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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Recent atmospheric changes and future projections along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coast

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):160. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04200-z.

ABSTRACT

Recent and future climate diagrams (surface air temperature, surface relative humidity, surface wind, and mean sea level pressure) for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coast are analysed based on hourly observations (2016-2020) and hourly ERA5 data (1979-2020) with daily GFDL mini-ensemble means (2006-2100). Moreover, GFDL mini-ensemble means are calculated based on the results of three GFDL simulations (GFDL-CM3, GFDL-ESM2M, and GFDL-ESM2G). Observation data are employed to describe the short-term current weather variability. However, ERA5 data are considered to study the long-term current weather variability after bias removal via a comparison to observations. Finally, a bias correction statistical model was developed by matching the cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) of corrected ERA5 and mini-ensemble mean data over 15 years (2006-2020). The obtained local statistic were used to statically downscale GFDL mini-ensemble means to study the future uncertainty in the atmospheric parameters studied. There occurred significant spatial variability across the study area, especially regarding the surface air temperature and relative humidity, based on monthly analysis of both observation and ERA5 data. Moreover, the results indicated that the ERA5 data suitably describe Tabuk, Jeddah and Jizan weather conditions with a marked spatial variability. The best performance of ERA5 surface air temperature and relative humidity (surface wind speed and sea level pressure) data was detected in Tabuk (Jeddah). These data for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast, 1979-2020, exhibit significant positive trends of the surface air temperature and surface wind speed and significant negative trends of the relative humidity and sea level pressure. The GFDL mini-ensemble mean projection result, up to 2100, contains a significant bias in the studied weather parameters. This is partly attributed to the coarse GFDL resolution (2° × 2°). After bias removal, the statistically downscaled simulations based on the GFDL mini-ensemble mean indicate that the climate in the study area will experience significant changes with a large range of uncertainty according to the considered scenario and regional variations.

PMID:34997098 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04200-z

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis of the humeral shaft with regard to adjacent anatomical characteristics

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):279. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04041-w.

ABSTRACT

The study goal was to evaluate the distances from the radial (RN), the musculocutaneous (MN) and axillary nerves (AN) and the medial neurovascular bundle of the upper arm to a minimally invasive applied plate and to define its relation to the RN during different degrees of malrotation during MIPO. The sample involved ten upper extremities. Application of a PHILOS plate was performed through a Delta-split. Intervals between the AN, MN, RN and the medial vascular bundle were defined at various positions. The humeral shaft was artificially fractured at a height of about the mean of the plate. The distal fragment was brought into 15° and 30° internal (IR) as well as external rotation (ER) and here, the plate’s relation to the RN was evaluated. The medial neurovascular bundle intersected the plate at its distal part in two specimens. Regarding the distances from the RN to the plate during different rotation positions the distances became significantly longer during ER, respectively shorter during IR. The medial neurovascular bundle and the RN were identified as the main structures at risk. Care must be taken during distal screw placement and malrotation exceeding 15° must be avoided during MIPO.

PMID:34997069 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04041-w

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Efficacy analysis of one-stage posterior-only surgical treatment for thoracic spinal tuberculosis in the T4-6 segments with minimum 5-year follow-up

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):149. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04138-2.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, with the in-depth research on spinal tuberculosis, posterior surgery alone has been praised highly by more and more surgeons due to the better correction of kyphosis, better maintenance of spinal physiological curvature, smaller surgical trauma and fewer surgical complications. However, there is currently lack of relevant reports about the efficacy of posterior surgery alone in the treatment of tuberculosis in the T4-6 segments. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical study efficacy and feasibility of one-stage posterior-only surgical treatment for thoracic spinal tuberculosis in the T4-6 segments. 67 patients with tuberculosis in T4-6 segments who underwent one-stage posterior-only surgery were included in this study. The clinical efficacy was evaluated using statistical analysis based on the data about erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Oswestry Dability Index (ODI) score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and Cobb angle before surgery, after surgery and at the last follow-up. All patients completed fusion during the follow-up period of 6-9 months. ESR and CRP were returned to normal for all patients at 6 months follow-up. In the meanwhile, among the 27 patients combined with neurological impairment, neurological functions of 22 cases (81.48%) recovered completely at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). Cobb angle of the kyphosis was improved from preoperative 34.8 ± 10.9° to postoperative 9.6 ± 2.8°, maintaining at 11.3 ± 3.2° at the last follow-up, The ODI and VAS scores were improved by 77.10% and 81.70%, respectively. This 5-year follow-up study shows that better clinical efficacy can be achieved for tuberculosis in T4-6 segments using one-stage posterior-only approach by costotransverse debridement in combination with bone graft and internal fixation. The posterior surgical method cannot only effectively accomplish debridement, obtain satisfactory clinical results, but also well correct kyphotic deformity and maintain it.

PMID:34997091 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04138-2

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Jointly modeling marine species to inform the effects of environmental change on an ecological community in the Northwest Atlantic

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):132. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04110-0.

ABSTRACT

Single species distribution models (SSDMs) are typically used to understand and predict the distribution and abundance of marine fish by fitting distribution models for each species independently to a combination of abiotic environmental variables. However, species abundances and distributions are influenced by abiotic environmental preferences as well as biotic dependencies such as interspecific competition and predation. When species interact, a joint species distribution model (JSDM) will allow for valid inference of environmental effects. We built a joint species distribution model of marine fish and invertebrates of the Northeast US Continental Shelf, providing evidence on species relationships with the environment as well as the likelihood of species to covary. Predictive performance is similar to SSDMs but the Bayesian joint modeling approach provides two main advantages over single species modeling: (1) the JSDM directly estimates the significance of environmental effects; and (2) predicted species richness accounts for species dependencies. An additional value of JSDMs is that the conditional prediction of species distributions can use not only the environmental associations of species, but also the presence and abundance of other species when forecasting future climatic associations.

PMID:34997068 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04110-0

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Distribution and history of extensional stresses on vWF surrogate molecules in turbulent flow

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):171. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04034-9.

ABSTRACT

The configuration of proteins is critical for their biochemical behavior. Mechanical stresses that act on them can affect their behavior leading to the development of decease. The von Willebrand factor (vWF) protein circulating with the blood loses its efficacy when it undergoes non-physiological hemodynamic stresses. While often overlooked, extensional stresses can affect the structure of vWF at much lower stress levels than shear stresses. The statistical distribution of extensional stress as it applies on models of the vWF molecule within turbulent flow was examined here. The stress on the molecules of the protein was calculated with computations that utilized a Lagrangian approach for the determination of the molecule trajectories in the flow filed. The history of the stresses on the proteins was also calculated. Two different flow fields were considered as models of typical flows in cardiovascular mechanical devises, one was a Poiseuille flow and the other was a Poiseuille-Couette flow field. The data showed that the distribution of stresses is important for the design of blood flow devices because the average stress can be below the critical value for protein damage, but tails of the distribution can be outside the critical stress regime.

PMID:34997036 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04034-9

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Activity of vehicles in the bus rapid transit system Metrobús in Mexico City

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):98. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04037-6.

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we analyze a massive dataset with registers of the movement of vehicles in the bus rapid transit system Metrobús in Mexico City from February 2020 to April 2021. With these records and a division of the system into 214 geographical regions (segments), we characterize the vehicles’ activity through the statistical analysis of speeds in each zone. We use the Kullback-Leibler distance to compare the movement of vehicles in each segment and its evolution. The results for the dynamics in different zones are represented as a network where nodes define segments of the system Metrobús and edges describe similarity in the activity of vehicles. Community detection algorithms in this network allow the identification of patterns considering different levels of similarity in the distribution of speeds providing a framework for unsupervised classification of the movement of vehicles. The methods developed in this research are general and can be implemented to describe the activity of different transportation systems with detailed records of the movement of users or vehicles.

PMID:34997045 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04037-6

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Soil δ13C and δ15N baselines clarify biogeographic heterogeneity in isotopic discrimination of European badgers (Meles meles)

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):200. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04011-2.

ABSTRACT

Isotopic techniques have been used to study phenomena in the geological, environmental, and ecological sciences. For example, isotopic values of multiple elements elucidate the pathways energy and nutrients take in the environment. Isoscapes interpolate isotopic values across a geographical surface and are used to study environmental processes in space and time. Thus, isoscapes can reveal ecological shifts at local scales, and show distribution thresholds in the wider environment at the macro-scale. This study demonstrates a further application of isoscapes, using soil isoscapes of 13C/12C and 15N/14N as an environmental baseline, to understand variation in trophic ecology across a population of Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) at a regional scale. The use of soil isoscapes reduced error, and elevated the statistical signal, where aggregated badger hairs were used, and where individuals were identified using genetic microarray analysis. Stable isotope values were affected by land-use type, elevation, and meteorology. Badgers in lowland habitats had diets richer in protein and were adversely affected by poor weather conditions in all land classes. It is concluded that soil isoscapes are an effective way of reducing confounding biases in macroscale, isotopic studies. The method elucidated variation in the trophic and spatial ecology of economically important taxa at a landscape level. These results have implications for the management of badgers and other carnivores with omnivorous tendencies in heterogeneous landscapes.

PMID:34997035 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-04011-2

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Genome-wide association study identifies tumor anatomical site-specific risk variants for colorectal cancer survival

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):127. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03945-x.

ABSTRACT

Identification of new genetic markers may improve the prediction of colorectal cancer prognosis. Our objective was to examine genome-wide associations of germline genetic variants with disease-specific survival in an analysis of 16,964 cases of colorectal cancer. We analyzed genotype and colorectal cancer-specific survival data from a consortium of 15 studies. Approximately 7.5 million SNPs were examined under the log-additive model using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for clinical factors and principal components. Additionally, we ran secondary analyses stratifying by tumor site and disease stage. We used a genome-wide p-value threshold of 5 × 10-8 to assess statistical significance. No variants were statistically significantly associated with disease-specific survival in the full case analysis or in the stage-stratified analyses. Three SNPs were statistically significantly associated with disease-specific survival for cases with tumors located in the distal colon (rs698022, HR = 1.48, CI 1.30-1.69, p = 8.47 × 10-9) and the proximal colon (rs189655236, HR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.65-2.77, p = 9.19 × 10-9 and rs144717887, HR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.57-2.58, p = 3.14 × 10-8), whereas no associations were detected for rectal tumors. Findings from this large genome-wide association study highlight the potential for anatomical-site-stratified genome-wide studies to identify germline genetic risk variants associated with colorectal cancer-specific survival. Larger sample sizes and further replication efforts are needed to more fully interpret these findings.

PMID:34996992 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-03945-x

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Light sheet based volume flow cytometry (VFC) for rapid volume reconstruction and parameter estimation on the go

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):78. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03902-8.

ABSTRACT

Optical imaging is paramount for disease diagnosis and to access its progression over time. The proposed optical flow imaging (VFC/iLIFE) is a powerful technique that adds new capabilities (3D volume visualization, organelle-level resolution, and multi-organelle screening) to the existing system. Unlike state-of-the-art point-illumination-based biomedical imaging techniques, the sheet-based VFC technique is capable of single-shot sectional visualization, high throughput interrogation, real-time parameter estimation, and instant volume reconstruction with organelle-level resolution of live specimens. The specimen flow system was realized on a multichannel (Y-type) microfluidic chip that enables visualization of organelle distribution in several cells in-parallel at a relatively high flow-rate (2000 nl/min). The calibration of VFC system requires the study of point emitters (fluorescent beads) at physiologically relevant flow-rates (500-2000 nl/min) for determining flow-induced optical aberration in the system point spread function (PSF). Subsequently, the recorded raw images and volumes were computationally deconvolved with flow-variant PSF to reconstruct the cell volume. High throughput investigation of the mitochondrial network in HeLa cancer cell was carried out at sub-cellular resolution in real-time and critical parameters (mitochondria count and size distribution, morphology, entropy, and cell strain statistics) were determined on-the-go. These parameters determine the physiological state of cells, and the changes over-time, revealing the metastatic progression of diseases. Overall, the developed VFC system enables real-time monitoring of sub-cellular organelle organization at a high-throughput with high-content capacity.

PMID:34997009 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-03902-8

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Negative-pressure wound therapy is effective for peritoneal dialysis catheter exit-site management in the early postoperative period

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 7;12(1):70. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03878-5.

ABSTRACT

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter exit-site care is critically important for the prevention of catheter-related infections (CRIs) and subsequent peritonitis. The postoperative management of the site is particularly essential because it has an open wound that is always adjacent to a PD catheter tube. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for postoperative PD catheter exit sites. Thirty patients with end-stage renal disease who underwent simultaneous PD catheter insertion and exit-site formation were randomly assigned to receive NPWT (NPWT group) or conventional dressing (non-NPWT group) for the first seven postoperative days. The exit-site scores on the seventh postoperative day was lower in the NPWT group than in the non-NPWT group (p = 0.0049). Analysis of variance F statistic for the effect of NPWT over 180 days was highly significant (11.482595, p = 0.007). There were no statistically significant differences between the time to first CRI and PD-related peritonitis between the two groups. There was one case of CRI with relapsing peritonitis and catheter loss in the non-NPWT group. These findings demonstrate the association between NPWT and low exit-site score. NPWT can be recommended for the management of PD catheter exit sites in the early postoperative period.

PMID:34996968 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-03878-5