[Estimation of Sex from Patella Measurements in Sichuan Han Population Based on CT-Three-Dimensional Volume Reconstruction Technique]

Abstract

Objective To estimate sex based on patella measurements of Sichuan Han population by computed tomography three-dimensional volume reconstruction technique, and to explore the application value of patella in sex estimation. Methods CT three-dimensional volume reconstruction images of patella of 250 individuals were collected, the four measurement indicators including patellar length, patellar width, patellar thickness, and patellar volume were measured. The t-test was used to determine measurement indicators with sex differences. Fisher discriminant analysis was used to establish the sex discriminant function and the prediction accuracy was calculated by leave-one-out cross validation. Results The sex differences of the four measurement indicators had a statistical significance （P<0.05）. The accuracy rate of the univariate discriminant function established by the patellar length was the highest （82.0%）. The accuracy rates of the all indicators discriminant function and the stepwise discriminant function were 80.4% and 81.6%, respectively. Conclusion It is feasible and accurate to estimate sex of Sichuan Han population by patella measurements with CT three-dimensional volume reconstruction technique. The method may be used as an alternative for sex estimation of Sichuan Han population when other bones with higher accuracy are not available.

Genotypic variation for potassium accumulation and utilization efficiency in barley under rainfed potassium stress conditions

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of K nutrition and genotypic variation on the dry matter (DM) accumulation, and the K concentration, accumulation, uptake and utilization efficiency in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Successive increases in potassium nutrition had a significant effect on the dry matter and K accumulation either in the total or in various plant parts of barley at the tillering, stem elongation, heading and maturity growth stages. K nutrition also led to significantly higher grain yield with each unit K application than without K application. The yield increase due to K application was mainly due to the improvement in spike development from tillers. Dry matter and K accumulation in various plant parts varied significantly between genotypes at the main growth stages. Among the various plant parts, the stem contained the highest K concentration, had the highest K accumulation at maturity and changed considerably with the K level, while other plant parts remained relatively unchanged. Among the eleven genotypes, genotype 98-6 had the highest grain yield and the K use efficiency of this genotype was 10.4 kg grain per kg K applied. It could thus be used as a breeding line to breed barley varieties for higher productivity under rainfed conditions with low available soil potassium.