Category: Statistics

Infancy. 2022 May 7. doi: 10.1111/infa.12474. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Congenital hearing loss offers a unique opportunity to examine the role of sound in cognitive, social, and linguistic development. Children with hearing loss demonstrate atypical performance across a range of general cognitive skills. For instance, research has shown that deaf school-age children underperform on visual statistical learning (VSL) tasks. However, the evidence for these deficits has been challenged, with mixed findings emerging in recent years. Here, we used a novel approach to examine VSL in the action domain early in development. We compared learning between deaf and hearing infants, prior to cochlear implantation (pre-CI), and a group of toddlers post implantation (post-CI). Findings revealed a significant difference between deaf and hearing infants pre-CI, with evidence for learning only in the hearing infants. However, there were no significant group differences between deaf and hearing toddlers post-CI, with both groups demonstrating learning. Further, VSL performance was positively correlated with language scores for the deaf toddlers, adding to the body of evidence suggesting that statistical learning is associated with language abilities. We discuss these findings in the context of previous evidence for group differences in VSL skills, and the role that auditory experiences play in infant cognitive development.

PMID:35524478 | DOI:10.1111/infa.12474

J Diabetes Investig. 2022 May 7. doi: 10.1111/jdi.13825. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: We previously reported that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) treatment was associated with an improvement of the albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The present study clarified how concomitant insulin treatment (IT) with SGLT2i therapy influences the renal composite outcome (RCO).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 624 Japanese patients with T2DM and CKD who underwent SGLT2i treatment. The renal composite outcome was set as progression of the stage of albuminuria or a ≥15% decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) per year. We developed a cohort model of patients managed with and without IT (Ins [+], Ins [-]) using propensity score matching methods. Furthermore, all patients in our study population were stratified into quintiles according to their propensity score.

RESULTS: The incidence of the RCO was in Ins (+) patients significantly higher than that in Ins (-) (p=0.033). The estimated hazard ratio for the RCO was 1.55 (p=0.035) in Ins (+) patients. The change in the eGFR and ACR in the groups did not statistically significant. The analysis, which was based on the quintiles revealed a statistically significant difference between the Ins (+) and Ins (-) groups (p=0.01); the odds ratio for the RCO in patients managed with IT was 2.20 (p=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant administration of IT with SGLT2is influenced the RCO in Japanese patients with T2DM and CKD. We might need to consider the influence of concomitant agents on the renoprotective effects of SGLT2i therapy.

PMID:35524473 | DOI:10.1111/jdi.13825

Clin Oral Implants Res. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1111/clr.13949. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the 3-year implant-related outcomes following alveolar ridge preservation in periodontally compromised molar sockets.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty implants were placed in 26 patients following either ridge preservation (test, n = 16) or natural healing (control, n = 14) at deficient molar extraction sites after a 6-month healing period. The need for additional augmentation procedures at implant placement was recorded. Patients were assessed for 3 years following a definitive restoration. Patient information being collected are modified plaque index, the modified sulcus bleeding index, the peri-implant probing depth clinically, and alterations of marginal bone level (MBL) radiographically.

RESULTS: There was a 100% survival rate of implants in both groups after 3-year follow-up. During implant placement operation, 35.7% in the control group and 6.3% in the test group required additional augmentation procedures. No statistically significant differences were determined for peri-implant parameters and marginal bone levels between the two groups. The overall mean difference of MBL was 0.072 mm (95% CI [-0.279, 0.423]) during the 3 years of follow-up. The success rate was 81.2% in the test and 78.6% in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Implants placed into periodontally compromised molar extracted sites after ridge augmentation resulted comparable outcomes to implants placement at naturally healed sites after 3-year functional loading.

PMID:35524437 | DOI:10.1111/clr.13949

J Clin Pharm Ther. 2022 May 7. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.13676. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Although there are accelerated approval pathways based on data of small populations and surrogate endpoints, the concern that these pathways authorize the use of inefficacious drugs based on limited data from earlier phase clinical trials remains. We retrospectively investigated the efficacy of anticancer drugs, which were approved or whose development was terminated in small and large clinical trials, and verified whether small clinical trials could reflect the results for efficacy in large clinical trials.

METHODS: All anticancer drugs approved in Japan or whose development was terminated from 2015 to 2019 were searched. The median overall survival (OS), median progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rates (ORR) between small clinical trials (sample size ≤100) and large clinical trials (sample size >100) with identical target populations and treatment settings were compared. Simple linear regression analysis, Spearman’s correlation analysis, and paired sample t-test were performed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 61 comparable small and large clinical trials were identified. For all endpoints, statistically significant linear trends and correlation were detected (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the median PFS and ORR between small and large clinical trials. The mean differences of both clinical trials were -0.102 months and -1.531%, respectively.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Even when the sample size of the clinical trial was increased, the efficacy data of anticancer drugs could not be changed significantly. These results supported the accelerated approval pathway based on the promising efficacy data of small populations in anticancer drug development.

PMID:35524471 | DOI:10.1111/jcpt.13676

Scand J Caring Sci. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1111/scs.13086. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Screening immigrant mothers for postpartum depression has been shown to be challenging for health care professionals in handling cultural implications of postpartum depression, communicating through interpreter and applying translated versions of the screening scale.

AIM: The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of an evidence-based educational intervention for Child Health Services nurses in screening non-native-speaking immigrant mothers for postpartum depression.

ETHICS: The approval was obtained from Swedish Ethical Review Authority, 2018/1063.

METHOD: Thirty Child Health Services nurses who conducted screening with assistance of interpreter at least three times per year participated. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04167709) and a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design was applied. Data on the participants’ acceptability and response to outcomes of the intervention were collected by an evaluation questionnaire, the Clinical Cultural Competency Training Questionnaire, the General Self-efficacy Scale and by self-reported data on general performance of the task. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results of the evaluation questionnaire and general performance of the task. Paired t-test were used to compare the scores on the General Self-efficacy scale, while Wilcoxon signed-ranked test was used to compare the scores on the Clinical Cultural Competency Training Questionnaire. Qualitative data were analysed by content analysis.

RESULTS: All 30 participants stated that they found the content of the intervention satisfying. The intervention was shown to provide new knowledge and improved their ability to meet the requirements linked to the screening procedure. The intervention affected their self-estimated cultural competence in some aspects but not their self-efficacy or general performance of the task.

CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was found feasible but require adjustment in the design of the practical training sessions. The use of the provided material, a comic strip on parental support and interpreter information needs further evaluation.

PMID:35524434 | DOI:10.1111/scs.13086

Scand J Caring Sci. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1111/scs.13084. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The principles of palliative care were developed in hospices and specialised palliative care units and have not been sufficiently adapted to and evaluated in nursing homes. Therefore, an educational intervention from an interprofessional education perspective was performed within the project Implementation of Knowledge-Based Palliative Care in Nursing Homes. The aim of this study was to evaluate professionals’ experience of palliative care delivery before and after the educational intervention.

METHODS: The educational intervention for nursing home professionals consisted of five 2-h seminars over 6 months at 20 nursing homes. The intervention and control groups consisted of 129 and 160 professionals from 30 nursing homes respectively. The questionnaire ‘Your experience of palliative care’ was completed 1 month before (baseline) and after (follow-up) the intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated.

RESULTS: The positive effects at follow-up concerned the use of a valid scale for grading symptoms, attendance to the needs of next of kin (including bereavement support), documentation of older persons’ wishes regarding place to die and conversations about their transition to palliative care and about how they were treated.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a promising interprofessional educational model. However, the paucity of improvements brought to light at follow-up indicates a need for research directed towards a revision of this model. Supervision of professionals during palliative care delivery is one suggestion for change.

PMID:35524431 | DOI:10.1111/scs.13084

J Clin Lab Anal. 2022 May 6:e24470. doi: 10.1002/jcla.24470. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) grows slowly but has a great risk of metastasis. MicroRNAs are well known as vital tumor-related gene regulators. In PTC, the role of miR-203a-3p and the underlying mechanisms remain not completely understood.

METHODS: We conducted CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell experiment and flow cytometry analyses to investigate the function of miRNA-203a-3p. The interaction of miRNA-203a-3p with its gene MAP3K1 was characterized by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and luciferase assay.

RESULTS: We found that the levels of miRNA-203a-3p were statistically decreased in PTC tissues. When mimics were delivered to TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells to upregulate miR-203a-3p, it was observed that cell proliferation, metastatic abilities and cell cycle process were prevented but cell apoptosis was enhanced. Furthermore, we proved the interaction between MAP3K1 and miR-203a-3p. Intriguingly, similar to miR-203a-3p mimics, siMAP3K1 showed a tumor-suppressive effect, and this effect could be reversed when miR-203a-3p was simultaneously inhibited. Finally, selected autophagy-linked proteins such as LC3 Beclin-1 were detected and found to be increased when miR-203a-3p was upregulated or MAP3K1 was inhibited.

CONCLUSION: Overall, miR-203a-3p inhibits the oncogenic characteristics of TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells via suppressing MAP3K1 and activating autophagy. Our findings might enrich the understanding and the therapeutic strategies of PTC.

PMID:35524422 | DOI:10.1002/jcla.24470

United European Gastroenterol J. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1002/ueg2.12241. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The current issue of the United European Gastroenterology Journal builds on its previous dedication to guidelines and guideline methods by introducing the AGREE-S methodological guide, an AGREE II extension for surgical interventions. The AGREE-S focuses on ensuring the quality of guidelines that specifically target surgical interventions with their characteristic challenges. Mainly to be used to aid completeness and transparency of de novo development of recommendations, it is also highly valuable in the process of adoption, adaptation or adolopment of existing surgical guidelines. The AGREE-S methodological guide with its aim to assist in guideline development is further enhanced by a reporting checklist (to increase transparency) and appraisal tool (to assess guideline quality) available at https://agree-s.org/.

PMID:35524418 | DOI:10.1002/ueg2.12241

Biophys J. 2022 May 5:S0006-3495(22)00368-X. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.05.001. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the erythrocyte membrane, the interactions between Glycophorin A (GPA) and Band 3 are associated strongly with the biological function of the membrane and several blood disorders. In this work, using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation, we systematically investigate the effects of cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) on the interactions of GPA with Band 3 in the model erythrocyte membranes. We examine the dynamics of the interactions of GPA with Band 3 in different lipid bilayers on the microsecond time scale and calculate the binding free energy between GPA and Band 3. The results indicate that cholesterols thermodynamically favor the binding of GPA to Band 3 by increasing the thickness of the lipid bilayer and by producing an effective attraction between the proteins due to the depletion effect. Cholesterols also slow the kinetics of the binding of GPA to Band 3 by reducing the lateral mobility of the lipids and proteins and may influence the binding sites between the proteins. The anionic PIP2 lipids prefer binding to the surface of the proteins through electrostatic attraction between the PIP2 headgroup and the positively charged residues on the protein surface. Ions in the solvent facilitate the PIP2 aggregation which promotes the binding of GPA to Band 3.

PMID:35524411 | DOI:10.1016/j.bpj.2022.05.001

J Med Virol. 2022 May 6. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27841. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Providing sensible estimates of the mean incubation time for COVID-19 is important yet complex. This study aims to provide sensible estimates of the mean incubation time of COVID-19 by capitalizing on available estimates reported in the literature and exploring different ways to accommodate heterogeneity involved in the reported studies.

METHODS: Online databases between January 1 of 2020 and May 20 of 2021 are first searched to obtain estimates of the mean incubation time of COVID-19 from available studies, and meta-analyses are then conducted to generate synthetic estimates. Heterogeneity of the studies is examined via the use of Cochran’s $Q$ statistic and Higgin’s & Thompson’s $I^2$ statistic, and subgroup analyses are conducted using mixed effects models. The publication bias issue is assessed using the funnel plot and Egger’s test.

RESULTS: Using all those reported mean incubation estimates for COVID-19, the mean incubation time is estimated to be 6.43 days with a 95% confidence interval (CI) (5.90, 6.96), and using all those reported mean incubation estimates together with those transformed median incubation estimates, the estimated mean incubation time is 6.07 days with a 95% CI (5.70,6.45).

CONCLUSIONS: The reported estimates of the mean incubation time of COVID-19 vary considerably due to multiple reasons, including heterogeneity and publication bias. To alleviate these issues, we take different angles to provide a sensible estimate of the mean incubation time of COVID-19. Our analyses show that the mean incubation time of COVID-19 between January 1 of 2020 and May 20 of 2021 ranges from 5.68 days to 8.30 days. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:35524338 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.27841