Restricted Maximum Likelihood Research Articles

Genetic parameters for carcass traits of progeny of beef bulls mated to dairy cows.

Beef × dairy crossbred cattle (n = 615) were used to evaluate the effect of preharvest indicator traits and genotypes on the accuracy of estimated breeding values (EBVs) of seedstock candidates for selection. Genotypes for 100,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms were provided by the American Simmental Association of purebred and crossbred seedstock animals (n = 2,632). Five hundred and ninety-five of the 615 beef × dairy cattle had carcass camera and ultrasound data. Phenotypes were not used for any of the seedstock animals even though some may have had performance and ultrasound data. We estimated the genomic relationship matrix among 3,247 animals including both phenotyped and unphenotyped animals. We computed genetic parameters among 37 traits using 666 bivariate restricted maximum likelihood analyses. The accuracy of EBV depends on heritability. For the sake of brevity, we report accuracy for marbling as a proxy for other traits with similar heritability. We focus on accuracy for marbling because marbling is the primary determinant of carcass value. We computed EBV for all 3,247 animals for marbling based on camera data postharvest using best linear unbiased prediction. We report evidence of overlap in causative genes among postharvest carcass traits; marbling, ribeye area, yield grade, fat thickness, and hot carcass weight (HCW) based on genetic correlations. Genetic correlations range from -0.73 to 0.89. Several live animal traits (frame size, body weight and ultrasound fat thickness and ribeye area) were genetically correlated with postharvest traits; including HCW, ribeye area, yield grade, fat thickness, and marbling. Genetic correlations between pre- and postharvest traits ranged from -0.53 to 0.95. Accuracy for marbling ranged from 0.64 to 0.80 for animals with marbling recorded, and from 0.09 to 0.60 for animals without marbling recorded. The accuracy of animals without phenotypes was related to the genomic relationship between animals with phenotype and those without. Live animal traits were useful for predicting economically important carcass traits based on genetic correlations. The accuracy of EBV for seedstock animals that were not phenotyped was low, but this is consistent with theory, and accuracy is expected to increase with the addition of genotypes and carcass data from beef × dairy animals.

Evaluation of the HEAL™ing Mental Health program: A prospective cohort study of short-term changes from a physical activity and lifestyle education program for people with mental health disorders living in rural Australia.

This study aimed to evaluate short-term outcomes of the HEAL™ing Mental Health program, an 8-week intervention for change in functional, behavioural and physiological health and wellbeing designed for people living with mental health conditions in rural or regional areas of Australia. A prospective cohort study was completed, reporting on 19 items (pre-program) and 15 (post-participation change), organised across seven domains. Participants took part in an Accredited Exercise Physiologist/Nurse led supervised group exercise (60 minutes) and healthy lifestyle education program (60 minutes). Separate linear mixed models with restricted maximum likelihood were used to examine the primary research question considering the effect of the program on: walking (min/week); planned, incidental and total physical activity (min/week); sitting time; active days; fruit and vegetable intake; body mass index; waist circumference; blood pressure; 6 minute walk distance; 30 second sit-to-stand; psychological distress symptoms; and stage of behaviour change. There were 99 participants (31 males, 68 females) out of 117 participants completed more than 50% of program sessions. Twelve of 15 measures achieved their desired target change and a statistically significant change toward the desired outcome was reported for 14 of 15 measures. Positive results were obtained for participants completing more than 50% of sessions, suggesting that HEAL™ ing Mental Health program is effective to increase physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices in individuals who self-report a mental health disorder.

Parkinson’s disease psychosis associated with accelerated multidomain cognitive decline

BackgroundCognitive deficits are associated with poor quality of life and increased risk of development of dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) psychosis. The trajectory of cognitive decline in PD...

Diferentes métodos e tempos de medição para estimar a produção decalor em ovinos alimentados com farelo de girasssol

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to assess the oxygen pulse and heart rate method (O2P-HR) using a respiration chamber at different measurement times for estimate the heat production (HP) of lambs fed increasing levels of sunflower meal in their diet. Twenty-four lambs were assigned to four experimental diets (0, 100, 200, and 300 g of sunflower meal kg-1 DM). Heat production was estimated using the O2P-HR (HPO2P) method and a respirometry chamber (HPRC). Measurements were obtained by simultaneously measuring heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption over 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h. A flow-through respirometry chamber for small ruminants was used to determine oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide and methane production. Data on dietary treatment, measurement times and their interactions were analyzed as repeated measures using mixed model procedures and Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) estimation. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to compare techniques. There was no effect of the different levels of sunflower meal inclusion on VO2 and heat production. The HPO2P (126.16 kcal/ BW0.75/day) was 2% higher than that of the HPRC (124.61 kcal/ BW0.75/day), and the correlation coefficients was 0.628. The coefficient of variation was greater for the HPO2P (21.33%) than for HPRC (11.44%). HR (beats/min), VO2 (mL/min/BW0.75) and O2P-HR (mL/beat) required measurement times of 24, 15 and 9 hours, respectively. A measurement time of 24 h was necessary to ensure a more accurate estimate of the heat production using the O2P-HR method.

Repetibilidade e número de colheitas para seleção de genótipos de castanheira-da-amazônia em sistema agroflorestal de cultivo

Abstract The objective of this work was to estimate the repeatability coefficients of variables related to fruit and nut production, the minimum number of crops required for genotype selection, and the permanent phenotypic correlation coefficients between variables in a cultivated population of Amazon nut. A total of 40 genotypes from seeds, belonging to an agroforestry system implemented in 1995, in the state of Roraima, Brazil, were evaluated during ten years for six variables related to fruit and nut production. The genetic-statistical analyses were performed using the maximum restricted likelihood and best linear unbiased prediction (REML/BLUP) method, based on the basic model of repeatability, without an experimental design, of the Selegen-REML/BLUP software. Genetic variability between genotypes and a moderate regularity in the repetition of the studied variables between different harvests were detected. The number of harvests required to reach a coefficient of determination of 80% ranged from seven, for the variables average nut weight per fruit and number of fruits per plant, to nine, for average nut weight. The correlation results indicate the possibility of indirect selection for nut production through the evaluation of the number and weight of fruits per plant.

Restricted estimators of repeated measurements model for unbalanced data

The model of one-way repeated measurements for imbalanced data, as the number of explanations are not the same at some levels, is the subject of this research. We used two methods to estimate the model parameters: the restricted maximum likelihood method and maximum likelihood approach, and we considered some of their characteristics. The Experiment’s practical research goal is to determine how the experimental elements and their interactions affect date palm productivity. The Experiment included the factor of irrigation method with three treatments: drip irrigation, basin irrigation, and the regular tidal method, while the irrigation interval factor included three treatments: 3, 6 and 9 days.

Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits and kleiber ratio in dorper sheep breed

The study aimed to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for growth traits and Kleiber ratio in Dorper sheep breed. Data used in this study were collected over 12 years (2012–2023) at Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center sheep research station in Ethiopia. Studied traits were body weights at birth (WT0), weaning (WT3), six month (WT6), and yearling (WT12) age; average daily gains from birth to weaning (ADG0-3), from weaning to six months (ADG3-6), from six months to yearling (ADG6-12); and Kleiber ratios from birth to weaning (KR1) and from weaning to six months (KR2). The (co)variance components were estimated with different animal models using Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AI-REML) procedure. The best-fitted model for each trait was determined using likelihood ratio tests. Phenotypic performance for WT3, WT6, WT12, ADG0-3 and ADG3-6 showed a decline trend at a rate of 0.216 kg, 0.794 kg, 0.671 kg, 2.601 g and 4.865 g over years respectively. However, WT3, WT6, WT12, ADG0-3 showed a positive genetic improvement trend at a rate of 0.029 kg, 0.043 kg, 0.049 kg and 0.257 g over years respectively. Year of birth had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on all studied traits. Model including direct genetic as well as permanent environmental effect (Model 2) was chosen as the most appropriate model for WT0. Model which included only direct genetic effect (Model 1) was the best-fit model for all other studied traits. Direct heritability estimates based on suitable models were 0.07 ± 0.06, 0.11 ± 0.06, 0.09 ± 0.07, 0.11 ± 0.09 0.11 ± 0.06, 0.00 ± 0.04, 0.15 ± 0.07 and 0.00 ± 0.04 for WT0, WT3, WT6, WT12, ADG0-3, ADG3-6, KR1 and KR2 respectively. The variance ratio for the permanent environmental effect was 0.13 ± 0.04 for WT0. Genetic correlations among the traits ranged from negative (−0.39) for WT0-KR1 to high (0.99) for WT3-ADG0-3 and phenotypic correlations ranged from negative (−0.31) for WT0-KR1 to high (0.98) for WT3-ADG0-3. The low direct heritability estimates for the studied traits indicated that genetic improvement by direct selection might be difficult. Further investigation for the unexpected declined trend of phenotypic performance over years need to be required.

Asociación entre características reproductivas y producción de leche, en novillas mestizas

This research was carried out in heifers from a crisscrossing program between theredHolstein and Brahman breeds, inVenezuela. (Co)variance components were estimated and the relationship between milk yield (P305), age (AGE1) and fertility at first service (FERT1) in virgin heifers was investigated. The analysis methodology was restricted maximum likelihood (REML),under a multivariate animal model. The mixed model included: the random effect of the animal; and the fixed effects of racial group, year-seasons of the event occurrence; for P305, the duration of lactation was also included as a covariate in quadratic form. Heritabilities were: 0.498 ± 0.022; 0.436 ± 0.020 and 0.024 ± 0.008, for P305, AGE1and FERT1 respectively. Genetic correlations between: P305-AGE1; P305-FERT1 and AGE1-FERT1, were: -0.281±0.040; 0.238 ± 0.117 and -0.076 ± 0.123, these results suggest a favorable genetic association between P305-AGE1, as well as,between P305-FERT1. Weighted regression analysis of the averages breeding valueson years, showed an improvement in P305 of 10.85 kg/year and a reduction of -0.1150 month/year in AGE1 representing 0.60 and 0.41% of the population means for those traits (p &lt; 0.01);the annual genetic change for FERT1 was not significant (p &gt; 0.05). The phenotypic changes in P305 and AGE1were not significant (p &gt; 0.05). It is concluded that there is no genetic antagonism between P305 and FERT1 and that it is possible to reduce AGE1 for decreasing the costs for generating replacement heifers, improving the rate of genetic change in P305.

Prevalence of psychological and mental health symptoms among nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Americas: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

To assess the prevalence of mental health symptoms in nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic on the American continent. A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies that estimated the prevalence of mental health symptoms in nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic was performed through bibliographic database searches. A three-level meta-analysis model was used with the inverse variance method, tau was estimated via restricted maximum likelihood and logistic transformation, and heterogeneity was presented as tau2 and I2. Of the 7467 studies obtained, 62 were included in the meta-analysis, which involved 52 270 nursing professionals. The overall prevalence for at least one mental health symptom was 56.3% (50.4%, 62.1%; I2 = 98.6%, p < 0.001). Eight mental health symptoms were found; among them, the most prevalent were burnout (52.1%, 37.1%, 88.8%; I2 = 98.5%, p < 0.001) and fear (52.1%, 30.1%, 73.3%; I2 = 98.1%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of mental health symptoms in nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic on the American continent was high, and strategies should be developed and implemented by managers and government agencies to promote the well-being, physical and mental health of nursing professionals. Studies like this one are necessary to highlight the need for efforts in the implementation of promotion and prevention actions to be developed by health organisations, managers and leaders with a view to improving the quality of life of nursing workers.

A dose characterization study evaluating the pharmacodynamics and safety of a concentrated alfaxalone solution (4%) as an intramuscular sedative in dogs.

Alfaxalone is a commonly employed veterinary anaesthetic induction and sedation agent. A 4% w/v preserved, aqueous formulation of alfaxalone 'RD0387' (A4%) has recently been developed. To evaluate the sedative effects of A4%, three doses, 5 mg kg-1 (A5); 7.5 mg kg-1 (A7.5) and 10 mg kg-1 (A10) were administered intramuscularly into the epaxial musculature of six healthy adult mixed-breed dogs in an experimental, randomized, blinded, crossover study. Sedation time variables, quality of sedation (including onset of sedation and recovery), physiological variables, response to cephalic vein catheterization and frequency of undesirable events were recorded. Continuous variables were analysed between treatments (one-way ANOVA or restricted maximum likelihood modelling) and within treatments compared with baseline (Tukey's test). Categorical data were analysed between treatments (Kruskal-Wallis' test) and within treatments from baseline (Dunn's test). Significance was set at p < .05. All dogs became sedated (laterally recumbent) and sedation onset was significantly faster in groups A7.5 (9.8 ± 5.3 min) and A10 (9.1 ± 5.6 min) compared to A5 (25.6 ± 16.1 min) (p = .033, p = .027, respectively). Duration of sedation was significantly longer in A10 (168.5 ± 70.6 min) and A7.5 (143.8 ± 58 min) compared to A5 (63.8 ± 28.2 min) (p = .005 and p = .003, respectively). Dogs in A10 had a superior quality of onset of sedation compared to A5 (p = .028). Sedation scores and quality of recovery from sedation were not significantly different between doses. Two dogs (2/6) in A5 were insufficiently sedated for cephalic catheterization. Ataxia was the most frequently observed undesirable event with an overall frequency of 78% (14/18) and 89% (16/18) during sedation onset and recovery, respectively. Overall, A4% administered IM in dogs at 7.5 and 10 mg kg-1 resulted in sufficient sedation for IV catheterization in dogs. To improve the speed and quality of the sedation, it is recommended that future research focuses on combining A4% with other sedative or analgesic drugs.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SALIVARY BIOMARKERS AND EXTERNAL LOAD IN PROFESSIONAL MALE BASKETBALL PLAYERS DURING A GAME

In a sport-specific setting, the external load represents the cumulative amount of stress placed on the athlete during a specific activity, while the internal load describes the athlete’s individual physiological response to that particular activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between external load measured with a tri-axial accelerometer and salivary testosterone (T), cortisol (C), and testosterone-to-cortisol ratio (T/C) as measures of internal load during a 5-on-5 basketball game. Six professional male basketball players volunteered to participate in the investigation (age=28.3±1.9 years; height=193.3±10.6 cm; body mass=90.7±10.7 kg). Upon completing a standardized warm-up protocol, athletes played a simulated basketball game composed of four 10-minute quarters with the Elam Ending. Each athlete wore a tri-axial inertial measurement unit (StriveTech, Bothell, WA, USA) embedded within tightly fitted compression shorts throughout the competitive period. The salivary samples were collected immediately upon arrival at the gym and immediately after each quarter. To determine the relationship between the external load and T, C, and T/C, separate restricted maximum likelihood linear mixed-effects models were fitted (p&lt;0.05). External load demonstrated a strong positive relationship with C (p&lt;0.001, F=49.03, R2=0.59, R2CI=0.36-0.78) and a strong negative relationship with T/C (p&lt;0.001, F=56.53, R2=0.61, R2CI=0.39-0.79). Overall, these findings simply that C may be a valuable biomarker for assessing the summative psychophysiological stress experienced during competitive 5-on-5 basketball play as a gradual rise in C was observed along with accumulating external loads.

Prenatal exposure to environmental heavy metals and newborn telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Exposure to environmental heavy metals is associated with telomere length (TL) alteration. Available information regarding the effect of prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants on newborn TL is controversial. The aim of this study is to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of the existing epidemiological studies on the associations between prenatal metal exposure and newborn TL. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the online databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect from their inception to December 1, 2023. Thirteen eligible studies were included from the overall initial identification of 3559 records. The effect size was expressed as standardized beta coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by the restricted maximum-likelihood approach with a weighted random-effects model. Prenatal exposure to environmental heavy metals was associated with a shorter newborn TL (standardized beta = −0.04; 95% CI: −0.08, 0.00; p = 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that prenatal exposure to cadmium was significantly, negatively associated with TL in newborns (standardized beta = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.10, −0.01; p = 0.021). Heavy metal exposure during the third trimester was significantly associated with a shorter TL in newborns (standardized beta = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.11, −0.01; p = 0.045). No significant association was found between the newborn's sex and exposure sample type. This study provides evidence for the negative effect of prenatal exposure to heavy metals on newborn TL. In particular, cadmium exposure and exposure during the third trimester of pregnancy are critical factors associated with heavy metal-induced TL shortening.

Assessing Water Quality Spatial Heterogeneity from Multiple Pollution Sources in the Boung Cheung Ek Wetland, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, as with many other world megacities, is exposed to multiple major ecological and environmental hazards. Without a proper wastewater treatment facility, it is difficult for local residents to obtain a health-compliant water supply. In this study, a hybrid aggregation method using principal component analysis (PCA) and weighted means was used to calculate a water quality index (WQI) to map the water quality of the entire Boeung Cheung Ek (BCE) wetland region. We used Universal Kriging to map eight water quality parameters: DO, pH, TDS, F, Cl, NO3−, PO43−, and NH4+. The restricted maximum likelihood method was used for model fitting. Data were collected from groundwater and surface water for different rainfall seasons between March 2017 and February 2018. The principal component analysis (PCA) used to compute a water quality index (WQI) is based on the resulting dimensions of the highest variation among all water quality parameters. The results show that the northern part of the study area has a worse water quality than the southern region, which is caused by the discharge of municipal wastewater directly into the BCE wetland area. The results for different rainfall seasons also show that groundwater has a relatively better quality than surface water. The results of this analysis can serve as a supplementary study to support sustainable development goals because they might confirm the need for a wastewater treatment facility being under construction at the time of writing this article with funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Unraveling phenotypic variance in metabolic syndrome through multi-omics.

Complex multi-omics effects drive the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors, underscoring the imperative to comprehend how individual and combined omics shape phenotypic variation. Our study partitions phenotypic variance in metabolic syndrome (MetS), blood glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and blood pressure through genome, transcriptome, metabolome, and exposome (i.e., lifestyle exposome) analyses. Our analysis included a cohort of 62,822 unrelated individuals with white British ancestry, sourced from the UK biobank. We employed linear mixed models to partition phenotypic variance using the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method, implemented in MTG2 (v2.22). We initiated the analysis by individually modeling omics, followed by subsequent integration of pairwise omics in a joint model that also accounted for the covariance and interaction between omics layers. Finally, we estimated the correlations of various omics effects between the phenotypes using bivariate REML. Significant proportions of the MetS variance were attributed to distinct data sources: genome (9.47%), transcriptome (4.24%), metabolome (14.34%), and exposome (3.77%). The phenotypic variances explained by the genome, transcriptome, metabolome, and exposome ranged from 3.28% for GLU to 25.35% for HDL-C, 0% for GLU to 19.34% for HDL-C, 4.29% for systolic blood pressure (SBP) to 35.75% for TG, and 0.89% for GLU to 10.17% for HDL-C, respectively. Significant correlations were found between genomic and transcriptomic effects for TG and HDL-C. Furthermore, significant interaction effects between omics data were detected for both MetS and its components. Interestingly, significant correlation of omics effect between the phenotypes was found. This study underscores omics' roles, interaction effects, and random-effects covariance in unveiling phenotypic variation in multi-omics domains.

Estimating the scale parameters of several exponential distributions under order restriction

. In the present work, we have investigated the problem of estimating the parameters of several exponential distributions with ordered scale parameters under linex loss function. The study includes the cases of known as well as unknown location parameters. For both cases, we have considered class of equivariant estimators. Then, sufficient conditions have been obtained under which the equivariant class of estimators improves upon the usual estimators. Using the established results, it has been shown that the restricted maximum likelihood estimator is inadmissible. Finally, for both cases, simulation study has been conducted to compare the risk performance of the proposed estimators.

Analysis of two binomial proportions in noninferiority confirmatory trials.

In this article, we propose considering an approximate exact score (AES) test for noninferiority comparisons and we derive its test-based confidence interval for the difference between two independent binomial proportions. This test was published in the literature, but not its associated confidence interval. The p-value for this test is obtained by using exact binomial probabilities with the nuisance parameter being replaced by its restricted maximum likelihood estimate. Calculated type I errors revealed that the AES method has important advantages for noninferiority comparisons over popular asymptotic methods for adequately powered confirmatory clinical trials, at 80% or 90% statistical power. For unbalanced sample sizes of the compared groups, type I errors for the asymptotic score method were shown to be higher than the nominal level in a systematic pattern over a range of true proportions, but the AES method did not suffer from such a problem. On average, the true type I error of the AES method was closer to the nominal level than all considered methods in the empirical comparisons. In rare cases, type I errors of the AES test exceeded the nominal level, but only by a small amount. Presented examples showed that the AES method can be more attractive in practice than practical exact methods. In addition, p-value and confidence interval of the AES method can be obtained in <30 s of computer time for most confirmatory trials. Theoretical arguments, combined with empirical evidence and fast computation time should make the AES method attractive in statistical practice.

Parental selection proposal strategy for recurrent selection in tropical wheat breeding

AbstractRecurrent selection is an effective breeding method for improving complex traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding. In this study, we propose a genitor selection strategy, employing a multi‐trait selection approach and genetic diversity analysis. To evaluate our proposed method, we conducted a lattice design trial during the winter seasons of 2020 and 2021 in Viçosa, MG, Brazil, comprising 87 lines and 13 commercial cultivars. It assessed various traits such as plant height, days to heading, wheat leaf rust, tan spot of wheat, a hundred grain mass, hectoliter weight, and grain yield, and the best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) was obtained for each trait via restricted maximum likelihood. Next, a genotypic distance matrix, derived from principal component analysis using the BLUP values, was computed to perform hierarchical clustering via the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean. The selection of superior genotypes was made utilizing the multi‐trait genotype‐ideotype distance index, resulting in the identification of eight lines and two commercial cultivars as candidates. Furthermore, the genetic diversity analysis revealed distinct clusters among the selected genotypes. To assess the divergence of the chosen genitors, this study proposes a complementarity matrix using factor analysis. Our results indicate that this selection strategy effectively directed the identification of the best and divergent genitors. The complementarity matrix developed in this paper to evaluate the crossings proposal can also be used to evaluate combinations in any panel selected via a multi‐trait approach and can be easily applied and interpreted by breeders of various programs.

Accurate and efficient estimation of local heritability using summary statistics and the linkage disequilibrium matrix

Existing SNP-heritability estimators that leverage summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are much less efficient (i.e., have larger standard errors) than the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimators which require access to individual-level data. We introduce a new method for local heritability estimation—Heritability Estimation with high Efficiency using LD and association Summary Statistics (HEELS)—that significantly improves the statistical efficiency of summary-statistics-based heritability estimator and attains comparable statistical efficiency as REML (with a relative statistical efficiency >92%). Moreover, we propose representing the empirical LD matrix as the sum of a low-rank matrix and a banded matrix. We show that this way of modeling the LD can not only reduce the storage and memory cost, but also improve the computational efficiency of heritability estimation. We demonstrate the statistical efficiency of HEELS and the advantages of our proposed LD approximation strategies both in simulations and through empirical analyses of the UK Biobank data.

Does Tibial Tuberosity Osteotomy Improve Outcomes When Combined With Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction in the Presence of Increased Tibial Tuberosity-Trochlear Groove Distance? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

There has been recent debate regarding the optimal surgical management strategy for recurrent patellofemoral instability in the presence of an increased tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance. In particular, performing a combined tibial tuberosity osteotomy (TTO) and medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) for patients with a TT-TG >20 mm has been questioned, with the hypothesis that an isolated MPFLR (iMPFLR) would be just as effective. To pool and compare outcomes after MPFLR+TTO versus iMPFLR in patients with a TT-TG >20 mm. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central were searched, and a systematic review was performed. Included were studies that reported postoperative redislocation rates and/or functional outcome scores for patients with recurrent patellar instability and a TT-TG >20 mm who underwent either MPFLR+TTO or iMPFLR and had minimum 2-year follow-up data. Methodologic quality was assessed using the modified Coleman Methodology Score (mCMS). A proportional meta-analysis comparing redislocation, subjective instability, and total complication rates was performed, and mean postoperative functional outcome scores were pooled using a random-effects model with a restricted maximum likelihood estimator. In total, 1548 studies were screened, from which 13 were included for analysis. Of the 386 included patients (406 knees), 276 underwent MPFLR+TTO and 110 underwent iMPFLR. The mean mCMS was 61.3 ± 10.5 (range, 48-77). The pooled postoperative redislocation rate was 1.22% (95% CI, 0.22%-7%), with no significant difference between the study groups (P = .9995). The pooled complication rate was 10.17% (95% CI, 6.2%-16.3%) with no difference between groups (P = .9275), although the MPFLR+TTO group had higher heterogeneity in complication rates (I2 = 79.4%) compared with iMPFLR (I2 = 0%). There was no group difference in the pooled postoperative Lysholm scores (P = .5177), but patients who underwent iMPFLR had significantly higher postoperative Kujala scores compared with those who underwent MPFLR+TTO (P = .0283). Even in the presence of previously indicative anatomic factors (TT-TG >20 mm), TTO combined with MPFLR does not seem to confer additional benefit compared with iMPFLR. This finding could be advantageous in minimizing the burden of additional surgery with its associated risks. The study findings should, however, be interpreted with caution given the heterogeneity of the studies.

Modeling the Yield of Glycine max (L.) Merrill Using Mixture Process Variable Model within an Optimal Split-Plot Design

A mixture design has become famous in statistical modeling in a mixture process variable experiment owing to its usefulness in modeling the blending surface that predicts the response of any mixture empirical. The mixture blends included manure from cows, chickens, goats, and sheep while the process variable was seeding rate of Glycine max seeds and the pH of the soil. The effect of variety of the seed used was established through variation of seeds per acre with uniform application of organic and inorganic fertilizer. This study's main aim was to determine the best desirable split-plot design for performing the Glycine max experiment with the settings mixture-process variables. The split-plot design (SPD) was used to solve the problem of restricted randomization. It constituted a simplex centroid design (SCD) of four design points of mixture components and factorial design with a central composite design (CCD) of the process variable. We formulated a new Scheffe model and the proposed design for SPD for the combined second-order mixture process variable model with CCD. We used the restricted maximum likelihood method to approximate values for parameter models within the SPD. We also found the effect of mixture component at vertices of components of the mixture plus with interaction effect between mixture and process variable to have the highest impact on the growth and pod development of Glycine max. The optimum total yield of Glycine max for variety R184 and Blyvoor used in Bushel per acre was 180.53 and 219. 217, respectively on the Whole Plot with a pH of soil being 5.4. The mean response maximum optimum yield for the total number of pods per plant and seeds per pod of Glycine max were found to be 32.30 and 2.331, respectively. We recommend using SPDs in experiments involving mixture settings formulations to measure the interaction effects of both the mixture components and the processing conditions like a pH of the soil and seeding rate.