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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Robotic-assisted vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery versus robotic-assisted single-site port for benign hysterectomy: a comparison of surgical outcomes

J Robot Surg. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1007/s11701-023-01680-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcomes for robotic-assisted vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (R-VNOTES) hysterectomy versus robotic-assisted single-site port (RSSP) hysterectomy when performed for benign indications. This is a retrospective chart review in an academic tertiary setting. 404 patients underwent hysterectomy for benign indications. R-VNOTES hysterectomy and RSSP hysterectomy were performed by a single minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon from January 2015 to August 2022. The primary outcome of our study was total operative time (minutes). Secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss (mL), length of hospital stay (days), and postoperative pain score. Other intraoperative and postoperative surgical complications were also compared. 159 patients underwent R-VNOTES hysterectomy, and 269 patients underwent RSSP hysterectomy. Median length of surgery (minutes) demonstrated a statistically significant shorter operative time in the R-VNOTES hysterectomy group when compared to the RSSP hysterectomy group, (132 min versus 146 min, respectively, p = 0.0001). Additionally, patients in the R-VNOTES hysterectomy group experienced decreased postoperative pain levels at week 1 (6 versus 7, respectively, p = 0.01) and week 3 (1.5 versus 2.5, respectively, p = 0.01) after surgery. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups when comparing length of hospital stay, estimated blood loss, and weight of the uterus. There was no difference in rates of urinary tract infection, blood transfusion, bowel injury, readmission, reoperation, conversion, deep surgical site infection, and venous thromboembolism between both groups. However, there was a higher rate of superficial SSI in the RSSP hysterectomy group (0.6% versus 4.5%, respectively, p = 0.03). When compared to RSSP hysterectomy, R-VNOTES hysterectomy is safe and feasible, as both approaches have comparable surgical outcomes. Patients undergoing R-VNOTES hysterectomy had shorter length of surgery, decreased postoperative pain, and lower rates of superficial surgical site infections.

PMID:37523047 | DOI:10.1007/s11701-023-01680-1

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Reconstruction of dental roots for implant planning purposes: a retrospective computational and radiographic assessment of single-implant cases

Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1007/s11548-023-02996-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess the deviation between clinical implant axes (CIA) determined by a surgeon during preoperative planning and reconstructed tooth axes (RTA) of missing teeth which were automatically computed by a previously introduced anatomical SSM.

METHODS: For this purpose all available planning datasets of single-implant cases of our clinic, which were planned with coDiagnostix Version 9.9 between 2018 and 2021, were collected for retrospective investigation. Informed consent was obtained. First, the intraoral scans of implant patients were annotated and subsequently analyzed using the SSM. The RTA, computed by the SSM, was then projected into the preoperative planning dataset. The amount and direction of spatial deviation between RTA and CIA were then measured.

RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were implemented. The mean distance between the occlusal entry point of anterior and posterior implants and the RTA was 0.99 mm ± 0.78 mm and 1.19 mm ± 0.55, respectively. The mean angular deviation between the CIA of anterior and posterior implants and the RTA was 12.4° ± 3.85° and 5.27° ± 2.97° respectively. The deviations in anterior implant cases were systematic and could be corrected by computing a modified RTA (mRTA) with decreased deviations (0.99 mm ± 0.84 and 4.62° ± 1.95°). The safety distances of implants set along the (m)RTA to neighboring teeth were maintained in 30 of 35 cases.

CONCLUSION: The RTA estimated by the SSM revealed to be a viable implant axis for most of the posterior implant cases. As there are natural differences between the anatomical tooth axis and a desirable implant axis, modifications were necessary to correct the deviations which occurred in anterior implant cases. However, the presented approach is not applicable for clinical use and always requires manual optimization by the planning surgeon.

PMID:37523011 | DOI:10.1007/s11548-023-02996-x

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Variations in sural nerve formation and course in fetuses

Neurosurg Rev. 2023 Jul 31;46(1):189. doi: 10.1007/s10143-023-02098-x.

ABSTRACT

To investigate variations regarding the formation and course of the sural nerve (SN). We dissected 60 formalin-fixed Brazilian fetuses (n = 120 lower limbs) aged from the 16th to 34th weeks of gestational age. Three incisions were made in the leg to expose the SN, and the gastrocnemius muscle was retracted to investigate the SN course. Statistical analyses regarding laterality and sex were performed using the Chi-square test. Eight SN formation patterns were classified after analysis. Type 4 (in which the SN is formed by the union of the MSCN with the LSCN) was the most common SN formation pattern. Although there was no statistical association between the formation patterns and the lower limb laterality (p = 0.9725), there was as to sex (p = 0.03973), indicating an association between anatomical variation and sex. The site of branch joining was in the distal leg most time (53.75%). In all lower limbs, the SN or its branches crossed from the medial aspect of the leg to the lateral margin of the calcaneal tendon (CT). Most often, the SN is formed by joining the MSCN and the LSCN in the distal leg. The SN or its branches ran close to the saphenous vein, crossed the CT from medial to lateral, and distributed around the lateral malleolus.

PMID:37522997 | DOI:10.1007/s10143-023-02098-x

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Charge fluctuations in charge-regulated systems: dependence on statistical ensemble

Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2023 Jul 31;46(8):65. doi: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00325-3.

ABSTRACT

We investigate charge regulation of nanoparticles in concentrated suspensions, focusing on the effect of different statistical ensembles. We find that the choice of ensemble does not affect the mean charge of nanoparticles, but significantly alters the magnitude of its fluctuation. Specifically, we compared the behaviors of colloidal charge fluctuations in the semi-grand canonical and canonical ensembles and identified significant differences between the two. The choice of ensemble-whether the system is isolated or is in contact with a reservoir of acid and salt-will, therefore, affect the Kirkwood-Shumaker fluctuation-induced force inside concentrated suspensions. Our results emphasize the importance of selecting an appropriate ensemble that accurately reflects the experimental conditions when studying fluctuation-induced forces between polyelectrolytes, proteins, and colloidal particles in concentrated suspensions.

PMID:37522995 | DOI:10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00325-3

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Revision risk of salvage compared with acute total hip arthroplasty following femoral neck fracture: an analysis from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register

Acta Orthop. 2023 Jul 31;94:399-403. doi: 10.2340/17453674.2023.17743.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is no consensus on the treatment of patients with femoral neck fractures between internal fixation (IF) or directly treated with a total hip arthroplasty (fracture-THA) in particular for the age group 60-70 years. Failure of IF is not uncommon, resulting in salvage total hip arthroplasty (salvage-THA). The aim of our study was to compare revision rates of salvage-THA with fracture-THA and osteoarthritis (OA)-THA.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Revision rates and reasons for revision were compared. Data collected in the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI) between 2007 and 2018 was used. The study included 4,310 salvage-THAs, 12,159 fracture-THAs, and 274,147 OA-THAs. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox regression to evaluate THA survival.

RESULTS: No statistically significant difference in revision rates between salvage-THAs and fracture-THAs was found (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.3) whereas the revision rate was higher compared with OA-THAs (HR 1.3, CI 1.0-1.5). The 5-year revision rate was 5.0% (CI 4.4-5.8) in salvage-THAs, 4.5% (CI 4.1-5.0) in fracture-THAs, and 3.1% (CI 3.0-3.2) in OA-THAs. A higher revision rate for infection was found in salvage-THAs in comparison with fracture-THAs (HR 1.6, CI 1.0-2.3).

CONCLUSION: We found no difference in revision rates for salvage-THAs compared with fracture-THAs. The risk of revision for infection was higher for salvage-THA.

PMID:37522279 | DOI:10.2340/17453674.2023.17743

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Pathology steered stratification network for subtype identification in Alzheimer’s disease

Med Phys. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1002/mp.16655. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a heterogeneous, multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder characterized by three neurobiological factors beta-amyloid, pathologic tau, and neurodegeneration. There are no effective treatments for AD at a late stage, urging for early detection and prevention. However, existing statistical inference approaches in neuroimaging studies of AD subtype identification do not take into account the pathological domain knowledge, which could lead to ill-posed results that are sometimes inconsistent with the essential neurological principles.

PURPOSE: Integrating systems biology modeling with machine learning, the study aims to assist clinical AD prognosis by providing a subpopulation classification in accordance with essential biological principles, neurological patterns, and cognitive symptoms.

METHODS: We propose a novel pathology steered stratification network (PSSN) that incorporates established domain knowledge in AD pathology through a reaction-diffusion model, where we consider non-linear interactions between major biomarkers and diffusion along the brain structural network. Trained on longitudinal multimodal neuroimaging data, the biological model predicts long-term evolution trajectories that capture individual characteristic progression pattern, filling in the gaps between sparse imaging data available. A deep predictive neural network is then built to exploit spatiotemporal dynamics, link neurological examinations with clinical profiles, and generate subtype assignment probability on an individual basis. We further identify an evolutionary disease graph to quantify subtype transition probabilities through extensive simulations.

RESULTS: Our stratification achieves superior performance in both inter-cluster heterogeneity and intra-cluster homogeneity of various clinical scores. Applying our approach to enriched samples of aging populations, we identify six subtypes spanning AD spectrum, where each subtype exhibits a distinctive biomarker pattern that is consistent with its clinical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed PSSN (i) reduces neuroimage data to low-dimensional feature vectors, (ii) combines AT[N]-Net based on real pathological pathways, (iii) predicts long-term biomarker trajectories, and (iv) stratifies subjects into fine-grained subtypes with distinct neurological underpinnings. PSSN provides insights into pre-symptomatic diagnosis and practical guidance on clinical treatments, which may be further generalized to other neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID:37522278 | DOI:10.1002/mp.16655

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Machine-Learning Aided NO2 Discrimination with an Array of Graphene Chemiresistors Covalently Functionalized by Diazonium Chemistry

Chemistry. 2023 Jul 31:e202302154. doi: 10.1002/chem.202302154. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Boosted by the emerging need for highly integrated gas sensors in IoT ecosystems, electronic noses (e-noses) are gaining interest for the detection of specific molecules over a background of interfering gases. The sensing of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is particularly relevant for applications in environmental monitoring and precision medicine. Here we present an easy and efficient functionalization procedure to covalently modify graphene layers, taking advantage of diazonium chemistry. Separate graphene layers were functionalised with one of three different aryl rings 4-nitrophenyl, 4-carboxyphenyl, and 4-bromophenyl). The distinct mod(ified graphene layers were assembled with a pristine layer into an e-nose for NO2 discrimination. A remarkable sensitivity to NO2 is demonstrated through exposures to gaseous solutions with NO2 concentrations in the 1-10 ppm range at room temperature. Then, the discrimination capability of the sensor array is tested by carrying out exposures to several interfering gases and analyzing the data through multivariate statistical analysis. This analysis shows that the e-nose can discriminate NO2 among all the interfering gases in a two-dimensional principal component analysis space. Finally, the e-nose is trained to accurately recognize NO2 contributions with a linear discriminant analysis approach, thus providing a metric for discrimination assessment with a prediction accuracy above 95%.

PMID:37522257 | DOI:10.1002/chem.202302154

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Advancing specificity in delirium: The delirium subtyping initiative

Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1002/alz.13419. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Delirium, a common syndrome with heterogeneous etiologies and clinical presentations, is associated with poor long-term outcomes. Recording and analyzing all delirium equally could be hindering the field’s understanding of pathophysiology and identification of targeted treatments. Current delirium subtyping methods reflect clinically evident features but likely do not account for underlying biology.

METHODS: The Delirium Subtyping Initiative (DSI) held three sessions with an international panel of 25 experts.

RESULTS: Meeting participants suggest further characterization of delirium features to complement the existing Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision diagnostic criteria. These should span the range of delirium-spectrum syndromes and be measured consistently across studies. Clinical features should be recorded in conjunction with biospecimen collection, where feasible, in a standardized way, to determine temporal associations of biology coincident with clinical fluctuations.

DISCUSSION: The DSI made recommendations spanning the breadth of delirium research including clinical features, study planning, data collection, and data analysis for characterization of candidate delirium subtypes.

HIGHLIGHTS: Delirium features must be clearly defined, standardized, and operationalized. Large datasets incorporating both clinical and biomarker variables should be analyzed together. Delirium screening should incorporate communication and reasoning.

PMID:37522255 | DOI:10.1002/alz.13419

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Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with a prior history of atrial fibrillation: Insights from four major clinical trials

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1111/jce.16022. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To investigate the association of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on outcomes among participants with and without a history of atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODS: Individual-patient-data from four randomized trials investigating CRT-Defibrillators (COMPANION, MADIT-CRT, REVERSE) or CRT-Pacemakers (COMPANION, MIRACLE) were analyzed. Outcomes were time to a composite of heart failure hospitalization or all-cause mortality or to all-cause mortality alone. The association of CRT on outcomes for patients with and without a history of AF was assessed using a Bayesian-Weibull survival regression model adjusting for baseline characteristics.

RESULTS: Of 3964 patients included, 586 (14.8%) had a history of AF; 2245 (66%) were randomized to CRT. Overall, CRT reduced the risk of the primary composite endpoint (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.69, 95% credible interval [CI]: 0.56-0.81). The effect was similar (posterior probability of no interaction = 0.26) in patients with (HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.55-1.10) and without a history of AF (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55-0.80). In these four trials, CRT did not reduce mortality overall (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.66-1.01) without evidence of interaction (posterior probability of no interaction = 0.14) for patients with (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.70-1.74) or without a history of AF (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60-0.97).

CONCLUSION: The association of CRT on the composite endpoint or mortality was not statistically different for patients with or without a history of AF, but this could reflect inadequate power. Our results call for trials to confirm the benefit of CRT recipients with a history of AF.

PMID:37522254 | DOI:10.1111/jce.16022

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Optimization of Subglottic View During Flexible Laryngoscopy With Patient Positioning

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1002/ohn.419. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Determine the ideal head position to optimize visualization of the subglottis using flexible laryngoscopy.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING: Outpatient multidisciplinary airway clinic at a tertiary care center.

METHODS: Patients presenting to a multidisciplinary airway clinic undergoing nasoendoscopic airway examination were enrolled. Three head positions were utilized to examine the subglottis during laryngoscopy: “sniffing,” chin tuck, and stooping positions. In-office reviewers and blinded clinician participants evaluated views of the airway based on Cormack-Lehane (CL) scale, airway grade (AG), and visual analog scale (VAS). Demographic data were obtained. Statistical analysis compared head positions and demographic data using Student’s t test, analysis of variance, and Tukey’s post hoc analysis.

RESULTS: One hundred patients participated. No statistical differences existed among in-clinic or blinded reviewers for the CL score in any head position (p = .35, .5, respectively). For both AG and VAS, flexed and stooping positions were rated higher than the sniffing positions by both in-clinic and blinded reviewers (p < .01 for all analyses), but there was no statistical difference between these two positions (p = .28, .18, respectively). There was an inverse correlation between age and scores for AG and VAS in the flexed position for both sets of reviewers (p = .02, <.01 respectively), and a higher body mass index was significantly associated with the need to perform tracheoscopy for full airway evaluation (p < .01).

CONCLUSION: Both flexion and stoop postures can be implemented by an experienced endoscopist in awake, transnasal flexible laryngoscopy to enhance visualization of the subglottic airway.

PMID:37522249 | DOI:10.1002/ohn.419