Effect of psychological stress on gastric motility assessed by electrical bio-impedance

AIM:To evaluate gastric motility using electrical bioimpedance(EBI) and gastric changes as a result of stress induced by psychological tests.METHODS:A group of 57 healthy women,aged 40-60 years,was recruited,and a clinical history and physical examination were performed.The women were free from severe anxiety,chronic or acute stress,severe depression,mental diseases and conditions that affect gastric activity.The women were evaluated under fasting conditions,and using a four-electrode configuration,the gastric signals were obtained through a BIOPAC MP-150 system.The volunteers were evaluated using the following paradigm:basal state,recording during the Stroop Test,intermediate resting period,recording during the Raven Test,and a final resting period.We analyzed the relative areas of the frequency spectrum:A1(1-2 cpm),A2(2-4 cpm),A3(4-8 cpm),and A4(8-12 cpm),as well as the median of area A2 + A3.The data were analyzed by an autoregressive method using a Butterworth filter with MatLab and Origin.Analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Friedman ANOVA(for nonparametric variables) were performed;in addition,pairs of groups were compared using the T dependent and Wilcoxon T tests.RESULTS:The results of the main values of area A2 were not significantly different comparing the five steps of the experimental paradigm.Nevertheless,there was a tendency of this A2 region to decrease during the stress tests,with recuperation at the final resting step.When an extended gastric region was considered(1-4 cpm),significant differences with the psychological stress tests were present(F = 3.85,P = 0.005).The A3 region also showed significant changes when the stress psychological tests were administered(F = 7.25,P < 0.001).These differences were influenced by the changes in the adjacent gastric region of A2.The parameter that we proposed in previous studies for the evaluation of gastric motility by electrical bio-impedance(EBI) was the median of the area under the region from 2 to 8 cpm(A2 + A3).The mean values of these frequencies(median of the A2 + A3 area) with the stress test showed significant changes(F = 5.5,P < 0.001).The results of the WilcoxonT test for the A4 area parameter,which is influenced by the breathing response,changed significantly during the Raven stress test(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:We confirm that the gastric response to acute psychological stress can be evaluated by short-term EBI.

Physicochemical characteristics of various milk samples available in Pakistan

We report physicochemical characteristics of various kinds of liquid milk commercially available in Pakistan in comparison with those of fresh natural milk from animals. Milk samples were collected from local markets at Peshawar, Pakistan, and analyzed for their physical features, including moisture, total solids, specific gravity, conductivity, viscosity and titratable acidity (lactic acid equivalent), and chemical components and macro-minerals, including total protein, casein, lactose, ash and minerals (Na, K and Mg). These items were compared with the physicochemical characteristics of the fresh natural milk samples from buffalo, cow and goat. The results were also compared with reported nutritional quality of milk from various countries and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. We found that all the physical features and chemical components of commercially available milk in Pakistan markets meet WHO's requirements, except for Na, K, Ca and Mg, which are below the standards.

Projection of future streamflow of the Hunza River Basin,Karakoram Range(Pakistan)using HBV hydrological model

Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavdeling(HBV) Light model was used to evaluate the performance of the model in response to climate change in the snowy and glaciated catchment area of Hunza River Basin. The study aimed to understand the temporal variation of streamflow of Hunza River and its contribution to Indus River System(IRS). HBV model performed fairly well both during calibration(R2=0.87, Reff=0.85, PBIAS=-0.36) and validation(R2=0.86, Reff=0.83, PBIAS=-13.58) periods on daily time scale in the Hunza River Basin. Model performed better on monthly time scale with slightly underestimated low flows period during bothcalibration(R2=0.94, Reff=0.88, PBIAS=0.47) and validation(R2=0.92, Reff=0.85, PBIAS=15.83) periods. Simulated streamflow analysis from 1995-2010 unveiled that the average percentage contribution of snow, rain and glacier melt to the streamflow of Hunza River is about 16.5%, 19.4% and 64% respectively. In addition, the HBV-Light model performance was also evaluated for prediction of future streamflow in the Hunza River using future projected data of three General Circulation Model(GCMs) i.e. BCC-CSM1.1, CanESM2, and MIROCESM under RCP2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 and predictions were made over three time periods, 2010-2039, 2040-2069 and 2070-2099, using 1980-2010 as the control period. Overall projected climate results reveal that temperature and precipitation are the most sensitiveparameters to the streamflow of Hunza River. MIROC-ESM predicted the highest increase in the future streamflow of the Hunza River due to increase in temperature and precipitation under RCP4.5 and 8.5 scenarios from 2010-2099 while predicted slight increase in the streamflow under RCP2.6 during the start and end of the 21 th century. However, BCCCSM1.1 predicted decrease in the streamflow under RCP8.5 due to decrease in temperature and precipitation from 2010-2099. However, Can ESM2 predicted 22%-88% increase in the streamflow under RCP4.5 from 2010-2099. The results of this study could be useful for decision making and effective future strategic plans for water management and their sustainability in the region.

Analysis the First Arrival of P-Wave of Ina-TEWS and CTBT Stations to Support Earthquake Early Warning

The authors make the analysis of first arrivals of the P-wave from Ina-TEWS （Indonesian tsunami early warning system） and CTBT （comprehensive nuclear-test-band treaty） stations. These are used for earthquake early warning, magnitude determination and potential earthquake hazard mitigation based on seismogram acceleration. This research is focused on the study of energy duration of high frequency, and the maximum displacement of P-waves by observing broadband seismograms. The further analysis consists of deconvolution, integration or defferentiation, recursive filtering for data restitution, and applying a Butterworth filter of second order. The Butterworth filter uses high frequency 0.075 Hz to cut the effect of drift, and band-pass frequency 2-4 Hz for use in magnitude calculation. The authors choose potentially damaging earthquakes to be greater than Mw 〉 6.0. Based on the trigger on the three seconds the first arrival P-wave, the dominant period （Td） and amplitude displacement （Pd） was calculated by using data CISI （Indonesian CI Sompet） seismological station, Garut （west Java） and tested for data CTBT, LEM bang, Bandung （LEM station）. This research resulted determination of the P-wave arrival time accurately using integrated skewness and kurtosis. Performance data from the CTBT stations is very high. Signal to noise ratio 〉1,000 after passing through the filter. Such riset conducted to find out a rapid magnitude estimations from predominant frequency of displacement are： log Td = 0.2406 M- 1.3665 （R = 0.73） or M = 4.156 log Td ＋ 5.6797. Relationship of Pd, magnitude moment, Mw and hypocentre, R are log Pd = -4.684 ＋ 0.815 Mw - 1.36 log R. For relation of PGA （peak ground acceleration） and amplitude displacement are log PGA = 1.117 log Pd ＋ 0.728 （R = 0.91）. Furthermore, this formula can be used to support earthquake early warning in west of Java.

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for Bridgetown-Barbados, Employing Subduction Interface Characteristic Earthquakes

A new probabilistic seismic hazard analysis was performed for the city of Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies. Hazard computations have been performed using the standard Cornell-McGuire approach based on the definition of appropriate seismogenic sources and expected maximum magnitudes, the authors take into consideration the possibility of large subduction interface earthquakes of magnitude 8.0-9.0 beneath the Barbados accretionary prism via application of a characteristic model and slip rates. The analysis has been conducted using a standard logic-tree approach. Uniform hazard spectra have been calculated for the 5% of critical damping and the horizontal component of ground motion for rock site conditions setting 5 return periods （95, 475, 975, 2,475 and 4,975 years） and spectral accelerations for 34 structural periods ranging from 0 to 3 s. The disaggregation results suggest that the magnitude-distance pair that dominates the hazard yields M 7.4 and 8.6 and a distance of 42.5 km in the Interface Subduction Zone beneath Barbados for the 475 and 975 years RP （return period）, respectively. An event with an M 8.0 at a distance of 107.5 km in the Intraplate Subduction Zone is the second scenario that dominates the hazard for both 475 and 975 years RP.

Listeria monocytogenes in Live Mytillis galloprovincialis Collected from Butrinti Lagoon Located in South Part of Albania

In 2009, 201 samples of live bivalve mussels （Mytillus galloprovincialis） were analyzed for presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The samples were collected from three sampling points （BM l-south, BM l-north and BMl-west） in Butrinti lagoon located in the south of Albania. The examination confirmed incidence of this pathogen with average value 4.5%. Based on the results, high incidence was reported in winter with 6.7% of analyzed samples. The incidence of L. monocytogenes was also reported respectively in spring of 2009 with 4.35% and in autumn with 2.3% of controlled samples. There is no big difference in values of incidence of L. monocytogenes between summer and autumn. The northern part of the lagoon was more indicated by contamination of L. monocytogenes. Examination of 67 samples of M. galloprovincialis, collected in the northern part of this lagoon, showed five cases or about 7.5% of them to be confirmed as positive. Referring to the study results, periodic controls of the sea products, particularly of live bivalve mollusks, for presence ofL. monocytogenes remains a necessary objective of food inspection in Albania.