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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Postoperative Sensitivity after Class II Restoration with Bulk-Fill vs Conventional Composites

Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent. 2024 Feb 2. doi: 10.1922/EJPRD_2529Twigg09. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Insufficient evidence is available in quantifying the retention between the simplified and conventional non-balanced dentures. The aim of the study was to quantify, compare the maxillary denture retention and patient satisfaction between conventional and simplified removable non-balanced complete dentures.

METHOD: The randomized clinical trial recruited 44 patients (n=22) with definitive criteria. Simplified and conventional non-balanced complete dentures were fabricated for the intervention groups. The denture retention of maxillary complete denture was assessed with dynamometer and patient satisfaction with visual analogue scale. The mean retention of maxillary denture and satisfaction were recorded at 0-,3-, and 6 – month interval. The data were statistically analyzed. (α=.05).

RESULTS: The mean ±SD of retention for conventional denture at 0, 3, and 6 months by dynamometer ranged from 121.73 ± 1.64 N to 120.55 ± 1.57 N and 110.77 ±1.45N to 109.59±1.97 N for simplified denture. The mean ±SD of visual analogue score varied between 9.45±0.35 to 7.19± 0.69 for conventional dentures and 8.00 ±1.39 to 6.81±0.82 for simplified dentures. The repeated ANOVA, t-test and post-hoc Bonferroni revealed statistically significant differences between the two types of denture. (P⟨.05) Conclusion: Numerical retention and satisfaction were higher in conventional non-balanced denture than simplified denture.

PMID:38373222 | DOI:10.1922/EJPRD_2529Twigg09

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Anogenital distance in a cohort of 169 infant boys with uni- or bilateral cryptorchidism including 18 boys with vanishing testes

Hum Reprod. 2024 Feb 19:deae025. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deae025. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY QUESTION: Do different boys with different types of cryptorchidism exhibit different anogenital distances (AGDs)?

SUMMARY ANSWER: Length of AGD seemed to differ in different groups of patients with cryptorchidism.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: AGD, which is used as an indicator of prenatal androgen action, tends to be shorter in boys with cryptorchidism compared to unaffected boys. Shorter AGDs have also been reported in boys with hypospadias, in men with poor semen quality, and in men with testicular cancer.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A prospective descriptive cohort study was performed using data from consecutively selected boys with cryptorchidism (n = 169) operated in a single center over a period of 3 years (September 2019 to October 2022).

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: AGD was measured in 169 infant boys, at 3 to 26 months of age, during anesthesia with a vernier caliper measuring the distance from the anus to the base of the scrotum (AGDAS) and from the anus to the anterior base of the penis (AGDAP) in two body positions according to the methods by ‘The Infant Development and the Environment Study’ (TIDES) and ‘Cambridge Baby Growth Study’, resulting in four mean values per patient (TIDES AGDAS/AP and Cambridge AGDAS/AP). Normal values for AGD by age were set by our hospital Department of Growth and Reproduction based on a large cohort of healthy infant boys (n = 1940). Testicular biopsies were performed at orchidopexy as a clinical routine. The germ cell number (G/T) and type Ad spermatogonia number (AdS/T) per cross-sectional tubule of at least 100 and 250 tubules, respectively were measured and related to normal samples. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture for measuring serum LH, FSH, and inhibin B. They were analyzed in our hospital Department of Growth and Reproduction where the normal reference was also established. Correlations between the four mean AGD measurements for each boy were evaluated by Spearman rank correlation analyses. The AGD measurement of every boy was transferred to the multiple of the median (MoM) of the normal AGD for age and named MoM AGD.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: There were 104 boysoperated for unilateral, and 47 boys operated for bilateral, undescended testes, whereas 18 boys had vanished testis including one boy with bilateral vanished testes. Only 6% of cases with vanished testes had a MoM AGD higher than the normal median compared to 32% with undescended testes (P < 0.05). MoM AGD increased with the age at surgery for boys with vanished testis (Spearman r = 0.44), but not for boys with undescended testes (Spearman r = 0.14). Boys with bilateral cryptorchidism had longer AGDs and more often had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism than boys with unilateral cryptorchidism (P < 0.005) and (P < 0.000001).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Although being the largest published material of AGD measurements of infant boys with cryptorchidism, one limitation of this study covers the quite small number of patients in the different groups, which may decrease the statistical power. Another limitation involves the sparse normal reference material on G/T and AdS/T. Finally, there are currently no longitudinal studies evaluating AGD from birth to adulthood and evaluating childhood AGD in relation to fertility outcome. Our study is hypothesis generating and therefore the interpretation of the results should be regarded as exploratory rather than reaching definite conclusions.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The study findings are in agreement with literature as the total included group of boys with cryptorchidism exhibited shorter than normal AGDs. However, new insights were demonstrated. Boys with vanished testis had shorter AGDs compared to unaffected boys and to boys with undescended testes. This finding challenges the current concept of AGD being determined in ‘the masculinization programming window’ in Week 8 to 14 of gestation. Furthermore, boys with bilateral cryptorchidism had longer AGDs and more often had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism than boys with unilateral cryptorchidism, suggesting that the lack of fetal androgen in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is not that significant.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No external funding was used and no competing interests are declared.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial was not registered in an ICMJE-recognized trial registry.

PMID:38373213 | DOI:10.1093/humrep/deae025

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Communication between parents diagnosed with cancer and their children: study with data triangulation

Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2024 Feb 19;57:e20230079. doi: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2023-0079en. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the perceptions and feelings of parents diagnosed with cancer in relation to communication with their children between 3 and 12 years old.

METHOD: A cross-sectional, multicenter, with data triangulation, through structured and semi-structured interviews, with a question with a Semantic Differential Scale, carried out with the father or mother with cancer undergoing outpatient treatment in two hospital institutions in the city of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, content analysis, using the ATLAS.ti 8.0R software and the Social Representation Theory.

RESULTS: Forty-three respondents participated, 37 (86.0%) were female, 23 (53.5%) aged between 31 and 50 years old, 29 (67.5%) with only children between 7 and 12 years old. The experience was considered painful (73.1%), stressful (53.6%), clear (53.7%) and safe (51.2%). The feelings experienced generated two categories: Trial by fire; and Grateful rewards. Children’s reactions from parents’ perspective generated the categories: Sadness and suffering; Trust and support; Change of behavior; and Denial or insensitivity.

CONCLUSION: Communication was assessed as negative and conflicting, positive and welcoming, and causing changes in children’s behaviors.

PMID:38373186 | DOI:10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2023-0079en

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Abdominal body composition reference ranges and association with chronic conditions in an age- and sex-stratified representative sample of a geographically defined American population

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Feb 19:glae055. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glae055. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Body composition can be accurately quantified from abdominal CT exams and is a predictor for the development of aging-related conditions and for mortality. However, reference ranges for CT-derived body composition measures of obesity, sarcopenia, and bone loss have yet to be defined in the general population.

METHODS: We identified a population-representative sample of 4,900 persons aged 20 to 89 years who underwent an abdominal CT exam from 2010 to 2020. The sample was constructed using propensity score matching to an age and sex stratified sample of persons residing in the 27-county region of Southern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. The matching included race, ethnicity, education level, region of residence and the presence of 20 chronic conditions. We used a validated deep learning based algorithm to calculate subcutaneous adipose tissue area, visceral adipose tissue area, skeletal muscle area, skeletal muscle density, vertebral bone area, and vertebral bone density from a CT abdominal section.

RESULTS: We report CT-based body composition reference ranges on 4,649 persons representative of our geographic region. Older age was associated with a decrease in skeletal muscle area and density, and an increase in visceral adiposity. All chronic conditions were associated with a statistically significant difference in at least one body composition biomarker. The presence of a chronic condition was generally associated with greater subcutaneous and visceral adiposity, and lower muscle density and vertebrae bone density.

CONCLUSIONS: We report reference ranges for CT-based body composition biomarkers in a population-representative cohort of 4,649 persons by age, sex, body mass index, and chronic conditions.

PMID:38373180 | DOI:10.1093/gerona/glae055

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Right Ventricular Assist Device Placement During Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation Is Associated With Improved Survival

ASAIO J. 2024 Feb 19. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000002160. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Right ventricular failure (RVF) is a significant cause of mortality in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Although right ventricular assist devices (RVADs) can treat RVF in the perioperative LVAD period, liberal employment before RVF is not well established. We therefore compared the survival outcomes between proactive RVAD placement at the time of LVAD implantation with a bailout strategy in patients with RVF. Retrospectively, 75 adult patients who underwent durable LVAD implantation at our institution and had an RVAD placed proactively before LVAD implantation or as a bailout strategy postoperatively due to hemodynamically unstable RVF were evaluated. Patients treated with a proactive RVAD strategy had lower Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) and a higher proportion of these required temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) preoperatively. Preoperative hemodynamic profiling showed a low pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) score of 1.8 ± 1.4 and 1.6 ± 0.94 (p = 0.42) in the bailout RVAD and proactive RVAD groups, respectively. Survival at 3, 6, and 12 months post-LVAD implantation was statistically significantly higher in patients who received a proactive RVAD. Thus, proactive RVAD implantation is associated with short- and medium-term survival benefits compared to a bailout strategy in RVF patients undergoing LVAD placement.

PMID:38373178 | DOI:10.1097/MAT.0000000000002160

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A modified hospital frailty risk score for patients with cirrhosis undergoing abdominal operations

Hepatology. 2024 Feb 19. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000794. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AIMS: Existing tools for perioperative risk stratification in patients with cirrhosis do not incorporate measures of comorbidity. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a widely used measure of comorbidity burden in administrative dataset analyses. However, it is not specific to patients with cirrhosis and application of this index is limited by its complexity.

APPROACH RESULTS: Adult patients with cirrhosis who underwent non-transplant abdominal operations were identified from the National Inpatient Sample, 2016-2018. Adjusted associations between HFRS and in-hospital mortality and length of stay were computed with logistic and Poisson regression. Lasso regularization was used to identify the components of the HFRS most predictive of mortality, and develop a simplified index, the cirrhosis-HFRS (cHFRS). Of 10,714 cirrhosis patients, the majority were male, median age was 62 years, and 32% of operations were performed electively. HFRS was associated with an increased risk of both in-hospital mortality (OR=6.42; 95%CI: 4.93, 8.36) and length of stay (IRR=1.79; 95%CI: 1.72, 1.88), with adjustment. Using lasso, we found that a subset of 12 of the 109 ICD-10 codes within the HFRS resulted in superior prediction of mortality in this patient population (AUC = 0.89 vs. 0.79, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: While the 109-component HFRS was associated with adverse surgical outcomes, 12 components accounted for much of the association between the HFRS and mortality. We developed the cirrhosis-HFRS, a tool that demonstrates superior predictive accuracy for in-hospital mortality and more precisely reflects the specific comorbidity pattern of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis undergoing general surgery procedures.

PMID:38373139 | DOI:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000794

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Non-invasive Analysis of Fiber Type Composition in Lower Limb Skeletal Muscles Using Reduced Interference Rihaczek Distribution

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2023 Jul;2023:1-4. doi: 10.1109/EMBC40787.2023.10340311.

ABSTRACT

Fiber composition is an important factor influencing force generation and endurance of different skeletal muscles. The analysis of the heterogeneous composition of muscles has gained importance in the field of sports biomechanics and biomedicine. In this work, an attempt is made to analyze the fiber composition of Rectus femoris (type II dominant) and Soleus (type I dominant) muscles using surface electromyography. Isometric signals are acquired from the muscles of 15 participants using a well-defined protocol and are further processed using reduced interference Rihaczek distribution. Instantaneous median frequency (IMDF) is extracted from the non-fatigue (NF) and fatigue (F) segments of the signals and is analyzed. From the distributions, it is found that the spectral power increases in the lower frequencies of the signal recorded from the rectus femoris and in the higher frequencies of signals recorded from the soleus during fatigue. The soleus is showing higher IMDF values than the rectus femoris in both segments. A reduction of 14% and an increase of 10% is observed in the IMDF during fatigue for rectus femoris and soleus, respectively. Thus, the extracted feature is found to be sensitive and statistically significant (p<0.05) to differentiate fiber types as well as the NF and F states of the two muscles.Clinical Relevance- This study may be extended to non-invasively analyze the fiber type shifts in muscles due to athletic training and pathological conditions.

PMID:38373116 | DOI:10.1109/EMBC40787.2023.10340311

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Reference intervals for high sensitivity cardiac troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in children and adolescents on the Siemens Atellica

Clin Chem Lab Med. 2024 Feb 20. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2023-0977. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The cardiac biomarkers high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are utilised in paediatric healthcare for the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of many conditions including myocarditis, congenital heart disease, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and heart failure. However, the standardised age-related reference intervals, 99th percentile cut-offs and clinical guidelines are not available, making the interpretation of these biomarkers challenging. This study aimed to generate normative data in a paediatric cohort for the Siemens Atellica® IM 1300 analyser.

METHODS: Residual plasma samples were collected from children aged up to 17 years attending primary care and out-patient settings and with no apparent evidence of cardiac dysfunction, renal dysfunction or other confounders. Reference intervals were generated using the 2.5th-97.5th percentiles, and 99th percentile cut-offs determined according to CLSI EP28-A3c.

RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed that partitioning was not required for gender for either biomarker. The reference interval for hs-cTnI for children aged one month to 16 years (n=292, 146 females and 146 males) was <14 ng/L with a 99th percentile cut-off of 19 ng/L. The reference interval for NT-proBNP for children aged one month up to one year was <714 ng/L (n=14) and for children aged 1-16 years (n=339) was <295 ng/L.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first paediatric reference interval data generated on the Siemens Atellica® solution. These reference intervals and 99th percentiles will inform clinical decisions in the paediatric cardiology setting.

PMID:38373095 | DOI:10.1515/cclm-2023-0977

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The Relationship Between Cell-Free DNA and Resistance Training Volume Load

J Strength Cond Res. 2024 Feb 20. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004751. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Lang, HM, Duffourc, MM, Bazyler, CD, Ramsey, MW, and Gentles, JA. The relationship between cell-free DNA and resistance training volume load. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The primary purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) to different resistance training volume loads. The secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between change in cf-DNA and relative strength. Researchers hypothesized that (a) cf-DNA concentrations would increase with increasing volume load and (b) increases in relative strength would result in predicted decreases to %Δ of cf-DNA. Thirty subjects were recruited for this study, 15 men and 15 women. Blood was collected through venous draws into 4-ml vacutainers at 3 time points: immediately before (T1), after 3 sets (T2), and after 6 sets (T3) of the back squat exercise. A critical alpha of 0.05 was set for inferential statistics. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed that cf-DNA increased significantly from T1 (407.72 ± 320.83) to T2 (1,244.6 ± 875.83) (p < 0.01) and T1 (407.72 ± 320.83) to T3 (1,331.15 ± 1,141.66) (p < 0.01), whereas no difference was found from T2 to T3 (p = 1.00). The linear regression model used to examine the predictive capabilities relative strength had on cf-DNA %Δ from T1 to T3 was found to be significant (p = 0.04; R2 = 0.15). The results of this study demonstrate the short response of cf-DNA in relation to variations in resistance training volume load. Results also demonstrated the positive relationship between relative strength and cf-DNA %Δ. The current study builds on the body of research that cf-DNA provides insight regarding the level of immune response after exercise training.

PMID:38373069 | DOI:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004751

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Effects of the Immunocontraceptive Gonacon on Pregnancy in Brucella-Seropositive Bison (Bison bison)

J Wildl Dis. 2024 Feb 19. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00168. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine if the number of pregnancies in naturally infected Brucella abortus-positive bison (Bison bison) cows would be reduced over a period of 5 yr after one treatment with 3000 µg gonadotropin-releasing hormone immunocontraceptive (GonaCon) compared to a similar group of naturally infected B. abortus-positive bison cows not treated with GonaCon. In each of the 5 yr, GonaCon-treated cows produced fewer offspring in relation to number of cows than the nontreated cows. Fisher’s Exact test comparing offspring produced during the first reproductive season showed a significant difference between the two groups (P=0.0028). Differences in number of calves produced in GonaCon-treated and control groups were also noted in remaining years, but statistics were not applied because of data constraints. These data indicate that one treatment with GonaCon in brucellosis-seropositive female bison reduced pregnancies over five reproductive years. Thus, immunocontraception could potentially be used to manage brucellosis in affected herds.

PMID:38373061 | DOI:10.7589/JWD-D-21-00168