Melon/cowpea intercropping pattern influenced the N and C soil cycling and the abundance of soil rare bacterial taxa

The high use of pesticides, herbicides, and unsustainable farming practices resulted in losses of soil quality. Sustainable farming practices such as intercropping could be a good alternative to traditional monocrop, especially using legumes such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). In this study, different melon and cowpea intercropping patterns (melon mixed with cowpea in the same row (MC1); alternating one melon row and one cowpea row (MC2); alternating two melon rows and one cowpea row (MC3)) were assayed to study the intercropping effect on soil bacterial community through 16S rRNA region in a 3-year experiment. The results indicated that intercropping showed high content of total organic carbon, total nitrogen and ammonium, melon yield, and bacterial diversity as well as higher levels of beneficial soil microorganisms such a Pseudomonas, Aeromicrobium, Niastella, or Sphingomonas which can promote plant growth and plant defense against pathogens. Furthermore, intercropping showed a higher rare taxa diversity in two (MC1 and MC2) out of the three intercropping systems. In addition, N-cycling genes such as nirB, nosZ, and amoA were more abundant in MC1 and MC2 whereas the narG predicted gene was far more abundant in the intercropping systems than in the monocrop at the end of the 3-year experiment. This research fills a gap in knowledge about the importance of soil bacteria in an intercropping melon/cowpea pattern, showing the benefits to yield and soil quality with a decrease in N fertilization.

An automated process for supporting decisions in clustering-based data analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Metrics are commonly used by biomedical researchers and practitioners to measure and evaluate properties of individuals, instruments, models, methods, or datasets. Due to the lack of a standardized validation procedure for a metric, it is assumed that if a metric is appropriate for analyzing a dataset in a certain domain, then it will be appropriate for other datasets in the same domain. However, such generalizability cannot be taken for granted, since the behavior of a metric can vary in different scenarios. The study of such behavior of a metric is the objective of this paper, since it would allow for assessing its reliability before drawing any conclusion about biomedical datasets.

METHODS

We present a method to support in evaluating the behavior of quantitative metrics on datasets. Our approach assesses a metric by using clustering-based data analysis, and enhancing the decision-making process in the optimal classification. Our method assesses the metrics by applying two important criteria of the unsupervised classification validation that are calculated on the clusterings generated by the metric, namely stability and goodness of the clusters. The application of our method is facilitated to biomedical researchers by our evaluomeR tool.

RESULTS

The analytical power of our methods is shown in the results of the application of our method to analyze (1) the behavior of the impact factor metric for a series of journal categories; (2) which structural metrics provide a better partitioning of the content of a repository of biomedical ontologies, and (3) the heterogeneity sources in effect size metrics of biomedical primary studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of statistical properties such as stability and goodness of classifications allows for a useful analysis of the behavior of quantitative metrics, which can be used for supporting decisions about which metrics to apply on a certain dataset.

Cluster Analysis of Microarray Data

The cluster analysis has been widely applied by researchers from several scientific fields over the last decades. Advances in knowledge of biological phenomena have revived a great interest in cluster analysis due in part to the large amount of microarray data. Traditional clustering algorithms show, apart from the need of user-defined parameters, clear limitations to handle microarray data owing to its inherent characteristics: high-dimensional-low-sample-sized, highly redundant, and noisy. That has motivated the study of clustering algorithms tailored to the task of analyzing microarray data, which currently continue being developed and adapted. The present chapter is devoted to review clustering methods with different cluster analysis approaches in the challenging context of microarray data. Furthermore, the validation of the clustering results is briefly discussed by means of validity indexes used to assess the goodness of the number of clusters and the induced cluster assignments.

Analysis of physiological traits in the response of Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Brassicaceae plants to salinity stress

Soil salinity is one of the main factors affecting plant growth. Dissection of plant response to salinity into physiological traits may result a simple approximation than the overall response that may influence many aspects of the plant. In the present study two factors were considered to evaluate the correlation of different physiological variables in the plant response to salinity. The first factor was the species, with four levels (Atriplex halimus, Salicornia fruticosa, Cakile maritima, and Brassica rapa), and the second was the salinity (0, 100, 200, and 300 mM NaCl). Thus, the interrelationships of distinct physiological traits - leaf succulence, minerals (micronutrients and macronutrients), plant water relations (osmotic potential, water potential, and hydraulic conductivity), protein content, catalase, and unsaturated fatty acids - were analyzed by Discriminant Canonical Analysis (DCA). Additional information supplied by the interaction between the variables provided a multivariate response pattern in which the two factors (species x salinity) influenced the relationship between responses rather than affecting a single response. Such analysis allows to establish whether the selected trait was associated to each other for helping to define the best set of parameters in relation to the response of new genotypes to salinity. Thus, plant growth was influenced by leaf succulence adaptation to salt stress whereas it was not determined by water relations. The Na ion prevailed over K as the element with the highest variability in the response to salinity in A. halimus and S. fruticosa, whereas in C. maritima and B. rapa, Ca, S, and P stood out more. Patterns of ion accumulation together with the protein and unsaturated fatty acid ratios could be used in discriminating plant response to salt stress may be positioned in interrelated groups. The results highlight new evidences in the response to salt stress associated to a specific interrelationship of a set of physiological parameters.

Contextual Factors Related to Alcohol Abuse Among Intimate Partner Violence Offenders

BACKGROUND

The association between alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence (IPV) has been reiterated in numerous studies. Some authors have found higher levels of risk factors in intimate partner violence offenders (IPVOs) with alcohol problems than in IPVOs without such problems.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship of contextual variables with harmful alcohol use in a sample of IPVOs.

METHOD

This cross-sectional research analyzes data from 231 IPVOs. In addition to demographic data, information was collected on alcohol use, ethnicity, accumulation of stressful life events and perceived social support and rejection. The sample was divided into hazardous and nonhazardous alcohol users, according to the AUDIT test scale.

RESULTS

No differences were found between groups on demographic variables. The results of a hierarchical logistic regression analysis supplemented with ROC curves revealed that Latin American immigrants as opposed to Spanish nationality, accumulating stressful life events, and perceiving low social support significantly increased the likelihood of alcohol abuse, with adequate predictive power.

CONCLUSION

Contextual variables such as ethnicity, accumulation of stressful life events, and lack of social support may explain harmful alcohol consumption. These variables should be taken into account in batterer intervention programs in order to reduce one of the most relevant risk factors of IPV: alcohol abuse.

Craniofacial angle in dolicho-, meso- and brachycephalic dogs: radiological determination and application

Observations on craniofacial axes and angles were made on fifty dogs belonging to five breeds, by means of radiological techniques (lateral radiographs) and biostatistical methods. The craniofacial angles were found to be 25-26 degrees (greyhound), 19-20 degrees (pointer), 20-21 degrees (German shepherd), 13-14 degrees (boxer) and 9-10 degrees (Pekinese). Shortening of the head in brachycephalic dogs implies a more perpendicular development of the cranium relative to the facial axis. The possible application of these data in the determination of morphological types in many fields is discussed.

Histomorphometric analysis of the omasum of sheep during development

Histomorphometric and scanning electron microscopic analyses were performed on 74 embryos and fetuses and 20 sheep (early postnatal to adult age). Histologic differentiation of the omasum took place at 33 days of fetal life, with the appearance of first-order laminae. Second-, third-, and fourth-order laminae appeared at 39, 50, and 59 days, respectively. Neutral mucopolysaccharides first appeared in epithelial cells at 46 days of fetal life, decreasing quantitatively until birth, before subsequently stabilizing in postnatal life. Acid mucopolysaccharides, mucins, and mucoid compounds were not detected. Growth curves and formulas were constructed for each tissue layer. Initial tests involved multiplicative (y = axb), exponential (y = EXP [a + bx]), linear (y = a + bx), and polynomial models (y = a + bx + cx2 + dx3).

Histomorphometric analysis of the reticulum of the sheep during development

Histomorphometric and scanning electron microscopic analysis were performed on 74 embryos and foetuses and on 20 sheep (early post-natal to adult age). Histodifferentiation of the reticulum took place at 33 days of foetal life. Reticular ribs were observed as evaginations of the epithelial stratum germinativum at 64 days. Neutral mucopolysaccharides first appeared in epithelial cells at 46 foetal days, thereafter to decrease gradually in number, subsequently stabilising in postnatal life. Acid mucopolysaccharides, mucins and mucoid compounds were not detected. Growth curves and formulae were constructed for each tissue layer. Initial test involved multiplicative (y = axb), linear (y = a+bx) and polynomial model (y = a+b+cx2+dx3).

[Radiological and statistical determination of the morphological type of the canine skull: dolichocephaly, mesocephaly and brachycephaly]

Cranio-encephalic morphology of three breeds of dogs (Greyhound, Pointer and Pekinese at the rate of 10 subjects, 5 males and 5 females, in each one) has been radiologically observed. Radiographic negatives in dorso-ventral and latero-lateral positions were taken and analyzed before and after the visualisation of the encephalic cavity using barium sulfate. 18 cranio-encephalic measurements were chosen and interpreted statistically. The results showed that certain variables were more closely correlated with morphologic types of the cranium than others. We discuss the validity of the data applied for clinical diagnostic or osteo-archeology determinations.

[The development of the bovine stomach: morphologic and morphometric analysis. II. Observations of the morphogenesis associated with the omasum and abomasum]

This study represents a continuation of part 1 of a study of the development of the bovine stomach. Material and methods are more fully described in part i of the study. In this part 2 of the study further developmental stages and morphometric analysis is presented.

[The development of the bovine stomach: morphologic and morphometric analysis. III. Spatial and morphometric reconstruction]

This work represents a summary of the study presented in parts I and II, previously published in this journal. The data collected in those studies is presented in three dimensional reconstructions of the stomach of the developing calf.

Histogenetic evolution of bovine gastric compartments during the prenatal period

In order to carry out this study, 62 embryos and fetuses of Friesian cows were used, and every stomach was dissected and subjected to the usual laboratory procedures. After obtaining each preparation all the histological and metrical changes that took place in the wall of the viscus during its development are described. The compartments are histologically differentiated into three stages: in the first one there is no compartment differentiation: in the second one, the rumino-reticulum, omasum and abomasum have differentiated; and in the third one every compartment is differentiated. In group 16, (78 days of gestation), a decrease in thickness of the muscular layer of all compartments, parallel to the histological differentiation has been observed.

[The development of the bovine stomach: morphological and morphometrical analysis. I. Morphogenic observations of the ruminoreticulum]

Forty-two embryos and fetuses of Frisian cattle, distributed onto 14 groups on the basis of crown-rump lengths between 1.3 cm (about 23 days) and 9.5 cm (70 days), were to study the morphogenesis of the bovine stomach. The work is divided into three parts. Part 1 deals with the ruminoreticulum and parts II and III the omasum and abomasum.