Category: Statistics

Singapore Med J. 2022 May;63(5):251-255. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2020164. Epub 2020 Dec 2.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The clinical outcomes and factors associated with treatment failure of post-traumatic osteomyelitis have been investigated in many studies. However, limb functionality and quality of life following treatment for this condition have not been thoroughly studied.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 47 patients with post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the lower limb. Functional outcome was assessed using the Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS), and quality of life was assessed using the validated Malay version of the Short Form-36 questionnaire version 2.

RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 4.6 (range 2.3-9.5) years, and the median age of the patients was 44 years. Osteomyelitis was located in the tibia for 26 patients and in the femur for 21 patients. Osteomyelitis was consequent to internal infection in 38 patients and due to infected open fractures in nine patients. 42 (89.4%) patients had fracture union and control of infection. Bone defect was found to be a significant contributing factor for treatment failure (p = 0.008). The median LEFS for the success group was 65, compared to 49 for the failure group. Although the success group showed better scores with regard to quality of life, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: Treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the lower limb had a high success rate. The presence of a bone defect was associated with treatment failure. Successfully treated patients had significantly better functional outcomes than in those in whom treatment failed.

PMID:36043271 | DOI:10.11622/smedj.2020164

J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022 Aug 31;48(4):219-224. doi: 10.5125/jkaoms.2022.48.4.219.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: There have been few studies to date on the residual effect of bisphosphonate. This study investigated the radiographic changes of mandibular cortical thickness upon bisphosphonate drug holiday.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study includes 36 patients diagnosed with MRONJ (medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw) at Ajou University Dental Hospital in 2010-2021. All patients stopped taking bisphosphonate under consultation with the prescribing physicians. Panoramic radiographs were taken at the start of discontinuation (T₀), 12 months after (T₁), and 18 months after (T₂) discontinuation of bisphosphonate, respectively. Mental index and panoramic mandibular index were calculated using Ledgerton’s method. Paired t-tests were used to analyze differences over time.

RESULTS: The difference in indices (mental index and panoramic mandibular index) between T₀ and T₁ was not statistically significant (paired t-test, P>0.05). However, the difference in these indices between T₁ and T₂ was statistically significant (paired t-test, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The cortical thickness of the mandible decreased in the late stage (after 18 months) as observed by panoramic radiograph.

PMID:36043252 | DOI:10.5125/jkaoms.2022.48.4.219

Air Qual Atmos Health. 2022 Aug 26:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11869-022-01238-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A number of previous studies have shown that statistical model with a combination of satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) and PM_2.5 measured by the monitoring stations could be applied to predict spatial ground-level PM_2.5 concentration, but few studies have been conducted in Thailand. This study aimed to estimate ground-level PM_2.5 over the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in 2020 using linear regression model that incorporates the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) AOD measurements and other air pollutants, as well as various meteorological factors and greenness indicators into the model. The 12-fold cross-validation technique was used to examine the accuracy of model performance. The annual mean (standard deviation) concentration of observed PM_2.5 was 22.37 (± 12.55) µg/m³ and the mean (standard deviation) of PM_2.5 during summer, winter, and rainy season was 18.36 (± 7.14) µg/m³, 33.60 (± 14.48) µg/m³, and 15.30 (± 4.78) µg/m³, respectively. The cross-validation yielded R ² of 0.48, 0.55, 0.21, and 0.52 with the average of predicted PM_2.5 concentration of 22.25 (± 9.97) µg/m³, 21.68 (± 9.14) µg/m³, 29.43 (± 9.45) µg/m³, and 15.74 (± 5.68) µg/m³ for the year round, summer, winter, and rainy season, respectively. We also observed that integrating NO₂ and O₃ into the regression model improved the prediction accuracy significantly for a year round, summer, winter, and rainy season over the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. In conclusion, estimating ground-level PM_2.5 concentration from the MODIS AOD measurement using linear regression model provided the satisfactory model performance when incorporating many possible predictor variables that would affect the association between MODIS AOD and PM_2.5 concentration.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11869-022-01238-4.

PMID:36043224 | PMC:PMC9411850 | DOI:10.1007/s11869-022-01238-4

Adv Data Anal Classif. 2022;16(3):691-723. doi: 10.1007/s11634-021-00454-7. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

ABSTRACT

A probabilistic model for random hypergraphs is introduced to represent unary, binary and higher order interactions among objects in real-world problems. This model is an extension of the latent class analysis model that introduces two clustering structures for hyperedges and captures variation in the size of hyperedges. An expectation maximization algorithm with minorization maximization steps is developed to perform parameter estimation. Model selection using Bayesian Information Criterion is proposed. The model is applied to simulated data and two real-world data sets where interesting results are obtained.

PMID:36043219 | PMC:PMC9418112 | DOI:10.1007/s11634-021-00454-7

Curr Psychol. 2022 Aug 26:1-15. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03614-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Youth self-harm is associated with poor health outcomes and attempted and completed suicide. Associations exist between self-harm and expressed emotion (EE), attachment insecurity, and reflective functioning (RF), but these associations are poorly understood. This study evaluates a mediation model in which perceived caregiver EE (pEE) exerts an indirect effect on youth self-harm through attachment insecurity and RF uncertainty. 461 participants aged 16-24 years completed an online survey. Statistical analyses revealed significant direct effects of pEE on attachment insecurity, and of RF uncertainty on self-harm; however, some direct effects were specific to pEE from female caregivers, and attachment insecurity in youth relationships with female caregivers. A significant direct effect of pEE on self-harm was found for pEE from male caregivers only. Significant indirect effects of pEE on self-harm through attachment anxiety and RF uncertainty were found only in relation to female caregivers. The findings encourage family-, attachment-, and mentalization-based approaches to preventing and treating youth self-harm, with a recommendation that caregivers are given adequate support, education, and skills-based training following youth disclosures of self-harm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03614-w.

PMID:36043216 | PMC:PMC9411045 | DOI:10.1007/s12144-022-03614-w

Contrast Media Mol Imaging. 2022 Aug 8;2022:2208636. doi: 10.1155/2022/2208636. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to study the application value of a new multichannel sensor in pathogen detection and drug resistance analysis of neonatal pneumonia. 180 newborns with infectious pneumonia were selected, and a new multichannel piezoelectric sensor was constructed. The traditional Kirby-Bauer (K-B) method and the piezoelectric sensor were adopted to detect the pathogens and drug resistance in newborn samples, respectively. The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity under the K-B method (99.58% and 99.32%) and the multichannel piezoelectric sensor (99.43% and 94.29%) were not statistically different (P > 0.05). The detection time (17.25 h) of the K-B method was significantly longer than that (7.43 h) of the multichannel piezoelectric sensor (P < 0.05). From the results of pathogen detection, it was found that Klebsiella pneumoniae accounted for a relatively high proportion of 25.1%, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae of 13.4% and 12.33%, respectively. The resistance rate of the Staphylococcus aureus to vancomycin and rifampicin was as high as 100% and that to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin reached more than 50%. In short, the new multichannel piezoelectric sensor had the high sensitivity and specificity for the pathogens’ detection of neonatal pneumonia, and it required a shorter time. The pathogens were mostly Gram-negative bacteria, followed by Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Haemophilus influenzae were the main ones. The neonatal pneumonia pathogens had also strong drug resistance against vancomycin, rifampicin, chloramphenicol, meropenem, amikacin sulfate, chloramphenicol, and many other antibacterial drugs.

PMID:36043149 | PMC:PMC9377937 | DOI:10.1155/2022/2208636

J Reprod Infertil. 2022 Apr-Jun;23(2):84-92. doi: 10.18502/jri.v23i2.8992.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Varicoceles are a major cause of infertility. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of the clinical and ultrasonographic grades of varicocele with the semen analysis profile and testicular volume among men undergoing scrotal ultrasonography.

METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study involved 109 males undergoing scrotal ultrasonography for various indications in Shiraz, Iran, between January 2019 and January 2020. Varicoceles were graded with color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) by an expert radiologist (Sarteschi’s criteria) before an experienced urologist determined the clinical grade (Dubin and Amelar criteria) and requested further investigations. Next, the demographics, reasons for referral, testicular volumes, and semen analysis profiles across the different clinical/ultrasonographic grades were compared. Key statistical measures included Cohen’s kappa coefficient, the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation. Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 21 with p-values <0.05 indicating statistical significance.

RESULTS: Ultrasonographic grades 1 and 2 provided the highest correlation with subclinical cases, while ultrasonographic grades 3, 4, and 5 corresponded with clinical grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Further comparisons were made between subclinical and clinical cases, which were similar in terms of reason for referral, total testicular volume, testicular volume differential, and semen analysis profile. Notably, total testicular volumes below 30 ml were associated with oligoasthenoteratospermia.

CONCLUSION: The present study showed a relatively high correlation between varicocele grading based on clinical evaluation and CDU. However, the grades were similar in testicular volume parameters and semen analysis indices. Hence, decision-making should be guided by the infertility history, testicular atrophy, and abnormal semen analysis.

PMID:36043130 | PMC:PMC9363911 | DOI:10.18502/jri.v23i2.8992

Lancet Rheumatol. 2022 Aug;4(8):e556-e565. doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(22)00180-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome are the two most common non-traumatic connective tissue disorders of the hand. Both of these conditions frequently co-occur, often in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, this phenotypic association is poorly understood. Hypothesising that the co-occurrence of trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome might be explained by shared germline predisposition, we aimed to identify a specific genetic locus associated with both diseases.

METHODS: In this genome-wide association study (GWAS), we identified 2908 patients with trigger finger and 436579 controls from the UK Biobank prospective cohort. We conducted a case-control GWAS for trigger finger, followed by co-localisation analyses with carpal tunnel syndrome summary statistics. To identify putative causal variants and establish their biological relevance, we did fine-mapping analyses and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses, using fibroblasts from healthy donors (n=79) and tenosynovium samples from patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (n=77). We conducted a Cox regression for time to trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis against plasma IGF-1 concentrations in the UK Biobank cohort.

FINDINGS: Phenome-wide analyses confirmed a marked association between carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger in the participants from UK Biobank (odds ratio [OR] 11·97, 95% CI 11·1-13·0; p<1 × 10^-300). GWAS for trigger finger identified five independent loci, including one locus, DIRC3, that was co-localised with carpal tunnel syndrome and could be fine-mapped to rs62175241 (0·76, 0·68-0·84; p=5·03 × 10^-13). eQTL analyses found a fibroblast-specific association between the protective T allele of rs62175241 and increased DIRC3 and IGFBP5 expression. Increased plasma IGF-1 concentrations were associated with both carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger in participants from UK Biobank (hazard ratio >1·04, p<0·02).

INTERPRETATION: In this GWAS, the DIRC3 locus on chromosome 2 was significantly associated with both carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, possibly explaining their co-occurrence. The disease-protective allele of rs62175241 was associated with increased expression of long non-coding RNA DIRC3 and its transcriptional target, IGBP5, an antagonist of IGF-1 signalling. These findings suggest a model in which IGF-1 is a driver of both carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, and in which the DIRC3-IGFBP5 axis directly antagonises fibroblastic IGF-1 signalling.

FUNDING: Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council.

PMID:36043126 | PMC:PMC7613465 | DOI:10.1016/S2665-9913(22)00180-1

RSC Adv. 2022 Aug 9;12(34):22044-22053. doi: 10.1039/d2ra02239g. eCollection 2022 Aug 4.

ABSTRACT

Tranilast (TR) could be investigated as a suitable anti-inflammatory and NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor medication for the treatment of COVID-19 acute patients. Owing to its importance, our study was constructed for the determination of TR using a new, fast, sensitive, and reliable green spectrofluorimetric method. TR was quantified in this study by forming a complex with the acriflavine (AC) reagent. The reaction between TR and AC quenched the fluorescence of AC through the formation of an ion-association complex and the response was measured at 493 nm after excitation at 263 nm. It was observed that the quenching of the fluorescence of AC was linear (r = 0.9998) with the concentration of TR in the range of 1.0-15.0 μg mL^-1. The limit of detection was 0.224 μg mL^-1, and the limit of quantification was 0.679 μg mL^-1. The fluorescence quenching mechanism was carefully studied and was confirmed to be able to analyze TR in its pure form and its prepared pharmaceutical dosage form. To validate the method, the international conference of harmonization (ICH) Q₂R₁ guidelines were followed. The statistical assessment of the proposed and comparison methods revealed no significant differences between them. Moreover, the green criteria of the method were evaluated and confirmed.

PMID:36043110 | PMC:PMC9361924 | DOI:10.1039/d2ra02239g

Int J Appl Comput Math. 2022;8(5):237. doi: 10.1007/s40819-022-01411-4. Epub 2022 Aug 26.

ABSTRACT

In this manuscript, a fractional order SEIR model with vaccination has been proposed. The positivity and boundedness of the solutions have been verified. The stability analysis of the model shows that the system is locally as well as globally asymptotically stable at disease-free equilibrium point $E_0$ when $R_0$ < 1 and at epidemic equilibrium $E_1$ when $R_0>1$ . It has been found that introduction of the vaccination parameter $\eta$ reduces the reproduction number $R_0$ . The parameters are identified using real-time data from COVID-19 cases in India. To numerically solve the SEIR model with vaccination, the Adam-Bashforth-Moulton technique is used. We employed MATLAB Software (Version 2018a) for graphical presentations and numerical simulations.. It has been observed that the SEIR model with fractional order derivatives of the dynamical variables is much more effective in studying the effect of vaccination than the integral model.

PMID:36043055 | PMC:PMC9412815 | DOI:10.1007/s40819-022-01411-4