Category: Statistics

Dev Psychopathol. 2023 Sep 25:1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0954579423001189. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Emotional disorders in children are often associated with low self-concept and problems with peers, and in many cases externalizing symptoms. Super Skills for Life (SSL) is a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional problems in children that has also shown benefits in other comorbid symptoms. This study aimed to examine, for the first time, the effect of SSL on a clinical sample of Spanish children aged 8-12 years with a major emotional disorder and comorbid externalizing symptoms and low self-concept. A quasi-experimental design with two groups, pretest and posttest, was carried out. Thirty-eight children received the SSL intervention, and 36 children were assigned to a wait-list control (WLC) group. Children in SSL showed statistically fewer posttest emotional symptoms (p < .001), peer problems (p = .002), and overall internalizing and externalizing difficulties (p = .005) compared to children in WLC, in addition to higher posttest self-concept (p = .002). There were no differences in the postinterventional changes between boys and girls in internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, significant differences were found in some facets of self-concept. The results of this study suggest that the SSL protocol may be useful in Spanish clinical contexts. Still, more research is needed to overcome some of the inherent limitations.

PMID:37746750 | DOI:10.1017/S0954579423001189

Aust Endod J. 2023 Sep 25. doi: 10.1111/aej.12799. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) with asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AP). A total of 60 participants were randomly divided into two groups: the conventional irrigation (control) and the Nd: YAG laser irradiation. The interstitial fluids were obtained after root canal cleaning (day 0) and 1 week later (day 7). The TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ levels were assayed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Mann-Whitney U, continuity correction chi-square, Pearson chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used. An increased level of cytokines on day 7 in the control group was observed, without statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). All cytokine levels decreased over time in the laser group. Only the IL-1β level showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). Nd: YAG irradiation has a positive effect on decreasing the proinflammatory cytokine level and may help to control infection in teeth with AP.

PMID:37746745 | DOI:10.1111/aej.12799

Int J Dent Hyg. 2023 Sep 25. doi: 10.1111/idh.12766. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Provider bias has been shown to be a contributing factor to racial and ethnic disparities observed in health care settings. The purpose of this study was to examine implicit racial bias among dental hygienists.

METHODS: A convenience sample of licensed and practicing dental hygienists within the United States was recruited through email and national dental hygiene social media groups via snowball sampling. A two-part survey design was used for data collection. Participants completed a 10-item demographic survey through an online platform and were then routed to the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT). Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to compare demographic data and implicit racial preference scores (d-scores).

RESULTS: Data from 404 licensed dental hygienists were included in this study. Over two-thirds (67.8%) of participants showed a preference for European Americans over African Americans. A significant difference was found between implicit racial preference scores and participant age (Estimate: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.01), years worked comparing <5 years to 21 or more years (Estimate: 0.19, 95% CI: -0.30, -0.09) and race comparing non-White to White (Estimate: -0.17, 95% CI: -0.27, -0.07). No difference was found with task order, previous Race IAT experience, or previous self-reported implicit bias training.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that dental hygienists may harbor implicit racial preferences for European Americans over African Americans. Non-White participants had more positive implicit preferences toward African Americans compared to White participants. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which implicit racial biases contribute to disparities in oral health.

PMID:37746722 | DOI:10.1111/idh.12766

Physiol Genomics. 2023 Sep 25. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00055.2023. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this study, post-smolt male Atlantic salmon, previously identified as low (LR) or high responders (HR) based on post-stress cortisol levels, had their head kidney and liver sampled at 12 and 20°C prior to injection (time 0) and after (i.e., at 12 and 24 hpi, respectively) they were injected with either Forte Micro (a multi-valent vaccine containing bacterin, to capture peak antibacterial responses) or an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was then used to measure the expression of 15 biomarker genes in the head kidney and 12 genes in the liver at each temperature/sampling point. Target transcripts were chosen that were related to growth, stress and innate antibacterial immune responses. Many temperature, phenotype and injection effects were found for individual genes within these 3 broad categories, and multivariate statistical analyses (i.e., PCA and PERMANOVA) were used to look for overall patterns in transcript expression. These analyses revealed that HR salmon at 20°C mounted a more robust response (p < 0.05) for the 10 head kidney immune-related transcripts when injected with Forte Micro than LR salmon. In contrast, the 7 liver stress-related transcripts displayed a greater response (p = 0.057) in LR vs. HR fish with Forte Micro at 12°C. Overall, while this research did find some differences between LR and HR fish, it does not provide strong (conclusive) evidence that the selection of a particular phenotype would have major implications for the health of salmon over the temperature range examined.

PMID:37746713 | DOI:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00055.2023

Inquiry. 2023 Jan-Dec;60:469580231200602. doi: 10.1177/00469580231200602.

ABSTRACT

Nurses’ intention of leaving their profession is the main challenge for healthcare and hospital administrators in many countries. It has significant impact on the performance, stability and productivity of health facilities. However, there is limited evidence on the nurses’ intention to leave their profession and associated factors among nurses in developing countries including Ethiopia. This study was aimed to assess intention to leave nursing profession and its associated factors among nurses working in West Shoa Zone public Hospitals, Oromia region, Central Ethiopia, 2020. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 393 nurses working in West Shoa zone public hospitals, Ethiopia from May 1 to 30, 2020. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Structured self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were cleaned and entered into Epi-data version 3.1 then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequency mean and standard deviation was computed to describe variables of the study. All covariates that were significant at P value <0.25 in bivariate logistic regression analysis were considered for further multivariable logistic regression analysis. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was fitted, crude ratio and odds ratio were calculated for factors at 95% confidence interval (CI). Level of statistical significance was declared at P value <0.05. In this study, the overall nurses’ intention to leave nursing profession was 61.3% [95% CI (56.5%, 66.2%)]. Nurses’ educational status, age, working experience, working position, professional commitment, job stress, job satisfaction and organizational factor were significantly associated with nurses’ intention to leave their profession. The overall nurses’ intention to leave their profession was high. Reducing this level of leaving intention needs collaborative intervention related to factors like safety of working environment, job related stress, job satisfaction, professional commitment and education opportunities which are a big homework for managers on health sectors of West Shoa zone public Hospitals and higher level health sector managers.

PMID:37746703 | DOI:10.1177/00469580231200602

World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1653-1661. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1653.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a relevant public health problem. Current research suggests that racial, economic and geographic disparities impact access. Despite the expansion of Medicaid eligibility as a key component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is a dearth of information on the utilization of newly gained access to CRC screening by low-income individuals. This study investigates the impact of the ACA’s Medicaid expansion on utilization of the various CRC screening modalities by low-income participants. Our working hypothesis is that Medicaid expansion will increase access and utilization of CRC screening by low-income participants.

AIM: To investigate the impact of the Affordable Care Act and in particular the effect of Medicaid expansion on access and utilization of CRC screening modalities by Medicaid state expansion status across the United States.

METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study design using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a large health system survey for participants across the United States and with over 2.8 million responses. The period of the study was from 2011 to 2016 which was dichotomized as pre-ACA Medicaid expansion (2011-2013) and post-ACA Medicaid expansion (2014-2016). The change in utilization of access to CRC screening strategies between the expansion periods were analyzed as the dependent variables. Secondary analyses included stratification of the access by ethnicity/race, income, and education status.

RESULTS: A greater increase in utilization of access to CRC screening was observed in Medicaid expansion states than in non-expansion states [+2.9%; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 2.12, 3.69]. Low-income participants showed a +4.02% (95%CI: 2.96, 5.07) change between the expansion periods compared with higher income groups +3.19% (1.70, 4.67). Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics [+3.01% (95%CI: 2.16, 3.85) vs +5.51% (95%CI: 2.81, 8.20)] showed a statistically significant increase in utilization of access but not in Non-Hispanic Blacks, or Multiracial. There was an increase in utilization across all educational levels. This was significant among those who reported having a high school graduate degree or more +4.26 % (95%CI: 3.16, 5.35) compared to some high school or less +1.59% (95%CI: -1.37, 4.55).

CONCLUSION: Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act led to an overall increase in self-reported use of CRC screening tests by adults aged 50-64 years in the United States. This finding was consistent across all low-income populations, but not all races or levels of education.

PMID:37746654 | PMC:PMC10514727 | DOI:10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1653

World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1644-1652. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1644.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic mucosal resection is an innovative method for treating early gastric cancer and has been widely used in clinical practice.

AIM: To analyze the factors associated with the development of heterochronic gastric cancer in patients with early gastric cancer who had undergone endoscopic mucosal dissection (EMD).

METHODS: A cohort of patients with early gastric cancer treated using EMD was retrospectively analyzed, and patients who developed heterochronic gastric cancer after the surgery were compared with those who did not. The effects of patient age, sex, tumor size, pathological type, and surgical technique on the development of heterochronic gastric cancer were assessed using statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Of the 300 patients with early gastric cancer, 150 patients developed heterochronic gastric cancer after EMD. Statistical analysis revealed that patient age (P value = XX), sex (P value = XX), tumor size (P value = XX), pathological type (P value = XX), and surgical technique (P value = XX) were significantly associated with the occurrence of heterochronic gastric cancer.

CONCLUSION: Age, sex, tumor size, pathological type, and surgical technique are key factors influencing the occurrence of heterochronic gastric cancer after EMD in patients with early gastric cancer. To address these factors, postoperative follow-up and management should be strengthened to improve the prognosis and survival rate of patients.

PMID:37746653 | PMC:PMC10514730 | DOI:10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1644

World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1636-1643. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1636.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recurrence is the major challenge facing endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-based treatment therapies for early gastric cancer (EGC). Urgent development of simple and easy surveillance approaches will enhance clinical treatment of the disease.

AIM: To explore the role of computed tomography (CT) recurrence in evaluating EGC after ESD treatment.

METHODS: We retrospectively recruited patients from our endoscopy department, between January 2002 and December 2015, and analyzed their basic characteristics, including symptoms, CT results, and results of endoscopy with biopsy, among others.

RESULTS: Among a total of 2150 patients EGC patients surveyed, 1362 met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and were therefore enrolled in our study. The cohort’s sensitivity of CT for recurrent GC and specificity were 44.22% and 43.86%, respectively, with negative and positive predictive values of 40.15% (275/685) and 48.01% (325/677), respectively. The area under the curve of arterial and venous CT values for recurrent EGC were 0.545, and 0.604, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve revealed no statistically significant differences between arterial and venous CT values for recurrent EGC.

CONCLUSION: Enhanced CT has superior diagnostic efficacy, but less accuracy, compared to gold standard techniques in patients with recurrent EGC.

PMID:37746651 | PMC:PMC10514731 | DOI:10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1636

World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1505-1519. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1505.

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) presents a catastrophic disease with poor overall survival at advanced stages, with immediate requirement of new and effective treatment options. Besides genetic mutations, epigenetic dysregulation of signaling pathway-associated enriched genes are considered as novel therapeutic target. Mechanisms beneath the deoxyribonucleic acid methylation and its utility in developing of epi-drugs in PanCa are under trails. Combinations of epigenetic medicines with conventional cytotoxic treatments or targeted therapy are promising options to improving the dismal response and survival rate of PanCa patients. Recent studies have identified potentially valid pathways that support the prediction that future PanCa clinical trials will include vigorous testing of epigenomic therapies. Epigenetics thus promises to generate a significant amount of new knowledge of biological and medical importance. Our review could identify various components of epigenetic mechanisms known to be involved in the initiation and development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and related precancerous lesions, and novel pharmacological strategies that target these components could potentially lead to breakthroughs. We aim to highlight the possibilities that exist and the potential therapeutic interventions.

PMID:37746645 | PMC:PMC10514732 | DOI:10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1505

World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1616-1625. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1616.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The multidisciplinary team (MDT) has been carried out in many large hospitals now. However, given the costs of time and money and with little strong evidence of MDT effectiveness being reported, critiques of MDTs persist.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of MDTs on patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases and share our opinion on management of synchronous colorectal liver metastases.

METHODS: In this study we collected clinical data of patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases from February 2014 to February 2017 in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital and subsequently divided them into an MDT+ group and an MDT- group. In total, 93 patients in MDT+ group and 169 patients in MDT- group were included totally.

RESULTS: Statistical increases in the rate of chest computed tomography examination (P = 0.001), abdomen magnetic resonance imaging examination (P = 0.000), and preoperative image staging (P = 0.0000) were observed in patients in MDT+ group. Additionally, the proportion of patients receiving chemotherapy (P = 0.019) and curative resection (P = 0.042) was also higher in MDT+ group. Multivariable analysis showed that the population of patients assessed by MDT meetings had higher 1-year [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.608, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.398-0.931, P = 0.022] and 5-year (HR = 0.694, 95%CI: 0.515-0.937, P = 0.017) overall survival.

CONCLUSION: These results proved that MDT management did bring patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases more opportunities for comprehensive examination and treatment, resulting in better outcomes.

PMID:37746642 | PMC:PMC10514728 | DOI:10.4251/wjgo.v15.i9.1616