Higher Mean Values Research Articles

Innovative hip-knee health evaluation: Leveraging pose estimation for single-leg stance postural stability assessment

The analysis of the Hip and Knee (HK) joint angles during single-leg stance (SLS) activity contributes to a great understanding of the bio-mechanical mechanisms and balance maintenance across different age groups. Comprehending how these joints operate in the dynamic state is critical for identifying age-related changes in joint control and stability which can contribute to reducing the risk of falls and improving mobility among people. The possibility of revealing the health of HK joints without resorting to an MRI scan is the significance of this work. By obtaining the data on joint angles during the SLS test, we succeeded in identifying those with a higher risk of HK issues and thus the possibility of early intervention and treatment. Our proposed work is going to use a pose estimation technique that will track the trajectories of HK angles followed by association with instabilities or compromised balance in this way, we can detect the affected joint and evaluate the severity of the issue. The study found stable mean and standard deviation values for HK joints in a young participant, both hips (107.14 ± 5, 96.42 ± 7) and both knees (36.76 ± 7, 44.30 ± 4), these values align with the expected norm (110–120° for the hip and 45–65° for the knee) which indicates stable results. while elderly participants showed high variability and low mean values for both hips (65.42 ± 77, 85 ± 76.67) and both knees (4.15 ± 10.8, 7 ± 18) indicating concerns about joint health and stability. The evaluation of HK joint angles through SLS activity offers new insights.

Optimized Data Replication in Cloud Using Hybrid Optimization Approach

ABSTRACTCloud computing (CC), in contrast to traditional high‐performance computing environments, is a group of imaginary and networked resources of computing that are controlled by one unified maximum‐performance computing power. Here, this work aims to develop a novel data replication method in the cloud. The data replication is carried out with a new multi‐objective technique that considers constraints like cost, the distance between data centers, trust, and risk. Moreover, for optimal data replication, a new hybrid algorithm termed poor rich strategy assisted grasshopper optimization (PRS‐GO) is introduced. To increase the accessibility of the system, the data used continuously should be duplicated in various areas. A minimal mean value of 0.66 is gained with the PRS‐GO scheme, whereas Particle Swarm Optimization‐Tabu Search (PSO + TS), Receding Horizon Control (RHC), Sun Flower Optimization (SFO), Cat Mouse‐Based Optimization (CMBO), Hunger Games Search Optimization (HGSO), Seagull Optimization (SGO), Poor And Rich Optimization (PRO), and Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (GOA) have got a high mean value of 0.722, 0.71, 0.71, 0.71, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, and 0.69.

Offensive Performance Indicators: A Comparative Study of Winning, Drawing, and Losing Teams in the 2023 Malaysia Super League

This study aimed to identify significant differences in offensive performance metrics among winning, drawing, and losing teams in the 2023 Malaysia Super League (MSL) season. Data were collected from 91 matches during the MSL football league using the InStat® system. The analysed variables included set pieces, corners, free kicks, penalties, and shooting. The results showed that winning teams had discriminative offensive performance indicators such as set pieces with shots (4.48±2.17), % set pieces with shots (17.10±8.58), corners (5.90±3.16), corners with shots (2.05±1.63), % corners with shots (36.56±27.49), free kicks with shots (0.76±0.89), % free kicks with shots (22.02±27.49), penalties (0.30±0.58), penalties converted (0.26±0.52), % penalties converted (21.11±40.35), shots (16.53±6.08), shots on target (6.97±3.35), % shots on target (42.18±13.58), shots from outside the penalty area (7.16±3.41), shots from outside the penalty area on target (2.20±1.65), and % shots from outside the penalty area on target (30.68±21.07). In contrast, drawing teams had higher mean values in set pieces (28.67±5.87) and free kicks (4.34±2.21). In conclusion, these findings have practical implications for coaches in planning and implementing offensive tactics for successful performance. Future research could explore the impact of different tactical approaches and formations on match outcomes and analyse the effectiveness of in-match tactical adjustments.

Biological Characterization of Geo-Referenced Soil Samples from Major Rice-Growing Tracts of Southern Kerala

A survey was conducted from January to March 2023 to assess the soil biological fertility index across five agro-ecological units in the rice-growing belts of Southern Kerala. These units included Onattukara sandy loam (AEU 3), Kari soil (AEU 4), Pokkali soil (AEU 5), Southern laterites (AEU 8), and Midland laterites (AEU 9). The study was carried out in the College of Agriculture, Vellayani Thiruvananthapuram. The survey aimed to assess microbial activity and organic carbon content, thereby enhancing our understanding of the biological fertility across these diverse soil types. Twenty geo-referenced surface soil samples @ 0- 15 cm were collected in every AEU by prescribed method. The collected samples were subjected to the characterization of soil biological properties such as dehydrogenase activity, organic carbon, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N and soil respiratory rate following the standard protocol. The findings showed that organic carbon in AEU 5 with the highest mean value (3.03 %), followed by AEU 4 (2.19 %), AEU 9 (2.01 %), AEU 8 (1.01 %), and AEU 3 (0.56 %). Dehydrogenase activity was highest in AEU 5 (682.54 µg TPF g-1 hr-1), followed by AEU 4, AEU 9, and AEU 8, and lowest in AEU 3 (76.71 µg TPF g-1 hr-1). AEU 5 exhibited the highest microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen activities, while AEU 8 showed the lowest. Soil respiration was highest in AEU 5 and lowest in AEU 3. Based on these soil microbiological indicators, soils were classified into three categories: low, medium, and high fertility. The Biological Fertility Index (BFI) scores indicated favorable conditions in AEU 4 and 5, moderate in AEU 9, and low in AEU 3 and 8. By establishing a comprehensive understanding of soil biological fertility across various agro-ecological units, the research aims to contribute to improved soil health and crop productivity in the region.

Demystifying the nutritional and anti-nutritional genetic divergence of Pakistani chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genetic resource via multivariate approaches.

Chickpeas are a highly versatile functional food legume that possesses the capacity to boost human health and has the potential to alleviate malnutrition-related deficiencies. To investigate whole seed-based nutritional and anti-nutritional composition, a set of 90 chickpea genotypes (66 desi and 24 kabuli) was collected from different research organizations in Pakistan. Significant variation (Tukey HSD test, p < 0.05) was perceived among genotypes for traits under investigation. The genotypes, with maximum total soluble proteins (TSPs) (34.92%), crude proteins (CPs) (30.13%), and reducing sugars (17.33 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., Punjab-2000 (desi); total free amino acids (TFAs) (3.34 g/100 g DW), i.e., Wild Hybrid-15 (desi), albumins (227.67 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., Sheenghar-2000 (desi); globulins (720 g s. wt.), i.e., ICCV-96030 (desi); salt-soluble proteins (200 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., ILWC-247 (desi); total soluble sugars (TSSs) (102.63 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., CM1051/11 (desi); non-reducing sugars (95.28 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., NIAB-CH2016 (desi); starch content (83.69%), i.e., CH55/09 (kabuli); and the genotypes with least value of anti-nutritional factors glutelin (3.33 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., Wild Hybrid-9 (desi); hordein (1.38 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., Noor-2013 (kabuli); tannins (5,425 uM/g s. wt.), i.e., Wild Hybrid-1 (desi); and phytic acid (PA) (0.18 mg/g s. wt.), i.e., Bhakhar-2011 (desi), could be the promising genotypes to formulate health-promoting plant-based food products. Data were also analyzed for principal component analysis (PCA), correlation, and agglomerative hierarchical clustering. PC-1 revealed the highest contribution (20.83%) toward cumulative variability, and maximum positive factor loading was delivered by TSSs (0.85) followed by starch content (0.729). Genotypes were grouped into three distinct clusters based on high average values of traits under investigation. Cluster I encompassed genotypes with a high mean value of CP content, albumins, hordein, and glutelin; Cluster II encompassed genotypes with a high mean value of TSPs, TSSs, non-reducing sugars, globulins, salt-soluble sugars, starch, and TFAs; Cluster III encompassed genotypes with high tannins, reducing sugars, and PA. Identified desi and kabuli genotypes exhibiting superior seed quality traits and minimal anti-nutritional factors can be used in chickpea breeding programs aimed at improving seed nutritional quality in future breeding lines.

Determination of Genetic Diversity in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Aim: To assess the degree of genetic divergence (D2 statistics) among sesame genotypes with respect to various traits. Study Design: The present experiment evaluated in the Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Place and Duration of Study: Experiment was carried out during Rabi, 2023 at Niger Research Station, NAU, Vanarasi. Methodology: To evaluate the genetic diversity among 30 sesame genotypes, Mahalanobis D² Statistics was utilized. The genotypes were classified into six distinct clusters using Tocher’s method, revealing substantial diversity. Results: Cluster I contained the largest 17 genotypes followed by Cluster II with 9 genotypes. Clusters III, IV, V, and VI each included only a single genotype. The highest inter-cluster distance was observed between Cluster I and Cluster IV (25.29) followed by Cluster I and Cluster V (24.07). The lowest inter-cluster distance was 10.00 noted between Cluster IV and Cluster V, suggesting that the genotypes within these clusters are closely related. Cluster III was noted for its high mean values in days to 50% flowering (44.67) and days to maturity (94.33), Cluster IV excelled in capsule width (9.32), Cluster V showed superior traits in plant height (128.78), capsule length (3.23), 1000-seed weight (3.92), harvest index (40.06) and seed yield/plant (9.57), while Cluster VI had the highest values for capsules/plant (39.75) and oil content (46.43). The analysis revealed that the greatest contributions to total divergence were made by 1000 seed weight (51.95%), followed by seed yield per plant (16.32%) and oil content (15.17%). In contrast, plant height and capsule length contributed minimum, each with 0.00%. Conclusion: These results indicate that Clusters III and IV, along with V and VI, exhibit the most significant divergence. This diversity highlights the potential for using these clusters as parent genotypes in breeding programs to achieve a wide range of variability and effective selection.

Enhancement of transforming growth factor-beta 1 levels during orthodontic relapse after nanoemulsion carbonated hydroxyapatie - statin administration in rats

Background and objectives. Relapse is acknowledged as a substantial failure subsequent to orthodontic correction. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) modulates osteoblastogenesis and stimulates β-catenin signaling. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the impact of nanoemulsion carbonate apatite (CHA) -statin on TGF-β1 levels in rats undergoing relapse. Materials and methods. A total of forty-eight rats (n = 48) were allocated into four distinct groups: control, CHA, statin, and CHA-statin. To apply 30g of mesial traction for seven days, a closed-coil spring was extended from the first maxillary molar on the right maxilla to the incisor. Seven days passed throughout that CHA hydrogel, statin and CHA-statin nano emulsion were administered every three days. Debonding the appliances subsequently permitted relapse. TGF-β1 levels were measured utilizing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on days 0, 1, 7, and 14 subsequent to debonding. An analysis was conducted on the collected data utilizing ANOVA and a Tukey's test (p &lt;0.05). Results. On day seven of the relapse phase, the control group had the lowest average; the difference was significant (p &lt;0.05), followed by Group CHA, Group St, and Group CHA-St. Average TGF-β1 levels between the groups did not differ statistically significantly (p &gt;0.05) on days 0 and 1 of orthodontic relapse movement. Out of all the groups, the one that got CHA-statin nanoemulsion had the highest mean values. Significant mean differences (p &lt;0.05) from the highest average of group CHA-St, group CHA, group St, and the control group were found on day 14. Conclusions. The findings suggested nanoemulsion CHA-statin may raise TGF-β1 levels during orthodontic relapse.

Artful Instruction: Refining TVET Pedagogy on Food Safety Requirements

Food safety is a critical issue in the culinary industry, and culinary students as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) practitioners must understand the importance ofadhering to food safety requirements. However, there are several challenges in ensuring students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements are accurate and effective. These issues include the complexity of food safety regulations, the varyinglevels of understanding among students, and the limited resources available to culinary programs to provide comprehensive training. This study explores vocational culinary students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements. The research employs quantitative design research, using surveys to collect data from 120 students enrolled in culinary programs at vocational schools in Johor, Malaysia. The study aims to understand how students view their adherence to food safety protocols and how their training and education shape their perceptions. This study is structured as a survey employing a distribution of questionnaires to find culinary students in Johor, Malaysia views compliance with food safety requirements in terms of food safety training, food safety rules, food safety standards, and license compliance with food safety standards. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to compute the survey responses' mean value, standard deviation, and frequency. All of the responses to the research questions got a high mean score. The results reveal that most students understand food safety practices well, but there needs to be more knowledge and implementation of some critical protocols. Furthermore, the study revealed that vocational students' general perceptions of food safety laws regarding food safety rules had the highest mean value, indicating that this is the most influential factor in persuading how culinary students in Johor, Malaysia perceive compliance with food safety standards. These findings have implications for culinary education programs and the food service industry, suggesting that more attention should be paid to providing students with comprehensive training in food safety practices to ensure safe and healthy food preparation.

CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS DEVELOPED ON COASTAL PLAIN SOILS FOR CROP PRODUCTION IN ORON LGA, SOUTH- SOUTH, NIGERIA

Soils are characterized and classified based on its unique properties. Detailed characterization of four representative areas of Oron coastal plain soils in South –South, Nigeria was carried out. Soil samples were collected from pedogenic horizons of soils in four sampling sites. Routine analysis of soil properties was carried out in the laboratory with standard laboratory procedures. Soil data was subjected to descriptive statistics using statistical analytical system. The soils have a deep well drafted profile of about deep 200 cm. The soil texture varied in areas ranging from loamy sand to sandy loam, sandy and sandy clay loam while bulk density increased down the natural horizons. The pH varied between moderately acidic to strongly acidic in the soils of the study area. The morphology of soils ranged in various colour matrix of hues (10-7.5) and Chroma values (1-8) in all horizons. The soils were characterized by Dark Brown (10YR3/3), Dark Greyish Brown (10YR4/2) and Yellowish Brown (10YR 5/4) to Grey (7.5YR6/2). The soils had low concentrations of exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K). The Coefficient of variation (CV%) values ranged from 0.74 to 91.6 in Ca, Mg, Na and K. All the parameters in the soils of the study area showed low and medium mean values except soils of Esin Ufot1 and 2 which showed high mean values of Na with Esin Ufot 2 having the highest mean value of sodium to be 0.18 Cmol/kg. Suborder soils were classified as Grossarenic Kandiaqualfs (CEC &gt; 16 Cmol/kg) for Esin Ufot1.Esin Ufot2, Esuk Oron1 while Esuk Oron 2 were classified as Typic Kandaquults (CEC &lt; 16 Cmol/kg). A great importance in providing adequate data to enable right decision taking in the choice of site for developmental projects and crop production.

Acceptance and use of mobile health technology in post-abortion care

BackgroundAbortion and its complications have always been associated with challenges such as the lack of awareness, high cost of receiving in-person services, lack of access to the skilled healthcare workers, distance from healthcare centers in remote areas, and cultural sensitivities. Therefore, the use of mobile health technology in post-abortion care has been suggested. This study aimed to investigate factors influencing the acceptance and use of mhealth technology in post-abortion care.MethodA mixed-methods study was completed in 2023. Initially, a literature review was conducted. Then, a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire was designed based on the results of the literature review. The research participants were gynecologists (n = 24), midwives (n = 38), and women who had experience of abortion (n = 183). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThe findings revealed that the participants had different opinions about the importance of motivating and inhibiting factors which included individual, technical, economic, organizational, and ethico-legal aspects. It seems that the individual, organizational, economic, and ethico-legal motivating factors as well as the ethico-legal inhibiting factors were more important than other factors and had higher mean values. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean values of gynecologists and patients regarding the individual motivating (P = 0.014) and technical inhibiting factors (P = 0.016). The gynecologists’ opinions regarding the technical motivating factors were also significantly different from midwives (P = 0.044) and patients (P = 0.010).ConclusionMultiple factors may influence the acceptance and use of mhealth technology in post-abortion care. Therefore, mhealth service developers must consider these factors to improve the quality of services and increase technology adoption. This will lead to saving costs, improving health, reducing abortion complications, and ultimately improving quality of life for women. However, further research in patient engagement and health interventions tailored to diverse cultural contexts are recommended.

Gender-Specific Physiological Profiles and Performance Metrics in Young Elite Table Tennis Players

Table tennis requires a combination of anaerobic and aerobic energy systems, agility, short reaction times, and precise motor skills. The aim of this study is to investigate gender-specific physiological profiles and performance measures in young elite table tennis players. The objectives are to identify key physical and anthropometric attributes contributing to table tennis performance, compare these attributes between male and female athletes, and develop targeted training recommendations. The study involved sixteen players (8 males and 8 females) within the age range of 10 to 18 years who train regularly at Istanbul Pendik Sports Hall. Inclusion criteria required training at least three times per week and participating at championship levels. Anthropometric measurements were taken using a Seca 220R stadiometer and a Seca 710R weighing scale, with body fat percentage estimated via a Tanita scale. Performance tests included vertical jump height (Witty Microgate device), reaction times (custom device), and heart rates (Activio Sport System). Assessments were carried out between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Male athletes had higher mean values in height (159.00 ± 13.29 cm), weight (50.00 ± 12.06 kg), and vertical jump height, whereas female athletes had better reaction times (1.17 ± 0.14 seconds). No statistically significant differences were found in body fat percentage and mean heart rate. t-Tests revealed that gender differences in most performance metrics were not statistically significant, but correlation analysis showed statistically significant relationships between various physical characteristics and performance outcomes (p&amp;lt;0.05). As a result, physical fitness and reaction time are crucial for table tennis performance. Tailored training programs should focus on these attributes to enhance performance in young elite players. Future studies should follow these metrics longitudinally to understand their impact on competitive success.

Virtual Field Trip: A study to analyse the raising awareness of biodiversity loss through biodiversity analyses in Virtual Reality

Biodiversity loss poses a significant threat to global ecosystems, with human activities driving extinction at an increasing rate. Despite international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, biodiversity continues to decline. Education about biodiversity is therefore of crucial importance, mainly as part of teacher education. This study examined the effectiveness of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) in university-based geography teacher education to raise awareness of biodiversity loss. Therefore, two study groups, the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG), participated in a quasi-experimental longitudinal study. The EG carried out a VFT as an intervention in which two different ecosystems in Berlin, Germany, were experienced and analysed in terms of biodiversity. With a pre-test and post-test, we examined if the VFT as an intervention affects the EG. The results show no significant differences between the groups after the intervention. However, high mean values for most of the questionnaire scales can already be found for both groups in the pre-test. Likewise, the EG showed intrinsic motivation after the intervention based on the VFT, indicating its potential in education.

Assessment of Hospital Managers' Sustainable Leadership Levels

This study aims to evaluate the sustainable leadership levels of hospital managers with the participation of healthcare professionals working in public hospitals in Bitlis province. The cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted on 354 healthcare professionals and the information form and Sustainable Management Behaviors Scale were used as data collection tools. The demographic analysis of the study shows that the majority of the participants are male, under the age of 30 and have a bachelor's degree. In terms of occupational groups, it was observed that other health personnel and nurses were predominant. The findings revealed that the participants generally evaluated the sustainable leadership behaviors of the managers at a level above medium. Especially environmental sensitivity and conservation sensitivity dimensions have high mean values. Nurses were found to have the most negative opinions about managers' sustainable leadership levels, while administrative staff had the most positive opinions. It was determined that positive perceptions were higher for managers who are experienced, act in accordance with ethical principles and adopt the philosophy of continuous learning. The study draws attention to the importance of sustainable leadership practices in the healthcare sector and offers strategic recommendations to increase the leadership capacity of hospital managers.

Evaluation of physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of reduced-fat chicken patties produced with chia flour and κ-carrageenan

The effects of chia flour and κ-carrageenan on the physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of reduced-fat chicken patties were investigated. Usage of chia flour decreased pH, while addition of κ-carrageenan increased it. Chicken patties with chia flour had higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lower L*, a*, and b* values. Production stages significantly affected pH, TBARS, and color of the samples (p &lt; 0.01); while pH, TBARS, a*, and b* values increased and L* value decreased after cooking. Adding chia flour and Kappa-carrageenan (κ-carrageenan) to reduced-fat chicken patties increased cooking yield and moisture retention while decreasing the shrinkage. Chia flour and κ-carrageenan increased hardness of samples and the highest mean value was found to be 68.70 ± 1.40 N in the group containing 8% beef fat + 4% chia flour + 5% breadcrumbs + 1% κ-carrageenan. However, adhesiveness and cohesiveness decreased by addition of chia flour and κ-carrageenan. Among the sensory properties, flavor, texture, and general acceptability were significantly affected by the addition of chia flour and κ-carrageenan (p &lt; 0.01). Sensory properties were studied by panelist, and it was found that usage of 2% chia flour and 1% κ-carrageenan in reduced-fat chicken patties could be effective regarding product quality, health benefits, and consumer acceptance.

Normative Hand Strength Values for the Healthy Adult Trinbagonian Population and Comparison to International Data.

It has been well established that grip strength measurements can be useful as a benchmark for comparing the efficacy of different treatment modalities as well as an aid in the assessment of the progress of disease and rehabilitation. Grip strength has also been shown to be a representative marker for sociodemographic factors. Participants were selected from five different regions in a cross-sectional manner from the streets of Trinidad and Tobago, and a Jamar hand dynamometer was used to assess the metrics of hand grip, palmar grip, tip pinch, and key pinch across both hands. Data was analyzed comparing right and left as well as dominant and non-dominant hands, and participants were classified by occupation. We enrolled 1233 participants in this study, of which the majority were female (54.5%). 90% of participants were right-hand dominant. The mean hand strength of the dominant hand was significantly greater than the non-dominant for all four strengths assessed. Participants of Afro-Trinbagonian descent were shown to have the highest mean values overall. We found no significant relationship between occupational intensity and mean grip strengths. For the male population, it was found that height, age, and BMI were all significant predictors of hand strength. This was notably only so for a minority of the female population tested. This study serves to provide the normative data for the adult healthy Trinbagonian population. Further research to determine better predicative variables specific to the female population is needed.

The effect of reconstruction algorithms on semi-quantitative measurements in 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging.

This study was carried out to understand whether Q.Clear and ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM), reconstruction algorithms used in fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) applications, and parameters such as time of flight (TOF) and point spread function (PSF) cause different results in semi-quantitative measurements. Raw PET data of 264 patients who were referred to 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging with the purpose of evaluation of known or suspicious malignant disease were reconstructed separately with Q.Clear (GE Healthcare), a BPL, an OSEM algorithm, PSF (SharpIR®) and TOF (VUE Point FX®) methods. Each patient's liver, mediastinal blood pool, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and standardized uptake values (SUV) (SUVmax, SUVmean, and SUVpeak) of a total of 264 lesions selected from the patients were performed. β350+ToF yielded higher measurement results than all other variables for all of the lesion SUVmax, lesion SUVmean, L/AP SUVmax, and L/AP SUVmean parameters. OSEM+ToF and OSEM+TOF+PSF algorithms yielded higher mean and median SUVmax values for the reference structures (liver and mediastinum) and for lesions SUVmax and SUVmean values were statistically significantly lower than the β350+ToF method. The method with the lowest mean value for the L/Liver SUVmax variable was OSEM+ToF 4iter16ss (mean=1.76), while the method with the highest mean value was β350+ToF (mean=2.26). β350+ToF was the reconstruction method with the highest ratios for L/AP SUVmax and SUVmean for both lesions below and above 1 cm. β350+ToF algorithm had also statistically significantly higher results for these variables compared to all other parameters in malignant lesions. When comparing 18F-FDG PET/CT images, the use of different reconstruction algorithms may lead to misleading results, especially in the evaluation of response to treatment of malignancies.

Surface roughness analysis of side-polished fiber based on the importance of texture features

In order to explore the use of side-polished fibre (SPF) for microprobe-type "lab-on-fibre", this study presents an analysis of the surface roughness in side-polished fiber (SPF) using the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) texture feature analysis method. Experimental results show that the flat areas of the SPF polished surface exhibit texture characteristics with high mean values in contrast and entropy, and low mean values in the angular second moment (ASM), homogeneity, and correlation. Employing the random forest (RF) feature importance ranking method based on the Gini coefficient and out-of-bag (OOB) error estimation, this study assesses the sensitivity of various GLCM texture parameters in classifying different roughness levels of the SPF polished surfaces. A feature subset comprising variance, ASM, entropy, and contrast is identified as optimal. Utilizing this subset, the paper conducts an RF classification validation experiment on the roughness of the SPF polished surfaces, with results showing an RF classification accuracy of 95.65%.This research provides evidence for exploring the impact of rough polished surfaces in SPF optic sensors on the light coupling mechanism with environmental materials and its influence on sensor sensitivity. It lays the foundation for exploring the precise identification of high-sensitivity areas on SPF polished surfaces.

Hemoglobin polymorphism and its association with morphometric and egg production traits in Ethiopian indigenous and Sasso chicken breeds.

The present study investigated the biochemical polymorphism of hemoglobin (Hb) and its relationship with performance traits of Ethiopian indigenous and Sasso chicken breeds. A total of 284 chickens reared in three agro-ecologies were examined for genetic diversity and associations with productive traits at Hb locus using agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the HbA allele was dominant in both breeds, and a higher proportion of male chickens were HbAA genotypes, while females were predominantly HbBB types. In the highland agro-ecology, chickens with the HbAA genotype were the most dominant, whereas in mid- and low-land agro-ecologies, chickens with HbBB and HbAB genotypes were found to be more frequent. A moderate level of expected heterozygosity was obtained with 0.47 and 0.445 for indigenous and Sasso chickens, respectively, with an average effective number of alleles per locus of 1.89 and 1.80. Moreover, chickens with HbAA genotypes showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher body weight and linear body measurements than those of HbAB and HbBB genotypes. However, for appendage body structures (comb and wattle dimensions), chickens with the HbAB and HbBB genotypes had higher mean values. Additionally, clutch size (14.2 ± 0.4), clutch length (21.8 ± 0.7), and eight-month egg production (84.1 ± 1.2) were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher for hens with HbBB genotypes, followed by those with HbAB-types. Therefore, the considerable hemoglobin variability and significant associations of Hb variants with the performance traits can be sought as guiding information for further genetic improvement interventions in the chicken breeds under investigation. Further microsatellite marker-based genotyping is recommended to validate the higher morphometric values for HbAA genotypes and the better egg production for HbBB and HbAB genotypes.

The role of gained trust: effects on intrinsic motivation, person-job fit and turnover intentions among real estate brokers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze if gained trust is intrinsically motivating and whether it is correlated to subjective person-job fit and occupational turnover intentions among Swedish real estate brokers.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data was gathered via a survey targeting all real estate brokers in Sweden and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results indicated that brokers are motivated by gained trust from their sellers and that gained trust is a vital part of person-job fit among brokers. In addition, the results show that higher levels of person-job fit reduce the occupational turnover intentions among brokers.Research limitations/implicationsBeing a real estate broker in Sweden might differ from being a broker in many other otherwise comparable countries. Another limitation is the lack of measurements of job satisfaction and/or intrinsic motivation connected to other job characteristics besides customer relations and gained trust. The high mean values of person-job fit, and intrinsic motivation connected to gained trust from customers are contributing to a more nuanced description of brokerage.Practical implicationsThis study gives insights about intrinsic motivation and its connection to person-job fit. Awareness of what drives brokes can be used by both workers and managers to reduce occupational turnover.Originality/valueThis study is interesting from a person-job fit theory advancement perspective since the focus is given to the connection between specific situational work characteristics and person-job fit.

Discovering novel genomic regions explaining adaptation of bread wheat to conservation agriculture through GWAS

To sustainably increase wheat yield to meet the growing world population’s food demand in the face of climate change, Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a promising approach. Still, there is a lack of genomic studies investigating the genetic basis of crop adaptation to CA. To dissect the genetic architecture of 19 morpho-physiological traits that could be involved in the enhanced adaptation and performance of genotypes under CA, we performed GWAS to identify MTAs under four contrasting production regimes viz., conventional tillage timely sown (CTTS), conservation agriculture timely sown (CATS), conventional tillage late sown (CTLS) and conservation agriculture late sown (CALS) using an association panel of 183 advanced wheat breeding lines along with 5 checks. Traits like Phi2 (Quantum yield of photosystem II; CATS:0.37, CALS: 0.31), RC (Relative chlorophyll content; CATS:55.51, CALS: 54.47) and PS1 (Active photosystem I centers; CATS:2.45, CALS: 2.23) have higher mean values in CA compared to CT under both sowing times. GWAS identified 80 MTAs for the studied traits across four production environments. The phenotypic variation explained (PVE) by these QTNs ranged from 2.15 to 40.22%. Gene annotation provided highly informative SNPs associated with Phi2, NPQ (Quantum yield of non-photochemical quenching), PS1, and RC which were linked with genes that play crucial roles in the physiological adaptation under both CA and CT. A highly significant SNP AX94651261 (9.43% PVE) was identified to be associated with Phi2, while two SNP markers AX94730536 (30.90% PVE) and AX94683305 (16.99% PVE) were associated with NPQ. Identified QTNs upon validation can be used in marker-assisted breeding programs to develop CA adaptive genotypes.