Category: Statistics

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0264055. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264055. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Despite research and public scrutiny over recent decades, discarding continues to be an issue for trawl fisheries. Previous research demonstrates that environmental, biological, operational, legislative and socioeconomic drivers affect a fisher’s decision to discard an organism. Therefore, the reduction of fishery discards requires a better understanding of fishery-specific drivers. Despite considerable research and mitigation, further work is required to reduce discarding to acceptable levels (currently ~ 50% in Australia). To better understand the drivers of discarding, this study used a modelling approach to determine environmental and operational factors that drive discarding in the New South Wales (NSW) ocean prawn trawl fishery (OPT). Further, the study investigated the relationship between the discarded number of individuals from all functional species groups (i.e. elasmobranchs, crustaceans and fish combined) and the retained catch weight. This model was also run on just fish partly due to their disproportionally high contribution to the discard assemblage (e.g. 76% of all species or higher taxon) and importance (e.g. to the ecosystem and fisheries). The results quantified relationships of environmental and operational drivers of discarding and the relationship of fish discarding and retained catch weight was found to be linear. However, the identified relationships appear complicated and, whilst an important first step, more work is required to identify all drivers influencing discarding practices. We, in combination with previous research, suggest implementation of effort quotas may be a suitable management initiative to reduce discarding and its impact; at least whilst more research is conducted to better understand this complex process. Furthering our understanding of discarding is urgent given its global impact and the rate of discarding in the OPT.

PMID:35176093 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0264055

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0263331. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263331. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the satisfaction and adequacy of citizens through the expected quality and perceived quality in the areas of planning and territorial viability, experience in the provision of municipal services and citizen experience in environmental issues, in order to provide tools for territorial decision making for the citizens’ well-being. In our research PLS software is used for the analysis of hypotheses. A questionnaire was delivered to a sample of 521 citizens, representing the spectrum of the population, and the statistical study of the responses yielded results on citizen satisfaction and loyalty. Our research includes the study of moderating effects on the causal ratio of perceived value and satisfaction in territorial planning and viability, the perceived quality in the provision of municipal services and the perceived quality in the citizen experience in the environmental management of the territory on the value relationship perceived by the citizen and general satisfaction. A second objective of the study is to see if there are significant differences in the hypotheses raised by gender by performing a multigroup analysis. This difference has been appreciated in two of the hypotheses. The study shows that the policies exercised by the territorial managers of the different areas have a significant influence on the value perceived by citizens, satisfaction and loyalty, which shape their general well-being. Areas for improvement in territorial policies and municipal services such as citizen security, air quality, public lighting and sports services have been identified. Knowing these shortcomings allows politicians to focus their efforts on improving the quality of life in cities.

PMID:35176053 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0263331

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0263756. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263756. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Antibiotics dispensing without a prescription is an irrational practice and can increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a significant public health concern around the globe. This study was aimed to determine the extent to which antibiotics are supplied without prescription in the community pharmacies (CPs) at Hazara Division from November 2020 to February 2021. The simulated client method (SCM) was used, and the data were gathered, recorded, and analyzed through different statistical methods with descriptive and inferential techniques. The antibiotic dispensing was observed in CPs (90.5%), the most dispensed antibiotics were azithromycin (29.4%) and ciprofloxacin (46.5%) respectively. Furthermore, visited medical stores/ drug outlets, 9.5% of the visited stores denied dispensing of antibiotics because they preferred a referral to visit physicians (23. 9%) and (12.8%) did not had the antibiotics at the time of visits. Antibiotics were more obtainable in retail medical stores (AOR = 8.6, 95 percent Cl: 3.0-24.7; p = 0.001) than in pharmacies. In rural areas antibiotics dispensing was more (p = 0.004) as compared to urban areas. Staff members also had asked about patient’s (17.7%) symptoms and drug allergies (12.3% and 3.9%), and (1.5%) they consoled them about their medications. The findings of this study indicate that nonprescription antibiotic sales are very common, despite national rules prohibiting this activity. When the simulated Client requested for any medication to relieve his or her discomfort, many antibiotics were given out without a prescription. Pharmacies/medical stores in Hazara Division selling antibiotics without a prescription are worrying and need immediate action by regulators.

PMID:35176043 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0263756

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0263584. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263584. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers are on the rise. Most of the risk factors of these diseases commence in Adolescence. Therefore, a cluster randomised controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effect of school-based health promotion intervention on the risk factors of chronic diseases.

METHODOLOGY: Considering school as a cluster, twelve schools will be randomly selected from the public schools of Chandigarh, a city in India. After baseline assessment, six schools will be randomly allocated to intervention and six to the control arm. Study participants will be students of 8th grade (age 10-16 years), their parents and teachers. A sample of 360 students (12 clusters x 30 students) has been estimated to provide statistically valid inference. The PRECEDE PROCEED Model will be used to develop health promotion interventions to prevent the use of an unbalanced diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, and tobacco. Interventions will be implemented for six-months in the school setting. For students, the intervention will comprise interactive learning sessions of 30 minutes duration per week and physical activity sessions of 30 minutes duration four times every week. Educational sessions will be conducted for parents and teachers for 30 minutes, four times during the intervention period. Primary outcomes will be changes in the prevalence of behavioural risk factors from pre- to post-intervention. Changes in anthropometric, physiological, and biochemical measures will be the secondary outcomes. The difference-in-difference (DID) method will be used to measure the net change in the outcomes.

DISCUSSION: It is essential to understand whether health promotion interventions implemented in the school setting simultaneously targeting adolescents, teachers, and parents are effective. Using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for planning, implementing, and evaluating the intervention as part of a cluster Randomized Controlled Trial design with DID analysis, could objectively assess the impact.

PMID:35176046 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0263584

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0263714. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263714. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

This report describes how image processing harnessed to multivariate analysis techniques can be used as a bio-analytical tool for mastitis screening in cows using milk samples collected from 48 animals (32 from Jersey, 7 from Gir, and 9 from Guzerat cow breeds), totalizing a dataset of 144 sequential images was collected and analyzed. In this context, this methodology was developed based on the lactoperoxidase activity to assess mastitis using recorded images of a cuvette during a simple experiment and subsequent image treatments with an R statistics platform. The color of the sample changed from white to brown upon its exposure to reagents, which is a consequence of lactoperoxidase enzymatic reaction. Data analysis was performed to extract the channels from the RGB (Red-Green-Blue) color system, where the resulting dataset was evaluated with Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Second-Order Regression (SO). Interesting results in terms of enzymatic activity correlation (R2 = 0.96 and R2 = 0.98 by MLR and SO, respectively) and of somatic cell count (R2 = 0.97 and R2 = 0.99 by MLR and SO, respectively), important mastitis indicators, were obtained using this simple method. Additionally, potential advantages can be accessed such as quality control of the dairy chain, easier bovine mastitis prognosis, lower cost, analytical frequency, and could serve as an evaluative parameter to verify the health of the mammary gland.

PMID:35176036 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0263714

PLoS Genet. 2022 Feb 17;18(2):e1010036. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010036. eCollection 2022 Feb.

ABSTRACT

The great ethnolinguistic diversity found today in mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) reflects multiple migration waves of people in the past. Maritime trading between MSEA and India was established at the latest 300 BCE, and the formation of early states in Southeast Asia during the first millennium CE was strongly influenced by Indian culture, a cultural influence that is still prominent today. Several ancient Indian-influenced states were located in present-day Thailand, and various populations in the country are likely to be descendants of people from those states. To systematically explore Indian genetic heritage in MSEA populations, we generated genome-wide SNP data (using the Affymetrix Human Origins array) for 119 present-day individuals belonging to 10 ethnic groups from Thailand and co-analyzed them with published data using PCA, ADMIXTURE, and methods relying on f-statistics and on autosomal haplotypes. We found low levels of South Asian admixture in various MSEA populations for whom there is evidence of historical connections with the ancient Indian-influenced states but failed to find this genetic component in present-day hunter-gatherer groups and relatively isolated groups from the highlands of Northern Thailand. The results suggest that migration of Indian populations to MSEA may have been responsible for the spread of Indian culture in the region. Our results also support close genetic affinity between Kra-Dai-speaking (also known as Tai-Kadai) and Austronesian-speaking populations, which fits a linguistic hypothesis suggesting cladality of the two language families.

PMID:35176016 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pgen.1010036

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0262318. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262318. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is limited empirical evidence in Ethiopia on the determinants of treatment outcomes of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) who were enrolled to second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Thus, this study investigated the determinants of treatment outcomes in patients with MDR-TB at referral hospitals in Ethiopia.

DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was underpinned by a cross-sectional quantitative research design that guided both data collection and analysis. Data is collected using structured questionnaire and data analyses was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Multi-variable logistic regression was used to control for confounders in determining the association between treatment outcomes of patients with MDR-TB and selected predictor variables, such as co-morbidity with MDR-TB and body mass index.

RESULTS: From the total of 136 patients with MDR-TB included in this study, 31% had some co-morbidity with MDR-TB at baseline, and 64% of the patients had a body mass index of less than 18.5 kg/m2. At 24 months after commencing treatment, 76 (69%), n = 110), of the patients had successfully completed treatment, while 30 (27%) died of the disease. The odds of death was significantly higher among patients with low body mass index (AOR = 2.734, 95% CI: 1.01-7.395; P<0.048) and those with some co-morbidity at baseline (AOR = 4.260, 95%CI: 1.607-11.29; p<0.004).

CONCLUSION: The higher proportion of mortality among patients treated for MDR-TB at Adama and Nekemte Hospitals, central Ethiopia, is attributable to co-morbidities with MDR-TB, including HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. Improving socio-economic and nutritional support and provision of integrated care for MDR-TB and HIV/AIDS is recommended to mitigate the higher level of death among patients treated for MDR-TB.

PMID:35176035 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0262318

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022 Feb 18;71(7):282. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7107a6.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:35176009 | DOI:10.15585/mmwr.mm7107a6

J Craniofac Surg. 2022 Feb 16. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008520. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to evaluate condylar position and angulation after asymmetric mandibular setback between a conventional (CA) and surgery-first approach (SFA) using three-dimensional analysis. The condylar positions of 30 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and facial asymmetry who underwent 1-jaw (sagittal split ramus osteotomy) or 2-jaw orthognathic surgery (Le Fort I osteotomy and sagittal split ramus osteotomy) with CA (n = 18) or SFA (n = 12) from 2 university hospitals were studied. The three-dimensional assessment of condylar changes was performed using computed tomography images at the initial time point (T0) and at least 6 months after surgery (T1). Segmentation of condyles and cranial base assessment from cone-beam computed tomography images were performed using ITK-SNAP software (version 3.4.0). Condylar position and angulation changes were calculated using 3D Slicer software (version 4.10.2), and statistical analysis was performed. No significant translational or rotational condylar changes were observed between the deviated and nondeviated sides in each group or between the CA and SFA groups except yaw (P = 0.014). Linear mixed-model analysis and multivariate analysis showed no significant difference between the CA and SFA groups. Surgery-first approach might not be associated with more harmful effects on the condylar position and angulation changes as compared with CA.

PMID:35175981 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000008520

J Craniofac Surg. 2022 Feb 16. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008524. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ameloblastoma (AM) is the most common, locally aggressive odontogenic tumor. It comprises about 1% of all head and neck neoplasms. It occurs mainly in young adults in their 3rd and 4th decade of life. It localizes in the mandible in about 80% of the cases. According to the 2017 WHO classification, 4 types of ameloblastoma can be distinguished: ameloblastoma (previously referred to as solid/multicystic-SMA; the “conventional type” AM), unicystic (AM-UA), extraosseous/peripheral (AM-PA), and malignant/metastatic (AM-MA). Solid, multicystic is the most common type. It is characteristic for its aggressiveness and high risk of recurrence. Radical resection with consecutive reconstruction is the treatment of choice of mandibular ameloblastomas.In this study, the authors present their experience in the surgical treatment of mandibular ameloblastomas with vascularized free flap reconstructions. They discuss new technological possibilities that could improve the precision of the reconstructive procedure and therefore result in the better aesthetic outcome.The retrospective study of a group of 21 patients suffering from mandibular ameloblastoma who underwent segmental mandibulectomy with simultaneous microvascular free flap reconstruction was conducted. A thorough clinical analysis with various aspects was performed. Tumors resected before 2017 were double checked patomorphologically and assigned to the corrected subtype group.Seven patients were admitted to the department due to recurrent ameloblastoma. The most common localization of the tumor was the mandibular body (n = 6) and body with ramus of the mandible (n = 6). A total amount of 10 iliac crest free flaps and 12 fibular free flaps were performed. Complications were reported in 4 patients. A purulent oro-cutaneus fistula occurred in 3patients. There was a flap failure in each reconstructive group. The virtual surgical planning with intraoperative cone-beam computed tomography was used in 3 patients. Dentition implantation was conducted in 4 patients (3 simultaneously, 1 postponed). The mean follow-up was 5 years and 8 months.Radical resection that covers radical segmental mandibulectomy with immediate microvascular free flap reconstruction is a first-line and only effective treatment of mandibular ameloblastomas, that eliminates the risk of recurrence. The extent of surgical margins seems not to influence the recurrence rate, yet further investigation with statistical analysis should be performed. The choice of the adequate free flap must be adapted to dimensions and localization of the tumor and to each patient individually.New technologies such as virtual surgical planning with 3D models and intraoperativecone-beam computed tomography can make the reconstruction more accurate, improving patient’s quality of life.

PMID:35175985 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000008524