Indirect Index Research Articles

Serum level of proteins involved in apoptosis and autophagy in patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Aim of the study was to estimate the blood serum level of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (MAP1LC3alpha), beclin-1 (BECN-1), Bcl-2 (BCL-2), caspase-3 (CASP3) and autophagy related 5 (ATG-5) protein as potential markers of liver fibrosis in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Material and methods. A single center cross-sectional observational study was performed. Seventy four patients with T2D and NAFLD were included, 23 men and 51 women, aged 18 to 74 years. Transient elastography was used for the assessment of liver fibrosis. The severity of fibrosis was estimated using the Metavir sсore. In addition, indirect liver fibrosis indices APRI and FIB-4 were calculated. Serum concentration of MAP1LC3alpha, BECN-1, BCL-2, CASP and ATG-5 was measured by ELISA. We applied ROC analysis to assess the value of studied indicators in diagnosis of liver fibrosis.Results. Liver fibrosis stage F1 was verified in 16 subjects, stage F2 in 12, stage F3 in 7, and stage F4 in 19 individuals. Patients with advanced liver fibrosis (stage 3-4) when compared to those without fibrosis (stage 0–2) had higher content of MAP1LC3alpha (p = 0.01) and BECN-1 (p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in the level of BCL-2, CASP3 and ATG-5 between patients with different severity of fibrosis. In the ROC analysis, MAP1LC3alpha and BECN-1 showed significance for the diagnosis of severe liver fibrosis, which, however, did not exceed that of the APRI index.Conclusions. In patients with T2D and NAFLD, serum levels of MAP1LC3alpha and BECN-1 are associated with severe liver fibrosis.

Quantifying economic vulnerabilities induced by interdependent networks.

Under economic globalization, countries are linked through trade and investments. This economic interdependence creates vulnerabilities. The indirect vulnerability induced by interdependent networks of trade and investments can put a country's economy at risk, but this risk has yet to be systematically quantified and investigated. In this paper, we developed the novel Potential Indirect Vulnerability Index (PIVI) to capture how interdependencies between networks of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) may induce economic vulnerabilities. The model consisted of three main components: a target country (the importer of goods), an investing country (the exporter of FDI), and the intermediary countries that export commodities to the target country and receive FDI from the investing country, serving as conduits of the vulnerabilities caused indirectly by the investing country. The PIVI quantifies the indirect vulnerabilities based on the product of two fractions: 1) the dependency of the target country on commodities from each intermediary country; and 2) the dependency of each intermediary country on FDI from the investing country. We demonstrated the utility of PIVI by examining the US economy's vulnerability to China using 2019 trade and FDI data. Several Asian countries and a mix of agricultural products and raw materials were identified as conduits through which China could potentially influence the US economy. Vietnam was a sizeable risk because, while it has been a primary source of many US imports, it also received about 30% of its FDI from China. The US policy makers might opt to increase diversity in trade partners or to promote investment in countries such as Vietnam. We also applied the PIVI analysis to critical minerals, identifying cobalt, tungsten, and copper as the most vulnerability-inducing among them. PIVI is a flexible metric than can be aggregated and modified to provide a more nuanced and focused assessment of an economy's vulnerability.

Effect of multi-digit tactile imagery training on reaction time

Abstract Study aim: Reaction time (RT) is the time taken to make a decisive voluntary response to a stimulus. It is an indirect index of the central nervous system’s ability to process information and a simple method to evaluate sensorimotor performance and coordination. The current study explored the potential of tactile imagery (TI) training to enhance RT in distinct digits within the same hand, namely the index and middle fingers and the thumb. Materials and methods: Forty right-handed healthy adult participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (undergoing TI training) or the control group. RT to press a button following a vibrotactile stimulus to the index finger, middle finger, or thumb in the left hand was recorded before and after TI training in the experimental group, with the control group undergoing similar RT assessments. A sensory-motor apparatus facilitated precise data collection. Results: The experimental group exhibited a significant reduction in RT after TI training compared to their baseline and the control group’s RT. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of TI training in enhancing finger dexterity and RT within the same hand. These findings have implications for motor control research and support the incorporation of TI training in interventions aimed at improving sports performance and rehabilitation outcomes.

Efficacy of Triglyceride Glucose Index-Neck Circumference and Triglyceride Glucose Index-Neck-to-Height Ratio in the Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases and Metabolic Syndrome.

A group of characteristics known as metabolic syndrome raises the chance of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance (IR) and obesity are regarded as critical metabolic syndrome pathophysiology. The diagnostic accuracy of IR indicators, triglyceride (TG) glucose index-neck circumference (TyG-NC), and TG glucose index-neck-to-height ratio (TyG-NHtR) to be evaluated for the detection of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic individuals. A cross-sectional study was conducted and passed by the Ethics Committee of the institute. The age should be 18 years or older, and subjects should not have diabetes. Each patient's clinical information was gathered, and lab tests were run. The study was done for a period of 1 year. The study has 100 participants. Around 74% of the group was women. Only 26.5% of the group had an obesity diagnosis. Poor fasting plasma glucose levels were found in 19.4% of the research team. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC) testing revealed that all examined IR indices can differentiate individuals with metabolic syndrome from those who are healthy. Our analysis laid out the soaring high area under the ROC curve for TyG index and the low stunted area under the ROC curve for TyG-NC. For obesity, all indices showed appreciable diagnostic efficacy, indicating the maximum achieved area under the ROC curve for TyG index and the minimum recorded metabolic score for IR. The AUC in the case of the metabolic score for IR (METS-IR) male sample population was found to be not statistically compelling. The exploration of indirect indices, the proposed ones, namely TyG-NC and TyG-NHtR, emphasized an intricate link between cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome.

Evaluation of CGMS-based chilli F1 hybrids for morphometric, fruit quality and yield traits

Chilli is a significant vegetable cum spice crop having broader applications in the food, phytogenic feed,cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical industries. To meet the demand, there is a need to develop F1 hybrids withtolerance/ resistance to major threatening diseases and higher yields. The present investigation was conductedto study the diversity of morphometric, fruit quality and yield traits and their reaction to chilli leaf curl diseaseamong thirteen CGMS-based high-yielding F1 hybrids. The hybrids Arka Nihira, Arka Yashasvi, H-25, H-26, andArka Tanvi excelled for most of the traits contributing to yield enhancement. The yield increment potential inthese hybrids is attributed to high morphometric and fruit biometric. In relation to the local check (HPH-3351),hybrid Arka Nihira exhibited enhanced green fruit yield by about sixty-two per cent. The cluster plot partitionedthese hybrids into four primary groups, revealing genetic similarities and differences among the hybrids. Further,a character association study indicates that traits such as days to 50 per cent flowering, plant spread, fruitgirth, and the number of fruits per plant can be leveraged as indirect selection indices for green fruit yield whileselecting a commercial hybrid cultivar in chilli breeding programs. The hybrids, Arka Nihira and Arka Tanvi, inparticular, have the potential to be commercial cultivars in terms of yield, agronomic characteristics, and leafcurl disease tolerance in shallow basaltic soils of the Deccan plateau of Indi

Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) food sources and habitat use in Marsh–Savannah‐cultivation mosaics

AbstractWetland conversion threatens wetland specialists by reducing their core habitat. The sitatunga is a wetland specialist with declining populations. However, knowledge of sitatunga ecology and threats is limited, particularly outside protected areas. We examined sitatunga food sources, and habitat use in undisturbed Marshes and Marsh–Savannah transition blocks, and a Cultivated (disturbed) block in River Mayanja wetland, central Uganda. We recorded indirect indices and sightings of sitatunga along a 10 km transect in each block, and surveyed food sources in 34 plots along the transects. Our results indicate that the indices and sightings of Sitatunga had lower relative frequency in the Cultivated than in the Marshes and Marsh–Savannah transition blocks. Sitatunga feed on 39 plant species in 13 families and six growth forms; grasses, herbs, sedges, climbers, shrubs and water weeds. Cyperus papyrus, Echinochloa pyramidalis, Leersia hexandra accounted for 58% of sitatunga food sources. There were more individuals and species with Sitatunga feeding activity in the Marshes and Marsh–Savannah transition blocks than in the Cultivated block. Our results show that sitatunga habitat use and food sources are constrained in disturbed habitats while threats are intensified. To maintain wetland integrity and stability of sitatunga populations, stakeholders need to address wetland encroachment.

Microbiota Characterization of the Cow Mammary Gland Microenvironment and Its Association with Somatic Cell Count.

Subclinical mastitis is a common disease that threatens the welfare and health of dairy cows and causes huge economic losses. Somatic cell count (SCC) is the most suitable indirect index used to evaluate the degree of mastitis. To explore the relationship between SCC, diversity in the microbiome, and subclinical mastitis, we performed next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of cow's milk with different SCC ranges. The data obtained showed that the microbiota was rich and coordinated with SCC below 2 × 105. SCC above 2 × 105 showed a decrease in the diversity of microbial genera. When SCC was below 2 × 105, the phylum Actinobacteriota accounted for the most. When SCC was between 2 × 105 and 5 × 105, Firmicutes accounted for the most, and when SCC exceeded 5 × 105, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria accounted for the most. Pathogenic genera such as Streptococcus spp. were absent, while SCC above 2 × 105 showed a decrease in the diversity of microbial genera. SCC was positively correlated with the percentage of Romboutsia, Turicibacter, and Paeniclostridium and negatively correlated with the percentage of Staphylococcus, Psychrobacter, Aerococcus, and Streptococcus. Romboutsia decreased 6.19 times after the SCC exceeded 2 × 105; the SCC increased exponentially from 2 × 105 to 5 × 105 and above 1 × 106 in Psychrobacter. Analysis of the microbiota of the different SCC ranges suggests that the development of mastitis may not only be a primary infection but may also be the result of dysbiosis in the mammary gland.

Before and after closed season for beach seine fishing in Ghana: Impact on benthic macroinvertebrates species diversity indices

AbstractBeach seine fishery provides a means of livelihood to many households in Africa and it is widely practiced in the coastal communities of Ghana due to the relatively cheaper operational cost. However, the small mesh sizes of beach seine nets and fishing activities that involve dragging a net through the nearshore seabed tend to destroy fish breeding grounds and capture juvenile fish and non‐target benthic macroinvertebrates, which get discarded. This study investigated the impact that before and after closed season for beach seine fishing had on macroinvertebrates species diversity indices at two Ghanaian beaches with different fishing pressures. The study was carried out at OLA and Sisimbo Beaches located in the Central Region of Ghana, taking advantage of the statutory 1‐month national fishing closed season in July 2022. Six (6) replicate sediment samples were taken at each beach after landing by beach seine fishers every month for 6 months, from April to June, and August to October, representing before and after closed season, respectively. Benthic macroinvertebrates were retrieved from the samples using appropriate protocols and subjected to indirect (Shannon, Simpson, Rényi) and direct (species abundance models, species accumulation models, multivariate statistics) measures of species diversity analyses. The indirect species diversity indices increased monotonically the following 2 months after closed season but reduced in the third month after closed season at both beaches. Conversely, the direct measures of diversity indices revealed that closed season for beach seine fishing improved species numbers and richness at both study beaches. This is the first report on the impact of a closed season on macroinvertebrates in any African country.

A prospective guide for clinical implementation of selected OGTT- derived surrogate indices for the evaluation of β- cell function and insulin sensitivity in patients with transfusion-dependent β- thalassaemia.

The gold standard for the measurement of insulin secretion is the hyperglycemic clamp and for insulin sensitivity the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, respectively. A number of surrogate indices, derived from plasma glucose and insulin levels at a fasting state or after oral glucose load, have been proposed to estimate β-cell response, and the ability of β-cells to compensate for changes of insulin sensitivity by modulating insulin secretion (disposition index). Starting from the current recommendations for the annual screening of glucose dysregulation in patients with transfusion dependent β-thalassemia (β-TDT), this article summarizes the most frequently used indirect indices of insulin secretion and resistance derived from the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of selected indices and the basic concepts underlying each method for the appropriate evaluation of glucose regulation. Basal indices for β-cell function and insulin sensitivity, albeit simple and cheap, have limited usefulness due to a high coefficient variation and the lack of data about response to glucose load. Therefore, measurement of indices during an OGTT, despite being costly and time-consuming, is suggested since it can detect, even subtle, dynamic changes in insulin secretion and glucose handling. In patients with β-TDT, the indices derived from OGTT may offer an additional factor to evaluate the efficiency of iron chelation therapy and detect patients who may need intensification of iron chelation therapy and/or pharmacological intervention.

English

Drought is a significant abiotic stress that negatively impacts plant growth and can lead to substantial crop yield losses. Our study aimed to establish selection criteria for 200 spring-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes exposed to three different field-capacity (FC) levels (100%FC, 50%FC, 25%FC) in a growth chamber (seedling traits) and in the field under withholdirrigation conditions (yield traits). Variance, correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify genotypes with high tolerance to drought stress. The stress induction significantly affects morphophysiological traits i.e., root length, root weight (fresh, dry), fresh shoot weight, relative water contents and root shoot ratio in spring wheat genotypes at seedling stage. The traits flag leaf area, spike weight, grain weight/spike, biological and grain yield were interlinked and strongly influenced by drought in the field. The mean grain yield performance decreased from 21.85 g to 19.46 g under variable water regimes; however, the differences in harvest index and spikelets/spike were not significant. Among the tested genotypes, 9970 and 36-Eswyt-42 showed better root architecture development, leaf water management system, biological yield (66.07 g, 56.23 g) and grain yield (27.47 g, 28.78 g), respectively. The traits we identified may serve as an indirect selection index to enhance current semi-arid wheat germplasm and develop high-yielding drought-tolerant lines in advanced generations. Keywords: Mini core collection, Seedling and yield traits, Selection criteria, Variability analysis

Indirect Insulin Resistance Indices and Their Cut-Off Values for the Prediction of Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Background: Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Current methods for the direct determination of insulin resistance are complicated and invasive. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relevance of indirect insulin resistance indices in relation to the development of PTDM in KTRs. Methods: We included 472 stable outpatient KTRs without diabetes at baseline from a prospective cohort study. Four indirect insulin resistance indices, namely homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and triglycerides–glucose (TyG) index, were assessed. We analyzed each measure using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for PTDM development. The optimal cut-off value for each parameter was determined using the Youden index. Results: After a median of 9.6 years (interquartile range (IQR) 6.6–10.2) of follow-up, 68 (14%) KTRs developed PTDM. In Cox regression analyses, all indirect insulin resistance indices associated with incident PTDM were independent of potential confounders. ROC curve was 0.764 (95% CI, 0.703–0.826) for HOMA-IR, 0.685 (95% CI, 0.615–0.757) for VAI, 0.743 (95% CI, 0.678–0.808) for LAP, and 0.698 (95% CI, 0.629–0.766) for TyG index, with respective optimal cut-off values of 2.47, 4.01, 87.0, and 4.94. Conclusions: Indirect insulin resistance indices can be used to predict incident PTDM in KTRs. In addition to HOMA-IR, insulin-free surrogates of insulin resistance might serve as useful methods to identify KTRs at risk of PTDM, thus obviating the necessity to measure insulin.

On the Utility of Indirect Methods for Detecting Faking.

Indirect indices for faking detection in questionnaires make use of a respondent's deviant or unlikely response pattern over the course of the questionnaire to identify them as a faker. Compared with established direct faking indices (i.e., lying and social desirability scales), indirect indices have at least two advantages: First, they cannot be detected by the test taker. Second, their usage does not require changes to the questionnaire. In the last decades, several such indirect indices have been proposed. However, at present, the researcher's choice between different indirect faking detection indices is guided by relatively little information, especially if conceptually different indices are to be used together. Thus, we examined and compared how well indices of a representative selection of 12 conceptionally different indirect indices perform and how well they perform individually and jointly compared with an established direct faking measure or validity scale. We found that, first, the score on the agreement factor of the Likert-type item response process tree model, the proportion of desirable scale endpoint responses, and the covariance index were the best-performing indirect indices. Second, using indirect indices in combination resulted in comparable and in some cases even better detection rates than when using direct faking measures. Third, some effective indirect indices were only minimally correlated with substantive scales and could therefore be used to partial faking variance from response sets without losing substance. We, therefore, encourage researchers to use indirect indices instead of direct faking measures when they aim to detect faking in their data.

Nocturnal Scratching and Quality of Sleep in Children with Atopic Dermatitis.

Itching due to atopic dermatitis causes sleep disorders in children, but its pathology is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate nocturnal scratching as an indirect index of itching during sleep and its relationship with depth of sleep in children with atopic dermatitis. Nocturnal scratching was measured in a total of 20 children with atopic dermatitis, using a smartwatch installed with the application Itch Tracker. Depth of sleep was analysed using polysomnography. The severity of atopic dermatitis was scored using Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM). The number and time of nocturnal scratching measured by Itch Tracker had a significantly positive correlation with EASI scores, whereas POEM scores were not correlated with EASI scores. Mean sleep efficiency was 90.0% and scratching episodes (n = 67) started mainly during the awake stage or light sleep stages. In the scratching episodes that started during sleep stages (n = 34), the sleep stage changed to a lighter one or to the awake stage in 35.5% of episodes. Itch Tracker is applicable to measure nocturnal scratching in children. Nocturnal scratching can deteriorate quality of sleep by changing the sleep stage to a lighter one or to the awake stage.

Local Effects of Nest-Boxes for Avian Predators over Common Vole Abundance during a Mid-Density Outbreak.

At the end of the 20th century, the common vole (Microtus arvalis) colonized the practical totality of agricultural ecosystems in the northern sub-plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. To prevent crop damage, chemical control campaigns using anticoagulant rodenticides have been employed. This approach has a high environmental impact, and it has been banned in most countries in the European Union, including Spain. It is therefore essential to analyze alternative methods with lower environmental impacts. Here we explored the efficacy of biological control by avian predators to reduce vole abundance by providing nest-boxes in croplands. We used an indirect index based on the presence/absence of vole activity signs to measure the effect of nest-boxes on common vole abundance. We found that vole abundance was significantly lower near occupied nest-boxes at distances less than 180 m, where vole abundance increases progressively with increasing distance to the nearest nest-box. We also observed that the predatory pressure negatively affects the vole abundance at the end of the breeding period, considering the total number of fledglings. However, the effect of nest-boxes was highly variable depending on the study area and more limited in alfalfa fields, the optimal habitat for voles in agrarian ecosystems. Thus, nest-box supplementation would be a feasible measure for the biological control of the common vole in Mediterranean ecosystems, but it needs improvements for vole control in alfalfa fields within an integrated pest control program. We provide several recommendations to improve the performance of biological control in alfalfa fields.

Changes in Students' Perceptions Regarding Adolescent Vaccinations through a Before-After Study Conducted during the COVID-19 Pandemic: GIRASOLE Project Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a reduction in vaccination coverage for all age groups, especially in non-infant age. The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an online intervention conducted among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in increasing knowledge and positive attitudes toward vaccinations. The study, which took place online from March to May 2021, involved 267 students from six lower secondary schools in Palermo city (Italy); they filled out the questionnaire before and after the intervention. The questionnaire was based on the protection motivation theory (PMT), which estimates the improvement in vaccination-related knowledge and attitudes. The pre- and post-intervention comparison showed a significant increase in the perception of the disease severity: strongly agree pre-intervention n = 150 (58.6%) and post-intervention n = 173 (67.6%, p < 0.001), rated on a five-point Likert scale. In a multivariate analysis, the factor associated with the improvement in the score after the intervention was the school dropout index (low vs. very high dropout index OR 4.5; p < 0.03). The educational intervention was more effective in schools with lower early school leaving rates, an indirect index of socio-economic status. The topic of vaccination has caught the adolescents' attention, it is, therefore, important that interventions tackling teenagers are tailored to reduce their emotional tension about the perception of adverse effects and improve vaccination coverage.

Numerical Simulation and Experiment on Pill Coating of Red Clover Seeds under the Action of Vibrating Force Field

In order to solve the problem of the low qualification rate of the pilling and coating of small-grain forage seeds, a vibration force field is introduced to the traditional vertical disk coating machine to promote the mixing of materials and improve the qualification rate of the pilling. Using the typical small-grain forage seed red clover as an example, we used the vibration force field after adding seed powder particles to a coating pot for the theoretical analysis of the force situation, using the discrete element software EDEM to construct a red clover seed simulation model with the coefficient of discretization as the evaluation index. We studied the effects of the rotational speed of the coating pot, the vibration frequency of the pot, the amplitude of the vibration of the pot, and the other operating parameters of the pot on the uniformity of the seed powder mixing, with the pelletization of the pass rate as the physical evaluation standard, using a one-way test to study the effect of operating parameters on the pelletization pass rate. We used the qualified rate as the physical evaluation standard, through a single-factor test, to study the influence of the working parameters on the qualification rate of the pilling. The results show that the simulation test evaluation index of the discrete coefficient and the physical test evaluation index of the pilling qualification rate with the change rule of the working parameters is consistent with the discrete coefficient, and can be used as an indirect evaluation index of the quality of pilling. To further determine the optimal combination of working parameters, a quadratic regression orthogonal design test was conducted with the discrete coefficients as the evaluation index, and the second-order regression equations of the red clover seeds were established and analyzed by ANOVA using Design-Expert software. The study shows that, when the rotational speed of the coating pot is 307.204 rpm, the vibration frequency is 2.526 Hz, and the vibration amplitude of the coating pot is 5.843 mm, the predicted coefficient of dispersion at this time is 8.1%. Simulation using the best combination of parameters to obtain the average value of the dispersion coefficient of 8.4%, relative to the predicted value of 3.7%, indicated that the optimization of the experimental regression model is accurate, and the results obtained for the vibration of small seeds under the conditions of the design of the pellet granulation coating machine and the optimization of the pelletization coating process parameters have a certain degree of reference significance.

The Role of Body Mass Index, Advanced Age, and Low Educational Attainment in Mild Cognitive Impairment among the Older Adult Population: A Study in a Rural Area in Indonesia

This study evaluated the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and factors associated with MCI among older adults in a rural area of Indonesia. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural area of East Java, Indonesia. Four hundred and twenty-seven older adults aged ≥60 years were included in the study. MCI was assessed using the Brain Health Test Cognitive Tool. Data related to possible risk factors were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. The indirect body mass index was determined based on ulnar length. The prevalence of MCI was 12.9%. Being underweight (<18.5 kg/m2) (odds ratio [OR], 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–4.97; p = 0.016), requiring assistance to manage money or medications (OR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.02–7.23; p = 0.045), age ≥70 years (OR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.11–5.60; p = 0.026), and having an educational attainment of ≤6 years (OR, 4.92; 95% CI, 1.92–12.60; p = 0.001) were significantly associated with MCI. In this Indonesian older adult population, underweight people who had an educational attainment of <6 years, those aged ≥70 years, and those who needed assistance to manage money or medications were more likely to have MCI.

AltitudeOmics: effects of 16 days acclimatization to hypobaric hypoxia on muscle oxygen extraction during incremental exercise.

Acute altitude exposure lowers arterial oxygen content ([Formula: see text]) and cardiac output ([Formula: see text]) at peak exercise, whereas O2 extraction from blood to working muscles remains similar. Acclimatization normalizes [Formula: see text] but not peak [Formula: see text] nor peak oxygen consumption (V̇o2peak). To what extent acclimatization impacts muscle O2 extraction remains unresolved. Twenty-one sea-level residents performed an incremental cycling exercise to exhaustion near sea level (SL), in acute (ALT1) and chronic (ALT16) hypoxia (5,260 m). Arterial blood gases, gas exchange at the mouth and oxy- (O2Hb) and deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) of the vastus lateralis were recorded to assess arterial O2 content ([Formula: see text]), [Formula: see text], and V̇o2. The HHb-V̇o2 slope was taken as a surrogate for muscle O2 extraction. During moderate-intensity exercise, HHb-V̇o2 slope increased to a comparable extent at ALT1 (2.13 ± 0.94) and ALT16 (2.03 ± 0.88) compared with SL (1.27 ± 0.12), indicating increased O2 extraction. However, the HHb/[Formula: see text] ratio increased from SL to ALT1 and then tended to go back to SL values at ALT16. During high-intensity exercise, HHb-V̇o2 slope reached a break point beyond which it decreased at SL and ALT1, but not at ALT16. Increased muscle O2 extraction during submaximal exercise was associated with decreased [Formula: see text] in acute hypoxia. The significantly greater muscle O2 extraction during maximal exercise in chronic hypoxia is suggestive of an O2 reserve.NEW & NOTEWORTHY During incremental exercise muscle deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) and oxygen consumption (V̇o2) both increase linearly, and the slope of their relationship is an indirect index of local muscle O2 extraction. The latter was assessed at sea level, in acute and during chronic exposure to 5,260 m. The demonstrated presence of a muscle O2 extraction reserve during chronic exposure is coherent with previous studies indicating both limited muscle oxidative capacity and decrease in motor drive.

Rutting Resistance Evaluation of Highly Polymer-Modified Asphalt Binder and Mixes Using Different Performance Parameters

This study focused on evaluating the rutting performance of three different highly polymer-modified asphalt (HiMA) binders (i.e., O, T and B) using binder-based [i.e., multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) and force ductility (FD)] and mix-based [flow number (FN) and Hamburg wheel tracking test (HWTT)] rutting performance tests. The binder-based rutting indicators were compared with mix rutting performance to determine a parameter that can help in the correct prediction of HiMA rutting resistance. In addition, the study looked into application of a simple performance test, the indirect rutting tolerance index (IDEAL-RT), for HiMA mix rutting prediction. The MSCR test revealed different rankings of recovery at 0.1- and 3.2-kPa stress levels. Moreover, the T and B binders did not satisfy the stress sensitivity criteria (Jnr_difference) of Max 75%. The force ductility tests revealed that the peak force observed for polymer network phase in HiMA was significantly higher than base binder stiffness, which is in contrast with force distribution in polymer-modified binders (PMBs). The mix rutting resistance ranking (O>T>B) was similar in all the tests (i.e., FN, HWTT, and IDEAL-RT). Although IDEAL-RT can be used to compare the rutting resistances of HiMA mixes, detailed future work is required to establish its acceptability in comparing various types of mixes and the minimum requirements of RTIndex. The comparison between binder and mix rutting indicators demonstrated that MSCR testing on binder at stress levels of 6.4 kPa and higher can be used to predict the rutting resistance of HiMA binders. Parameters like slope and cohesion energy and a newly introduced parameter—work done for polymer activation (WPA)—from FD tests can be used to determine the polymeric phase dominance in HiMA binders. Overall, this study provides pavement stakeholders with a framework for rightly predicting the rutting resistance and polymeric phase dominance of HiMA binders and mixes using MSCR, FD, and IDEAL-RT tests.

Association of Personality Trait with Auditory and Visual Reaction Time among Young Healthy Subjects

Background: Personality traits along with well-known factors like socioeconomic status and cognitive ability, predict important life outcomes such as health and lifespan, educational and occupational attainment, and may promote specific types of task effectiveness, which occurs in part via the processing of information. Reaction time provides an indirect index of the central nervous system’s integrity and processing ability. Material and Methods: The 111 healthy subjects (aged 17 -23 years) interviewed to pre-designed proforma regarding socio-demographic profile, “Glazer-Stress Control Lifestyle” questionnaire for personality trait and reaction time recorded by “Audio-Visual reaction time apparatus”. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics 20, and the P-value &lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 19.21±1.40 years, with a mean body mass index 20.65±4.32 kg/m2. Male subjects (68%) outnumbered the female participants (43%), and more than half of the subjects doing exercise. The nuclear family was the preferred mode of living belonging to class-II socioeconomic status (86%). The association of personality traits with auditory (low and high frequency) and visual (red and green light) reaction time was non-significant. Type-A personality subjects were maximum (13/20th), followed by Type-AB (6/20th) and least of Type-B personality (1/20th). Conclusion: The personality trait has no impact on auditory and visual reaction time. Though maximum participants belong to type A personality, still ambitious, proactive, and competitive nature does not influence the basic neurophysiological characteristics of the human body. Keywords: Auditory reaction time, Personality trait, Visual reaction time