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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Treatment of Resistant Acne Vulgaris in Adolescents Using Dietary Supplementation with Magnesium, Phosphate and Fatty Acids (Omega 6 and 7): Comparison with 13-Cis-Retinoic Acid

J Diet Suppl. 2022 Jul 25:1-11. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2022.2100550. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The burden of disease associated with acne vulgaris has continued to increase over time in the world population. This continued growth suggests that there is an unmet dermatologic need for this condition worldwide. Potential sequelae of acne, such as scarring, depigmentation, and marked emotional and psychological problems (e.g., low self-esteem), can lead to significant morbidity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dietary supplementation with magnesium, phosphate, omega 6 (linoleic acid calcium salt – C18:2 fatty acid Ca salt), and omega 7 (palmitoleic acid calcium salt – C16:1 fatty acid Ca salt) would help patients with acne vulgaris, and to compare with isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid). Magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties. Linoleic and palmitoleic acids have bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Cutibacterium acnes (formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes). A single-blind randomized study was conducted in which 257 patients were treated with the above dietary supplementation (group A) and 275 patients with isotretinoin (group B) for 6 months. All patients in group A (100%) reported complete regression of symptoms after 6 months of treatment. On the other hand, 187 subjects (68%) in group B reported complete resolution of symptoms during the same period. The difference between the groups (p < 0.05) was statistically significant. The study was approved by the CEP/CONEP. This natural formulation promotes regression and/or cure of acne vulgaris symptoms and has better results than drugs (such as isotretinoin), without significant side effects.

PMID:35876008 | DOI:10.1080/19390211.2022.2100550

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Matching-adjusted indirect comparison of efficacy outcomes in trials of calcipotriol plus betamethasone dipropionate foam and cream formulations for the treatment of plaque psoriasis

J Dermatolog Treat. 2022 Jul 25:1-9. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2022.2095330. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Once-daily, fixed-combination calcipotriol 50 μg/g (Cal) plus betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g (BD) is available in aerosol foam and cream formulations. As no head-to-head data are available, we use a matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) approach to compare Cal/BD foam and cream.

METHODS: Anchored and unanchored MAIC analyses were conducted using individual patient data (IPD) from five Cal/BD foam trials and two trials of Cal/BD cream. Outcomes of interest were the proportion of patients with Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) success and the mean reduction in modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (mPASI).

RESULTS: In the anchored MAIC, patients were more likely to achieve PGA success after 4 weeks of Cal/BD foam than after 8 weeks of Cal/BD cream and had larger mean improvements in mPASI (p < .01 in EU mPASI analysis). In unanchored analyses, 4 weeks of Cal/BD foam treatment was statistically significantly more efficacious in inducing PGA success than 8 weeks of Cal/BD cream (p < .01 in five of six comparisons). Mean reductions in mPASI were consistently statistically significantly greater with Cal/BD foam than with Cal/BD cream.

CONCLUSIONS: Use of Cal/BD foam consistently shows significantly greater improvements in PGA and mPASI outcomes, compared with Cal/BD cream.

PMID:35875991 | DOI:10.1080/09546634.2022.2095330

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Beyond individual sex differences: “Staying alive theory” as an adaptive complex

Behav Brain Sci. 2022 Jul 25;45:e129. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X22000577.

ABSTRACT

Extended staying alive theory (SAT) raises the issue of the extent to which its various attributes are linked or whether they provide alternative means to the same adaptive ends. Theories such as SAT that consider an array of sex differences may benefit from the application of the multivariate D statistic, rather than using a series of d values, as is common at present.

PMID:35875974 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X22000577

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Curative high-dose reirradiation for patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using IMRT or proton therapy: Outcomes and analysis of patterns of failure

Head Neck. 2022 Jul 25. doi: 10.1002/hed.27153. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analyze outcomes of patients treated with curative reirradiation (reRT), with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or proton therapy (PT) for recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

MATERIALS: Among the 55 patients reirradiated for head and neck cancer from 30/08/2012 to 08/04/2019, 23 had HNSCC and received IMRT (52.2%) or PT (47.8%) at a median maximum dose to the CTV of 66 Gy.

RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 41.3 months, 18 patients developed a locoregional recurrence (LR), of which eight (44.4%) occurred within the previously reirradiated volume. Two-year locoregional failure-free survival and overall survival were 18.3%[95%CI:7.1%-47.1%] and 42.5%[95%CI:26.2%-69.1%], respectively. Disease-free survival was significantly longer in the PT group (p = 0.031). Main late grade ≥2 toxicities were dysphagia and trismus.

CONCLUSION: Curative reRT in HNSCC is possible for selected cases, but the LR rate in the irradiated field and the risk of toxicity grade ≥2 remain high.

PMID:35875934 | DOI:10.1002/hed.27153

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Systemic sclerosis mortality trends in Spain from 1980 to 2019: age-period-cohort and Joinpoint analysis

Clin Exp Dermatol. 2022 Jul 25. doi: 10.1111/ced.15342. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune chronic rheumatic disease with notable mortality that continues to be a challenge for clinicians today.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in mortality trends in the Spanish SSc population between 1980 and 2019, considering the independent effect of sex, age, period and birth cohort.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: SSc death records and mid-year population data were collected from the National Statistics Institute. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated for the overall population and for each sex and age group. Significant changes in mortality trends were identified by Joinpoint regressions. Similarly, an age-period-cohort (APC) and potential years of life lost (PYLL) analysis were performed to know the burden of SSc.

RESULTS: Age-standardized mortality rates due to SSc increased from 1.87 (95% CI: 1.00; 3.02) per 1,000,000 inhabitants between 1980 and 1984, to 2.47 (95% CI: 1.74; 3.02) per 1,000,000 inhabitants between 2015 and 2019. The relative risk of mortality fell in cohorts born after 1990 in all groups. The PYLL rates registered a gradual rise in both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS: Mortality due to SSc in Spain Spain experienced a rise in overall mortality trend during the 39 years of study evaluated, although the male group showed a progressive drop.

PMID:35875897 | DOI:10.1111/ced.15342

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Sustainable multi-trait selection index based on production, reproduction, and health traits for genetic improvement of Murrah buffaloes

Anim Biotechnol. 2022 Jul 23:1-9. doi: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2101117. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Selection of Murrah buffaloes based on production, reproduction, and health traits play an important role in sustainable genetic improvement. With the aim to construct an index comprising of production, reproduction and health traits of Murrah buffaloes, the production and reproduction data during a 50-year span (1971-2020) and for health traits data of 27 years (1994-2020) were analyzed. Various three, four, five, and six trait combinations of production, reproduction, and health traits were explored for construction of performance indices. The income and expenditure method was used to calculate relative economic values (REV) for traits under consideration. A total of 37 performance indices were constructed using a multi-trait combination of production, reproduction, and health traits. Out of 37 indices, the (ADMY-PY-DO-AFC-FF) based index was identified as the best, with 78%, 2%, and 20% weightage given to production, reproduction, and female fertility, respectively. Furthermore, when REVs of traits were increased by 25% and 50%, there was no change observed in the relative importance of traits in the best index, indicating that the index was robust to substantial increases in economic values. Therefore, it is recommended that the above constructed composite selection index can be employed in selection of female buffaloes to achieve sustainable genetic gain.

PMID:35875885 | DOI:10.1080/10495398.2022.2101117

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Quantitative computed tomography predicts outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Respirology. 2022 Jul 25. doi: 10.1111/resp.14333. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Prediction of disease course in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of lung fibrosis extent quantified at computed tomography (CT) using data-driven texture analysis (DTA) in a large cohort of well-characterized patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) enrolled in a national registry.

METHODS: This retrospective analysis included participants in the Australian IPF Registry with available CT between 2007 and 2016. CT scans were analysed using the DTA method to quantify the extent of lung fibrosis. Demographics, longitudinal pulmonary function and quantitative CT metrics were compared using descriptive statistics. Linear mixed models, and Cox analyses adjusted for age, gender, BMI, smoking history and treatment with anti-fibrotics were performed to assess the relationships between baseline DTA, pulmonary function metrics and outcomes.

RESULTS: CT scans of 393 participants were analysed, 221 of which had available pulmonary function testing obtained within 90 days of CT. Linear mixed-effect modelling showed that baseline DTA score was significantly associated with annual rate of decline in forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide. In multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, greater extent of lung fibrosis was associated with poorer transplant-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.20, p < 0.0001) and progression-free survival (HR 1.14, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: In a multi-centre observational registry of patients with IPF, the extent of fibrotic abnormality on baseline CT quantified using DTA is associated with outcomes independent of pulmonary function.

PMID:35875881 | DOI:10.1111/resp.14333

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A functional connectome signature of blood pressure in >30,000 participants from the UK Biobank

Cardiovasc Res. 2022 Jul 25:cvac116. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvac116. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a prevalent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and contributes to cognitive decline in late life. Despite the fact that functional changes may precede irreversible structural damage and emerge in an ongoing manner, studies have been predominantly informed by brain structure and group-level inferences. Here, we aim to delineate neurobiological correlates of BP at an individual level using machine learning and functional connectivity.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on whole-brain functional connectivity from the UK Biobank, we built a machine learning model to identify neural representations for individuals’ past (∼8.9 years before scanning, N = 35,882), current (N = 31,367), and future (∼2.4 years follow-up, N = 3,138) BP levels within a repeated cross-validation framework. We examined the impact of multiple potential covariates, as well as assessed these models’ generalizability across various contexts.The predictive models achieved significant correlations between predicted and actual systolic/diastolic BP and pulse pressure while controlling for multiple confounders. Predictions for participants not on antihypertensive medication were more accurate than for currently medicated patients. Moreover, the models demonstrated robust generalizability across contexts in terms of ethnicities, imaging centers, medication status, participant visits, gender, age, and BMI. The identified connectivity patterns primarily involved the cerebellum, prefrontal, anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex, supramarginal gyrus, and precuneus, which are key regions of the central autonomic network, and involved in cognition processing and susceptible to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. Results also showed more involvement of default mode and frontoparietal networks in predicting future BP levels and in medicated participants.

CONCLUSION: This study, based on the largest neuroimaging sample currently available and using machine learning, identifies brain signatures underlying BP, providing evidence for meaningful BP-associated neural representations in connectivity profiles.

PMID:35875865 | DOI:10.1093/cvr/cvac116

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Association of admission blood glucose level and clinical outcomes in elderly community-acquired pneumonia patients with or without diabetes

Clin Respir J. 2022 Jul 24. doi: 10.1111/crj.13526. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the major cause of infection-related mortality worldwide. Patients with CAP frequently present with admission hyperglycemia.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between admission blood glucose (ABG) level and clinical outcomes in elderly CAP patients (≥80 years of age) with or without diabetes.

METHODS: In this single center retrospective study, 290 elderly patients diagnosed with CAP were included. Demographic and clinical information were collected and compared. The associations between admission blood glucose level and the 30-day mortality as well as intensive care unit (ICU) admission and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in elderly CAP patients with or without diabetes were assessed.

RESULTS: Of the 290 eligible patients with CAP, 159 (66.5%) patients were male, and 64 (22.1%) had a known history of diabetes at hospital admission. After adjusting for age and sex, the logistic regression analysis had identified several risk factors that might be associated with clinical outcomes in elderly patients with CAP. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that admission glucose level > 11.1 mmol/L was significant associated with ICU admission, IMV, and 30-day mortality both in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with higher admission glucose level were correlated statistically significantly with 30-day mortality in patients with CAP (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Admission blood glucose is correlated with 30-day hospital mortality, ICU admission, and IMV of CAP in elderly patients with and without diabetes. Specially, admission glucose > 11.1 mmol/L was a significant risk factor for 30-day hospital mortality.

PMID:35871756 | DOI:10.1111/crj.13526

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Clinical Application of “Three-Low” Technique Combined with Artificial Intelligence Iterative Reconstruction Algorithm in Aortic CT Angiography

Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2022 Jul;53(4):676-681. doi: 10.12182/20220760105.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of the “three-low” technique (low radiation dose, low contrast agent dosage and low contrast agent flow rate) combined with artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction (AIIR) in aortic CT angiography (CTA).

METHODS: A total of 33 patients who underwent aortic CTA were prospectively enrolled. Based on the time of their follow-up examinations, the imaging data were divided into Group A and Group B, with Group A being the control group (100 kV, 0.8 mL/kg, 5 mL/s) and Group B being the “three-low” technique group (70 kV, 0.5 mL/kg, 3 mL/s). In group A, the images were reconstructed by Karl iterative algorithm. Group B was divided into B1 and B2 subgroups, with their images being reconstructed by Karl iterative algorithm and AIIR, respectively. The CT and SD values of the ascending aorta, descending aorta, abdominal aorta, left common iliac artery and right common iliac artery were measured, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. The subjective scoring of image quality was performed. The radiation dose parameters were documented.

RESULTS: Differences in the CT value, SD value, SNR and CNR of the three groups were statistically significant ( P<0.001). The CT value, SNR and CNR of group B2 were significantly higher than those of group B1, while the SD value of group B2 was significantly lower than that of group B1 ( P<0.017). There was no significant difference between the CT values of group A and those of group B2 ( P>0.017). The SD values, SNR and CNR in group B2 were better than those in group A ( P>0.017). There was significant difference in the subjective evaluation of image quality among the three groups ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group A and group B2 ( P>0.017). The radiation dose and contrast medium dosage in group B decreased 84.14% and 37.08%, respectively, compared with those of group A.

CONCLUSION: With the “three-low” technique combined with AIIR algorithm, the image quality of aortic CTA obtained is comparable to that of conventional dose scanning, while the radiation dose, contrast agent dosage and contrast agent flow rate of patients are significantly reduced.

PMID:35871740 | DOI:10.12182/20220760105