Nevin Manimala

J Intellect Disabil Res. 2021 Sep 9. doi: 10.1111/jir.12878. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Executive function is a concept for higher-order cognitive functions, which have the role of controller and modulator of cognitive abilities. The consensus in the literature is that people with an intellectual disability perform significantly lower on executive function tasks than groups matched on chronological age. The comparison with groups matched on mental age is less clear. Therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate to what extent executive function is impaired in people with intellectual disability compared with a typically developing control group matched on mental age. It was also investigated if the executive function component and intellectual disability aetiology moderated the effect.

METHODS: Eligibility criteria were participants with intellectual disability (IQ ≤ 75) without a dual diagnosis; a comparison group matched on mental age; executive function outcome reported in a group comparison study design with n ≥ 10. Working memory tasks and ratings of executive function were not included. The literature search yielded 6637 potentially interesting articles. Twenty-six studies (with 99 effect sizes) including 1395 participants were included in the quantitative synthesis.

RESULTS: A multilevel random-effects meta-analysis found that people with intellectual disability performed statistically significantly lower than the mental age-matched group on the executive function tasks, g = -0.34, 95% confidence interval = [-0.53, -0.16]. However, the heterogeneity between effect sizes was large. The intellectual disability aetiology moderator was significant, but it only reduced the heterogeneity marginally.

CONCLUSION: The overall conclusion is that individuals with an intellectual disability have more problems with executive function tasks than mental age-matched controls. Limitations are the large unexplained variance and the remarkably high number (69) of different tests that were used, which make more detailed conclusions problematic. This meta-analysis implies that future studies need to be of better quality, to have higher power, and to a higher degree use the same executive function tests.

PMID:34498787 | DOI:10.1111/jir.12878

Neurourol Urodyn. 2021 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/nau.24790. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Antimuscarinic drugs are the first-line choice in the treatment of patients with neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity (nDO). Fesoterodine fumarate is the newest antimuscarinic drug. Limited data are published about the use of fesoterodine fumarate in patients suffering from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. Our study aims to determine the efficacy of fesoterodine fumarate on patients with nDO due to spinal cord lesion or multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS: This is an open-label prospective interventional study. Eligible patients were 18-80 years old with SCL or MS and nDO confirmed by a urodynamic study (UDS). At baseline, patients underwent a UDS to confirm nDO. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by the Short-Form (SF) Qualiveen questionnaire. Patients received fesoterodine 8 mg/day for 3 months and were re-evaluated with UDS and SF-Qualiveen. The primary endpoint was the confirmation of the maximum detrusor pressure (P_detmax ) reduction after treatment. Secondary endpoints were: evaluation of maximum bladder capacity and compliance and QoL effect. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon-test using SPSSv26.

RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four patients completed the study. Ninety-five of them (76.6%) had SCL, while 29 (23.4%) had MS. P_detmax , maximum bladder capacity, and compliance had significant reduction after treatment (p < .001) in the whole group and each subgroup. SF-Qualiveen revealed a significant increase in QoL in each group (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: Fesoterodine fumarate (8 mg) is an efficacious drag in patients with SCL and MS, as it significantly decreases the detrusor pressure, increases the bladder capacity and compliance, and improves the QoL.

PMID:34498773 | DOI:10.1002/nau.24790

Microsurgery. 2021 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/micr.30806. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pelvic ring reconstruction after internal hemipelvectomy is an extremely challenging surgical procedure, and mandatory reconstruction is to provide a durable and pain-free functional outcome, especially for young, active patients. One of the most widely employed techniques is reconstruction with a double-barreled fibular free flap (DBF). The aim of our work was an in-depth analysis of the outcome of pelvic ring reconstruction performed using the above-mentioned method, in particular looking for a correlation between the fixation technique and either ambulation status or complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review was performed in November 2020 using PubMed and MedLine Ovid databases according to the PRISMA guidelines and the results were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: Studies were published between 1994 and 2015. A DBF was used in each case, with a total of 30 patients. Reconstruction was performed with screws in 13 cases, Cotrel-Dubousset rod fixation in 6, screws and plate in 5, screws with external fixation in 4, and ISOLA in 2. Follow-up time ranged from 3 to 131 months. Functional outcome was excellent in 4 patients and good in 26 patients. Statistical analysis showed no statistical evidence of existing correlation between fixation technique and complications (p = .873), while statistical correlation between age and fixation technique was found (p < .001).

CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of pelvic ring with DBF provides an overall good functional outcome. Our data indicate that there is no statistical evidence of existing correlation between the fixation technique and either complications or ambulation status.

PMID:34498772 | DOI:10.1002/micr.30806

Brief Bioinform. 2021 Sep 8:bbab354. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbab354. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Feature selection is crucial for the analysis of high-dimensional data, but benchmark studies for data with a survival outcome are rare. We compare 14 filter methods for feature selection based on 11 high-dimensional gene expression survival data sets. The aim is to provide guidance on the choice of filter methods for other researchers and practitioners. We analyze the accuracy of predictive models that employ the features selected by the filter methods. Also, we consider the run time, the number of selected features for fitting models with high predictive accuracy as well as the feature selection stability. We conclude that the simple variance filter outperforms all other considered filter methods. This filter selects the features with the largest variance and does not take into account the survival outcome. Also, we identify the correlation-adjusted regression scores filter as a more elaborate alternative that allows fitting models with similar predictive accuracy. Additionally, we investigate the filter methods based on feature rankings, finding groups of similar filters.

PMID:34498681 | DOI:10.1093/bib/bbab354

Brief Bioinform. 2021 Sep 8:bbab365. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbab365. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

With the consolidation of deep learning in drug discovery, several novel algorithms for learning molecular representations have been proposed. Despite the interest of the community in developing new methods for learning molecular embeddings and their theoretical benefits, comparing molecular embeddings with each other and with traditional representations is not straightforward, which in turn hinders the process of choosing a suitable representation for Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling. A reason behind this issue is the difficulty of conducting a fair and thorough comparison of the different existing embedding approaches, which requires numerous experiments on various datasets and training scenarios. To close this gap, we reviewed the literature on methods for molecular embeddings and reproduced three unsupervised and two supervised molecular embedding techniques recently proposed in the literature. We compared these five methods concerning their performance in QSAR scenarios using different classification and regression datasets. We also compared these representations to traditional molecular representations, namely molecular descriptors and fingerprints. As opposed to the expected outcome, our experimental setup consisting of over $25 000$ trained models and statistical tests revealed that the predictive performance using molecular embeddings did not significantly surpass that of traditional representations. Although supervised embeddings yielded competitive results compared with those using traditional molecular representations, unsupervised embeddings tended to perform worse than traditional representations. Our results highlight the need for conducting a careful comparison and analysis of the different embedding techniques prior to using them in drug design tasks and motivate a discussion about the potential of molecular embeddings in computer-aided drug design.

PMID:34498670 | DOI:10.1093/bib/bbab365

Anatol J Cardiol. 2021 Sep;25(9):646-652. doi: 10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2021.51152.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Although electrophysiological study (EPS) is one of the most useful diagnostic approaches to detect the cardiac origin of palpitations, there is no clear indication for EPS in patients with palpitation in the absence of documented supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). In this study, we aimed to create a new SVT score model to detect the requirement of EPS in patients with palpitation without documented tachycardia.

METHODS: A total of 154 patients with palpitation were included in this study. To create the SVT score, we considered four main criteria with their subunits. They were severity, frequency, duration, and termination of the symptoms. EPS was performed on all the patients after their scoring assessment.

RESULTS: Median SVT score of induced tachycardia and non-induced patients was determined as 10 and 6 points, respectively; and it was found to be statistically significant; p<0.001. The cut-off value for inducibility was found to be 7.5 points through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, (94.9% sensitivity, 92.1% specificity), and the area under the curve was determined to be 97.2 (94.8-99.5, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: According to our new SVT score model, ≥8 points strongly correlates with the inducibility of SVT during EPS.

PMID:34498596 | DOI:10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2021.51152

Exp Clin Transplant. 2021 Sep 8. doi: 10.6002/ect.2021.0284. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: There is scarcity of data on reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in kidney transplant recipients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study and identified 13 kidney transplant recipients (10 living and 3 deceased donors) with recurrent COVID-19, and here we report demographics, immunosuppression regimens, clinical profiles, treatments, and outcomes.

RESULTS: COVID-19 second infection rate was 0.9% (13/1350) in kidney transplant recipients with a median age of 46 years; median time interval from transplant to first episode of COVID-19 diagnosis was 9.2 months (interquartile range, 2.2-46.5 months). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (84%) and diabetes (23%). Fever was significantly less common with recurrent COVID-19. COVID-19 severity ranged from asymptomatic (23%), mild (31%), and moderate (46%) during the first infection and asymptomatic (8%), mild (46%), and severe (46%) in the second infection. All 6 kidney transplant recipients with severe second infections died. The median interval between the 2 episodes based upon reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction COVID-19- positive tests was 135 days (interquartile range, 71-274 days) without symptoms. Statistically signi – ficant risk factors for mortality were dyspnea (P = .04), disease severity (P = .004), allograft dysfunction (P < .05), higher levels of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P = .05), and intensive care unit/ventilator requirement (P = .004). Although our limited resources did not allow for molecular diagnostics and typing, we suggest that these second episodes were reinfections with SARS-CoV-2.

CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest study of kidney transplant recipients with reoccurring SARS-CoV-2 infection, and we observed 46% mortality.

PMID:34498549 | DOI:10.6002/ect.2021.0284

Eur J Sport Sci. 2021 Sep 9:1-19. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1979103. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Overhead throwing by cricketers when fielding with different approaches has been described using two-dimensional analysis. Currently, the three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic characteristics of an overhead throw performed by cricketers following a run-up is unknown. Fifteen South African cricketers performed six overhead throws, from a stationary position and with a run-up over 15-20 m prior to fielding a ball, respectively. Kinematic data and ground reaction forces were collected throughout the throwing trials. Joint kinetics were calculated using inverse dynamics. An independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine joint kinetic differences between throwing approaches. Differences between the kinematic waveforms for stationary and run-up throwing approaches were assessed using one-dimensional statistical parametric mapping ANOVA (P<0.05). The shoulder, elbow and thoraco-lumbar joints displayed similar kinematics between throwing approaches. The run-up approach displayed increased hip flexion between 0-34% and 57-100% (F(1, 28) = 6.726;P=0.01) of the throwing cycle; and lumbo-pelvic flexion between 57-65% (F(1, 28) = 6.823;P=0.02) of the throwing cycle; greater shoulder compression (F(1, 28) = 1.036;P=0.02) and posterior force (F(1, 28) = 1.052;P=0.009) at maximum external rotation; yet less superior shoulder force (F(1, 28) = 1.744;P=0.005) and elbow compression (F(1, 28) = 4.331;P=0.03), superior (F(1, 28) = 1.212;P=0.002) and medial (F(1, 28) = 1.370;P=0.03) elbow forces at ball release, when compared to a stationary position. Cricketers maintain similar upper limb kinematics between overhead throwing approaches. However, throwing with a run-up approximately doubles the forces exerted on the shoulder at maximum external rotation, which is most likely caused by the greater dominant hip and lumbo-pelvic flexion noted. This may amplify the potential risk for shoulder injury when throwing.

PMID:34498548 | DOI:10.1080/17461391.2021.1979103

J Sports Sci. 2021 Sep 9:1-9. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1976488. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the association of playing style and efficacy variables with football success in a professional football league. Match statistics were obtained from 23 football teams competing in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons of the Spanish national league(LaLiga). Offensive and defensive playing style and efficacy variables were calculated. Pearson’s correlation coefficient tests and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to establish the influence of these variables on the number of points obtained at the end of the season and on the ranking position. In isolation, the efficacy of completion showed the highest association with ranking points and position. A two-dimension PCA explained 77.8% of the variance in the ranking position. In dimension-1 (58.5%), game initiative and attack building, and in dimension-2 (19.3%), efficacy of defensive containment and a lower rate of long passes were within the variables that explained more variance in the ranking position. Success in football, measured by ranking position at the end of the Spanish national league, was associated with several playing style and efficacy variables. Overall, a dominant game style with high efficacy to finish attacking plays, and an offensive game initiative, are most associated with successful football.

PMID:34498545 | DOI:10.1080/02640414.2021.1976488

N Z Vet J. 2021 Sep 9:1-23. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2021.1978896. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To determine if milk composition, milk yield, live weight, live weight change, breed and heterosis are associated with reproductive performance in dairy cows from two dairy farms under New Zealand grazing conditions.

METHODS: Milk composition was determined in herd tests from 205 Holstein-Friesian (F), 77 Jersey (J) and 351 F×J crossbred cows from two Massey University dairy herds in the 2016 and 2017 production seasons. Mating occurred from October to December in each production season. The start of breeding to first service (SBFS), start of breeding to conception (SBCO), submission rate at 21 days (SR21), pregnancy rate at 21 (PR21) and 42 days (PR42) were calculated for each cow. These traits were analysed using mixed linear models that included fixed effects for herd, production season, regression coefficients of deviation from median calving date, lactation number, proportion of F, F×J heterosis, energy-corrected milk yield (ECMY), percentages of fat, protein and lactose, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), live weight and live weigh change, with random effects for cow and residual error. The variables with binomial distribution were analysed using logistic regression.

RESULTS: Deviation from the herd’s median calving date had a significant effect (p<0.05) on all reproductive traits. Proportion of F was significant (p=0.022) on PR21, and F×J heterosis effects were significant on PR21 (p=0.049) and PR42 (p=0.046). F cows had 17.8% higher PR21 than J cows, and F×J cows had higher reproductive performance than the mean of the two purebreeds. ECMY was negatively associated with SBFS (p=0.001) and SBCO (p=0.001) and positively associated with PR21 (p=0.002) and PR42 (p=0.001). Protein percentage was positively associated (p<0.05) with PR21 and PR42, whereas lactose percentage was negatively associated (p<0.05) with PR21 and PR42. Cows gaining live weight were more likely to become pregnant within 21 days of the start of breeding (p=0.020). Milk urea nitrogen was negatively associated (p=0.042) with SR21.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study confirms that breed, heterosis, ECMY, protein and lactose percentages, live weight change and calving date are associated with the reproductive performance of grazing cows. Results from this study contrast with the historical antagonism between milk production and reproductive performance in dairy cattle, demonstrating that well managed cows can achieve high levels of production and good reproductive performance. MUN was not associated with reproductive performance traits, except with SR21.

PMID:34498540 | DOI:10.1080/00480169.2021.1978896