Tag: nevin manimala

BMC Oral Health. 2022 Sep 24;22(1):426. doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02456-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This in vitro study evaluated the effect of amine-free initiator system and polymerization type on long-term color change of amine-free light-cure and dual-cure resin cements.

METHODS: Sixty disk-shaped specimens (10 × 1 mm) were prepared from six different amine-free resin cements; NX3 Nexus light-cure (LC) and dual-cure (DC), Variolink Veneer (LC) and Variolink II (DC), Relyx Veneer (LC) and Rely X Ultimate (DC). A feldspathic porcelain specimen (12 × 14 × 0.8 mm) was obtained from a CAD/CAM block (Cerec Blocks; Sirona Dental Systems GmbH, Bensheim, Germany) for color testing. The feldspathic specimen was placed on the resin cement disk and all measurements were performed without cementation. A spectrophotometer was used for color measurements. Specimens were subjected to thermal aging (5 °C and 55 °C; 5000 and 20,000 cycles). Specific color coordinate differences (ΔL, Δa, and Δb) and the total color differences (ΔE₀₀) were calculated after immersion in distilled water for different periods. Normality of data distribution was tested by using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Data were statistically in a model of repeated measures, using multivariate tests and Tukey’s multiple comparison tests at a significance level of p < 0.05.

RESULTS: ∆E₀₀ values of resin cements were influenced by cycle periods, significantly (p < 0.05). The highest ΔE00 values for long term were obtained in the NX3 (DC) (3.49 ± 0.87) and the lowest in the NX3 (LC) (1.41 ± 0.81). NX3 (LC), Variolink (DC), RELY X (LC) resin cements showed clinically acceptable color change after long-term aging (∆E₀₀ < 1.8).

CONCLUSION: Light-cure resin cements should be preferred for long-term color stability of full ceramic restorations.

PMID:36153495 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-022-02456-z

BMC Med Res Methodol. 2022 Sep 24;22(1):250. doi: 10.1186/s12874-022-01727-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Missing data are ubiquitous in randomised controlled trials. Although sensitivity analyses for different missing data mechanisms (missing at random vs. missing not at random) are widely recommended, they are rarely conducted in practice. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate sensitivity analyses for different assumptions regarding the missing data mechanism for randomised controlled trials using latent growth modelling (LGM).

METHODS: Data from a randomised controlled brief alcohol intervention trial was used. The sample included 1646 adults (56% female; mean age = 31.0 years) from the general population who had received up to three individualized alcohol feedback letters or assessment-only. Follow-up interviews were conducted after 12 and 36 months via telephone. The main outcome for the analysis was change in alcohol use over time. A three-step LGM approach was used. First, evidence about the process that generated the missing data was accumulated by analysing the extent of missing values in both study conditions, missing data patterns, and baseline variables that predicted participation in the two follow-up assessments using logistic regression. Second, growth models were calculated to analyse intervention effects over time. These models assumed that data were missing at random and applied full-information maximum likelihood estimation. Third, the findings were safeguarded by incorporating model components to account for the possibility that data were missing not at random. For that purpose, Diggle-Kenward selection, Wu-Carroll shared parameter and pattern mixture models were implemented.

RESULTS: Although the true data generating process remained unknown, the evidence was unequivocal: both the intervention and control group reduced their alcohol use over time, but no significant group differences emerged. There was no clear evidence for intervention efficacy, neither in the growth models that assumed the missing data to be at random nor those that assumed the missing data to be not at random.

CONCLUSION: The illustrated approach allows the assessment of how sensitive conclusions about the efficacy of an intervention are to different assumptions regarding the missing data mechanism. For researchers familiar with LGM, it is a valuable statistical supplement to safeguard their findings against the possibility of nonignorable missingness.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The PRINT trial was prospectively registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00014274, date of registration: 12th March 2018).

PMID:36153489 | DOI:10.1186/s12874-022-01727-1

BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Sep 24;22(1):748. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07733-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Yearly, up to 1 million patients worldwide suffer from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). In Ecuador, CL affects an estimated 5000 patients annually. CL leads to reduced Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) as a result of stigma in the Asian and Mediterranean contexts, but research is lacking for Ecuador. The objective of this study was to explore the influence of CL suspected lesions on the quality of life of patients in the Pacific and Amazon regions.

METHODS: Patients for this study were included in the Amazonian Napo, Pastaza, and Morona Santiago provinces and the Pacific region of the Pichincha province. Participating centers offered free of charge CL treatment. All patients suspected of CL and referred for a cutaneous smear slide microscopy examination were eligible. This study applied the Skindex-29 questionnaire, a generic tool to measure HRQL in patients with skin diseases. All statistical analysis was done with SPSS Statistics version 28.

RESULTS: The skindex-29 questionnaire was completed adequately by 279 patients who were included in this study. All patient groups from the Amazon scored significantly (P < 0.01) higher (indicating worse HRQL) on all the dimensions of the Skindex-29 questionnaire than Mestizo patients from the Pacific region. The percentage of patients with health seeking delay of less than a month was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the Amazon region (38%) than in the Pacific (66%).

CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that the influence of suspected CL lesions on the HRQL of patients in the Ecuadorian Amazon and Pacific depends on the geographic region more than on patient characteristics such as gender, age, number of lesions, lesion type, location of lesions, health seeking delay, or posterior confirmation of the Leishmania parasite. The health seeking delay in the Amazon might result from a lack of health infrastructure or related stigma. Together, the impaired HRQL and prolonged health seeking delay in the Amazon lead to prolonged suffering and a worse health outcome. Determinants of health seeking delay should be clarified in future studies and CL case finding must be improved. Moreover, HRQL analysis in other CL endemic regions could improve local health management.

PMID:36153487 | DOI:10.1186/s12879-022-07733-4

BMC Cancer. 2022 Sep 24;22(1):1012. doi: 10.1186/s12885-022-10095-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different thoracic radiotherapy doses on OS and incidence of radiation pneumonia which may provide some basis for optimizing the comprehensive treatment scheme of these patients with advanced EGFR mutant lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS: Data from 111 patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma who received thoracic radiotherapy were included in this retrospective study. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoints of the study. Kaplan-Meier method was used for the comparison of OS. The Cox proportional-hazard model was used for the multivariate and univariate analyses to determine the prognostic factors related to the disease.

RESULTS: The mOS rates of the patients, who received radiotherapy dose scheme of less than 50 Gy, 50-60 Gy (including 50 Gy), and 60 Gy or more were 29.1 months, 34.4 months, and 51.0 months, respectively (log-rank P = 0.011). Although trend suggested a higher levels of pneumonia cases with increasing radiation doses, these lack statistical significance (χ² = 1.331; P = 0.514). The multivariate analysis showed that the thoracic radiotherapy dose schemes were independently associated with the improved OS of patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.606; 95% CI, 0.382 to 0.961; P = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS: For the patients with advanced EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma, the radical thoracic radiotherapy dose scheme (≥ 60 Gy) could significantly prolong the OS of patients during the whole course management.

PMID:36153486 | DOI:10.1186/s12885-022-10095-4

BMC Pediatr. 2022 Sep 24;22(1):563. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03604-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recognizing the level of glycemic control of a client is an important measure/tool to prevent acquiring complications and risk of death from diabetes. However, the other most important variable, which is the time that the patient stayed in that poor glycemic level before reaching optimal glycemic control, has not been studied so far. Therefore, this study aim to estimate time to first optimal glycemic control and identify predictors among type 1 diabetic children in Bahir Dar city public referral hospitals, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2021.

METHODS: A Retrospective cohort study was conducted at Bahir Dar city public referral hospitals among a randomly selected sample of 385 patients with type 1 diabetes who were on follow up from January 1, 2016 to February30, 2021.Data were collected by using a data abstraction tool and then entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and exported into STATA 14.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan Meier plots and median survival times, Log-rank test and Cox-proportional hazard regression were used for reporting the findings of this study. After performing Cox-proportional hazard regression, model goodness-of-fit and assumptions were checked. Finally, the association between independent variables and time to first optimal glycemic control in months was assessed using the multivariable Cox Proportional Hazard model and variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS: Median survival time to first optimal glycemic control among type 1 diabetic clients was 8 months (95%CI: 6.9-8.9). The first optimal glycemic achievement rate was 8.2 (95%CI: 7.2-9.2) per 100 person/month observation. Factors that affect time to first optimal glycemic control were age > 10-14 years (AHR = 0.32;95%CI = 0.19-0.55), increased weight (AHR = 0.96;95%CI = 0.94-0.99), having primary care giver (AHR = 2.09;95%CI = 1.39-3.13), insulin dose (AHR = 1.05;95%CI = 1.03-1.08), duration of diabetes ≥4 years (AHR = 0.64;95%CI = 0.44-0.94), adherence to diabetic care (AHR = 9.72;95%CI = 6.09-15.51), carbohydrate counting (AHR = 2.43;95%CI = 1.12-5.26), and comorbidity (AHR = 0.72;95%CI = 0.53-0.98).

CONCLUSION: The median survival time to first optimal glycemic control in this study was long. Age, weight, primary care giver, insulin dose, duration of diabetes, adherence, and carbohydrate counting, including history of comorbidity were determinant factors. Giving attention for overweight and comorbid illness prevention, increasing either the dose or frequency of insulin during initial treatment; counseling parent (for both the mother and father) about adherence to diabetic care focusing on insulin drugs and how to audit their children’s diet as prescription helps to reduce the length of glycemic control.

PMID:36153485 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-022-03604-8

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2022 Sep 24;19(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s11556-022-00303-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of functional training with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle hypertrophy indices and strength in older men.

METHODS: Thirty older adults (67.7 ± 5.8 years) were randomly assigned to three groups: functional training (FT), functional training with BFR (FTBFR), and control (C). Participants in experimental groups were trained in three sessions per week for six weeks. They performed 11 whole body exercises, in 2-4 sets of 10 repetitions. FTBFR group wore pneumatic cuffs on their extremities that began with 50% of estimated arterial occlusion pressure which increased by 10% every two weeks. Blood samples were obtained, and static strength tests were evaluated at baseline and after the training program. A One-Way Analysis of Covariance was used to interpret the data.

RESULTS: A significant increase in follistatin levels (p = 0.002) and reduction in myostatin levels (p = 0.001) were observed in FT and FTBFR groups; there was a considerable increase in the F:M ratio in both training groups (p = 0.001), whereas it decreased in C group. These changes were accompanied by significant improvements in handgrip (p = 0.001) and shoulder girdle (p = 0.001) strength in both experimental groups, especially in the FTBFR group. However, the levels of irisin were not statistically changed following interventions (p = 0.561).

CONCLUSION: The findings showed that FT was effective in increasing circulating biomarkers involved in hypertrophy in older adults while adding BFR to FT had a slight increase in these biomarkers but had a tremendous increase in muscle strength.

PMID:36153484 | DOI:10.1186/s11556-022-00303-2

BMC Bioinformatics. 2022 Sep 24;23(1):388. doi: 10.1186/s12859-022-04928-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In RNA-sequencing studies a large number of hypothesis tests are performed to compare the differential expression of genes between several conditions. Filtering has been proposed to remove candidate genes with a low expression level which may not be relevant and have little or no chance of showing a difference between conditions. This step may reduce the multiple testing burden and increase power.

RESULTS: We show in a simulation study that filtering can lead to some increase in power for RNA-sequencing data, too aggressive filtering, however, can lead to a decline. No uniformly optimal filter in terms of power exists. Depending on the scenario different filters may be optimal. We propose an adaptive filtering strategy which selects one of several filters to maximise the number of rejections. No additional adjustment for multiplicity has to be included, but a rule has to be considered if the number of rejections is too small.

CONCLUSIONS: For a large range of simulation scenarios, the adaptive filter maximises the power while the simulated False Discovery Rate is bounded by the pre-defined significance level. Using the adaptive filter, it is not necessary to pre-specify a single individual filtering method optimised for a specific scenario.

PMID:36153479 | DOI:10.1186/s12859-022-04928-z

BMC Bioinformatics. 2022 Sep 24;23(1):387. doi: 10.1186/s12859-022-04926-1.

ABSTRACT

The recent global focus on big data in medicine has been associated with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosis and decision-making following recent advances in computer technology. Up to now, AI has been applied to various aspects of medicine, including disease diagnosis, surveillance, treatment, predicting future risk, targeted interventions and understanding of the disease. There have been plenty of successful examples in medicine of using big data, such as radiology and pathology, ophthalmology cardiology and surgery. Combining medicine and AI has become a powerful tool to change health care, and even to change the nature of disease screening in clinical diagnosis. As all we know, clinical laboratories produce large amounts of testing data every day and the clinical laboratory data combined with AI may establish a new diagnosis and treatment has attracted wide attention. At present, a new concept of radiomics has been created for imaging data combined with AI, but a new definition of clinical laboratory data combined with AI has lacked so that many studies in this field cannot be accurately classified. Therefore, we propose a new concept of clinical laboratory omics (Clinlabomics) by combining clinical laboratory medicine and AI. Clinlabomics can use high-throughput methods to extract large amounts of feature data from blood, body fluids, secretions, excreta, and cast clinical laboratory test data. Then using the data statistics, machine learning, and other methods to read more undiscovered information. In this review, we have summarized the application of clinical laboratory data combined with AI in medical fields. Undeniable, the application of Clinlabomics is a method that can assist many fields of medicine but still requires further validation in a multi-center environment and laboratory.

PMID:36153474 | DOI:10.1186/s12859-022-04926-1

Egypt Heart J. 2022 Sep 24;74(1):68. doi: 10.1186/s43044-022-00305-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increased nighttime BP variability (BPV) was associated with stroke. Left atrial (LA) enlargement is the default clinical hallmark of structural remodeling that often occurs in response to LA pressure and volume overload. Blood pressure has proven to be an essential determinant of LA enlargement. We aimed to evaluate the influence of BPV as a risk factor for cryptogenic stroke and highlight the importance of including the (APBM) in the workup for those patients and test the relation between BPV and LA remodeling in these patients, which could be used as a clue to add APM monitoring to their workup. Also, LA remodeling may be a substrate for occult atrial fibrillation (AF). We included Group I (108 consecutive patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke) and Group II (100 consecutive adult participants without a history of stroke or any structural heart disease). We measured the maximal LA volume index (Max LAVI) and minimal LA volume index (Min LAVI). We calculated the left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF). All the participants were subjected to ABPM.

RESULTS: In our prospective, cross-sectional cohort study, the patients in Group I had statistically significantly higher Min LAVI and Max LAVI and Less LA EF than Group II, with a P value of (0.001, 0.001, and 0.008), respectively. The Group I patients had higher BPV as measured by SD parameters than patients in Group II, with a P value of 0.001 for all SD parameters. The BPV parameters, as measured by SD parameters, were positively related to the LA remodeling parameters in both groups. After adjusting all variables, we found that age, night systolic SD, and night diastolic SD parameters were independent predictors of LA remodeling.

CONCLUSIONS: The patients with cryptogenic stroke had higher short-term BPV, Min LAVI, and Max LAVI but lower LA EF. Careful monitoring of BPV may be of value for both primary and secondary preventions of ischemic stroke.

PMID:36153447 | DOI:10.1186/s43044-022-00305-6

EJNMMI Phys. 2022 Sep 24;9(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s40658-022-00494-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: [¹⁸F] FDG PET-CT has an important role in the initial staging of lung cancer; however, accurate differentiation between activity in malignant and benign intrathoracic lymph nodes on PET-CT scans can be challenging. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of incorporating primary tumour data and clinical features to differentiate between [¹⁸F] FDG-avid malignant and benign intrathoracic lymph nodes.

METHODS: We retrospectively selected lung cancer patients who underwent PET-CT for initial staging in two centres in the Netherlands. The primary tumour and suspected lymph node metastases were annotated and cross-referenced with pathology results. Lymph nodes were classified as malignant or benign. From the image data, we extracted radiomic features and trained the classifier model using the extreme gradient boost (XGB) algorithm. Various scenarios were defined by selecting different combinations of data input and clinical features. Data from centre 1 were used for training and validation of the models using the XGB algorithm. To determine the performance of the model in a different hospital, the XGB model was tested using data from centre 2.

RESULTS: Adding primary tumour data resulted in a significant gain in the performance of the trained classifier model. Adding the clinical information about distant metastases did not lead to significant improvement. The performance of the model in the test set (centre 2) was slightly but statistically significantly lower than in the validation set (centre 1).

CONCLUSIONS: Using the XGB algorithm potentially leads to an improved model for the classification of intrathoracic lymph nodes. The inclusion of primary tumour data improved the performance of the model, while additional knowledge of distant metastases did not. In patients in whom metastases are limited to lymph nodes in the thorax, this may reduce costly and invasive procedures such as endobronchial ultrasound or mediastinoscopy procedures.

PMID:36153446 | DOI:10.1186/s40658-022-00494-8