Principal Component Analysis Plot Research Articles

Molecular genetic diversity analysis using SSR marker amongst high solasodine content lines of Solanum khasianum C.B. Clarke, an industrially important plant

Solanum khasianum C. B. Clarke contains a pharmaceutically useful alkaloid, solasodine, which is mainly used for the synthesis of steroid hormones. In this study, a total of 273 accessions were collected from nine states of India and planted at experimental farm of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, India. After screening, 180 lines containing > 0.8% solasodine were further used for the assessment of genetic diversity using 59 SSR primers. An average of 78.21% polymorphic alleles was obtained from the studied primers out of which 17 primer pairs can be recommended as most efficient primers. The dendrogram based on UPGMA method grouped the 180 accessions into three clusters. To further confirm the clustering of the accessions, principal component analysis (PCA) plot was constructed. The interesting fact in this study is that the rich solasodine lines > 1% is clustered together based on their geographical locations. The analysis of molecular variance showed the diversity amongst the studied populations to be 20% and within the populations 80%. The analysis of genetic diversity parameters revealed effective number of alleles (Ne) of 1.39, Nei’s gene Diversity (He) of 0.23 and Shannon’s diversity index (I) of 0.36. Dendrogram constructed to check the relationship among the collection site of the accessions revealed high divergence between the population of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh. The hybridization of the divergent lines can help identify genes for solasodine content and alleles for high content. Linkage disequilibrium and association analysis further identified two SSR primers associated with solasodine content. To date there are no reports regarding the genetic diversity analysis of S. khasianum; this is the first study on genetic relationships amongst 180 high solasodine lines of this species using SSR marker.

Date, Apple, and Pear By-Products as Functional Ingredients in Pasta: Cooking Quality Attributes and Physicochemical, Rheological, and Sensorial Properties.

This study aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating pear, date, and apple by-products on pasta properties. Pasta properties including cooking quality, texture, color, rheology, thermal gelling, and microstructural characteristics were evaluated. Common wheat flour was substituted by 0, 2.5, 5, 7, and 10 g/100 g of by-products. To choose the best-suited substitute of flour for the preparation of pasta, the sensorial properties of pasta were investigated. Interrelationships between all the physicochemical parameters were investigated using multiple factor analysis. We also studied the impact of storage (7, 15, and 30 days) on the physicochemical proprieties of pasta. The results revealed that the chemical composition of pasta elaborated with by-products was characterized by higher energy (~386 Kcal) and fiber content (~13%) than the control pasta. Generally, materials added to the durum wheat pasta reduce optimum cooking time, adhesiveness, and extensibility, and enhance the swelling index, cooking loss, cooking water absorption, water activity, firmness, and tenacity of pasta. Cooked pasta samples were significantly (p < 0.05) darker (L*) and greener (-a*) than the control pasta. Increasing the rate of by-products from 2.5% to 10% principally altered the texture and structure of pasta. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the inclusion of by-products into pasta leads to a disruption of the protein matrix. A practical formulation (2.5% of by-products) can be selected, since a significant difference was detected between overall acceptability scores. Grouping the variables in the principal component analysis plot showed that pasta samples can be divided into three groups. Each group was correlated by a specific variable. A significant modification of the physical parameters of pasta was observed after 30 days of storage.

Evaluation of microalgae diets on flavor characteristics of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) during fattening

Due to the large breeding density and the influence of seasonal changes, the quality of oysters declined. Oysters are often fattened with specific microalgae before sale to improve their quality. Here, the purpose of this study was to study the effects of different microalgae diets on the flavor characteristics of Crassostrea gigas (C. gigas) after three weeks of fattening. The result showed that there was a certain correlation between the fatty acid composition of C. gigas and microalgae. The equivalent umami concentration values of C. gigas fed with Chlorella vulgaris and Pavlova viridis (5.34 and 4.91 g/100 g, respectively) were significantly higher than that of the control group. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry analysis showed 48 volatile organic compounds, and the principal component analysis plot showed an obvious separation between the C. gigas. These results indicated that diets had a significant effect on the flavor components of oysters.

Cookies Formulated with Gamma‐Irradiated Virgin Coconut Oil are Less Rancid: Analysis By Metal Oxide‐Based Electronic Nose and Support Vector Machines

AbstractIn this study, hydrogenated vegetable fat in cookie is replaced by gamma‐irradiation‐induced (4.2 kGy) deodorized (rancid‐acid odor removed) virgin coconut oil (VCO) with the aim to formulate antioxidant‐rich cookies with good sensory acceptability up to 150 days,vis‐à‐visthe hydrogenated fat‐ and VCO‐formulated cookies. Cookies formulated with hydrogenated fat, non‐irradiated VCO and 4.2 kGy irradiated VCO serve as control, positive control, and sample sets, respectively. Rancidity of three sets of cookies is assessed for a period of 180 days at 25±2°C, ≈75–80% RH using metal oxide gas sensor‐based electronic nose (e‐nose). The best combinations of sensors are selected employing support vector machines analysis to accurately predict rancidity development in the three sets of cookies during storage. Analyses of principal component analysis (PCA) plots of the e‐nose sensor responses reveal that the progression of rancidity in the control and positive control sets of cookies is detected on day 90 and 120, respectively; whereas, the onset of rancidity is detected for sample set of cookies on day 150. Findings of sensory evaluation and e‐nose analyses affirm that the newly formulated cookies can be safely consumed up to 150 days when stored at 25±2 °C, 75–80% RH. Practical applications: Gamma‐irradiated deodorized VCO successfully enhances storage‐life of drop cookies by more than 60 daysvis‐à‐visits hydrogenated fat counterpart. These newly formulated cookies which can be stored and consumed for a longer period would certainly be more commercially viable. Gamma‐irradiated VCO can also be used as an alternative to hydrogenated fats in preparing similar bakery‐cum‐confectionary products. The methodology developed for assessment of rancidity using electronic nose technology would be extremely useful considering high industrial throughput and can be safely extrapolated to other bakery and confectionary products for accurate assessment of rancidity, forgoing cumbersome biochemical assays.

Detection of lipidomics characterization of tuna meat during different wet-aging stages using iKnife rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry

As a high-value processed aquatic product, wet-aged tuna has gradually become a popular food, but its lipidomics characteristics during the aging process have not been investigated. Herein, the lipidomics phenotypic data of tuna at different wet-aging stages were acquired using iKnife rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry, in which the dominant lipid components, including fatty acid (FA), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylinositol (PI), were structurally identified. Principal component analysis, permutation test, heatmap, and circos plot analysis were performed to characterize lipids in wet-aged tuna, among which FAC18:1, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and PIC18:0/22:6 were the most contributing components for determining the wet-aging stage of tuna. The results indicated that iKnife-REIMS is accurate (86.5%), reliable, and could be used in the real-time detection of tuna meat during different wet-aging stages.

Flos Carthami Exerts Hepatoprotective Action in a Rat Model of Alcoholic Liver Injury via Modulating the Metabolomics Profile.

This study was intended to identify the shifts in the metabolomics profile of the hepatic tissue damaged by alcohol consumption and verify the potential restorative action of flos carthami (the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius, FC) in the protection of alcohol-induced injury by attenuating the level of identified metabolites. Rats were treated with FC and subsequently subjected to alcohol administration. The serum samples were subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics followed by statistical and bioinformatics analyses. The clustering of the samples showed an obvious separation in the principal component analysis (PCA) plot, and the scores plot of the orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model allowed the distinction among the three groups. Among the 3211 total metabolites, 1088 features were significantly different between the control and alcohol-treated groups, while 367 metabolites were identified as differential metabolites between the alcohol- and FC-treated rat groups. Time series clustering approach indicated that 910 metabolites in profile 6 were upregulated by alcohol but subsequently reversed by FC treatment; among them, the top 10 metabolites based on the variable importance in projection (VIP) scores were 1-methyladenine, phenylglyoxylic acid, N-acetylvaline, mexiletine, L-fucose, propylthiouracil, dopamine 4-sulfate, isoleucylproline, (R)-salsolinol, and monomethyl phthalate. The Pearson correlation analysis and network construction revealed 96 hub metabolites that were upregulated in the alcohol liver injury model group but were downregulated by FC. This study confirmed the hepatoprotective effects of FC against alcohol-induced liver injury and the related changes in the metabolic profiles, which will contribute to the understanding and the treatment of alcohol-induced acute liver injury.

Chemometric Analysis Based on GC-MS Chemical Profiles of Three Stachys Species from Uzbekistan and Their Biological Activity.

The chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of Stachys byzantina, S. hissarica and S. betoniciflora growing in Uzbekistan were determined, and their antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity were assessed. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 143 metabolites accounting for 70.34, 76.78 and 88.63% of the total identified components of S. byzantina, S. hissarica and S. betoniciflora, respectively. Octadecanal (9.37%) was the most predominant in S. betoniciflora. However, n-butyl octadecenoate (4.92%) was the major volatile in S. byzantina. Benzaldehyde (5.01%) was present at a higher percentage in S. hissarica. A chemometric analysis revealed the ability of volatile profiling to discriminate between the studied Stachys species. The principal component analysis plot displayed a clear diversity of Stachys species where the octadecanal and benzaldehyde were the main discriminating markers. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing power (FRAP), chelating and phosphomolybdenum (PBD). Moreover, the ability of the essential oils to inhibit both acetyl/butyrylcholinesterases (AChE and BChE), α-amylase, α-glucosidase and tyrosinase was assessed. The volatiles from S. hissarica exhibited the highest activity in both the ABTS (226.48 ± 1.75 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g oil) and FRAP (109.55 ± 3.24 mg TE/g oil) assays. However, S. betoniciflora displayed the strongest activity in the other assays (174.94 ± 0.20 mg TE/g oil for CUPRAC, 60.11 ± 0.36 mg EDTA equivalent (EDTAE)/g oil for chelating and 28.24 ± 1.00 (mmol TE/g oil) for PBD. Regarding the enzyme inhibitory activity, S. byzantina demonstrated the strongest AChE (5.64 ± 0.04 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g oil) and tyrosinase inhibitory (101.07 ± 0.60 mg kojic acid equivalent (KAE)/g) activity. The highest activity for BChE (11.18 ± 0.19 mg GALAE/g oil), amylase inhibition (0.76 ± 0.02 mmol acarbose equivalent (ACAE)/g oil) and glucosidase inhibition (24.11 ± 0.06 mmol ACAE/g oil) was observed in S. betoniciflora. These results showed that EOs of Stachys species could be used as antioxidant, hypoglycemic and skincare agents.

A geometric relationship of F2, F3 and F4-statistics with principal component analysis.

Principal component analysis (PCA) and F-statistics sensu Patterson are two of the most widely used population genetic tools to study human genetic variation. Here, I derive explicit connections between the two approaches and show that these two methods are closely related. F-statistics have a simple geometrical interpretation in the context of PCA, and orthogonal projections are a key concept to establish this link. I show that for any pair of populations, any population that is admixed as determined by an F3-statistic will lie inside a circle on a PCA plot. Furthermore, the F4-statistic is closely related to an angle measurement, and will be zero if the differences between pairs of populations intersect at a right angle in PCA space. I illustrate my results on two examples, one of Western Eurasian, and one of global human diversity. In both examples, I find that the first few PCs are sufficient to approximate most F-statistics, and that PCA plots are effective at predicting F-statistics. Thus, while F-statistics are commonly understood in terms of discrete populations, the geometric perspective illustrates that they can be viewed in a framework of populations that vary in a more continuous manner.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Celebrating 50 years since Lewontin's apportionment of human diversity’.

Metagenomics Insights Into the Microbial Diversity and Microbiome Network Analysis on the Heterogeneity of Influent to Effluent Water.

Sanitizing the water sources of local communities is important to control the spread of microbial resistance genes, especially those for water-borne illnesses. The activities of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG)-host pathogens pose a threat to public health, and it has been estimated that the infection will lead up to 10 million deaths globally by the year 2050. Hence, in this study, we aim to analyze the efficiency of our municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) process in producing pathogen-free water by investigating the microbial composition between influent and effluent water sites. Shotgun metagenomics sequencing using the Illumina platform was performed on the influent and effluent samples of six different WWTP sites located in Johore, Malaysia. After raw data pre-processing, the non-redundant contigs library was then aligned against BLASTP for taxonomy profiling and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database for ARG annotation. Interestingly, the alpha-diversity result reported that effluent site samples showed higher abundance and diverse heterogeneity compared to the influent site. The principal component analysis (PCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) plots also suggested that effluent sites showed high variation in the genetic material due to loosely clustered sample plots, as compared to the tightly clustered influent samples. This study has successfully identified the top three abundant phyla in influent—Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes—and effluent—Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes—water. Despite the overlap within the top three abundant phyla in influent and effluent sites (Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes), the ARG composition heat map and drug class phenotype plot bar exhibits a general trend of a downward shift, showing the efficiency of WWTP in reducing opportunistic pathogens. Overall, it was demonstrated that our municipal WWTP efficiently eliminated pathogenic microbes from the influent water before its total discharge to the environment, though not with the total elimination of microorganisms. This metagenomics study allowed for an examination of our water source and showed the potential interaction of species and ARGs residing in the influent and effluent environment. Both microbial profile structure and co-occurrence network analysis provide integrated understanding regarding the diversity of microorganisms and interactions for future advanced water sanitation treatments.

Forensic analysis of cigarette ash using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric methods

Cigarette ash is frequently found in crime scenes involving murder, suicide, rape, dacoity, or assault cases, but it is frequently overlooked as potential evidence by investigators. This ash as evidence can assist an investigator in figuring out the number of people who were there at the time of the crime as well as narrowing down the suspect pool. Because any type of ash, such as burnt paper, dhoop, agarbatti, cloth, tandoor, and so on, could be present at the crime scene, the first objective of this research study proposed a method for the characterization and discrimination of cigarette ash from other types using ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy in conjunction with statistical models PCA and PLSDA. In the second objective, this approach was used for the discrimination of cigarette and bidi ash. Finally, the same strategy is used to distinguish between ashes from three different cigarette brands because some people prefer one brand over another, which may be useful in certain situations. For this research study, we collected a total of 94 samples (47 unsmoked/fresh cigarette sticks of 20 brands from local vendors and 47 samples as other ash types from the surrounding area), 12 samples of bidi/hand-rolled cigarettes from different brands for cigarette ash discrimination, and 30 samples (10 sticks for a single cigarette brand) for brand discrimination. After smouldering the collected sample sticks in the laboratory, ash spectra were obtained for all of them for cigarette ash discrimination and brand determination. Differences in peak patterns, their absorbance, and the presence or absence of specific components in the fingerprint region were investigated for discriminatory purposes. Because FTIR spectra evaluation is time-consuming and prone to human error, the data was further analysed using multivariate techniques such as PCA (principal component analysis) and PLS-DA (Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis) to improve sample discrimination. In the PCA plots, there was a degree of sample segregation. Therefore, for classifying the data into groups and predicting their outcomes, the PLS-DA method was employed, and a satisfactory categorization of samples was accomplished. The performance of the PLS-DA model is further validated using blind testing of unknown samples. As a result of the current research work, a non-destructive, efficient, and non-invasive approach for analysing cigarette ash has been established, which would aid in crime scene investigation.

Detecting Water Constituents Unique to Septic Tanks as a Wastewater Source in the Environment by Nontarget Analysis: South Florida's Deering Estate Rehydration Project Case Study.

The present study has generated a workflow based on nontarget analysis (NTA) with Compound Discoverer Ver 3.1 to characterize a set of source-discriminating compounds identified in water samples from locations in South Florida (USA), particularly those describing a freshwater environment (Everglades based), urban impacted areas (septic tank driven), and coastal (Biscayne Bay) endmembers in and around the Charles Deering Estate property in the Village of Palmetto Bay. Waters from an interconnected managed canal system were assessed to evaluate the influence of localized emissions. Septic tank effluents influence the water in many Southeast Florida environments due to their diminished onsite treatment capacity based on the limestone-dominated geology and canal systems providing a relatively unobstructed connection pathway. Through a combination of high-resolution mass spectrometry and statistical analyses, a set of tracers and indicators was determined (azelaic acid, decanophenone, galaxolidone, methyl violet, monoolein, metoprolol, and 1-stearoylglycerol). Tentatively identified compounds were generally assigned to various categories such as dyes, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. The NTA Compound Discoverer Ver 3.1 compound data (presented as principal component analysis and Kendrick mass defect plots) showed apparent differences between wastewater-influenced sites and non-wastewater-influenced sites along with the ranked "Top10" compounds found at each location. Waters from different locations were also compared using the presence of sucralose to further inform the NTA. The most septic-influenced site contained 3594 ± 94 ng/L of sucralose with concentrations declining steadily and reaching the lowest concentrations in Biscayne Bay of 122 ± 94 ng/L. The sucralose concentrations provided further evidence of septic influence on this system. Sucralose was determined to be a conservative tracer between the freshwater and coastal sources and complementary to other probable unique tracers of septic tank effluent identified by the NTA. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1165-1178. © 2022 SETAC.

MRNA sequencing analysis and growth inhibitory effects of palbociclib on cell lines from canine histiocytic proliferative disorders.

Canine histiocytic proliferative disorders include aggressive and fatal diseases, such as histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and histiocytosis (SyH). The molecular mechanisms underlying cell proliferation need to be elucidated for the development of effective treatments. In the present study, mRNA expression levels were comprehensively analysed in cell lines derived from localized HS, disseminated HS, SyH and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in dogs. Based on the results obtained, the growth inhibitory effects of palbociclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, were verified with the cell lines in vitro and in xenograft mouse model. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis plots of mRNA expression profiles divided the cell lines into three groups: a localized HS group, disseminated HS/SyH group, and LCH. The results of an ingenuity pathway analysis suggested that the MAPK signalling pathway was activated in the localized HS and LCH cell lines, and the PI3K signalling pathway in the disseminated and localized HS cell lines. In all cell lines, the expression of the tumour suppressor genes TP53, CDKN2A and CDKN1A was down-regulated, whereas that of Rb was preserved. In vitro assessments revealed the growth inhibitory effects of palbociclib in all cell lines examined. In a xenograft mouse model using a cell line from disseminated HS, palbociclib exerted significant growth inhibitory effects. These results suggest the potential of palbociclib as a therapeutic drug candidate for the treatment of malignant histiocytic proliferative disorders of the dog.

ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometric Methods for the Classification of Polyethylene Residues Containing Different Contaminants

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) are the principal plastics present in solid plastic waste and are found out as the main components of microplastics in marine and terrestrial environments. Currently, efforts have been made to develop new and effective methods to ensure the identification and separation of plastics in waste, ensuring the necessary purity to obtain quality and economically competitive recycled products. In this contribution, we investigated the usage of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection mode (ATR-FTIR) combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Partial Least Squares Regression by Intervals (iPLS-R) and Competitive Adaptive Weighted Sampling (CARS/PLS-R) as chemometric methods to classify and determine the compositional fraction of the pristine and recycled mixtures of HDPE and LDPE from plastic waste in São Paulo, Brazil. Here, the 3D PCA plots were not effective in classifying the different polyethylenes and their polymer blends using the three main Principal Components (PC), but 2D PCA diagrams using PC1 and PC3 presented promising performance for this purpose. The iPLS-R presents the best predictive ability than CARS/PLS-R to determine the LDPE content in HDPE/LDPE recycled blends. However, the presence of different contaminants (in 5 wt%), such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), calcium carbonate (CaCO3), recycled polypropylene (PP), and recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), reduces the potential usage of the iPLS-R models as identification tools for LDPE and HDPE sorting in industrial recycling processes.

Molecular Diversity and Chemical Composition Among Induced Mutation Lines of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. Using RAPD and ISSR Marker

Pogostemon cablin, also known as Patchouli is an essential oil yielding plant with high medicinal properties and having great value for its unique essential oil component. The essential oil is widely used in flavor and fragrance industries. The objective of the present study is to evaluate molecular diversity among mutation treated progeny using RAPD (Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) and ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers. The essential oil composition which was analyzed using GC/MS showed patchouli alcohol as major compound, followed by sabinene, (-)β-elemene, α-Guaiene, α-humulene, caryophyllene oxide and viridiflorol in the studied lines. Total 44 RAPD and 34 ISSR primers were used for 41 mutated selected lines, which showed an average polymorphic percentage of 70.1% and 58.14% respectively. Genetic parameters studied by both markers systems were found to be more or less similar. Analysis of molecular variance showed 45% variation among population and 55% within the population by RAPD marker, while ISSR marker showed 36% variation among population and 64% within population. Cluster analysis using both markers grouped the lines into three main clusters and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) plot also supported cluster analysis data. The present study will be helpful in conservation of patchouli germplasm, their characterization and in future breeding programme.

Impact of 2nd wave of COVID-19-related lockdown on coastal water quality at Diu, western coast of India and role of total alkalinity on bacterial loads.

A detailed coastal water monitoring near Diu coast, western part of India was performed from October, 2020 to May, 2021 covering the 2nd lockdown time. Average monthly fluctuation from 7 different sampling stations of total 9 physico-chemical parameters such as pH, salinity, turbidity, nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), ammonia (NH3), phosphate (PO4), total alkalinity and silicate were recorded. Initially, Mann–Kendall trend test for all the 9 parameters showed non-zero trend, which may be either linear or non-linear. During 2nd lockdown period, there was a fluctuation of value for parameters like pH, salinity, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. Average total bacterial count and differential bacterial count also gradually decreased from March, 2021 sampling. Principal component analysis (PCA) plot covering all the physico-chemical parameters as well as the differential bacterial count showed a distinct cluster of all bacterial count with total alkalinity value. Subsequently, mathematical equation was formulated between total alkalinity value and all differential bacterial count. Upto our knowledge, this is the first report where mathematical equation was formulated to obtain value of different bacterial load based on the derived total alkalinity value of the coastal water samples near Diu, India.

Hydrogeological properties, sources provenance, and health risk exposure of fluoride in the groundwater of Batkhela, Pakistan

This study aimed to determine the fluoride (F − ) concentration, fate distribution, source provenance, geochemistry, and health risk exposure through oral ingestion of groundwater. Therefore, 60 groundwater samples were collected from five areas of sub-district Batkhela viz. Batkhela colony, Pirkhel, Selay Patty, Thana, and, Totai. The range concentrations of F − in the groundwater samples collected from the aforementioned areas were 0.50–2.30, 0.90–2.30, 0.50–2.40, 0.30–1.50, and 1.20–2.40 mg/L, and mean were 1.60, 1.50, 1.60, 0.90, and 1.70 mg/L, respectively. The results of fluoride showed that 28.5% of the groundwater samples exceeded the world health organization (WHO) guideline value of 1.5 mg/L. The chemical facies identified three types of groundwater such as CaHCO 3 (55%), NaHCO 3 (32%), and NaCl (13%). Moreover, alkaline pH high HCO 3 − and Na + concentration, while depleted Ca + + and Mg + + concentration promote F − dissolution in the groundwater aquifer. The principal component analysis and Gibbs plot define that weathering and dissolution of granite rock minerals play a key role in the control of groundwater chemistry. Additionally, the ion exchange process also plays an important role in releasing F − in the groundwater aquifer. Whereas cluster analysis identified three clusters: C1 was less polluted, C2 was moderately polluted, and C3 was a severely polluted cluster and their percentage contribution was 20%, 58%, and 22%, respectively. Health risk assessment of F − for non-cancer risk in males, females, and children shows high health risk exceeded the recommended value of 0.6 for the community. Therefore, the groundwater sources of the study area are unfit for drinking, and domestic purposes. • 28.3% water samples of Batkhela exceeded the WHO guideline values of 1.5 mg/L of F − . • Health risk of F − shows community fluorosis for both adults and children. • Base ion exchange and weathering processes are responsible for F − contamination. • PCA results shows that groundwater contamination was due to known mineral prospects. • CaHCO 3 (55%), NaHCO 3 (32%), and NaCl (13%) were the major water type.

One Health Index (OHI) applied to Curitiba, the ninth-largest metropolitan area of Brazil, with concomitant assessment of animal, environmental, and human health indicators

One Health has been defined as a comprehensive approach to human, animal, and environmental health, but unsuccessful in providing a specific index for city, state, or country assessment. Accordingly, the present study aimed to calculate the One Health Index (OHI) in 29 cities of the Curitiba metropolitan area, the ninth largest in Brazil. Animal and Environmental health indicators were obtained from the city secretary of environment. The social vulnerability index (SVI) was used as the overall human health indicator. The indicators were parameterized following a binary logic Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied in association with city population, per capita income, and distance from the capital Curitiba. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) was applied using the three first coefficients of the principal components obtained from Principal Component Analysis Plot (PCA) and exploring a pairwise comparison between the scenario ranges. A value of p less than 0.05 was considered significant. Overall, a higher OHI was associated with a higher city population and income, and shorter distance from the capital, and tendency of low-income cities to present lower OHI compared to higher-income cities. In conclusion, the OHI proposed herein portrays a holistic representation of a city's overall health. Moreover, animal issues should be considered part of local to global sustainability, considering OHI to calculate sustainability indexes.

Profiling Phenolic Composition in Pomegranate Peel From Nine Selected Cultivars Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS.

Pomegranate is widely cultivated across China, and the phenolics in its peel are principal components associated with health benefits. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-QQQ-MS) were used in this study, aiming at profiling the total phenolic composition in pomegranate peel from nine selected cultivars in 7 production areas. Sixty-four phenolic compounds were identified or annotated, and 23 of them were firstly reported in pomegranate peel. Principal component analysis (PCA) plots show differences and similarities of phenolics among nine cultivars. Furthermore, 15 phenolic compounds were quantified with the standards, and punicalagin, ellagic acid, gallocatechin, punicalin, catechin, and corilagin were found to be dominant. Punicalagin weighed the highest content (28.03–104.14 mg/g). This study can provide a deeper and more detailed insight into the phenolic composition in pomegranate peel and facilitate the health-promoting utilization of phenolics.

Evaluation of Genetic Variation in Indian mustard (Brassica Juncea L Czern and Coss) Using Multivariate Techniques

A set of 310 lines of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L Czern and Coss) were analysed for cluster and principal component analysis (PCA). PCA identified four principal components which explained 65.13% of total variability among the 310 genotypes. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 310 genotypes into 3 clusters. Cluster1 included maximum number of 155 genotypes and clusters 3 had the lowest number of 43 genotypes. The grouping pattern of genotypes obtained by cluster analysis and PCA plots was almost similar.

Prediction of banana maturity based on the sweetness and color values of different segments during ripening

To predict the maturity of bananas, the present study used non-destructive methods to analyze changes in the sweetness and color of the stalks, middles, and tips of bananas during ripening. The results indicated that the respective maturation of these three segments did not occur simultaneously, as indicated by the differential enzyme activity and gene expression levels recorded in these segments. A principal component analysis and cluster plots were used to review the classification of banana maturity, highlighting that banana maturation can be divided into six stages. Two distinct maturity prediction algorithms were established using random forest, artificial neural network, and support vector machines, and they also indicated that dividing the maturity of bananas into six stages was adequate. These findings contribute to the development of quality evaluation and of a rapid grading system for processing, which improves the quality and sale of banana fruits and the related processed products.