Significant Increase In Variability Research Articles

Comparing the Incremental Predictive Validity of Self-as-Context-Related Measures.

The comparative incremental validity of five self-as-context measures in predicting psychological distress and satisfaction with life, after controlling for relevant demographic variables and other psychological flexibility processes, was evaluated in a college student sample (N = 315). All of the measures except the self-as-context subscale of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (Rolffs et al., 2018) separately accounted for a significant increase in variability in psychological distress. The centering subscale of the Self-as-Context Scale (Zettle et al., 2018) was the only measure to also display incremental predictive validity in accounting for significant variance in life satisfaction. The conceptual and clinical implications of the findings in the context of study limitations are discussed.

Improving the performance of a condensing heat exchanger for biomass combustion at household scale

A computational CFD model representing the behavior of a condensing heat exchanger used in domestic heating and hot water applications has been presented and validated, obtaining a flow output gas temperature error of 7%. An analysis of the heat exchanger internal aerodynamic performance revealed the need for geometry enhancements which involved increasing the number of combustion gas passages, reducing the cannon diameter, and incorporating turbulence generators.The geometric modifications produced a significant increase in variables of interest for the performance of the equipment when compared to the baseline case. The improvement is quantified as the 68% increase in turbulent intensity, 57% increase in velocity, doubling of flue gas residence time and 96% increase in total heat transfer rate.The design that contains turbulence generators presents the best performance, obtaining the highest heat transfer rate equal to 3.5 kW, which produces a decrease in the flue gas temperature equal to 62% and an increase in the water outlet temperature equal to 53% compared to the base case. In contrast, the prototype without turbulence generators showed a relatively lower performance in terms of heat transfer, but with a 9 times lower pressure drop.

Effects of intravenous clonidine on hemodynamics and plasma cortisol level during laparoscopic urological surgeries in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Laparoscopic urologic surgeries causes rise in Blood pressure and heart rate. Maintenance of hemodynamics is an essential part of anaesthetic management. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to observe the effects of intravenous clonidine on heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma cortisol level during laparoscopic surgeries. Materials and Methods: In this ethical committee approved double-blind prospective interventional study, 50 adult patients of both sexes with ASA I and II were randomly allocated to two groups: Group C (3 mcg/kg Clonidine in 20 ml of Normal saline) and Group P (20 ml Normal saline). HR and MAP were recorded at different time intervals and blood samples were drawn before induction and after reversal from general anesthesia. Results: In Group P there was a significant increase in variables during intubation, pneumoperitoneum and release of gas from the abdomen (P<0.001). In Group C mean plasma cortisol level increased from 19.36±1.49 (before induction) to 28.60±1.21 (after reversal) and in Group P from 19.33±1.30 to 32.28±1.66. Conclusion: Clonidine may be a suitable and safe medication to attenuate hemodynamic stress response during laparoscopic surgeries.

A real-life study of the medium to long-term effectiveness of a hypercaloric, hyperproteic enteral nutrition formula specifically for patients with diabetes on biochemical parameters of metabolic control and nutritional status

IntroductionAlthough current recommendations suggest the use of specific formulas in enteral nutrition in people with diabetes, there is little evidence of their long-term effectiveness in glycemic control. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy (24 weeks) of a specific high-protein hypercaloric enteral nutrition formula for people with diabetes in glycemic control and in their improvement in nutritional status. MethodologyThis was a multicenter, prospective, observational, real-life study of patients with long-term enteral nutrition prescription through gastrostomy or nasogastric tube who received a high protein hypercaloric formula specific for diabetes. Once the participant's informed consent was obtained and the inclusion and exclusion criteria were verified, data relating to glycemic control, inflammation parameters, biochemical data, nutritional status and gastrointestinal tolerance at 0, 12 and 24 weeks were collected. Results112 patients were recruited, 44.6% women, age 75.0 (12.0) years and a mean time of evolution of diabetes of 18.1 (9.5) years. The percentage of patients with malnutrition according to VGS decreased throughout the treatment from 78.6% to 29.9% (p < 0.001). Glycemic and HbA1c levels were significantly reduced at 12 and 24 weeks (Blood glucose 155.9–139.0–133.9 mg/dl, p < 0.001; HbA1c 7.7–7.3–7.1%, p < 0.001) while no significant changes were observed in cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, or glomerular filtration. A significant increase in variables related to nutritional status was observed: weight, the BMI, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin, and CRP levels were significantly reduced and the CRP/Albumin ratio decreased. Gastrointestinal tolerance was good, the number of patients with moderate-severe symptoms was small, and did not change throughout the follow-up. ConclusionOur real-life study suggests that the use of a specific hyperprotein hypercaloric formula for diabetes during a 6-month nutritional treatment allows adequate glycemic control and nutritional evolution, with good gastrointestinal tolerance.

Mitigating the Multicollinearity Problem and Its Machine Learning Approach: A Review

Technologies have driven big data collection across many fields, such as genomics and business intelligence. This results in a significant increase in variables and data points (observations) collected and stored. Although this presents opportunities to better model the relationship between predictors and the response variables, this also causes serious problems during data analysis, one of which is the multicollinearity problem. The two main approaches used to mitigate multicollinearity are variable selection methods and modified estimator methods. However, variable selection methods may negate efforts to collect more data as new data may eventually be dropped from modeling, while recent studies suggest that optimization approaches via machine learning handle data with multicollinearity better than statistical estimators. Therefore, this study details the chronological developments to mitigate the effects of multicollinearity and up-to-date recommendations to better mitigate multicollinearity.

Estudio en vida real de la efectividad a medio-largo plazo en parámetros bioquímicos de control metabólico y estado nutricional de una fórmula de nutrición enteral hipercalórica hiperproteica específica para pacientes con diabetes

IntroductionAlthough current recommendations suggest the use of specific formulas in enteral nutrition in people with diabetes, there is little evidence of their long-term effectiveness in glycemic control. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy (24 weeks) of a specific high-protein hypercaloric enteral nutrition formula for people with diabetes in glycemic control and in their improvement in nutritional status. MethodologyThis was a multicenter, prospective, observational, real-life study of patients with long-term enteral nutrition prescription through gastrostomy or nasogastric tube who received a high protein hypercaloric formula specific for diabetes. Once the participant's informed consent was obtained and the inclusion and exclusion criteria were verified, data relating to glycemic control, inflammation parameters, biochemical data, nutritional status and gastrointestinal tolerance at 0, 12 and 24 weeks were collected. Results112 patients were recruited, 44.6% women, age 75.0 (12.0) years and a mean time of evolution of diabetes of 18.1 (9.5) years. The percentage of patients with malnutrition according to VGS decreased throughout the treatment from 78.6% to 29.9% (P<.001). Glycemic and HbA1c levels were significantly reduced at 12 and 24 weeks (Blood glucose 155.9-139.0-133.9mg/dl, P<.001; HbA1c 7.7-7.3-7.1%, P<.001) while no significant changes were observed in cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, or glomerular filtration. A significant increase in variables related to nutritional status was observed: weight, the BMI, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin, and CRP levels were significantly reduced and the CRP / Albumin ratio decreased. Gastrointestinal tolerance was good, the number of patients with moderate-severe symptoms was small, and did not change throughout the follow-up. ConclusionOur real-life study suggests that the use of a specific hyperprotein hypercaloric formula for diabetes during a 6-month nutritional treatment allows adequate glycemic control and nutritional evolution, with good gastrointestinal tolerance.

Deficit of Long-Term Potentiation Induction, but Not Maintenance, in the Juvenile Hippocampus after Neonatal Proinflammatory Stress

CA3-CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal slices from juvenile Wistar rats was studied to reveal factors potentially contributing to different sensitivity to neonatal proinflammatory stress (NPS). NPS was induced by intra­peritoneal injections of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to neonatal rats (two injections of LPS, or saline in the control group, consecutively on postnatal days 3 and 5 [PND3 and PND5]). In females, a significant effect of NPS on hippocampus development was associated with modifications of long-term synaptic plasticity, the synapses becoming more resistant to LTP induction. LTP deficit in the slices of the NPS group was not associated with a decrease in LTP maintenance, since late LTP generally corresponded to early LTP magnitude, similar in all groups. Moreover, partial correlation revealed significantly higher residual LTP 1 h after high-frequency stimulation in the NPS groups compared to the corresponding value of early LTP in the control groups, suggesting improved consolidation. Both effects were evident in NPS females. A number of males responded to NPS similarly to females, while others were relatively resistant to NPS exposure, a significant increase in variability of LTP magnitude being revealed in NPS males compared to respective females and the control groups. We suggest that postnatal development of long-term plasticity after NPS is similar in animals of both sexes; however, additional specific factor(s) may promote a relative resistance of the male brain.

Investigation of wound healing activity of Lafoensia pacari (Lythraceae) leaves extract cultivated in Goiás state, Brazil

Abstract Lafoensia pacari has been used in traditional folk medicine in Brazilian Cerrado to treat wounds. It is important to develop studies that can clarify how the biological activity of L. pacari occurs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing activity of L. pacari leaves extract in an animal model. The extract was prepared from plants cultivated in Goiania-GO, Brazil. The healing activity was assayed using cutaneous wound model in rats, and macroscopic, morphometric and histological analysis of wounds were also conducted. The presence of hydrolysable tannins was detected in thin layer chromatography and in high performance liquid chromatography analysis, may be suggested the presence of ellagitannins. In the evaluation of cutaneous wounds in rats it was possible to observe that the treatment with 10% (w/v) L. pacari extract provided a reduction in the time of cutaneous wound healing, with a significant increase in variables involved in healing, such as the number of blood vessels and collagen production. Therefore, this study shows that L. pacari wound healing potential may be related to the presence of ellagitannins and corroborates to ethnopharmacological reports regarding this plant.

Evaluating the shifts in rainfall and pasture-growth variabilities across the pastoral zone of Australia during 1910–2010

Interannual rainfall variability in Australia is a source of risk within agricultural industries. Insights into changes to rainfall and pasture-growth variabilities are essential to inform adaptation strategies for climate risk management within the grazing industry. We investigated shifts in rainfall and pasture-growth variabilities between the periods 1910–1960 and 1961–2010 for the pastoral zone in Australia. Rainfall variability was also assessed for the high-rainfall and wheat–sheep zones. An index of variability was calculated by using gridded rainfall and pasture-growth data for both periods. The percentage change was then calculated as the difference in variation between the two periods. Overall, the variability of annual rainfall has significantly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.01) between the two periods for the pastoral zone. Pastoral regions in the Northern Territory had the greatest increases in pasture-growth variability, with 62–85% of the area affected by a significant increase in variability. Between the periods 1910–1960 and 1961–2010 across the wheat–sheep zone, annual rainfall variability significantly decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.01), with 70% of the area having a negative change, whereas for the high-rainfall zone, the variability did not change significantly. Monitoring ongoing trends in rainfall and pasture-growth variability is important to inform strategic grazing management. Management practices to mitigate the impacts of increased variability in pastoral regions are discussed.

Early warning signals for critical transitions in cardiopulmonary health, related to air pollution in an urban Chinese population

Respiratory, and cardio-cerebrovascular health-related diseases significantly threaten human health and together with air pollution form a complex pathophysiological system. Other complex biological systems show that increased variance and autocorrelations in time series may act as valid early warning signals for critical transitions. On population level, we determined the likelihood that increased variance and autocorrelation of hospital visit on cardiopulmonary disease preceded critical transitions in population health by human-pollution interactions. We investigated long-term hospital visits from a hospital in Nanjing City, China during 2006–2016 for the most important cardiopulmonary diseases likely to be influenced by air pollution: cerebrovascular accident disease (CVAD), coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer disease (LCD), and the grouped categories of respiratory system disease (RESD) and cardio-cerebrovascular system disease (CCD). The time series of standard deviations (SDs) and autocorrelation at-lag-1 (AR-1) were studied as potential Early-Warning Indicators (EWIs) of transitions in population health. Elevated SDs provided an early warning for critical transitions in visit for LCD and overall CCD and CVAD, for the period of 2012–2013, after which a real transition of increased visit occurred for these disease categories. Statistical testing showed that these SDs were significantly increased (p < 0.1). The long-term air pollution together with intermittent pollution episodes may have triggered critical transitions in population health for cardiopulmonary disease. It is recommended to consider significant increases in variability in time series of relevant system parameters, such as visit, as early warning signs for future transitions in populations' health states.

Tropical forcing of increased Southern Ocean climate variability revealed by a 140-year subantarctic temperature reconstruction

Abstract. Occupying about 14 % of the world's surface, the Southern Ocean plays a fundamental role in ocean and atmosphere circulation, carbon cycling and Antarctic ice-sheet dynamics. Unfortunately, high interannual variability and a dearth of instrumental observations before the 1950s limits our understanding of how marine–atmosphere–ice domains interact on multi-decadal timescales and the impact of anthropogenic forcing. Here we integrate climate-sensitive tree growth with ocean and atmospheric observations on southwest Pacific subantarctic islands that lie at the boundary of polar and subtropical climates (52–54° S). Our annually resolved temperature reconstruction captures regional change since the 1870s and demonstrates a significant increase in variability from the 1940s, a phenomenon predating the observational record. Climate reanalysis and modelling show a parallel change in tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures that generate an atmospheric Rossby wave train which propagates across a large part of the Southern Hemisphere during the austral spring and summer. Our results suggest that modern observed high interannual variability was established across the mid-twentieth century, and that the influence of contemporary equatorial Pacific temperatures may now be a permanent feature across the mid- to high latitudes.

Variability of the Field Potential Duration of Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes is a Proarrhythmic Indicator

The effect of drugs on the extracellular field potential of stem cell cardiomyocytes is one of the three components of the new Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative promoted by the FDA to assess the proarrhythmic potential of new drugs. The cells are used to confirm in silico predictions based on the IC50s for channel block of the major cardiac channels and to detect effects that would not have been anticipated by the simulations. Here we investigated whether drug-dependent beat-to-beat variations in the field potential duration (FPD) of Cor.4U cells is a predictor of torsadogenic risk. We quantified variability using the coefficient of variation (CV) of thirty consecutive FPDs. Experiments were performed at 35°C in the absence of serum. Spontaneous electrical activity was recorded after 30 min drug exposure. Drugs were added in incremental concentrations in the range of the clinical exposure levels. The measured CV of five vehicle control wells was 2.4 ± 0.2%. A clear distinction between torsadogenic and non-torsadogenic drugs was detected based on the slope of the functional relationship between CV and FPD. Safe drugs like verapamil and nifedipine showed a negative slope of −0.029 %CV/ms and −0.011 %CV/ms, respectively. Prolongation of FPD in the presence of torsadogenic drugs was associated with an increase in variability as indicated by the positive slopes for quinidine (0.025), terfenadine (0.044), E-4031 (0.097), dofetilide (0.132) and sotalol (0.231). For moxifloxacin the FPD was markedly increased, but this change was not associated with a significant increase in variability (slope = 0.009 %CV/ms). This result is consistent with moxifloxacin's relatively safe clinical profile and demonstrates that the FPD CV proarrhythmia marker may distinguish between safe and unsafe QT prolonging drugs.

Gradual Language Death: The Case of Bessarabian Yiddish

In this paper we present our fieldwork data from the Bessarabian Yiddish, formerly the main language of the Jewish population of Moldova. Social upheavals of the 20th century caused huge migration of Jews from Eastern Europe, leading to separation of survivors from their community. This situation has dramatically influenced their linguistic knowledge of Yiddish, showing structural changes characteristic for language loss. These changes include significant increase in variability and structural simplification due to paradigmatic leveling and influence of the dominant language. The paper presents two case studies that investigate these effects on different levels of language organization: the diminutive formation model and the periphrastic verbal construction.

Gait variability across the disability spectrum in people with multiple sclerosis

BackgroundAn alternative method suggested to assess changes in walking in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is evaluating gait variability. This is a credible option since gait variability reflects to some degree the quality of gait control. ObjectiveExamine the impact of disability on gait variability in PwMS. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, the data pool was divided into seven levels of disability based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, ranging from 0 to 6.5. Gait variability was studied using an electronic mat. ResultsThe final analysis included 381 PwMS (249 women); mean age 44.0years. Non-significant differences were observed between the EDSS subgroups at the lower end of the spectrum (EDSS 0–3.5) in all gait variability parameters. In contrast, PwMS in the EDSS 5.0–5.5 group demonstrated a significant increase in variability of step length (~151%), single support (~93%) and step time (142%) compared with those who scored 0–3.5. Moreover, participants in the EDSS 5.0–5.5 group had elevated step length variability compared to the EDSS 4.0–4.5 group (9.3 (S.E.=2.2) vs. 5.5 (S.E.=0.4), P-value=0.005). ConclusionWe encourage clinicians to follow-up on the gait variability score as it appears to reflect mobility deterioration in PwMS.

Does long-distance walking improve or deteriorate walking stability of transtibial amputees?

BackgroundFalls are common in transtibial amputees which are linked to their poor stability. While amputees are encouraged to walk more, they are more vulnerable to fatigue which leads to even poorer walking stability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dynamic stability of amputees after long-distance walking. MethodsSix male unilateral transtibial amputees (age: 53 (SD: 8.8); height: 170cm (SD: 3.4); weight: 75kg (SD: 4.7)) performed two sessions (30minutes each) of treadmill walking, separated by a short period of gait tests. Gait tests were performed before the walking (baseline) and after each session of treadmill walking. Gait parameters and their variability across repeated steps at each of the three conditions were computed. FindingsThere were no significant differences in walking speed, step length, stance time, time of occurrence, and magnitude of peak angular velocities of the knee and hip joint (P>0.05). However, variability of knee and hip angular velocity after 30-minute walking was significantly higher than the baseline (P<0.05) and after a total of 60-minute walking (P<0.05). The variability of lateral sway velocity after 30-minute walking was significantly higher than the baseline (P<0.05). InterpretationThe significant increase in variability after 30-minute walking could indicate poorer walking stability when fatigue was developed, while the significant reduction after 60-minute walking might indicate the ability of amputees to restore their walking stability after further continuous walking.

Groundnut Production Performance in Bangladesh: A District Level Analysis

This study analyzes the performance of groundnut production in Bangladesh in the 1990s and 2000s, both at the district and national level. Production performance was measured in terms of growth and variability. Annual compound rate of growth was estimated to know the growth performance. Cuddy-Della Valle index was used to estimate variability. Analysis showed that both area and production of groundnut at the national level declined in the 1990s but production increased afterwards. In the late 2000s, groundnut production increased by 31% although area under groundnut was same as in the late 1990s. Increase in groundnut yield (by 373 kg/ha or 32%) contributed towards increase in groundnut production in the late 2000s. In the late 2000s (TE2009/10), top five groundnut producing districts (Noakhali, Dhaka, Faridpur, Kishoreganj and Pabna) accounted for 59 percent of area and 55 percent of production. In the 2000s, Bangladesh achieved high annual growth (5.0% or more) in groundnut production at the national level and in nine districts (Faridpur, Tangail, Barisal, Jessore, Kushtia, Dinajpur, Pabna, Rangpur and Chittagong H.T.). On the other hand, variability in groundnut production in the 2000s increased insignificantly at the national level while three districts (Sylhet, Mymensingh and Tangail) experienced statistically significant increase in variability in groundnut production. Increase in variability in groundnut production was mainly due to the increased variability in area under groundnut indicating that the crop was expanded to less suitable areas. The study concludes that groundnut breeders should focus more on yield increase rather than on reduction in variability in yield. Increase in yield potential through research is expected to have higher production and profit to the farmers and thereby, encourage farmers to allocate more area under groundnut cultivation.

Evaluacija interventnog programa prevladavanja osećanja kod dece na ranom osnovnoškolskom uzrastu

Ovo istraživanje ima za cilj da testira hipotezu o mogućnosti programa prevladavanja osećanja da proizvede značajan porast u navođenju konstruktivnih strategija prevladavanja averzivnih emocija. Za merenje navođenja strategija prevladavanja upotrebljen je Zadatak prevladavanja averzivnih osećanja (Saarni, 1997a). Uzorak je činilo 100 dece, prosečnog uzrasta od 7.8 godina. Polovina je prošla četvoromesečnu obuku interventnog programa prevladavanja osećanja, dok druga polovina nije bila izložena programu. Obe grupe su prošle tri merenja: pre implementacije programa, neposredno nakon implementacije programa i nakon 6 meseci od implementacije programa. Rezultati pokazuju da je kod dece koja su prošla interventni program, u odnosu na decu koja nisu bila izložena programu, došlo do značajnog povećanja u frekvenciji odgovora i širenja postojećeg verbalnog repertora novim, pozitivnim obrascima ponašanja u prevladavanju averzivnih osećanja. Najveći porast odgovora zabeležen je za emociju tuge, zatim besa, pa straha, i na kraju stida. Takođe je zabeležen i porast verbalnog navođenja konstruktivnih strategija u adaptivnom prevladavanju averzivnih osećanja tuge, straha, besa i stida, kao i značajna redukcija u navođenju nekonstruktivnih strategija. Ove promene su se održale kod dece koja su bila izložena programu i nakon 6 meseci od retestiranja. Rezultati istraživanja mogu se shvatiti kao preliminarna podrška u sprovođenju interventnih programa u pravcu širenja ideja o mogućim bihevioralnim odgovorima na različite emocionalno provokativne situacije.

Does total disc arthroplasty in C3/C4-segments change the kinematic features of axial rotation?

We analyze how kinematic properties of C3/C4-segments are modified after total disc arthroplasty (TDA) with PRESTIGE® and BRYAN® Cervical Discs. The measurements were focused on small ranges of axial rotation (<0.8°) in order to investigate physiologic rotations, which frequently occur in vivo.Eight human segments were stimulated by triangularly varying, axially directed torque. By using a 6D-measuring device with high resolution the response of segmental motion was characterised by the instantaneous helical axis (IHA). Position, direction, and migration rate of the IHA were measured before and after TDA. External parameters: constant axially directed pre-load, constant flexional/extensional and lateral-flexional pre-torque.The applied axial torque and IHA-direction did not run parallel. The IHA-direction was found to be rotated backwards and largely independent of the rotational angle, amount of axial pre-load, size of pre-torque, and TDA. In the intact segments pre-flexion/extension hardly influenced IHA-positions. After TDA, IHA-position was shifted backwards significantly (BRYAN-TDA: ≈8mm; PRESTIGE-TDA: ≈6mm) and in some segments laterally as well. Furthermore it was significantly shifted ventrally by pre-flexion and dorsally by pre-extension. The rate of lateral IHA-migration increased significantly after BRYAN-TDA during rightward or leftward rotations.In conclusion after the TDA the IHA-positions shifted backwards with significant increase in variability of the IHA-positions after the BRYAN-TDA more than in PRESTIGE-TDA.The TDA-procedure altered the segment kinematics considerably. TDA causes additional translations of the vertebrae, which superimpose the kinematics of the adjacent levels. The occurrence of adjacent level disease (ALD) is not excluded after the TDA for kinematical reasons.

Child Temporal-Spatial Gait Characteristics and Variability During Uphill and Downhill Walking

Gait maturation, evidenced in, for example, the ability to walk over nonlevel surfaces, is an important indicator of typical development in children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the walking strategies used by children and adults during hill walking. Temporal-spatial gait parameters and trial-to-trial coefficient of variation of these parameters were compared between 30 children (aged 3.5-5.5 years) and 30 adults during level and 15° hill walking. Compared with the adult group, the child group coefficient of variation was greater during all conditions. Furthermore, unique to the child group, there was a significant increase in variability during downhill walking. It is evident from the current results that children aged 3.5 to 5.5 years do not yet exhibit a mature gait and that downhill walking may increase fall risk. Attention should be given to gait variability and nonlevel walking when investigating or training children's gait.

Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe

Objective. Acupuncture points are reportedly distinguishable by their electrical properties. However, confounders arising from skin-to-electrode contact used in traditional electrodermal methods have contributed to controversies over this claim. The Scanning Kelvin Probe is a state-of-the-art device that measures electrical potential without actually touching the skin and is thus capable of overcoming these confounding effects. In this study, we evaluated the electrical potential profiles of acupoints LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls. We hypothesize that acupuncture point sites are associated with increased variability in potential compared to adjacent control sites. Methods. Twelve healthy individuals were recruited for this study. Acupuncture points LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls were assessed. A 2 mm probe tip was placed over the predetermined skin site and adjusted to a tip-to-sample distance of 1.0 mm under tip oscillation settings of 62.4 Hz frequency. A 6 × 6 surface potential scan spanning a 1.0 cm × 1.0 cm area was obtained. Results. At both the PC-6 and LI-4 sites, no significant differences in mean potential were observed compared to their respective controls (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P = 0.73 and 0.79, resp.). However, the LI-4 site was associated with significant increase in variability compared to its control as denoted by standard deviation and range (P = 0.002 and 0.0005, resp.). At the PC-6 site, no statistical differences in variability were observed. Conclusion. Acupuncture points may be associated with increased variability in electrical potential.