Tag: nevin manimala

Clin Neuropsychol. 2022 May 18:1-55. doi: 10.1080/13854046.2022.2054360. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Examination of gender and diversity issues within clinical neuropsychology, using data from the 2020 professional practice and “salary survey.”

METHODS: Clinical neuropsychologists in the U.S. and Canada were invited to participate in an online survey. The final sample consisted of 1677 doctoral-level practitioners.

RESULTS: Approximately, 60% of responding neuropsychologists are women and 53.8% of those women identify as early career psychologists (ECPs). Conversely, a majority of men in the sample are advanced career psychologists (ACPs). Both genders work predominantly in institutions, but more men than women work in private practice. ACP men produce a greater number of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Across all work settings, women earn significantly less than men, and are less satisfied with their incomes. Establishing and maintaining family life is the biggest obstacle to attaining greater income and job satisfaction for both genders. Ethnic/racial minority status was identified in 12.9% of respondents, with 59.2% being ECPs. Job satisfaction and hostility in the workplace vary across ethnic/racial minority groups. Hispanic/Latino(a) and White neuropsychologists report higher incomes, but there were no statistically significant differences between any of the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Income and select practice differences persist between female and male neuropsychologists. There is a slow rate of increased ethnic/racial diversity over time, which is much more apparent among early career practitioners. Trajectories and demographics suggest that the gender income gap is unlikely to be improved by the next survey iteration in 2025, whereas it is very likely that ethnic/racial diversity will continue to increase gradually.

PMID:35582913 | DOI:10.1080/13854046.2022.2054360

J Evol Biol. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1111/jeb.14009. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A paradigm shift away from null hypothesis significance testing seems in progress. Based on simulations, we illustrate some of the underlying motivations. First, p-values vary strongly from study to study, hence dichotomous inference using significance thresholds is usually unjustified. Second, ‘statistically significant’ results have overestimated effect sizes, a bias declining with increasing statistical power. Third, ‘statistically non-significant’ results have underestimated effect sizes, and this bias gets stronger with higher statistical power. Fourth, the tested statistical hypotheses usually lack biological justification and are often uninformative. Despite these problems, a screen of 48 papers from the 2020 volume of the Journal of Evolutionary Biology exemplifies that significance testing is still used almost universally in evolutionary biology. All screened studies tested default null hypotheses of zero effect with the default significance threshold of p = 0.05, none presented a pre-specified alternative hypothesis, pre-study power calculation and the probability of ‘false negatives’ (beta error rate). The results sections of the papers presented 49 significance tests on average (median 23, range 0-390). Of 41 studies that contained verbal descriptions of a ‘statistically non-significant’ result, 26 (63%) falsely claimed the absence of an effect. We conclude that studies in ecology and evolutionary biology are mostly exploratory and descriptive. We should thus shift from claiming to ‘test’ specific hypotheses statistically to describing and discussing many hypotheses (possible true effect sizes) that are most compatible with our data, given our statistical model. We already have the means for doing so, because we routinely present compatibility (‘confidence’) intervals covering these hypotheses.

PMID:35582935 | DOI:10.1111/jeb.14009

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1002/jmri.28236. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of residual or recurrent tumor in soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) is a differential diagnostic challenge since post-therapeutic changes impede diagnosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of quantitative dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to detect local recurrence of STS of the limb.

STUDY TYPE: Prospective.

POPULATION: A totalof 64 consecutive patients with primary STS of the limbs were prospectively included 3-6 months after surgery between January 2016 and July 2021.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 1.5 T; axial DWI echo-planar imaging sequences and DCE-MRI using a 3D T1-weighted spoiled gradient-echo sequence.

ASSESSMENT: The quantitative DCE-MRI parameters relative plasma flow (rPF) and relative mean transit time (rMTT) were calculated and ADC mapping was used to quantify diffusion restriction. Regions of interest of tumor growth and postoperative changes were drawn in consensus by two experts for diffusion and perfusion analysis. An additional morphological assessment was done by three independent and blinded radiologists.

STATISTICAL TEST: Unpaired t-test, ROC-analysis, and a logistic regression model were applied. Interobserver reliability was calculated using Fleiss kappa statistics. A P value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: A total of 11 patients turned out to have local recurrence. rPF was significantly higher in cases of local recurrence when compared to cases without local recurrence (61.1-4.5) while rMTT was slightly and significantly lower in local recurrence. ROC-analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.95 (SEM ± 0.05) for rPF while a three-factor multivariate logistic regression model showed a high diagnostic accuracy of rPF (R² = 0.71). Compared with morphological assessment, rPF had a distinct higher specificity and true positive value in detection of LR.

DATA CONCLUSION: DCE-MRI is a promising additional method to differentiate local recurrence from benign postoperative changes in STS of the limb. Especially specificity in detection of LR is increased compared to morphological assessment.

EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

PMID:35582900 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.28236

Health Educ Res. 2022 May 18:cyac011. doi: 10.1093/her/cyac011. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Designing corrective messages to debunk misinformation online is an important practice toward ending the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic as health-related misinformation has proliferated on social media misguiding disease prevention measures. Despite research on the use of statistical evidence and message modality in persuasion, the effects of evidence type (assertions with versus without statistical evidence) and presentation mode (text-only versus image-only versus text-plus-image) have been understudied. This study examined the impact of evidence type and presentation mode on individuals’ responses to corrective messages about COVID-19 on social media. The results showed that the presence of statistical evidence in assertions reduced message elaboration, which in turn reduced the effects of the message in correcting misperceptions, decreased perceived message believability and lowered social media users’ intentions to further engage with and disseminate the corrective message. Compared to the text-only modality and the text-plus-image modality, the image-only modality triggered significantly lower levels of message elaboration, which subsequently heightened message believability and increased user engagement intentions. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

PMID:35582892 | DOI:10.1093/her/cyac011

Health Educ Res. 2022 May 18:cyac012. doi: 10.1093/her/cyac012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Managing hypertension is not only concerned with lowering blood pressure (BP) by using antihypertensive medications but also aims at minimizing its consequences through adopting self-care. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of mobile application on self-care, BP control, self-efficacy and hypertension-related knowledge among adult patients with hypertension. A randomized design, two groups, pretest-posttest, between subjects with a 1:1 allocation ratio was used. The sample was selected from cardiology clinics has completed the study. Using a block randomization method, 57 of the participants were assigned to the intervention group receiving the educational application intervention, and 59 of them were assigned to the control group receiving usual care. The study’s findings showed that participants in the intervention group reported statistically significant higher self-care and knowledge scores than the participants in the control group after 8 weeks of receiving the study intervention. Additionally, compared with the control group participants, more participants in the intervention group demonstrated BP control. The educational application is effective in improving knowledge, self-care and BP control. The positive results indicate the value of integrating mobile applications in the care of patients with hypertension.

PMID:35582884 | DOI:10.1093/her/cyac012

Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1080/14737167.2022.2079497. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Many diseases have a sequential treatment pathway. Compared with patients without previous treatment, patients who fail initial treatment may have lower success rates with a second treatment. This phenomenon can be explained by a correlation between treatment effects.

METHODS: We developed a statistical model of covariance for the underlying unobserved correlation between treatments and established a mathematical expression for the magnitude of the latent correlation term. We conducted a simulation study of clinical trials to investigate the correlation between two treatments and explored clinical examples based on published literature to illustrate the identification and evaluation of these correlations.

RESULTS: Our simulation study confirmed that a treatment correlation reduces the probability of success for the second treatment, compared with no correlation. We found that treatment correlations may be observable in clinical trials, such as for depression and lung cancer, and the magnitude of correlation may be estimated. We illustrated that treatment correlations can be incorporated into an economic model, with possible impacts on cost-effectiveness results. Additional applications of correlation concepts are also discussed.

CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated the correlation between treatment effects and our approach can be applied to clinical trial design and economic modelling of sequential clinical treatment pathways.

PMID:35582876 | DOI:10.1080/14737167.2022.2079497

J Viral Hepat. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1111/jvh.13702. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is characterized by progression through different phases of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and disease. Although not necessary for HBV replication, there is increasing evidence that HBV splice variants are associated with liver disease progression and pathogenesis. However there have been no studies to date on the frequency or diversity of splice variants for different HBV genotypes across the phases of CHB. Next generation sequencing data from 404 patient samples of HBV genotype A, B, C, or D in Phase I, Phase II or Phase IV of CHB was analysed for HBV splice variants using an in house bioinformatics pipeline. HBV splice variants differed in frequency and type by genotype and phase of natural history. Splice variant Sp1 was the most frequently detected (206/404 51% of patients), followed by Sp13 (151/404 37% of patients). The frequency of variants was generally highest in Phase II (123/165 75% of patients), a phase typically associated with enhanced immune activation, followed by Phase I (69/99 70% of patients). Splice variants were associated with reduced hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) levels and statistically reduced likelihood of achieving HBsAg loss (functional cure) in Phase II patients for Sp1 and Sp13 (p=0.0014 and 0.0156, respectively). The frequency of HBV splice variants in patient serum differed markedly by HBV genotype and phase of CHB natural history. The increased levels of HBV splice variants detected in CHB phase II patients compared to the higher replicative Phase I in particular warrants further investigation.

PMID:35582878 | DOI:10.1111/jvh.13702

Psychiatr Hung. 2022;37(2):133-149.

ABSTRACT

Low sexual desire, also called Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder or Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder, is a type of Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). This article reviews diagnostic considerations, a historical overview of how current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria was developed, including a crossover from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) to DSM-5, diagnostic considerations in pharmaceutical treatments for low female sexual desire as well as the predominant sexual response cycle models that DSM-5 criteria was built on. It provides a historical overview of the two majorly divergent camps of perspective, namely the DSM-5 and the ICSM/ ICD classification systems, their theoretical and research basis. It concludes that female sexual desire is a rather complex phenomenon and a mechanism set in motion by intricate hormonal, emotional, relational and biological processes. Psychiatrists are well-suited in both recognizing, diagnosing and treating female sexual desire problems. Authors of this review encourage flexibility and a patient focused approach in clinical practice, which would both require utilizing a biopsychosocial perspective and the use of a multi-specialty team.

PMID:35582867

Subst Use Misuse. 2022 May 18:1-16. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2076878. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Computer-based and telecommunication technology has become increasingly common to address addiction among women. This review assessed the effect of technology-based interventions on substance misuse, alcohol use, and smoking outcomes among women.

METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline was used to conduct the scoping review. Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus) were used to search for peer-reviewed articles published in English on computer-based and telecommunication technology use to address substance misuse, alcohol use, and smoking among women.

RESULTS: A total of 30 articles were selected after the final full-text review from the U.S., England, Japan, and the Netherlands. The types of technology used in the interventions included computer software (standalone or web-based), mobile applications, video calling, phone, and text messaging. Intervention outcomes included alcohol and other substance misuse reduction as polysubstance misuse (n = 5), smoking cessation (n = 10), substance misuse reduction only (n = 6), and alcohol use reduction only (n = 9). The populations reached included women who were pregnant (n = 13), postpartum (n = 4), or non-pregnant (n = 14) ranging from adolescent to adulthood. Interventions that targeted polysubstance misuse showed statistically significant reductions (p < .05).

CONCLUSION: Although effective in reducing alcohol and other substance misuse, mixed findings were identified for other outcomes targeting a single substance. Technology-based interventions might maximize their effects by targeting polysubstance misuse and addressing associated contextual issues in the form of a computer-delivered module(s).

PMID:35582861 | DOI:10.1080/10826084.2022.2076878

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1002/ccd.30178. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The natural history of peridevice leak (PDL) following left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is unknown. This study sought to investigate changes of PDL from 2 until 12 months after LAAO, using cardiac computed tomography (CT), and to assess the potential association between persistent PDL and clinical outcomes METHODS: Single-center observational study of Amplatzer LAAO implants between 2010 and 2017 (n = 206). Patients with 2 and 12 months cardiac CT were included in the study (n = 153). Images were blindly analyzed. PDL was characterized by frequency and size at the device disc, lobe, and left atrial appendage contrast patency. Patients were followed for the composite outcome of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, systemic embolism, or all-cause death. Median follow up from LAAO was 3.1 (2.3-4.3) years.

RESULTS: Contrast patency was present in 101 (66%) and 72 (47%) (p < 0.001) at 2 and 12 months, respectively. PDL was identified at the disc in 103 (67%) patients at 2 months versus 93 (61%) at 12 months (p = 0.08), and at the lobe in 29 (19%) at both time points. PDL area at the disc did not change significantly over time, $∆$ area: -8.95 mm (95% confidence interval [CI]: -18.9; 1.01) p = 0.08. Permanent atrial fibrillation was independently associated with persistent PDL. Persistent versus no PDL was associated with a 62% worse clinical outcome, however not statistically significant, hazard ratio (HR): 1.62 (95% CI: 0.9-2.93), p = 0.11.

CONCLUSION: Persistent PDL was frequently observed following LAAO with Amplatzer devices. The PDL frequency and size appeared unchanged between 2 and 12 months. Persistent PDL was not significantly associated with worse clinical outcomes, yet this needs further delineation in future studies.

PMID:35582829 | DOI:10.1002/ccd.30178