Category: Statistics

Psychol Med. 2024 May 31:1-8. doi: 10.1017/S0033291724001090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health disorder that often starts during adolescence, with potentially important future consequences including ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET) status.

METHODS: We took a structured life course modeling approach to examine how depressive symptoms during adolescence might be associated with later NEET status, using a high-quality longitudinal data resource. We considered four plausible life course models: (1) an early adolescent sensitive period model where depressive symptoms in early adolescence are more associated with later NEET status relative to exposure at other stages; (2) a mid adolescent sensitive period model where depressive symptoms during the transition from compulsory education to adult life might be more deleterious regarding NEET status; (3) a late adolescent sensitive period model, meaning that depressive symptoms around the time when most adults have completed their education and started their careers are the most strongly associated with NEET status; and (4) an accumulation of risk model which highlights the importance of chronicity of symptoms.

RESULTS: Our analysis sample included participants with full information on NEET status (N = 3951), and the results supported the accumulation of risk model, showing that the odds of NEET increase by 1.015 (95% CI 1.012-1.019) for an increase of 1 unit in depression at any age between 11 and 24 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Given the adverse implications of NEET status, our results emphasize the importance of supporting mental health during adolescence and early adulthood, as well as considering specific needs of young people with re-occurring depressed mood.

PMID:38818779 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291724001090

Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2024 May 31;25:e31. doi: 10.1017/S1463423624000252.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the job preferences of senior medical students for mandatory service as general practitioners using discrete choice experiment.

INTRODUCTION: Health workforce is directly associated with health service coverage and health outcomes. However, there is a global shortage of healthcare workers (HCWs) in rural areas. Discrete choice experiments can guide the policy and decision-makers to increase recruitment and retention of HCWs in remote and rural areas by determining their job preferences. The aim of this study is to investigate job preferences of senior medical students for mandatory service as general practitioners.

METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 144 medical students. To estimate students’ preferences for different levels of job attributes, a mixed logit model was utilised. Simulations of job uptake rates and willingness to pay (WTP) estimates were computed.

FINDINGS: All attributes had an impact on the job preferences of students with the following order of priority: salary, workload, proximity to family/friends, working environment, facility and developmental status. For a normal workload and a workplace closed to family/friends which were the most valued attributes after salary, WTPs were 2818.8 Turkish lira (TRY) ($398.7) and 2287.5 TRY ($323.6), respectively. The preference weights of various job characteristics were modified by gender, the presence of a HCW parent and willingness to perform mandatory service. To recruit young physicians where they are most needed, monetary incentives appear to be the most efficient intervention. Non-pecuniary job characteristics also affected job preferences. Packages of both monetary and non-monetary incentives tailored to individual characteristics would be the most efficient approach.

PMID:38818776 | DOI:10.1017/S1463423624000252

Phytother Res. 2024 May 31. doi: 10.1002/ptr.8236. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a highly effective anti-neoplastic agent. Still, its utility in the clinic has been hindered by toxicities, including vomiting, hematopoietic suppression and nausea, with cardiotoxicity being the most serious side effect. Genistein (Gen) is a natural product with extensive biological effects, including anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, and cardiovascular protection. This study evaluated whether Gen protected the heart from Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and explored the underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were categorized into control (Ctrl), genistein (Gen), doxorubicin (Dox), genistein 20 mg/kg/day + doxorubicin (Gen20 + Dox) and genistein 40 mg/kg/day + doxorubicin (Gen40 + Dox) groups. Six weeks after injection, immunohistochemistry (IHC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and clinical cardiac function analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of Dox on cardiac function and structural alterations. Furthermore, each heart histopathological lesions were given a score of 0-3 in compliance with the articles for statistical analysis. In addition, molecular and cellular response of H9c2 cells toward Dox were evaluated through western blotting, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), AO staining and calcein AM/PI assay. Dox (5 μM in vitro and 18 mg/kg in vivo) was used in this study. In vivo, low-dose Gen pretreatment protected the rat against Dox-induced cardiac dysfunction and pathological remodeling. Gen inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)’s phosphorylation, increased the protein levels of STAT3 and c-Myc, and decreased the autophagy and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. U0126, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, can mimic the effect of Gen in protecting against Dox-induced cytotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro. Molecular docking analysis showed that Gen forms a stable complex with ERK1/2. Gen protected the heart against Dox-induced cardiomyocyte autophagy and apoptosis through the ERK/STAT3/c-Myc signaling pathway.

PMID:38818771 | DOI:10.1002/ptr.8236

Euro Surveill. 2024 May;29(22). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.22.2400275.

ABSTRACT

A measles outbreak with 51 cases occurred in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, between January and March 2024. The outbreak was triggered by an imported case, and 37 (72.5%) subsequent cases were previously vaccinated individuals. Epidemiological investigations showed that vaccinated measles cases were symptomatic and infectious. In a highly vaccinated population, it is important to raise awareness among healthcare professionals to suspect and test for measles virus when an outbreak is declared, irrespective of the vaccination status of the patients.

PMID:38818746 | DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.22.2400275

Disabil Rehabil. 2024 May 31:1-7. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2360062. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Students of allied health disciplines deal with daily challenges. Without methods to mitigate stress, a decline in academic and clinical performance may result. This scoping review aims to examine the current evidence for the efficacy of interventions for enhancing resilience for allied health students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medline, Emcare and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for literature published until October 2022. The search included Quantitative studies which employed a pre-post or controlled study design to evaluate an intervention to improve resilience for university students in medical radiation, pharmacy, optometry, physiotherapy and podiatry. Screening and data extraction was conducted independently by two reviewers. Critical appraisal was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Seven studies were included.

RESULTS: A range of resilience interventions were discovered in terms of the frequency and duration, method of implementation including didactic and online learning. Statistically significant findings were found in most controlled trials and pre-post studies. Interventions to enhance resilience are effective within allied health curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS: The evidence that resilience can be significantly influenced by an intervention suggests that stakeholders should spend more time on designing and piloting interventions within their context. Future research should look to assess longer term and clinical related outcomes.

PMID:38818743 | DOI:10.1080/09638288.2024.2360062

J Chem Theory Comput. 2024 May 31. doi: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00287. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Comparisons between simulated and experimental adsorption isotherms in MOFs are fraught with challenges. On the experimental side, there is significant variation between isotherms measured on the same system, with a significant percentage (∼20%) of published data being considered outliers. On the simulation side, force fields are often chosen “off-the-shelf” with little or no validation. The effect of this choice on the reliability of simulated adsorption predictions has not yet been rigorously quantified. In this work, we fill this gap by systematically quantifying the uncertainty arising from force field selection on adsorption isotherm predictions. We choose methane adsorption, where electrostatic interactions are negligible, to independently study the effect of the framework Lennard-Jones parameters on a series of prototypical materials that represent the most widely studied MOF “families”. Using this information, we compute an adsorption “consensus isotherm” from simulations, including a quantification of uncertainty, and compare it against a manually curated set of experimental data from the literature. By considering many experimental isotherms measured by different groups and eliminating outliers in the data using statistical analysis, we conduct a rigorous comparison that avoids the pitfalls of the standard approach of comparing simulation predictions to a single experimental data set. Our results show that (1) the uncertainty in simulated isotherms can be as large as 15% and (2) standard force fields can provide reliable predictions for some systems but can fail dramatically for others, highlighting systematic shortcomings in those models. Based on this, we offer recommendations for future simulation studies of adsorption, including high-throughput computational screening of MOFs.

PMID:38818701 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00287

Int J Cosmet Sci. 2024 May 31. doi: 10.1111/ics.12979. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: European Commission Regulation (EU) n°2023/1545 introduced the concept of grouping names in the cosmetics sector in July 2023. These groups bring together allergenic substances with the same level of skin sensitization. Their purpose is to lighten the list of ingredients on cosmetic packaging, by grouping together substances deemed to be similar under the same name. As this classification is based on a single toxic effect – skin sensitization – the present study aims to analyse the relevance of these groupings with regard to other toxic effects of substances in the same group.

METHODS: This study was carried out by consulting an available database, various reports from 5 committees, 2 books and 5 articles in order to complete the toxicological profile of each substance. Then, in order to highlight any discrepancies within the classification, the worst cases were identified. For this purpose, the data for each substance in a group were compared, and in the event of greater criticality for a toxic effect, this was qualified as a worst case. In addition, similar toxic effects between several substances within the same group were also recorded. The aim of this additional research was to validate the definition of the grouping name and the similarities between substances in the same group.

RESULTS: From the 17 grouping names, 5 presented worst cases. Two groups had 2 worst cases and the others only one. In total, from the 7 worst cases detected, 3 were due to the toxic effect “skin irritation”. In most cases, the substances in the groupings shared the presence or absence of risk. Only the degree of risk criticality varied.

CONCLUSION: Classification by grouping names appears justified regarding the similarities between substances, particularly in terms of skin sensitization. However, the presence of worst cases qualifies it and highlights the importance of being vigilant when assessing the risk of cosmetic products including these grouping names in their list of ingredients.

PMID:38818677 | DOI:10.1111/ics.12979

J Glob Health. 2024 May 31;14:04121. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04121.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause long-term impacts on health and can substantially affect people’s ability to work. Little is known about how such impacts vary by gender, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where productivity losses may affect economic development. This study assessed the long-term productivity loss caused by major NCDs among adult women and men (20-76 years) in Mexico because of premature death and hospitalisations, between 2005 and 2021.

METHODS: We conducted an economic valuation based on the Human Capital Approach. We obtained population-based data from the National Employment Survey from 2005 to 2021 to estimate the expected productivity according to age and gender using a two-part model. We utilised expected productivity based on wage rates to calculate the productivity loss, employing Mexican official mortality registries and hospital discharge microdata for the same period. To assess the variability in our estimations, we performed sensitivity analyses under two different scenarios.

RESULTS: Premature mortality by cancers, diabetes, chronic cardiovascular diseases (CVD), chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) caused a productivity loss of 102.6 billion international US dollars (Intl. USD) from 2.8 million premature deaths. Seventy-three percent of this productivity loss was observed among men. Cancers caused 38.3% of the productivity loss (mainly among women), diabetes 38.1, CVD 15.1, CRD 3.2, and CKD 5.3%. Regarding hospitalisations, the estimated productivity loss was 729.7 million Intl. USD from 54.2 million days of hospitalisation. Men faced 65.4 and women 34.6% of these costs. Cancers caused 41.3% of the productivity loss mainly by women, followed by diabetes (22.1%), CKD (20.4%), CVD (13.6%) and CRD (2.6%).

CONCLUSIONS: Major NCDs impose substantial costs from lost productivity in Mexico and these tend to be higher amongst men, while for some diseases the economic burden is higher for women. This should be considered to inform policymakers to design effective gender-sensitive health and social protection interventions to tackle the burden of NCDs.

PMID:38818618 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04121

J Glob Health. 2024 May 31;14:04095. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04095.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Urticaria places a significant burden on individuals and society due to its widespread nature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the burden of urticaria in different regions and nations by analysing data from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019 (GBD 2019), with the goal of providing information to health care policymakers.

METHODS: By utilising data from the GBD 2019 database, this study analysed metrics such as incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardised rate (ASR), and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) globally and across 204 countries and regions. The data was further stratified by age, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

RESULTS: In 2019, global incidence cases, prevalence cases, and overall disease burden as measured by DALYs all increased. The distribution of the burden exhibited marked geographical heterogeneity. At the regional level, the burden is highest in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with the strongest growth in South Asia, compared with a decline in the high-income Asia Pacific. At the country level, Nepal reports the highest burden of urticaria, while Portugal has the lowest. Gender and age analyses showed that the burden of urticaria is higher in females than in males, with urticaria cases declining with age, especially in children, and picking up among the elderly. The study also finds a correlation between the burden of urticaria and the SDI, with the central part of the SDI showing a consistent increasing trend.

CONCLUSION: This study found that the global burden of urticaria has risen from 1990 to 2019. Factors like geographic location, gender, and SDI influenced the urticaria burden. Overall, these results offer a resource to guide public health strategies seeking to reduce the burden of urticaria.

PMID:38818613 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04095

J Glob Health. 2024 May 31;14:04104. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04104.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The description of long-term trends in the cancer burden among children aged zero to nine years from 1990 to 2019 reveals significant changes in children’s health. It helps in resource allocation and health policy planning. We analysed data on the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by sex and age group in children aged zero to nine.

METHODS: Estimates of DALYs for children aged zero to nine years, appeared as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study 2019, by age, sex, and location for 1990-2019. We also provided estimations by the sociodemographic index (SDI) quintile, a systematic measure to indicate educational attainment, income per capita, and total fertility rate for those younger than 25 years. We used age-period-cohort models to investigate paediatric cancers prevalence, incidence, mortality, and DALYs rates and auto-regressive integrated moving average models to predict cancer in children of different age groups in males and females.

RESULTS: A total of 6 224 010 DALY numbers for cancer cases occurred globally in 2019 among children aged zero to nine years. Additionally, the incidence of paediatric cancers in 2019 in the middle SDI countries was the highest, including 60 662 cases, and the highest mortality and DALYs cases of paediatric cancers were in the low SDI countries (25 502 and 2 199 790). The joinpoint regression analysis revealed that the trend of total cancer burden in age-standardised mortality rates and age-standardised DALYs rates showed a significant decrease with an average annual percentage change of -2.10 and -2.03 from 1990 to 2019. Furthermore, the paediatric cancer spectrum was changing. Other malignant neoplasms and other leukaemia were the major components of cancer in all age groups of children.

CONCLUSIONS: The disease burden in children aged zero to nine years decreased significantly globally from 1990 to 2019. However, the overall prediction of childhood cancer increased slightly from 2020 to 2040. Our findings may help guide investments and inform policies. This highlights the necessity to improve current treatment measures and establish effective prevention strategies to reduce the cancer burden among children aged zero to nine years.

PMID:38818611 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04104