Category: Nevin Manimala

World J Surg Oncol. 2023 Apr 22;21(1):134. doi: 10.1186/s12957-023-03017-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The learning curve of single-port thoracoscopic lobectomy (SPTL) in lung cancer has been widely studied. However, the efficiency of different experience levels of thoracic surgeons in mastering the learning curve is unknown. Hence, we discuss this issue in depth by using several perioperative parameters and oncological outcomes.

METHODS: A total of 120 consecutive cases of SPTL performed by a senior (STS group) and junior (JTS group) thoracic surgeons were retrospectively analyzed. Operation time, estimated blood loss, and duration of postoperative hospital stay were recorded for cumulative summation (CUSUM) learning curve analysis, while the 5-year survival rate was used for oncological evaluation.

RESULTS: The CUSUM learning curve of the STS group was y = 0.000106x³ – 0.019x² + 0.852x – 0.036, with a high R-value of 0.9517. When the number of cases exceeded 33, the slope changed from positive to negative. The CUSUM learning curve of the JTS group was y = 0.000266x³ – 0.04x² + 1.429 × -0.335, with a high R-value of 0.9644. When the number of cases exceeded 25, the slope changed from positive to negative. The learning curve was divided into two phases (phases 1 and 2). The slope of the JTS group in phase 1 was greater than that of the STS group in phase 1 (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, comparisons of various parameters between both groups in phase 2 showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). In addition, the 5-year survival rate was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.72).

CONCLUSION: This is the first study to analyze the learning curve of thoracic surgeons with different experience levels in mastering SPTL. Moreover, it is also the first study to include multiple perioperative parameters and overall survival to study how quickly surgeons master the SPTL technique. The junior thoracic surgeon was found to have a shorter learning curve for SPTL.

PMID:37085810 | DOI:10.1186/s12957-023-03017-6

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Apr 22. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-27024-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this research, the effect of a submerged multiple-vane system on the dimensions of flow separation zone (DFSZ) is assessed via 192 measured datasets. The vanes’ shape comprised two segments, curved and flat plates which are located in the connection of main channel to the lateral intake channel with an angle of 55°. In this direction, a butterfly’s array for the vanes’ arrangement along with different main controlling factors such as distances of vanes along the flow (δ_l), degree of curvature (β), and angles of attack to the local primary flow direction (θ) is utilized. Through capturing photos and utilizing AutoCAD and SURFER software, maximum relative length and width are calculated. Based on the experimental measurements, maximum percentage reduction of DFSZ, in comparison with the controlled test (without submerged vanes), is obtained with θ = 30°, β = 34°, and δ_l = 10 cm with value of 78 and 76%, respectively. Moreover, several data-driven models, namely, gene expression programming (GEP), support vector regression (SVR), and a robust hybrid SVR with an ant colony optimization algorithm (ACO) (i.e., hybrid SVR-ACO model), are developed in order to predict DFSZ via the operative dimensionless variables realized by Spearman’s rho and Pearson’s coefficient processes. In accordance with the statistical metrics, model grading process, scatter plot, and the hybrid SVR(RBF)-ACO model are preferred as the best and most precise model to predict maximum relative length and width with a total grade (TG) of 6.75 and 5.8, respectively. The generated algebraic formula for DFSZ under the optimal scenario of GEP is equated with the corresponding measured ones and the results are within 0-10%.

PMID:37085682 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-023-27024-y

J Investig Med. 2023 Apr 21:10815589231168601. doi: 10.1177/10815589231168601. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To provide a foundation for mentoring, junior faculty participated in a mentor training workshop informed by the Mentoring Clinical and Translational Researchers curriculum. The goal was to develop skills and behaviors that engender more rewarding and inclusive mentoring practices. Attendees responded to baseline and follow-up surveys assessing perceived mentoring skills. Follow-up surveys included closed- and open-ended questions about the value and satisfaction of the training, and intended behavior changes. Junior faculty respondents (n = 39) reported significantly higher overall mentoring skills after the training (t = -2.6, p = 0.012) with a medium effect size (Cohen’s D = 0.59). Domains with statistically significant improvement from baseline to follow-up included aligning mentor-mentee expectations and assessing understanding. Thirty-eighty (97%) found the training valuable, and 32 (82%) indicated they would change mentoring-related behaviors because of the training. Intended behavior changes described in open-ended responses aligned with mentoring skills assessed (e.g., aligning expectations). An additional competency domain of evaluating mentoring relationships was also described. A mentor training workshop for junior faculty appeared to contribute to changes in mentoring skills and intended behaviors. Mentor training has the potential to enhance mentorship, which is critical to strengthening a diverse pipeline of clinical and translational science researchers.

PMID:37085987 | DOI:10.1177/10815589231168601

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2023 Apr 21:306624X231165418. doi: 10.1177/0306624X231165418. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for anger management in Juvenile Delinquents. The therapy program consisted of eight sessions including relaxation, self-instruction, cognitive restructuring, and assertiveness training techniques. The therapy program has been conducted for juvenile delinquents in one of the juvenile prisons in Turkey. Sixty juvenile delinquents, aged between 14 and 18, who met the inclusion criteria (treatment = 30, control = 30), were included at the beginning of the study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, State Trait Anger and Expression Inventory (STAXI), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were administered as pre-test. At the end of the therapy program, final analysis was conducted on 35 participants (20 therapy group, 15 control group) due to participants dropout. Mixed ANOVA was conducted to examine the time (pre-test and post-test) and group effects (therapy and control group). Results showed that the participants in the therapy group showed a significant decrease in trait anger and anger expression scores, both subscales of STAXI and in the hostility subscale of BSI; a statistically significant increase in the anger control scores of the subscale of STAXI when compared to the control group. In conclusion, this culturally attuned CBGT for anger management may be applicable for Juvenile Delinquents in Turkey.

PMID:37085985 | DOI:10.1177/0306624X231165418

J Dent Res. 2023 Apr 21:220345231164106. doi: 10.1177/00220345231164106. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Social participation prevents social isolation and loneliness among older adults while having numerous positive effects on their health and well-being in rapidly aging societies. We aimed to estimate the effect of retaining more natural teeth on social participation among older adults in Japan. The analysis used longitudinal data from 24,872 participants in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (2010, 2013, and 2016). We employed a longitudinal modified treatment policy approach to determine the effect of several hypothetical scenarios (preventive scenarios and tooth loss scenarios) on frequent social participation (1 = at least once a week/0 = less than once a week) after a 6-y follow-up. The corresponding statistical parameters were estimated using targeted minimum loss-based estimation (TMLE) method. Number of teeth category (edentate/1-9/10-19/≥20) was treated as a time-varying exposure, and the outcome estimates were adjusted for time-varying (income, self-rated health, marital status, instrumental activities of daily living, vision loss, hearing loss, major comorbidities, and number of household members) and time-invariant covariates (age, sex, education, baseline social participation). Less frequent social participation was associated with older age, male sex, lower income, low educational attainment, and poor self-rated health at the baseline. Social participation improved when tooth loss prevention scenarios were emulated. The best preventive scenario (i.e., maintaining ≥20 teeth among each participant) improved social participation by 8% (risk ratio [RR] = 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.11). Emulated tooth loss scenarios gradually decreased social participation. A hypothetical scenario in which all the participants were edentate throughout the follow-up period resulted in a 11% (RR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.94) reduction in social participation. Subsequent tooth loss scenarios showed 8% (RR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.88-0.95), 6% (RR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.97), and 4% (RR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98) reductions, respectively. Thus, among Japanese older adults, retaining a higher number of teeth positively affects their social participation, whereas being edentate or having a relatively lower number of teeth negatively affects their social participation.

PMID:37085984 | DOI:10.1177/00220345231164106

J Clin Periodontol. 2023 Apr 21. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13817. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To examine the association between a pro-inflammatory diet, estimated using the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII), and the risk of periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study subjects from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Health Examinee (KoGES_HEXA) cohort were included for cross-sectional analysis (n = 168,378) using multivariate logistic regression and prospective analysis (n = 160,397) using Cox proportional hazard models respectively. DII and E-DII scores were calculated based on the intake reported on a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ).

RESULTS: Cox proportional hazard models revealed a significantly increased risk of incident periodontitis in individuals consuming high E-DII (more pro-inflammatory) diets in the total population (HR_quartile4vs1 = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.13-1.48; p_trend <.001) and in both men (HR_quartile4vs1 = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07-1.73; p_trend = 0.02) and women (HR_quartile4vs1 = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.08-1.50; p_trend = .002). The association remained significant even after excluding cases diagnosed early in the follow-up. In the cross-sectional analysis, a significant association was observed between the E-DII score and the prevalence of periodontitis among all study subjects (OR_quartile4vs1 = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.03-1.34; p_trend = 0.01) and men (OR_quartile4vs1 = 1.28; 95%CI: 1.01-1.63; p_trend <.001); however, the association did not reach statistical significance in women (OR_quartile4vs1 = 1.13; 95% CI: 0.96-1.33; p_trend <.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the current study support the hypothesis that diets with high pro-inflammatory potential increase the risk of periodontitis.

PMID:37085969 | DOI:10.1111/jcpe.13817

Sex Med Rev. 2023 Apr 21:qead011. doi: 10.1093/sxmrev/qead011. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Substance abuse has become a worldwide health problem, leading to numerous consequences such as social problems among family members, abnormal behavior, adverse health effects, and psychological problems as well as economic consequences.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the relationship between substance abuse and male sexual health.

METHODS: A search was carried out in the following databases: PubMed, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank. The following keywords were used to assess the outcomes for relevant associations: illicit drugs, addiction, substance abuse, sexual health, erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory disorders, impotence, orgasm disorders, and sexual performance.

RESULTS: The initial literature search identified a total of 148 articles in all searched databases. After removal of duplicate studies and application of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 75 reported studies were retained for review, including 38 case-control studies and 37 cross-sectional studies. These articles were classified into the following categories according to the type of abused substance addressed: cannabis/marihuana, 16 articles; opioids, 13 articles; heroin, 11 articles; cocaine, 5 articles; tramadol, 6 articles; ketamine, 2 articles; ecstasy, 4 articles; amphetamine, 2 articles; khat, 7 articles; androgen anabolic steroids, 2 articles; and polydrugs, 7 articles. Most of these recruited articles demonstrated a negative impact of the addressed substance on male sexual health, with variable levels.

CONCLUSION: Substance abuse has negative impacts on male sexual health that should be addressed. More studies conducted with proper methodological and statistical approaches, including logistic regression analysis, are needed to predict the effects of specific substances, considering the rapidly growing effects of non-substance-use disorders on male sexual health.

PMID:37085960 | DOI:10.1093/sxmrev/qead011

Isr J Health Policy Res. 2023 Apr 21;12(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s13584-023-00565-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Policy makers need to maintain public trust in healthcare systems in order to foster citizen engagement in recommended behaviors and treatments. The importance of such commitment has been highlighted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Central to public trust is the extent of the accountability of health authorities held responsible for long-term effects of past treatments. This paper addresses the topic of manifestations of trust among patients damaged by radiation treatments for ringworm.

METHODS: For this mixed-methods case study (quan/qual), we sampled 600 files of Israeli patients submitting claims to the National Center for Compensation of Scalp Ringworm Victims in the years 1995-2014, following damage from radiation treatments received between 1946 and 1960 in Israel and/or abroad. Qualitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and correlations were analyzed with chi-square tests. Verbal data were analyzed by the use of systematic content analysis.

RESULTS: Among 527 patients whose files were included in the final analysis, 42% held authorities responsible. Assigning responsibility to authorities was more prevalent among claimants born in Israel than among those born and treated abroad (χ² = 6.613, df = 1, p = 0.01), claimants reporting trauma (χ² = 4.864, df = 1, p = 0.027), and claimants living in central cities compared with those in suburban areas (χ² = 18.859, df = 6, p < 0.01). Men, younger claimants, patients with a psychiatric diagnosis, and patients from minority populations expressed mistrust in health regulators.

CONCLUSIONS: Examining populations’ perceived trust in healthcare institutions and tailoring health messages to vulnerable populations can promote public trust in healthcare systems.

PMID:37085938 | DOI:10.1186/s13584-023-00565-w

Trials. 2023 Apr 21;24(1):286. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07262-8.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) aim to assess the effect of one (or more) unproven health interventions relative to other reference interventions. RCTs sometimes use an ordinal outcome, which is an endpoint that comprises of multiple, monotonically ordered categories that are not necessarily separated by a quantifiable distance. Ordinal outcomes are appealing in clinical settings as specific disease states can represent meaningful categories that may be of clinical importance to researchers. Ordinal outcomes can also retain information and increase statistical power compared to dichotomised outcomes and can allow multiple clinical outcomes to be comprised in a single endpoint. Target parameters for ordinal outcomes in RCTs may vary depending on the nature of the research question, the modelling assumptions and the expertise of the data analyst. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically describe the use of ordinal outcomes in contemporary RCTs. Specifically, we aim to: [Formula: see text] Identify which target parameters are of interest in trials that use an ordinal outcome, and whether these parameters are explicitly defined. [Formula: see text] Describe how ordinal outcomes are analysed in RCTs to estimate a treatment effect. [Formula: see text] Describe whether RCTs that use an ordinal outcome adequately report key methodological aspects specific to the analysis of the ordinal outcome. Results from this review will outline the current state of practice of the use of ordinal outcomes in RCTs. Ways to improve the analysis and reporting of ordinal outcomes in RCTs will be discussed.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will review RCTs that are published in the top four medical journals (British Medical Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and the Journal of the American Medical Association) between 1 January 2012 and 31 July 2022 that use an ordinal outcome as either a primary or a secondary outcome. The review will identify articles through a PubMed-specific search strategy. Our review will adhere to guidelines for scoping reviews as described in the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The study characteristics and details of the study design and analysis, including the target parameter(s) and statistical methods used to analyse the ordinal outcome, will be extracted from eligible studies. The screening, review and data extraction will be conducted using Covidence, a web-based tool for managing systematic reviews. The data will be summarised using descriptive statistics.

PMID:37085929 | DOI:10.1186/s13063-023-07262-8

Genome Biol. 2023 Apr 21;24(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s13059-023-02940-x.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37085916 | DOI:10.1186/s13059-023-02940-x