Tag: statistics

Acta Parasitol. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1007/s11686-022-00560-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in six different fish species both from marine and freshwater environments.

METHODS: During a period of 2 years (2018-2020), a total of 415 fecal samples and 565 intestinal scrapings were collected in seven provinces from the central and eastern Algeria. From those, 860 fish belonged to six different species, two of which are cultured marine and four are wild freshwater fish. All samples were screened for Cryptosporidium spp. presence using molecular techniques. Nested PCR approach was performed to amplify partial sequences of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) genes for Cryptosporidium genotyping and subtyping. Detailed statistical analysis was performed to assess the prevalence variation of Cryptosporidium infection according to different risk factors.

RESULTS: Nested PCR analysis of SSU gene revealed 173 Cryptosporidium positive fish, giving an overall prevalence of 20.11% (17.5-23.0). Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 8.93% (42/470) of cultured marine fish and 33.58% (131/390) of wild freshwater fish. Overall, the prevalence was affected by all studied risk factors, except the gender. Molecular characterization and subtyping of Cryptosporidium isolates showed occurrence of IIaA16G2R1 and IIaA17G2R1 subtypes of C. parvum in the fish species Sparus aurata.

CONCLUSION: The present study provides the first epidemiological data on the prevalence and associated risk factors of Cryptosporidium spp. in farmed marine and wild freshwater fish and the first molecular data on the occurrence of zoonotic C. parvum in fish from North Africa (Algeria).

PMID:35545736 | DOI:10.1007/s11686-022-00560-2

Acta Parasitol. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1007/s11686-022-00559-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the possible association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and COVID-19 outcomes among 133 patients with an RT-PCR-positive test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), hospitalized at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Sari, Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, during August to November 2020.

METHODS: A questionnaire was used to collect baseline data from the patients who were registered to the Iranian National Registry Center for Toxoplasmosis (INRCT). Also, blood samples were taken from each patient for detecting anti-T. gondii antibodies and T. gondii DNA using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and conventional-PCR methods, respectively. Variables related to the COVID-19 severity and outcomes were indicated based on multiple multinomial logistic regression models.

RESULTS: Of 133 patients enrolled in the INRCT with COVID-19 through RT-PCR, 50 (37.59%), 52 (39.1%), and 31 (23%) suffered from mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19, respectively. 57.1% of the patients who died had severe COVID-19, while among those with other outcomes, only 18.60% had severe COVID-19 (P < 0.05). Anti-T. gondii IgG was detected in 109/133 (81.95%) patients, which was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Among those with negative and positive anti-T. gondii IgG, 2 (8.30%) and 29 (26.60%) had severe COVID-19, respectively (P > 0.05). T. gondii DNA and anti-T. gondii IgM were not found in any of the patients. Moreover, all deaths occurred in those with moderate or severe COVID-19 and a positive anti-T. gondii IgG.

CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first registry-based study concerning T. gondii infection among patients with COVID-19. Our data show the high rate of latent T. gondii infection among COVID-19 with different severity. However, there is no significant relationship between latent T. gondii infection and COVID-19 severity and outcomes. Thus, conducting multicenter studies in different geographic regions of the world could offer a better understanding of this relationship.

PMID:35545737 | DOI:10.1007/s11686-022-00559-9

Nat Methods. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1038/s41592-022-01463-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) produces an array of localization coordinates by means of photoactivatable fluorescent proteins. However, observations are subject to fluorophore multiple blinking and each protein is included in the dataset an unknown number of times at different positions, due to localization error. This causes artificial clustering to be observed in the data. We present a ‘model-based correction’ (MBC) workflow using calibration-free estimation of blinking dynamics and model-based clustering to produce a corrected set of localization coordinates representing the true underlying fluorophore locations with enhanced localization precision, outperforming the state of the art. The corrected data can be reliably tested for spatial randomness or analyzed by other clustering approaches, and descriptors such as the absolute number of fluorophores per cluster are now quantifiable, which we validate with simulated data and experimental data with known ground truth. Using MBC, we confirm that the adapter protein, the linker for activation of T cells, is clustered at the T cell immunological synapse.

PMID:35545712 | DOI:10.1038/s41592-022-01463-w

Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1007/s00266-022-02907-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mastectomy is the most common and sometimes the only surgery performed in FtM transgender individuals. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the improvement in life standards of patients who underwent double incision mastectomy with free nipple-areolar complex graft and periareolar mastectomy by using TRANS-Q in trans men.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: TRANS-Q was performed in 71 trans men at the preoperative and postoperative 1st year, and the revision and complication rates in both groups were compared.

RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed in the postoperative satisfaction rates in both groups. We observed that the patients who underwent periareolar mastectomy had significantly higher satisfaction rates than the patients who underwent double incision mastectomy with free nipple areolar complex graft. In both groups, postoperative satisfaction rates were found to be significantly higher.

CONCLUSION: Improvement in life standards has been observed in trans men who underwent mastectomy, and late results should be evaluated with further prospective studies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID:35545705 | DOI:10.1007/s00266-022-02907-6

Sci Data. 2022 May 11;9(1):200. doi: 10.1038/s41597-022-01305-6.

ABSTRACT

As a key variable to characterize the process of crop growth, the aboveground biomass (AGB) plays an important role in crop management and production. Process-based models and remote sensing are two important scientific methods for crop AGB estimation. In this study, we combined observations from agricultural meteorological stations and county-level yield statistics to calibrate a process-based crop growth model for winter wheat. After that, we assimilated a reprocessed temporal-spatial filtered MODIS Leaf Area Index product into the model to derive the 1 km daily AGB dataset of the main winter wheat producing areas in China from 2007 to 2015. The validation using ground measurements also suggests the derived AGB dataset agrees well with the filed observations, i.e., the R² is above 0.9, and the root mean square error (RMSE) reaches 1,377 kg·ha^-1. Compared to county-level statistics during 2007-2015, the ranges of R², RMSE, and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) are 0.73~0.89, 953~1,503 kg·ha^-1, and 8%~12%, respectively. We believe our dataset can be helpful for relevant studies on regional agricultural production management and yield estimation.

PMID:35545636 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-022-01305-6

Nature. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04718-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Immunotherapies have achieved remarkable successes in the treatment of cancer, but major challenges remain^1,2. An inherent weakness of current treatment approaches is that therapeutically targeted pathways are not restricted to tumours, but are also found in other tissue microenvironments, complicating treatment^3,4. Despite great efforts to define inflammatory processes in the tumour microenvironment, the understanding of tumour-unique immune alterations is limited by a knowledge gap regarding the immune cell populations in inflamed human tissues. Here, in an effort to identify such tumour-enriched immune alterations, we used complementary single-cell analysis approaches to interrogate the immune infiltrate in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and site-matched non-malignant, inflamed tissues. Our analysis revealed a large overlap in the composition and phenotype of immune cells in tumour and inflamed tissues. Computational analysis identified tumour-enriched immune cell interactions, one of which yields a large population of regulatory T (T_reg) cells that is highly enriched in the tumour and uniquely identified among all haematopoietically-derived cells in blood and tissue by co-expression of ICOS and IL-1 receptor type 1 (IL1R1). We provide evidence that these intratumoural IL1R1⁺ T_reg cells had responded to antigen recently and demonstrate that they are clonally expanded with superior suppressive function compared with IL1R1^– T_reg cells. In addition to identifying extensive immunological congruence between inflamed tissues and tumours as well as tumour-specific changes with direct disease relevance, our work also provides a blueprint for extricating disease-specific changes from general inflammation-associated patterns.

PMID:35545675 | DOI:10.1038/s41586-022-04718-w

Sci Rep. 2022 May 11;12(1):7761. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11231-7.

ABSTRACT

The dust plume tracks from the Middle East and Eastern Africa to the Indian subcontinent have an impact on the atmospheric and ocean biogeochemistry of the Arabian Sea (AS). Here, we present the impact of dust on net primary productivity (NPP) over the AS using satellite-based observation and model simulation. Seasonal episodes and long-term trends in dust optical depth (DOD), dust mass flux (DMF) and dust deposition flux (DDF) from 2007 to 2020 are quantified. Nearly 32% of the total dust is advected to the AS during transport (maximum in JJA; DMF ~ 33.1 Tg year^-1 ~ 56% of annual and DDF ~ 5.5 Tg year^-1 ~ 63% of annual). Over the last one and half decades, there has been a statistically significant decreasing trend in DOD, associated with precipitation, enhanced vegetation index and surface soil moisture over the landmasses in the proximity of the AS. Similarly, the depletion in DDF suppresses the NPP over different regions of the AS, especially over the central AS, where the oceanic supply of nutrients is limited.

PMID:35545631 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-11231-7

Sci Rep. 2022 May 11;12(1):7714. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11599-6.

ABSTRACT

Impacts of blending fusel oil with gasoline on fuel combustion have been investigated experimentally in the current research to evaluate engine performance improvement and exhaust emission. Tested fuel include F10, F20 (10% and 20% of fusel oil by volume) and pure gasoline as baseline fuel have been used to operate 4-cylinder SI engine at increasing engine speed and constant throttle valve of 45%. The present results reveal a shorter combustion duration and better engine performance with F10 over engine speeds with maximum value of 33.9% for the engine brake thermal efficiency. The lowest BSFC of 251 g/kW h was recorded at 3500 rpm engine speed also with F10. All blended fuel have almost similar COV_IMEP. Less NO_x emission was measured with F10 at 4500 engine speed compared to gasoline. However, CO emissions reduced while higher CO₂ was observed with introducing fusel oil in the blend. Moreover, HC emission increased an average by 11% over speed range and the highest value was achieved with 10% fusel oil addition compared to 20% and pure gasoline. Accordingly, higher oxygen content of fusel oil and octane number contribute to improve combustion of fuel mixture.

PMID:35545627 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-11599-6

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Apr 20;40(4):311-315. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210126-00054.

ABSTRACT

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) refer to musculoskeletal disorders caused by work or work as the main cause, which are characterized by high prevalence and heavy burden of disease as a global problem. The classification and catalog of occupational diseases is of great significance for guiding the prevention and control of occupational diseases and safeguarding the rights and interests of workers. The types of WMSDs included in the list of occupational diseases vary greatly from country to country, and the regulations on specific pathogenic factors are also inconsistent. By sorting out and analyzing the lists and characteristics of WMSDs at home and abroad, and using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) in occupational health to standardize of WMSDs in various countries, which would lay the foundation for future multi-country WMSDs occupational health registration and disease burden research, and provide a reference for China to revise the WMSDs list.

PMID:35545604 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210126-00054

Int Wound J. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1111/iwj.13840. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cyanoacrylate (CA) tissue glue is frequently used in various surgical procedures, and it is simple to use and may save time during procedures. We report the use, effectiveness, and postoperative outcomes of patients who have undergone skin graft surgeries in which CA glue was used to stabilise the graft. A retrospective study of patients who underwent skin graft surgeries where CA was used to stabilise the grafts between January 2018 and August 2021 at different medical institutes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science, version 23.0 (IBM, Armonk, New York). A total of 36 cases were included. Five patients (13.9%) had diabetes. All cases received antibiotics preoperatively. Two types of harvested skin grafts were used: (a) a non-meshed split-thickness skin graft (n = 24, 66.7%), and (b) a meshed split-thickness skin graft (n = 12, 33.3%). The graft uptake outcome was 100% for 32 patients (88.9%). The most common underlying indication of skin grafting was burn 17 (47.2%), in which 5 (13.9%) developed partial graft loss. The percentage of skin grafts taken using CA was high and comparable to other fixation methods. Further studies may be needed to assess the long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

PMID:35545607 | DOI:10.1111/iwj.13840