Characterization of Tanzanian Avocado Using Morphological Traits

Two-hundred and twenty-six old avocado trees (Persea americana Mill) derived from seeds were selected from eight districts of the Mbeya, Njombe and Songwe regions in Tanzania. The tree, leaf, fruit and seed characteristics were studied using the descriptors for avocado (Persea spp.) from the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute. Cross tabulation and Chi-square tests were conducted in order to assess the distribution of traits between districts and altitude ranges. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to assess variation of traits within and among districts. Various morphological features were observed among the samples which point to the existence of the Mexican, Guatemalan and West Indian avocado races in Tanzania. The biplot from PCoA revealed extensive variation between the sampled trees at the district level but no clear groupings of the samples based on geographic location. Likewise, dendrograms ensuing from the neighbor–joining and Wards methods displayed that the avocado samples from the same district and even region differed considerably. This morphological trait variation suggests high diversity that may help in planning germplasm management and conservation, as well as breeding strategies in the future.

Download Full-text

Zoometric Characterization of Creole Cows from the Southern Amazon Region of Peru

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13110510 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 510

Author(s):

Ricardo Encina Ruiz ◽

José Américo Saucedo-Uriarte ◽

Segundo Melecio Portocarrero-Villegas ◽

Hurley Abel Quispe-Ccasa ◽

Ilse Silvia Cayo-Colca

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Nutrient Requirements ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Chi Square ◽

Qualitative Traits ◽

Factors Analysis ◽

Creole Cattle ◽

Different Levels

Bovine breeding began in Peru more than five centuries ago; since then, adaptation has started. Nowadays, Creole cattle are part of economic activities of Peruvian farmers, as they supply food and profits, among other things, for families in Andean region. Creole cattle have many strengths such as resistance to diseases, low nutrient requirements and easy adaptation to different levels of altitude and environmental conditions. However, even with all these attributes, they are not valued within production systems. Moreover, these valuable genetic resources are disappearing gradually in Perú. For this reason, this study aims to characterize the zoometry of Creole cows from the Southern Amazonas region of Peru. Biotype classification was performed by hierarchical cluster and multivariate factors analysis. Qualitative traits were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Duncan’s test (α = 0.05) was used to compare means among groups. Associations between qualitative traits were determined with Chi-square. We distinguished three biotypes of Creole cows with characteristics for meat and milk production. This information is helpful for future conservation programs for Creole cattle.

Download Full-text

Variation in phytoliths from corn leaves

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b88-273 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 66 (10) ◽

pp. 2001-2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Susan C. Mulholland ◽

George Rapp Jr. ◽

Amy L. Ollendorf

Keyword(s):

Leaf Blade ◽

Geographic Location ◽

Leaf Node ◽

Individual Plant ◽

Test Statistics ◽

Chi Square ◽

Part Variation ◽

Leaf Part ◽

Ongoing Project

This paper examines variation of phytoliths in leaves of corn (Zea mays L.) as part of an ongoing project to establish accurate, reliable, phytolith "signatures." Factors investigated include leaf part, individual plant, leaf node, geographic location, and corn variety. Counts of 100 phytoliths were made on 24 separate samples, classifying shapes into dumbbell, cross, and irregular categories. Resulting assemblages were compared using chi-square and NANOVA test statistics. Results indicate that different leaf parts and corn varieties significantly affect phytolith assemblages. Base, midsection, and tip of leaf blades consistently produce different assemblages; two North Dakota native corn varieties also produce different assemblages (when part variation is eliminated). Variation due to leaf node and individual plant is not consistent; variation due to geographic location is generally not significant. It is suggested that researchers use entire leaf blade sections as samples in phytolith analysis. This sampling design will incorporate variation exhibited within the leaf blade and avoid characterization of plants by inaccurate phytolith assemblages.

Download Full-text

A Methodology Based on FT-IR Data Combined with Random Forest Model to Generate Spectralprints for the Characterization of High-Quality Vinegars

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10061411 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1411

Author(s):

José Luis P. Calle ◽

Marta Ferreiro-González ◽

Ana Ruiz-Rodríguez ◽

Gerardo F. Barbero ◽

José Á. Álvarez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Random Forest ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Principal Component ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Raw Material ◽

Support Vector ◽

Protected Designation Of Origin ◽

Ft Ir

Sherry wine vinegar is a Spanish gourmet product under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Before a vinegar can be labeled as Sherry vinegar, the product must meet certain requirements as established by its PDO, which, in this case, means that it has been produced following the traditional solera and criadera ageing system. The quality of the vinegar is determined by many factors such as the raw material, the acetification process or the aging system. For this reason, mainly producers, but also consumers, would benefit from the employment of effective analytical tools that allow precisely determining the origin and quality of vinegar. In the present study, a total of 48 Sherry vinegar samples manufactured from three different starting wines (Palomino Fino, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximénez wine) were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The spectroscopic data were combined with unsupervised exploratory techniques such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), as well as other nonparametric supervised techniques, namely, support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF), for the characterization of the samples. The HCA and PCA results present a clear grouping trend of the vinegar samples according to their raw materials. SVM in combination with leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) successfully classified 100% of the samples, according to the type of wine used for their production. The RF method allowed selecting the most important variables to develop the characteristic fingerprint (“spectralprint”) of the vinegar samples according to their starting wine. Furthermore, the RF model reached 100% accuracy for both LOOCV and out-of-bag (OOB) sets.

Download Full-text

Children hospitalized due to maltreatment in the ICU of a Public Health Service

Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0502 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 71 (suppl 3) ◽

pp. 1420-1427

Author(s):

Letícia Medeiros Santomé ◽

Sandra Maria Cezar Leal ◽

Joel Rolim Mancia ◽

Antônio Marcos Freire Gomes

Keyword(s):

Medical Records ◽

Relative Frequency ◽

Life Histories ◽

Public Health Service ◽

Physical Violence ◽

First Aid ◽

Porto Alegre ◽

Chi Square ◽

Pediatric Icu

ABSRACT Objective: to characterize children hospitalized due to violence in a pediatric ICU in 2011; to relate violence and the mechanisms of trauma with death; to know the contextualization of violence, from the records in the medical records. Method: retrospective cohort, performed in a first aid hospital, Porto Alegre city, in the records of 22 children hospitalized in the ICU due to violence. Quantitative analysis was performed by absolute and relative frequency rates, chi-square and relative risk. Results: 54.5% were boys, 81.8% were white and 50% were up to three years old. Physical violence 50% and neglect 36.4%, family of children (77.3%), highlighting the mother (35.3%). Mechanisms of aggression: fall (22.7%), burns (18.2%). Burns were at high risk for death. Discharge to go home after ICU admission (59.1%). Conclusion: It is considered that the characterization of the cases of violence reflects the complexity of the theme, mainly, in face of the life histories that surround each case of children hospitalized by this aggravation.

Download Full-text

Characterization of the institutionalization of pharmaceutical services in Brazilian primary health care

Revista de Saúde Pública ◽

10.11606/s1518-8787.2017051007135 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (suppl.2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gisélia Santana Souza ◽

Ediná Alves Costa ◽

Rafael Damasceno de Barros ◽

Marcelo Tavares Pereira ◽

Joslene Lacerda Barreto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pharmaceutical Services ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significance Level ◽

Five Dimensions ◽

Heterogeneous Process ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Computerized System ◽

Municipal Health

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the current stage of the institutionalization of pharmaceutical services in Brazilian cities. METHODS: This study is part of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines), a cross-sectional, exploratory, and evaluative study composed by an information survey in a representative sample of cities, stratified by Brazilian regions. We interviewed municipal secretaries of health, responsible for pharmaceutical services, and pharmacists responsible for the dispensing of medicines. The variables selected from the interviews were grouped into five dimensions that defined three stages of pharmaceutical services institutionalization: incipient (0%-34.0%), partial (35.0%-69.0%), and advanced (70.0%-100%), estimated based on the interviewees’ answers. Frequencies were estimated with 95% confidence intervals. For the statistical association analysis, the Chi-square test was applied, with significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: Our results show a partial and heterogeneous process of institutionalization of pharmaceutical services in Brazil, and an advanced stage in formal structures, such as the municipal health plans and the existence of a standardized list of medicines. The analysed variables in the “organization, structure, and financing” dimension configured stages that range from partial to advanced. The management presented partial institutionalization, positively showing the existence of computerized system, but also disparate results regarding the autonomy in the management of financial resources. Indispensable items related to the structure expressed disparities between the regions, with statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: The study showed a partial and heterogeneous process of institutionalization of pharmaceutical services in Brazilian cities, showing regional disparities. Variables related to the normative aspects of institutionalization were positively highlighted in all dimensions; however, it is necessary to conduct new studies to evaluate the institutionalization of pharmaceutical services’ finalistic activities

Download Full-text

Analytical and Chemometric Characterization of Fino and Amontillado Sherries during Aging in Criaderas y Solera System

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules27020365 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 365

Author(s):

Manuel J. Valcárcel-Muñoz ◽

María Guerrero-Chanivet ◽

María del Carmen Rodríguez-Dodero ◽

María de Valme García-Moreno ◽

Dominico A. Guillén-Sánchez

Keyword(s):

Aging Process ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Biological Aging ◽

Microbiological Activity ◽

Dry Extract ◽

Oxidative Aging ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Sherry Wine ◽

Flor Yeasts

Fino and Amontillado are Sherry wines, produced in Marco de Jerez area (southern Spain), and aged in Criaderas y Solera system. Fino Sherry wine follows a biological aging process, under a veil of flor yeasts, while Amontillado Sherry wine shares the same biological aging firstly, followed by oxidative aging, which gives them special features. Organic acids, esters, higher alcohols, phenolic compounds and total dry extract of Sherries evolve during aging due to evaporation processes, physical-chemical reactions, wood contributions and microbiological activity. During aging, Sherry wines improve their organoleptic profile, as could be proved in the tasting sessions. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Factor Analysis with factor extraction using Principal Components of Sherry wines studied were carried out and natural groupings of the wines according to the type of aging and their age were observed. A strong correlation between the parameters analyzed and the aging of each wine has been seen in the Multiple Linear Regression studies, establishing two different models, one for each type of Sherry wine, that, with only four of all the variables studied estimated the wine age with more than 99% of confidence. This constitutes a useful tool to control the age of these Sherry wines in the winery.

Download Full-text

POLIMORPHIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ESR1 AND FOXL2 GENES AND THE ASSOCIATION OF THEIR INTERACTION WITH PRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF BROWN LOCAL IRAQI CHICKENS

IRAQI JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ◽

10.36103/ijas.v52i6.1480 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (6) ◽

pp. 1391-1400

Author(s):

R. I. A. Abu-Rekaiba ◽

E. H. AL-Anbari ◽

W. M. Razuki

Keyword(s):

Production Performance ◽

Production Traits ◽

Chi Square ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Egg Formation ◽

Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium ◽

Productive Traits ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

New Evidence

The estrogen receptor 1(ESR1) and fork-head box L2 (FOX L2) genes play a pivotal role in regulation of egg formation in poultry. this study aimed to investigate interaction between ESR1 and FOXL2 in the productive performance of brown local Iraqi chickens (BLIC). A total of 104 BLIC represented from the F4th generation of local chicken selected for high egg productions were used. Two novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs), one of them in ESR1 (T57198C) intron 3, and another of FOX L2 (C919T) gene within encoding region were identified through PCR-DNA sequencing. Six haplotypes (H1=TTCC, H2=TTCT, H3=TCCC, H4=TCCT, H5=CCCC, H6=CCCT) were obtained due to interaction between these two SNPs. Chi-square analysis showed no significant in genotypic and allelic frequencies for each SNP which revealed that both genes were agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Association analysis of haplotypes with production traits revealed that individuals have H4 genotype achieved higher body weight at sexual maturity, at 60 weeks of age and egg weight at 45 and 60 weeks of age, whereas, the higher number of eggs were exhibited in individual with H6 from onset egg till 60 weeks of age. The two haplotypes; H4(TCCT) and H6(CCCT) showed better combination than others with respect to production performance. In conclusion, our findings provided new evidence that the two genes (ESR1 and FOXLl2) with special interaction may have potential effects on productive traits of chickens and beneficial effects in laying breeding programs.

Download Full-text

Characterization of the Subgingival Cultivable Microbiota in Patients with Different Stages of Periodontitis in Spain and Colombia. A Cross-Sectional Study

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9091940 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1940

Author(s):

Roquelina Pianeta ◽

Margarita Iniesta ◽

Diana Marcela Castillo ◽

Gloria I. Lafaurie ◽

Mariano Sanz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Species ◽

Fusobacterium Nucleatum ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Campylobacter Rectus ◽

Parvimonas Micra ◽

Final Sample

The objective was to characterize and compare the subgingival microbiota in patients diagnosed according to the World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions 2018. For this cross-sectional study, Spanish and Colombian subjects (characterized as health/gingivitis, periodontitis in stages I-II or stages III-IV) were clinically assessed, and subgingival samples were taken and processed by culture. The comparisons among patients with periodontal status (and between countries) was made using Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis, ANOVA and chi-square tests. The final sample consisted of 167 subjects. Eikenella corrodens and Parvimonas micra were more frequently detected in health/gingivitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis in periodontitis (p < 0.05). Higher total counts were observed in Colombia (p = 0.036). In Spain, significantly higher levels of P. gingivalis and Campylobacter rectus were observed, and of Tannerella forsythia, P. micra, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinomyces odontolyticus and Capnocytophaga spp. in Colombia (p < 0.001). P. micra was more prevalent in health/gingivitis and stage I-II periodontitis in Colombia, and P. gingivalis in all periodontitis groups in Spain (p < 0.05). As conclusions, significant differences were detected in the microbiota between health/gingivitis and periodontitis, with minor differences between stages of periodontitis. Differences were also relevant between countries, with Colombia showing larger counts and variability of bacterial species.

Download Full-text

Characterization of Child Maltreatment Cases Identified in Health Services

Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto) ◽

10.1590/1982-4327e3018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

Author(s):

Davi Manzini Macedo ◽

Priscila Lawrenz ◽

Jean Von Hohendorff ◽

Clarissa Pinto Pizarro Freitas ◽

Silvia Helena Koller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Child Maltreatment ◽

Middle Childhood ◽

Parenting Practices ◽

Family Relationship ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Chi Square ◽

Developmental Characteristics ◽

And Gender ◽

Chi Square Analysis

Abstract Child maltreatment is a severe Public Health issue. To understand its associated factors, our study analyzed 14.564 cases of child maltreatment recorded in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2010 and 2014. In our study, we analyzed immediate contextual aspects (child’s gender and developmental stage, perpetrator’s gender, family relationship between the victim and the perpetrator) and intermediate aspects (health professionals’ response). Chi-square analysis showed that girls were more likely to be vulnerable to sexual and psychological abuse, especially in middle childhood. Boys, on the other hand, were more likely to experience neglect in infancy and physical abuse in middle childhood. Males were the main perpetrators. Our results are discussed, based on a theoretical review of the sociocultural conceptions of child developmental characteristics, parenting practices, and gender roles. We suggest changes in the notification process and case referral.

Download Full-text

Typology, Structural Characterization and Sustainability of Integrated Broiler Farming System in Epirus, Greece

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132313084 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 13084

Author(s):

Vassilios Dotas ◽

Dimitrios Gourdouvelis ◽

Lampros Hatzizisis ◽

Ioannis Kaimakamis ◽

Ioannis Mitsopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cluster Analysis ◽

Structural Characterization ◽

Hierarchical Cluster Analysis ◽

Financial Management ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Farming System ◽

Poultry Farms ◽

Large Farms ◽

Farm Types

The aim of this study was the detailed characterization of the existing zootechnical and financial management applied in broiler poultry farms in the Region of Epirus, Greece. The current situation was captured through the formation of a typology on the structural characterization of broiler farming system. The variables were recorded based on data from a stratified random sample according to Neyman’s methodology of 110 poultry farms. In the typology, hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to identify differences between farms and to support most of this differentiation. Chebyshev distance was used to maximize the effect of the cluster elements distance, as well as Ward’s clustering method, which aims to achieve greater homogeneity within the clusters. Bonferroni multiple comparison tests were used to evaluate the differences. Four clusters of different farm types were identified from the hierarchical cluster analysis. In conclusion, the production system of broiler farms in Epirus is intensive, especially in large farms that have made significant investments in fixed capital and implement successful management. However, the poultry sector in Epirus has further margin for improvement in both its productivity and profitability.

Download Full-text