Category: Statistics

Int J Gen Med. 2022 Apr 29;15:4495-4503. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S361468. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Recent studies have focused on whether kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) might serve as a marker of acute kidney tubular injury. Our study analyzed the levels of KIM-1 in the healthy population of different ages to explore the correlation between KIM-1 and age. Moreover, we constructed a model to predict kidney age.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted by Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China, between April 2020 and December 2020. KIM-1 and other kidney biomarkers were measured in 176 healthy individuals ranging from 26 to 91 years old. Statistical correlated analyses for urinary KIM-1, creatinine (uCREA), potassium (K), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl), plasmic renin, angiotensin-2 (AngII) and aldosterone (ALD), and serum microalbuminuria (MALB), β2-microglobulin (B2MG), cystatin C (CYSC), urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CREA), and glucose (GLU) were performed to assess the correlation between age and kidney biomarkers. All variables were selected as independent variables for the prediction of age by multiple linear regression.

RESULTS: KIM-1 positively correlated with age in kidney healthy people (r = 0.41, p < 0.05), whether among females (r = 0.51, p < 0.05) or males (r = 0.27, p < 0.05). It was much related to K (r = 0.34), B2MG (r = 0.28), and CL (r = 0.23). The predicted model was constructed with eGFR, Cl, ALD, CYSC, KIM-1, BUN, GLU and AngII, reaching an adjusted R² of 69.5% and a standard error of the estimated 7.84 years.

CONCLUSION: The level of urinary KIM-1 increases with age in healthy people. The model constructed by KIM-1 and the other 7 biomarkers can predict kidney age in healthy people.

PMID:35518515 | PMC:PMC9064178 | DOI:10.2147/IJGM.S361468

Front Genet. 2022 Apr 19;13:858005. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.858005. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

To test the equality of several independent multinomial distributions, the chi-square test for count data is applied. The existing test can be applied when complete information about the data is available. The complex process, such as DNA count, the existing test under classical statistics may mislead. To overcome the issue, the modification of the chi-square test for multinomial distribution under neutrosophic statistics is presented in this paper. The modified form of the chi-square test statistic under indeterminacy/uncertainty is presented and applied using the DNA count data. From the DNA count data analysis, simulation, and comparative studies, the proposed test is found to be informative, springy, and good as compared with the existing tests.

PMID:35518359 | PMC:PMC9061958 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2022.858005

Front Neurol. 2022 Apr 19;13:854846. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.854846. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Besides the crucial role in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), mechanical thrombectomy represents a unique opportunity for researchers to study the retrieved clots, with the possibility of unveiling biological patterns linked to stroke pathophysiology and etiology. We aimed to develop a shotgun proteomic approach to study and compare the proteome of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cardioembolic and large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) clots.

METHODS: We used 16 cardioembolic and 15 LAA FFPE thrombi from 31 AIS patients. The thrombus proteome was analyzed by label-free quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). MaxQuant v1.5.2.8 and Perseus v.1.6.15.0 were used for bioinformatics analysis. Protein classes were identified using the PANTHER database and the STRING database was used to predict protein interactions.

RESULTS: We identified 1,581 protein groups as part of the AIS thrombus proteome. Fourteen significantly differentially abundant proteins across the two etiologies were identified. Four proteins involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, blood coagulation or plasminogen activating cascade were identified as significantly abundant in LAA clots. Ten proteins involved in the ubiquitin proteasome-pathway, cytoskeletal remodeling of platelets, platelet adhesion or blood coagulation were identified as significantly abundant in cardioembolic clots.

CONCLUSION: Our results outlined a set of 14 proteins for a proof-of-principle characterization of cardioembolic and LAA FFPE clots, advancing the proteome profile of AIS human thrombi and understanding the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke.

PMID:35518205 | PMC:PMC9062453 | DOI:10.3389/fneur.2022.854846

Eplasty. 2022 Apr 12;22:e9. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is the third most common skin cancer and the leading cause of skin cancer mortality. This study sought to investigate trends in melanoma incidence, mortality, and burden of disease.

METHODS: The authors assessed the records of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 to extract information about the incidence, mortality, and disability adjusted life years (DALY) related to melanoma during 1990-2017 in the US and other countries based on their socio-demographic index (SDI).

RESULTS: Melanoma incidence in the US increased 1.6 times, although the difference was not statistically significant. For patients over the age of 60, the incidence was significantly increased by 1.72 to 164.6 times. Mortality was relatively stable during the study period; however, it was increased for patients over 65 years of age (range: 1.03 to 70 times), although not statistically significant. Mortality-to-incidence ratio was decreased, but the difference was not statistically significant. For patients over 75 years of age, DALYs were statistically significantly increased by 1.34 to 1.71 times.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights differences in melanoma incidence and mortality from 1990-2017. Physicians involved in melanoma care should be aware of these changes in order to anticipate care needs.

PMID:35518191 | PMC:PMC9038229

Infect Drug Resist. 2022 Apr 29;15:2315-2323. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S344763. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 has fundamentally changed the physician-patient relationship due to health care workers’ being at high risk of getting COVID-19 infection from their patients. Therefore, healthcare workers are a priority to be protected and prevent transmission within a healthcare setting.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the actual and perceived personal safety of healthcare workers practicing in public hospitals.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was done among 361 health professionals in West Shoa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select representative respondents. Data was collected by a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. The collected data was entered into EPI-Info and exported to STATA for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data.

RESULTS: A total of 361 healthcare workers responded to the question with a 97% response rate. The median age of the study participants was 29. Of the total participants, access to personal protective equipment was: hand sanitizer 322 (89.2%), disposable gloves 285 (78.9%), face mask 280 (77.6%), KN95 face mask 163 (45.2%) and facial protective shields 112 (31%). One hundred sixty-nine (46.8%) of the study participants reported that their hospital has personal safety policies and procedures. One hundred sixty-one (44%) reported that they perceived no support, while only 35 (9.7%) participants reported that they perceived full support from their hospital. Furthermore, the participants perceived that their local concerned bodies took fewer necessary measurements to defend physical integrity in the workplace (mean 2.86 SD = 3.34).

CONCLUSION: There are many healthcare workers who have limited access to the majority of essential PPE. The majority of study participants perceived limited support from their health facilities, hospitals and local concerned bodies. Therefore, hospitals and local public health authorities should increase access to PPE to protect healthcare workers.

PMID:35517898 | PMC:PMC9064055 | DOI:10.2147/IDR.S344763

EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Apr 28;47:101399. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101399. eCollection 2022 May.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence suggests that some individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are at increased risk of suicide compared to their majority ethnic counterparts, whereas others are at decreased risk. We aimed to estimate the absolute and relative risk of suicide in individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds globally.

METHODS: Databases (Medline, Embase, and PsycInfo) were searched for epidemiological studies between 01/01/2000 and 3/07/2020, which provided data on absolute and relative rates of suicide amongst ethnic minority groups. Studies reporting on clinical or specific populations were excluded. Pairs of reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. We used random effects meta-analysis to estimate overall, sex, location, migrant status, and ancestral origin, stratified pooled estimates for absolute and rate ratios. PROSPERO registration: CRD42020197940.

FINDINGS: A total of 128 studies were included with 6,026,103 suicide deaths in individuals from an ethnic minority background across 31 countries. Using data from 42 moderate-high quality studies, we estimated a pooled suicide rate of 12·1 per 100,000 (95% CIs 8·4-17·6) in people from ethnic minority backgrounds with a broad range of estimates (1·2-139·7 per 100,000). There was weak statistical evidence from 51 moderate-high quality studies that individuals from ethnic minority groups were more likely to die by suicide (RR 1·3 95% CIs 0·9-1·7) with again a broad range amongst studies (RR 0·2-18·5). In our sub-group analysis we only found evidence of elevated risk for indigenous populations (RR: 2·8 95% CIs 1·9-4·0; pooled rate: 23·2 per 100,000 95% CIs 14·7-36·6). There was very substantial heterogeneity (I² > 98%) between studies for all pooled estimates.

INTERPRETATION: The homogeneous grouping of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds is inappropriate. To support suicide prevention in marginalised groups, further exploration of important contextual differences in risk is required. It is possible that some ethnic minority groups (for example those from indigenous backgrounds) have higher rates of suicide than majority populations.

FUNDING: No specific funding was provided to conduct this research. DK is funded by Wellcome Trust and Elizabeth Blackwell Institute Bristol. Matthew Spittal is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT180100075) funded by the Australian Government. Rebecca Musgrove is funded by the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (PSTRC-2016-003).

PMID:35518122 | PMC:PMC9065636 | DOI:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101399

Infect Drug Resist. 2022 Apr 29;15:2339-2345. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S358464. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate related factors affecting the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) by modified quadruple therapy.

METHODS: Between September 2020 and March 2021, 341 patients who were diagnosed with Hp infection and whose infections were confirmed by gastroscopy, a histological examination, and a C13-UBT without culturing and antimicrobial susceptibility studies received a two-week anti-Hp treatment, a modified quadruple therapy, in our department. The result of C13-UBT was rechecked 4 weeks after the drug withdrawal, and the patients were divided into two groups-a success group and a failure group-according to the final breath result. The general clinical information and related laboratory indexes of each patient were collected, and the factors affecting the eradication rate were analyzed.

RESULTS: The total clinical eradication rate was 80.06% (273/341), and the failure rate was 19.94% (68/341), correspondingly. Univariate analysis identified statistically significant differences between the two groups in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, presence of oral diseases, positive cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), and medical compliance (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPIs) and antibiotics was statistically different (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that vitamin D level (<20 ng/mL) [OR = 98.56, 95% CI (29.01-334.83), P < 0.001] and medical compliance [OR = 148.18, 95% CI (37.64-583.33), P < 0.001] were independent effecting factors for eradication rate.

CONCLUSION: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level lower than 20 ng/mL may affect the success of eradication of Hp and is an independent risk factor for eradication failure.

PMID:35517896 | PMC:PMC9063792 | DOI:10.2147/IDR.S358464

South Afr J Crit Care. 2021 Dec 31;37(3). doi: 10.7196/SAJCC.2021.v37i3.446. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A prospective cohort study sought to measure the incidence and outcomes of failed extubation in Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital intensive care unit (ICU), as well as to identify possible factors associated with failed extubation.

METHODS: Data were collected over a 6-month period from 1 July 2015 to 31 December 2015. Pre-intubation parameters recorded on the data collection sheet included secretions, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), fluid balance, Tobin index, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂ ), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂ ), comorbidities and weaning method.

RESULTS: A total of 242 patients were enrolled over the 6-month study period. Of the 242 patients, 86 were excluded owing to pre-set exclusion criteria (death before extubation; tracheostomy before extubation; re-intubation >72 hours post extubation). An extubation failure rate of 16.7% (n=26) was observed. The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the failed extubation group was 19.23%, whereas death was recorded in 42.31% of patients who failed extubation. The average length of ICU stay in the reintubated group was 11.58 days, and 4.04 days for successfully extubated patients. Only low GCS had a statistically significant impact on failed extubation: p=0.0025; odds ratio (OR) for low v. normal 5.13 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.78 – 14.79). Other predictor variables measured did not reach statistical significance. Weaning method: p=0.3737, OR for No T-piece v. T-piece 1.65 (95% CI 0.547 – 4.976); comorbidities: p=0.5914, OR for two or more comorbidities v. no comorbidities 2.079 (95% CI 0.246 – 17.539), no comorbidities v. single comorbidity 0.802 (95% CI 0.211 – 3.043); fluid balance: p=0.6625, OR for negative v. positive fluid balance 0.571 (95% CI 0.170 – 1.916), OR for neutral v. positive fluid balance <0.001 (95% CI <0.001 – >999.999); pCO₂ : p=0.7510, OR for high v. normal pCO₂ 1.344 (95% CI 0.346 – 5.213), OR for low v. normal pCO₂ 1.515 (95% CI 0.501 – 4.576); PaO₂ : p=0.4405, OR for high v. normal 1.156 (95% CI 0.382 – 3.494); OR for low v. normal PaO₂ 2.638 (95% CI 0.553 – 12.587); Tobin index (Fischer’s exact test): p=0.7476.

CONCLUSION: Low pre-extubation GCS is a predictor of failed extubation.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY: The study is a prospective observational study conducted in a high-volume referral hospital. It adds valuable scientific information to a growing body of data on the topic of extubation failure. It further reinforces the importance of extubation failure and the requirement for due diligence to be paid before a patient is extubated.

PMID:35517852 | PMC:PMC9053415 | DOI:10.7196/SAJCC.2021.v37i3.446

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Apr 19;10:875155. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.875155. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) exhibits a diverse range of plasticity across vertebrates and is a potential source of cells for the regeneration of retinal neurons. Embryonic amniotes possess a transitory ability to regenerate neural retina through the reprogramming of RPE cells in an FGF-dependent manner. Chicken RPE can regenerate neural retina at embryonic day 4 (E4), but RPE neural competence is lost by embryonic day 5 (E5). To identify mechanisms that underlie loss of regenerative competence, we performed RNA and ATAC sequencing using E4 and E5 chicken RPE, as well as at both stages following retinectomy and FGF2 treatment. We find that genes associated with neural retina fate remain FGF2-inducible in the non-regenerative E5 RPE. Coinciding with fate restriction, RPE cells stably exit the cell cycle and dampen the expression of cell cycle progression genes normally expressed during regeneration, including E2F1. E5 RPE exhibits progressive activation of gene pathways associated with mature function independently of retinectomy or FGF2 treatment, including retinal metabolism, pigmentation synthesis, and ion transport. Moreover, the E5 RPE fails to efficiently repress OTX2 expression in response to FGF2. Predicted OTX2 binding motifs undergo robust accessibility increases in E5 RPE, many of which coincide with putative regulatory elements for genes known to facilitate RPE differentiation and maturation. Together, these results uncover widespread alterations in gene regulation that culminate in the loss of RPE neural competence and implicate OTX2 as a key determinant in solidifying the RPE fate. These results yield valuable insight to the basis of RPE lineage restriction during early development and will be of importance in understanding the varying capacities for RPE-derived retinal regeneration observed among vertebrates.

PMID:35517508 | PMC:PMC9062105 | DOI:10.3389/fcell.2022.875155

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Apr 20;10:897989. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.897989. eCollection 2022.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:35517507 | PMC:PMC9065439 | DOI:10.3389/fcell.2022.897989