Tag: statistics

Behav Brain Sci. 2025 Nov 3;48:e84. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X25100629.

ABSTRACT

Social cognition (SC) constitutes a predominant aspect of complex cognition (CC) especially in non-human animals. Apart from bees, ants and birds, fish, particularly the teleost group, are considered as an emerging model organism to study vertebrate SC. The commentary deals with some of the CC traits of SC across different families of teleost fish that have been experimentally reported.

PMID:41178625 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X25100629

Emerg Med Australas. 2025 Dec;37(6):e70166. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.70166.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Paracetamol is commonly taken in overdose. Australian and New Zealand guidelines include specific recommendations on transferring patients with paracetamol poisoning, supporting local treatment of ingestions < 30 g in rural facilities, limiting need for transfer. We aim to investigate paracetamol overdose presentations attended by aeromedical retrieval services and the appropriateness of transfer.

METHODS: This is a retrospective observational series of paracetamol overdose retrievals in Queensland, performed by LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine, Retrieval Services Queensland, and Royal Flying Doctors Service from January 2017 to December 2023. Cases were identified through each services’ databases. Data extracted included details of ingestion, investigations, management, and the reason for patient transfer.

RESULTS: There were 272 cases retrieved during the study period. Retrieval data were available for 174, for inclusion. Paracetamol was taken in isolation in 65 (37%) cases. The median ingestion was 15.0 g (IQR: 10.0-25.0 g). An overdose of ≤ 30 g of paracetamol was taken in 100 (57%) presentations. The most commonly assigned primary reason for transfer was lack of pathology services (87, 50%); insufficient stocks of acetylcysteine occurred in 13 (8%) cases. Over the seven-year period, there were 60 (35%) potentially avoidable transfers, according to the ANZ guideline. Of these, 52 (30%) were retrieved due to unavailable pathology services and eight (5%) for insufficient acetylcysteine.

CONCLUSION: Increased availability of acetylcysteine in rural facilities paired with better alignment of treatment with ANZ toxicology guidelines may reduce the rate of transfer for paracetamol overdoses in Queensland.

PMID:41178618 | DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.70166

Emerg Med Australas. 2025 Dec;37(6):e70165. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.70165.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine variation in practice and adherence to international clinical guidelines for the management of fever among Australian Emergency Department (ED) clinicians.

METHODS: Cross-sectional survey across 22 Australian EDs. Clinical vignettes were used to determine compliance with international best practice guidelines (use of antipyretic monotherapy to alleviate fever-associated child distress) for paediatric fever treatment. Comparisons were made between specialist paediatric EDs and general (non-specialist paediatric) EDs, and between medical and nursing staff.

RESULTS: Of 539 survey respondents (300 doctors, 239 nurses; overall response rate 65.9%), only 9.3% (50/539, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.1%-12.0%) adhered to evidence-based practice guidelines. Specialist paediatric ED clinicians demonstrated less than half the adherence of those from general EDs (5.4% [11/204] vs. 12.4% [38/307], difference -7.0%, 95% CI -11.7% to -1.9%). In a febrile settled child with normal hydration, the proportion of respondents who opted for antipyretics more than doubled in the context of elevated vital signs (40.4% [218/539] vs. 83.1% [44/539], difference -42.7%, 95% CI -46.8% to -38.2%). Nearly half of respondents (239/539, 46.8%, 95% CI 42.4%-51.2%) endorsed giving combined antipyretic therapy. In a febrile settled child, most participants would give antipyretics for temperature reduction (453/539, 84.0%, 95% CI 80.7%-86.9%) and for decreased fluid intake (468/539, 87.5%, 95% CI 84.4%-90.0%). Over one-third (192/539, 36.0%, 95% CI 32.1%-40.2%) recommended using antipyretics for febrile convulsion prevention during the current illness.

CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than 10% of Australian ED clinicians self-report practice consistent with international consensus recommendations for paediatric fever management.

PMID:41178609 | DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.70165

Aust Endod J. 2025 Nov 3. doi: 10.1111/aej.70028. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated four file systems (WaveOne Gold, Reciproc Blue, ProTaper Next and TruNatomy) for their shaping efficacy in oval-shaped maxillary premolar root canals using micro-CT. Twenty-four extracted premolars, each with two roots, were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6 teeth/group) and instrumented following manufacturer guidelines. Pre- and post-instrumentation micro-CT scans were performed. Key parameters analysed included unprepared canal surface area (% Un-PrepCA), changes in canal area and volume (ΔCA, ΔCV and their percentages), canal transportation and centring ability. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. While no significant differences were found in transportation, centring ability or most 3D parameters (ΔCA, ΔCV and ΔSMI), the TRN group exhibited a significantly higher % Un-PrepCA. Conversely, the WOG group achieved a significantly greater % ΔCA compared to TRN and PTN. All systems performed comparably without procedural errors; TRN resulted in the least canal wall contact, while WOG provided the largest prepared canal area.

PMID:41178603 | DOI:10.1111/aej.70028

Prehosp Disaster Med. 2025 Nov 3:1-6. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X25101453. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Through a range of coping strategies, individuals seek to manage the stressors to which they are exposed, employing cognitive and behavioral responses that shape their emotional regulation of such events. Emergency first responders are routinely subjected to high-stress situations due to the nature of their duties and the continuous care of critically ill patients. This sustained exposure significantly increases their vulnerability to the development of mental health disorders, notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the coping strategies used by first responders when facing critical incidents and their association with PTSD.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 2022. All first responders from a volunteer fire department in a major Colombian city who voluntarily agreed to participate were included in the study. The participants were 28 ambulance crew members and 187 firefighters. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis, and logistic regression models were applied to assess associations with PTSD. Principal components analysis was used to compute total scores, while the Lasso Method identified significant predictors.

RESULTS: The first responders most often employed avoidance and denial as coping strategies in response to the demands of their work in the prehospital field. After witnessing devastating events, many of them turned to religion for stress relief.

CONCLUSIONS: The study identified the use of maladaptive strategies associated with PTSD among staff, making it critical to develop training programs that help first responders cope with critical incidents by developing adaptive coping skills.

PMID:41178510 | DOI:10.1017/S1049023X25101453

Palliat Support Care. 2025 Nov 3;23:e197. doi: 10.1017/S1478951525100916.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Despite the increasing implementation of consultation-based hospice palliative care teams in tertiary hospitals of Korea, there is limited research on their impact on self-determination respect rates. Understanding this impact is crucial for improving end-of-life care practices and respecting patient autonomy. The aim of this study is to assess the trends in self-determination respect rates regarding advance care planning before and after the introduction of a consultation-based hospice palliative care team in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted using medical records from a tertiary hospital in Korea from March 2018 to December 2023. The study included all patients aged 19 years and older with medical records at a tertiary hospital during the specified period. We examined the characteristics of patients referred to the palliative care team, the effects of the consultation-based hospice palliative care team on the completion rates of advanced care planning, and changes in self-determination respect rates.

RESULTS: Following the introduction of the consultation-based hospice palliative care team, 411 patients were referred. The proportion of patients with completed advance care planning increased from 27.0% to 60.6% (p < 0.001). The overall number of advanced care planning completions and the self-determination respect rate also showed a marked increase, particularly from 2021 to 2022, when the respect rate spiked from 27.6% to 43.2%.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Introduction of a consultation-based hospice palliative care team improved the respect for patient self-determination in end-of-life care decisions. These findings support the integration of hospice care teams in tertiary hospitals to enhance early and informed end-of-life decision-making.

PMID:41178500 | DOI:10.1017/S1478951525100916

Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2025 Oct;45(5):334-338. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N3174.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare the odour threshold and odour identification tests of women of reproductive age and postmenopausal period and to examine the relationship between the duration of menopause and olfactory dysfunction.

METHODS: Eighty women of reproductive age and in the postmenopausal period were included in this prospective study. These were divided into four groups of 20 women each: Group 1, reproductive period; Group 2, postmenopausal period (0-5 years); Group 3, postmenopausal period (6-10 years; and Group 4, postmenopausal period (more than 10 years). All the women enrolled underwent complete ear, nose, and throat examinations, followed by odour threshold test and odour identification test. The results were then compared among the groups.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, odour threshold test and odour identification test (p < 0.001, p = 0.016, and p < 0.001, respectively). Age adjusted results indicated that there were no statistically significant difference in odour threshold test scores between groups compared to the reference group 1. However, women in group 3 were 90% less likely to have higher odour ıdentification test scores compared to women in group 1 [OR (95% CI): 0.10 (0.01-0.73); p = 0.025].

CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory dysfunction is seen in the postmenopausal period. However, this is correlated with age. Olfactory dysfunction in the postmenopausal period appears to be the result of aging together with hormonal changes.

PMID:41178485 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N3174

Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2025 Oct;45(5):322-325. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N2962.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Pan-immune-inflammation value is an inflammation index calculated using the parameters in a complete blood count (CBC) and has gained popularity in recent years. In this study, we aimed to examine its role in Bell’s palsy.

METHODS: The study was designed as a retrospective case-control study. The study group consisted of 79 patients with Bell’s palsy. There were 158 patients in the control group. Age, gender, grade, CBC parameters and pan-immune-inflammation value were compared statistically between the groups.

RESULTS: Leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet and pan-immune-inflammation values were significantly higher in the Bell’s palsy group than in the control group (p values: < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.03, < 0.001, respectively). There was no correlation between grade of Bell’s palsy and any study parameters.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the theory that inflammation may be the main factor in pathogenesis, as the pan-immune-inflammation value is higher in patients with Bell’s palsy. Our results suggest that the cell group that plays a major role in this inflammation is neutrophils.

PMID:41178483 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N2962

Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2025 Oct;45(5):315-321. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N3138.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe a new surgical technique called Hybrid Primary Puncture in Stapler-assisted Total Laryngectomy and to retrospectively compare two groups of patients undergoing total laryngectomy (TL) with or without the use of stapler.

METHODS: Retrospective analysis performed on 110 patients undergoing TL and voice prosthesis (VP) primary placement, divided into “stapler group” and “no-stapler group”. The two groups were compared in terms of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) incidence and events related to voice rehabilitation (hypertonicity, voice quality, complications related to VP).

RESULTS: No statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in “stapler” and “no-stapler” groups analysing the incidence of PCF, the percentages of patients who developed hypertonicity and experienced complications in the use and management of the VP. Regarding the vocal quality, a Quality of Voice index of “good” was found in similar percentages of patients in the two groups. Stratifying the sample, no significant differences emerged between “stapler” vs “no-stapler” in salvage TL in any of the parameters investigated.

CONCLUSIONS: The new technique allows to exploit, without any additional risk, the potential of stapler and primary VP placement.

PMID:41178482 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N3138

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Nov 3:e13380. doi: 10.1002/advs.202513380. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is critical for cancer progression. However, its function in cancers is context-dependent, and emerging evidence indicates that NUSAP1 possesses tumor suppressor functions, although the underlying mechanisms remain uncharted. In this study, NUSAP1 depletion is found to significantly increases the proliferation, migration, and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells in vitro and promotes TNBC progression in vivo, suggesting that NUSAP1 is a tumor suppressor in TNBC. Mechanistically, NUSAP1 bridges HIFα and the transcriptional repressor death domain-associated protein (DAXX) through its microtubule-associated domain (MAD) to recruit the methyltransferase SETDB1, thereby attenuating HIF transcriptional activity and the expression of its target genes by depositing the H3K9me3 repressive mark on hypoxia response elements (HREs). Intriguingly, an engineered MAD of NUSAP1, designated as Tumor Suppressor-MAD (TS-MAD), is developed, which effectively abrogates HIF transcriptional activity by bridging the DAXX-HIF interaction, consequently inhibiting HIF-driven TNBC progression. Moreover, NUSAP1 is identified as a novel HIF-repressed gene in TNBC cells, and its expression level shows a negative correlation with clinical outcomes in TNBC patients. These findings establish an HIF-NUSAP1 double-negative feedback loop in TNBC and validate TS-MAD as a potential therapeutic strategy for HIF-driven cancer.

PMID:41178464 | DOI:10.1002/advs.202513380