Positive Spearman Rank Correlation Research Articles

Abstract 15187: Comparison of Resting and Hyperemic Coronary Physiological Indices to Evaluate Myocardial Bridging in Patients With Angina and No Obstructive Coronary Arteries

Introduction: A hemodynamically significant myocardial bridge (MB) is an important diagnosis in patients with angina and no obstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA). The most appropriate intracoronary functional assessment to distinguish an incidental vs. hemodynamically significant MB remains unclear. We compared the ability of several resting and hyperemic physiological indices to identify a hemodynamically significant MB. Methods: We prospectively studied 11 patients with ANOCA and an MB confirmed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). All patients had intracoronary functional testing at rest, including instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), and the ratio of distal coronary pressure (Pd)/aortic pressure (Pa). These measurements were repeated at hyperemia, including adenosine fractional flow reserve (FFR), dobutamine diastolic FFR (dFFR), iFR, and RFR. Resting iFR and RFR ≤ 0.89; resting Pd/Pa ≤ 0.91; hyperemic FFR, iFR, and RFR ≤ 0.8; and dFFR ≤ 0.76 were considered indicative of hemodynamic significance of an MB. Dobutamine dFFR was considered as reference standard. Results: At rest, iFR and RFR were significant in 6 and 7 patients respectively, while Pd/Pa was significant in 6. Adenosine FFR was significant in only 4 patients. With dobutamine, iFR and RFR were significant in 8 and 9 patients, respectively, and dFFR was significant in 9. Resting Pd/Pa and hyperemic iFR had a strong positive Spearman's rank correlation coefficient with dFFR (Figure). By kappa statistics, dobutamine iFR and RFR had almost perfect agreement with dobutamine dFFR. Conclusion: In patients with ANOCA who have an MB by IVUS, intracoronary physiology assessment is necessary to determine if the MB is hemodynamic significant. While adenosine FFR is an insufficient measure, diastolic indices such as dobutamine dFFR, iFR, or RFR may identify hemodynamic significance, although whether one diastolic index outperforms another requires further evaluation.

Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression

Adolescents comprise one fourth of the world's population, with about 90% of them living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The incidence of depression markedly increases during adolescence, making the disorder a leading cause of disease-related disability in this age group. However, most research on adolescent depression has been performed in high-income countries (HICs). To ascertain the extent to which this disparity operates in neuroimaging research, a systematic review of the literature was performed. A total of 148 studies were identified, with neuroimaging data available for 4,729 adolescents with depression. When stratified by income group, 122 (82%) studies originated from HICs, while 26 (18%) were conducted in LMICs, for a total of 3,705 and 1,024 adolescents with depression respectively. A positive Spearman rank correlation was observed between country per capita income and sample size (rs=0.673, p = 0.023). Our results support the previous reports showing a large disparity between the number of studies and the adolescent population per world region. Future research comparing neuroimaging findings across populations from HICs and LMICs may provide unique insights to enhance our understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying the development of depression.

A GPS Data-Based Index to Determine the Level of Adherence to COVID-19 Lockdown Policies in India.

The growth of COVID-19 cases in India is scaling high over the past weeks despite stringent lockdown policies. This study introduces a GPS-based tool, i.e., lockdown breaching index (LBI), which helps to determine the extent of breaching activities during the lockdown period. It is evaluated using the community mobility reports. This index ranges between 0 and 100, which implies the extent of following the lockdown policies. A score of 0 indicates that civilians strictly adhered to the guidelines while a score of 100 points to complete violation. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is modified to compute the LBI. We considered fifteen states of India, where the spread of coronavirus is relatively dominant. A significant breaching activity is observed during the first phase of lockdown, and the intensity increased in the third and fourth phases of lockdown. Overall breaching activities are dominant in Bihar with LBI of 75.28. At the same time, it is observed that the majority of the people in Delhi adhered to the lockdown policies strictly, as reflected with an LBI score of 47.05, which is the lowest. Though an average rise of 3% breaching activities during the second phase of lockdown (L2.0) with reference to the first phase of lockdown (L1.0) is noticed in all the states, a decreasing trend is noticed in Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Since the beginning of third phase of lockdown L3.0, a significant rise in breaching activities is observed in every state considered for the analysis. The average LBI rise of 16.9% and 27.6% relative to L1.0 is observed at the end of L3.0 and L4.0, respectively. A positive spearman rank correlation of 0.88 is noticed between LBI and the cumulative confirmed cases. This correlation serves as evidence and enlightens the fact that the breaching activities could be one of the possible reasons that contributed to the rise in COVID-19 cases throughout lockdown.

Interlaboratory accuracy and precision among results of three sewage-associated marker genes in urban environmental estuarine waters and freshwater streams

The application of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) based microbial source tracking (MST) marker genes are increasingly being used to identify contaminating sources and inform management decisions. In this study, we assessed interlaboratory agreement on duplicate environmental water samples collected from estuarine and freshwater locations, by comparing results of qPCR based testing for Bacteroides HF183, crAssphage CPQ_056, and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). The overall agreements (co-detection and non-co-detection) between CSIRO Land and Water (CLW) laboratory and Sydney Water (SW) laboratory for the HF183, crAssphage CPQ_056 and PMMoV marker genes for duplicate water samples were 74, 75 and 74%, respectively. Cohene's kappa (k) revealed fair to moderate agreements and acceptable relative percent difference (RPD) values of <15% for duplicate samples. The pooled mean abundances of HF183, CPQ_056, and PMMoV in measurable samples at the CLW laboratory were 5.19 ± 0.93, 5.12 ± 0.82, and 4.42 ± 0.65 log10 copies/L, respectively. However, the pooled mean abundances were significantly lower at the SW laboratory, HF183 (4.58 ± 0.84 log10 copies/L), crAssphage CPQ_056 (4.20 ± 0.63 log10 copies/L), and PMMoV (3.89 ± 0.41 log10 copies/L). At individual sample level, most of the paired samples had <1 log10 difference. Significant positive Spearman rank correlations were obtained between two laboratories for the HF183 (Rs = 0.65; p < 0.05), CPQ_056 (Rs = 0.79; p < 0.05), and PMMoV (Rs = 0.54; p < 0.05) marker genes. Several factors such as standards, qPCR platforms, PCR inhibitors, nucleic acid extraction efficiency and low levels of targets in some samples may have contributed to the observed discrepancies. Results presented in this study highlight the importance of standardized protocol, laboratory equipment (such as digital PCR), sample processing strategies and appropriate quality controls that may need implementation to further improve accuracy and precision of results between laboratories.

First-void urine as a non-invasive liquid biopsy source to detect vaccine-induced human papillomavirus antibodies originating from cervicovaginal secretions

BackgroundMonitoring HPV antibodies non-invasively would be a major advantage for large epidemiological studies and follow-up of vaccinees. ObjectivesThis study investigated the presence of HPV-specific antibody transudates from systemic circulation in first-void urine of (un)vaccinated subjects and the agreement with paired sera. Study designIn this case-control study, 55 paired first-void urine and serum samples were included from 19- to 26-year-old women, unvaccinated (n = 19) or vaccinated (n = 36) with the bi- or quadrivalent HPV vaccine during adolescence (NCT02714114). Human IgA, total human IgG, and HPV6/11/16/18-Ig(M/G/A) were measured in paired samples. ResultsSignificant positive Spearman rank correlations (rs) were found in HPV-specific antibody levels between paired samples (HPV6: rs = 0.777; HPV11: rs = 0.757; HPV16: rs = 0.876; HPV18: rs = 0.636 (p < 0.001)). In both first-void urine and serum, significantly higher HPV6/11/16/18 antibody levels were observed in vaccinated compared with unvaccinated women (p ≤ 0.017). ConclusionsThe present study provides the first proof that vaccine-induced HPV antibodies are detectable in the first-void urine of young women. Moreover, significant positive correlations were observed between HPV6/11/16/18-antibodies in first-void urine and paired sera. Further optimization and validation are required to demonstrate its potential use in epidemiological studies and follow-up of HPV vaccination.

Reporting a phase II, open-label study assessing the safety and efficacy of MS1819-SD, a recombinant lipase, for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

Background: Chronic pancreatitis is the most common cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in adults. EPI is a deficiency in exocrine pancreatic enzymes resulting in an inability to maintain normal digestion. This inadequate digestion, especially fat malabsorption, occurs when intraduodenal levels of lipase fall below 5–10% of normal enzyme output. Furthermore, in EPI due to chronic pancreatitis, decreased bicarbonate output leads to impairment of micelle formation of fats. Fat maldigestion is compounded by decreased pancreatic secretion of lipase and colipase, further dampening hydrolysis of intraluminal fat. Methods: A multicenter, Phase II, open-label, non-randomized study was conducted to investigate the safety of escalating doses (280 mg/day, 560 mg/day, 1120 mg/day and 2240 mg/day) of MS1819 Spray Dried (MS1819-SD, a lipase produced by the LIP2 gene of Yarrowia lipolytica using recombinant DNA technology) in patients with chronic pancreatitis (NCT03481803) and decreased fecal pancreatic elastase-1 (FE-1). Patients ‘washed-out’ their standard of care treatment for EPI establishing a baseline. Each patient subsequently received escalating doses of MS1819-SD in 2-week increments. The total treatment phase ranged from 48 to 60 days. Safety was assessed by adverse event (AE) incidence, including clinical or laboratory abnormalities, and efficacy was determined using Coefficient of Fat Absorption (CFA) change from baseline. Systemic exposure and immunogenicity potential of MS1819 were investigated in patients’ serum. Results: A total of 11 patients (9 males, 2 females) were enrolled in France, Australia and New Zealand. The study mean age was 59.2 years (11.19 standard deviation [SD]) and mean weight was 70.6 kg (12.84 SD). Disease etiology was alcoholism in 4 patients, idiopathic in 3 patients, genetic in 2 patients, auto-immune in 1 patient and gallstone induced pancreatitis for 1 patient. In the highest dose group (2240 mg/day) 4/10 patients reported an AE. One serious AE occurred at this dose but it was not considered to be treatment related (pre-planned removal of stent). A drug-related AE was reported at the 1120 mg dose (slight hepatic cytolysis, mild in nature). No circulating MS1819 was detected hence the mechanism of this adverse event cannot be explained or related to systemic exposure. MS1819 immunogenicity was observed in some patients with post-treatment anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) detected. However, some pre-existing ADAs were also detected and the incidence of ADAs was mild (3/10 patients) with moderate ADA titers. Increases in CFA were reported with all doses of MS1819-SD, these increases were particularly high in patients with baseline CFA <40%. Comparing CFA with FE-1 (24 patients with both recorded at screening) a positive spearman rank correlation of 0.64 (p < 0.001) was obtained. Although the study was not powered to detect a difference in efficacy parameters, the least square mean increase in CFA was 21.8% with MS1819-SD 2240 mg (p = 0.002; per protocol analysis). Conclusion: In general, a favorable safety profile was reported at all doses of MS1819-SD included in the study. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful increases in CFA compared to baseline were recorded. Although the efficacy analysis was pre-planned, the study was not powered to demonstrate differences in the groups and only a small number of patients were included. Favorable trends were also observed on other evaluated endpoints, including the Bristol stool scale, number of daily evacuations and stool weight. Additional studies are warranted to further evaluate the use of MS1819-SD to treat EPI in patients with chronic pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis.

Performance of novel infection phase-dependent antigens in syphilis serodiagnosis and treatment efficacy determination

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to screen new antigens for syphilis serodiagnosis. MethodsFirst, we determined whether the Treponema pallidum proteins Tp0971, Tp0768 and Tp0462 were infection phase-dependent antigens by observing serum reactivity differences in New Zealand rabbits infected with activated or inactivated T. pallidum. A non-infection phase-dependent antigen, the Tp92 membrane protein, was used as the negative control. Next, Tp0971-, Tp0768- and Tp0462-based ELISA was performed on 2138 human serum samples and compared with the T. pallidum passive particle agglutination assay (TPPA) and LiZhu™ Tp-ELISA. In addition, another 60 paired serum samples from patients at follow-up were analysed to evaluate the relationships between titre changes and differences in the A450 nm values of the Tp0971, Tp0768, Tp0462 and Tp92 antibodies measured by ELISA. ResultsCompared with Tp92 (negative control), Tp0971, Tp0768 and Tp0462 were determined to be infection phase-dependent antigens. Compared with those of the TPPA, the sensitivities of Tp0971-, Tp0768- and Tp0462-based ELISA were 96.4%, 96.9% and 93.0%, respectively, and the specificities were 97.7%, 95.4% and 98.9%, respectively, resulting in consistencies of 97.1%, 96.2% and 95.9%, respectively. Compared with those of the LiZhu™ Tp-ELISA, the consistencies of Tp0971-, Tp0768- and Tp0462-based ELISA were 95.1%, 94.2% and 94.0%, respectively, with kappa values of 0.902, 0.884 and 0.880, respectively. Tp0971, Tp0768 and Tp0462 demonstrated high sensitivities and specificities, as well as high conformity to the TPPA and LiZhu™ Tp-ELISA. Moreover, a significantly positive Spearman rank correlation coefficient (0.82,*P < 0.05) was found between the difference in the A450 nm values of the Tp0971 antibody and the RPR titre change. ConclusionThe infection phase-dependent antigens Tp0971, Tp0768 and Tp0462 are promising for syphilis diagnosis, and Tp0971 may be utilized to monitor curative effects during syphilis treatment.

Reproductive biology and egg production of Hyalella longistila (Faxon, 1876) (Amphipoda: Hyalellidae), a freshwater amphipod in southeastern Brazil

The reproductive biology of Hyalella longistila (Faxon, 1876), a freshwater amphipod found in streams in southeastern Brazil, was investigated. We assessed body-size relationships between paired and unpaired males and females as well as the egg stage, fecundity, relationship between number of eggs and their stage, number of eggs and female size, and pairing and reproductive success. A positive Spearman rank correlation was observed between the cephalothorax length (CL) of paired males and females. The mean CL of paired males and females was positively related, indicating a size-assortative mating. The mean fecundity was 12.88 ± 2.00 eggs per female, with peaks in August 2012 and September 2012, with 16.82 and 15.08 eggs per female, respectively. The developmental stage and the number of eggs found on the brood pouch were negatively correlated, indicating that as the embryo developed, fewer eggs remained in the egg pouch (marsupium). Higher values for male pairing success were observed for size classes between 0.59 and 0.67 mm, and both sexes presented higher values for reproductive success between 0.63 and 0.68 mm. Our results could support conservation practices or even studies using such amphipods as model organisms.

Multi-faceted assessment of trademark similarity

Trademarks are intellectual property assets with potentially high reputational value. Their infringement may lead to lost revenue, lower profits and damages to brand reputation. A test normally conducted to check whether a trademark is highly likely to infringe other existing, already registered, trademarks is called a likelihood of confusion test. One of the most influential factors in this test is establishing similarity in appearance, meaning or sound. However, even though the trademark registration process suggests a multi-faceted similarity assessment, relevant research in expert systems mainly focuses on computing individual aspects of similarity between trademarks. Therefore, this paper contributes to the knowledge in this field by proposing a method, which, similar to the way people perceive trademarks, blends together the three fundamental aspects of trademark similarity and produces an aggregated score based on the individual visual, semantic and phonetic assessments. In particular, semantic similarity is a new aspect, which has not been considered by other researchers in approaches aimed at providing decision support in trademark similarity assessment. Another specific scientific contribution of this paper is the innovative integration, using a fuzzy engine, of three independent assessments, which collectively provide a more balanced and human-centered view on potential infringement problems. In addition, the paper introduces the concept of degree of similarity since the line between similar and dissimilar trademarks is not always easy to define especially when dealing with blending three very different assessments. The work described in the paper is evaluated using a database comprising 1400 trademarks compiled from a collection of real legal cases of trademark disputes. The evaluation involved two experiments. The first experiment employed information retrieval measures to test the classification accuracy of the proposed method while the second used human collective opinion to examine correlations between the trademark scoring/rating and the ranking of the proposed method, and human judgment. In the first experiment, the proposed method improved the F-score, precision and accuracy of classification by 12.5%, 35% and 8.3%, respectively, against the best score computed using individual similarity. In the second experiment, the proposed method produced a perfect positive Spearman rank correlation score of 1.00 in the ranking task and a pairwise Pearson correlation score of 0.92 in the rating task. The test of significance conducted on both scores rejected the null hypotheses of the experiment and showed that both scores correlated well with collective human judgment. The combined overall assessment could add value to existing support systems and be beneficial for both trademark examiners and trademark applicants. The method could be further used in addressing recent cyberspace phenomena related to trademark infringement such as customer hijacking and cybersquatting.

A comparative study of the influence of head teachers management styles on pupils performance in K CPE in public and private primary schools in Nakuru municipality, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of management styles of head teacher’s on pupils’ performance in private and public primary schools in Nakuru municipality at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education level. The population comprised of teachers and head teachers in public primary schools. The study adopted the ex post facto survey research design and used a sample size of 70 primary schools in which 70 Head teachers and 70 teachers were interviewed. The respondents were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data for the study was collected by use of questionnaires and interview schedules. The study collected both qualitative and quantitative data. Data collected was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17. The results were presented by descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed that most public primary schools were using democratic and participatory leadership styles as opposed to private primary schools, which were mainly using autocratic leadership style; private primary schools were performing better than Public primary schools in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in Nakuru municipality; most teachers in both private and public primary schools were not comfortable with the prevailing / current leadership styles and administration standards, and negatively related this with student performance. The findings further revealed a positive Spearman rank correlation between school mean mark and team working spirit r(62)=0.078) p>0.05; and a positive Spearman rank correlation between school mean mark and adequate reading materials r(62)= 0.094) p>0.05. Although the two correlations were not significant. Following these findings, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education, school governing bodies, and concerned stakeholders should consider mobilizing and allocating resources geared towards mitigating the impediments to the effectiveness of primary school leadership styles. Key words: Head teachers’ management styles, pupils’ performance, KCPE, primary schools, Kenya.

The effect of overhead target on the lower limb biomechanics during a vertical drop jump test in elite female athletes.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of an overhead target on the jump height and lower limb biomechanics in all three planes of motion in a vertical drop jump (VDJ) task among elite female handball and football (soccer) players. The hypothesis was that adding an overhead target to the VDJ task improves jump height, increases joint loading, and decreases frontal plane knee control. Five hundred and twenty-three female handball and football players (mean±SD: 21±4years, 168±6cm, 65±8kg) completed the test. The overhead target increased jumping height by 5.8%. Furthermore, the overhead target led to statistically significant changes in many of the lower limb biomechanical variables examined. However, all the changes in kinematics and kinetics were clinically insignificant, as indicated by the small effect sizes. Strong to moderate positive Spearman's rank correlations were found between the two conditions. Therefore, an overhead target is unlikely to increase the range of responses in biomechanical variables in elite female handball and football athletes.

Does Daily Growth Affect the Rate of Manganese Uptake in Juvenile River Herring Otoliths?

AbstractManganese is a commonly found constituent in fish otoliths, yet a direct correlation with ambient water concentrations as observed for other elements has proven elusive. There is compelling evidence that Mn uptake is related to the availability of reduced Mn (Mn2+) resulting from hypoxia (Limburg et al. 2015) but that fish growth rate also plays a role. We tested the latter possibility by examining otoliths from anadromous river herring (Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis) in New York waters. A significant correlation was found between the ages at which shifts in otolith daily growth increments (assumed proportional to somatic growth) and shifts in otolith Mn:Ca ratios were detected. Furthermore, significant positive Spearman's rank correlations were observed between mean otolith daily growth and otolith Mn:Ca. Species‐ and site‐specific differences were evident, but significant positive correlations were found for these relationships within each species and at most sampling sites. Ambient water concentrations were weakly correlated with otolith Mn:Ca, suggesting that both exogenous and endogenous factors influence Mn:Ca in otoliths. Thus, while endogenous mechanisms (i.e., growth rate) likely influence Mn uptake, exogenous availability is the ultimate control.

Weather type classification of wildfire ignitions in the central Gulf Coast, United States

Limited research has been performed examining the relationships between southeast US wildfire and weather type patterns using modern techniques and data sets. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between wildfire ignitions in the central Gulf Coast, United States and weather type occurrences in an effort to identify regional patterns associated with wildfire ignitions. Wildfire occurrence data are obtained for nine national forests in the central Gulf Coast for the period 1970 to 2011. The Spatial Synoptic Classification scheme (SSC) is used to classify daily weather type variations for each national forest. Years with high numbers of ignitions experience statistically higher numbers of dry tropical (DT) weather types than years with low numbers of ignitions in five of nine national forests. These differences range from 17 to 160% more DT days during periods of high ignitions. Statistically significant positive Spearman rank correlations exist between annual number of ignitions and annual number of DT days in a given forest. While understanding such relationships on an annual scale is useful, it says nothing about the actual timing of weather types leading up to an ignition. An analysis of weather type activity 30, 90, and 180 days prior to ignitions reveals that the median ratio of DT days to moist moderate (MM) and moist tropical (MT) days is statistically higher for periods leading up to a fire. Positive phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) result in an increased number of DT days. This confirms previous studies that have suggested the strength of the westerlies increases during the positive phase of the NAO, driving DT weather types eastward from their southwest US/Mexico source region. We can therefore also conclude that the positive phase of the NAO is linked with increased wildfire activity in the central Gulf Coast, United States.

Amount of interleukin-1β and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in periodontitis and healthy patients

ObjectiveRegulation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a critical element of immune responses in health and disease. Additional research is required to determine the levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) sufficient to inhibit inteleukine-1-induced responses in periodontium. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of IL-1β, IL-1ra in gingival crevicular fluid samples obtained from periodontitis and healthy patients. Design of the studyThe periodontitis group consisted of 50 patients (F-31, M-19) with chronic periodontitis. The control group consisted of 30 periodontally healthy subjects (F-19, M-11). Oral hygiene index—simplified, gingival index, pocket depth, clinical attachment level were measured. The concentrations of interleukins in gingival crevicular fluid were measured by the ELISA technique. ResultsThe total amounts of interleukin-1β and IL-1ra were significantly higher in periodontitis group than in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of each cytokine were reported also as moles. In the control group there were 800-times more moles/sample of IL-1ra than IL-1β. In periodontitis group nearly 300-times more moles/sample of IL-1ra was obtained. The significant positive Spearman's rank correlations was identified between both concentrations (R=0.39; P<0.05) and total amounts (R=0.31; P<0.05) of cytokines in the periodontitis group. ConclusionThe increased secretion of IL-1ra in periodontitis is not adequate to “curb” the release of IL-1β.

Serum calprotectin levels in elderly males and females without bacterial or viral infections

ObjectivesCalprotectin is released from activated leukocytes and calprotectin can thus be used as a marker for leukocyte activation. Faeces calprotectin is not only used as a marker for inflammatory bowel disease but can also be used to detect leukocyte activation in other body fluids. The aim of the present study was to study serum calprotectin levels in non-infected elderly individuals to establish reference intervals for the marker. MethodsSerum calprotectin was analyzed by immunoturbidimetry in 75year old females and males without known infections. Individuals with CRP>20mg/L were excluded as this could indicate a subclinical infection. The calprotectin levels in the remaining 713 individuals were used to calculate reference values for this population. The Spearman rank correlations between calprotectin and 27 other laboratory biomarkers were also investigated. ResultsThere was a strong positive Spearman rank correlation between calprotectin and CRP (p<0.000001) and alkaline phosphatase (p<0.000001). There were also significant negative correlations between calprotectin and ApoA1 and direct HDL-cholesterol. ConclusionsThe reference interval for serum-calprotectin for all study subjects was 0.3–2.6mg/L. Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase contributes to serum alkaline phosphatase levels.

Performance Assessment of Military Team-Training for Resilience in Complex Maritime Environments

This paper presents an analysis of a tool designed to evaluate the effectiveness of training for operational resilience. The tool measures eight categories of teamwork and four categories of taskwork. Military subject matter experts (SMEs) used the tool to assess the performance of eight cadet teams at The Royal Norwegian Naval Academy during two separate 4-hour simulator exercises and later during a 48-hour live exercise. Positive Spearman rank correlation coefficients between team performance assessments in the simulator exercises and the live exercise were strongest when the simulator scenario emphasized the uncertainty inherent in a complex military maritime exercise.

Effect of Pinyon–Juniper Tree Cover on the Soil Seed Bank

As pinyon–juniper (specifically, Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma) woodlands in the western United States increase in distribution and density, understory growth declines and the occurrence of crown fires increases, leaving mountainsides open to both soil erosion and invasion by exotic species. We examined if the loss in understory cover that occurred with increasing tree cover was reflected in the density and diversity of the seed bank. Seed banks in stands with low, medium, and high tree cover were measured in late October for 2 yr. Multivariate analyses indicated that cover and diversity of standing vegetation changed as tree cover increased. However, the seed bank did not differ in overall seed density or species diversity because seeds of the 13 species that comprised 86% of the seed bank occurred in similar density across the tree-cover groups. Sixty-three percent of the species that were in the seed bank were absent from the vegetation (mostly annual forbs). In addition, 49% of the species that occurred in the standing vegetation were not in the seed bank (mostly perennial forbs and shrubs). Only Artemisia tridentata, Bromus tectorum, and Collinsia parviflora displayed positive Spearman rank correlations between percent cover in the vegetation and density in the seed bank. Thus, much of the standing vegetation was not represented in the seed bank, and the few species that dominated the seed bank occurred across varying covers of pinyon–juniper. Conforme los bosques de “Pinyon–juniper” (específicamente, Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frém. y Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little) del oeste de Estados Unidos de América se incrementan en distribución y densidad, el crecimiento del estrato herbáceo disminuye y la ocurrencia de incendios aumenta, dejando las laderas de las montañas expuestas a la erosión del suelo y la invasión de especies exóticas. Examinamos si la pérdida de cobertura herbácea, que ocurre al aumentar la cobertura de los árboles, se reflejó en la densidad y diversidad del banco de semillas del suelo. Durante 2 años, a finales de octubre, se midió el banco de semillas en poblaciones con cobertura de árboles baja, media, y alta. Los análisis multivariados indicaron que la cobertura y diversidad de la población vegetal cambió al incrementarse la cobertura de árboles. Sin embargo, el banco de semillas del suelo no difirió en la densidad y diversidad general de especies, porque las semillas de las 13 especies que constituyeron el 86% del banco de semillas, ocurrieron en densidad similar en los tres niveles de cobertura de árboles. El 63% de las especies que formaban el banco de semilla no estaban presentes en la vegetación (principalmente hierbas anuales). Además, 49% de les especies presentes en la vegetación no estaban en el banco de semilla (principalmente hierbas perennes y arbustos). Solo Artemisia tridentata Nutt., Bromus tectorum L. y Collinsia parviflora Lindl. Mostraron correlaciones de rango Spearman positivas entre el porcentaje de cobertura en la vegetación y la densidad en el banco de semilla. Por lo tanto, buena parte de la vegetación no estuvo representada en el banco de semillas, y las pocas especies que dominaron el banco de semillas ocurrieron en los diferentes niveles de cobertura de “Pinyon–juniper”.

Effects of CO3, Cl and SO4 Ions on Parameters of Sensory Evaluations of Carrots (Daucus carota L.)

Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on raw carrots which were grown using fertilizers containing CO3, Cl or SO4 ions. When carrot plants were grown under relatively wet soil conditions (6.2 kPa), SO4-treated carrots were preferred over CO3- or Cl-treated carrots. There was a significant positive Spearman's rank correlation between preference and sweetness, which suggested that SO4-treated carrots were preferred because of their strong sense of sweetness. However, the more intense sweetness in SO4-treated carrots could not be explained by their sugar, organic acid, amino acid or ortophosphoric acid contents.

Glutathione antioxidant system as a marker of oxidative stress in chronic renal failure

A profound imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants has been suggested in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. However, the respective influence of uremia and dialysis procedure has not been evaluated. Circulating levels of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and reductase (GSSG-Rd), total GSH and GSSG were determined in a large cohort of 233 uremic patients including 185 undialyzed patients with mild to severe chronic renal failure, and 48 patients treated by peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis. Compared to controls, erythrocyte GSH-Px and GSSG-Rd activities were significantly increased at the mild stage of chronic uremia ( p < .001), whereas erythrocyte CuZn SOD activity was unchanged, total level of GSH and plasma GSH-Px activity were significantly decreased, and GSSG level and GSSG-Rd activity were unchanged. Positive Spearman rank correlations were observed between creatinine clearance and plasma levels of GSH-Px ( r = .65, p < .001), selenium ( r = .47, p < .001), and GSH ( r = .41, p < .001). Alterations in antioxidant systems gradually increased with the degree of renal failure, further rose in patients on peritoneal dialysis and culminated in hemodialysis patients in whom an almost complete abolishment of GSH-Px activity was observed. In conclusion, such disturbances in antioxidant systems that occur from the early stage of chronic uremia and are exacerbated by dialysis provide additional evidence for a resulting oxidative stress that could contribute to the development of accelerated atherosclerosis and other long-term complications in uremic patients.

Renal hemodynamics and sodium handling in moderate renal insufficiency

Insulin infusion during euglycemia causes antinatriuresis and renal vasodilation in healthy humans, whereas the effects of acute insulin infusion on tubular sodium handling and renal hemodynamics in chronic renal disease are unknown. The response to euglycemic insulin infusion was investigated in two homogeneous patient groups with a slight renal impairment-one with nephrotic syndrome (GFR, 64 mL/min; N = 9) and one with non-nephrotic immunoglobulin A nephropathy (GFR, 70 mL/min; N = 8). In addition, nine renal transplant recipients (GFR, 44 +/- 6 mL/min) were investigated. The results were compared with those of 12 healthy controls (GFR, 105 +/- 4 mL/min). Renal hemodynamics and renal tubular sodium handling were estimated with inulin, p-aminohippurate, sodium, and lithium clearances. The results showed that patients with nephrotic syndrome (5.0 +/- 0.4 mg/kg per minute) and renal transplant recipients (4.8 +/- 0.6 mg/kg per minute) had a significant lower metabolic clearance of glucose as compared with control subjects (7.9 +/- 0.4 mg/kg per minute), whereas patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (6.7 +/- 0.6 mg/kg per minute) had a metabolic clearance of glucose that was similar to that of the controls. Despite insulin resistance to carbohydrate metabolism, insulin infusion still induced hypokalemia and antinatriuresis in patients with nephrotic syndrome and renal transplant recipients. Insulin infusion caused a significant 13% increase in RPF and lithium clearance in control subjects, and a positive Spearman rank correlation (Rs = 0.41; P < 0.05) was observed between the changes in p-aminohippurate and lithium clearances during insulin infusion in the combined patient group, suggesting that impaired renal vasodilation may contribute to abnormal proximal tubular sodium handling and sodium retention. The results also suggest that hypertriglyceridemia could be a factor contributing to abnormal proximal tubular sodium handling in chronic renal disease.