Category: Statistics

Am J Otolaryngol. 2021 Mar 26;42(5):102999. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.102999. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 disease emerged in Wuhan province of China in November 2019 and spread across the world in a short time, resulting in a pandemic. The first case in Turkey was detected on March 11, 2020. The aim of the current study was to reveal the effects of COVID-19 on cranial nerves by monitoring people infected with the disease based on repeated examinations and surveys.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: The data of 356 patients with a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test who received treatment between June 2020 and August 2020 in our hospital were prospectively evaluated after the study was approved by the relevant ethics committee.

RESULTS: Of the 356 patients included in the study, 47 under the age of 18 years were excluded due to their unreliable examination and anamnesis findings. In addition, seven patients that died while in hospital were excluded from the study due to the lack of examination and survey records during their hospitalization. The data of the remaining 302 patients were statistically analyzed. Symptoms of cranial nerve involvement were observed in 135 patients.

CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus commonly results in cranial nerve symptoms. The fact that these findings are more common and severe in COVID-19 than previous SARS and MERS outbreaks suggests that it has a more neurotrophic and more aggressive neuroinvasion. While the negative effects of the virus on sensory functions resulting from cranial nerve involvement are evident, motor functions are rarely affected.

PMID:33838359 | DOI:10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.102999

Acad Pediatr. 2021 Apr 7:S1876-2859(21)00213-8. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.03.020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in undergraduate medical education (UME), characterization of EPAs by pediatric educators, and opportunities and challenges with an EPA framework.

METHODS: In 2020, nine survey questions were administered to members of the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics, a national pediatric UME group. Clark’s Commitment and Necessary Effort model on motivation served as the theoretical framework for our study. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis, respectively.

RESULTS: 167 (31%) of 479 recipients, representing 75% of accredited schools responded. 83% agreed that they understood what EPAs were, yet a minority reported using EPAs. 85% of EPA users expressed satisfaction with EPAs in providing a shared framework and an opportunity to track student competence; dissatisfaction was expressed towards faculty resource needs. Among non-users, barriers hindering implementation included faculty development challenges and faculty time. Qualitative analyses revealed a rich understanding of EPAs: that they offer a framework to measure learner competence by assessing performance in workplace-based tasks that can be used for entrustment decisions and for program evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS: Although most pediatric UME educators report understanding EPAs (contributing to self-efficacy) and recognize their benefits (value), a minority report actually using EPAs. EPAs, while providing a valuable framework, pose challenges from contextual factors affecting personal agency, which could affect educator commitment in implementation. For more widespread adoption of the EPAs, efforts should focus on minimizing these perceived barriers.

PMID:33838345 | DOI:10.1016/j.acap.2021.03.020

J Osteopath Med. 2021 Apr 12. doi: 10.1515/jom-2021-0059. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: On December 1, 2020, Drs. Wolfgang Wodarg and Micheal Yeadon petitioned to withhold emergency use authorization of the BNT162b2 messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) manufactured by BioNTech and Pfizer, raising concern for female infertility risks but acknowledging the lack of evidence. The European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration ultimately issued emergency use authorizations, but misinformation claiming that COVID-19 vaccines cause female infertility began circulating on social media, potentially influencing public perception and medical decision making among pregnant patients or those seeking to become pregnant.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the potential influence misinformation may have had on public interest in infertility related topics, as analyzed through internet search statistics in the US.

METHODS: The Google Trends tool was used to analyze results for the search terms “infertility,” “infertility AND vaccine,” and “infertility AND COVID vaccine” in the US from February 4, 2020 to February 3, 2021. We applied autoregressive integrated moving average models to forecast expected values, comparing them with actual observed values.

RESULTS: At peak interest (100), the forecasted relative search volumes interest for the search terms “infertility,” “infertility AND vaccine,” and “infertility AND COVID vaccine” were 45.47 (95% CI, 33.27-57.66; p<0.001), 0.88 (95% CI, 2.87-4.63; p<0.001), and 0.29 (95% CI, -2.25-2.82; p<0.001). The actual relative search volumes at peak searching represented 119.9, 11,251, and 34,900% increases, respectively, when compared with forecasted values.

CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine misinformation corresponded with increased internet searches for topics related to infertility in the US. Dispelling misinformation and informing patients about the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination may prevent unnecessary vaccine hesitancy or refusal, contributing to successful vaccination efforts.

PMID:33838086 | DOI:10.1515/jom-2021-0059

J Complement Integr Med. 2021 Apr 12. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2020-0121. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Hemodialysis (HD) patients suffer more sleep problems (poor sleep quality and restless leg syndrome [RLS]). Complementary therapy, especially massage with aromatherapy oil is one of the non-pharmacological treatment options with less adverse effects than routine methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of foot massage with of lavender and orange essential oil on HD patients’ sleep quality and RLS.

METHODS: This is a double blind randomized controlled trial on 105 HD patients was conducted at a large educational hospital in Iran, Hamadan province between January and September 2017. Patients divided into three groups with random allocation (35 participants per groups in lavender, orange, and control group). Foot massage during HD with lavender and orange essential oil was administered to the patients three times a week for three weeks, and every massage lasted half an hour. The control group received routine care. Before the intervention, the end of the first, second, and third weeks Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and RLS questionnaire were completed for all three groups. Data were statistically analyzed with Independent Samples t-test, chi-square test and repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) by SPSS version 16.

RESULTS: The mean score of sleep quality and RLS in the intervention groups were significantly different compare with the control group in all three time of data collecting (p<0 001).

CONCLUSIONS: Aromatherapy prepared with lavender oil and sweet orange may be recommended to increase sleep quality and RLS level of the HD patients.

PMID:33838094 | DOI:10.1515/jcim-2020-0121

Eur J Dent Educ. 2021 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/eje.12685. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Many studies, globally, have aimed at elucidating reasons to choose a career in dentistry. The most common motives found are reasonable working hours and aspiration to help. The aim of this study was to explore whether eventual past personal experience of orthodontic treatment and particularly the interpersonal skills of the treating orthodontist are of significance in this respect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic questionnaire, consisting of multiple choice and descriptive questions about dental history and experiences in dental care, was sent to dental and, as controls, psychology students within the same Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. The answers between the two groups were compared and differences tested statistically.

RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 143 (46.0%) dental students and 94 (17.6%) psychology students. Dental students, compared to psychology students, had more positive views of their dentition and dental treatment in general (P=0.000). Among participants, 47.9% of dental students and 57.4% of psychology students had received orthodontic treatment. Of those, dental students had perceived their orthodontic treatment as less painful (P=0.001) and less uncomfortable (P=0.000) than psychology students. Moreover, dental students reported more often experiences of orthodontist taking into account their situation in life during treatment (P=0.011), and gave more positive descriptions of the orthodontist’s interpersonal skills (P=0.031).

CONCLUSIONS: Dental students, compared to psychology students, had statistically significantly more positive personal experiences related to dentistry and orthodontics, supporting our hypothesis that positive experiences with orthodontic treatment likely increases the probability of choosing dentistry as the future career.

PMID:33838070 | DOI:10.1111/eje.12685

Geobiology. 2021 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/gbi.12442. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Microbes are known to accumulate intracellular SiO₂ (aq) up to 100s of mmol/l from modern seawater (SiO₂ (aq) <100 µmol/l), despite having no known nutrient requirement for Si. Before the evolution of siliceous skeletons, marine silica concentrations were likely an order of magnitude higher than the modern ocean, raising the possibility that intracellular SiO₂ (aq) accumulation interfered with normal cellular function in non-silicifying algae. Yet, because few culturing studies have isolated the effects of SiO₂ (aq) at high concentration, the potential impact of elevated marine silica on early microbial evolution is unknown. Here, we test the influence of elevated SiO₂ (aq) on eukaryotic algae, as well as a prokaryote species. Our results demonstrate that under SiO₂ (aq) concentrations relevant to ancient seawater, intracellular Si accumulates to concentrations comparable to those found in siliceous algae such as diatoms. In addition, all eukaryotic algae showed a statistically significant response to the high-Si treatment, including reduced average cell sizes and/or a reduction in the maximum growth rate. In contrast, there was no consistent response to the high-Si treatment by the prokaryote species. Our results highlight the possibility that elevated marine SiO₂ (aq) may have been an environmental stressor during early eukaryotic evolution.

PMID:33838079 | DOI:10.1111/gbi.12442

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Apr 12. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2020-0630. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate automatic and voluntary motor control performances, which have an important function in maintaining balance, in children and adolescents with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS).

METHODS: The records of 70 patients were retrospectively analyzed. The results of Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) performed according to the age and development of the individuals were examined. The results of 10 children and adolescents with MPS (mean age: 9.43 ranging from 6 to 14; four males and six females) who completed the sensory analysis, Weight-Bearing Squat Test, and Adaptation Test were retrieved from the database of the CDP. Nine healthy children and adolescents with typical development (mean age: 9.63 ranging from 6 to 14; four males and five females) were included as the control group.

RESULTS: In the sensory analysis test, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the visual ratio parameter. In the adaptation test, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the toes up and toes down trials. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the Weight-Bearing Squat test at 0° knee extension and various knee flexions.

CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents with MPS should be directed to the appropriate exercise and therapy programs to develop postural and balance control, which have a significant effect on their quality of life and the ability to independently perform daily activities of living. In addition to routine hearing assessments for patients with MPS, other objective tests used in the differential diagnosis of balance and vestibular system should also be implemented.

PMID:33838084 | DOI:10.1515/jpem-2020-0630

Br J Haematol. 2021 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17426. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Optimal donor choice for a second allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) in relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) remains unknown. We compared overall survival (OS) using registry data from the Acute Leukemia Working Party (ALWP) of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) involving 455 adults who received a second allo-HCT from a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched unrelated (MUD) (n = 320) or a haploidentical (n = 135) donor. Eligibility criteria required adults aged ≥18 years who received a second allo-HCT for treating AML relapse between 2005 and 2019. The primary end-point was OS. There was no statistically significant difference in the median (interquartile range) age between the groups, MUD 46 (35-58) versus haploidentical 44 (33-53) years (P = 0·07). The median OS was not different between the MUD and the haploidentical groups (10 vs. 11 months, P = 0·57). Similarly, the 2-year OS was 31% for the MUD and 29% for the haploidentical donor groups. The OS was worse if the procedure was performed with active AML [hazard ratio (HR) 1·42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·07-1·89; P = 0·02]. Conversely, a longer time from first allo-HCT to relapse (>13·2 months) was associated with better OS (HR 0·50, 95% CI 0·37-0·69; P < 0·0001). The results of the present analysis limit the ability to recommend one donor type over another when considering a second allo-HCT for relapsed AML. Our findings highlight that best OS is achieved when receiving the second allo-HCT in complete remission.

PMID:33838047 | DOI:10.1111/bjh.17426

J Sci Food Agric. 2021 Apr 10. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.11248. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Plastic film mulch is widely used to improve crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE, yield per unit evapotranspiration) in the semi-arid regions. It is commonly applied as partial-film mulch (PM: at least 50% soil cover) or full-film mulch (FM: complete soil cover). The PM has lower economic and environmental cost; hence it would be a superior technology provided it delivers similar gains in yield and water use efficiency in relation to FM.

RESULTS: To solve contradictory results from individual studies, we compared FM and PM in a meta-analysis of 100 studies with 1881 comparisons (685 for wheat; 1196 for maize). Compared with bare ground, FM and PM both increased yield of wheat (20-26%) and maize (37-52%), and WUE of wheat (16-20%) and maize (38-48%), with statistically undistinguishable differences between PM and FM. The increases in crop yield and WUE were stronger at elevation >1000 m, with annual precipitation<400 mm, and on loess soil, especially for maize.

CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that partial-film mulch could replace full-film mulch to return similar yield and WUE improvement, with reduced cost and environmental pollution. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:33838057 | DOI:10.1002/jsfa.11248

Eur J Neurol. 2021 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/ene.14863. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy is a debilitating inherited muscle disease for which various therapeutic strategies are being investigated. Thus far, little attention has been given in FSHD to the development of scientifically sound outcome measures fulfilling regulatory authorities’ requirements. The aim of this study is to design a patient-reported Rasch-built interval scale on activity and participation for FSHD.

METHODS: A pre-phase FSHD-Rasch-built overall disability scale (pre-FSHD-RODS; consisting of n=159 activity/participation items), based on the WHO international classification of disease-related functional consequences was completed by 762 FSHD patients (Netherlands: n=171; UK: n=287; USA n=221; France: n=52; Australia n=32). Part of the patients completed it twice (n=230; interval 2-4 weeks; reliability studies). The pre-FSHD-RODS was subjected to Rasch analyses to create a model fulfilling its requirements. Validity studies were performed through correlation with the Motor Function Measure.

RESULTS: The pre-FSHD-RODS did not meet the Rasch model’s expectations. Based on determinants like misfit statistics and misfit residuals, differential item functioning, and local dependency we systematically removed items until a final 38-inquiries (originating from 32 items; six items split) FSHD-RODS was constructed achieving Rasch model’s expectations. Adequate test-retest reliability and (cross-cultural and external) validity scores were obtained.

CONCLUSIONS: The FSHD-RODS is a disease-specific interval measure suitable for detecting activity and participation restrictions in patients with FSHD with good items’/persons’ reliability and validity scores. The use of this scale is recommended in the near future, determining the functional deterioration slope in FSHD per year as a preparation for the upcoming clinical intervention trials in FSHD.

PMID:33838063 | DOI:10.1111/ene.14863