Significant Differences In Estimates Research Articles

Exploring the nigrostriatal and digestive interplays in Parkinson's disease using dynamic total-body [11C]CFT PET/CT.

Dynamic total-body imaging enables new perspectives to investigate the potential relationship between the central and peripheral regions. Employing uEXPLORER dynamic [11C]CFT PET/CT imaging with voxel-wise simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) kinetic modeling and semi-quantitative measures, we explored how the correlation pattern between nigrostriatal and digestive regions differed between the healthy participants as controls (HC) and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Eleven participants (six HCs and five PDs) underwent 75-min dynamic [11C]CFT scans on a total-body PET/CT scanner (uEXPLORER, United Imaging Healthcare) were retrospectively enrolled. Time activity curves for four nigrostriatal nuclei (caudate, putamen, pallidum, and substantia nigra) and three digestive organs (pancreas, stomach, and duodenum) were obtained. Total-body parametric images of relative transporter rate constant (R1) and distribution volume ratio (DVR) were generated using the SRTM with occipital lobe as the reference tissue and a linear regression with spatial-constraint algorithm. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) at early (1-3min, SUVREP) and late (60-75min, SUVRLP) phases were calculated as the semi-quantitative substitutes for R1 and DVR, respectively. Significant differences in estimates between the HC and PD groups were identified in DVR and SUVRLP of putamen (DVR: 4.82 ± 1.58 vs. 2.58 ± 0.53; SUVRLP: 4.65 ± 1.36 vs. 2.84 ± 0.67; for HC and PD, respectively, both p < 0.05) and SUVREP of stomach (1.12 ± 0.27 vs. 2.27 ± 0.65 for HC and PD, respectively; p < 0.01). In the HC group, negative correlations were observed between stomach and substantia nigra in both the R1 and SUVREP values (r=-0.83, p < 0.05 for R1; r=-0.94, p < 0.01 for SUVREP). Positive correlations were identified between pancreas and putamen in both DVR and SUVRLP values (r = 0.94, p < 0.01 for DVR; r = 1.00, p < 0.001 for SUVRLP). By contrast, in the PD group, no correlations were found between the aforementioned target nigrostriatal and digestive areas. The parametric images of R1 and DVR generated from the SRTM model, along with SUVREP and SUVRLP, were proposed to quantify dynamic total-body [11C]CFT PET/CT in HC and PD groups. The distinction in correlation patterns of nigrostriatal and digestive regions between HC and PD groups identified by R1 and DVR, or SUVRs, may provide new insights into the disease mechanism.

EAEU: ASSESSMENT AND POPULARIZATION OF ACHIEVEMENTS

The subject of the study is the problem of assessing and perceiving the contribution of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to the economy of the member states. In the first part, a variant of calculating the role of the Union is proposed on the basis of an additive model summarizing the results of trade and investment cooperation within the Union over the period of its activity; the values obtained are correlated with the GDP of the member states. The conclusion is made about the leading role of trade and economic ties in the EAEU space in the development of Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia. It is recommended to take into account the statistics of mutual trade turnover, rather than the balance, in the description of the role of the EAEU; significant differences in estimates are shown depending on the chosen approach. In the second part, the tools of information support and coverage of the organization’s activities are tracked, contributing to the popularization of the benefits of integration. The ways of development of the information and communication policy of the EAEU are proposed, including taking into account the experience of the relevant policy of the European Union. In the passive forms of communication, according to the author, it is advisable to create official Internet portals explaining the legislation of the EAEU; it is valuable to focus attention in information publications on quantitative achievements and integration benchmarks; among the active forms, the organization of network conferences on the present and future is proposed, contributing both to awareness of the benefits of integration and further disclosure of the potential of the EAEU

Comparison of reference intervals for biochemical and hematology markers derived by direct and indirect procedures based on the Isfahan cohort study

IntroductionIndirect methods for reference interval (RI) establishment apply statistical techniques to generate RIs for test result interpretation using stored laboratory data. They present unique advantages relative to traditional direct approaches such as fewer resource requirements; however, there is debate regarding their performance. Herein, we aimed to compare indirect and direct approaches for RI establishment by harnessing data from the Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS). This cohort includes both healthy individuals and those with a history of disease, enabling a direct comparison. MethodsParticipants were recruited as part of ICS, including 6504 adults aged 34 years and older. Sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometry, blood pressure, various biochemical indices, and hematology parameters were collected. The refineR method was used to establish indirect RIs (before applying exclusion criteria). Direct RIs were calculated using nonparametric methods per CLSI EP28-A3 guidelines (after applying exclusion criteria). Bias ratios were calculated for each parameter to assess significant differences in estimations. ResultsDirect and indirect RI estimations for most hematological and biochemical parameters were comparable. Statistically significant bias ratios between methods were observed for the upper limits of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hemoglobin (female), and platelet count as well as the lower limits of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (female), mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin, and hematocrit (female). ConclusionData presented indicate RIs derived from direct and indirect approaches are similar, but not identical. Further work should focus on the clinical significance of such differences as well as the investigation of necessary data-cleaning criteria before indirect method application.

Analyzing differences between spatial exposure estimation methods: A case study of outdoor food and beverage advertising in London, Canada.

Exposure assessment in the context of mobility-oriented health research often is challenged by the type of spatial measurement technique used to estimate exposures to environmental features. The purpose of this study is to compare smartphone global positioning system (GPS), shortest network path mobility, and buffer-based approaches in estimating exposure to outdoor food and beverage advertising among a sample of 154 teenagers involved in the SmartAPPetite study during 2018 in London, Ontario, Canada. Participants were asked to report their home postal code, age, gender identity, ethnicity, and number of purchases they had made at a retail food outlet in the past month. During the same time period, a mobile phone application was used to log their mobility and specifically record when a participant was in close proximity to outdoor advertising. The results of negative binomial regression modelling reveal significant differences in estimates of advertising exposure, and the relationship to self-reported purchasing. Spatial exposure estimation methods showed differences across regression models, with the buffer and observed GPS approaches delivering the best fitting models, depending on the type of retail food outlet. There is a clear need for more robust research of spatial exposure measurement techniques in the context of mobility and food (information) environment research.

Degree of Practice of Teachers of Gifted Students of Distance Education during Corona Pandemic (Covid-19) at King Abdullah II School of Excellence in Salt

Objectives: The study aims to identify the degree to which teachers of gifted students practice distance learning during Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) at King Abdullah II School for Excellence in the city of Salt from teachers' point of view.&#x0D; Methods: In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire consisting of 27 paragraphs was developed. The indications of validity and reliability of the questionnaire were ascertained. The questionnaire was distributed online to (22) male and (18) female teachers from King Abdullah II Schools for Excellence in the city of Salt.&#x0D; Results: The results showed that the degree to which teachers of gifted students practice distance education during the Coronavirus pandemic from the teachers' point of view in King Abdullah II Schools for Excellence in the city of Salt came with a medium level with an arithmetic average of (3.40). The results also indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in the estimates due to gender or academic qualification. The results of the study show that there are no statistically significant differences in the study sample estimates for distance learning services due to experience.&#x0D; Conclusion: The study recommends that the Ministry of Education should follow intensive training strategies for teachers of gifted students. Such training would enhance teachers' abilities to apply distance learning (DL) tools.

Efficacy of stem cell therapy in animal models of intracerebral hemorrhage: an updated meta-analysis

BackgroundMultiple studies have reported that stem cell therapy has beneficial effects in animal models of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, this finding remains inconclusive. This study was performed to systematically determine the effect size of stem cell therapy in ICH animal models by pooling and analyzing data from newly published studies.MethodsA literature search identified studies of stem cells in animal models of ICH. We searched mainstream databases from inception to November, 2021. And pooled effect size of stem cells was determined for diversified neurobehavioral scales and structural endpoints using random effects models.ResultsThe median quality score of 62 included studies was 5.32. Our results revealed an overall positive effect of stem cell therapy. More specifically, the SMD was − 2.27 for mNSS, − 2.14 for rotarod test, − 2.06 for MLPT, − 1.33 for cylinder test, − 1.95 for corner turn test, − 1.42 for tissue loss, and − 1.86 for brain water content. For mNSS, classifying comparisons by quality score showed significant differences in estimates of effect size (p = 0.013), and high-quality comparisons showed a better outcome (SMD = − 2.57) compared with low-quality comparisons (SMD = − 1.59). Besides, different delivery routes also showed a significant difference in the estimates of effect size for mNSS (p = 0.002), and the intraperitoneal route showed the best outcome (SMD = − 4.63). For tissue loss, the autologous blood-induced ICH model showed a better outcome (SMD = − 1.84) compared with the collagenase-induced ICH model (SMD = − 0.94, p = 0.035). Additionally, stem cell therapy initiated within 8 h post-ICH showed the greatest efficacy on tissue loss reduction, followed by initiated with 24 h post-ICH. Finally, stem cells with different sources and types showed similar beneficial effects for mNSS as well as tissue loss.ConclusionsOur results suggested that stem cell therapy had remarkable benefits on ICH animals on both the functional and structural outcomes in animal models of ICH, with very large effect size. These findings support the utility of further studies to translate stem cells in the treatment of ICH in humans. Moreover, the results should be interpreted in the light of the limitations in experimental design and the methodological quality of the studies included in the meta-analysis.

A Camera-Based Method for Collecting Rapid Vegetation Data to Support Remote-Sensing Studies of Shrubland Biodiversity

The decline in biodiversity in Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) and other shrublands underscores the importance of understanding the trends in species loss through consistent vegetation mapping over broad spatial and temporal ranges, which is increasingly accomplished with optical remote sensing (imaging spectroscopy). Airborne missions planned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other groups (e.g., US National Ecological Observatory Network, NEON) are essential for improving high-quality maps of vegetation and plant species. These surveys require robust and efficient ground calibration/validation data; however, barriers to ground-data collection exist, such as steep terrain, which is a common feature of Mediterranean-type ecosystems. We developed and tested a method for rapidly collecting ground-truth data for shrubland plant communities across steep topographic gradients in southern California. Our method utilizes semi-aerial photos taken with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a telescoping pole to capture groundcover, and a point-intercept image-classification program (Photogrid) that allows efficient sub-sampling of field images to derive vegetation percent-cover estimates while reducing human bias. Here, we assessed the quality of data collection using the image-based method compared to a traditional point-intercept ground survey and performed time trials to compare the efficiency of various survey efforts. The results showed no significant difference in estimates of percent cover and Simpson’s diversity derived from the point-intercept and those derived using the image-based method; however, there was lower correspondence in estimates of species richness and evenness. The image-based method was overall more efficient than the point-intercept surveys, reducing the total survey time by 13 to 46 min per plot depending on sampling effort. The difference in survey time between the two methods became increasingly greater when the vegetation height was above 1 m. Due to the high correspondence between estimates of species percent cover derived from the image-based compared to the point-intercept method, we recommend this type of survey for the verification of remote-sensing datasets featuring percent cover of individual species or closely related plant groups, for use in classifying UAS imagery, and especially for use in MTEs that have steep, rugged terrain and other situations such as tall, dense-growing shrubs where traditional field methods are dangerous or burdensome.

Count- versus MAD-based accelerometry-assessed movement behaviors and associations with child adiposity and fitness.

Estimations of time spent sedentary and in various physical activity intensities may vary according to data reduction methods applied. This study compared associations between children's accelerometer data and adiposity and fitness markers using open source (mean amplitude deviation, MAD) and proprietary (counts) data reduction methods. Complete-case accelerometer, adiposity (Body Mass Index z-score, waist circumference), and fitness (cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal) data from 118 children (10.4±0.6years, 49% girls) were analyzed. Estimates of sedentary behavior, light-, moderate-, vigorous- (VPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity (MVPA) physical activity were calculated using count- and MAD-based data reduction methods. Linear regression models between time in movement behaviours and fitness and adiposity markers were conducted. Significant differences in estimates of time spent in all intensities were observed between MAD-based and count-based methods. Both methods produced evidence to suggest that sedentary behavior was detrimentally, and physical activity (any intensity) was beneficially, associated with waist circumference. MVPA and VPA were beneficially associated with fitness markers using both data reduction measures. Overall, findings suggest that estimates of sedentary time and physical activity were not comparable. However, the strength and direction of the associations obtained between the different data reduction methods and adiposity and fitness outcomes were fairly comparable, with both methods finding stronger associations for VPA compared to MVPA. This suggests that future studies may be able to pool data using different data reduction approaches when examining associations between activity and health risk factors, albeit with caution.

Comparing Blood Loss Estimates by Medical Laypeople in Online and In-person Formats using SABLE

To design interventions for teaching laypeople how to respond in hemorrhage situations, it is necessary to understand factors that influence their perception of blood loss. Although lab-based research offers more experimental control, it limits access to certain kinds of participants. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare results from an online administration of a web-based application (SABLE) to data collected using the same application in a lab. Participants viewed 78 5-second video clips of simulated bleeding injuries with a male or female victim and different volumes of blood loss. They estimated the volume of blood loss after each video. The results replicated the general findings from prior research and revealed no significant differences in estimations or estimation accuracy between the online and lab-based administration of SABLE. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to research practice.

The value of climate amenities: A comparison of hedonic and discrete choice approaches

Amenities that vary across cities are typically valued using either a hedonic model, in which amenities are capitalized into wages and housing prices, or a discrete model of household location choice. In this paper, we use the 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) to value climate amenities using both methods. We compare estimates of marginal willingness to pay (MWTP), allowing preferences for climate amenities to vary by location. We find that mean MWTP for warmer winters is about twice as large using the discrete choice approach as with the hedonic approach; mean MWTP for cooler summers is approximately the same. The two approaches differ, however, in their estimates of MWTP by location. These disparities lead to significant differences in estimates of willingness to pay to avoid the A2 and B1 SRES scenarios in 2020–2050 using the two approaches.

Comparison of Past Year Substance Use Estimates by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity Between Two Representative Samples of the U.S. Adult Population.

Comparative evaluations of national survey data can improve future survey design and sampling strategies thereby enhancing our ability to detect important population level trends. This paper presents differences in past year estimates of alcohol, cigarette, marijuana, and non-medical painkiller use prevalence by age, sex, and race/ethnicity between the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III) administered in 2012–2013. In general, estimates were higher for the NSDUH survey, but patterns of substance use prevalence were similar across race/ethnicity, age, and sex. Results show most significant differences in estimates, across substances, age groups, and sex were greatest among Hispanics, followed by non-Hispanic Whites, and non-Hispanic Blacks. Members of other racial/ethnic groups (e.g., Asian-American, Native American/Alaskan Native) were underrepresented in the NSDUH survey. In many cases, estimates for these subpopulations could not be calculated using the NSDUH data limiting our ability to draw comparisons with the NESARC estimates. Methodological differences in data collection for the NSDUH and NESARC surveys may have contributed to these findings. To promote effective population health surveillance methods, more work is needed to derive reliable and valid estimates from demographic subpopulations to better improve policymaking and intervention programming for at-risk populations.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11113-021-09645-8.

Allometry and Condition factor of Whipfin Silverbiddy, Gerres filamentosus from Mangalore Coast, Karnataka, India

Background: Gerrids under family Gerridae are important in contributing rich source of protein. Gerres species are economically important food in India. They take a good role in development and economic of Indian estuaries. In fish biology, knowledge of the length-weight data and condition factor (Kn) is an important tool. Gerres filamentosus is one of the economically important groups of fishes inhabiting Karnataka coast. It was selected as a candidate for the present study since the knowledge on length-weight data and condition factor will be helpful in mass culture and production of this species in Karnataka.Methods: The length-weight relationships and condition factor of 2020 specimens of fish, G. filamentosus from Mangalore, Karnataka, south west coast of India, were studied from July 2009 to June 2011. The length-weight relationship was found using parabolic equation. Analysis of co-variance was used to test the significant difference in estimates of “b” between sexes. The condition factor for individual fish was calculated using the formula Kn = Wo/Wc.Result: The relation between the total length (L) and total weight (TW) was described as LogTW = -1.7716 + 2.9511 Log L for females, Log TW = -1.7526 + 2.9364 LogL for males and LogTW = -1.8343 + 2.9720 LogL for indeterminate fishes. The highest and lowest condition factor (Kn) values in females was in December 2010 (1.1186) and September 2010 (0.8871), respectively. Similarly, the highest and lowest Kn values in male was in March 2011 (1.0630) and September 2010 (0.6977), respectively. The result of length-weight relationships could be used for fishery to approve appropriate regulations for sustainable fishery management. The present findings could also be useful for ecosystem modeling. In the present study, changes in Kn value may be in relation to some other reasons than reproductive cycle and feeding intensity.

Effective Modes Method to Estimate the Temperature of Weakly Bound Molecular Systems

The paper proposes an approach to estimate the number of modes of collective movement of particles in weakly bound molecular systems, based on the principal component analysis. The example of the water molecule cluster (H2O)8 shows significant differences in estimates of the number of effective and normal modes and establishes energy and time threshold criteria for the applicability of the normal modes method.

Comparative analysis of completeness of death registration, adult mortality and life expectancy at birth in Brazil at the subnational level

BackgroundEstimates of completeness of death registration are crucial to produce estimates of life tables and population projections and to estimate the burden of disease. They are an important step in assessing the quality of data. In the case of subnational data analysis in Brazil, it is important to consider spatial and temporal variation in the quality of mortality data. There are two main sources of data quality evaluation in Brazil, but there are few comparative studies and how they evolve over time. The aim of the paper is to compare and discuss alternative estimates of completeness of death registration, adult mortality (45q15) and life expectancy estimates produced by the National Statistics Office (IBGE), Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and estimates presented in Queiroz et al. (2017) and Schmertmann and Gonzaga (2018), for 1980 and 2010.MethodsWe provide a descriptive and comparative analysis of aforementioned estimates from four (4) sources of estimates at subnational level (26 states and one Federal District) in Brazil from two different points in time.ResultsWe found significant differences in estimates that affect both levels and trends of completeness of adult mortality in Brazil and states. IHME and Queiroz et al. (2017) estimates converge by 2010, but there are large differences when compared to estimates from the National Statistics Office (IBGE). Larger differences are observed for less developed states. We have showed that the quality of mortality data in Brazil has improved steadily overtime, but with large regional variations. However, we have observed that IBGE estimates show the lowest levels of completeness for the Northern of the country compared to other estimates. Choice of methods and approaches might lead to very unexpected results.ConclusionWe produced a detailed comparative analysis of estimates of completeness of death registration from different sources and discuss the main results and possible explanations for these differences. We have also showed that new improved methods are still needed to study adult mortality in less developed countries and at a subnational level. More comparative studies are important in order to improve quality of estimates in Brazil.

High Elementary Teachers' Estimations in Ajloun Governorate about the Role of School Curricula in Enhancing Woman's Image in the Jordanian Community

The curricula in more than one way shape the behavior and beliefs of students, and thus society, so the stereotypical image of women in society may be related to the image of women presented in the curricula. The present study aimed at investigating male and female teachers' assessments of the role of school curricula in enhancing the image of women in the Jordanian society. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive survey method was used. The researcher developed a questionnaire consisting of (61) paragraphs covering seven fields. The sample of the study consisted of (201) male and female teachers. The results showed that the school curricula contributed in a moderate level in improving the image of women among members of Jordanian society in the following fields: Attitudes in presenting women's s image and Women environment. The results also revealed that the role of the curricula was below average in the following fields: Jordanian curricula role in the higher basic stage in encouraging the woman in politic work; Domains of women's work, the role of higher basic stage curricula role in clarifying the woman's legal and professional equality with man, Domains of women's work. The results also showed that there are no statistically significant differences in the teachers' estimation of the role of the curricula in improving the image of women in Jordanian society, according to the gender variable. On the other hand, the study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the estimation of male and female teachers due to the variables of teaching experience and educational qualification.

دور مدیر العلاقات العامة فی تنمیة ولاء الموظفین بالمؤسسة دراسة تطبیقیة على عینة من مؤسسات القطاع العام فی مدینة الریاض

هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على واقع إدارة العلاقات العامة بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة الرياض، والتعرف على مدير العلاقات العامة في تنمية ولاء الموظفين بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة من وجهة نظرهم، والتعرف على الفروق ذات الدلالة الإحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة (α≤.05) في تقديرات واستجابات أفراد العينة حول مدير العلاقات العامة في تنمية ولاء الموظفين بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة تبعا لمتغيرات (العمر، المؤهل العلمي، سنوات الخبرة). اتبعت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي، وتکون مجتمع الدراسة من موظفي العلاقات العامة في وزارة التعليم، ووزارة الإسکان، ووزارة الداخلية، وجامعة الملک سعود، فيما اقتصرت عينة الدراسة على (84) موظف من موظفي العلاقات العامة في المؤسسات سابقة الذکر. وقد خرجت الدراسة بجملة من النتائج أهمها: تراوحت درجات تقدير أفراد العينة على فقرات دور مدير العلاقات العامة في تنمية ولاء الموظفين بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة الرياض بين (55% -75%)، وبلغت الدرجة الکلية للاستجابات 66.4%، مما يدل على درجة محايدة، ووجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في تقديرات واستجابات أفراد العينة حول مدير العلاقات العامة في تنمية ولاء الموظفين بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة تبعا لمتغيري العمر وسنوات الخبرة، وعدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في تقديرات واستجابات أفراد العينة حول مدير العلاقات العامة في تنمية ولاء الموظفين بمؤسسات القطاع العام في مدينة تبعا لمتغير المؤهل العلمي. وفي ضوء النتائج السابقة أوصت الدراسة العامة بتنظيم أعمال وأنشطة ترفيهية خاصة بالموظفين لزيادة ولائهم للمؤسسة التي يعملون بها، وخلق بيئة عمل مساعدة بيئة مناسبة لتحسين أدائهم ورضاهم الوظيفي بما يحقق الولاء التام للمؤسسة. The Role of Public Relations Director in Developing Employee Loyalty in Institution: An Applied Study on a Sample of Public Sector Institutions in The study aimed to identify reality of public relations management in public sector institutions in Riyadh, and to identify role of director of public relations in developing employee loyalty in public sector institutions in from their point of view. Also, to identify statistical differences at level of significance (α≤.0.05) In estimates and responses of sample individuals about role of director of public relations in developing employee loyalty in public sector institutions in according to (age, educational qualification, years of experience) variables. The study followed descriptive approach, and study population consisted of public relations employees in Ministry of Education, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Interior, and King Saud University, while study sample was limited to (84) public relations employees in aforementioned institutions. The study came out with some conclusions, most important of which are: The degrees of sample members estimation on item the role of director of public relations in developing employee loyalty in public sector institutions in Riyadh ranged between (55% -75%), and overall degree of responses reached 66.4%, which indicates a neutral degree. There are statistically significant differences in estimates and responses of sample individuals regarding role of director of public relations in developing employee loyalty in public sector institutions in depending on age and years of experience variables. There were no statistically significant differences in estimates and responses of sample individuals regarding role of director of public relations in developing employee loyalty in public sector institutions in Riyadh, according to variable of educational qualification. In light of results, study recommended organizing business and leisure activities for employees to increase their loyalty to institution they work in, and creating an enabling work environment to improve their performance and job satisfaction in order to achieve full loyalty to institution.

Estimation of triceps muscle strength based on Mechanomyography

The aim of this study is to establish a reliable and widely applicable muscle strength (MS) estimation model based on the Mechanomyography (MMG). Seven healthy male volunteers were recruited to collect MMG and MS during the isometric contraction of their triceps. For MMG, 18 features were extracted. For the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model and the quadratic polynomial (QP) model, the feature combination with the best estimation result was selected. The MS estimation performance of the XGBoost model and the QP model were compared. The performance of the QP model on the estimation of MS in different frequencies, different fatigue states and time periods was evaluated by using t-test. The results showed that when the number of features exceeds three, the model estimation accuracy has not improved significantly; and there was no significant difference in the estimation result of MS between the two models (p < 0.05), though the QP model was slightly better. The normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and goodness of fit R of the MS estimation by the QP model were: 0.1343 ± 0.0296 and 0.8273 ± 0.0376. There was no significant difference in the MS estimation results in different conditions (p < 0.05).

Comparison of methods for evaluating genetic differentiation of populations by microsatellite markers

Comparative studies of eight methods for evaluation of genetic differences by microsatellite (STR) markers (11 loci) DNA were carried out using the example of seven breed samples (N = 84) of dairy cattle. The range of indicators of genetic diversity of samples was as follows: the number of alleles per locus 3.5-6.2, the number of effective alleles per locus – 2.4-4.3, the Shannon index – 0.95-1.56, the observed and expected heterozygosity – 0.56-0.97 and 0.53-0.75. Evaluation summary of genetic differentiation by group A methods (FST, GST, and GST(NEI)) were 13.4, 10.3, and 11.8% (pperm &lt; 0.001); the differences between the estimates were statistically insignificant. Estimates by group B methods (G'ST(HED), G''ST(HED), DEST) were 36.4, 37.5 and 29.2% (pperm &lt; 0.001); differences between the estimates were also statistically insignificant. Estimates obtained by group B methods were statistically significantly higher than those obtained by group A methods by almost 3 times. Methods of groups A, B, and C (GDN and uGDN) were used to calculate paired genetic distances in the samples. Despite significant dif-ferences in estimates, the Mantel test showed a high degree of correspondence of the genetic distance matrices (RM≥0.97; pperm &lt; 0.001), which was manifested in the projections of genetic relations of breed samples on plane 1 and 2 of the principal coordinates. The first two principal coordinates explained 97-99% of STR variation in the genetic distance matrices. It can be assumed that when assessing the actual differentiation of populations by STR-markers, the methods of group B should be used and among them the statistics of DEST as independent of the level of mean within-subpopulation heterozygosity. In the study of spatial ordination of gene pools of populations, in all probability, it is reasonably to use any method.

Forcing you to experience wonder: Unconsciously biasing people's choice through strategic physical positioning.

Magicians have developed powerful tools to covertly force a spectator to choose a specific card. We investigate the physical location force, in which four cards (from left to right: 1-2-3-4) are placed face-down on the table in a line, after which participants are asked to push out one card. The force is thought to rely on a behavioural bias in that people are more likely to choose the third card from their left. Participants felt that their choice was extremely free, yet 60% selected the 3rd card. There was no significant difference in estimates and feelings of freedom between those who chose the target card (i.e. 3rd card) and those who selected a different card, and they underestimated the actual proportion of people who selected the target card. These results illustrate that participants' behaviour was heavily biased towards choosing the third card, but were oblivious to this bias.

Evaluating multispecies survey designs using a joint species distribution model

Survey designs should be efficient as marine survey programs are usually expensive and time-consuming; however, surveys have rarely been evaluated for multiple species. In the present study, we evaluated multispecies fisheries surveys with respect to three influential factors, i.e., sampling methods, estimation methods and sample size. A joint species distribution model (JSDM) developed in north Yellow Sea, China was used as the operating model to simulate the spatial distribution of multiple species simultaneously. We examined the precision of multispecies abundance estimation using diverse sampling methods [random sampling (RDS), systematic sampling (SYS), stratified random sampling (SRS), generalized random-tessellation stratified sampling (GRT) and spatial coverage sampling (SPC)], estimation methods [arithmetic mean (Arm), universal kriging (Ukr), multivariate distribution model (Mvd), and boral model (Brm)], and a range of sample sizes (from 30 to 300). The results showed significant differences in estimation among sampling methods, where GRT and SYS yielded less relative absolute bias (RAB) over all and RDS showed the least precision. Regarding estimation methods, Mvd and Arm showed the best performances and Brm yielded the least precision. Significant interactions existed between sampling and estimation methods. Arm worked best with GRT, likewise Mvd with SYS and Ukr with SPC. SPC and Mvd showed the best performances for a small sample size (N = 30), and all sampling and estimation methods provided similar results for a large sample size (N = 300). Generally, doubling sample size resulted in a decrease of RAB by 0.097 on average, a rate depending on species, sampling and estimation methods. This study contributed to an integrative framework for evaluating designs of multispecies fisheries surveys.