Category: Statistics

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35550-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The mercury content in the hair of residents in the industrial city of Cherepovets (0.297 mg/kg) is three times lower than that of residents in the specially protected natural area of Kirillovsky district (0.877 mg/kg), which is approximately 110 km away from Cherepovets. In both the residents of the industrial city and in the protected area, the mercury content in hair increases with the age of the individuals. In the population of the city, there is no difference between the mercury content in the hair and the frequency of fish consumption. The mercury content in the hair of the population from the protected area depends on the frequency of fish consumed in their diet. The average value of the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ¹⁵N) in the hair of the participants is 10.11‰. No differences have been established between the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ¹⁵N) in the hair of residents of the industrial city (10.00‰) and the protected area (10.19‰). People with a mercury content in their hair above the median value had statistically significantly higher δ¹⁵N values in both residents of industrial city and protected area. A correlation was established between the isotopic signature of nitrogen and the amount of mercury in the hair both in the whole sample (Rs = 0.515, at p = 0.000), and in the industrial city (Rs = 0.425, at p = 0.002) and in the protected area residents (Rs = 0.706, at p = 0.000). That may be due to the differences in diet, as rural population has a traditionally high level of consumption of wild freshwater fish from local reservoirs while people from industrial city mainly purchase fish (seafood, marine fish, freshwater fish) from supermarkets.

PMID:39612094 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-024-35550-6

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35548-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Air, water, and soil pollution pose significant threats to environmental and human health, particularly in rapidly urbanising regions. This comprehensive review evaluates the scientific literature on plant biomonitoring in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, from 2009 to 2019, aiming to compile data for future research, assess the distribution of biomonitoring studies, and analyse their relationship to human health outcomes. To the extent of our knowledge, a review according to the criteria of this article has not yet been carried out. The review followed the ENTREQ protocol and employed a systematic search methodology, with thematic synthesis and descriptive statistics (percentage). Of the 656 studies identified, only 56 met the inclusion criteria. Air pollution was the most researched (91% of studies), and the city of São Paulo was the most frequent (40.2%). Leaves were the most analysed plant part (48.5%), and Tibouchina tipu was the most studied species (8.6%). Only five studies included here related the data to human health, focusing on respiratory diseases. The review presents an integrative framework illustrating the interplay between urbanisation, pollution, biomonitoring, and health outcomes. Despite limitations, plant biomonitoring offers valuable insights into the environmental and health impacts of pollution in São Paulo and can also serve as a guide for students and researchers on plant biomonitoring and its relationship with the diversity of pollutants and contaminants present in the biosphere, serving as support for the development of public policies regarding the improvement of environmental quality.

PMID:39612093 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-024-35548-0

Geroscience. 2024 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s11357-024-01457-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Obesity is a significant modifiable risk factor for dementia. This study aims to quantify the global impact of obesity on dementia burden and examine how national strategies for managing overweight/obesity and dietary factors influence dementia prevalence and mortality, with a focus on sex-specific differences. We used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) and World Health Organization (WHO) to evaluate the association between obesity age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) and dementia age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and ASPR across 161 countries. A two-step multivariate analysis adjusted for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors was performed. Temporal trends in dementia were analyzed based on the presence of national obesity management strategies and varying dietary scores. A 1% increase in national obesity prevalence was associated with a 0.36% increase in dementia mortality (OR: 1.0036; 95% CI: 1.0028-1.0045) in males and 0.12% in females (OR: 1.0012; 95% CI: 1.0007-1.0018). A 1% increase in national obesity ASPR was associated with an increase in ASPR of dementia by 0.26% for males (OR: 1.0026, 95% CI: 1.0024-1.0028) and 0.05% for females (OR: 1.0005, 95% CI: 1.0004-1.0006). Males exhibited a higher susceptibility to obesity-related dementia. Countries with national obesity management strategies showed a significantly greater reduction in dementia mortality, particularly among females (P = 0.025). Higher dietary scores were associated with a more significant decrease in dementia prevalence across both sexes. Rising obesity prevalence is linked to increased dementia burden globally, with males being more vulnerable to this relationship. National management of overweight/obesity and healthier dietary habits may help mitigate the dementia burden, emphasizing the need for integrated public health interventions.

PMID:39612068 | DOI:10.1007/s11357-024-01457-w

J Autism Dev Disord. 2024 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s10803-024-06667-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

ABSRACT: PURPOSE: The several prior studies assessing gender identity in young autistic individuals mostly included a mix of child and adolescent participants, heavily relied on parent-reported measures, and yielded mixed findings. A single parent-reported item from the Child Behavior Checklist assessing “wish to be of the opposite sex” was employed in most of these studies. Only one prior study focused specifically on children, but that study employed parent-reported measures.

METHODS: Using self-reported multidimensional measures, the present study assessed gender identity in autistic and non-autistic children aged 4 to 11 years (30 autistic boys, 35 non-autistic boys, 20 autistic girls, 35 non-autistic girls). Child-friendly measures were used to assess own-gender similarity, other-gender similarity, gender contentedness, and wish to be of the other gender. Vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning were also assessed.

RESULTS: Based on descriptive statistics, compared with non-autistic boys, autistic boys showed increased gender identity variance across all four dimensions (lower own-gender similarity, higher other-gender similarity, lower gender contentedness, greater wish to be of the other gender). These group differences between autistic and non-autistic boys were medium and statistically significant for three of the four dimensions and small-to-medium and marginally significant for the remaining dimension. Autistic girls and non-autistic girls did not show consistent or significant differences in gender identity. There were no differences between the autistic and non-autistic groups in vocabulary or non-verbal reasoning in either boys or girls.

CONCLUSION: Gender identity variance may emerge early in development in autistic individuals, but the trajectory may differ for boys and girls.

PMID:39612065 | DOI:10.1007/s10803-024-06667-x

Lung. 2024 Nov 29;203(1):6. doi: 10.1007/s00408-024-00767-2.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Anxiety and depression are often underdiagnosed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to develop and validate a screening tool for anxiety and depression in COPD patients.

METHODS: Stable COPD patients were consecutively recruited from November 2021 to October 2023 and underwent a psychiatric interview to diagnose generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Patients were split into training and validation sets according to their recruitment time. We assessed known risk factors and used core items from the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS) to develop a prediction nomogram. Multivariable logistic regression with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to construct the nomogram.

RESULTS: Among the enrolled COPD patients (n = 329), 58 (25.6%) in the training cohort and 33 (32.4%) in the validation cohort were diagnosed with GAD and/or MDD. Three variables were identified in the prediction nomogram: COPD Assessment Test score and two core items from PHQ-ADS. The under the curve (AUC) value for the nomogram was 0.826 (95% CI: 0.755-0.897) and 0.855 (95% CI: 0.767-0.942) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve was close to the diagonal. The discriminatory power of the screening nomogram was comparable to that of PHQ-ADS (AUC: 0.826 vs. 0.831, P = 0.832).

CONCLUSION: The new screening tool for GAD and MDD in COPD patients is concise and valid, with discriminatory power comparable to existing anxiety/depression screening questionnaires.

PMID:39612056 | DOI:10.1007/s00408-024-00767-2

Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Nov 29;184(1):54. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05891-y.

ABSTRACT

The short-term respiratory consequences of small for gestational (SGA) are only partially known. Our aim was to compare the early respiratory features between SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) in very preterm infants. We conducted a secondary analysis of the French prospective EPIPAGE-2 cohort. Eligible children were those born alive before 32 weeks’ gestation. The exposed group consisted of children with SGA. The unexposed group consisted of AGA children. SGA and AGA children were randomly matched in a ratio of 1:1 on the same gestational age and sex. Primary outcomes were age at final extubation and age at weaning from any respiratory support. Among 3.964 very preterm from the EPIPAGE2 cohort, 1123 SGA and 1123 AGA very preterm children were included in the study. The median gestational age was 30.0 weeks (interquartile range 28.0-31.0) in both groups. The median birthweight was 1440 g (1138-1680) in the AGA group and 1000 g (780-1184) in the SGA group. Invasive mechanical ventilation was less common in the SGA than in the AGA group: 68.6% (770/1123) versus 72.0% (808/1062), odds ratio 0.85 (95% CI [0.72-1.00]). In cases of mechanical ventilation, median age at final extubation was 4 days (1-23) and 2 days (1-9) in the SGA and AGA groups. Median postmenstrual age at weaning from any respiratory support was 33.4 weeks (31.7-35.9) in the SGA group and 32.4 weeks (31.4-34.3) in the AGA group.

CONCLUSION: SGA is associated with delayed extubation and respiratory support weaning.

WHAT IS KNOWN: • Small for gestational age concerns more than 30% of very preterm children. • The condition is strongly associated with increased neonatal mortality and morbidity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

WHAT IS NEW: • Small for gestational age is associated with delayed extubation and respiratory support weaning in very preterm children. • Shortening invasive mechanical ventilation as much as possible is a crucial issue in this population to try to reduce the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

PMID:39612049 | DOI:10.1007/s00431-024-05891-y

Sleep Breath. 2024 Nov 29;29(1):25. doi: 10.1007/s11325-024-03184-0.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare cervical proprioception and related biomechanical factors among patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and asymptomatic controls.

METHODS: In this case-control study, polysomnography scores (apnea-hypopnea index-AHI) were examined to determine the disease severity of the OSA group. Also, we evaluated cervical proprioception by using a laser pointer to detect joint repositioning error sense in cervical rotational movements. Comparison statistics were also conducted for the cervical musculoskeletal variables such as range of motion (ROM) with bubble inclinometer, cranio-cervical (CVA), and thoracic posture (TKA) through photometric analysis, neck flexor muscle endurance test, and pain pressure thresholds of trapezius (PPT).

RESULTS: This case-control study included 59 male participants: patients with OSA (n = 29; mean age = 49.10 years; mean BMI = 28.41 kg/m2) and asymptomatic controls (n = 30; mean age = 49.73 years; mean BMI = 26.89 ± 3.60 kg/m2). The mean AHI score was 26.06 events/hour, categorizing the severity of OSA as mild (31.03%), moderate (31.03%), and severe (37.94%). Patients with OSA demonstrated significantly poorer cervical proprioception compared to controls for both sides of cervical rotation with larger effect sizes (d:1.36-1.45; p < 0.05). Also, cervical ROM, CVA, TKA, neck flexor muscle endurance test, and PPT values were altered in the OSA group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Impaired cervical proprioception may be a previously unrecognized factor associated with OSA. This finding has implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying cervical musculoskeletal changes in OSA and for developing potential new interventions or exercise designs targeting postural control.

PMID:39612037 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-024-03184-0

J Math Biol. 2024 Nov 29;90(1):1. doi: 10.1007/s00285-024-02167-9.

ABSTRACT

We study a diffusive epidemic model and examine the spatial spreading dynamics of a multi-strain infectious disease. In particular, we address the questions of competitive-exclusion or coexistence of the disease’s strains. Our results indicate that if one strain has its local reproduction function spatially homogeneous, which either strictly minimizes or maximizes the basic reproduction numbers, then the phenomenon of competitive-exclusion occurs. However, if all the local reproduction functions are spatially heterogeneous, several strains may coexist. In this case, we provide complete information on the large time behavior of classical solutions for the two-strain model when the diffusion rate is uniform within the population and the ratio of the local transmission rates is constant. Particularly, we prove the existence of two critical superimposed functions that serve as threshold values for the ratio of the transmission rates and that of the recovery rates. Furthermore, when the populations’ diffusion rates are small, our result on the asymptotic profiles of coexistence endemic equilibria indicate a spatial segregation of infected populations.

PMID:39612006 | DOI:10.1007/s00285-024-02167-9

Sleep Breath. 2024 Nov 29;29(1):22. doi: 10.1007/s11325-024-03172-4.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) helps select patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for surgery by identifying upper airway collapse patterns. This study aimed to predict the probability of complete concentric collapse at the palatal level (CCCp) during DISE based on patient characteristics, specifically body mass index (BMI).

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of OSA patients who underwent DISE from January 2018 to July 2023. Logistic regression with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis were used to assess the diagnostic efficiency of BMI and other predictors for CCCp.

RESULTS: A consecutive series of 1761 eligible patients was included for analysis. CCCp was observed in 22.3% of cases. The CCCp group had significantly higher BMI, neck circumference, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and height as well as increase in partial and complete collapse at oropharyngeal level. The ROC analysis for predicting CCCp for a BMI cut-off was similar for males and females 29.4 kg/m² and 29.5 kg/m², with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. Adding predictors like tonsils, AHI, height and neck circumference improved the model’s performance.

CONCLUSION: Although confirming an association between increasing BMI and presence of CCCp, we were unable to define an accurate BMI cut-off value for predicting CCCp. The multifactorial nature of this collapse pattern challenges BMI’s efficacy as a sole predictor. Our findings underscore the continued importance of DISE in evaluating CCCp and other collapse patterns for clinical decision-making in patients considered for hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy.

PMID:39612003 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-024-03172-4

Surg Radiol Anat. 2024 Nov 29;47(1):11. doi: 10.1007/s00276-024-03528-1.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the anatomical variations and morphometric characteristics of the sulci in the dural venous sinuses within the intracranial cavity, with a particular focus on sex differences and asymmetry.

METHODS: Thirty fixed cadaveric heads were used to measure the dimensions (length, width, and depth) and spatial relationships of the dural venous sinus sulci within the intracranial cavity, including the distance to the midline, distance to each other, and lateral margin of the skull. Comparisons were made between sexes and sides of the body.

RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in the length of the marginal sinus on the right side between sexes (p = 0.028). Various measurements, including the width of the transverse sinus, origin and insertion sites of the superior petrosal sinus, and distances between the sinuses and midline, showed statistically significant differences between the left and right sides (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the width of the inferior petrosal sinus and depth of the sigmoid sinus were notably higher on the right side (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The results suggest an asymmetric distribution of the sigmoid, superior/inferior petrosal, and transverse sinuses in terms of diameter and distance from the midline. Surgeons should consider these anatomical variations during procedures in this region.

PMID:39611993 | DOI:10.1007/s00276-024-03528-1