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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on the swallowing mechanism of older adults: A systematic review

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023 Aug 2:1-18. doi: 10.1080/17549507.2023.2221409. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Age-related changes to the swallowing mechanism, or presbyphagia, may put older adults at a higher risk for developing diseases and dysphagia. Maintaining swallowing functions could help prevent frailty and facilitate healthy ageing. This review summarises and appraises the effects of oropharyngeal exercises on the swallowing functions of healthy older adults without dysphagia. It is hypothesised that these exercises will strengthen and improve the structures and functions of the normal ageing swallow.

METHOD: This review was reported according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Five electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL) and Google Scholar were searched in June 2021. A rerun was done in January 2023. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were done by two independent raters.

RESULT: A total of 23 studies were reviewed. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to the heterogenous training protocols and outcomes. Majority (n = 21) had fair quality due to incomplete reporting. Exercises targeting oral structures were implemented the most (n = 15), followed by variations of the head lift (n = 4), and effortful swallow exercise (n = 1). Others implemented combined or multiapproach exercise studies (n = 3). Apart from surface electromyography findings, statistically significant improvements in oral and pharyngeal phase swallowing outcomes such as increased lingual isometric and swallowing pressures, bite force, muscle thickness, hyolaryngeal excursion, and upper oesophageal sphincter opening diameter were reported in 95% of the studies (n = 22).

CONCLUSION: Collective evidence suggests that strength training for swallowing-related structures leads to increases in structural strength, endurance, and muscle mass. The effects of exercises on overall swallowing efficiency and safety remain unclear. Results should be interpreted with caution due to methodological limitations. Further research should examine the long-term effects of these exercises in preventing frailty and reducing the burden of dysphagia in older adults.

PMID:37529940 | DOI:10.1080/17549507.2023.2221409

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Association of Helicobacter pylori with migraine headaches and the effects of this infection and its eradication on the migraine characteristics in adults: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis

Helicobacter. 2023 Aug 2:e13010. doi: 10.1111/hel.13010. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders that can severely overshadow people’s quality of life, and Helicobacter pylori infection is a health problem in different societies. During the last two decades, many original studies have been conducted on the various aspects of the relationship between these two disorders; however, they have reported different and sometimes contradictory results.

METHODS: This study was conducted based on the PRISMA protocol. We performed a comprehensive literature search in the online databases up to May 2023, and 22 studies that contained original data on the relationship between H. pylori infection and migraine headaches in adults were included. For performing the meta-analysis, we calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), using a random-effects model, and to determine the possible causes of heterogeneity, we conducted a subgroup meta-analysis.

RESULTS: The overall OR for the association of H. pylori infection and migraine headaches through 493,794 evaluated individuals was 2.80 [95% CI = 1.75-4.48; I2 = 89.20, p < 0.01], which reveals a statistically significant association between these disorders. It was found that the studies that were conducted in Asian regions and the recently published ones have clearly shown a higher association between migraine and H. pylori infection. On the other hand, migraine patients who are infected with H. pylori have similar signs and symptoms as H. pylori-negative migraineurs; meanwhile, the clinical trials conducted in this field strongly emphasize the benefits of eradicating H. pylori infection in migraine patients and have estimated its effectiveness in improving migraine headaches equivalent to current common migraine treatments. Furthermore, it was reported that white matter lesions were 2.5-fold higher on brain MRI in patients with H. pylori-positive migraine compared with H. pylori-negative migraineurs; however, the evidence does not support the role of oxidative stress in patients suffering from H. pylori infection and migraine and refuses the role of Cag-A-positive strains of H. pylori in migraine headaches.

CONCLUSION: According to the currently available data, it seem reasonable that patients with a definite diagnosis of migraine who also suffer from gastrointestinal problems, undergo the H. pylori detection tests and if the evaluations are positive, H. pylori eradication treatment can be considered even before any migraine treatment.

PMID:37529895 | DOI:10.1111/hel.13010

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Testing anatomy: Dissecting spatial and non-spatial knowledge in multiple-choice question assessment

Anat Sci Educ. 2023 Aug 2. doi: 10.1002/ase.2323. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Limited research has been conducted on the spatial ability of veterinary students and how this is evaluated within anatomy assessments. This study describes the creation and evaluation of a split design multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessment (totaling 30 questions divided into 15 non-spatial MCQs and 15 spatial MCQs). Two cohorts were tested, one cohort received a 2D teaching method in the academic year 2014/15 (male = 15/108, female 93/108), and the second a 3D teaching method in the academic year 2015/16 (male 14/98, female 84/98). The evaluation of the MCQ demonstrated strong reliability (KR-20 = 0.71 2D and 0.63 3D) meaning the MCQ consistently tests the same construct. Factor analysis of the MCQ provides evidence of validity of the split design of the assessment (RR = 1.11, p = 0.013). Neither cohort outperformed on the non-spatial questions (p > 0.05), however, the 3D cohort performed statistically significantly higher on the spatial questions (p = 0.013). The results of this research support the design of a new anatomy assessment aimed at testing both anatomy knowledge and the problem-solving aspects of anatomical spatial ability. Furthermore, a 3D teaching method was shown to increase students’ performance on anatomy questions testing spatial ability.

PMID:37529887 | DOI:10.1002/ase.2323

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Head-to-Head Comparison of ChatGPT Versus Google Search for Medical Knowledge Acquisition

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Aug 2. doi: 10.1002/ohn.465. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) is the newest iteration of OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) with the potential to influence many facets of life, including health care. This study sought to assess ChatGPT’s capabilities as a source of medical knowledge, using Google Search as a comparison.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis.

SETTING: Online using ChatGPT, Google Seach, and Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG).

METHODS: CPG Plain Language Summaries for 6 conditions were obtained. Questions relevant to specific conditions were developed and input into ChatGPT and Google Search. All questions were written from the patient perspective and sought (1) general medical knowledge or (2) medical recommendations, with varying levels of acuity (urgent or emergent vs routine clinical scenarios). Two blinded reviewers scored all passages and compared results from ChatGPT and Google Search, using the Patient Education Material Assessment Tool (PEMAT-P) as the primary outcome. Additional customized questions were developed that assessed the medical content of the passages.

RESULTS: The overall average PEMAT-P score for medical advice was 68.2% (standard deviation [SD]: 4.4) for ChatGPT and 89.4% (SD: 5.9) for Google Search (p < .001). There was a statistically significant difference in the PEMAT-P score by source (p < .001) but not by urgency of the clinical situation (p = .613). ChatGPT scored significantly higher than Google Search (87% vs 78%, p = .012) for patient education questions.

CONCLUSION: ChatGPT fared better than Google Search when offering general medical knowledge, but it scored worse when providing medical recommendations. Health care providers should strive to understand the potential benefits and ramifications of generative AI to guide patients appropriately.

PMID:37529853 | DOI:10.1002/ohn.465

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Statistical plots in oncologic imaging, a primer for neuroradiologists

Neuroradiol J. 2023 Aug 2:19714009231193158. doi: 10.1177/19714009231193158. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The simplest approach to convey the results of scientific analysis, which can include complex comparisons, is typically through the use of visual items, including figures and plots. These statistical plots play a critical role in scientific studies, making data more accessible, engaging, and informative. A growing number of visual representations have been utilized recently to graphically display the results of oncologic imaging, including radiomic and radiogenomic studies. Here, we review the applications, distinct properties, benefits, and drawbacks of various statistical plots. Furthermore, we provide neuroradiologists with a comprehensive understanding of how to use these plots to effectively communicate analytical results based on imaging data.

PMID:37529843 | DOI:10.1177/19714009231193158

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Gender Disparities in Hospitalization Outcomes and Healthcare Utilization Among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the United States

Cureus. 2023 Jul 1;15(7):e41254. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41254. eCollection 2023 Jul.

ABSTRACT

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by various clinical manifestations. Despite efforts to improve outcomes, mortality rates remain high, and certain disparities, including gender, may influence prognosis and mortality rates in SLE. This study aims to examine the gender disparities in outcomes of SLE hospitalizations in the US. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database between 2016 and 2020. The NIS database is the largest publicly available all-payer database for inpatient care in the United States, representing approximately 20% of all hospitalizations nationwide. We selected every other year during the study period and included hospitalizations of adult patients (≥18 years old) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of SLE using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. The control population consisted of all adult hospitalizations. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of the association between gender and primary and secondary outcomes. The regression models were adjusted for various factors, including age, race, median household income based on patients’ zip codes, Charlson comorbidity index score, insurance status, hospital location, region, bed size, and teaching status. To ensure comparability across the years, revised trend weights were applied as the healthcare cost and use project website recommends. Stata version 17 (StataCorp LLC, TX, USA) was used for the statistical analyses, and a two-sided P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Among the 42,875 SLE hospitalizations analyzed, women accounted for a significantly higher proportion (86.4%) compared to men (13.6%). The age distribution varied, with the majority of female admissions falling within the 30- to 60-year age range, while most male admissions fell within the 15- to 30-year age category. Racial composition showed a slightly higher percentage of White Americans in the male cohort compared to the female cohort. Notably, more Black females were admitted for SLE compared to Black males. Male SLE patients had a higher burden of comorbidities and were more likely to have Medicare and private insurance, while a higher percentage of women were uninsured. The mortality rate during the index hospitalization was slightly higher for men (1.3%) compared to women (1.1%), but after adjusting for various factors, there was no statistically significant gender disparity in the likelihood of mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.027; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.570-1.852; P=0.929). Men had longer hospital stays and incurred higher average hospital costs compared to women (mean length of stay (LOS): seven days vs. six days; $79,751 ± $5,954 vs. $70,405 ± $1,618 respectively). Female SLE hospitalizations were associated with a higher likelihood of delirium, psychosis, and seizures while showing lower odds of hematological and renal diseases compared to men. Conclusion While women constitute the majority of SLE hospitalizations, men with SLE tend to have a higher burden of comorbidities and are more likely to have Medicare and private insurance. Additionally, men had longer hospital stays and incurred higher average hospital costs. However, there was no significant gender disparity in the likelihood of mortality after accounting for various factors.

PMID:37529818 | PMC:PMC10389681 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.41254

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Plan Quality Analysis of Automated Treatment Planning Workflow With Commercial Auto-Segmentation Tools and Clinical Knowledge-Based Planning Models for Prostate Cancer

Cureus. 2023 Jul 1;15(7):e41260. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41260. eCollection 2023 Jul.

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the feasibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) segmentation software for volume-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) prostate planning in conjunction with knowledge-based planning to facilitate a fully automated workflow. Two commercially available AI software programs, Radformation AutoContour (Radformation, New York, NY) and Siemens AI-Rad Companion (Siemens Healthineers, Malvern, PA) were used to auto-segment the rectum, bladder, femoral heads, and bowel bag on 30 retrospective clinical cases (10 intact prostate, 10 prostate bed, and 10 prostate and lymph node). Physician-segmented target volumes were transferred to AI structure sets. In-house RapidPlan models were used to generate plans using the original, physician-segmented structure sets as well as Radformation and Siemens AI-generated structure sets. Thus, there were three plans for each of the 30 cases, totaling 90 plans. Following RapidPlan optimization, planning target volume (PTV) coverage was set to 95%. Then, the plans optimized using AI structures were recalculated on the physician structure set with fixed monitor units. In this way, physician contours were used as the gold standard for identifying any clinically relevant differences in dose distributions. One-way analysis of variation (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis. No statistically significant differences were observed across the three sets of plans for intact prostate, prostate bed, or prostate and lymph nodes. The results indicate that an automated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) prostate planning workflow can consistently achieve high plan quality. However, our results also show that small but consistent differences in contouring preferences may lead to subtle differences in planning results. Therefore, the clinical implementation of auto-contouring should be carefully validated.

PMID:37529805 | PMC:PMC10389787 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.41260

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

The effects of playing digital games on children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing: A randomized controlled study

Turk J Emerg Med. 2023 Jun 26;23(3):162-168. doi: 10.4103/tjem.tjem_8_23. eCollection 2023 Jul-Sep.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the effects of digital game play on children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing.

METHODS: Data were obtained from 84 children between the ages of 8 and 17 years at the pediatric emergency department between January 16 and March 19, 2020, using the Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Form, the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Fear of Medical Procedures Scale (FMPS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-CH). A four-block randomization system was used. The study group (n = 42) played digital games during the suturing procedure, unlike the control group (n = 42). Ethical permissions were obtained from the ethical committee, hospital, and families.

RESULTS: Before the suturing procedure, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups’ mean scores. The intervention group was found to have statistically significantly lower WBFPS and VAS pain scores than the control group during the suturing procedure, and after the procedure, statistically significantly lower WBFPS, VAS, FMPS, and STAI-CH mean scores than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: The digital game-playing approach applied before and during the suture procedure was found to be effective in reducing children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels.

PMID:37529788 | PMC:PMC10389094 | DOI:10.4103/tjem.tjem_8_23

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Case report: a typical Silver-Russell syndrome patient with hand dystonia: the valuable support of the consensus statement to the wide syndromic spectrum

Front Genet. 2023 Jul 17;14:1198821. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1198821. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The amount of Insulin Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) controls the rate of embryonal and postnatal growth. The IGF2 and adjacent H19 are the imprinted genes of the telomeric cluster in the 11p15 chromosomal region regulated by differentially methylated regions (DMRs) or imprinting centers (ICs): H19/IGF2:IG-DMR (IC1). Dysregulation due to IC1 Loss-of-Methylation (LoM) or Gain-of-Methyaltion (GoM) causes Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) or Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) disorders associated with growth retardation or overgrowth, respectively. Specific features define each of the two syndromes, but isolated asymmetry is a common cardinal feature, which is considered sufficient for a diagnosis in the BWS spectrum. Here, we report the case of a girl with right body asymmetry, which suggested BWS spectrum. Later, BWS/SRS molecular analysis identified IC1_LoM revealing the discrepant diagnosis of SRS. A clinical re-evaluation identified a relative macrocephaly and previously unidentified growth rate at lower limits of normal at birth, feeding difficulties, and asymmetry. Interestingly, and never previously described in IC1_LoM SRS patients, since the age of 16, she has developed hand-writer’s cramps, depression, and bipolar disorder. Trio-WES identified a VPS16 heterozygous variant [NM_022575.4:c.2185C>G:p.Leu729Val] inherited from her healthy mother. VPS16 is involved in the endolysosomal system, and its dysregulation is linked to autosomal dominant dystonia with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. IGF2 involvement in the lysosomal pathway led us to speculate that the neurological phenotype of the proband might be triggered by the concurrent IGF2 deficit and VPS16 alteration.

PMID:37529781 | PMC:PMC10387531 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2023.1198821

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Improved prediction of drug-induced liver injury literature using natural language processing and machine learning methods

Front Genet. 2023 Jul 17;14:1161047. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1161047. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an adverse hepatic drug reaction that can potentially lead to life-threatening liver failure. Previously published work in the scientific literature on DILI has provided valuable insights for the understanding of hepatotoxicity as well as drug development. However, the manual search of scientific literature in PubMed is laborious and time-consuming. Natural language processing (NLP) techniques along with artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches may allow for automatic processing in identifying DILI-related literature, but useful methods are yet to be demonstrated. To address this issue, we have developed an integrated NLP/machine learning classification model to identify DILI-related literature using only paper titles and abstracts. For prediction modeling, we used 14,203 publications provided by the Critical Assessment of Massive Data Analysis (CAMDA) challenge, employing word vectorization techniques in NLP in conjunction with machine learning methods. Classification modeling was performed using 2/3 of the data for training and the remainder for test in internal validation. The best performance was achieved using a linear support vector machine (SVM) model on the combined vectors derived from term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) and Word2Vec, resulting in an accuracy of 95.0% and an F1-score of 95.0%. The final SVM model constructed from all 14,203 publications was tested on independent datasets, resulting in accuracies of 92.5%, 96.3%, and 98.3%, and F1-scores of 93.5%, 86.1%, and 75.6% for three test sets (T1-T3). Furthermore, the SVM model was tested on four external validation sets (V1-V4), resulting in accuracies of 92.0%, 96.2%, 98.3%, and 93.1%, and F1-scores of 92.4%, 82.9%, 75.0%, and 93.3%.

PMID:37529777 | PMC:PMC10390074 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2023.1161047