Category: Statistics

J Hypertens. 2023 Jul 6. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003504. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Saline infusion test (SIT) requires 2 l of isotonic saline for intravenous infusion over 4 h to suppress plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC). To shorten the procedure time and minimize the volume load, we study the performance of SIT at 1, 2 and 4 h for diagnosing primary aldosteronism.

METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. PAC was measured before and 1, 2 and 4 h after saline infusion at a rate of 500 ml/h in patients suspected to have primary aldosteronism. Primary aldosteronism was diagnosed based on 4 h PAC, adrenal imaging and/or adrenal venous sampling (AVS).

RESULTS: Of the 93 patients, 32 had primary aldosteronism. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the 1, 2 and 4 h PAC were not statistically different. All of the nonprimary aldosteronism group had a 1 h PAC lower than 15 ng/dl and all of the primary aldosteronism group had a 1 h PAC higher than 5 ng/dl. Nearly 30% of the nonprimary aldosteronism and primary aldosteronism groups had a 1 h PAC between 5 and 15 ng/dl (equivocal range) and could be discriminated by using percentage suppression of 1 h PAC from baseline. Using 1 h PAC of more than 15 ng/dl together with percentage suppression of 1 h PAC from baseline of less than 60 when 1 h PAC was 5-15 ng/dl, primary aldosteronism could be detected with a sensitivity of 93.7% and specificity of 96.7%.

CONCLUSION: The 1 h SIT has a similar diagnostic performance to the standard SIT. Using 1 h PAC together with percentage suppression from baseline when 1 h PAC is equivocal, primary aldosteronism can be diagnosed with good accuracy.

PMID:37432888 | DOI:10.1097/HJH.0000000000003504

Neural Comput. 2023 Jun 20:1-41. doi: 10.1162/neco_a_01595. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A stimulus can be encoded in a population of spiking neurons through any change in the statistics of the joint spike pattern, yet we commonly summarize single-trial population activity by the summed spike rate across cells: the population peristimulus time histogram (pPSTH). For neurons with a low baseline spike rate that encode a stimulus with a rate increase, this simplified representation works well, but for populations with high baseline rates and heterogeneous response patterns, the pPSTH can obscure the response. We introduce a different representation of the population spike pattern, which we call an “information train,” that is well suited to conditions of sparse responses, especially those that involve decreases rather than increases in firing. We use this tool to study populations with varying levels of burstiness in their spiking statistics to determine how burstiness affects the representation of spike decreases (firing “gaps”). Our simulated populations of spiking neurons varied in size, baseline rate, burst statistics, and correlation. Using the information train decoder, we find that there is an optimal level of burstiness for gap detection that is robust to several other parameters of the population. We consider this theoretical result in the context of experimental data from different types of retinal ganglion cells and determine that the baseline spike statistics of a recently identified type support nearly optimal detection of both the onset and strength of a contrast step.

PMID:37432862 | DOI:10.1162/neco_a_01595

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023 Jul 3;64(10):10. doi: 10.1167/iovs.64.10.10.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify diabetes-related risk factors for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

METHODS: This was a nationwide population-based cohort study using authorized clinical data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. A total of 1,768,018 participants with diabetes over 50 years of age participated in the Korean National Health Screening Program between 2009 and 2012. Data on covariates, including age, sex, income level, systemic comorbidities, behavioral factors, and diabetes-related parameters, including duration of diabetes, use of insulin for diabetes control, number of oral hypoglycemic agents used, and accompanying vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, were collected from health screening results and claims data. Patients were followed up until December 2018. Incident cases of exudative AMD were identified using registered diagnostic codes from the claims data. The prospective association of diabetes-related parameters with incident exudative AMD was investigated using the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS: During an average follow-up period of 5.93 years, 7331 patients were newly diagnosed with exudative AMD. Compared to those who had diabetes for less than 5 years, individuals with diabetes for 5 years or more had a greater risk of future exudative AMD development, with a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.13 (1.07-1.18) in the fully adjusted model. Use of insulin for diabetes control and the presence of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy were also associated with an increased risk of exudative AMD with a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.16 (1.07-1.25) and 1.40 (1.23-1.61), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: A longer duration of diabetes, administration of insulin for diabetes control, and comorbid vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy were associated with an increased risk of developing exudative AMD.

PMID:37432847 | DOI:10.1167/iovs.64.10.10

J Chem Inf Model. 2023 Jul 11. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00504. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The skew and shape of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymers have a significant impact on polymer physical properties. Standard summary metrics statistically derived from the MWD only provide an incomplete picture of the polymer MWD. Machine learning (ML) methods coupled with high-throughput experimentation (HTE) could potentially allow for the prediction of the entire polymer MWD without information loss. In our work, we demonstrate a computer-controlled HTE platform that is able to run up to 8 unique variable conditions in parallel for the free radical polymerization of styrene. The segmented-flow HTE system was equipped with an inline Raman spectrometer and offline size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to obtain time-dependent conversion and MWD, respectively. Using ML forward models, we first predict monomer conversion, intrinsically learning varying polymerization kinetics that change for each experimental condition. In addition, we predict entire MWDs including the skew and shape as well as SHAP analysis to interpret the dependence on reagent concentrations and reaction time. We then used a transfer learning approach to use the data from our high-throughput flow reactor to predict batch polymerization MWDs with only three additional data points. Overall, we demonstrate that the combination of HTE and ML provides a high level of predictive accuracy in determining polymerization outcomes. Transfer learning can allow exploration outside existing parameter spaces efficiently, providing polymer chemists with the ability to target the synthesis of polymers with desired properties.

PMID:37432764 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00504

J Cogn Neurosci. 2023 Jul 6:1-12. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_02033. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Recognizing and perceiving meaningful patterns in an ever-changing environment is fundamental to (human) beings. Apophenia, patternicity, and the propensity to perceive meaningful coincidences might result from the human brain working as a prediction machine that constantly matches sensory information to prior expectations. The propensity for Type I errors varies between people and, at its extreme, is associated with symptoms of schizophrenia. However, on a nonclinical level seeing meaning in randomness might be benevolent and was found to be associated with creativity and openness. However, hardly any neuroscientific investigation has examined EEG patterns of the propensity to experience meaningful coincidences in this manner. We hypothesized deviations in brain functions as one potential reason why some people experience more meaning in random arrangements than others. The gating by inhibition theory suggests that alpha power increases represent basic control mechanisms of sensory processes during varying task requirements. We found that people perceiving more meaningful coincidences had higher alpha power during an eyes-closed versus eyes-opened condition compared with people experiencing less meaningful coincidences. This indicates deviations in the sensory inhibition mechanism of the brain, which are critically relevant for higher cognitive functions. Applying Bayesian statistics, we replicated this finding in another independent sample.

PMID:37432751 | DOI:10.1162/jocn_a_02033

J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jul 11;25:e45338. doi: 10.2196/45338.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although remote communication technologies have been widely used to maintain connections with others against interpersonal contact restrictions and exacerbated loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unclear whether and what types of remote communication technologies are effective in mitigating loneliness.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between remote communication and loneliness when face-to-face meetings with others were strongly prohibited and whether this association varied across types of communication tools, age, and gender.

METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey conducted from August to September 2020. From registered panelists of the research agency, 28,000 randomly sampled participants completed the survey on the website. We created 2 study cohorts who stopped meeting with family members living apart and friends during the pandemic. We categorized whether participants had technology-based remote communication (voice calling, text messaging, and video calling) with family and friends. Loneliness was assessed using the 3-item University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. We used a modified Poisson regression model to investigate the association between loneliness and remote communication with family members living apart or friends. We also conducted subgroup analyses based on age and gender.

RESULTS: A total of 4483 participants stopped meeting with family members living apart, and 6783 participants stopped meeting with friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote communication with family members living apart did not show an association with loneliness, whereas remote communication with friends was associated with a low prevalence of loneliness (family: adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.08; P=.24 and friends: aPR=0.82, 95% CI 0.73-0.91; P<.001). From analyses by tools, voice calling was associated with low loneliness (family: aPR=0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.98; P=.03 and friends: aPR=0.87, 95% CI 0.80-0.95; P=.003). Similarly, text messaging was associated with low loneliness (family: aPR=0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.97; P=.02 and friends: aPR=0.81, 95% CI 0.73-0.89; P<.001). However, we did not find an association between video calling and loneliness (family: aPR=0.88, 95% CI 0.75-1.02; P=.09 and friends: aPR=0.94, 95% CI 0.85-1.04; P=.25). Text messaging with friends was associated with low loneliness regardless of age, whereas voice calling with family or friends was associated with low loneliness only among participants aged ≥65 years. An association between remote communication with friends and low loneliness was found regardless of the type of remote communication tool among men, whereas it was found only for text messaging with friends among women.

CONCLUSIONS: In this cross-sectional study of adults in Japan, remote communication, especially via voice calling and text messaging, was associated with low loneliness. Promoting remote communication may reduce loneliness when face-to-face contact is restricted, which should be the subject of future research.

PMID:37432730 | DOI:10.2196/45338

JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jul 11;12:e47255. doi: 10.2196/47255.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of academic literature focusing on the significant financial burdens placed on people living with cancer, but little evidence exists on the impact of rising costs of care in other vulnerable populations. This financial strain, also known as financial toxicity, can impact behavioral, psychosocial, and material domains of life for people diagnosed with chronic conditions and their care partners. New evidence suggests that populations experiencing health disparities, including those with dementia, face limited access to health care, employment discrimination, income inequality, higher burdens of disease, and exacerbating financial toxicity.

OBJECTIVE: The three study aims are to (1) adapt a survey to capture financial toxicity in people living with dementia and their care partners; (2) characterize the degree and magnitude of different components of financial toxicity in this population; and (3) empower the voice of this population through imagery and critical reflection on their perceptions and experiences relating to financial toxicity.

METHODS: This study uses a mixed methods approach to comprehensively characterize financial toxicity among people living with dementia and their care partners. To address aim 1, we will adapt elements from previously validated and reliable instruments, including the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, to develop a financial toxicity survey specific to dyads of people living with dementia and their care partners. A total of 100 dyads will complete the survey, and data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models to address aim 2. Aim 3 will be addressed using the process of “photovoice,” which is a qualitative, participatory research method that combines photography, verbal narratives, and critical reflection by groups of individuals to capture aspects of their environment and experiences with a certain topic. Quantitative results and qualitative findings will be integrated using a validated, joint display table mixed methods approach called the pillar integration process.

RESULTS: This study is ongoing, with quantitative findings and qualitative results anticipated by December 2023. Integrated findings will enhance the understanding of financial toxicity in individuals living with dementia and their care partners by providing a comprehensive baseline assessment.

CONCLUSIONS: As one of the first studies on financial toxicity related to dementia care, findings from our mixed methods approach will support the development of new strategies for improving the costs of care. While this work focuses on those living with dementia, this protocol could be replicated for people living with other diseases and serve as a blueprint for future research efforts in this space.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/47255.

PMID:37432718 | DOI:10.2196/47255

Vopr Pitan. 2023;92(3):79-86. doi: 10.33029/0042-8833-2023-92-3-79-86. Epub 2023 May 29.

ABSTRACT

At present, there are sufficient data on the influence of the gut microbiome on the development of food allergy and its progression. Changes in gut microbiome composition could positive impact on the course of allergic diseases by means of regulating the ratio of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as immunoglobulin E level. The purpose of the research was to study the effectiveness of combined probiotic in treatment of food allergies in children. Material and methods. The prospective randomized controlled study included 92 children aged from 4 to 5 years with symptoms of food allergy, involving the skin and gastrointestinal tract. The main group (n=46) took two chewable tablet Bifiform Kids (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG >1×10⁹ CFU, Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis BB-12 >1×10⁹ CFU, thiamine mononitrate 0.40 mg, pyridoxine hydrochloride 0.50 mg per tablet) 2 times per day during 21 days. The control group (n=46) did not take the complex. The dynamics of the severity of food allergy skin symptoms was assessed using the SCORAD index, of gastrointestinal manifestations – on a point scale after 21 days and after 4 and 6 months (visits 2, 3 and 4). The concentration of immunoglobulin E, interleukins IL-17 and IL-10 was determined by enzyme immunoassay in blood serum at the baseline, as well as after 21 days and after 6 months (visits 1, 2 and 4) after the study initiation. Results. The SCORAD index among children from the main group decreased from 12.4±2.3 до 7.6±1.8 (р=<0.05) while taking a combined probiotic. It was significantly lower (р=<0.05) compared to the control group (SCORAD index changed from 12.1±2.4 to 12.2±1.9). On the 21st day, a statistically significant decrease in level of pro-inflammatory IL-17 (by 27%) and a statistically significant increase in the concentration of anti-inflammatory IL-10 (by 38.9%) were recorded. In children from the main group, the severity of such gastrointestinal symptoms as pain, rumbling in the abdomen, belching with air, bloating, gas discharge, increased stool and its unformularity, decreased compare to the control group of patients (р=<0.05), in which the intensity of complaints related to gastrointestinal manifestations did not change. In the main group of patients, the most clinical efficacy was noted immediately after the end of the probiotic intake. In the following five months, the intensity of symptoms increased in individual subjects from the main group, but in general, the intensity of complaints remained significantly lower than before probiotic intake (р=<0.05). Children from the main group showed a significant decrease in IgE level from 184±121 kU/l by 43.5% at visit 2 and by 38.0% at visit 4 (p=<0.05), while in children from the control group its level didn’t change, amounting to 176±141, 165±121 and 178±132 kU/l, respectively. Conclusion. The results of the study show the effectiveness of the use of a combined probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis ВB-12) with vitamins B1 and B6 in children with mild forms of gastrointestinal and skin manifestations of food allergy, both in relation to the severity reduction of the clinical symptoms of the disease (skin manifestations, pain, rumbling in the abdomen, belching with air, bloating, gas discharge, increased stool and its unformularity), and in relation to the dynamics of biochemical parameters – a decrease in the level of IgE.

PMID:37432710 | DOI:10.33029/0042-8833-2023-92-3-79-86

Vopr Pitan. 2023;92(3):45-53. doi: 10.33029/0042-8833-2023-92-3-45-53. Epub 2023 May 29.

ABSTRACT

The study of the influence of nutrition and its associations with other parameters, which are closely related to the metabolic profile, in order to better understand the mechanisms of realization of the obesity phenotype in the child population is of particular interest. The aim of the study was to investigate the eating habits of elementary school children and their dependence on the parameters of physical development and body composition of the child population of Tomsk. Material and methods. 506 children aged 7 to 12 years were examined. The main group consisted of 216 children (53.1% boys, 46.9% girls) with overweight and obesity, the control group – 290 healthy children (49.0% boys, 51.0% girls). All children underwent measurement of anthropometric parameters with the calculation of SDS body mass index (WHO Anthro Plus), estimation of body composition by bioimpedancemetry. The actual nutrition of schoolchildren was assessed by the frequency method using a questionnaire. Results. Overweight and obese children had levels of body fat, percent body fat, visceral fat area and whole-body phase angle which were statistically significantly (p<0.001) higher in comparison with the control group. Regular meals were more typical for schoolchildren of the control group compared to the main group (p=0.002). A survey of parents showed that 55.0% of them don’t have problems with the nutrition of their children, 32.0% do not have conditions for monitoring their nutrition, 37.5% of children consume high-calorie foods, 29.0% do not comply with the diet, 64.5% – eat while watching TV. Only 21.1% of children consume fresh vegetables daily, cereals – 21.8%, dairy products – 30.3%, milk – 56.5%, meat – 58.5%, cottage cheese – 10.3%. Fish is not consumed by 25.6% of children, consumed less than once a week – by 47.2%. Several times a week, sausages and sausages are consumed by 41.7% of schoolchildren, confectionery – by 32.5%, chocolate and sweets – by 51.5%. Conclusion. The food habits of primary school students in Tomsk are characterized by an insufficient amount of vegetables and fruits, dairy products, fish dishes, a high level of consumption of ultra-processed red meat and various confectionery products (sweets, chocolate, cakes). The absence of statistically significant differences in the results of the survey between the control group and the main group may be due to the multifactorial nature of obesity associated with a variety of behavioral, biological and social factors, the real contribution of which remains to be determined.

PMID:37432706 | DOI:10.33029/0042-8833-2023-92-3-45-53

Clin Cardiol. 2023 Jul 11. doi: 10.1002/clc.24082. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of single-pill combination (SPC) antihypertensive drugs in patients with uncontrolled essential hypertension. Through Searching Pubmed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science collected only randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of single-pill combination antihypertensive drugs in people with uncontrolled essential hypertension. The search period is from the establishment of the database to July 2022. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment, and statistical analyses were performed using Review Manage 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software. This review ultimately included 32 references involving 16 273 patients with uncontrolled essential hypertension. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that a total of 11 single-pill combination antihypertensive drugs were included, namely: Amlodipine/valsartan, Telmisartan/amlodipine, Losartan/HCTZ, Candesartan/HCTZ, Amlodipine/benazepril, Telmisartan/HCTZ, Valsartan/HCTZ, Irbesartan/amlodipine, Amlodipine/losartan, Irbesartan/HCTZ, and Perindopril/amlodipine. According to SUCRA, Irbesartan/amlodipine may rank first in reducing systolic blood pressure (SUCRA: 92.2%); Amlodipine/losartan may rank first in reducing diastolic blood pressure (SUCRA: 95.1%); Telmisartan/amlodipine may rank first in blood pressure control rates (SUCRA: 83.5%); Amlodipine/losartan probably ranks first in diastolic response rate (SUCRA: 84.5%). Based on Ranking Plot of the Network, we can conclude that single-pill combination antihypertensive drugs are superior to monotherapy, and ARB/CCB combination has better advantages than other SPC in terms of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood pressure control rate, and diastolic response rate. However, due to the small number of some drug studies, the lack of relevant studies has led to not being included in this study, which may impact the results, and readers should interpret the results with caution.

PMID:37432701 | DOI:10.1002/clc.24082