Whisker Plots Research Articles

A preliminary macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity (M-IBI) for monitoring the highland flood plain wetland ecosystems in Ethiopia

Anthropogenic activities have put tremendous pressure on the natural condition of wetlands. However, few studies have used indices based on benthic invertebrates to assess the effect of these pressures on wetland ecosystems. Multi-metric indices (MMIs) have been used successfully to assess freshwater ecosystems worldwide and are an important management tool, but little is known about their applicability in the wetlands of Ethiopia. In this study, we developed MMIs for wetland invertebrates to assess wetlands in Ethiopia. The wetland invertebrate assemblages were sampled from 24 sampling stations in six wetlands in the Achefer flood plains. These sampling stations included those in least affected areas and those affected by adjacent, agricultural and urban activities. Forty-one candidate metrics were initially reviewed and screened before six core metrics were selected: Taxa richness, ET taxa richness, % EOT, % Diptera, % Collector/Filterer and % intolerant taxa. Mann–Whitney U tests, Box and Whisker plots, correlation analyses, and redundant metric tests were used to assess the ability of metrics to distinguish among reference and impaired wetlands. The MMIs were robust in discriminating reference wetlands from impaired wetlands and therefore have potential as a biomonitoring tool to assess the condition of, and to guide efforts to restore, freshwater wetlands.

Evaluation of Extremely Stable Redox Active Materials and Porous Electrodes for Redox Flow Batteries Using Static Cells and Physics-Based Modeling

Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries (AORFBs) have shown growing potential as a stationary energy storage technology used to alleviate the issue of intermittencyi for renewable energy sources. For systems with charge/discharge duration of 10 or more hours, the capital cost of a flow battery asymptotically approaches the cost of the electroactive material.ii While the field has made many new materialsiii and developed proper protocols for evaluating their decompositioniv, uncertainty in the fade rates of extremely stableiii materials remains comparable to the fade rates themselvesv, frustrating the evaluation of prospects of the material for commercialization. Additionally, evaluation of new materials in flow cells requires a significant amount of material synthesis, whereas evaluation methods requiring less material could accelerate the development of AORFBs.vi To reduce noise in measurements by removing pumping, splashing, and bubbling of solutions that occurs in flow cells, and to reduce the amount of required active material, we use static cells composed solely of porous electrodes sandwiched about a membrane, gaskets, and graphitic current collectors with no flow. With reduced material consumption, increased cycling rate, and less noise in capacity measurements, we more rapidly and more accurately determine the capacity fade rates for extremely stable materials for AORFBs (Figure 1) and test the limits for cycle-denominated fade rates. In addition, we discuss relevant reporting statistics for making fair comparisons between extremely stable materials.To evaluate overpotentials in the system due to kinetics, mass transfer, and Ohmic resistance, we model the system using Newman’s porous electrode modelvii to ensure the use of proper cycling protocols to access all of the capacity of the system.Figure 1: (left) An example of potentiostatic cycling of 0.1 M 2,6-DPPEAQ at pH 14 in a volumetrically unbalanced compositionally symmetric static cell with an applied voltage square wave of amplitude 0.20 V across the cell, held until the current drops to 1 mA/cm2. After cycling for a day while the electrolyte equilibrates, a capacity fade rate is evaluated from the slope of the natural log of discharge capacity vs time. (right) A whisker and box plot for capacity fade measurements from several potentiostatic symmetric cell cycling experiments in a flow cell from Ref [5], static cells with no attention to temperature fluctuations, and static cells where temperature fluctuations are kept within 1 degree Celsius.[i] J. Rugolo and M. J. Aziz, “Electricity storage for intermittent renewable sources.” Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, 5, 7151[ii] F. R. Brushett, M. J. Aziz, and K. E. Rodby. ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 879−884[iii] David G. Kwabi, Yunlong Ji, and Michael J. Aziz, “Electrolyte Lifetime in Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries: A Critical Review.” Chemical Reviews 2020 120 (14), 6467-6489[iv]M.A. Goulet and M. J. Aziz, “Flow Battery Molecular Reactant Stability Determined by Symmetric Cell Cycling Methods”. J. Electrochem. Soc, 165 (7) A1466-A1477 (2018)[v] Eric M. Fell and Michael J. Aziz, “High-Throughput Electrochemical Characterization of Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery Active Material.” 2023 J. Electrochem. Soc. 170 100507[vi] Cao, Y., Aspuru-Guzik, A. “Accelerating discovery in organic redox flow batteries.” Nat Comput Sci 4, 89–91 (2024)[vii] J. Newman and C. W. Tobias, J. Electrochem. Soc., 1962, 109, 1183 Figure 1

Automatic measurement of stimulation to maximum negative dv/dt in V5 and V6 leads to confirm left bundle capture for conduction system pacing

Abstract Introduction Left bundle area conduction system pacing is obtained when the ventricular pacing lead is implanted into the right ventricular septum and captures the left bundle branch, demonstrated by right bundle branch morphology in the lead V1 and short stimulation to R-wave peak time (SRWPT) in leads V5 or V6. Manual measurements are challenging and result in significant variability. Maximum negative dv/dt in leads V5 and V6, occurring immediate after maximal lateral wall depolarization, represents the ideal measurement of synchronicity of left ventricular depolarization, as suggested by the guidelines. Objective To test feasibility of automatic algorithm to measure the maximum negative dV/dt in comparison to manual SRWPT measurement in V5 and V6. Method Data was collected from 7 patients with confirmed left bundle branch capture. Three trained operators manually measured SRWPT in leads V5 and V6 (Figure A). An algorithm capable of automatically measuring stimulation to maximum dv/dt was retrospectively applied to the same measured beats. Variability and correlation of measurements was compared between manual and automatic using the Bartlett Test for equal variance. Results In total, 137 individual beats were measured in the 2 leads by three operators resulting in 822 manual measurements. The mean variability of SRWPT in V5 and V6 was 2.9 ± 0.7 msec and 3.1 ± 1.1 msec, respectively (inter-operator correlation of 0.83). In contrast the stimulation to max negative dv/ dt mean variability in V5 and V6 was 1.3 ± 0.4 msec and 1.2 ± 0.5 msec, respectively (P < 0.001). The comparison of variation in measurement between manual and automatic measures are shown in a box and whisker plot in figure 2. Conclusion Manual measurement of SRWPT can be challenging resulting in higher variability compared to an automatic algorithm measuring max negative dv/dt. This study demonstrates the feasibility of automatic interval measurement in conduction system pacing; however, further studies are required to validate the reliability of such tool.Fig 1.Example ECG interval measurement

Studies on Variation of Temperature and Rainfall using Climatological data for the Plain and Hill zones of Uttarakhand

The present study examines long-term annual, seasonal and monthly changes and short-term fluctuations in monsoonal rainfall and temperature over plain and hill zones of Uttarakhand. Both rainfall and temperature data for period of 1981-2020 were analyzed in this study. Statistical trend analysis techniques namely Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were used to examine and analyze the problems. The detailed analysis of the data for 40 years indicates that the annual range of temperature is increasing in the hill zone. In the context of agriculture, the observed trends in temperature and rainfall patterns pose significant implications for farming practices and crop yields in Uttarakhand. The increasing annual range of temperature, particularly in the hill zone, suggests a heightened risk of temperature extremes such as heat waves and cold spells. During the monsoon season, while rainfall levels may remain relatively stable or exhibit minor fluctuations, the variability highlighted by the box and whisker plots underscores the importance of preparedness for both excess and deficit rainfall scenarios.

Conceptualizing Explorative Data Analysis in Applied Statistics

The paper examines the conceptual comprehension of explorative data analysis and its application. The content analysis technique has been deployed and hypothetical examples have been used for explaining its application for the completion of this study. Generally, it is sensible to begin any statistical analysis with an informal, exploratory examination of the data, and this is often called exploratory data analysis (short form EDA). The ingredients of EDA are discussed in this paper and it is suggested that it is important to observe EDA as an integral part of statistical inference, and several examples are presented to show the usages of EDA. Many graphical techniques are used in EDA that discerns what data set can reveal further beyond formal modeling of data or hypothesis testing task. This really enables researcher to gain depth knowledge of the variables in data sets and their relationship. Similarly, the study explores about the stem and leaf display, five number summaries, box and whisker plot and outliers. Stem and leaf display helps in listing data in array and also aids in finding data as minimum and maximum values. Similarly, five number summaries are useful to determine the shape of the distribution. Furthermore, box and whiskers plot visually display data through quartiles or using five number summaries whereas outliers incorporate to uncover the values that lie beyond the whiskers.

Qualitative analysis of physico-chemical parameters of packaged drinking water commercially available in India

ABSTRACT The demand for packaged drinking water is increasing day by day, so it is necessary that the quality of this water must be monitored. Our present study focuses on the determination of the concentration of minerals and trace elements present in commercialised packaged drinking water sold out in various regions of India. In total, we have analysed 41 brands. The different treatments through which this water has passed as claimed by the manufacturers are also mentioned. The average value of the total dissolved solids in these waters is found to be 101.1 mg L−1. The content of anions and cations present in water is represented by box and whisker plots. Bottled water samples are also analysed for the radioactive element uranium, which is observed in the range of <0.1 to 9.2 μg L−1 with a mean concentration of 1.6 μg L−1. The radiation dose assessment for various age groups has been calculated due to the ingestion of uranium present in the water.

Assay Replicability in β-Glucosidase Enzyme Kinetics Across Laboratories

Replicability is the foundation of research in any scientific discipline. Despite this fact, few studies address experimental variability within and across multiple institutions that operate under the same protocol. While consistency is usually well documented within the same lab, multi-institutional experiments may introduce new variables and, therefore, variability that may lead to inconsistent results. This study seeks to explore intra- and interinstitutional variability among enzyme catalytic efficiency values (KM and Kcat/KM) for the wild type of β-Glucosidase derived from Paenibacillus polymyxa. A standardized protocol for the assay was provided to all institutions that participated in the study. The analysis was conducted using data from 13 laboratories across the United States. The information was collected through the Design2Data CURE database. A total of 132 independent assays of β-Glucosidase were analyzed. Statistical analysis of Kcat/KM , KM, and T50 was conducted using SPSS, and Whisker Plots with a 90% confidence interval were generated for all parameters. Acceptance intervals for the parameters assayed of β-Glucosidase were determined; these could be used in all future experiments in the network as a reference by current and incoming laboratory members that incorporate into the network yearly. Ultimately, we aim to identify possible errors and misunderstandings in the protocol we use in the laboratories of the D2D network to improve assay replicability across institutions. High variability may be a concern when data is interpreted across institutions. This specific assay is used as a control for other, more complex assays in the CURE network and, therefore, the variability found can potentially lead to incorrect interpretation of results. It also highlights the high variability of a simple enzymatic assay when it is replicated in laboratories with different personnel and equipment, regardless of using the same standardized protocol.

A stacked machine learning model for the vertical total electron content forecasting

We design four Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models, namely a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), an Extreme Learning Machine network (ELM) and an ensemble model based on stacking (STACKED) to forecast the ionospheric vertical Total Electron Content (vTEC) from 1 to 24 hours in advance on a single station at mid latitude. The time series used, spanning from January 2006 to December 2018, includes vTEC, provided by the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver at Tsukuba (TSKB), Japan (36.06o N, 140.05o E) and suitable external drivers selected among several helio-geophysical parameters. The selection of appropriate external drivers is made by rating their relevance on the vTEC at forecasting timescales (from 1 to 24 hours). The process, based on eleven machine learning models, highlights that the most important external drivers are: the 10.7 cm Solar Flux (F10.7), the magnitude BT of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), and the Auroral Electrojet (AE) index. The forecasting performance of the four models (MLP, CNN, ELM, STACKED) is then analysed. The analysis relies on three statistical metrics to compare actual and forecasted vTEC: the coefficient of determination (R2), the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). Additionally, descriptive statistics are presented using box and whisker plots. The four ANN models show a quite satisfactory capability to forecast vTEC when applied to the test dataset which represents 10% of the available data from 2006 to 2018. Furthermore, by conducting a Wilcoxon signed rank test, it is shown that statistically significant improvements are achieved by the STACKED model with regard to MLP, CNN and ELM. On average, by analysing the forecasted (from 1 to 24 hours in advance) vs the actual vTEC, the STACKED model achieves R2=0.816,RMSE=0.426 TECu, and MAE=0.296 TECu (1 TECunit =1016 electrons/m2) whilst MLP, CNN and ELM show respectively R2=0.808,0.812,0.803,RMSE=0.436 TECu, 0.431 TECu, 0.441 TECu and MAE=0.304 TECu, 0.299 TECu, 0.312 TECu.

Sea stack plots: Replacing bar charts with histograms.

Graphs in research articles can increase the comprehension of statistical data but may mislead readers if poorly designed. We propose a new plot type, the sea stack plot, which combines vertical histograms and summary statistics to represent large univariate datasets accurately, usefully, and efficiently. We compare five commonly used plot types (dot and whisker plots, boxplots, density plots, univariate scatter plots, and dot plots) to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses when representing distributions of data commonly observed in biological studies. We find the assessed plot types are either difficult to read at large sample sizes or have the potential to misrepresent certain distributions of data, showing the need for an improved method of data visualisation. We present an analysis of the plot types used in four ecology and conservation journals covering multiple areas of these research fields, finding widespread use of uninformative bar charts and dot and whisker plots (60% of all panels showing univariate data from multiple groups for the purpose of comparison). Some articles presented more informative figures by combining plot types (16% of panels), generally boxplots and a second layer such as a flat density plot, to better display the data. This shows an appetite for more effective plot types within conservation and ecology, which may further increase if accurate and user-friendly plot types were made available. Finally, we describe sea stack plots and explain how they overcome the weaknesses associated with other alternatives to uninformative plots when used for large and/or unevenly distributed data. We provide a tool to create sea stack plots with our R package 'seastackplot', available through GitHub.

Hydrogeochemical characterization, quality assessment, and potential nitrate health risk of shallow groundwater in Dongwen River Basin, North China.

Assessing groundwater geochemical formation processes and pollution circumstances is significant for sustainable watershed management. In the present study, 58 shallow groundwater samples were taken from the Dongwen River Basin (DRB) to comprehensively assess the hydrochemical sources, groundwater quality status, and potential risks of NO3- to human health. Based on the Box and Whisker plot, the cation's concentration followed the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+, while anions' mean levels were HCO3- > SO42- > NO3- > Cl-. The NO3- level in groundwater samples fluctuated between 4.2 and 301.3mg/L, with 67.2% of samples beyond the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (50mg/L) for drinking. The Piper diagram indicated the hydrochemical type of groundwater and surface water were characterized as Ca·Mg-HCO3 type. Combining ionic ratio analysis with principal component analysis (PCA) results, agricultural activities contributed a significant effect on groundwater NO3-, with soil nitrogen input and manure/sewage inputs also potential sources. However, geogenic processes (e.g., carbonates and evaporite dissolution/precipitation) controlled other ion compositions in the study area. The groundwater samples with higher NO3- values were mainly found in river valley regions with intense anthropogenic activities. The entropy weight water quality index (EWQI) model identified that the groundwater quality rank ranged from excellent (70.7%) and good (25.9%) to medium (3.4%). However, the hazard quotient (HQ) used in the human health risk assessment (HHRA) model showed that above 91.38% of groundwater samples have a NO3- non-carcinogenic health risk for infants, 84.48% for children, 82.76% for females, and 72.41% for males. The findings of this study could provide a scientific basis for the rational development and usage of groundwater resources as well as for the preservation of the inhabitants' health in DRB.

Uranium Dissemination with Phosphate Fertilizers Globally: A Systematic Review with Focus on East Africa

Growing concern has been expressed about uranium (U) accumulation in agricultural soils caused by the long-term application of mineral fertilizers. More than 80% of naturally occurring U transfers from phosphate rock (PR), the raw material used in mineral fertilizer production, to phosphorus (P) fertilizers. These fertilizers are then distributed on agricultural soils, where the U could accumulate over time and become a risk to the environment. The objective of this work was to review the reported content of U in P fertilizers, its potential dispersion in soils, and its uptake by plants in different countries in the world as reported in the literature. The articles for this systematic review were selected from the Scopus database published between 2003 and 2022. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocol were used. A total of 54 articles were assessed based on the standard inclusion and exclusion criteria. U concentrations in P fertilizers, agricultural soil dissemination, and plant uptake for available data were obtained and assessed. In order to compare a set of related data from the collected articles, box and whisker plots showing the distribution of U in P fertilizers are presented by region. The results from the reviewed articles show that the U concentrations in P fertilizer were in the range of 0.1–653 mg kg−1. Interestingly, Minjingu P fertilizers from Tanzania, which are used in six East African countries, showed the highest U concentrations (159 to 653 mg kg−1, average 390 mg kg−1). The reported U concentrations for these fertilizers are, in fact, comparable to those of conventional low-grade uranium deposits mined in Namibia and elsewhere. Additionally, approximately 96% of the reviewed articles indicate that fertilized soil has higher U concentrations than non-fertilized soils, hinting at a measurable effect of mineral fertilizer use. The review recommends U extraction during mineral fertilizer production so that potential environmental risks can be reduced and U resources that would otherwise be lost can be recovered and used to substitute conventional U mining elsewhere.

How Nutritious Are French Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from the Citizen Science Experiment?

French beans are tender, immature, edible pods that are harvested early in the plant's growth cycle and are usually eaten cooked. The growth habits of French beans were studied for the first time in a Citizen Science experiment, and 19 pod samples were collected for further nutritional analysis. Various macronutrients (e.g., protein, ash, fat, carbohydrates, amino acids) and multi-element profiles were determined. A survey of their growing habits revealed that beans are usually planted once or twice a year in May and June at a length of 5-10 m, with a predominance of dwarf beans cultivation over climbing varieties, and pest resistance and stringless pods are the most important characteristics when deciding on a bean. Homogenised freeze-dried pod samples contained 16.1-23.1% protein, 4.5-8.2% ash, 0.1-1.1% fat, and 62.0-70.6% carbohydrates and had a caloric value of 337-363 kcal/100 g. Of the 17 free amino acids identified, 8 were essential (histidine, threonine, methionine, valine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine) and 9 were non-essential (cysteine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, arginine, alanine, proline, tyrosine); meanwhile, of the 12 elements, 5 were macroelements and 7 were microelements. The predominant free amino acids were aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and serine. In the multiple comparisons (Box and Whisker plot), the parameters caloric value and iron showed the strongest response. A very strong positive significant Pearson correlation (≥0.95) was found for five pairs of variables within the free amino acids. Comparison of the nutrient data obtained in the pods showed near-perfect or high complementarity (85.2-103.4%) with the food composition databases for half of the parameters, suggesting that the home-grown French beans from the Citizen Science experiment are a highly nutritious vegetable.

TRACE METAL ANALYSIS IN GROUNDWATER OF THE HANDRI RIVER BASIN, KURNOOL DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

Quantitative analysis of trace metals in the groundwater of the Handri river basin was conducted using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Descriptive statistics, box whisker plots, and GIS assessed their spatial distribution in South India. The elements arsenic, cadmium, and iron were the most abundant, with iron having the highest concentration and copper the lowest. Chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc complied with BIS and WHO standards for drinking water. In certain locations of the Handri river basin, elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead, and manganese were found to be polluting and endangering the water. A comprehensive analysis revealed that, out of 41 water quality sites, copper, chromium, nickel, and zinc were within acceptable limits, while arsenic and cadmium exceeded the limits. Twenty groundwater sites showed elevated iron content, revealed by a spatial distribution map. Excessive manganese and lead levels were observed in specific stations, such as Gorantla, Bondi Madugula, Ramachandrapuram, Konganapadu, and Tangaradona. The study suggests that population growth and industrialization contribute to resource depletion and environmental deterioration. The cohesive findings from descriptive models, box whisker plots, and spatial analyses aim to guide decision-makers in developing adaptive groundwater trace element monitoring strategies for the Handri basin in Kurnool district, India.

Time to initiation of modern contraceptive method use after childbirth and its predictors in Southern Ethiopia: a retrospective follow-up study

BackgroundTimely initiation of modern contraceptive use is vital to prevent unintended pregnancy and its related morbidities and mortalities. However, there is a scarcity of evidence about the duration of time elapsing from childbirth to initiating modern contraceptive use following childbirth and its associated factors in the study area for evidence-based interventions. Therefore, we aimed to assess the time to initiation of modern contraceptive method use and its predictors in Hossana town, southern Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective follow-up study was conducted at public health facilities in Hosanna town. A total of 503 study participants were included in the study using a systematic random sampling technique. The Box and Whisker plot was used to estimate the time to initiation of modern contraceptive use. A Weibull regression model was applied to identify predictors of time to initiation of modern contraceptive use. Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to interpret the strength of the association.ResultsThe median time to initiation of modern contraceptive use was 6 months, with an interquartile range of 3 months. Husband/partner attending higher education [AHR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.57], women who had parity of more than two [AHR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.67], and women who had communicated with their husband/partner about modern contraceptive methods [AHR = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.41, 6.67] were more likely to initiate modern contraceptive method use within six months after childbirth. In contrast, women with an older age of greater than or equal to 30 years [AHR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.82] and who did not resume sexual intercourse after childbirth [AHR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03] were less likely to initiate modern contraceptive method use within six months after childbirth.ConclusionsThe median time to initiation of modern contraceptive method use after childbirth in the postpartum period was delayed from the World Health Organization recommendation of at most 6 weeks. Emphasis should be given to older women, women with lower parity, and men’s participation in contraceptive communication to improve timing for initiation of modern contraceptive use after childbirth and to curb the five-month lag periods.

2760. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Decolonization of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales

Abstract Background Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can effectively decolonize multidrug-resistant organisms but its efficacy is variable. We evaluated the impact of FMT treatment at eliminating carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) carriage compared to spontaneous decolonization and identified microbial signatures of successful decolonization. Methods Prospective study, with patients colonized with CPE receiving a single dose of FMT via the nasogastric route. CPE-colonized patients who did not meet our inclusion criteria or decided not to participate in the study comprised the control group where spontaneous decolonization was evaluated. Primary endpoint was complete elimination of CPE carriage 2 weeks after FMT. A secondary endpoint for decolonization was set at 3 months post-FMT. Successful decolonization was defined by 2+ consecutive negative rectal swabs as determined by both culture and PCR. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed to assess gut microbiota composition of donors and recipients before and after FMT. Results Twenty patients colonized with CPE were included, 72.5 ± 18.8 years. Median duration of carriage of CPE before FMT was 62.5 days (IQR 48.75-122.5). At 3 months post-FMT, 40% (n=8/20) of patients were successfully decolonized, while 20% (n=4/20) meeting the 2-week primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier curves between patients in the FMT cohort and those in the control group (n=82) revealed the same rate of decolonization over time (p=0.9). Microbiota composition analyses post-FMT revealed significantly higher bacterial species richness and alpha diversity in responders versus non-responders (Fig1A,B), and specific taxa including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Parabacteroides distasonis, Collinsella aerofaciens, Alistipes finegoldii and Blautia_A sp900066335 were associated with response (Fig.2). Furthermore, CPE abundance levels at baseline were significantly higher in non-responders than in responders (Fig.3). Box and whisker plots of the percent relative abundance for the indicated species in samples from patients with CRE clearance on day 14 (teal), and patients without CRE clearance on day 14 (orange). The median (±interquartile range) is plotted for each species in each group. Whiskers extend to the lowest and highest values no greater than 1.5x the interquartile range from the closest hinge. The displayed taxa were significantly altered between patients with and without CRE clearance at day 14 across all samples, with q-values below 0.01 (MaAslin2 log-transformed linear model). Box and whisker plots indicating the cumulative percent relative abundance of CRE species in samples from patients with CRE clearance on day 14 (teal) and patients without CRE clearance on day 14 (orange). The median (±interquartile range) is plotted for each group at the indicated timepoints. Whiskers extend to the lowest and highest values no greater than 1.5x the interquartile range from the closest hinge. Patients with CRE clearance on day 14 have significantly lower CRE relative abundance than patients without CRE clearance on day 14 at baseline and 1 week post-FMT (Wilcoxen Rank-Sum test with FDR adjustment). Conclusion FMT administration led to complete CPE eradication in a subset of colonized patients but did not achieve statistical significance. Response to FMT was not donor-dependent and correlated with the transfer of specific bacteria taxa and CPE colonization levels. Disclosures Andrea Watson, PhD, Vedanta Biosciences: Advisor/Consultant|Vedanta Biosciences: Honoraria Gianluca Galazzo, PhD, Vedanta Biosciences: Advisor/Consultant|Vedanta Biosciences: Honoraria Ed J. Kuijper, Prof. Dr., Vedanta Biosciences: Advisor/Consultant Silvia Caballero, PhD, Vedanta Biosciences: Advisor/Consultant|Vedanta Biosciences: Board Member|Vedanta Biosciences: Ownership Interest

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the correlation between HIV infection and multidrug-resistance tuberculosis

BackgroundThe emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in HIV-positive people poses a significant challenge to international efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB). Many studies found conflicting results when examining the correlation between HIV and MDR-TB. The purpose of the present investigation was to comprehensively review the literature on the association between HIV infection and MDR-TB in order to evaluate the impact of HIV on MDR-TB worldwide. MethodsUtilizing the databases PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, studies published between January 2000 and March 2023 that are eligible for meta-analysis were selected. Using the random-effects model, the aggregated odds ratio of the empirical relationship between HIV and MDR-TB was calculated, along with a confidence interval ranging from 0 to 95 %. Examining the asymmetry of the funnel plot and utilizing Egger's and Begg's test, the possibility of publication bias was investigated. The extent of heterogeneity was determined using the I2 statistics. ResultsThrough a database search, we identified 1214 studies, from which we ultimately selected 15 studies involving 9667 patients. The odds ratio of 2.78 (95 % confidence interval: 1.07–7.20) between HIV/AIDS and MDR-TB indicates a significant positive correlation. Tau 2 = 3.46, chi 2 = 1440.46, df = 14, I2 = 99.0 %, z = 2.10, and p 0.05 indicate that there is substantial heterogeneity among pooled studies. Since I2 is 99 % (>50 %), a random effect model was employed. The percentage of multidrug-resistant HIV-positive patients across all included studies follows a normal distribution, as shown by a Box and whisker plot with a symmetric skewness and a mesokurtic tail and a scatter plot with a significant R2 value below 1 [R2 = 0.2476] showed the positive correlation between multidrug resistance and HIV infection. ConclusionHIV infection increases MDR-TB risk, and the preceding pooled analysis showed an increased risk trend. Thus, MDR-TB, especially in HIV-positive patients, requires early case detection, quality-assured bacteriology diagnosis, and an effective infection control program.

Secular trends in the physical fitness of Brazilian youth: Evidence that fitness is declining for the majority but not for a fit minority.

There has been a decline in children's physical fitness in recent decades. Such concerns are largely based on evidence from North America, Europe, and Asia. The current study describes the secular trend and variation (spread) in the physical fitness scores of young Brazilians from 2005 to 2022. This study is a repeated, cross-sectional surveillance study (1999-2022). Children and adolescents (n = 65 139; boys = 36 539) participated between 2005 and 2022. In each cohort six physical fitness tests were conducted: (1) 20-m sprint speed (m s-1 ), (2) cardio-respiratory 6-min run test (m min-1 ), (3) abdominal strength test (sit-ups per min), (4) horizontal jump test (cm), (5) the agility test (m s-1 ), and (6) the medicine ball throw test (cm). Means and distributional characteristics of the population were assessed using ANOVA, ANCOVA adopting BMI as the body-size covariate, Levene's test of equality-of-error variances, and Box and whisker plots. ANOVAs and ANCOVA's identified significant declines in physical fitness over time/year in 5 of the 6 physical fitness variables (e.g., 20-m sprint speed slope B = -0.018 (m s-1 y-1 ); 95% CI -0.019 to -0.017; p < 0.001), the only exception being the medicine ball throw test (cm). The Levene's test of equality-of-error variances also identified a systematic increase in the variances/standard deviations over time/years. Results provide powerful evidence that children and adolescents' physical fitness is declining, a trend that is also diverging asymmetrically, becoming more extreme in more recent years. The "fit" appear to be getting fitter, but the fitness of the "less-fit" appears to be declining further. These results have important implications for sports medicine and government policy makers.

Experimental and machine learning approaches to investigate the application of sugarcane bagasse ash as a partial replacement of fine aggregate for concrete production

Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) is produced during the cogeneration of dry sugarcane bagasse in the sugar and ethanol industries. Managing the huge amount of SCBA is a difficult task as it requires a lot of time and effort, resulting in its direct disposal in open landfills and polluting the environment. To address these problems, the present study is aimed at utilizing this waste as a sustainable material. The objective of the current study is to analyze the impact of using SCBA as a partial replacement material for natural fine aggregate (NFA) in concrete production using two methodologies, namely experimental and artificial intelligence approaches. In the experimental approach, the mechanical properties of SCBA-based concrete made by replacing NFA at various proportions (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) are assessed. These properties include mechanical (compressive strength, split tensile strength), and durability (initial surface absorption, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and sulphate attack). Additionally, to analyze the practical usability of the SCBA-based concrete, analytical evaluations such as cost estimation, global warming potential, statistical analysis, and the linear relationship between the parameters have been carried out. In comparison to the control mix, the experimental results showed that a 10% substitution of SCBA for NFA significantly improved compressive strength (14.1%), split tensile strength (24.05%), ultrasonic pulse velocity (0.52%), initial surface absorption (19.2%), and resistance to sulphate attack (11.5%). In addition, the analytical evaluation showed a significant reduction in the concrete production cost and a negligible increase in global warming potential. The statistical analysis and mathematical relationship showed a statistically significant difference in the compressive strength at different curing ages and a strong relationship between the compressive strength and other parameters of SCBA-based concrete. On the other hand, seven machine learning (ML) models (linear regression, artificial neural network, K-nearest neighbor, K-star, decision tree, support vector machine, and additive regressor) were considered to predict the compressive strength of SCBA-based concrete produced by replacing NFA content. The performance of these models has been evaluated using errors, correlation coefficients, and sensitivity analysis. In addition, scatter plots, box and whisker plots, histograms, and correlation matrices are used to visualize the available datasets. The results of the artificial intelligence approach revealed that the additive regressor model performed well compared to other models, with the highest coefficient (0.95) and minimal errors in predicting compressive strength.

Development of macroinvertebrate based multimetric index for ecological health monitoring in Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia

Little information is available on the use and applicability of biotic indices in aquatic resource conservation and management in Eastern Africa, especially in lentic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to develop a macroinvertebrate multimetric index (MMIH) to assess the ecological condition of Lake Hawassa. Sampling sites were clustered based on percentage disturbance score (PDS) and categorized into minimally (three sites), moderately (three sites) and highly disturbed (three sites). Physicochemical and invertebrate sampling was done at these clustered sites along the lakeshore area from February to November 2015 and 2016. Out of a total of 35 macroinvertebrate candidate metrics, ten core metrics were selected based on redundancy analysis, metrics response to environmental parameters, percent discriminatory efficiency (%DE) and box and whisker plots, and incorporated in the development of MMIH. The developed MMIH index performed well and showed a clear demarcation between the reference and non-reference sites and between the three-disturbance levels. The validation of the MMIH index performed well in discriminating the independent data sets taken from Lake Hawassa and L. Ziway. Besides, it also showed a strong but inverse relation with PDS (R2 = 0.91, P = 0.0003). Hence, in a lentic ecosystem, this index should be considered as a starting point in terms of lake bio-assessment in Ethiopia, but additional data in all ecoregions of the country are necessary to determine the long-term reliability and usefulness of the MMIH. In the short-term, this index will provide resource managers and aquatic environmentalists with a tool to assess the ecological condition of freshwater lakes.

Design of Nonlinear Marine Predator Heuristics for Hammerstein Autoregressive Exogenous System Identification with Key-Term Separation

Swarm-based metaheuristics have shown significant progress in solving different complex optimization problems, including the parameter identification of linear, as well as nonlinear, systems. Nonlinear systems are inherently stiff and difficult to optimize and, thus, require special attention to effectively estimate their parameters. This study investigates the parameter identification of an input nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (IN-ARX) model through swarm intelligence knacks of the nonlinear marine predators’ algorithm (NMPA). A detailed comparative analysis of the NMPA with other recently introduced metaheuristics, such as Aquila optimizer, prairie dog optimization, reptile search algorithm, sine cosine algorithm, and whale optimization algorithm, established the superiority of the proposed scheme in terms of accurate, robust, and convergent performances for different noise and generation variations. The statistics generated through multiple autonomous executions represent box and whisker plots, along with the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, further confirming the reliability and stability of the NMPA for parameter estimation of IN-ARX systems.