Category: Statistics

Turk J Med Sci. 2021 Jun 27. doi: 10.3906/sag-2012-270. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the administration of cinnamon extract that is known to be effective in decreasing the high blood glucose and the distribution of NGF and Trk-A receptor in pancreas with immunohistochemistry way. The experimental groups were defined as control, sham, cinnamon, diabetes, and diabetes-cinnamon. At the end of the experiment, the pancreatic tissue samples were obtained for the rats. The Hematoxylin- Eosin and triple staining were used to examine histology. The immunohistochemical methods were performed on the sections of pancreatic tissue. In all groups, the body weight and fasting blood glucose obtained from the male and female rats and the values were statistically evaluated. The NGF immunoreactivity was observed in acinus, excretory pars, excretorius ducts and islets of Langerhans for the pancreatic tissues of female and male rats in all groups. The Trk-A immunoreactivity was observed in acinus and islets of Langerhans for the pancreatic tissues of female and male rats in the control, sham and cinnamon groups. As a result, it was determined that the cinnamon, which is effective on blood glucose levels, has a positive effect on the NGF production in pancreas.

PMID:34174790 | DOI:10.3906/sag-2012-270

JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2021 Jun 17. doi: 10.2196/29060. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Innovative approaches to the dissemination of evidence-based COVID-19 health messages are urgently needed to counter social media misinformation about the pandemic. To this end, we designed a short, wordless, animated, global health communication video (CoVideo) that was rapidly distributed through social media channels to an international audience.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to: 1) establish the CoVideo’s effectiveness in improving COVID-19 prevention knowledge, and 2) establish the CoVideo’s effectiveness in increasing behavioral intent toward COVID-19 prevention.

METHODS: In May and June 2020, we enrolled 15,163 online participants from the United States of America, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. We randomized participants to (i) the CoVideo arm, (ii) an attention placebo control (APC) arm, and (iii) a do-nothing arm, and presented 18 knowledge questions about preventive COVID-19 behaviors, which was our first primary endpoint. To measure behavioral intent, our second primary endpoint, we randomized participants in each arm to five list experiments.

RESULTS: Globally, the video intervention was viewed 1.2 million times within the first 10 days of its release and more than 15 million times within the first four months. Knowledge in the CoVideo arm was significantly higher (mean = 16.95; 95% CI: 16.91, 16.99) than in the do-nothing (mean = 16.86; 95% CI: 16.83, 16.90; p < 0.001) arm. We observed high baseline levels of behavioral intent to perform many of the preventive behaviors featured in the video intervention. We were only able to detect a statistically significant impact of the CoVideo on one of the five preventive behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite high baseline levels, the intervention was effective at boosting knowledge of COVID-19 prevention. We were only able to capture a measurable change in behavioral intent towards one of the five COVID-19 preventive behaviors examined in this study. The global reach of this health communication intervention and the high voluntary engagement of trial participants highlight several innovative features that could inform the design and dissemination of public health messages. Short, wordless, animated videos, distributed by health authorities via social media, may be an effective pathway for rapid global health communication during health crises.

CLINICALTRIAL: The study and its outcomes were registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (www.drks.de) on May 12th, 2020: #DRKS00021582.

PMID:34174778 | DOI:10.2196/29060

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Jun 23;170:112625. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112625. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Current knowledge of the distribution of sensitive seabirds is inadequate to safeguard seabird populations from impacts of oil spills in the Arctic. This gap is mainly driven by the fact that statistical models applied to survey data are coarse-scale and static with limited documentation of the distributional dynamics and patchiness of seabirds relevant to risk assessments related to oil spills. This paper describes a dynamic modelling framework solution for prediction of fine-scale densities and movements of seabirds in close-to-real time using fully integrated 3-D hydrodynamic models, dynamic habitat suitability models and agent-based models. The modelling framework has been developed and validated for the swimming migration of Brünnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia in the Barents Sea. The results document that the distributional dynamics of Brünnich’s Guillemot and other seabird species to a large degree can be simulated with in-situ state variables and patterns reflecting the physical meteorology and oceanography and habitat suitability.

PMID:34174746 | DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112625

Comput Biol Med. 2021 Jun 15;135:104567. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104567. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Cancer Genome Atlas database offers the possibility of analyzing genome-wide expression RNA-Seq cancer data using paired counts, that is, studies where expression data are collected in pairs of normal and cancer cells, by taking samples from the same individual. Correlation of gene expression profiles is the most common analysis to study co-expression groups, which is used to find biological interpretation of -omics big data. The aim of the paper is threefold: firstly we show for the first time, the presence of a “regulation-correlation bias” in RNA-Seq paired expression data, that is an artifactual link between the expression status (up- or down-regulation) of a gene pair and the sign of the corresponding correlation coefficient. Secondly, we provide a statistical model able to theoretically explain the reasons for the presence of such a bias. Thirdly, we present a bias-removal algorithm, called SEaCorAl, able to effectively reduce bias effects and improve the biological significance of correlation analysis. Validation of the SEaCorAl algorithm is performed by showing a significant increase in the ability to detect biologically meaningful associations of positive correlations and a significant increase of the modularity of the resulting unbiased correlation network.

PMID:34174761 | DOI:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104567

J Psychosom Res. 2021 Jun 17;148:110551. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110551. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The literature on childhood-onset depression and future compromised vascular function is suggestive but limited. The objective of this study was to determine if arterial stiffness, a predictor of future cardiovascular disease (CVD), measured in young adulthood, is associated with childhood-onset depression.

METHODS: Cardiometabolic risk factors and pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, were cross-sectionally assessed in young adults with a history of childhood-onset depression (clinical diagnosis of major depressive episode or dysthymic disorder; N = 294 probands; initially recruited via child mental health facilities across Hungary; mean age of first depressive episode = 10.4 years), their never-depressed full biological siblings (N = 269), and never-depressed controls (N = 169). The mean ages of probands, siblings, and controls at the PWV visit were 25.6, 25.0, and 21.7 years, respectively, and 8.8% of the probands were in a current depressive episode.

RESULTS: Controlling for age, sex, age*sex, education, and family clusters, PWV (m/s) did not statistically differ across the groups (probands = 7.01; siblings = 6.98; controls = 6.81). However, after adjusting for key covariates, there were several across-group differences in CVD risk factors: compared to controls, probands and siblings had higher diastolic blood pressure and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, probands had higher triglycerides, and siblings had higher body mass index (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: We found limited evidence of an association between a history of childhood-onset depression and young adulthood arterial stiffness. However, our findings of elevated cardiovascular risk factors in those with childhood-onset depression suggest that pediatric depression may predispose to increased CVD risk later in life and warrants further investigation.

PMID:34174712 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110551

Nurse Educ Pract. 2021 Jun 17;54:103122. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103122. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To describe the undergraduate nursing students’ and nursing educators’ evidence-based practice beliefs, their extent of evidence-based practice implementation and their perspectives regarding organizational culture for evidence-based practice. To identify any relationship between the mentioned variables.

BACKGROUND: The integration of evidence-based practice in nursing curricula is crucial to educate nursing students to incorporate evidence-based practice in their future clinical practice. Therefore, to promote its integration within nursing education, it is important to deeply understand how prepared academic institutions are for teaching about and supporting evidence-based practice integration.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

METHODS: Nursing educators and undergraduate nursing students from nine Portuguese nursing schools were invited to participate in this study through an electronic survey comprising socio-demographic questions and the scales.

RESULTS: Sixty-eight nursing educators replied to the survey. Most were female, have PhD and have evidence-based practice training. They showed mean scores of 88.92 ± 8.18 for evidence-based practice beliefs, 40.20 ± 18.93 for evidence-based practice implementation and 80.59 ± 17.52 for evidence-based practice organizational culture and readiness. Concerning nursing educator sample, there were moderate and statistically significant relationship between: evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation; and evidence-based practice beliefs and organizational culture and readiness for school-wide integration of evidence-based practice. Between evidence-based practice implementation and organizational culture and readiness for school-wide integration of evidence-based practice, there was a small relationship. One hundred and sixty-seven undergraduate nursing students answered the survey. Mostly, they were female and were in third or fourth year of their nursing degree. Similarly, to educators, students showed mean scores of 58.69 ± 6.92 for evidence-based practice beliefs, 32.37 ± 16.97 for evidence-based practice implementation and 84.20 ± 23.48 for evidence-based practice organizational culture and readiness. Regarding undergraduate nursing student sample, there were moderate and statistically significant relationship between the different variables.

CONCLUSIONS: Both nursing educators and undergraduate nursing students had strong evidence-based practice beliefs, but low levels of evidence-based practice implementation. In nursing educators’ and undergraduate nursing students’ perspectives, there were opportunities in their schools for the development of an evidence-based practice culture. Based on results, support for development and testing of interventions, specifically tailored for promoting evidence-based practice implementation in nursing educational contexts, is recommended.

PMID:34174719 | DOI:10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103122

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Jun 17;419:126425. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126425. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Effective marine oil spill management (MOSM) is crucial to minimize the catastrophic impacts of oil spills. MOSM is a complex system affected by various factors, such as characteristics of spilled oil and environmental conditions. Oil spill detection, characterization, and monitoring; risk evaluation; response selection and process optimization; and waste management are the key components of MOSM demanding timely decision-making. Applying robust computational techniques based on real-time data (e.g., satellite and aerial observations) and historical records of oil spill incidents may considerably facilitate decision-making processes. Various soft-computing and artificial intelligence-based models and mathematical techniques have been used for the implementation of MOSM’s components. This study presents a review of literature published since 2010 on the application of computational techniques in MOSM. A statistical evaluation is performed concerning the temporal distribution of papers, publishers’ engagement, research subfields, countries of studies, and selected case studies. Key findings reported in the literature are summarized for two main practices in MOSM: spill detection, characterization, and monitoring; and spill management and response optimization. Potential gaps in applying computational techniques in MOSM have been identified, and a holistic computational-based framework has been suggested for effective MOSM.

PMID:34174626 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126425

Am J Otolaryngol. 2021 Jun 18;42(6):103142. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103142. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review is to compare the perioperative characteristics and outcomes of submental artery island flap (SAIF) to free tissue transfer (FTT) in head and neck reconstruction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Screening and data extraction were done with Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science databases by two independent authors to identify randomized and observational studies that compared patient outcomes for SAIF vs. FTT for reconstruction head and neck cancer ablative surgery. Data were pooled with random-effects meta-analysis to determine pooled difference in means (DM), absolute risk differences, and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed with the I-squared statistic.

RESULTS: Initial query yielded 997 results, of which 7 studies met inclusion criteria. The pooled sample sizes for the SAIF and FTT cohorts were 155 and 198, respectively. SAIF reduced mean operative time by 193 min (95% CI -160 to -227), reduced hospital stay by 2.1 days (95% CI -0.9 to -3.4), and had a smaller flap area of 22.5cm² (95% CI 6.5 to 38.4). SAIF had a 5% higher incidence of partial flap necrosis than FTT (95% CI, 1 to 10), but all other perioperative complications, including recurrence rate in malignant cases, were statistically comparable.

CONCLUSIONS: The SAIF requires less operative time, hospital stay, and has comparable perioperative outcomes to FTT, but the area of flap harvest is significantly smaller. The findings of this study add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the safety and reliability of SAIF in head and neck reconstruction.

PMID:34174670 | DOI:10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103142

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Jun 19;793:148578. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148578. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Forest dieback processes linked to drought are expected to increase due to climate warming. Remotely sensed data offer several advantages over common field monitoring methods such as the ability to observe large areas on a systematic basis and monitoring their changes, making them increasingly used to assess changes in forest health. Here we aim to use a combined approximation of fieldwork and remote sensing to explore possible links between forest dieback and land surface phenological and trend variables derived from long Landsat time series. Forest dieback was evaluated in the field over 31 plots in a Mediterranean, xeric Pinus pinaster forest. Landsat 31-year time series of three greenness (EVI, NDVI, SAVI) and two wetness spectral indices (NMDI and TCW) were derived covering the period 1990-2020. Spectral indices from time series were decomposed into trend and seasonality using a Bayesian estimator while the relationships of the phenological and trend variables among levels of damage were assessed using linear and additive mixed models. We have not found any statistical pieces of evidence of extension or shortening patterns for the length of the phenological season over the examined 31-year period. Our results indicate that the dieback process was mainly related to the trend component of the spectral indices series whereas the phenological metrics were not related to forest dieback. We also found that plots with more dying or damaged trees displayed lower spectral indices trends after a severe drought event in the middle of the 1990s, which confirms the Landsat-derived spectral indices as indicators of early-warning signals. Drops in trends occurred earlier for wetness indices rather than for greenness indices which suggests that the former could be more appropriate for dieback detection, i.e. they could be used as early warning signals of impending loss of tree vigor.

PMID:34174606 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148578

Appl Ergon. 2021 Jun 23;97:103461. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103461. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Overhead work is known as one of the ergonomic risk factors that can lead to shoulder overload and injury. Anatomical alignment of rotator cuff muscles makes them the most vulnerable to injuries during overhead work. In this study, the effect of task rotation, as one of the administrative controls to reduce the risk of injury during overhead work, on the fatigue response of rotator cuff muscles was investigated. Twelve participants performed three submaximal exertions (5, 20, and 35% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)) using four task rotation sequences (increasing, decreasing, upward parabolic, and downward parabolic). Median frequency of surface electromyography (EMG), shoulder strength, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were used to study the fatigue response of rotator cuff muscles. Although the average normalized muscle activity was similar in all sequences, the task rotation sequence had a significant effect on the median frequency. The effect of task rotation sequence on the strength and RPE was similar to that of the median frequency but was statistically not significant. The upward parabolic task rotation sequence resulted in the lowest fatigue among all the task sequences. Performing intense exertions apart from each other, warm-up exertions, and the presence of active recovery after the intense exertions could be the factors that produced the lowest fatigue during this sequence.

PMID:34174574 | DOI:10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103461