Category: Statistics

Otolaryngol Pol. 2025 Feb 26;79(2):1-7. doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0055.0000.

ABSTRACT

<b>Introduction:</b> External ears are distinct and do not alter with age. Ear traits may be as reliable as fingerprints in identifying people. An external ear morphological analysis and observation of Basrah population ear features were undertaken to assess how beneficial the ear is for identification.<b>Aim:</b> This study gathered comprehensive data on the external ear phenotypic variations in the Basrah population.<b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional study of 608 patients aged 7-70 years (308 men, 300 women). Abnormal ears were omitted. Photographs and population statistics were randomly collected.<b>Results:</b> The predominant ear shape among our population is oval, including 38.7% of males and 42.7% of females. Females predominantly exhibit tongue-type earlobes (44.7%), while males are more likely to possess arched lobes (39.6%). In both genders, the attached earlobe is the second most prevalent ear type, behind the free earlobe (41.2% in males and 60.0% in females). The long variety of the tragus is uncommon, while the knob-shaped variant is more prevalent, seen in 46.8% of males and 51.3% of females. The normal rolled helix is common in both genders. Many individuals in our population lack Darwin’s tubercle.<b>Conclusions:</b> External ear forms vary according to heredity. Despite minor gender and country variations, it is useful in forensics, plastic surgery, and anomaly identification.

PMID:40008474 | DOI:10.5604/01.3001.0055.0000

Otolaryngol Pol. 2025 Feb 26;79(2):1-6. doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0054.9674.

ABSTRACT

<b>Introduction:</b> Severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) are frequently comorbid diseases caused by type 2 inflammation. The complete etiology of these forms still remains unexplained, which makes causal and fully effective therapeutic management impossible. New therapeutic options using the knowledge of Th2 inflammatory endotype are based on anti-IL5 (mepolizumab, reslizumab), anti-IL5R (benralizumab), anti-IgE (omalizumab), and anti-IL4/IL13 (dupilumab) monoclonal antibodies. Recently, biological therapy has provided a new personalized therapeutic option for patients with CRSw NP.<b>Aim:</b> The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of mepolizumab, benralizumab, omalizumab, and dupilumab in the reduction of rhinological symptoms in severe asthmatic patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.<b>Materials and methods:</b> In 32 (9 male, 18%) patients with CRSwNP and severe bronchial asthma treated with biologics – mepolizumab (19, 59%), omalizumab (5, 15%), benralizumab (6, 19%), and dupilumab (2, 6%) for 6 months, a subjective evaluation of rhinologic symptoms was conducted (TNSS, SNOT, smell evaluation).<b>Results:</b> In all analyzed groups, 6-month treatment with mepolizumab, omalizumab, and benralizumab resulted in significant improvement in rhinitis symptoms assessed by TNSS and SNOT scales as well as in the sense of smell. Due to the small group of patients treated with dupilumab, statistical analysis in this group was not performed.<b>Conclusions:</b> Our real-life observation confirmed that biological therapy based on phenotyping enables achieving optimal therapeutic effects for patients with CRSwNP and severe bronchial asthma. Biological therapy should be conducted through a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach.

PMID:40008473 | DOI:10.5604/01.3001.0054.9674

Lab Chip. 2025 Feb 26. doi: 10.1039/d4lc00935e. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Conductive hydrogels based on liquid metal microdroplets are widely used as wearable electronic devices. Droplet uniformity affects sensor sensitivity for weak signals, such as heart rate and pulse rate. Surface acoustic waves at micrometer wavelengths allow precise control of a single droplet, and have the potential to make uniformly discrete liquid metal droplets and distribute them in hydrogels. But the control law of liquid metal droplet size and its spatial configuration by acoustic surface waves is not clear. The aim of this paper is to present an analysis of the acoustic regulation mechanism in the interfacial evolution of fluids with high interfacial tension coefficients, and to investigate the influence of microdroplet generation characteristics (size and spacing) on the conductive and mechanical properties of conductive hydrogels. The results showed that the combined action of acoustic radiation force, shear force and pressure difference force helped to overcome interfacial tension and speed up the interfacial necking process during the filling and squeezing stages. The use of acoustic surface waves serves to diminish the influence of droplet size on the two-phase flow rate. This provides an effective approach for achieving decoupled control of microdroplet size and spacing, alongside the formation of a homogenous array of liquid metal droplets. The acoustic surface wave effect makes the liquid metal microdroplets more uniform in size and spacing. As the liquid metal content relative to the hydrogel substrate solution increases, the liquid metal size decreases. The hydrogel’s initial conductivity and conductivity after self-healing increase by 10% and 25%, respectively, which can realize the effective monitoring of ECG and EMG signals. This study helps to reveal the evolution mechanism of liquid-metal interfaces induced by acoustic surface waves, elucidate the effects of microdroplet size and spacing on the conductive and mechanical properties of hydrogels, and provide theoretical guidance for the high-precision preparation of wearable electronic devices.

PMID:40008441 | DOI:10.1039/d4lc00935e

Equine Vet J. 2025 Feb 26. doi: 10.1111/evj.14491. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Exercising arrhythmias are common in horses participating in eventing competitions. Heart rate variability (HRV) and a specific measure of the degree of heart rate fluctuation (Detrended Fluctuation Analysis alpha1; DFA-α1) are proposed as exercise intensity and fatigue markers.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To describe exercising arrhythmias and DFA-α1 values during 2-4* level eventing cross-country competitions in horses from two European countries; (2) to identify associations between exercising arrhythmias, DFA-α1 and competition results and (3) to evaluate whether markers of the intensity of exercise are associated with exercising arrhythmias, DFA-α1 or competition results.

METHODS: A convenience sample of exercising ECGs and competition results from horses during cross-country eventing competitions was examined. Statistical analysis was conducted using multivariable mixed-effects logistic, Poisson and linear regression models.

RESULTS: Arrhythmias were frequent during 69 cross-country competition ECGs from 43 horses. Detrended fluctuation analysis α1 was not associated with performance during cross-country, but a higher DFA-α1 during cross-country was associated with fewer showjumping phase penalties. More premature complexes, the presence of complex arrhythmias and arrhythmias during recovery were associated with fewer time penalties during cross-country. The presence of complex arrhythmias and arrhythmias during recovery of the cross-country phase was associated with more penalties during the showjumping phase. Higher blood lactate concentration, higher HR_peak and higher HR_mean were associated with fewer time penalties during cross-country.

MAIN LIMITATIONS: The arrhythmias observed do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the consequences of more severe arrhythmias. The associations described here were often of small magnitude or with large confidence intervals and must be interpreted cautiously.

CONCLUSIONS: Arrhythmias during the cross-country test of eventing competitions were frequently associated with positive competition results during the cross-country phase and negative results during the showjumping phase. The specific arrhythmia types and circumstances that should raise concern about performance and safety remain relevant but unanswered questions for equine practitioners.

PMID:40008417 | DOI:10.1111/evj.14491

J Pain Res. 2025 Feb 21;18:827-836. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S500984. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To examine whether reported pain intensity over time is related to the single nucleotide polymorphisms of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT rs4680) and mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1 rs1799971) in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) choosing treatment with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) or opioid agonist treatment (OAT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This exploratory study was part of a 24-week, open-label clinical prospective trial of patients with OUD who chose intramuscular XR-NTX, and patients receiving OAT. Men and women aged 18 to 65 years with OUD per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition were included. Pain intensity was measured at baseline and at 24-week follow-up using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale-11 and genotyping was performed by TaqMan technology. Data were analyzed with ordinal logistic regression.

RESULTS: Of 317 participants included at baseline, 210 samples were obtained and analyzed. In the OAT group, there was a negative significant association between pain intensity and having the Val/Val allele of COMT rs4680 (wild-type = most common type) and the rare allele G of OPRM1 rs1799971 at 24-week follow-up. No such effects were seen in the XR-NTX group.

CONCLUSION: The wild-type allele Val/Val of COMT rs4680 and the rare allele G of OPRM1 rs1799971 may have a possible protective effect regarding pain intensity in patients with OUD receiving OAT. Given relatively low sample size, particularly low number of female participants in the XR-NTX group and other possible confounders, our findings should be interpreted with caution.

PMID:40008400 | PMC:PMC11853772 | DOI:10.2147/JPR.S500984

Front Reprod Health. 2025 Feb 11;7:1520938. doi: 10.3389/frph.2025.1520938. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Male infertility is a significant global public health issue, with modifiable lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and psychological stress contributing to impaired semen quality and hormonal dysregulation. This study investigates the relationships between modifiable lifestyle factors, reproductive hormones, and semen quality in Ghanaian males attending an IVF clinic.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 212 male participants recruited from a fertility clinic in Ghana. Lifestyle factors were assessed using standardized questionnaires, and semen samples were analyzed following WHO guidelines. Hormonal profiles (LH, FSH, testosterone, estradiol) were measured using the enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA). Statistical analyses included Pearson’s product-moment correlation and Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS: Smoking and psychological stress were significantly associated with reduced sperm motility, viability, and concentration (p < 0.05). Elevated BMI correlated negatively with sperm concentration and testosterone levels (p < 0.05). Alcoholic bitters was linked to decreased semen quality, while caffeine consumption showed a positive association with progressive sperm motility.

CONCLUSION: Modifiable lifestyle factors, such as smoking, psychological stress, and increased body mass index (BMI), play a crucial role in male reproductive health by adversely affecting semen parameters and hormonal balance. These findings emphasize the need for public health interventions targeting modifiable behaviors to improve fertility outcomes.

PMID:40008399 | PMC:PMC11850308 | DOI:10.3389/frph.2025.1520938

MedEdPORTAL. 2025 Feb 25;21:11500. doi: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11500. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Emergency medicine (EM) providers often care for patients who present with concerns related to sexual assault (SA) or intimate partner violence (IPV). However, many providers feel uncomfortable discussing SA and IPV with patients. We aimed to design a curriculum using trauma-informed care principles to improve self-assessed competency in caring for this patient population.

METHODS: EM learners, including residents, EM physician assistant fellows, and medical students, attended a 25-minute didactic session introducing the concept of trauma-informed care and important questions to ask in IPV and SA cases. Learners then participated in a 15-minute simulated single-patient encounter during which they practiced collecting a trauma-informed history identifying features of IPV or SA and appropriately responding to such disclosures. The encounters were observed by a trained SA medical forensic examiner or a victim advocate. The learners next participated in a 10-minute individual and 15-minute group debrief.

RESULTS: Sixteen pre- and 17 postcurriculum self-assessments were completed. There was a statistically significant increase in self-perceived confidence in the learners’ ability to collect information (p < .01), use strategies to help patients feel physically and psychologically safe (p < .001), recognize how bias influences patient encounters (p < .05), and provide counseling (p < .05). Learners overall found the learning exercise valuable.

DISCUSSION: The exercise introduced learners to trauma-informed care, improved learner confidence, and was well received. Many EM residency programs incorporate simulation into their curriculum; this simulation exercise can be adapted to other programs’ educational needs.

PMID:40008394 | PMC:PMC11850505 | DOI:10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11500

IEEE Trans Radiat Plasma Med Sci. 2024 Nov 15:1. doi: 10.1109/TRPMS.2024.3496779. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Reduced dose Positron Emission Tomography (PET) lowers the radiation dose to patients and reduces costs. Lower count data, however, degrades reconstructed image quality. Advanced reconstruction methods help mitigate image quality losses, but it is important to assess the resulting images from a clinical perspective. Two experienced clinicians assessed four PET reconstruction algorithms for [¹⁸F]FDG brain data, compared to a clinical standard reference (Maximum-Likelihood Expectation-Maximization (MLEM)), based on seven clinical image quality metrics: global quality rating, pattern recognition, diagnostic confidence (all on a scale of 0-4), sharpness, caudate-putamen separation, noise, and contrast (on a scale between 0-2). The reconstruction methods assessed were a guided and unguided version of self-supervised maximum a posteriori EM (MAPEM) (where the guidance case used the patient’s MR image to control the smoothness penalty). For 3 of the 11 patient datasets reconstructed, post-smoothed versions of the MAPEM reconstruction were also considered, where the smoothing was with the point-spread-function used in the resolution modelling. Statistically significant improvements were observed in sharpness, caudate-putamen separation, and contrast for self-supervised MR-guided MAPEM compared to MLEM. For example, MLEM scored between 1-1.1 out of 2 for sharpness, caudate-putamen separation and contrast, whereas self-supervised MR-guided MAPEM scored between 1.5-1.75. In addition to the clinical evaluation, pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) were used to assess the image quality of a further 62 images. The CNNs demonstrated similar trends to the clinician, showing their potential as automated standalone observers. Both the clinical and CNN assessments suggest when using only 5% of the standard injected dose, self-supervised MR-guided MAPEM reconstruction matches the 100% MLEM case for overall performance. This makes the images far more clinically useful than standard MLEM.

PMID:40008384 | PMC:PMC7617360 | DOI:10.1109/TRPMS.2024.3496779

Breast J. 2025 Feb 18;2025:8410670. doi: 10.1155/tbj/8410670. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) constitute a significant proportion of breast cancers in Pakistan. Owing to the lack of expression of hormone (estrogen/progesterone) receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2neu), treatment options for TNBCs are limited. Therefore, it is important to identify markers that predict response to chemotherapy in these patients. Previous studies have demonstrated that the excision repair cross complementation group 1 (ERCC1) protein can successfully augur the response to chemotherapy in cancer; however, data related to TNBCs, particularly in Pakistan, are limited. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the role of ERCC1 in predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with TNBCs. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Liaquat National Hospital, Histopathology Department, between January 2019 and June 2023. A total of 132 biopsy-proven cases of breast cancer that were negative for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER/2neu and were administered neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery were included in the study. ERCC1 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed on prechemotherapy needle biopsies. The results were scored semiquantitatively by assessing the average intensity on a scale of 0-3 (0, no staining; 1, weak nuclear staining; 2, intermediate nuclear staining; and 3, strong nuclear staining) and the proportion of tumor cells showing positive nuclear staining. The intensity and proportion scores were then multiplied to give a score that was divided by 100 to give an overall score, and scores equal to or higher than 1.0 were considered positive. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy response was categorized as pathological complete response (pCR) when no residual invasive breast carcinoma was found on the postneoadjuvant chemotherapy excision specimen and as pathological partial response (pPR) when residual cancer cells were present in admixed chemotherapy-related changes. The residual cancer burden (RCB) was calculated using the MD Anderson RCB calculator. The association between ERCC1 expression and the chemotherapy response/RCB class was determined. Results: We found that 90.9% (n = 120) of TNBC cases expressed ERCC1, whereas pCR was noted in 24 (18.2%) cases. A significant association was observed between ERCC1 expression and pCR. Cases with negative ERCC1 expression had a significantly higher frequency of pCR (66.7%) than those with positive ERCC1 expression (13.3%). Additionally, the ERCC1-positive group showed a higher frequency of RCB classes II (36.7%) and III (43.3%) than the ERCC1-negative group (RCB II: 25%; RCB III: 0%). Moreover, positive ERCC1 expression was associated with higher nodal (N) stage. Conclusion: In this study, we established the role of negative ERCC1 expression in predicting the response to chemotherapy in neoadjuvant TNBC. Therefore, ERCC1 can be used as a predictive marker to stratify patients who will benefit from neoadjuvant therapy. Moreover, we also noted an association between ERCC1 expression and nodal metastasis; however, more large-scale studies are needed to establish its role as a prognostic biomarker in TNBC.

PMID:40008380 | PMC:PMC11858828 | DOI:10.1155/tbj/8410670

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 11;16:1495733. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1495733. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Psychological frailty, an emerging concept, lacks a standardized definition, measuring instrument, and empirical evidence in Asian (especially Chinese) populations. An effective instrument to measure psychological frailty should be urgently developed. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and initially validate a Psychological Frailty Index (PFI) based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The study assessed the applicability of the PFI to adverse health outcomes as a secondary aim.

RESULTS: Factor analysis of the 15-item PFI extracted four factors of psychological frailty (psychological distress, cognitive decline, physical vulnerability, and memory decline). The PFI demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.764) and criterion validity (rho = 0.806). Psychological frailty was significantly associated with lower life expectancy (odds ratio [OR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71-2.29), higher outpatient treatments (1.25, 1.03-1.51), and increased hospitalization (1.45, 1.22-1.74).

CONCLUSION: The PFI could be a reliable instrument for identifying psychological frailty. The PFI is a novel tool that measures health indicators of older adults at risk of increased psychological vulnerability, but it requires further validation.

PMID:40008339 | PMC:PMC11850362 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1495733