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Statistical Change (statistical + change)
Selected AbstractsEcophysiological Response of Plants to Combined Pollution from Heavy-duty Vehicles and Industrial Emissions in Higher HumidityJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Hong-Xia Cui Abstract Pollution can be aggravated in industrial areas if traffic exhausts are mixed with industrial emissions under high humidity conditions. Plants growing in such environments may suffer from severe stress. The impact of vehicle emissions on urban vegetation in an industrial area in Qingdao, China, was investigated by studying seven plant species at visible, physiological and chemical levels. The traits of plant species in certain environmental conditions were compared between a clear area, Badaguan (BDG), and polluted area, Roadside (RS). We found that foliar sulfur uptake for all species was not significantly high at RS compared with BDG, although the sulfur content of atmosphere and surface soils at RS were much higher than those at BDG. For Ailanthus altissima Swingle, the content of foliar pigment and net photosynthesis rate (PN) decreased by 20%. Meanwhile, leaves became incrassate and no visible leaf damage was noted, suggesting this species could adapt well to pollution. A 50% decrease in PN occurred in Hibiscus syriacus L., but there was no statistical change in content of chlorophyll a and b and water uptake. Also, thickened leaves may prevent the pollutant from permeation. Foliar water content was still at a low level, although a water compensation mechanism was established for Fraxinus chinensis Rosb. reflected by low water potential and high water use efficiency. More adversely, a 65% decrease in PN happened inevitably with the significant decomposition of photosynthetic pigments, which exhibited visible damage. We also noted in one evergreen species (Magnolia grandiflora L.) that water absorption driven by low water potential should be helpful to supply water loss induced by strong stomatal transpiration and maintain normal growth. Furthermore, photosynthetic pigment content did not decline statistically, but supported a stable net assimilation. Two herbaceous species, Poa annua L. and Ophiopogon japonicus Ker-Gawl., were very tolerant to adverse stress compared to other woody species, especially in assimilation through a compensatory increase in leaf area. A more remarkable decline in PN (decrease 80%) was noted in the exotic but widespread species, Platanus orientalis L., with serious etiolation and withering being exhibited on the whole canopy. Our results suggested, special for woody species, that most native species are more tolerant to pollution and therefore should to be broadly used in a humid urban industrial environment with heavy-duty vehicle emissions. (Managing editor: Ya-Qin Han) [source] Measuring and interpreting age-related loss of vertebral bone mineral density in a medieval populationAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Sabrina C. Agarwal Abstract This study investigates the age- and sex-related patterns in vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) and the relationship between BMD and vertebral osteophytosis (VO), using a specialized peripheral densitometer in a skeletal sample excavated from the British medieval village Wharram Percy. A total of 58 individuals were divided by sex into three broad age categories (18,29, 30,49, 50+ years.). Each fourth intact vertebral centra was scored for VO and 5-mm thick coronal sections scanned in a specialized peripheral densitometer (GE Lunar Piximus DXA). Changes in BMD associated with age, sex, and VO severity were examined in the whole vertebral section, a strictly trabecular region, and a primarily cortical region of bone separately. Significant change in vertebral BMD was found to occur by middle age with little or no statistical change in BMD between middle and old age. Females appear to suffer greater bone loss at an earlier age with no change in BMD between middle and old age, whereas males show a more steady loss of BMD across the age groups. The bone mineral content and BMD of the cortical region is higher in individuals with pronounced/severe osteophytosis. The unusual age- and sex-related patterns of change in vertebral BMD at Wharram Percy are compared with the patterns of age-related change from recent longitudinal population-based studies. The results emphasize the different pattern of bone loss in young adulthood seen in trabecular regions of the skeleton and highlight the importance of consideration of degenerative joint disease in BMD studies. The influence of lifestyle factors on vertebral BMD in this medieval population is also discussed. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sherry wine vinegar: physicochemical changes during the acetification processJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 7 2001L Morales Abstract The quality of a wine vinegar is determined by the raw wine substrate and the acetification process employed in its production. Attempts to characterise vinegars have been based on these two features, along with variables such as total extract, glycerol, organic acids, volatile compounds and phenolic composition. When the final products are analysed, it is difficult to evaluate to what extent quality differences are due to the raw material or to differences in production methods, so it is necessary to determine the influence of each feature separately. The present work focuses on monitoring physicochemical changes during the acetification of sherry wine by submerged culture. ANOVA showed significant differences for ethanol, acetic and lactic acids and some volatile compounds (methanol, 1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetoin, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate). However, no statistical changes were found for phenolic compounds during acetification. The phenolic composition of the final product was determined by the substrate employed. In addition, the influence of cycle duration on the chemical composition was studied; the only compound affected by this factor was 2-methyl-1-butanol. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Clinical response of patients with sickle cell anemia to cromolyn sodium nasal sprayAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 11 2006Mehran Karimi Abstract Sickle cell anemia is the most common heritable hematological disease affecting humans. Although hydroxyurea is the most commonly used antisickling agent, several previous studies suggest that cromolyn sodium also prevents sickling when administered acutely. However, no previous studies have evaluated the safety or efficacy of prolonged administration of cromolyn to patients with sickle cell anemia. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to test the hypothesis that prolonged administration of cromolyn alone or in combination with hydroxyurea would decrease the incidence of pain crises and/or alter the chronic pain seen in patients with this disease. In this crossover, single-blind, in vivo and in vitro study, 17 patients with sickle cell disease were studied. Each patient had to fill out a standard pain chart. Every 3 months the patients' medications changed in the following manner: The first 3 months the patients used cromolyn sodium nasal spray; the second 3 months they received placebo nasal spray; the third 3 months they received cromolyn sodium nasal spray and hydroxyurea capsule; and the last 3 months they received hydroxyurea capsule and placebo nasal spray. The least pain was felt with the mixture of hydroxyurea capsule and cromolyn sodium nasal inhaler. Furthermore, with the other combinations of medications, there were no significant statistical changes in the number of sickled red blood cells. Every combination used in this survey had positive effects on decreasing the pain. cromolyn sodium nasal spray is significantly efficient in decreasing sickle cell crisis as well as pain intensity in patients with sickle cell anemia. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||