Category: Statistics

Qual Life Res. 2022 Apr 30. doi: 10.1007/s11136-022-03145-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We sought to explore the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of Breast Cancer (BC) and Colorectal Cancer (CRC) patients receiving active chemotherapy.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenient sample of BC and CRC patients between May 2018 and June 2019. HRQoL was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B; 36 items, score range 0-144)) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colon (FACT-C; 34 items, score range 0-136) scales. Both scales measured Physical Well-Being (PWB), Social Well-Being (SWB), emotional well-being, Functional Well-Being (FWB), and an additional disease-specific HRQoL items.

RESULTS: A total of 209 BC and 159 CRC patients were included, with a mean age 49.73 ± 10.41 and 55.38 ± 11.35 years, respectively. 110 (52.6%) of BC and 86 (54.1%) CRC patients were dependent on caregivers, and 115 (55%) of BC and 92 (57.9%) CRC patients slept > 7 h/night. Reported HRQoL mean scores of BC (FACT-B) and CRC (FACT-C) were 85.53 ± 14.81 and 87.69 ± 20.21, respectively. For BC, the PWB score of patients aged >49 years (postmenopausal) was statistically significantly (p = 0.013) worse than those aged ≤49 years (premenopausal). Patients dependent on caregivers had statistically significant better PWB and worse EWB (p = 0.041; p = 0.027, respectively). CRC patients’ dependent on caregivers had better statistically significant differences scoring in FACT-C (p = <0.001), PWB (p = 0.001), EWB (p = <0.001), and FWB (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: In this study, BC and CRC patients who received active chemotherapy were more likely to have poor HRQoL. BC and CRC HRQoL should be addressed early and continuously, to limit their effects on treatment plan.

PMID:35501529 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-022-03145-8

Environ Geochem Health. 2022 Apr 30. doi: 10.1007/s10653-022-01280-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The aimed of the work was estimated the value (level) of mean annual ²²²Rn activity concentration in an underground space based on monthly (k_1m) and quarterly (k_3m) correction factors. The calculations of factors were developed with the assumption that measurements will be conducted for at least 1 month or a quarter of a year. Radon monitoring to confirm the calculated values was carried out continuously from 2008 to 2019 and verification was made on real data obtained in 2020. The estimated mean annual ²²²Rn activity concentration for spaces with natural air exchange depends on factors k_1m and for mechanically ventilated spaces-k_3m. The k_1m for the first group varies from 1.2 to 3.3 between January and March, and between October and December. In the remaining months, k_1m assumes the values from 0.6 to 0.8. In spaces where natural air exchange with the atmosphere is not impeded by airlocks, the k_1m takes the values of 1.0-1.5 (I-III and X-XII), 0.7-0.8 (V-IX), and 1.0 (IV). For spaces with mechanical ventilation, the k_3m is characterized by values in the range of 1.3-1.4 (I and IV quarter), and 0.9 in the others. In spaces with an unknown ventilation method or when the methods are mixed, the averages for both groups of correction factors can be used: k_1m in the range of ≥ 1.0-1.6 (I-III and IX-XII) and < 1.0-0.7 (IV-XI), and k_3m-in the range of 1.3-1.4 (I and IV quarter) and 0.9 in the others.

PMID:35501524 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-022-01280-2

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022 Apr 30. doi: 10.1007/s10006-022-01068-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to identify and study the prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients, who had sustained traumatic facial and dental injuries along with other variables that may affect the psychological response.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 241 patients suffering from traumatic facial and dental injuries presenting to the Ahmadabad Municipal Dental College and Hospital were included in the study. 110 patients (males – 87, females – 23) suffered disfiguring injuries and/or loss of multiple front teeth (DF). 131 patients (males – 102, females – 29) suffered no disfigurement (NDF). Assessment was carried out on day of discharge (D.O.D), 1 month, and 6 months. Impact of Event Scale (I.E.S-R) was used to assess the presence of post traumatic stress disorder in the patients.

RESULTS: Patients with DF injuries had statistically significant higher mean scores than patients suffering NDF injuries. Female patients had comparatively higher scores at D.O.D, 1 month, and 6 months. Patients treated with maxillomandibular fixation and between ages 18 and 40 years also had significantly higher scores.

CONCLUSION: Patients with DF facial injuries including multiple anterior teeth loss had significantly higher mean (I.E.S-R) scores for PTSD in comparison with patients with NDF facial injuries.

PMID:35501526 | DOI:10.1007/s10006-022-01068-9

Childs Nerv Syst. 2022 May 3. doi: 10.1007/s00381-022-05547-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion for the treatment of hydrocephalus is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. Over the years, the development of the neuronavigation system has allowed the surgeon to be guided in real time during the procedures. Nevertheless, to date, the revision rate remains as high as 30-40%. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of intraoperative image guidance in the prevention of shunt failure. We herein report the first literature meta-analysis of image guidance and shunt revision rate in the pediatric population.

METHODS: Principal online databases were searched for English-language articles published between January, 1980, and December, 2021. Analysis was limited to articles that included patients younger than 18 years of age at the time of primary V-P shunt. Articles reporting combined results of free-hand and image-guided placement of ventricular catheter (VC) were included. The main outcome measure of the study was the revision rate in relation to the intraoperative tools. Secondary variables collected were the age of the patient and ventricle size. Statistical analyses and meta-analysis plots were done via R and RStudio. Heterogeneity was formally assessed using Q, I², and τ² statistics. To examine publication bias was performed a funnel plot analysis.

RESULT: A total of 9 studies involving 2017 pediatric patients were included in the meta-analysis. 55.9% of procedures were carried out with the aid of intraoperative tools, while 44.1% procedures were conducted free hand. The intraoperative tools used were ultrasound (9.1%), electromagnetic neuronavigation (21.07%), endoscope (67.32%), and combined images (2.4%).The image-guided placement of VC was not statistically associated with a lower revision rate. The pooled OR was 0.97 [CI 95% 0.88-1.07] with an I² statistics of 34%, t² of 0.018 and a p-value of 0.15 at heterogeneity analysis.

CONCLUSION: Our analysis suggest images guidance during VC shunt placement does not statistically affect shunt survival. Nevertheless, intraoperative tools can support the surgeon especially in patients with difficult anatomy, slit ventricles or complex loculated hydrocephalus.

PMID:35501511 | DOI:10.1007/s00381-022-05547-y

J Neurol. 2022 May 3. doi: 10.1007/s00415-022-11135-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The understanding of fatal familial insomnia (FFI), a rare neurodegenerative autosomal dominant prion disease, has improved in recent years as more cases were reported. This work aimed to propose new diagnostic criteria for FFI with optimal sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio.

METHODS: An international group of experts was established and 128 genetically confirmed FFI cases and 281 non-FFI prion disease controls are enrolled in the validation process. The new criteria were proposed based on the following steps with two-round expert consultation: (1) Validation of the 2018 FFI criteria. (2) Diagnostic item selection according to statistical analysis and expert consensus. (3) Validation of the new criteria.

RESULTS: The 2018 criteria for possible FFI had a sensitivity of 90.6%, a specificity of 83.3%, with a positive likelihood ratio (PLR) of 5.43, and a negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of 0.11; and the probable FFI criteria had a sensitivity of 83.6%, specificity of 92.9%, with a PLR of 11.77, and a NLR of 0.18. The new criteria included more specific and/or common clinical features, two exclusion items, and summarized a precise and flexible diagnostic hierarchy. The new criteria for possible FFI had therefore reached a better sensitivity and specificity (92.2% and 96.1%, respectively), a PLR of 23.64 and a NLR of 0.08, whereas the probable FFI criteria showed a sensitivity of 90.6%, a specificity of 98.2%, with a PLR of 50.33 and a NLR of 0.095.

CONCLUSIONS: We propose new clinical diagnostic criteria for FFI, for a better refining of the clinical hallmarks of the disease that ultimately would help an early recognition of FFI and a better differentiation from other prion diseases.

PMID:35501502 | DOI:10.1007/s00415-022-11135-6

Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2022 May 3. doi: 10.1007/s00228-022-03329-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and acceptance of the semi-automated meta-analysis (SAMA). The objectives are twofold, namely (1) to compare expert opinion on the quality of protocols, methods, and results of one conventional meta-analysis (CMA) and one SAMA and (2) to compare the time to execute the CMA and the SAMA.

METHODS: Experts evaluated the protocols and manuscripts/reports of the CMA and SAMA conducted independently on the safety of metronidazole in pregnancy. Expert opinion was collected using AMSTAR 2 checklist. Time spent was recorded using case report forms.

RESULTS: The overall scores of the opinion of all experts for protocols, methods, and results for SAMA (6.75) and CMA (6.87) were not statistically different (p = 0.88). The experts’ confidence in the results of each MA was 7.89 ± 1.17 and 8.11 ± 0.92, respectively. The time to completion was 14 working days for SAMA and 24.7 for CMA. MA tasks such as calculation of effect estimates, subgroup/sensitivity analysis, and publication bias investigation required no investment in time for SAMA.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study demonstrated the feasibility of SAMA and suggests acceptance for risk assessment by an expert committee. Our results suggest that SAMA reduces the time required for a MA without altering expert confidence in the methodological and scientific rigor. As our study was limited to one example, the generalization of our results requires confirmation by other studies.

PMID:35501476 | DOI:10.1007/s00228-022-03329-8

Commun Biol. 2022 May 2;5(1):407. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03358-0.

ABSTRACT

Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a multi-step process that involves cytoskeletal rearrangement. Here, developing and using an image quantification tool, Statistical Parametrization of Cell Cytoskeleton (SPOCC), we have identified an intermediate EMT state with a specific cytoskeletal signature. We have been able to partition EMT into two steps: (1) initial formation of transverse arcs and dorsal stress fibers and (2) their subsequent conversion to ventral stress fibers with a concurrent alignment of fibers. Using the Orientational Order Parameter (OOP) as a figure of merit, we have been able to track EMT progression in live cells as well as characterize and quantify their cytoskeletal response to drugs. SPOCC has improved throughput and is non-destructive, making it a viable candidate for studying a broad range of biological processes. Further, owing to the increased stiffness (and by inference invasiveness) of the intermediate EMT phenotype compared to mesenchymal cells, our work can be instrumental in aiding the search for future treatment strategies that combat metastasis by specifically targeting the fiber alignment process.

PMID:35501466 | DOI:10.1038/s42003-022-03358-0

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 May 2. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-20531-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is an important means for evaluating resources and environment, and sensitivity analysis can enhance understand the robustness of evaluation results. Spatial visualization has been used in sensitivity analysis of MCDM, but the sensitivity results are still generally summarized by presenting traditional statistical measurements that omit the spatial information. To address this issue, this paper proposed a novel spatially measurement approach of sensitivity analysis by introducing the spatial barycenter model (SBM), which overcame the limitations of existing statistical methods and provided the spatial directivity of uncertainty for the MCDM results. According to our proposed method and its application in farmland quality evaluation (FQE) in an arid area of China, the mean of the absolute average change rate (MACR) and the SBM were applied to test the sensitivity of farmland quality to different evaluation factors from both numerical and spatial perspectives. From the numerical perspective, the soil organic matter and irrigation capacity were the most sensitive factors determined by the MACR. From the spatial perspective, the ≥10 °C accumulated temperature (AT) and precipitation were the most sensitive factors measured by the SBM. Based on the SBM, the spatial configuration of farmland quality index was most sensitive to increase of AT in a northwesterly direction. Calculating the SBM is computationally inexpensive and provides a straightforward indication of spatial direction for the changes of FQE results with changes of parameters. This means it can provide improved understandings and new insights into the comprehensive measurement of sensitivity analysis and agricultural production layout.

PMID:35501443 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-20531-4

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 May 2. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-20442-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Climate change and health are inextricably linked, especially the role of ambient temperature. This study aimed to analyze the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden attributable to low temperature globally, regionally, and temporally using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. Globally, in 2019, low temperature was responsible for 5.42% DALY and 7.18% death of NCDs, representing the age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and death rates (per 100,000 population) of 359.6 (95% uncertainty intervals (UI): 306.09, 416.88) and 21.36 (95% UI:18.26, 24.74). Ischemic heart disease was the first leading cause of DALY and death resulting from low temperature, followed by stroke. However, age-standardized DALY and death rates attributable to low temperature have exhibited wide variability across regions, with the highest in Central Asia and Eastern Europe and the lowest in Caribbean and Western sub-Saharan Africa. During the study period (1990-2019), there has been a significant decrease in the burden of NCDs attributable to low temperature, but progress has been uneven across countries, whereas nations exhibiting high sociodemographic index (SDI) declined more significantly compared with low SDI nations. Notably, three nations, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Lesotho, had the maximum NCDs burden attributed to low temperature and displayed an upward trend. In conclusion, ambient low temperature contributes to substantial NCD burden with notable geographical variations.

PMID:35501439 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-20442-4

Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2022 May 2. doi: 10.1111/cid.13094. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of implant-supported prosthesis in completely edentulous participants in terms of osseoperception ability, neural activity, and stereognostic ability in comparison to removable prosthetic options.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total sample of 18 patients, irrespective of gender and age were allocated into three groups according to the three-treatment protocol (upper and lower complete denture, upper complete denture opposing lower implant-retained overdenture, implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both arches). Four weeks after completion of the treatment procedure active tactile sensibility (ATS) was checked by using varying thicknesses (12, 40, 80, 100, 200 μ) of articulating foils and papers. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to record neurophysiological activity in cerebral cortex in all the participants. Various forms of test pieces (heat cure acrylic resin) were used to evaluate stereognostic ability. Data regarding the neurophysiological activity were analyzed by using Krushkal-Wallis test and p ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Data from stereognostic ability test procedure and ATS were compared by using chi-squared test and p ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was found in between the articulating foils in terms of true negative responses as the foil thickness increased in participants wearing complete denture in both the arches (p = 0.004) and implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both the arches (p = 0.010). Participants in implant-supported fixed prosthesis group showed significantly more activation in primary motor cortex (right side), somatosensory cortex (left side), angular gyrus (both sides), temporal lobe (left) compared to other groups. No significant difference found in thalamus and premotor cortex region in between the participants of different groups. No statistically significant difference found in between the groups in terms of true responses identifying correct shapes. Mean number of correct responses in stereognostic ability test were 4.16 (83.33%), 3.5 (70%), 3.83 (76.66%) for participants of complete denture group, upper complete denture opposing lower implant retained overdenture group, and implant-supported fixed prosthesis group, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Primary motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and other regions of brain were diffusely activated in participants wearing implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both the arches. Less number of false responses were recorded in participants of implant-supported fixed prosthesis group and upper complete denture opposing lower implant-retained overdenture group in ATS test compared to participants wearing complete denture in both the arches.

PMID:35500283 | DOI:10.1111/cid.13094