Tag: pubmed

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 29;16(6):e0253920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253920. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

To better understand age-related disparities in US maternal mortality, we analyzed 2016-2017 vital statistics mortality data with cause-of-death literal text (actual words written on the death certificate) added. We created a subset of confirmed maternal deaths which had pregnancy mentions in the cause-of-death literals. Primary cause of death was identified and recoded using cause-of-death literals. Age-related disparities were examined both overall and by primary cause. Compared to women <35, the 2016-2017 US maternal mortality rate was twice as high for women aged 35-39, four times higher for women aged 40-44, and 11 times higher for women aged 45-54 years. Obstetric hemorrhage was the leading cause of death for women aged 35+ with rates 4 times higher than for women <35, followed by postpartum cardiomyopathy with a 3-fold greater risk. Obstetric embolism, eclampsia/preeclampsia, and Other complications of obstetric surgery and procedures each had a two-fold greater risk of death for women aged 35+. Together these 5 causes of death accounted for 70.9% of the elevated maternal mortality risk for women aged 35+. The excess maternal mortality risk for women aged 35+ was focused among a few causes of death and much of this excess mortality is preventable. Early detection and treatment, as well as continued care during the postpartum year is critical to preventing these deaths. The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health has promulgated patient safety bundles with specific interventions that health care systems can adopt in an effort to prevent these deaths.

PMID:34185810 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0253920

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 29;16(6):e0253889. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253889. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of the quantitative value of antibodies in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains mostly unidentified. We investigated the dynamics and clinical implications of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody over time using three automated chemiluminescence immunoassays targeting either nucleocapsids or spikes.

METHODS: A total of 126 specimens were collected from 23 patients with confirmed and indeterminate COVID-19 identified by molecular tests. SARS-CoV-2 antibody index was measured using SARS-CoV2 IgG reagent from Alinity (Abbott) and Access (Beckman Coulter) and SARS-CoV2 Total (IgG + IgM) from Atellica (Siemens).

RESULTS: Three immunoassays showed strong correlations with each other (range of Pearson’ s correlation coefficient (r) = 0.700-0.854, P < 0.001). Eleven (8.7%) specimens showed inconsistencies. SARS-CoV-2 IgG showed a statistically significantly higher value in patients with severe disease than that in non-severe disease patients (P < 0.001) and was significantly associated with clinical markers of disease severity.

CONCLUSION: The quantitative value of the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody measured using automated immunoassays is a significant indicator of clinical severity in patients with COVID-19.

PMID:34185813 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0253889

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 29;16(6):e0253270. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253270. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is associated with increased risk of clear cell ovarian cancer and has even suggested being an etiological factor for this cancer. Association between endometriosis and extraovarian clear cell cancers is unclear. This study aimed to assess the association between surgically diagnosed endometriosis and risk of extraovarian clear cell cancers according to the type of endometriosis (i.e., ovarian, peritoneal, and other endometriosis) and the site of clear cell cancer.

METHODS: In this register-based historic cohort study we identified all women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Registry 1987-2012. Data on extraovarian clear cell cancers of these women were obtained from the Finnish Cancer Registry. The follow-up started January 1st, 2007 or at endometriosis diagnosis (if later), and ended at emigration, death or on the December 31st, 2014. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated for each site of clear cell carcinoma (intestine, kidney, urinary tract, gynecological organs other than ovary), using the Finnish female population as reference.

RESULTS: The endometriosis cohort consisted of 48,996 women, including 22,745 women with ovarian and 19,809 women with peritoneal endometriosis. Altogether 23 extraovarian clear cell cancers were observed during 367,386 person-years of follow-up. The risk of extraovarian clear cell cancer was not increased among all women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis (standardized incidence ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.33) nor in different types of endometriosis. The incidence of clear cell cancer in any specific site was not increased either.

CONCLUSIONS: The risk of extraovarian clear cell cancers in women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis is similar to that in the general population in Finland.

PMID:34185779 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0253270

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 29;16(6):e0253458. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253458. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

L-Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) is the most significantly co-expressed gene with ACE2, which encodes for the SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and the interferon-inducible truncated isoform dACE2. Our group previously showed the importance of DDC in viral infections. We hereby aimed to investigate DDC expression in COVID-19 patients and cultured SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, also in association with ACE2 and dACE2. We concurrently evaluated the expression of the viral infection- and interferon-stimulated gene ISG56 and the immune-modulatory, hypoxia-regulated gene EPO. Viral load and mRNA levels of DDC, ACE2, dACE2, ISG56 and EPO were quantified by RT-qPCR in nasopharyngeal swab samples from COVID-19 patients, showing no or mild symptoms, and from non-infected individuals. Samples from influenza-infected patients were analyzed in comparison. SARS-CoV-2-mediated effects in host gene expression were validated in cultured virus-permissive epithelial cells. We found substantially higher gene expression of DDC in COVID-19 patients (7.6-fold; p = 1.2e-13) but not in influenza-infected ones, compared to non-infected subjects. dACE2 was more elevated (2.9-fold; p = 1.02e-16) than ACE2 (1.7-fold; p = 0.0005) in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. ISG56 (2.5-fold; p = 3.01e-6) and EPO (2.6-fold; p = 2.1e-13) were also increased. Detected differences were not attributed to enrichment of specific cell populations in nasopharyngeal tissue. While SARS-CoV-2 virus load was positively associated with ACE2 expression (r≥0.8, p<0.001), it negatively correlated with DDC, dACE2 (r≤-0.7, p<0.001) and EPO (r≤-0.5, p<0.05). Moreover, a statistically significant correlation between DDC and dACE2 expression was observed in nasopharyngeal swab and whole blood samples of both COVID-19 and non-infected individuals (r≥0.7). In VeroE6 cells, SARS-CoV-2 negatively affected DDC, ACE2, dACE2 and EPO mRNA levels, and induced cell death, while ISG56 was enhanced at early hours post-infection. Thus, the regulation of DDC, dACE2 and EPO expression in the SARS-CoV-2-infected nasopharyngeal tissue is possibly related with an orchestrated antiviral response of the infected host as the virus suppresses these genes to favor its propagation.

PMID:34185793 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0253458

Cancer Res. 2021 Jun 21:canres.CAN-20-3334-A.2020. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-3334. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers, with a global increase in incidence rate for both genders. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is the current gold standard to diagnose thyroid cancers, but the results are inaccurate, leading to repeated biopsies and unnecessary surgeries. To reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies, we explored the use of multiparametric photoacoustic (PA) analysis in combination with the American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guideline (ATAP). In this study, we performed in vivo multispectral PA imaging on thyroid nodules from 52 patients, comprising 23 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and 29 benign cases. From the multispectral PA data, we calculated hemoglobin oxygen saturation level in the nodule area, then classified the PTC and benign nodules with multiparametric analysis. Statistical analyses showed that this multiparametric analysis of multispectral PA responses could classify PTC nodules. Combining the photoacoustically indicated probability of PTC and the ATAP led to a new scoring method that achieved a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 93%. This study is the first multiparametric analysis of multispectral PA data of thyroid nodules with statistical significance. As a proof of concept, the results show that the proposed new ATAP scoring can help physicians examine thyroid nodules for fine-needle aspiration biopsy, thus reducing unnecessary biopsies.

PMID:34185675 | DOI:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-3334

Water Sci Technol. 2021 Jun;83(12):2841-2862. doi: 10.2166/wst.2021.191.

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the tool of bibliometric analysis is applied to the field of activated sludge modelling and its suitability as a first step of a literature analysis is assessed. The analysis is applied to the total dataset considered as well as a time-based classification. It can be shown that this tool is very well suited to filtering the relevant authors and publications, thus enabling a subsequent visual review. The methodology presented can also be applied to sub-disciplines or other subject areas. However, the sole use of the multiple statistical and visual tools is critically questioned. Thus, misinterpretations and apparent findings can result from structural problems in the data or parameters used. Not all of the metrics used are suitable for finding relevant publications, but rather for ranking the criteria studied. However, the latter represents the most widespread application of bibliometrics. From the analysis of the keywords, it could be deduced that there has been a temporal shift from fundamental model aspects to detailed questions such as the integration of sorption and adsorption processes or anaerobic digestion. The modelling of biological phosphorus removal has also surprisingly lost a great amount of importance in the scientific literature.

PMID:34185684 | DOI:10.2166/wst.2021.191

Psychiatr Danub. 2021 Summer;33(2):240-247. doi: 10.24869/psyd.2021.240.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic process caused many physiological and psychological effects on individuals. This study aims to examine the ruminative thinking and alexithymia levels of people in the COVID-19 pandemic process.

METHODS: The descriptive, cross-sectional, and the correlational designed study was conducted with 852 people in ?stanbulTurkey during the COVID-19 pandemic process between March and May 2020. The data of the research was collected with the Sociodemographic Form Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire.

RESULTS: It was found that the average of ruminative thought score of the people was 92.49±19.89 and the alexithymia score average was 71.76±13.70. A positive and significant relationship was found between the Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and subscale scores (p<0.05). According to the results, ruminative thinking levels were affected by 12% alexithymia level and 9% time spent on conversation. A statistically significant relationship was found between rumination, alexithymia, and its sub-dimensions and the number of times people spend for conversation during the day and the number of people they live with (p<0.05). It was determined that those living with family/friends were lower than those who were alone, and those with good communication in relationships had lower rumination and alexithymia (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Care should be taken against alexithymia and rumination during the COVID-19 pandemic process, and attention should be given to interpersonal relationships, conversation, and communication in the quarantine process.

PMID:34185756 | DOI:10.24869/psyd.2021.240

Gen Dent. 2021 Jul-Aug;69(4):28-34.

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of smartphone and tablet displays for the detection of incipient caries on bitewing radiographs. Forty-six digital bitewing radiographs with a total of 1656 unrestored, readable surfaces were evaluated. The included surfaces extended from the distal surface of each canine to the last posterior contact in each arch. The evaluation excluded nonreadable proximal surfaces. The gold standard for the presence or absence of incipient caries was the consensus of 2 expert oral and maxillofacial radiologists with 15 and 30 years of experience. The radiographs were then independently reevaluated by 2 other professionals with a master’s degree in dentistry with an emphasis on oral radiology with more than 5 years of experience (observers 1 and 2). Observers 1 and 2 performed the reevaluations using a notebook computer (Pavilion dm1) with a calibrated LCD monitor as well as 2 smartphones (iPhone 6s and Galaxy Gran2 Duos) and 2 tablet computers (iPad and Galaxy Tab). The presence or absence of incipient dental caries was classified according to the following scale: 1, definitely present; 2, probably present; 3, uncertain; 4, probably absent; and 5, definitely absent. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the accuracy of the diagnoses established by operators 1 and 2. The areas under the ROC curves (A_z) were compared with the binomial exact test at a significance level of 5%. The mean A_z values for the Pavilion dm1 (0.948), iPhone 6s (0.944), Galaxy Gran2 Duos (0.916), iPad (0.949), and Galaxy Tab (0.950) did not present statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). The results suggest that all of the displays used in this study have statistically similar accuracy and can be used to detect incipient caries on bitewing radiographs.

PMID:34185665

Gen Dent. 2021 Jul-Aug;69(4):46-52.

ABSTRACT

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a painful disorder characterized by severe burning in the oral cavity in the absence of clinical signs. In this case-control study, 60 patients were allocated to 3 groups: patients with BMS, patients with benign changes in the oral cavity (anxiety [positive] control group), or healthy patients (negative control group). A visual analog scale (VAS), Beck Anxiety and Depression inventories, Lipp Stress Symptoms Inventory, Xerostomia Inventory-Dutch Version, and a BMS questionnaire were used. Statistical analyses (P < 0.05) were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn post hoc, Pearson chi-square, Fisher exact, and multinomial logistic regression tests. Most of the patients were female. The BMS group had more patients who were older than 60 years (P = 0.008), more patients with high VAS scores (P < 0.001), and more patients with moderate or severe anxiety (P < 0.001) and depression (P < 0.001) than the 2 control groups. Patients in the BMS group also had higher rates of stress during the alarm (P = 0.003), resistance (P < 0.001), and exhaustion phases (P < 0.001). All patients with BMS reported burning and xerostomia, 90% reported a feeling of dry mouth, and 80% reported a change in taste; these values were significantly higher than those in the control groups (P < 0.001). Anxiety was independently associated with a 123.80 times greater risk of having BMS (P = 0.004). Psychological factors are directly associated with BMS, and anxiety is the most important of these factor.

PMID:34185668

Gen Dent. 2021 Jul-Aug;69(4):64-69.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate how patients with dentofacial deficiency who have undergone orthognathic surgery perceive their quality of life (QoL) with respect to functional, esthetic, and psychosocial issues. In an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study, 10 patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery answered questionnaires used internationally for assessing QoL: the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP-14), and Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ). In addition, the patients completed the Self-Perception Questionnaire of Esteem, Appearance, and Interpersonal Relationships (ASR-26), which explored the differences between their current self-esteem, appearance satisfaction, and interpersonal relationships and their memories of their presurgical feelings about those topics. The data were submitted to descriptive and multivariable statistical analyses. There was a statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative periods regarding self-esteem, appearance satisfaction, and professional relationships (P < 0.05). The data collected with the SF-36, OHIP-14, and OQLQ questionnaires showed high internal consistency (Cronbach α coefficient). The index (mean) scores for the SF-36 (81.5), OHIP-14 (0.6), and OQLQ (5.0) were close to the conditions of high QoL. Principal component analysis revealed 3 distinct groups of patients, and 70% of patients composed a group with high QoL scores, showing no complaints of physical pain, functional limitation, psychological discomfort, social disability, or excessive concern about their oral condition. In this small sample of patients, orthognathic surgery resulted in improved health-related QoL with variations among patients regarding physical pain, psychological discomfort, oral function, facial esthetics, physical function, social function, and self-awareness of facial deformity. The results of this study indicate the importance of applying a questionnaire in individuals who have undergone orthognathic surgery to investigate their personal motivations for treatment and which physical, social, and psychological problems are limiting their QoL.

PMID:34185671