitable for extracting zebrafish larvae in the context of an infection model. Two one-phase extractions employing methanol (I) and a single miscible phase of methanol/acetonitrile/water (II) and two two-phase methods using phase separation between chloroform and methanol/water combinations (III and IV) were tested. Additional bead homogenization was used for methods III and IV (III_B and IV_B). Nine internal standards and 59 molecules of interest (MoInt) related to mycobacterial infection were used for method evaluation. Two-phase methods (III and IV) led to a lower feature count, higher peak areas of MoInt, especially amino acids, and higher coefficients of variation in comparison to one-phase extractions. Adding bead homogenization increased feature count, peak areas, and CVs. Extraction I showed higher peak areas and lower CVs than extraction II, thus being the most suited one-phase method. Extraction III and IV showed similar results, with III being easier to execute and less prone to imprecisions. Thus, for future applications in zebrafish larvae metabolomics and infection models, extractions I and III might be chosen.

Within-person variability of urinary neonicotinoids and their metabolites and recommendation for sampling strategy

Humans are exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) from various routes. Urine has been widely used to characterize the internal exposure levels of NEOs in humans. However, variable sampling methods can result in highly variable measurements of NEOs, potentially leading to misunderstanding of human exposure. In this study, we collected the first morning voids urine (FMVU), spot urine (SU), and 24 h urine (24hU) samples from 8 healthy adults during 7 consecutive days. The concentration, variability, and reproducibility of six parent NEOs (p-NEOs) and three NEOs metabolites (m-NEOs) were measured. Over 79 % of the urine samples had detectable levels of NEOs. Dinotefuran (DIN) and olefin-imidacloprid (of-IMI) were excreted in the highest concentration of p-NEO and m-NEO, respectively. All of the p-NEOs except thiacloprid (THD) and of-IMI were recommended as biomarkers for biomonitoring studies. The coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to evaluate the temporal variability and reproducibility of urinary NEOs in SU, FMVU and 24hU, respectively. We observed low ICCs ranging from 0.016 to 0.39 for NEOs regardless of the sample types. However, the higher CV and lower ICC values observed in SU samples suggested lower reproducibility compared to FMVU and 24hU samples. Significant correlations of several NEOs between FMVU and 24hU were also observed in the current study. Considering the comparable concentrations and similarity between FMVU and 24hU, our study proposed possible biomarkers and indicated that the potential for FMVU samples to estimate adequately an individual's exposure to NEOs. Therefore, we suggested FMVU as a sampling strategy in future human biomonitoring studies, while multiple samples were recommended to detect exposure over time intervals of weeks or months.

Executing precision longitudinal flow to differentiate natural variation of immune populations from treatment response

Abstract One challenge in assessing modulation of the immune response following immune therapy is understanding natural variation in the same immune populations of specific patient cohorts. Confident interpretation of data requires standardization of procedures and proper use of appropriate controls. Here, we describe the steps taken to address potential sources of technical variability in a 31-parameter flow cytometry panel built for a Type 1 Diabetes study with over 450 samples. This includes titering and bridging antibodies, selection and integration of multiple compensation bead control options, optimizing machine performance through voltage scans and 8-peak bead matching, and post-acquisition FlowJo gating for data cleanup. When applying this process to our large study, we were able to utilize the coefficient of variation (CV) in combination with our internal control sample to show low overall technical variation. Of the 64 frequency and intensity outputs we monitored, 75% had CVs less than 25%. Higher CVs were seen exclusively in low abundance or intensity populations more subject to measurement error. When looking at the natural variation of the populations we monitored, none of the technical variation we noted exceeded the biological variation present in the trial samples. Furthermore, we calculated CVs for each population over time in each individual and averaged those CVs within their cohorts to quickly identify populations of interest with treatment—in this case, modulation of follicular helper cells. Employing this streamlined process produces clean data that can be analyzed confidently and allows for quick discernment of biological changes in subjects with or without immune perturbation across time. ITN (NIAID) and TrialNet (NIDDK) funding along with BRI internal HIP Core funds

Broiler performance correlates with gut morphology and intestinal inflammation under field conditions

ABSTRACT Maintaining optimal gut health is a key driver for a well-performing broiler flock. Histology of intestinal sections and quantification of villus structure can be used to evaluate gut health. While these measurements have been used in experimental models to evaluate gut health, less is known about the associations of these parameters with performance in commercial broiler farms. The objective of the present study was to evaluate possible associations of intestinal villus structure and the inflammatory condition of the gut with Ross 308 broiler performance in 50 commercial farms. On day 28 of the production round, 20 randomly selected broilers per farm were weighed, euthanized, and a duodenal section was collected to determine villus length, crypt depth and the CD3+ T-lymphocytes area percentage (CD3+ %). We found a relatively low coefficient of variance (CV) for the villus length (between farms; 9.67%, within farms; 15.97%), while the CD3+ (%) had a high CV (between farms; 29.78%, within farms; 25.55%). At flock level, the CD3+ (%) was significantly correlated with the villus length (r = −0.334), crypt depth (r = 0.523) and the villus-to-crypt ratio (r = −0.480). The crypt depth was significantly correlated with the European production index (EPI) (r = −0.450) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (r = 0.389). At broiler level, a significant association was found between the individual body weight (day 28), CD3+ (%) and villus-to-crypt ratio. These data thus show that gut villus structure is significantly associated with bird performance under commercial conditions. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Gut histology parameters vary between and within farms. Broiler performance is associated with gut morphology.

Blast reliability assessment and sensitivity analysis of steel MRFs equipped with NiTi SMA bolts

The probabilistic-based assessment of Moment Resisting Frame structure (MRFs) is significantly vital due to the high volatility of blast wave propagation parameters, material strength, and strain rate effect. In this study, the reliability and sensitivity of steel MRFs equipped with Nickel Titanium Shape Memory Alloy (NiTi SMA), and smart MRFs, subjected to Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) are assessed. Since Eurocode does not address the design of a smart structure subjected to blast loading, the smart MRFs are designed based on the Eurocode-complying key design procedures proposed by the author’s previous works. It is always a question if the structure designed based on the proposed Eurocode-complying design methodology satisfies the safety level criteria. The newly developed reliability framework approach by the authors is employed to assess the safety level of the smart MRFs based on the criteria given in the international probabilistic design provisions. Performance functions are parameterized based on three failure modes: axial force and bending moments (global buckling) in the columns, maximum rotation demand at the connections, and system-level structural integrity through Inter-Story Drift Ratio (ISDR). The uncertainties of the charge weight, material strength, gravity loads, model uncertainties, connection behavior parameters, strain rate effects, and column cross-sectional dimensions are considered. The proposed reliability framework is applied to the 4-story, 7-story, 10-story, and 15-story smart MRFs. The results show that the developed smart MRFs satisfy the safety level criteria recommended in the international provisions’ probabilistic design requirement. Furthermore, the reliability-based outcome confirms the efficiency and applicability of the proposed Eurocode complying key design procedures and verifies the deterministic results of the smart MRFs. Finally, the sensitivity of the smart structures to various uncertain parameters is investigated. Among all the parameters, it is found that the Reliability Index (β) of the smart MRFs is more sensitive to the uncertainties of charge weight, column web length(s), connection behavior parameters, and material strength. The sensitivity analysis shows that the smart MRFs are safe under unknown extreme conditions, a very high Coefficient of Variation (COV).

Variability, heritability and genetic advance in sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrid) genotypes

The study was carried out with the aim of estimating variability, heritability, and genetic advance for 196 sugarcane genotypes. Results of the analysis of variance identified a very highly significant variation among the genotypes in all the traits evaluated. Except for stalk length and single cane weight, all of the traits’ lowest and highest mean values were present within the genotypes from fuzz, indicating the wide ranges of variability within the genotypes. Except for single cane weight, the highest mean values for all the traits were seen within the genotypes of fuzz, implying greater genetic potential for the genotypes of fuzz for these traits. The number of sprouted buds, number of tillers, and cane yield had high genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, heritability, and genetic advance as a percentage of the mean. This indicates the presence of high levels of heritable genetic variations for these traits, implying that these traits could be improved through phenotypic selection. The number of stalks, plant height, stalk length, internode length, stalk diameter, single cane weight, brix, and purity had high to moderate heritability with moderate to low genetic advance as percentages of the means. This indicates that the phenotypic expression of these traits is highly influenced by non-genetic factors. Thus, it could be difficult to directly improve these traits via phenotypic selection; instead, efforts should be directed toward better management practices. This study presents the first evidence for the existence of variability in the newly introduced sugarcane genotypes that should be exploited.

Source, Contamination Assessment and Risk Evaluation of Heavy Metals in the Stream Sediments of Rivers around Olode Area SW, Nigeria

In order to investigate the source, contamination, and risk of heavy metals such as Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, and Cr, twelve (12) stream sediments and ten (10) rock samples were collected from pegmatite mining sites at Olode and its environs inside Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. The average values and order of abundance obtained followed the pattern: Mn (595.09) &gt; Ba (80) &gt; Cr (50.82) &gt; V (45.09) &gt; Zn (29.73) &gt; Cu (13.82) &gt; Co (13.82) &gt; Sr (10.46) &gt; Ni (9.73) &gt; Pb (9.09) &gt; Fe (1.59). These were greater than the background values, indicating that mining has a negative impact on the study area, as indicated by the high coefficient of variation and correlation values (&gt; 0.6) for Copper-Lead (0.929), Copper-Vanadium (0.970), Copper-Chromium (0.815), Lead-Vanadium (0.884), and others. On the basis of the enrichment factor (EF), the Olode sediments show extremely high enrichment for Mn and Ba in the research region. Cu and Ni are most likely to blame for the elevated contamination levels, according to CF values. The degree of contamination (CD), pollution load index (PLI), pollution index (PI), and modified pollution index (MPI) all revealed high levels of contamination in all stream sediment samples, whereas Igeo shows that the Olode stream sediments are “practically uncontaminated to extremely contaminated by Ni, Co, and Mn”. Ni and Cu are the major regulating factors that are most likely causing the possible Eri. As a result, these findings give important information for conducting appropriate ecological management research.

Diversity of Catechin Content in the Leaves of Persimmon Germplasms

Catechins are essential phenolic compounds in persimmon. However, the catechin content in the leaves of persimmon germplasms has not been systematically and comprehensively evaluated. To systematically assess catechin variation in different growth stages and astringency types of persimmon leaves, the young and adult leaves catechin content of 249 persimmon germplasms from Korea, Japan, and 16 provinces in China was quantified using an HPLC method. The results showed that the content of (−)-epicatechin (EC) and (−)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG) had higher coefficient of variation (CV) values in persimmon young leaves (106.74%) and adult leaves (91.49%), respectively. The genetic diversity H’ of (+)-catechin (CA) and (+)-gallocatechin (GC) content was higher in young leaves (2.00 and 2.03), and the H’ value of (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC) and CA content was higher in adult leaves (1.98 and 1.92). The non-galloylated catechins, EGC, EC, and CA, were significantly positively correlated with each other in both young and adult leaves. Catechins of persimmon leaves showed different accumulation patterns in different growth stages and astringency types; (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and CA had the highest average content in the persimmon germplasms of Guangxi and Shanxi provinces of China, respectively. The content of (+)-catechin gallate (CG) was found to be significantly higher in Japanese pollination-constant non-astringent (J-PCNA) persimmon leaves, and EC, GCG had the highest levels in Chinese PCNA (C-PCNA) type. The 249 germplasms were classified into five clusters (Cluster I-V) by SOM clustering based on the content of nine catechins, with EC, CA, and GC having the highest content in Cluster V of the adult leaves. In addition, four excellent germplasms of Cluster III had the highest EGC and GC content in young leaves. Thus, the critical period for catechin utilization of persimmon leaves can be further determined, and provide theoretical references for excellent germplasm screening.

Effects of Tree Trunk, Branch and Leaf Traits On Morphological Diversity of Litchi Chinensis Sonn.

Twenty five morphological traits of tree trunk, branch and leaf were employed to discriminate 30 Indian Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) genotypes as well as to assess their morphological diversity at ICAR-NRC on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, India. Litchi genotypes were highly diversified. Twelve qualitative and 13 quantitative traits exhibited high degrees of variability. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for tree volume (31.26 and 31.15%), leaf area (22.27 and 21.87%) and thickness of leaf (21.56 and 20.89%). High heritability coupled with high genetic advances was recorded for plant height (97.92%), crown diameter (99.40%), tree volume (99.34%), leaflet number (93.28%), rachis length (91.45%), petiole length (96.45%), petiolule length (95.91%), leaf length (93.07%), leaf area (96.39%) and leaf thickness (93.89%), indicating ample scope of improvement for these traits through selection. Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(1): 197-202, 2023 (March)

Assessment and modelling the dynamics of building materials prices in the current conditions

Construction, which is the driver of economic development in the current crisis conditions, needs to determine the correct cost and sufficiency of material resources, as well as systematic forecasting of price dynamics in order to plan the implementation of investment projects. High material capacity of construction products, along with the specificity of its pricing, leads to the necessity of not only keeping sufficient accuracy of quantitative and cost calculations regarding basic construction materials but also predicting the dynamics of cost in order to determine the volume of capital costs and accounting for the cost of work. The unstable dynamics of the cost of construction materials in 2022, caused by foreign policy pressure, requires the systematization of the factor space in order to predict trends more reliably. The factor space of the price dynamics of construction materials has undergone fundamental changes, starting with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and further due to changes in the geopolitical situation, sanctions pressure from unfriendly countries and corresponding changes in the economic principles of globalization, the transformation of the global and domestic logistics system, as well as the actions of local country and industry scale predictors. The authors have proposed a system of factors affecting the cost of building materials, structures and products in modern conditions, on the basis of the factor analysis the prices of basic building materials (armature and concrete) have been corrected by the expert method, a scenario forecast of price dynamics has been made. The authors substantiate the necessity for calculation-expert forecasting in conditions of high uncertainty and variability of forecasting results. In general, in the short term, a moderate upward trend in the cost of basic building materials with a rather high value coefficient of variation, explained by the strong influence of non-economic factors on the price.

Assessment of genetic diversity based on agro-morphological traits and ISSR molecular markers in einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum) landrace populations from Turkey

The aim of this study is to investigate genetic diversity in 48 einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) landraces grown in agricultural areas of Bolu and Kastamonu. Therefore, variation in seven agro-morphological traits was investigated. Agro-morphological traits such as leaf weight (mg), coleoptile length (cm), root number (n), root length (cm), fresh root weight (mg), and dry root weight (mg) were examined by the coefficient of variation, ANOVA, and principal components analysis. The highest coefficient of variation (%) was observed in fresh root weight (FRW = 52.09%), while the lowest was in leaf weight (LW = 8.9%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was calculated as 76.93% variation in two main components. For molecular characterization, data obtained with iSSR primers were analyzed with the population genetics analysis program PopGene (ver. 1.32). According to PopGene results, the mean number of alleles, the mean number of effective alleles, and average genetic diversity values were calculated as na = 2, nea = 1.33, and h = 0.13, respectively. Among the agro-morphological traits, germination power, root number, and coleoptile length appeared to be reliable traits. The results show that the use of morphological characters alone for genetic diversity in populations is not sufficient to determine the difference between populations and their genetic structure.

Digital inequality of the Russian regions: strategic opportunities and threats

The article presents evaluation of digital inequality of the Russian regions – the subjects of Russia. Digital inequality has been assessed according to access to the Internet and digital technology which corresponds to the first level digital divide concept. Also, the Russian regions’ inequality in the effectiveness of use of digital technologie has been evaluated by the gross value added under the section “Information and communication activities”. During the first stage of the study the author analyzed 37 indicators characterizing the digital technology development in the regions to select 12 of them and perform the cluster analysis. The cluster analysis engaged indicators which had high variation coefficients and were not related to each other. The indicators with correlation coefficient exceeding 0.75 were excluded. The second stage of the study involvedk-means clustering of 85 regions of Russia with the use of STATA econometric package. As a result of cluster analysis the author identified four groups of homogenious regions varying by the level of access to digital technologies, strategic opportunities and threats of further development. The next stage of the study involved evaluation of digital inequality of the regions by means of the Theil index. The author used the “Information and communication activity” indicator’s value as the resulting indicator to make the Theil index calculation. The calculations were made for all the 85 regions as well as for the four groups of the regions for 2016 and 2020. The decomposition of the Theil index made it possible to assess the intra-group and intergroup inequality. It has been stated that digital inequality in the regional perspective is increaing in spite of the fact that the general penetration of digital technologies is rather high for the country. One of the factors determining the digital inequality is lack of finance for the implementation and use of digital technologies. Each of the group of regions identified has been suggested a scheme of strategic priorities to overcome the digital inequality.

Performance and emission of a converted bio-fuel motorcycle engine in cold condition: A case study

ABSTRACT This paper presents a study on the performance and emission characteristics of a currently used motorcycle fueled with either gasoline or ethanol at cold starting and idling condition. The engine’s fuel system was modified by extending the injection pulse width to allow it to operate with pure ethanol or gasoline. The ethanol-fueled engine required three to four cranking times to achieve success starting at an ambient temperature between 15°C and 20°C. In cold idling conditions, the ethanol-fueled engine operated at a high coefficient of variation of speed (COVspeed) of 1.20% to 2.49% at an ambient temperature of 17°C, while a COV speed of 0.92% of the gasoline-fueled engine was observed. However, with the aid of the electric-based heating system (EHS), the ethanol-fueled engine performance was enhanced significantly as the COV speed was 0.95% at 15°C, 0.85% at 17°C, and 0.73% at 20°C in idling condition and achieved successful starting at the first time of cranking after 30 s of pre-heating. During the warm-up stage, a significant fluctuation of emission was observed with different test cases. However, with the heating system, the engine enhanced completed combustion quicker as incomplete combustion products of HC and CO were reduced rapidly in idling compared to gasoline and ethanol-fueled engine. NOx emissions increased with the aid of the heating system but were still lower compared to the gasoline-fueled engine during idling condition.

Reproducibility of Glycemic Measures Among Dysglycemic Youth and Adults in the RISE Study.

Previous work found poor reproducibility for measures of glycemia in individuals at risk for dysglycemia. Differences between youth and adults have not been assessed. Using youth and adults in the Restoring Insulin Secretion Study, we tested variability and classification concordance for hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), fasting and 2-hour glucose from oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). HbA1c and glucose on repeated samples obtained ∼6 weeks apart were compared in 66 youth (mean age 14.2 years) and 354 adults (52.7 years). Changes, coefficient of variation (CV), and concordance of diagnostic categories between the 2 visits were compared. Mean difference between the 2 visits in HbA1c was higher in youth than adults (P < .001), while fasting glucose was similar and 2-hour glucose was lower in youth (P = .051). CV was smallest for HbA1c compared to fasting and 2-hour glucose. For HbA1c, youth had higher CV (P < .001); whereas CV for 2-hour glucose was lower for youth (P = .041). Classification concordance by HbA1c was lower in youth (P = .004). Using OGTT or HbA1c for classification, intervisit variability produced discordant classification in 20% of youth and 28% of adults. Using both fasting glucose and HbA1c, intervisit variability reduced discordant classification to 16% of adults while not improving classification in youth. Poor reproducibility and lack of classification concordance highlight the limitations of one-time testing, with important implications for assessing eligibility in clinical trials. Consideration should be given to using more than a single parameter for screening and diagnosis, especially when classification category is important.

Статистичний аналіз дохідності державних облігацій з використанням економетричних моделей: макроекономічні та інвестиційні аспекти

Abstract. Introduction. The yield to maturity of government bonds changes over time and depends on a number of external and internal factors. In recent years, the gap between the yield to maturity of bonds of developed countries and countries with relatively low credit ratings has been increasing. Inflation and the level of central banks key rates are important factors that cause fluctuations in the yield of government securities. The yield of government bonds is affected by the terms to maturity. Taking into account the ratio of yield and risk, the longer the maturity of government bonds, the higher the yield should be. But in practice, this dependence can be different, especially in periods of financial crises. All of the above makes relevant the task of analyzing the variation of yield to maturity of government bonds of different countries at the current stage of economic development, as well as the dependence between yield to maturity and the level of inflation on the examples of certain countries and impact on the yield to maturity of government bonds of central bank key rates. The research used such scientific methods as analysis and synthesis of results, logical-analytical methods, methods of descriptive statistics and econometric models. Purpose. The purpose of the paper are improving the approach to the analysis of the yield to maturity of government bonds of various countries and the analysis of the influence of central bank rates on the level of yield to maturity of government bonds. Results. The yield to maturity of government bonds and the rates of central banks of different countries are analyzed. The inverse relationship between the terms to maturity and the level of yield to maturity of government bonds is shown on the examples of the USA and Ukraine. For different samples, taking into account the level of the credit rating of the countries, the analysis of average yield to maturity, dispersion, standard deviation, range of variation, coefficients of oscillation and variation was performed. A high positive correlation was found between the yield to maturity of government bonds and the level of central bank rates. A regression models analysis of the influence of central bank rates on the yield to maturity of government bonds was performed. The linear regression, logarithmic regression and polynomial regression models were constructed. The most qualitative model was chosen on the basis of the coefficient of determination. Conclusions. It was found that developed countries have low (in some countries in certain periods – negative) central bank rates and a low level of yield to maturity. Countries with low credit ratings have high central bank rates and much higher yields. The examples of the USA and Ukraine show an inverse relationship between the yield to maturity and terms to maturity, which indicates the discrepancy between the level of yield and the risk of government bonds in the conditions of financial crisis. A high coefficient of variation for the entire sample of countries indicates a significant dispersion of the data. The average yield to maturity is much higher for countries with relatively low credit ratings and high yield to maturity. The standard deviation differs by more than 8 times for countries with low credit rating, and the range of variation is more than 7 times. Oscillation coefficients and coefficients of variation are also significantly higher for countries with low credit ratings and high yield. All this indicates that for countries with a high credit rating and a low yield, the variation is smaller, the population is more homogeneous, and the average value is more reliable. The linear correlation coefficient indicates a sufficiently high positive correlation between the yield to maturity of government bonds and central bank rates. The results of the regression analysis show that, of all the considered models, the influence of the central bank interest rate on the yield to maturity of government bonds with a maturity of 10 years is best described by the polynomial regression model of the third degree, which has the maximum coefficient of determination. The practical value of the methodical approach to the analysis of the yield of government bonds is that it can be used to assess the influence of various factors on the yield of bonds, as well as to analyze the dynamics of the yield indicators of certain countries' bonds.

Structure of maize yield depending on the fertilizer system in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest Steppe

Aim. the research was to determine the manifestation of the influence of individual components of the corn crop structure on the formation of grain yield under the influence of weather conditions and fertilization systems. Methods. The research was carried out in a long-term stationary experiment of the Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science of the Uman National University of Horticulture on podzolized heavy loam chernozem. The mass of 1000 grains was determined according to DSTU 4138-2000. Analysis of the structure of the harvest according to the "Methodology of the state variety testing of agricultural crops". Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the yield of corn increased by 25–39 % under the mineral fertilization system, 25–53 % organic, and 28–59 % organic-mineral, depending on the doses of fertilizers. The dependences of the fertilization system on the indicators of the structure of the corn crop are clarified and those that change the most under the influence of the factors of intensification of the cultivation technology are singled out. Under the influence of fertilizer, the biometric parameters of the cob increased by 4–10 %, and the number of grain rows increased by 0,3–1,7 pieces. The variability of these signs was weak (V = 5 %). The number of grains in a cob significantly increased under the influence of fertilizer– by 5–20 % with the average variability of the trait – V=11 %. The mass of grain from the cob varied reliably depending on weather conditions and fertilizer doses in the range from 100,9 to 226,2 g with a very high coefficient of variation – 25,3 %. Conclusions. Correlational dependences were revealed and a strong closeness between structure indicators and corn grain yield was established. It was established that the correlation coefficient between grain yield and cob length was r = 0,94, the number of grain rows – r = 0,84, and the weight of grain from one cob – r = 0,99. The obtained data can be used to optimize the fertilization system and the structure of corn crops in the Right Bank Forest Steppe depending on weather conditions.

Phenotypic Characterization of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Base on Agromorphological Traits Fedis, Oromia, Ethiopia

As study indicated chararacterization of crops based on agro morphological traits are important for breeding to select the best quality accession in the field gene bank. 34 chickpea accessions were characterized based on agro morphological traits. All studied accessions were characterized by absences of plant pigmentation and most accessions were characterized by erect plant growth type and pink flowering color. Accessions were characterized by medium pod length and angular ram’s seed shape. Majority of accessions were characterized by rough seed textures and brown to reddish brown seed color. Most accessions were characterized by medium seed size and early flowering days. The highest coefficients of variation were observed for Days to 50% flowering (0.57%) and least coefficient of variation (0.04) for Plant height. 32 accessions were flowering lately than the check varieties and 25 accessions were more lately matured than the check varieties. Twenty accessions produced more primary branches than the check varieties. 24 accessions produced higher pods per plant compared to the check varieties.&nbsp; Cluster I consisted of eleven accessions and cluster II consisted of eighteen accessions and also cluster III consisted of five accessions.&nbsp; The intra cluster distance ranged from 474.48 to 953.36. There was significantly strong positive correlation observed between days to 75% maturity with plant height(r=1.00) while weak and negative correlation were observed between days to 50% flowering days with secondary branch but no correlation secondary branch with 100 seed weight.

Variability Study in Ethiopian Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Genotypes at Western Oromia

The study was conducted to evaluate genetic variability and trait association of yield and yield related traits in 5x5 simple lattice design during 2019 main cropping season. The analysis of variance showed highly significant differences (P&lt;0.01) among the genotypes for all quantitative traits except days to maturity and biomass yield per hectare. Days to flowering, plant height and capsule length showed low Phenotypic and Genotypic Coefficient of Variations and genetic advance percent mean. Branches per plant showed medium Phenotypic and Genotypic Coefficient of Variations, heritability and genetic advance percent mean. Capsule per plant, seed yield per plant and seed yield per hectare showed moderate Phenotypic and Genotypic Coefficient of Variations and high heritability with genetic advance percent mean. Biomass yield per plant and harvest index showed high Phenotypic and Genotypic Coefficient of Variations, heritability and genetic advance percent mean. Both phenotypic and genotypic correlation coefficient analyses showed positive and significant association of seed yield with seed yield per plant and harvest index. Generally, this study painted the presence of significant genetic variation among tested sesame genotypes and the possibility to get genetic progresses in the succeeding breeding generations.

Impact of converting adult kidney transplant recipients with high tacrolimus variability from twice daily immediate release tacrolimus to once daily LCP-Tacrolimus.

The influence of converting to once daily, extended-release LCP-Tacrolimus (Tac) for those with high tacrolimus variability in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is not well-studied. Single-center, retrospective cohort study of adult KTRs converted from Tac immediate release to LCP-Tac 1-2 years post-transplant. Primary measures were Tac variability, using the coefficient of variation (CV) and time in therapeutic range (TTR), as well as clinical outcomes (rejection, infections, graft loss, death). A total of 193 KTRs included with a follow-up of 3.2±.7 years and 1.3±.3 years since LCP-Tac conversion. Mean age was 52±13 years; 70% were African American, 39% were female, 16% living donor and 12% donor after cardiac death (DCD). In the overall cohort, tac CV was 29.5% before conversion, which increased to 33.4% after LCP-Tac (p=.008). In those with Tac CV >30% (n=86), conversion to LCP-Tac reduced variability (40.6% vs. 35.5%; p=.019) and for those with Tac CV >30% and nonadherence or med errors (n=16), LCP-Tac conversion substantially reduced Tac CV (43.4% vs. 29.9%; p=.026). TTR significantly improved for those with Tac CV >30% with (52.4% vs. 82.8%; p=.027) or without nonadherence or med errors (64.8% vs. 73.2%; p=.005). CMV, BK, and overall infections were significantly higher prior to LCP-Tac conversion. In the overall cohort, 3% had rejection before conversion and 2% after (p = NS). At end of follow-up, graft and patient survival were 94% and 96%, respectively. In those with high Tac CV, conversion to LCP-Tac is associated with a significant reduction in variability and improvement in TTR, particularly in those with nonadherence or medication errors.