Tag: pubmed

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0287175. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287175. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the incidence of secondary tethered spinal cord (TSC) between prenatal and postnatal closure in patients with MMC. The objectives was to understand the incidence of secondary TSC after prenatal surgery for MMC compared to postnatal surgery for MMC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: On May 4, 2023, a systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to gather relevant data. Primary studies focusing on repair type, lesion level, and TSC were included, while non-English or non-Dutch reports, case reports, conference abstracts, editorials, letters, comments, and animal studies were excluded. Two reviewers assessed the included studies for bias risk, following PRISMA guidelines. TSC frequency in MMC closure types was determined, and the relationship between TSC occurrence and closure technique was analyzed using relative risk and Fisher’s exact test. Subgroup analysis revealed relative risk differences based on study designs and follow-up periods. A total of ten studies, involving 2,724 patients, were assessed. Among them, 2,293 patients underwent postnatal closure, while 431 received prenatal closure for the MMC defect. In the prenatal closure group, TSC occurred in 21.6% (n = 93), compared to 18.8% (n = 432) in the postnatal closure group. The relative risk (RR) of TSC in patients with prenatal MMC closure versus postnatal MMC closure was 1.145 (95%CI 0.939 to 1.398). Fisher’s exact test indicated a statistically non-significant association (p = 0.106) between TSC and closure technique. When considering only RCT and controlled cohort studies, the overall RR for TSC was 1.308 (95%CI 1.007 to 1.698) with a non-significant association (p = .053). For studies focusing on children up until early puberty (maximum 12 years follow-up), the RR for tethering was 1.104 (95%CI 0.876 to 1.391), with a non-significant association (p = 0.409).

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: This review found no significant increase in relative risk of TSC between prenatal and postnatal closure in MMC patients, but a trend of increased TSC in the prenatal group. More long-term data on TSC after fetal closure is needed for better counseling and outcomes in MMC.

PMID:37379312 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0287175

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0286637. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286637. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Ukraine is an important global exporter of grain, especially to several countries with vulnerable food systems. The war in Ukraine may disrupt global food supply by limiting the planting, growth, and harvest of crops, or disrupting grain supply logistics. We apply a novel statistical modelling approach to satellite images of cropland in Ukraine for fast inference and exploration of cropping patterns and their influences in challenging environments. We also present satellite-derived cargo shipping activity as an accompaniment to these outputs to better explore the outcomes. Cropland Gross Primary Productivity in 2022 was 0.25gC/m2 lower than the 2010-2021 baseline period (p < 0.001). Similarly, cumulative annual cargo shipping activity ports in the Odesa and Mariupol regions were 45% and 62% lower in 2022 than in 2021, respectively. This suggests that cropland primary productivity has suffered during the conflict, and reliance on a few key port areas introduces vulnerability to the value chain.

PMID:37379308 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0286637

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0287601. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287601. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The recent legalization of sports wagering in many regions of North America has renewed attention on the practice of sports betting. Although considerable effort has been previously devoted to the analysis of sportsbook odds setting and public betting trends, the principles governing optimal wagering have received less focus. Here the key decisions facing the sports bettor are cast in terms of the probability distribution of the outcome variable and the sportsbook’s proposition. Knowledge of the median outcome is shown to be a sufficient condition for optimal prediction in a given match, but additional quantiles are necessary to optimally select the subset of matches to wager on (i.e., those in which one of the outcomes yields a positive expected profit). Upper and lower bounds on wagering accuracy are derived, and the conditions required for statistical estimators to attain the upper bound are provided. To relate the theory to a real-world betting market, an empirical analysis of over 5000 matches from the National Football League is conducted. It is found that the point spreads and totals proposed by sportsbooks capture 86% and 79% of the variability in the median outcome, respectively. The data suggests that, in most cases, a sportsbook bias of only a single point from the true median is sufficient to permit a positive expected profit. Collectively, these findings provide a statistical framework that may be utilized by the betting public to guide decision-making.

PMID:37379305 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0287601

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0284854. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284854. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected several countries worldwide, resulting in a considerable strain on healthcare systems and increased trend of self-medication practices. This study aims to evaluate the awareness of COVID-19 and the prevalence of self-medication during the pandemic among residents in Mogadishu, Somalia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured and pretested questionnaire between May 2020 and January 2021. Participants from various disciplines were randomly recruited within the study location and interviewed about their self-medication practices during the pandemic. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the respondents’ information and responses to the questionnaire items. Associations between participants’ demographic characteristics and specific items relating to self-medication practices were analysed using the Chi-square test. A total of 350 residents participated in the study. Approximately 63% of the participants reported having practised COVID-19 related self-medication with the main reasons being pharmacists’ advice (21.4%) and having an old prescription (13.1%), whereas 37.1% did not report their reasons for self-medication. Most participants (60.4%) engaged in self-medication despite not having any symptoms and 62.9% had taken antibiotics in the last three months. Most participants were aware that no medication has been approved for COVID-19 (81.1%), the negative effects of self-medication (66.6%), and the transmission routes of the virus. Meanwhile, more than 40% of the participants have not worn a mask while outside their homes, and do not follow the international COVID-19 guidelines. The most prevalent drug used by participants for self-medication against COVID-19 was paracetamol (81.1%) and antibiotics (78%). The factors associated with awareness of COVID-19 and self-medication practices included age, gender, educational qualification, and occupation. This study revealed considerable high self-medication practices among Mogadishu residents, thus highlighting the need to promote awareness regarding the adverse effects of self-medication and sanitisation guidelines in addressing COVID-19 at the community level.

PMID:37379300 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0284854

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0287677. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287677. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The title of an article is the main entrance for reading the full article. The aim of our work therefore is to examine differences of title content and form between original research articles and its changes over time. Using PubMed we examined title properties of 500 randomly chosen original research articles published in the general major medical journals BMJ, JAMA, Lancet, NEJM and PLOS Medicine between 2011 and 2020. Articles were manually evaluated with two independent raters. To analyze differences between journals and changes over time, we performed random effect meta-analyses and logistic regression models. Mentioning of results, providing any quantitative or semi-quantitative information, using a declarative title, a dash or a question mark were rarely used in the title in all considered journals. The use of a subtitle, methods-related items, such as mentioning of methods, clinical context or treatment increased over time (all p < 0.05), while the use of phrasal tiles decreased over time (p = 0.044). Not a single NEJM title contained a study name, while the Lancet had the highest usage of it (45%). The use of study names increased over time (per year odds ratio: 1.13 (95% CI: [1.03‒1.24]), p = 0.008). Investigating title content and form was time-consuming because some criteria could only be adequately evaluated by hand. Title content changed over time and differed substantially between the five major medical journals. Authors are advised to carefully study titles of journal articles in their target journal prior to manuscript submission.

PMID:37379299 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0287677

PLoS One. 2023 Jun 28;18(6):e0287512. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287512. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of dysphagia is increasing, resulting in socioeconomic burden, but previous reports have only been based on a limited populations. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the nationwide incidence and prevalence of dysphagia requiring medical attention to provide adequate information for healthcare planning and resource allocation. In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, the data of adults aged ≥20 years recorded from 2006 to 2016 were sourced from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Medical claim codes based on ICD-10-CM were used to define dysphagia and possible causes. The annual incidence and prevalence of dysphagia were calculated. Cox regression was used to estimate dysphagia risk in people with possible dysphagia etiology. Survival analysis was performed to estimate the mortality and hazard ratio of dysphagia. The crude annual incidence of dysphagia increased continuously from 7.14 in 2006 to 15.64 in 2016. The crude annual prevalence of dysphagia in 2006 was 0.09% and increased annually to 0.25% in 2016. Stroke (odds ratio [OR]: 7.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.76-6.68), neurodegenerative disease (OR: 6.20, 95% CI: 5.76-6.68), cancer (OR: 5.59, 95% CI: 5.17-6.06), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 2.94, 95% CI: 2.71-3.18) were associated with a high risk of dysphagia. The mortality in the dysphagia group was 3.12 times higher than that in the non-dysphagia group (hazard ratio: 3.12, 95% CI: 3.03-3.23). The incidence and prevalence of dysphagia requiring medical attention are increasing annually. The increasing trend was conspicuous in the geriatric population. The presence of stroke, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with a high risk of dysphagia. Therefore, adequate screening, diagnosis, and management of dysphagia in the older population must be emphasized in geriatric healthcare.

PMID:37379287 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0287512

Anesth Prog. 2023 Jun 1;70(2):53-57. doi: 10.2344/anpr-69-04-02.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Scientific evidence has rarely, if at all, been reported in the literature demonstrating analytical confirmation of the physical compatibility and stability of glycopyrrolate and rocuronium combined. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if glycopyrrolate and rocuronium are physically compatible.

METHODS: Glycopyrrolate and rocuronium were combined in various containers, observed over a 60-minute period, and compared against positive and negative controls. Measured metrics included color change, precipitate formation, Tyndall beam test, turbidity, and pH. Statistical analyses were used to assess significance of data trends.

RESULTS: The combination of glycopyrrolate and rocuronium did not result in any color change, precipitate formation, a positive Tyndall beam test, or a significantly positive turbidity and did not result in any significant change in pH, regardless of container.

CONCLUSION: Per the protocol used in this study, glycopyrrolate and rocuronium were determined to be physically compatible.

PMID:37379091 | DOI:10.2344/anpr-69-04-02

JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jun 28;12:e40383. doi: 10.2196/40383.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects millions of children worldwide, with a current prevalence of approximately 1 in 54 children in the United States. Although the precise mechanisms underlying ASD remain unclear, research has shown that early intervention can have a significant impact on cognitive development and outcomes in children with ASD. Physical activity interventions have emerged as a promising intervention for children with ASD, but the efficacy of different types of interventions remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE: This study protocol aims to update the knowledge on extant literature and explore the efficacy of physical activity intervention strategies on cognitive functions in children with ASD.

METHODS: A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) will be conducted following the PRISMA-NMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols for Network Meta-Analyses) statement. A total of 9 bibliographic databases (APA PsycInfo, CENTRAL, Dimensions, ERIC, MEDLINE Complete, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) will be systematically searched to screen eligible articles based on a series of inclusion and exclusion criteria. A study will be considered for inclusion if it is not classified as a systematic review with or without meta-analysis, was published from inception to present, includes children aged 0 to 12 years with ASD, quantitively measures cognitive outcomes, and examines treatment comprising at least 1 physical activity intervention strategy. The internal validity and quality of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Statistical analyses will be performed in the RStudio software (version 3.6; RStudio Inc) with the BUGSnet package and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 3.3; Biostat Inc). The results of our NMA will be illustrated through network diagrams accompanied by geometry and league tables. Further, to rank the interventions based on their efficacy, we will use the surface under the cumulative ranking curve.

RESULTS: Our preliminary search identified 3778 potentially relevant studies. The screening of the studies based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria is ongoing, and we anticipate that the final number of eligible studies will be in the range of 30 to 50.

CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide a comprehensive review of the literature on physical activity interventions for children with ASD and will use NMA to compare the efficacy of different types of interventions on cognitive outcomes. Our findings will have important implications for clinical practice and future research in this area and will contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of physical activity interventions as a key component of early intervention for children with ASD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021279054; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=279054.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/40383.

PMID:37379078 | DOI:10.2196/40383

J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jun 28;25:e48166. doi: 10.2196/48166.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In a world of rapid digital technology development, the lack of digital health literacy (DHL) among older people cannot be ignored. DHL is becoming an essential competency that can facilitate the health status and health management of older adults. DHL interventions that are feasible and appropriate can be implemented on a large scale through the health care system for older people.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of DHL interventions for older adults.

METHODS: English publications in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to November 20, 2022. Two reviewers independently completed the data extraction and quality assessment. Review Manager (version 5.4; Cochrane Informatics & Technology Services) software was used for all meta-analyses.

RESULTS: A total of 7 studies, including 2 randomized controlled trials and 5 quasi-experimental studies, involving 710 older adults were considered eligible. The main outcome was scores on the eHealth Literacy Scale, and secondary outcomes were knowledge, self-efficacy, and skills. Quasi-experimental studies compared baseline and postintervention outcomes, while randomized controlled trials compared pre- and postintervention outcomes in the intervention group. Of the 7 studies, 3 used face-to-face instruction, while 4 adopted web-based interventions. Among them, 4 of the interventions were conducted using theoretical guidance, while 3 were not. Intervention duration varied from 2 to 8 weeks. In addition, the studies included were all conducted in developed countries, mainly in the United States. Pooled analysis presented that DHL interventions had positive effects on eHealth literacy efficacy (standardized mean difference 1.15, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.84; P=.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that DHL interventions that chose face-to-face teaching (standardized mean difference 1.15, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.84; P=.001), were guided by a conceptual framework (standardized mean difference 1.15, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.84; P=.001), and were sustained over 4 weeks (standardized mean difference 1.1, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.84; P=.001) had a more significant effect. Moreover, the outcomes showed considerable gains in knowledge (standardized mean difference 0.93, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.31; P<.001) and self-efficacy (standardized mean difference 0.96, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.77; P=.02). No statistically significant effect was found for skills (standardized mean difference 0.77, 95% CI -0.30 to 1.85; P=.16). The small number of studies, variable study quality, and heterogeneity are some limitations of this review.

CONCLUSIONS: DHL interventions have positive effects on the health status and health management of older adults. Practical and effective DHL interventions are crucial for the use of modern digital information technology in managing the health of older people.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42023410204; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=410204.

PMID:37379077 | DOI:10.2196/48166

J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jun 28;25:e41997. doi: 10.2196/41997.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Health policy makers and advocates increasingly utilize online resources for policy-relevant knowledge. Knowledge brokering is one potential mechanism to encourage the use of research evidence in policy making, but the mechanisms of knowledge brokerage in online spaces are understudied. This work looks at knowledge brokerage through the launch of Project ASPEN, an online knowledge portal developed in response to a New Jersey legislative act that established a pilot program for adolescent depression screening for young adults in grades 7-12.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares the ability to drive policy brief downloads by policy makers and advocates from the Project ASPEN knowledge portal using a variety of online methods to promote the knowledge portal.

METHODS: The knowledge portal was launched on February 1, 2022, and a Google Ad campaign was run between February 27, 2022, and March 26, 2022. Subsequently, a targeted social media campaign, an email campaign, and tailored research presentations were used to promote the website. Promotional activities ended on May 31, 2022. Website analytics were used to track a variety of actions including new users coming to the website, page views, and policy brief downloads. Statistical analysis was used to assess the efficacy of different approaches.

RESULTS: The campaign generated 2837 unique user visits to the knowledge portal and 4713 page views. In addition, the campaign generated 6.5 policy web page views/day and 0.7 policy brief downloads/day compared with 1.8 views/day and 0.5 downloads/day in the month following the campaign. The rate of policy brief page view conversions was significantly higher for Google Ads compared with other channels such as email (16.0 vs 5.4; P<.001) and tailored research presentations (16.0 vs 0.8; P<.001). The download conversion rate for Google Ads was significantly higher compared with social media (1.2 vs 0.1; P<.001) and knowledge brokering activities (1.2 vs 0.2; P<.001). By contrast, the download conversion rate for the email campaign was significantly higher than that for social media (1.0 vs 0.1; P<.001) and tailored research presentations (1.0 vs 0.2; P<.001). While Google Ads for this campaign cost an average of US $2.09 per click, the cost per conversion was US $11 per conversion to drive targeted policy web page views and US $147 per conversion to drive policy brief downloads. While other approaches drove less traffic, those approaches were more targeted and cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS: Four tactics were tested to drive user engagement with policy briefs on the Project ASPEN knowledge portal. Google Ads was shown to be effective in driving a high volume of policy web page views but was ineffective in terms of relative costs. More targeted approaches such as email campaigns and tailored research presentations given to policy makers and advocates to promote the use of research evidence on the knowledge portal website are likely to be more effective when balancing goals and cost-effectiveness.

PMID:37379073 | DOI:10.2196/41997