Category: Statistics

Theor Appl Genet. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1007/s00122-022-04104-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

GWAS detected ninety-eight significant SNPs associated with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance. Six statistical models resulted in medium to high predictive ability, depending on trait, indicating potential of genomic prediction for disease resistance breeding. The lack of complete host resistance and a complex resistance inheritance nature between rapeseed/canola and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum often limits the development of functional molecular markers that enable breeding for sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) resistance. However, genomics-assisted selection has the potential to accelerate the breeding for SSR resistance. Therefore, genome-wide association (GWA) mapping and genomic prediction (GP) were performed using a diverse panel of 337 rapeseed/canola genotypes. Three-week-old seedlings were screened using the petiole inoculation technique (PIT). Days to wilt (DW) up to 2 weeks and lesion phenotypes (LP) at 3, 4, and 7 days post-inoculation (dpi) were recorded. A strong correlation (r = – 0.90) between DW and LP_4dpi implied that a single time point scoring at four days could be used as a proxy trait. GWA analyses using single-locus (SL) and multi-locus (ML) models identified a total of 41, and 208 significantly associated SNPs, respectively. Out of these, ninety-eight SNPs were identified by a combination of the SL model and any of the ML models, at least two ML models, or two traits. These SNPs explained 1.25-12.22% of the phenotypic variance and considered as significant, could be associated with SSR resistance. Eighty-three candidate genes with a function in disease resistance were associated with the significant SNPs. Six GP models resulted in moderate to high (0.42-0.67) predictive ability depending on SSR resistance traits. The resistant genotypes and significant SNPs will serve as valuable resources for future SSR resistance breeding. Our results also highlight the potential of genomic selection to improve rapeseed/canola breeding for SSR resistance.

PMID:35522263 | DOI:10.1007/s00122-022-04104-0

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2022 Feb 2;35(3):332-336. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2022.2026187. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Ovarian cancer (OC) is highly associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). The OC cells stimulate thrombin generation, and chemotherapy potentiates the prothrombotic effect of cancer cells by damaging endothelium and enhancing hypercoagulability. Recently, primary ambulatory thromboprophylaxis (PATP) has been studied as a potential treatment in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with an aim of reducing the incidence of VTE and potentially prolonging survival. A meta-analysis was performed of randomized controlled trials of PATP vs control in patients with OC receiving chemotherapy. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of VTE. The secondary outcome measure was the incidence of major bleeding complications. Two articles published between 2012 and 2020 fulfilled selection criteria. The incidence of VTE was 0.9% in the PATP group and 1.8% in the control group. However, the pooled risk ratio was not statistically significant at 0.69 (95% CI: 0.08 to 5.67; P = 0.73). The absolute risk difference was -0.03 (95% CI, -0.17 to 0.11; P = 0.66). There was no statistically significant reduction in VTE by providing PATP to patients with OC receiving chemotherapy. Routine PATP should not be recommended in ambulatory OC patients. Future randomized trials are necessary to define the high-risk subset of OC patients who may benefit from PATP.

PMID:35518830 | PMC:PMC9037452 | DOI:10.1080/08998280.2022.2026187

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Apr 19;13:849076. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.849076. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: As an important public health problem, osteoporosis (OP) in China is also in an upward trend year by year. As a standard method for diagnosing OP, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) cannot analyze the pathological process but only see the results. It is difficult to evaluate the early diagnosis of OP. Our study was carried out through a serum metabolomic study of OP in Chinese postmenopausal women on untargeted gas chromatography (GC)/liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS) to find possible diagnostic markers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and 50 age-matched women were selected as normal controls. We first used untargeted GC/LC-MS to analyze the serum of these participants and then combined it with a large number of multivariate statistical analyses to analyze the data. Finally, based on a multidimensional analysis of the metabolites, the most critical metabolites were considered to be biomarkers of OP in postmenopausal women. Further, biomarkers identified relevant metabolic pathways, followed by a map of metabolic pathways found in the database.

RESULTS: We found that there may be metabolic pathway disorders like glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism in postmenopausal women with OP. 18 differential metabolites are considered to be potential biomarkers of OP in postmenopausal women which are a major factor in metabolism and bone physiological function.

CONCLUSION: These findings can be applied to clinical work through further validation studies. It also shows that metabonomic analysis has great potential in the application of early diagnosis and recurrence monitoring in postmenopausal OP women.

PMID:35518930 | PMC:PMC9062097 | DOI:10.3389/fendo.2022.849076

J Immunol Res. 2022 Apr 26;2022:1539935. doi: 10.1155/2022/1539935. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neutrophils expressing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) represent a distinct subtype of neutrophils with proangiogenic properties. The purpose of this study was to identify the interrelations between circulating CD16^hiCD11b^hiCD62L^loCXCR2^hiVEGFR2^hi-neutrophils and indicators of carotid plaque burden in patients without atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD).

METHODS: The study included 145 patients, 51.7% men and 48.3% women, median age-49.0 years. All patients underwent carotid duplex ultrasound scanning. The maximal carotid plaque thickness was used as an indicator of carotid plaque burden. Also, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and femoral IMT were measured. The phenotyping of neutrophil subpopulations was executed by the flow cytometry via the Navios 6/2. Results. The subpopulation of VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils accounted for about 5% of the total pool of circulating neutrophils. A decrease in VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils with an increase in carotid plaque burden was statistically significant (p = 0.036). A decrease in VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils < 4.52% allowed to predict the presence of plaque with a maximum height > 2.1 mm (Q4), with sensitivity of 78.9% and specificity of 61.5% (AUC 0.693; 95% CI 0.575-0.811; p = 0.007). Inverse correlations were established between the carotid and femoral IMT and the absolute and relative number of VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: In patients aged 40-64 years without established ASCVD, with an increase in indicators of the carotid plaque burden, a significant decrease in the proportion of circulating VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils was noticed. A decrease in the relative number of VEGFR2^hi-neutrophils of less than 4.52% made it possible to predict the presence of extent carotid atherosclerosis with sensitivity of 78.9% and specificity of 61.5%.

PMID:35518568 | PMC:PMC9064511 | DOI:10.1155/2022/1539935

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2022 Feb 24;35(3):297-300. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2022.2039503. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a severe disease that is difficult to manage in both inpatient and outpatient settings. This study describes trends, inpatient outcomes, and the disease burden of hospitalizations for patients with AI. Data are included on hospitalizations with a principal discharge diagnosis of AI using ICD codes from the National Inpatient Sample for the years 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Patients <18 years and those with elective hospitalizations were excluded. From 2008 to 2018, the number of AI hospitalizations increased significantly (P-trend < 0.001), with a rising trend in the proportion of patients with Charlson Comorbidity Index scores >3. There was a significant downward trend in the length of stay from 2008 to 2018 (P-trend = 0.005). However, there was no statistically significant trend for mortality or mean total hospital charges during hospitalizations (P-trend = 0.050 and 0.076, respectively). In conclusion, AI hospitalizations significantly increased over the 10 years with an overall decrease in length of stay.

PMID:35518812 | PMC:PMC9037407 | DOI:10.1080/08998280.2022.2039503

Cureus. 2022 Apr 4;14(4):e23807. doi: 10.7759/cureus.23807. eCollection 2022 Apr.

ABSTRACT

Introduction A history of fracture is a well-documented risk factor for sustaining future falls and subsequent fractures in geriatric patients. Orthopedic surgeons advocate various lifestyle modifications to reduce the risk of sustaining a recurrent fracture in this vulnerable group. However, it has been observed that patients seldom adhere to this advice and the rate of fragility fractures has thus continued to rise in this vulnerable subset of the population. The factors influencing the compliance of patients with various modifications have not been documented in any previous studies. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the factors influencing patient adherence to various lifestyle modifications advised by orthopedic surgeons for reducing future fracture risk. Material and methods A total of 112 patients aged >65 years who were diagnosed as having a peritrochanteric fragility fracture of the hip and were treated operatively for the same were included in this study. Upon discharge from the hospital, the patients were advised 10 lifestyle modifications to reduce the recurrent fracture risk. A data collecting form that graded the adherence on a 20-point scale (2 points for each lifestyle modification) was prepared by the investigators. Upon the six-month follow-up visit, adherence was assessed on the 20-point scale, and data were collected via the face-to-face interview method. Statistical analysis was accomplished by the Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Observations and results Of the 112 subjects included in the study, 58 (51.7%) were male and the mean age was 75 ± 8 (65 – 92) years. The adherence to less than 4 recommendations (Score <8) was seen in 39.2%, adherence to 4 – 6 recommendations (Score between 8 – 12) was seen in 30.86%, adherence to 6 – 8 recommendations (Score between 12 and 16) was seen in 29.94% and adherence to eight to 10 recommendations (score between 16 and 20) was seen in 0% of participants. According to the regression analysis, the presence of adherence to less than six recommendations was related to the low-income level (OR=0.298; 95%CI – 0.132-0.666; p<0.001) and lack of education and awareness (OR=2.329; 95% CI – 1.114-4.859; p=0.002). Conclusion The rates of adherence to advised lifestyle modifications were generally found to be low. Compliance was particularly reduced in patients belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata, which were less likely to be educated and had lower rates of income. The authors concluded that merely advising lifestyle modifications was not enough, and various social and public health measures are required to improve patient compliance, with the broader aim of ending the menace of recurrent fragility fractures.

PMID:35518550 | PMC:PMC9067327 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.23807

Cureus. 2022 Apr 2;14(4):e23759. doi: 10.7759/cureus.23759. eCollection 2022 Apr.

ABSTRACT

Background Airway compromise and respiratory failure are feared complications of angioedema leading to intensive care unit (ICU) admission. However, few of these patients decompensate. There is a paucity of tools that predict airway compromise in patients with angioedema, and it is unclear if automatic triage to the ICU is warranted. We analyzed patients admitted to our tertiary center ICU with angioedema for “airway watch” to find a way to triage those at greatest risk of respiratory decompensation. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients with angioedema admitted to our ICU between 2017 and 2020. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (NPL) findings, need for intubation, and length of stay. Descriptive analysis and subsequent ANOVA or T-test statistical analysis was performed to determine the relationships between individual variables and outcomes. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s Chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test where applicable. Continuous variables were compared using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results Of 134 patients admitted to our ICU, 63 (47%) required intubation, primarily in the emergency department (92.1%). Of those who required intubation, 61.9% had abnormal NPL findings in contrast to 25.35% of patients who did not require intubation (p<0.0001). Normal NPL findings had a negative predictive value for requiring intubation of 86.5%. Abnormal NPL findings had a positive predictive value for requiring intubation of 68.4%. Conclusion While airway compromise is a serious complication of angioedema, there is scant evidence to support triage to the ICU for those not intubated immediately. The majority of patients with angioedema who required intubation had abnormal NPL findings, and the majority of those with normal NPL findings did not require intubation. This suggests that NPL findings in patients with angioedema can help with triage to the ICU.

PMID:35518546 | PMC:PMC9064709 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.23759

Cureus. 2022 Apr 13;14(4):e24108. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24108. eCollection 2022 Apr.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Endoscopy is a rapidly developing discipline with new techniques and procedures being introduced each year. The consenting process is central to patient perception; using information videos as additional tools to aid consent and improve the quality of care in endoscopy is not well established. Our aim was to develop, implement and validate the use of patient educational videos to improve patients’ satisfaction and experience in endoscopy.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This was a prospective service quality improvement study. Eligible patients were invited to watch the educational videos in addition to standard practice. We compared this group with a matched cohort of patients who were receiving standard care of postal information leaflets. Patient satisfaction was measured through the validated Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Satisfaction Questionnaire (GESQ).

RESULTS: Patients in the intervention group scored four questions relating to pre-procedural information significantly higher than the control (p=0.038). The total mean GESQ score was also higher in the intervention group compared to the control, however this was not statistically significant (p=0.397). The intervention group had significantly lower cancellation rate (4%) compared to the control group (20%), p=0.023.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients who watched educational videos were more satisfied with pre-procedural information in the consenting period than those who did not. Further research is still needed to determine if they reduce patient anxiety. Meanwhile, it would be appropriate to implement these videos into routine practice as a cost-effective method of improving patient satisfaction.

PMID:35518531 | PMC:PMC9065946 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.24108

Cureus. 2022 Apr 4;14(4):e23809. doi: 10.7759/cureus.23809. eCollection 2022 Apr.

ABSTRACT

Introduction Malignancy, tuberculosis, and non-tubercular pleural infections account for most exudative pleural effusion. Pleural fluid cytology, biochemical tests and even pleural fluid cell block studies may fail to yield a diagnosis in certain cases. Medical thoracoscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of unexplained pleural effusions. However, access to medical thoracoscopy may be limited, particularly in developing countries. Also, certain patients may not be fit to undergo the procedure because of medical conditions. An ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy is an option in such conditions. The present study is intended to compare the diagnostic yield and complications of both methods of pleural biopsy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion under a randomized controlled trial. Method After fulfilling all the inclusion criteria, participants were randomized to either ultrasound-guided closed pleural biopsy or thoracoscopic-guided pleural biopsy groups. The primary outcome was to compare the diagnostic yield of ultrasound-guided Tru-Cut® (Newtech Medical Devices, Faridabad, India) closed pleural biopsy versus thoracoscopic pleural biopsy, and the secondary outcomes were to compare the complications rate, duration of the procedure, and hospital stay in the patients undergoing ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy versus thoracoscopic pleural biopsy, and predictors of a positive biopsy result in both groups. Result A total of 118 patients with pleural effusion were screened; 39 of them who were eligible, randomized into the ultrasound group (20 patients) and the thoracoscopic group (19 patients). The median age of participants was 53.5 (50-58) years and 55 (45-64) years in the ultrasound and thoracoscopic groups, respectively. Pleural fluid cell count, protein, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were similar in both groups, although pleural fluid glucose was low in the ultrasound group. Diagnostic yield was 90% (18/20) and 94.7% (18/19) in the ultrasound and thoracoscopic groups, respectively, which was statistically non-significant (p=0.963). The median duration of hospital stay was 9.5 (5.3-27) days and 15 (12-22) days in ultrasound and thoracoscopic groups respectively. The thoracoscopic group had a more prolonged stay compared to the ultrasound group, but it was statistically non-significant (p=0.09). The duration of the procedure was significantly longer in the thoracoscopic group 90 (85-105) minutes, in comparison to ultrasound 47.5 (41.3-55) minutes (p=0.001). No major complications were seen in both groups. Subcutaneous emphysema was the most common complication in the thoracoscopic group (10%), followed by hemorrhage (5.3%), and respiratory failure (5.3%). Hypotension was the only complication in the ultrasound group (5%). The rate of complications was significantly higher in the thoracoscopic group (p<0.01). Conclusion Ultrasound-guided closed pleural biopsy is as good as thoracoscopic pleural biopsy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. It was associated with a shorter procedure duration, a shorter hospital stay, and fewer complications as compared to thoracoscopic biopsy. Both the procedures were safe in experienced hands and a hospital setup, but the thoracoscopic pleural biopsy was associated with complications.

PMID:35518519 | PMC:PMC9067329 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.23809

Int J Exerc Sci. 2022 Mar 1;15(4):526-540. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare a periodized versus a non-periodized protocol of kettlebell (KTB) swings over six weeks on strength, power, and muscular endurance. Twenty-eight high intensity functional training (HIFT) practitioners were assigned to non-periodized (NPG = 11), periodized (PG = 11), or control groups (CG = 6). NPG used the same load (20 kg) throughout the training period while the PG used a step loading progression (with an added four kilograms every two weeks). Measures of strength and muscular endurance in the deadlift exercise, and power in the countermovement jump were assessed before and after six weeks. A two-way ANOVA was used to verify pre- to post-test differences in strength, power, and muscular endurance. An analysis of the effect size was also incorporated. For strength and power, statistical differences from pre- to post-test were found for both the NPG (p < 0.001; 1-RM improvement = 8.7%; jump height improvement = 8.7%) and PG (p < 0.001; 1-RM improvement = 7.8%; jump height improvement = 10.1%), with no difference between groups. For muscular endurance, only the PG showed significant differences from pre- to post-test (p = 0.013; muscular endurance improvement = 23.8%). In conclusion, when the goal is to increase strength and power performances in HIFT practitioners, periodized and non-periodized KTB models appear to be equally effective, and this can simplify the strength coach’s practice in programming KTB swing training periods. For muscular endurance, the addition of KTB swing on a periodized basis seems to be a more effective strategy.

PMID:35518365 | PMC:PMC9022701