Category: Statistics

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2021 Nov 29:S0301-5629(21)00457-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.10.017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The objective of the current study was to examine the validity and repeatability of panoramic ultrasound in evaluating the anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) of the pectoralis major. Specifically, we aimed to quantify the measurement errors generated during the image acquisition and analysis (repeatability), as well as when comparing with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (validity). Moreover, we aimed to analyze the influence of the operator’s experience on these measurement errors. Both sides of the chest of 16 participants (n = 32) were included. Errors made by two operators (trained and novice) when measuring pectoralis major ACSA (50% of sternum-areola mammae distance) were examined. Acquisition errors included the comparison of two images acquired 5 min apart. Acquisition 1 was analyzed twice to quantify analysis errors. Thereafter, acquisition 1 was compared with MRI. Statistics include the standard error of measurement (SEM), expressed in absolute (cm²) and relative (%) terms as a coefficient of variation (CV), and the calculation of systematic bias. Errors made by the trained operator were lower than those made by the novice, especially during the image acquisition (SEM = 0.25 vs. 0.66 cm², CV = 1.06 vs. 2.98%) and when compared with MRI (SEM = 0.27 vs. 1.90 cm², CV = 1.13 vs. 8.16%). Furthermore, although both operators underestimated the ACSA, magnitude and variability [SD] of these errors were lower for the trained operator (bias = -0.19 [0.34] cm²) than for the novice (bias = -1.97 [2.59] cm²). Panoramic ultrasound is a valid and repeatable technique for measuring pectoralis major ACSA, especially when implemented by a trained operator.

PMID:34857426 | DOI:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.10.017

Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2021 Sep 22:S0939-4753(21)00457-9. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The role of serum uric acid (SUA) in stroke remains controversial and analyses of changes in SUA and stroke are limited. The objective of the study was to investigate the associations of changes in SUA with stroke and its subtypes (ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke).

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 51 441 participants (mean age 52.69 ± 11.71 years) without history of myocardial infarction or stroke were enrolled. Participants were divided into four groups based on SUA level changes during 2006 and 2010: stable low, increasing, decreasing, and stable high. SUA score was quantified on a 3-point scale with 1 point awarded for hyperuricemia at either year 2006, 2008 or 2010. Multivariate Cox proportion models were used to calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During 7.03-year follow up, 1611 stroke (1410 ischemic stroke, 199 hemorrhagic stroke, and 47 subarachnoid hemorrhage) were identified. Participants with stable high SUA had higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke, the HR was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.06-3.51), compared to those with stable low SUA. Furthermore, cumulative high SUA exposure also increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, the HR (95%CI) was 2.99 (1.55-5.74), compared with cumulative low SUA exposure. However, no significant evidence indicated changes in SUA was associated with the risk of total and ischemic stroke, the HRs (95% CIs) were 0.98 (0.74-1.29) and 0.88 (0.65-1.19), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Stable high SUA was positively associated with the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, but not with total and ischemic stroke risk.

PMID:34857424 | DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.017

Vaccine. 2021 Nov 29:S0264-410X(21)01532-2. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Due to the lack of understanding of the protective effects and safety of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in immune-deficient populations, the vaccination rate of PPV23 among HIV-infected patients is still very low in China. The main objectives of this study were to determine whether the efforts to assess measures for the prevention of pneumococcal pneumonia are still worthwhile, and provide designated vaccination program of HIV-infected persons for government policy based on.

METHODS: 60 HIV-infected adults in Lanshan county who had never been vaccinated with any pneumococcal vaccine were enrolled in this study, voluntary vaccination of PPV23 and One-year follow-up after vaccination can be completed.

RESULT: 76.67% patients (46/60) had serologic response at 12 months after vaccine, CD4 count(≤500 cells/ul or > 500 cells/ul) and Month from diagnosis to first antiviral therapy (≤1 month or > 1 month) were related to antibody responses (p < 0.05).In this study, PPV23 was well tolerated, no adversereaction was reported.11 Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia (9.17%,11/120) occurred in the Unvaccinated group and 1 case(1.67%,1/60)in the vaccination group within one year after vaccination(Fisher’s exact probability, P = 0.225). The VE was 81.79%. The per capita benefit was 39.32 dollars, thebenefit-costratio = 1.19. There are significant statistical differences between the vaccinated group and the non-vaccinated group in outpatient costs (p < 0.05, 95 %CI: 9.29-32.11), Medicine costs (p = 0.017, 95 %CI: 2.47-24.44), and disease related indirect costs (p = 0.038, 95 %CI: 0.93-33.63) within one year of vaccination.

CONCLUSION: Our study results showed that PPV23 can be safely and effectively administered to HIV-1 infected individuals and effectively preventing Streptococcal pneumonia. Considering the cost-benefit of vaccination among HIV-infected persons, as it has been reported in our study, it is necessary to promote the widespread use of the vaccine among HIV-infected persons in the future.

PMID:34857419 | DOI:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.058

Gynecol Oncol. 2021 Nov 29:S0090-8258(21)01607-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.11.013. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Age and ethnicity are among several factors that influence overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer. The study objective was to determine whether ethnicity and age were of prognostic significance in women enrolled in a clinical trial evaluating the addition of bevacizumab to front-line therapy.

METHODS: Women with advanced stage ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer were enrolled in a phase III clinical trial. All women had surgical staging and received adjuvant chemotherapy with one of three regimens. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between OS with age and race/ethnicity among the study participants.

RESULTS: One-thousand-eight-hundred-seventy-three women were enrolled in the study. There were 280 minority women and 328 women over the age of 70. Women age 70 and older had a 34% increase risk for death when compared to women under 60 (HR = 1.34; 95% CI 1.16-1.54). Non-Hispanic Black women had a 54% decreased risk of death with the addition of maintenance bevacizumab (HR = 0.46, 95% CI:0.26-0.83). Women of Asian descent had more hematologic grade 3 or greater adverse events and a 27% decrease risk of death when compared to non-Hispanic Whites (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59-0.90).

CONCLUSIONS: Non-Hispanic Black women showed a decreased risk of death with the addition of bevacizumab and patients of Asian ancestry had a lower death rate than all other minority groups, but despite these clinically meaningful improvements there was no statistically significant difference in OS among the groups.

PMID:34857397 | DOI:10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.11.013

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Nov 21:127762. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127762. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Longwall caving mining (LCM) can lead to many environmental problems that have drawn worldwide attention. A previous survey found that most scholars tend to analyze the two issues separately, that is, coal mining-induced subsidence and heavy metal pollution sources in the soil of the mining regions. Based on field monitoring as well as the collection and analysis of soil samples, a previous study estimated ground settlement and analyzed the surface subsidence law and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals in soils. Moreover, a geographic information system was combined with multivariate statistical analysis methods to analyze the heavy metal pollution sources in soils. At the same time, the mechanism of heavy metal accumulation in the subsidence area was analyzed. The study found that the most active subsidence of settlement was 137.5 m behind the workface and moved forward with the workface. LCM has already caused significant disturbance to the soils in the Hengyuan Mine. Moreover, the distribution pattern of eight heavy metals was consistent with the surface subsidence law. The sources of heavy metal pollution in the soils were also identified; namely, coal mining-induced subsidence (64.1%) and mixed transportation and wind-mediated spread (35.9%), offering a reinterpretation of the LCM’s footprint.

PMID:34857402 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127762

Br J Anaesth. 2021 Nov 29:S0007-0912(21)00649-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.10.006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patients with perioperative myocardial injury are at risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The primary aim of this study was to determine optimal thresholds of preoperative and perioperative changes in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) to predict MACCE and mortality.

METHODS: Prospective, observational, cohort study in patients ≥50 yr of age undergoing elective major noncardiac surgery at seven hospitals in Sweden. The exposures were hs-cTnT measured before and days 0-3 after surgery. Two previously published thresholds for myocardial injury and two thresholds identified using receiver operating characteristic analyses were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models and externally validated. The weighted comparison net benefit method was applied to determine the additional value of hs-cTnT thresholds when compared with the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI). The primary outcome was a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality and MACCE.

RESULTS: We included 1291 patients between April 2017 and December 2020. The primary outcome occurred in 124 patients (9.6%). Perioperative increase in hs-cTnT ≥14 ng L^-1 above preoperative values provided statistically optimal model performance and was associated with the highest risk for the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.8-4.7). Validation in an independent, external cohort confirmed these findings. A net benefit over RCRI was demonstrated across a range of clinical thresholds.

CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative increases in hsTnT ≥14 ng L^-1 above baseline values identifies acute perioperative myocardial injury and provides a net prognostic benefit when added to RCRI for the identification of patients at high risk of death and MACCE.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03436238.

PMID:34857357 | DOI:10.1016/j.bja.2021.10.006

Injury. 2021 Nov 24:S0020-1383(21)00970-0. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2021.11.049. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mental stress and depressive disorders have negative effect on bone biology and increase fracture risk. Fluoxetine is a widely used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the treatment of these disorders. We aimed to evaluate the effects of social stress and fluoxetine treatment on fracture healing.

METHODS: This study was performed with 32 male Sprague-Dawley® rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups with eight rats in each group. Social stress regimen was performed in groups 3 and 4 for 15 days. Placebo for groups 1 and 3 and fluoxetine for groups 2 and 4 was administrated. Rat femur open (osteotomy) fracture model was performed. Placebo and fluoxetine were continued to be given to the same groups for four weeks until sacrification of animals. Sacrificed right femurs of subjects were evaluated histologically and radiologically. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using the SPSS 23 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program.

RESULTS: Fracture healing score that evaluates the fracture healing quantitatively based on histological scale and bone mineral density of group 3 were significantly lower than other groups, and there was no significant difference between other groups. Inflammation score of group 2 was significantly lower than group 3. Group 1 had higher new callus formation/original cortex volume than group 2 and group 3. In immunohistochemical evaluation, the H-score of BMP-7/osteoblast in group 3 was lower than in group 1. The H-score of CD34 in group 3 was lower than in group 1.

DISCUSSION: The positive and negative effects of fluoxetine, which is used in the treatment of depressive disorders, on wound, tendon, or bone healing have been shown in the literature. In this study, we showed the negative effects of depression on the early stages of fracture healing. Although fluoxetine had no detrimental effect on fracture healing in non-depressive rats, impaired fracture healing was reversed and better radiological and histological findings were obtained in depressive rats treated with fluoxetine. Our findings indicate that fluoxetine, which minimizes the negative effects of social stress on bone healing, can be used safely in the treatment of depressive disorders in patients with fractures.

PMID:34857371 | DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2021.11.049

ISA Trans. 2021 Nov 18:S0019-0578(21)00560-7. doi: 10.1016/j.isatra.2021.11.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The sparse principal component analysis (SPCA) is widely used in the fault detection for nonlinear complex chemical processes in recent years. However, insufficient data processing, fixed models and fault type single classification cannot be used in the time-varying process. Therefore, a novel adaptive sparse principal component analysis (ASPCA) algorithm fused with improved variation mode decomposition (IVMD) (ASPCA-IVMD) is proposed for fault detection in chemical processes. The bat algorithm is innovatively integrated to optimize the parameters of the variable modulus decomposition. Then the optimized parameters are used for data preprocessing to suppress noise. In addition, based on the traditional SPCA, the threshold calculation is fused to realize the adaptive selection of principal components. After the principal components are determined, T² and Q statistics are used for fault detection. Finally, the proposed method is verified by the Tennessee Eastman process case. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can select the principal components adaptively according to the data for having the real-time property of chemical process. Meanwhile, compared with traditional methods (principal component analysis, sparse principal component analysis, deep belief network integrating dropout, adaptive unscented Kalman filter integrating radial basis function and sparse deep belief network), the detection rate of the ASPCA-IVMD method is more than 99%, which shows superiority.

PMID:34857354 | DOI:10.1016/j.isatra.2021.11.002

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2021 Dec;131:112483. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112483. Epub 2021 Oct 13.

ABSTRACT

A rational design accurate based on the use of Statistical Design of the Experiments (DoE) and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Studies allows the prediction and the understanding of thermo-responsive hydrogels prepared regarding their gelation temperature and anti-cancer drug release rate. N-isopropylacrilamide (NIPAM) modified with specific co-monomers and crosslinkers, can be used to prepare “on-demand” thermo-responsive hydrogels with the ideal properties for clinical applications in which local sustained release of drugs is crucial. Two preferential formulations resulting from the predictive studies of DoE and In Silico methods were synthesized by radical polymerization, fully characterized, and loaded with the anticancer drug Doxorubicin (Dox). The hydrogel formulations were characterized by swelling rate, turbidity, FTIR, ¹H NMR, SEM, gelation time, rheology, and biocompatibility assays. Both formulations demonstrated adequate morphologic, rheological, and biocompatibility properties; however, important differences in terms of drug retention were detected. As demonstrated by a Dox cumulative release study and posteriorly confirmed by an efficacy assay in an in vitro colorectal cancer model, the formulation composed by NIPAM and 4-penten-1-ol crosslinked with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) (PNiPenPH) present a slow release over the time, presenting ideal properties to become and ideal depot system for the local sustained release of anticancer drugs as adjuvant therapy or in the case of non-resectable tumors.

PMID:34857269 | DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2021.112483

Talanta. 2022 Feb 1;238(Pt 1):122998. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122998. Epub 2021 Oct 29.

ABSTRACT

In this work, a method for total sulphur determination in automotive gasoline using dried matrix spot sampling is proposed. The method is based on the deposition of the sample on a cellulose-based filter paper and subsequent sulphur quantification via CS diatomic molecule using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GF MAS). The sample deposition was carried out, along with the chemical modifier, on a 20-mm filter paper disc previously adapted into a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mould. The liquid phase was removed by heating the PTFE mould, and then the gasoline sample-embedded filter paper was punched in smaller discs (procedure A) or pulverised (procedure B) before the analyses. The mixture of Pd and Mg was used as chemical modifier to stabilise the sulphur compounds on the filter paper and on the graphite furnace. All the calibration curves constructed using seven different sulphur-containing compounds had a coefficient of determination higher than 0.995 and a linear range from 2 to 150 mg kg^-1 S. By using the optimised conditions, the best characteristic mass, limits of detection and quantitation were 6 ng, 0.6 and 1.8 mg kg^-1, respectively. The two sampling procedures (A and B) were evaluated for real samples, and procedure B was chosen since it markedly improved the precision. Using this procedure, satisfactory recovery values from 95 to 106% were obtained in the spike-recovery tests. In addition, the S concentrations for the certified reference materials were not statistically different from the certified values at 95% confidence level. Sulphur concentrations from 20 to 46 mg kg^-1 were found in the six analysed gasoline samples, and these values were statistically assessed using a reference method (ASTM 5453). Spectral interference caused by MgF and MgCl diatomic molecules was observed and investigated.

PMID:34857331 | DOI:10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122998