Elife. 2021 Nov 2;10:e74135. doi: 10.7554/eLife.74135.
ABSTRACT
A survey reveals that many researchers do not use appropriate statistical analyses to evaluate sex differences in biomedical research.
PMID:34726155 | DOI:10.7554/eLife.74135
Tag: nevin manimala
Transcult Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 2:13634615211043767. doi: 10.1177/13634615211043767. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Gender-based violence (GBV) among female refugees/asylum seekers is a major underreported/understudied psychosocial issue. The aims of this study were: to describe the proportion of GBV-related experiences among female refugees/asylum seekers referred to a Cultural Consultation Service (CCS) in Montreal; to describe their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; and to compare these characteristics among women who make GBV their principal refugee claim (Group A), those who did not but had suffered GBV (Group B1), and those who had never reported GBV (Group B2). Data on sociodemographic and clinical variables and GBV were gathered by chart review. Data were analyzed using chi-square for categorical and ANOVA for continuous comparisons. A total of 91 female refugees/asylum seekers were evaluated from 2000 to 2013; 80% (73/91) having reported GBV, with 38.5% (35/91) using GBV as the principal reason for seeking asylum in Canada (Group A), mainly due to intimate partner violence (IPV). Fully 66.6% (38/56) of women who sought asylum for reasons other than GBV reported having experienced GBV (Group B1). When compared to the other groups, Group A women exhibited a number of statistically significant differences: they tended to migrate alone (p < .001), be divorced/single (p = .02), have more suicidal thoughts/behaviors (p < .001), and report a history of IPV (p < .001). Women from Group B1 were more likely to be diagnosed with Affective Disorders (p = .045), and to have suffered sexual violence (p < .001). Results suggest that GBV is frequently experienced by refugee/asylum seeker women in this small, tertiary care clinical sample. When assessing refugee women such as these, differences in the kind of violence suffered, migration process, family/social support, and clinical related features should be taken into account and explored by clinicians in a culturally appropriate and safe manner.
PMID:34726100 | DOI:10.1177/13634615211043767
Food Sci Technol Int. 2021 Nov 2:10820132211049616. doi: 10.1177/10820132211049616. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The main objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of storage temperature on aerobically stored chicken meat spoilage using the two-step and one-step modelling approaches involving different primary models namely the modified Gompertz, logistic, Baranyi and Huang models. For this purpose, growth data points of Pseudomonas spp. were collected from published studies conducted in aerobically stored chicken meat product. Temperature-dependent kinetic parameters (maximum specific growth rate ‘µmax‘ and lag phase duration ‘λ‘) were described as a function of storage temperature through the Ratkowsky model based on the different primary models. Then, the fitting capability of both modelling approaches was compared taking into account root mean square error, adjusted coefficient of determination (adjusted-R2) and corrected Akaike information criterion. The one-step modelling approach showed considerably improved fitting capability regardless of the used primary model. Finally, models developed from the one-step modelling approach were validated for the maximum growth rate data extracted from independent published literature using the statistical indexes Bias (Bf) and Accuracy (Af) factors. The best prediction capability was obtained for the Baranyi model with Bf and Af being very close to 1. The shelf-life of chicken meat as a function of storage temperature was predicted using both modelling approaches for the Baranyi model.
PMID:34726103 | DOI:10.1177/10820132211049616
Ann Pharmacother. 2021 Nov 2:10600280211055804. doi: 10.1177/10600280211055804. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) have delayed gastric emptying properties; however, the impact on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) visualization is unknown.
OBJECTIVE: This study examines the impact of GLP-1RA use on EGD visualization and gastric content retention.
METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study with matched controls. The primary endpoint was the odds of retained food documented during EGD. Secondary endpoints included incidence of lavage and need for repeat EGD due to poor visualization and were compared using Fisher exact test. Analyses were performed in R Studio.
RESULTS: There were 59 patients in the cohort prescribed a GLP-1RA with 118 matched controls. Food retention was documented with 4 patients (6.8%) in the GLP-1RA cohort versus 2 patients (1.7%) in the control group (odds ratio [OR] 4.22 [95% CI 0.87-20.34]). No difference was observed in the need for lavage during EGD or in the need for repeat EGD attributed to poor visualization.
CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: This study addresses a previously uninvestigated question in clinical practice. GLP-1RA did not significantly increase odds of retained food on EGD. Although a numerical difference was observed, it did not reach statistical difference. No cases required repeat EGD due to poor visualization, and no change to EGD pre-procedure instructions were warranted at the study facility.
PMID:34726082 | DOI:10.1177/10600280211055804
Assessment. 2021 Nov 2:10731911211055435. doi: 10.1177/10731911211055435. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Numerous instruments have been developed to measure gaming-related health problems based on “internet gaming disorder” (IGD) in the third section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) and “gaming disorder” (GD) in the International Classification of Diseases (11th rev.). However, the criteria in the manuals tend to be operationalized in numerous diverse ways, which can make screening outcomes incomparable. A content validity analysis is needed to reassess the relationships between the diagnostic criteria and the items that operationalize them. The IGD and GD criteria were divided into sematic components. A qualitative content validity analysis was carried out for all items employed by the 17 instruments that claim to measure either construct by their criteria in English. In all but one instrument, the operationalizations did not include all criterion components. There were two main reasons found for this: the components had simply been left out or had been alternatively modified into other components. Criteria that were vaguely described in the manuals were sources of lower content validity items. The study implies that many of the problems in IGD and GD measurement derive from criteria operationalization and original manual descriptions. The conclusion provides practical recommendations that researchers can apply to improve the content validity of their measurement.
PMID:34726084 | DOI:10.1177/10731911211055435
J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Nov 2:e020999. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.020999. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Background Blood pressure (BP) targets in elderly patients with diabetes remain unclear. We evaluated the association between BP and cardiovascular disease in elderly patients with diabetes without cardiovascular disease or heart failure. Methods and Results We performed a retrospective cohort study of 225 563 elderly (aged ≥65 years) patients with diabetes without cardiovascular disease or heart failure from 2009 to 2017 using the National Health Information Database. We divided the participants by systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP. Primary composite outcomes were stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and all-cause death analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis adjusted for baseline covariates. During a median follow-up of 7.76 years, the incidence rate of primary composite outcomes was 26.62 per 1000 person-years. In multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling, the risk of the primary outcome had a U-curved association with SBP/diastolic blood pressure with a nadir between 120 and 129 mm Hg/65 and 69 mm Hg, respectively. Hypertension medication was associated with lower risk of primary composite outcomes in SBP ≥140 mm Hg (P for interaction for SBP <0.001) and diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg (P for interaction for diastolic blood pressure=0.018). In participants aged ≥80 years, SBP ≥160 mm Hg was only a marginally higher risk for primary composite outcomes (hazard ratio=1.11; 95% CI, 0.98-1.24). Conclusions In this large sample of older Korean patients with diabetes, cardiovascular events were more common in people with resting SBP or diastolic BP ≥140 or 95 mm Hg, respectively, and also more common in people with resting SBP or diastolic BP <120 or 65 mm Hg, respectively.
PMID:34726076 | DOI:10.1161/JAHA.121.020999
Acc Chem Res. 2021 Nov 2. doi: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00556. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
ConspectusSince the discovery of conductive poly(acetylene), the study of conjugated polymers has remained an active and interdisciplinary frontier between polymer chemistry, polymer physics, computation, and device engineering. One of the ultimate goals of polymer science is to reliably synthesize structures, similar to small molecule synthesis. Kumada catalyst-transfer polymerization (KCTP) is a powerful tool for synthesizing conjugated polymers with predictable molecular weights, narrow dispersities, specific end groups, and complex backbone architectures. However, expanding the monomer scope beyond the well-studied 3-alkylthiophenes to include electron-deficient and complex heterocycles has been difficult. Revisiting the successful applications of KCTP can help us gain new insight into the CTP mechanisms and thus inspire breakthroughs in the controlled polymerization of challenging π-conjugated monomers.In this Account, we highlight our efforts over the past decade to achieve controlled synthesis of homopolymers (p-type and n-type), copolymers (diblock and statistical), and monodisperse high oligomers. We first give a brief introduction of the mechanism and state-of-the-art of KCTP. Since the extent of polymerization control is determined by steric and electronic effects of both the catalyst and monomer, the polymerization can be optimized by modifying monomer and catalyst structures, as well as finding a well-matched monomer-catalyst system. We discuss the effects of side-chain steric hindrance and halogens in the context of heavy atom substituted monomers. By moving the side-chain branch point one carbon atom away from the heterocycle to alleviate steric crowding and stabilize the catalyst resting state, we were able to successfully control the polymerization of new tellurophene monomers. Inspired by innocent role of the sterically encumbered 2-transmetalated 3-alkylthiophene monomer, we introduce the treatment of hygroscopic monomers with a bulky Grignard compound as a water-scavenger for the improved synthesis of water-soluble conjugated polymers. For challenging electron-deficient monomers, we discuss the design of new Ni(II)diimine catalysts with electron-donating character which enhance the stability of the association complex between the catalyst and the growing polymer chain, resulting in the quasi-living synthesis of n-type polymers. Beyond n-type homopolymers, the Ni(II)diimine catalysts are also capable of producing electron-rich and electron-deficient diblock and statistical copolymers. We discuss how density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the role of catalyst steric and electronic effects in controlling the synthesis of π-conjugated polymers. Moreover, we demonstrate the synthesis of monodisperse high oligomers by temperature cycling, which takes full advantage of the unique character of KCTP in that it proceeds through distinct intermediates that are not reactive. The insight we gained thus far leads to the first example of isolated living conjugated polymer chains prepared by a standard KCTP procedure, with general applicability to different monomers and catalytic systems. In summarizing a decade of innovation in KCTP, we hope this Account will inspire future development in the field to overcome key challenges including the controlled synthesis of electron-deficient heterocycles, complex and high-performance systems, and degradable and recyclable materials as well as cutting-edge catalyst design.
PMID:34726058 | DOI:10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00556
Geospat Health. 2021 Oct 28;16(2). doi: 10.4081/gh.2021.1043.
ABSTRACT
Pre-hospital care is provided by emergency medical services (EMS) staff, the initial health care providers at the scene of disaster. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of EMS callers and space-time distribution of emergency requests in a large urban area. Descriptive thematic maps of EMS requests were created using an empirical Bayesian smoothing approach. Spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal clustering techniques were applied to EMS data based on Kulldorff scan statistics technique. Almost 225,000 calls were registered in the EMS dispatch centre during the study period. Approximately two-thirds of these calls were associated with an altered level of patient consciousness, and the median response time for rural and urban EMS dispatches was 12.2 and 10.1 minutes, respectively. Spatio-temporal clusters of EMS requests were mostly located in central parts of the city, particularly near the downtown area. However, high-response time clustered areas had a low overlap with these general, spatial clusters. This low convergence shows that some unknown factors, other than EMS requests, influence the high-response times. The findings of this study can help policymakers to better allocate EMS resources and implement tailored interventions to enhance EMS system in urban areas.
PMID:34726036 | DOI:10.4081/gh.2021.1043
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 1;11(1):21401. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00790-w.
ABSTRACT
We aimed to determine if gluteus maximus (GMAX) fat infiltration is associated with different levels of physical activity. Identifying and quantifying differences in the intramuscular fat content of GMAX in subjects with different levels of physical activity can provide a new tool to evaluate hip muscles health. This was a cross-sectional study involving seventy subjects that underwent Dixon MRI of the pelvis. The individuals were divided into four groups by levels of physical activity, from low to high: inactive patients due to hip pain; and low, medium and high physical activity groups of healthy subjects (HS) based on hours of exercise per week. We estimated the GMAX intramuscular fat content for each subject using automated measurements of fat fraction (FF) from Dixon images. The GMAX volume and lean volume were also measured and normalized by lean body mass. The effects of body mass index (BMI) and age were included in the statistical analysis. The patient group had a significantly higher FF than the three groups of HS (median values of 26.2%, 17.8%, 16.7% and 13.7% respectively, p < 0.001). The normalized lean volume was significantly larger in the high activity group compared to all the other groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.002 and p = 0.02). Employing a hierarchical linear regression analysis, we found that hip pain, low physical activity, female gender and high BMI were statistically significant predictors of increased GMAX fat infiltration.
PMID:34725385 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-00790-w
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 1;11(1):21410. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00771-z.
ABSTRACT
Stopping droplets from bouncing or splashing after impacting a surface is fundamental in preventing cross-contamination, and the spreading of germs and harmful substances. Here we demonstrate that dielectrowetting can be applied to actively control the dynamics of droplet impact. Moreover, we demonstrate that dielectrowetting can be used to prevent droplet bouncing and suppress splashing. In our experiments, the dielectrowetting effect is produced on a flat substrate by two thin interdigitated electrodes connected to an alternating current potential. Our findings show that the strength of the electric potential can affect the dynamic contact angle and regulate the spreading, splashing and receding dynamics at the right time-scales.
PMID:34725382 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-00771-z