Monte Carlo Permutation Tests Research Articles

Physiological synchronization and innovative moments in psychotherapy: A single-case study of micro-process.

Interpersonal synchronization is increasingly studied as a biomarker of empathy, therapeutic alliance, and treatment outcome. However, most studies average data over sessions, leaving associations between synchrony and actual interactions largely unexplored. We aim to showcase a novel approach examining synchronization during specific micro-processes: Innovative Moments (IM) as markers of exceptions to clients' problematic patterns of meaning. Electrodermal activity was recorded over 15 sessions of a psychodynamic psychotherapy single case. Moment-to-moment patient-therapist synchrony was calculated using the Adaptive Matching Interpolated Correlations (AMICo) algorithm. The Innovative Moments Coding System was utilized to identify IMs within session transcripts with precise timing. Monte-Carlo permutation tests were conducted to examine the association between physiological synchrony and IM Levels of increasing complexity (Levels 1-3). Higher-than-random synchronization emerged during Level 3 IMs (p = 0.046; d = 0.21) but not in lower Levels. Post-hoc qualitative analyses linked high synchrony to sub-processes of Level 3 IMs, such as positive contrasts and attributions for change. Our findings show it is possible to link moment-by-moment physiological co-regulation to theoretically identified meaning-making processes. While generalization of these observations is undue, this work demonstrates a robust and promising application of a multimodal approach to investigating psychotherapy, providing insights into both the clinical case and the theoretical model adopted.

Bioclimatic and remote sensing factors are better key indicators than local topography and soil: Vegetation composition variability in forests of Pakistan's Spin Ghar Mountain range

The composition, structure and distribution of vegetation are influenced by diverse environmental factors. Such research inquiries provide the initial data for future conservation and management efforts. The study area of North Waziristan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan comprises diverse forests of the Spin Ghar Mountain Range (at the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan), and a highly remote, mountainous, and unexplored region. There was little information on the complex relationships that existed between the study area's ambient environment and vegetation. This study hypothesized that the varying environmental complexity in the study area and vegetation variety may be significantly correlated, and the ranking of leading influencing factors might enhance our ecological understanding. A total of 61 study sites comprising 183 transects (50 m each) were randomly selected to record the vegetation-environment data from January-2018 to December-2020 (3 years). Monte Carlo permutation testing, hierarchical clustering of study samples, indicator species analysis, and ordination were applied to assess the sampling data. The results indicated that there were a total of 391 vascular plant species which were further classified into seven significantly different (p < 0.05) plant assemblages, each comprising of a distinct species makeup. A variety of different environmental variables (topographic (06), bioclimatic (19), edaphic (09), remote sensing, and anthropogenic predictors (16)) were considered. Simple term effects testing results depicted the significant (p(adj) < 0.05) role of 39 variables initially, whereas, conditional term effects testing (with variance inflation factor (VIF) threshold value of < 10, and forward selecting variables that provided the most unique information) results highlighted the prominent role of eight (08) contributors. The results of the latter analysis ranked the mean temperature of the warmest quarter (Bio10) as the most influencing factor, followed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), longitude, continuous heat insulation load index (CHILI), precipitation of the warmest quarter (Bio18), global human modification of the terrestrial systems (gHM), organic carbon density (OCD), and annual precipitation (Bio12). This study concluded that the vegetation variability in the study area was significantly correlated with the prevailing environment, and considered bioclimatic and remote sensing factors were better key indicators for any vegetation distribution when the study was conducted on a large spatial scale. Based on these results, the anticipated future variations in climate, particularly global warming, lengthy drought spells, and population explosion might remarkably lead to decline in local plant species richness and distribution. For the study area to guard its priceless biodiversity for future generations, careful and prompt conservation and management planning are required.

Dynamic oceanographic influences on zooplankton communities over the northern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf

Dynamic influences of ocean processes on distribution, abundance, and diversity of zooplankton communities were studied over the continental shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) from 2015 to 2017. Zooplankton sampling was conducted on four summer cruises in the northcentral GoM. Sampling was designed in waters potentially influenced by the Loop Current (LC) and/or Mississippi River discharge to assess the impacts of these two mesoscale features on the abundance and diversity of zooplankton. During the three-year study, the LC displayed distinct spatial-temporal variations in penetration and occurrence in the northern GoM. Environmental conditions (i.e., sea surface temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen) varied between months and years sampled, and were significantly different among cruises (ANOVA, p < 0.001). The majority of zooplankton consisted of calanoid copepods (65% ± 7.2%, mean ± SD), while non-copepod taxa were primarily chaetognaths, polychaetes, tunicates, and ostracods (23 ± 9.2%). Species abundance and diversity of zooplankton were significantly correlated with sea surface temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (p < 0.05). Canonical correspondence analysis displayed significant associations between mesoscale features and dominant zooplankton groups among cruises and by taxa (Monte Carlo Permutation Test, p < 0.001). In addition, non-metric multidimensional scaling indicated that zooplankton assemblages were distinct, likely caused by Mississippi River plumes during the study period. As one of the few efforts to examine zooplankton dynamics at a low taxon level over the GoM continental shelf regarding the impact of mesoscale features, this study revealed seasonal (i.e. summer) and spatial patterns in distribution, abundance, and diversity of zooplankton communities subjected to the dynamic physicochemical conditions in the northern GoM, which will continue in a changing climate.

United States-Mexico Border Disparities in Alcoholic Liver Disease Mortality: A Cross-Sectional Analysis 1999-2020.

US-Mexico (US-MX) border regions are impacted by socioeconomic disadvantages. Alcohol use disorder remains widely prevalent in US-MX border regions, which may increase the risk of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We aimed to characterize ALD mortality trends in border regions compared to non-border regions from 1999 to 2020 in the United States (US). We performed a cross-sectional analysis using the CDC repository. We queried death certificates to find ALD-related deaths from 1999 to 2020, which included demographic information such as gender, race/ethnicity, and area of residence. We estimated age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 population and compared the AAMRs across border and non-border regions. We also explored yearly mortality shifts using log-linear regression models and calculated the average annual percentage change (AAPC) using the Monte Carlo permutation test. In all, 11,779 ALD-related deaths were identified in border regions (AAMR 7.29) compared with 361,523 in non-border regions (AAMR 5.03). Border male (AAMR 11.21) and female (AAMR 3.77) populations were higher compared with non-border male (AAMR 7.42) and female (2.85) populations, respectively. Border non-Hispanic populations (AAMR 7.53) had higher mortality compared with non-border non-Hispanic populations (4.79), while both populations experienced increasing mortality shifts (AAPC +1.7, P<0.001 and +3.1, P<0.001, respectively). Border metropolitan (AAMR 7.35) and non-metropolitan (AAMR 6.76) regions had higher mortality rates compared with non-border metropolitan (AAMR 4.96) and non-metropolitan (AAMR 5.44) regions. Mortality related to ALD was higher in border regions compared with non-border regions. Border regions face significant health disparities when comparing ALD-related mortality.

The maternal-fetal neurodevelopmental groundings of preterm birth risk

BackgroundAltered neurodevelopment is a major clinical sequela of Preterm Birth (PTB) being currently unexplored in-utero. AimsTo study the link between fetal brain functional (FbF) connectivity and preterm birth, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Study designProspective single-centre cohort study. SubjectsA sample of 31 singleton pregnancies at 28–34 weeks assigned to a low PTB risk (LR) (n = 19) or high PTB risk (HR) (n = 12) group based on a) the Maternal Frailty Inventory (MaFra) for PTB risk; b) a case-specific PTB risk gradient. MethodsFetal brain rs-fMRI was performed on 1.5T MRI scanner. First, directed causal relations representing fetal brain functional connectivity measurements were estimated using the Greedy Equivalence Search (GES) algorithm. HR vs. LR group differences were then tested with a novel ad-hoc developed Monte Carlo permutation test. Second, a MaFra-only random forest (RF) was compared against a MaFra-Neuro RF, trained by including also the most important fetal brain functional connections. Third, correlation and regression analyses were performed between MaFra-Neuro class probabilities and i) the GA at birth; ii) PTB risk gradient, iii) perinatal clinical conditions and iv) PTB below 37 weeks. ResultsFirst, fewer fetal brain functional connections were evident in the HR group. Second, the MaFra-Neuro RF improved PTB risk prediction. Third, MaFra-Neuro class probabilities showed a significant association with: i) GA at birth; ii) PTB risk gradient, iii) perinatal clinical conditions and iv) PTB below 37 weeks. ConclusionFetal brain functional connectivity is a novel promising predictor of PTB, linked to maternal risk profiles, ahead of birth, and clinical markers of neurodevelopmental risk, at birth, thus potentially “connecting” different PTB phenotypes.

Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of T Cells from Blinatumomab-Treated Patients with B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) Reveals Circulating CD8 T Cell Subsets Associated with Treatment Response

Background Blinatumomab (Blina), a bispecific CD3xCD19 T-cell engager (BiTE®), is approved for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) and measurable residual disease (MRD) positive B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL). However, a significant percentage of patients do not respond to Blina, and the determinants of resistance are currently unknown. Here, we used Cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq) to identify pre-treatment T cell features associated with response. Methods PBMCs of 13 patients with BCP-ALL who received Blina at the LMU Munich University Hospital from 2016 to 2021 were collected before treatment start. CITE-seq(BD Rhapsody Platform) was performed on a total of 34.907 cells isolated via magnetic-activated cell sorting based on the expression of CD3. An AbSeq panel containing 7 surface markers (CD4, CD8, CCR7, CD45RA, CX3CR1, CD127 and PD1) and a customized T-cell targeted RNA sequencing panel (477 genes) were employed. A Monte-Carlo permutation test was used to compare the proportions of cells in different clusters between Responders (R) and Non-Responders (NR). Significant differences were assumed with a fold change threshold of at least 1.5 (log2FC (LFC) ≥ 0.58) and a false discovery rate (FDR) cutoff of &amp;lt; 0.05. Results We used CITE-seq to characterize T cells in peripheral blood (PB) samples obtained from R/R (n=3) and MRD+ (n=10) BCP-ALL patients. Ten patients (9 MRD+, 1 R/R) responded to the Blina treatment. An integrated strategy based on Reciprocal Principal Component Analysis(RPCA) was implemented and bioinformatic analysis of gene expression mapped in two dimensions via uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) identified 12 CD3 pos distinct clusters. Within CD8 pos T cells of R, we found an increased proportion of CCR7 low Granzyme K(GZMK) high Effector Memory-like cells (GZMK high TEM-like, LFC 0.78, 95CI: 0.66 to 0.92; FDR=0.0012) and a reduced percentage of Naïve cells(CCR7 high LEF1 high CD62L high), when compared to NR (LFC -0.59, 95CI: -0.54 to -0.64; FDR =0.0012, Figure1A). Atrend towards an increased proportion of CCR7 lowCX3CR1 highGZMB high terminal effector-like cells (GZMB high TE-like, LFC 0.57, 95CI: 0.45-0.70; FDR=0.0013) was also noted in CD8 pos T cells of R vs NR. Peripheral CD4 pos T cells of R exhibited a tendency towards an increased proportion of GZMK high cytotoxic T cells (LFC 0.43, 95CI: 0.26 to 0.58; FDR=0.0019) and a reduced percentage of FOXP3 high T regulatory cells (LFC -0.19, 95CI: -0.03 to -0.34; FDR=0.025), compared to NR. Furthermore, we investigated gene expression differences between R and NR cells in each cell cluster. Naïve T cells (CD8 and CD4) of NR showed a significantly increased (LFC&amp;gt;1, FDR&amp;lt;0.05, Figure1B) PRDM1 (Blimp-1) expression, a key promoter of T-cell terminal differentiation that is known to be involved in CD19 CAR-T dysfunction. CD8GZMB high TE-likecells of NR showed upregulated expression of genes involved in chemokine production and cytokine signaling (CCL3, IFNGR1) and downregulated LAIR2, a decoy receptor protecting CD8 T cells from collagen-induced exhaustion. Additionally, TOX, a regulator of T cell exhaustion, was moderately upregulated in CD8GZMB high TE-like cells of NR (LFC 0.41, FDR=0.007). Conclusions Taken together, we were able to identify CD8 T cell subsets that are associated with a response to Blina treatment, as well as gene sets involved in BiTE-mediated T-cell function. Interestingly, the PRDM1 overexpression we found in both CD4 and CD8 naive T cells of Non-Responders has already been linked to T-cell dysfunction in the context of CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. We plan to confirm the results of our analysis in an independent patient cohort. Concomitantly, we will enrich the dataset with results from multi-parameter flow cytometry and in vitro T-cell functional assays conducted using longitudinally collected PB samples from Blina-treated patients. Figure1 A)Log Fold Change(log FC) of the proportion of Responders vs Non Responders CD8 pos cells in each cluster. The dots represent the observed logFC, the horizontal line the bootstrapped 95%Confidence Intervals; PTGDR2= prostaglandin D2 receptor 2; ns= not significant B) Differentially expressed genes in Non Responders vs Responders CD8 pos naïve T cells. FDR=False Discovery Rate; CCL5= Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 ; PRDM1= PR/SET Domain 1;SGK1= serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1.

EXPRESS: Atrial Fibrillation Mortality Trends in Individuals with Heart Failure.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently occurs concurrently with heart failure (HF). The two conditions can exacerbate each other, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. In our analysis, we evaluated mortality trends related to AF in individuals with underlying HF. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using publicly available data from the CDC database to compare AF-related age-adjusted mortality rates across age, gender, racial/ethnic, and geographic subgroups. Mortality trends were evaluated by fitting log-linear regression models followed by calculation of the average annual percentage change (AAPC) using the Monte Carlo permutation test. We identified a total of 55,917 deaths within the United States from AF with comorbid HF between 1999 and 2020. Males, older adults, White populations, and non-metropolitan regions had higher age-adjusted mortality compared to females, younger adults, Black populations, and metropolitan regions, respectively. The AAPC among younger adults was significantly higher compared to older adults. Our results demonstrate existing disparities among age, gender, racial, and geographic subgroups related to AF mortality among individuals with comorbid HF. Although decreased overall mortality was observed within younger populations compared to older populations, the prominent AAPC seen in younger populations warrants further investigation. Detection of AF among younger adults with comorbid HF should prompt intensification of preventative and treatment measures.

Water environment quality of Dongyu River and estuary area of Nansi lake (Shandong Province, China) based on the characteristics of diatom community

The Dongyu River is a national site for monitoring the inflow of Nansi Lake, located in the southwest of Shandong Province, China. Water quality has a significant impact on the safety of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. To investigate the water quality of Dongyu River and the estuary area of Nansi Lake, we collected water samples and surface sediments from Dongyu River and the estuary area in May 2019 and analysed the characteristics of the diatom communities and water quality. The results showed that 23026 diatom shells were identified at 15 sampling points in the study area, belonging to 161 species of 23 genera. The dominant diatom taxa were Cyclotella meneghiniana, Fragilaria fasciculata, Fragilaria ulna, Amphora libyca, and Cocconeis placentula. Redundancy analysis explained 43.2% of diatom change information. The Monte Carlo permutation test showed that NH4+-N and DO were significant environmental factors that affected diatom assembly, explaining 34.78% and 8.38% of the diatom variability, respectively. The results of the biological evaluation showed that the water quality of Dongyu River and the estuary area of Nansi Lake were in a light-medium pollution state. The RDA analysis of the diatom community and principal component analysis showed that the water quality of the middle and lower reaches of Dongyu River was poor. In general, the middle and lower reaches of Dongyu River are severely polluted by agricultural non-point sources and controlling the use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers and the emission of nitrogen-containing organic matter can preserve the aquatic water quality of Dongyu River and the water safety of the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project.

Estimated projection of oral squamous cell carcinoma annual incidence from twenty years registry data: a retrospective cross-sectional study in Indonesia.

The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been well documented in Indonesia. Thus, we aimed to analyze trends and clinicopathological profiles of OSCC cases in Indonesia, focusing on differences between age and sex groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Indonesia's main referral hospital, analyzing 1,093 registered OSCC cases from 2001 to 2020. Trend analysis was performed using Joinpoint regression analysis to determine the annual percentage change (APC) for overall cases and each case group based on age, sex, and anatomical subsites. APC significance was assessed using a Monte Carlo permutation test. The projection of case numbers for the following 5 years (2021-2025) was estimated using linear/non-linear regression analysis and presented as a mathematical function. The significance of the trend slope was measured using an ANOVA test. Demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of OSCC were analyzed according to age and sex, and their comparative analysis was assessed using Chi-square and its alternatives. The incidence of OSCC in female patients and in the tongue and buccal mucosa showed a positive trend (APC 2.06%; 3.48%; 8.62%, respectively). Moreover, the incidence of OSCC overall, and in women with OSCC, is projected to increase significantly in the next 5 years following the quadratic model. The mean age of patients was 51.09 ± 14.36 years, with male patients being younger than female patients. The male-to-female ratio was 1.15, and 36.5% of these patients were categorized as young (≤45 years old). The tongue was the predominantly affected site. Prominent pathologic characteristics included well-differentiation, keratinization, and grade I of Bryne's (1992) cellular differentiation stage. Most patients presented with advanced staging, lymphovascular invasion, and uninvaded margins. Tumor sites and staging varied according to age, while age and tumor sites differed between sexes. The rising incidence trends of OSCC among Indonesian patients, both in the past and projected future, are concerning and warrant attention. Further research into risk factors should be conducted as preventive measures.

Impact of Social Vulnerability and Demographics on Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality in the United States

BackgroundCardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, largely dominated by ischemic heart diseases (IHDs). Social determinants of health, including geographic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors, influence the development of IHD. ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate yearly trends and disparities in IHD mortality and to assess the impact of social vulnerability. MethodsWe performed cross-sectional analyses using United States county-level mortality data and social vulnerability index (SVI) obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention databases. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were compared between aggregated U.S. county groups, stratified by demographic information and SVI quartiles. Log-linear regression models were used to identify mortality trends from 1999 to 2020, with inflection points determined through the Monte-Carlo permutation test. ResultsWe identified a total of 9,108,644 deaths related to IHD between 1999 and 2020. Overall AAMR decreased from 194.6 in 1999 to 91.8 in 2020. Males (AAMR: 161.51) and Black (AAMR: 141.49) populations exhibited higher AAMR compared to females (AAMR: 93.16) and White (AAMR: 123.34) populations, respectively. Disproportionate AAMRs were observed among nonmetropolitan (AAMR: 136.17) and Northeastern (AAMR: 132.96) regions. Counties with a higher SVI experienced a greater AAMR, with a cumulative excess of 20.91 deaths per 100,000 person-years associated with increased social vulnerability. ConclusionsDespite a decline in IHD mortality from 1999 to 2020, disparities persisted among racial, gender, and geographic subgroups. A higher SVI was linked to increased IHD mortality. Policy interventions should prioritize integrating the SVI into health care delivery systems to effectively address these disparities.

Inhibitory Effects of Ammonia on Archaeal 16S rRNA Transcripts in Thermophilic Anaerobic Digester Sludge

High temperatures exacerbate the ammonia inhibition of anaerobic digestion coupled with methanogenesis. The inhibition of methane production by ammonia has been observed in other studies. However, the underlying mechanism is not well understood and requires further investigation. This study explored the effect of ammonia stress on archaeal 16S rRNA transcripts in thermophilic anaerobic digester sludge. Different ammonium concentrations were checked for their influence on the methanogenic rate and hydrogen accumulation. Quantitative PCR was used to compare the changes in total archaeal 16S rRNA expression. A Monte Carlo permutation test within redundancy analysis (RDA) was adopted for exploring the relationship between environmental variables and archaeal 16S rRNA and their transcripts. The results showed that with the increase in ammonium concentration, the methanogenic rate decreased and hydrogen accumulation occurred. The total archaeal 16S rRNA genes and transcripts copy numbers decreased significantly in treatments with higher ammonium concentrations (7 and 10 g NH4+-N/L), but did not change much at lower ammonia concentrations (3 g NH4+-N/L) compared with the 0 g NH4+-N/L treatment. The RDA analysis further revealed that most environmental variables, including ammonia and methane, except for formate, were significantly correlated with the community structure activity of archaeal 16S rRNA transcripts rather than the community structure of their genes. The composition of archaeal 16S rRNA transcripts showed that the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanothermobacter dominated the methanogenic community activity in all incubations. It exhibited sensitivity to ammonia stress and should be responsible for the methanogenic inhibition under thermophilic conditions. Our findings suggested that archaeal 16S rRNA transcripts, rather than 16S rRNA genes, are key indicators of ammonia stress and methanogenic activity.

How far from the shoreline? The effect of catchment land use on the ecological status of flow-through lakes

Catchment land use/land cover (LU/LC) is one of the crucial determinants of the water quality and condition of biota in aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to investigate how LU/LC in lake catchments influences the physicochemical and biological indicators used to assess the ecological status of lakes in Poland and whether these relationships vary depending on the spatial range. We analysed the catchment LU/LC forms of 114 flow-through lakes in three spatial ranges, i.e., a 100 m-wide buffer strip (BUF100), the direct catchment (DIR), and the total catchment (TOT). The water quality and biological variables were derived from the state monitoring conducted in the period 2012–2013. The redundancy analyses (RDA) and the Monte Carlo permutation tests depicted that the strength in explaining the parameter followed the order: TOT > DIR > BUF100 for physicochemical parameters, DIR = TOT > BUF100 for phytoplankton indicators and BUF100 > DIR > TOT for macrophyte indicators. In the direct and total catchment, the proportion of arable lands was decisive in shaping the macrophyte and physicochemical status, while the proportion of artificial surfaces affected phytoplankton status. It was also found that forested buffer zones promoted good macrophyte ecological status. The other types of LU/LC, i.e., meadows and pastures, wetlands, and surface waters exhibited little to no or marginal impact on the physicochemical and biological indicators, regardless of the spatial scale considered. Our results contribute to the rational planning of land development in lake surroundings, including the design of protected areas for inland waters.

Sex Differences in Symptom Complexity and Door-to-Balloon Time in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Greater symptom complexity in women than in men could slow acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recognition and delay door-to-balloon (D2B) times. We sought to determine the sex differences in symptom complexity and their relation to D2B times in 1,677 young and older patients with STEMI using data from the VIRGO and SILVER-AMI studies. Symptom complexity was defined by the number of symptom patterns or phenotypes and average number of symptoms. The numbers of symptom phenotypes were compared in women and men using the Monte Carlo permutation testing. Groups were also compared using the generalized linear regression and logistic regression. The number of symptom phenotypes (244 vs 171, p=0.02), mean number of symptoms (4.7 vs 4.2, p <0.001), and mean D2B time (114.6 vs 97.8minutes, p=0.004) were greater in young women than in young men but were not significantly different in older women compared with older men. The regression analysis did not show a relation between symptom complexity and D2B time overall; although, chest pain was a significant predictor of D2B times, and young women were more likely to report symptoms other than chest pain. Among patients with STEMI, 36% did not receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which was associated with presentation delay >6hours. In patients with STEMI with either D2B time ≥90minutes or no PCI, women had significantly more symptom phenotypes overall and in VIRGO but not in SILVER-AMI. In conclusion, the markers of symptom complexity were not associated with D2B time overall, but more symptom phenotypes in young women were associated with prolonged D2B time or no PCI. In addition, greater frequency of nonchest pain symptoms in young women may have also slowed the recognition of STEMI and D2B times in young women. Further research on symptoms clusters is needed to improve the recognition of STEMIs to improve the D2B times in young women.

Temporal Trend of Gestational Syphilis between 2008 and 2018 in Brazil: Association with Socioeconomic and Health Care Factors.

The increased number of cases in recent years has turned syphilis into a global public health problem. In 2020, 115,371 cases of acquired syphilis were reported (detection rate of 54.5 cases/100,000 inhabitants) in Brazil. In that same period, the country notified 61,441 cases of gestational syphilis (detection rate of 21.6 per 1000 live births). The number of syphilis cases points to the need to reinforce surveillance, prevention, and infection control actions, which is a worrying scenario for government organizations. This study aims to describe the temporal trend of gestational syphilis from 2008 to 2018 in Brazilian regions and to associate its detection rate with socioeconomic and health care indicators. We conducted an ecological study of temporal trends using secondary data from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System. The temporal trend was analyzed using the Joinpoint Regression program. The annual percent change (APC) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated and tested; statistical significance was assessed using the Monte Carlo permutation test. Correlations were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, and statistical significance was calculated using Pearson's product-moment correlation. The gestational syphilis detection rate increased between 2008 and 2018. The South region showed the greatest trend, whereas the Midwest region presented the lowest trend. The following variables were significantly correlated with the gestational syphilis detection rate: Municipal Human Development Index, illiteracy rate, percentage of primary health care coverage, and proportion of doctors, nurses, and basic health units per inhabitant. Health policies are needed to mitigate social vulnerabilities and strengthen primary health care.

Robustness of FTIR-Based Ultrarapid COVID-19 Diagnosis Using PLS-DA.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen responsible for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as a variant of concern on 26 November 2021. By this time, 42% of the world's population had received at least one dose of the vaccine against COVID-19. As on 1 October 2022, only 68% of the world population got the first dose of the vaccine. Although the vaccination is incredibly protective against severe complications of the disease and death, the highly contagious Omicron variant, compared to the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), has led the whole world into more chaotic situations. Furthermore, the virus has a high mutation rate, and hence, the possibility of a new variant of concern in the future cannot be ruled out. To face such a challenging situation, paramount importance should be given to rapid diagnosis and isolation of the infected patient. Current diagnosis methods, including reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and rapid antigen tests, face significant burdens during a COVID-19 wave. However, studies reported ultrarapid, reagent-free, cost-efficient, and non-destructive diagnosis methods based on chemometrics for COVID-19 and COVID-19 severity diagnosis. These studies used a smaller sample cohort to construct the diagnosis model and failed to discuss the robustness of the model. The current study systematically evaluated the robustness of the diagnosis models trained using smaller (real and augmented spectra) and larger (augmented spectra) datasets. The Monte Carlo cross-validation and permutation test results suggest that diagnosis using models trained by larger datasets was accurate and statistically significant (Q 2 > 99% and AUROC = 100%).

Genetic diversity and community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with root and rhizosphere soil of the pioneer plant Pueraria phaseoloides

Genetic diversity and community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with root and rhizosphere soil of the pioneer plant <i>Pueraria phaseoloides</i>

Vegetation analysis and environmental indicators of an arid tropical forest ecosystem of Pakistan

Vegetation composition and/or plant species co-existence is influenced by the environmental variations in any region. The ecological knowledge and order of importance of selected environmental variations is important in conservation and management of plant resources. Based on relevant knowledge gap, the study area of district Jhelum, Pakistan lying in an arid-tropical zone was selected to explore the vegetation types and their driving environmental factors by using latest multivariate statistical approaches. For this, the entire district was ecologically explored to collect the natural wild vegetation and environmental data from January 2018 to December 2020. The study area was partitioned into 171 grids (5 × 5 km2). In each grid, three sites were randomly selected (i.e. 513 samples), and subsequently-nine plots were laid at each sampling site (i.e. 1539 plots). Different statistical tests including Monte Carlo permutation test, Indicator Species Analysis (ISA), hierarchical classification, ordination, and variation partitioning were applied to seek the potential number of vegetation types, plant species composition, classification of the studied samples, order of importance of the considered predictors and groups of environmental variables respectively. The findings of this study indicated that all the documented 291 plant species belong to five statistically significant (p < 0.05) plant communities. Out of thirty (30) considered environmental variables, canonical correspondence analysis suggested the significant role of distance from the river, altitude, latitude, slope, temperature, rainfall, distance from the cropland, grazing and deforestation pressure, and soil pollutants including chromium, arsenic and nickel concentrations. Similarly, plant diversity patterns were found strongly associated with the selected local environmental conditions. This study concluded that distance from the river (a potential leading proxy of ground water table depth) is relatively more important than the rainfall variability in this tropical arid area. Hence, the relative proportion of xerophytic plant species was found higher in the western parts compared to eastern parts adjoining the river Jhelum. Anthropogenic disturbances and potentially toxic metals were found disrupting the normal ecosystem functioning at the local scale in this arid tropical region, and need immediate attention to save the valuable local biodiversity.

Bacterial community diversity and its potential contributions to the flavor components of traditional smoked horsemeat sausage in Xinjiang, China.

Smoked horsemeat sausage is a famous fermented traditional food in Xinjiang, China. However, the microbial diversity and its potential contributions to the flavor components of smoked horsemeat sausage are unclear. In this study, the microbial community and flavor components of smoked horsemeat sausage from six regions of Xinjiang were measured by using amplicon sequencing and headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) technology, respectively. Relations among microbial communities, flavor components and environmental factors were subsequently predicted based on redundancy analysis (RDA) and Monte Carlo permutation tests. Although smoked horsemeat sausage samples from different regions possessed distinct microbial communities, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were identified as the dominant consortium in smoked horsemeat sausage. Lactobacillus, Vagococcus, Lactococcus, and Carnobacterium were detected at high abundance in different sausages. The moisture content, nitrite content, and pH of the sausage might be important factors influencing the dominant bacterial community, according to the RDA. Among the dominant consortia, the eight core bacterial genera showed considerable correlations with the formation of sixteen volatile compounds in smoked horsemeat sausage based on multivariate statistical analysis. For example, the levels of Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus were positively correlated with those of 1-hexadecanol, hexyl acetate, 2-methyl-phenol, 1-pentanol, d-limonene, and 2-heptanone, and the levels of Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Weissella were negatively correlated with those of 1-octanol, acetic acid, octanal, heptanal, and 1-hexanol. This study will provide a theoretical basis for understanding the microbial metabolic modes of Xinjiang smoked horsemeat sausages.

P 54 Multivariate pattern analysis reveals location specific aftereffects of 10Hz motor cortex transcranial alternating current stimulation

Introduction: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) affects endogenous oscillations “online”, during the stimulation, and “offline”, after the stimulation terminated, presumably reflecting neuroplasticity. This aftereffect has been previously explored by applying tACS at 10Hz or the individual alpha frequency (α, 8-12Hz) during rest as well as during task performance. While over parieto-occipital cortex, α power increased following tACS, motor cortex tACS led to a decrease in α power. The spatial specificity of this effect has not been investigated thus far. In this study, we explored 10Hz tACS aftereffects on the motor network when specific nodes of the network are targeted. The results of this work could have important consequences for therapeutic interventions using tACS. Methods: 25 young subjects received 10Hz tACS in 3 sessions: active tACS to left motor cortex (lMC) or right cerebellum (rCB) for 20min, as well as sham (either location, 10sec) (Fig. 1A,C). The order of the sessions was balanced across subjects. EEG was collected before (PRE) or after (POST) tACS (Fig. 1B). Signals were processed to eliminate eye-blink, muscle and other artifacts and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) was applied to the clean EEG power at different frequency bands. To this end, a classifier was trained to distinguish short segments of POST-PRE EEG power between the stimulation protocols. The classifier was then tested on other POST-PRE EEG power segments to produce a classification accuracy measure. Notably, this method accounts for the multitude facets of the EEG signal and thus is more sensitive to subtle modulation of the EEG signal compared to standard averaging methods. The analysis was performed in both the electrode and the source-space using beamforming. Non-parametric cluster-based Monte-Carlo permutation testing was used to distinguish classification accuracies between stimulation protocols at group level. Results: EEG signals in both theta (θ, 4-8Hz) and α, as well as during motor task performance and rest, were better classified to lMC-tACS compared to rCB-tACS/sham, specifically at lMC-tACS stimulation locations (electrodes FC3 and CP3, Fig. 2A-C). This effect was associated with a decrease in α power over the motor cortex at rest following tACS (Fig. 2D). In source-space, better classification accuracies at lMC-tACS were found in premotor cortex but not in primary motor cortex as a computational model of the current distribution suggested (Fig. 1C). Discussion: Our results demonstrate a clear broadband (θ, α) aftereffect of 10Hz tACS on the premotor cortex, independent of the state (both task and rest). These results may indicate location-specific neuroplasticity due to tACS and could motivate therapeutic interventions targeting θ/ α oscillations in the motor network. Fig. 1.

Leaf Physiological Responses of Three Psammophytes to Combined Effects of Warming and Precipitation Reduction in Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China.

The decreasing precipitation with global climate warming is the main climatic condition in some sandy grassland ecosystems. The understanding of physiological responses of psammophytes in relation to warming and precipitation is a possible way to estimate the response of plant community stability to climate change. We selected Lespedeza davurica, Artemisia scoparia, and Cleistogenes squarrosa in sandy grassland to examine the effect of a combination of climate warming and decreasing precipitation on relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll, proline, and antioxidant enzyme activities. We found that all experimental treatments have influenced RWC, chlorophyll, proline, and antioxidant enzyme activities of three psammophytes. L. davurica has the highest leaf RWC among the three psammophytes. With the intensification of precipitation reduction, the decreasing amplitude of chlorophyll from three psammophytes was L. davurica > C. squarrosa > A. scoparia. At the natural temperature, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the three psammophytes under severe drought treatment was much higher than other treatments, and their increasing degree was as follows: A. scoparia > C. squarrosa > L. davurica. At the same precipitation gradient, the proline of three psammophytes under warming was higher than the natural temperature. The differences in superoxide dismutase (SOD) among the three psammophytes were A. scoparia > L. davurica > C. squarrosa. Moreover, at natural temperature, more than 40% of precipitation reduction was most significant. Regardless of warming or not, the catalase (CAT) activity of A. scoparia under reduced precipitation treatments was higher than natural temperature, while the response of L. davurica was opposite. Correlation analyses evidenced that warming (T) was significant in L. davurica and precipitation (W) was significant in A. scoparia and C. squarrosa according to the Monte-Carlo permutation test (p = 0.002, 0.004, and 0.004). The study is important in predicting how local plants will respond to future climate change and assessing the possible effects of climate change on sandy grassland ecosystems.