Tag: statistics

Clin Oral Investig. 2025 Jan 2;29(1):39. doi: 10.1007/s00784-024-06124-0.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the percent correct shade identification of four intraoral scanners (IOS) and a spectrophotometer, focusing on how reliably each device selects the correct tooth shade compared to a visual observer’s selection. The research question addresses how much clinicians can trust the device-selected shade without visual verification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen participants with natural, unrestored teeth were included. The teeth evaluated were tooth 21 (left maxillary central incisor), tooth 23 (left maxillary canine), and tooth 26 (first left maxillary molar). Tooth color was measured using four IOS devices and the Vita Easyshade V in three regions: incisal, middle, and cervical. The nearest 3D Master shade selected by each device was compared to the visual observer’s selection. The percent exact match, acceptable match (> 1.2, ≤ 2.7 ∆E_ab), and mismatch type A (< 2.7, ≤ 5.4 ∆E_ab) were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using a chi-square test with a 95% confidence level.

RESULTS: The overall clinical pass rate was highest for Carestream (78.2%), followed by Easyshade (63.5%), Primescan (51.2%), Trios (39.5%), and Medit (31.3%). Carestream also recorded the highest rate of mismatch type A (47.7%). Significant differences between devices were observed for all categories (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Carestream demonstrated the highest overall clinical pass rate, while Medit exhibited the lowest. The study highlights the variability between devices in shade matching performance.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study highlights the importance of considering device performance when relying on IOS or spectrophotometers for shade selection without visual assessment, as the reliability can vary significantly across devices.

PMID:39743647 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-024-06124-0

J Mol Neurosci. 2025 Jan 2;75(1):4. doi: 10.1007/s12031-024-02241-3.

ABSTRACT

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a severe disorder characterized by complex pathophysiological processes, which can lead to disability and death. This study aimed to determine necroptosis-associated genes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and to investigate their potential as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for AIS. Expression profiling data were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and necroptosis-associated genes were retrieved from GeneCards. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and necroptosis-related genes were intersected to obtain the necroptosis-related DEGs (NRDEGs) in AIS. In AIS, a total of 76 genes associated with necroptosis (referred to as NRDEGs) were identified. Enrichment analysis of these genes revealed that they were primarily enriched in pathways known to induce necroptosis. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), five co-expression modules consisting of NRDEGs were identified, along with two modules that exhibited a strong correlation with AIS. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis resulted in the identification of 20 hub genes. The Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model demonstrated promising potential for diagnostic prediction. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve validated the diagnostic model and selected nine characteristic genes that exhibited statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). By employing consensus clustering, distinct patterns of necroptosis were identified using these nine signature genes. The results were validated by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in venous blood from patients with AIS and healthy controls and HT22 cells, as well as external datasets. Furthermore, the analyzed ceRNA network included nine lncRNAs, six miRNAs, and three mRNAs. Overall, this study offers novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying NRDEGs in AIS. The findings provide valuable evidence and contribute to our understanding of the disease.

PMID:39743646 | DOI:10.1007/s12031-024-02241-3

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Jan;65(1):71-77. doi: 10.1002/uog.29142.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy of four published reference standards for the umbilical artery pulsatility index (UA-PI) in predicting small-for-gestational age (SGA), adverse neonatal outcomes and obstetric complications in pregnancies at risk for fetal growth restriction.

METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective study of singleton pregnancies that underwent fetal growth assessment by ultrasound between 26 and 36 weeks’ gestation. Pregnancies with estimated fetal weight or abdominal circumference < 20^th percentile with UA-PI measurements available were included. We excluded fetuses with chromosomal anomaly or congenital malformation and those without delivery information. The predictive ability of UA-PI > 95^th percentile according to the reference standards of Acharya et al., the INTERGROWTH-21^st Project, the Fetal Medicine Foundation and Parra-Cordero et al. for SGA, a composite of adverse neonatal outcomes and a composite of obstetric complications was compared using the area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC). Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were calculated.

RESULTS: Of the 1054 pregnancies that underwent fetal growth evaluation by ultrasound, 207 were included in our analysis. SGA, adverse neonatal outcomes and obstetric complications were diagnosed in 94 (45.4%), 50 (24.2%) and 69 (33.3%) cases, respectively. All reference standards had similar and statistically significant but poor predictive accuracy for SGA (AUC of 0.55 to 0.56), adverse neonatal outcomes (AUC of 0.57 to 0.60) and obstetric complications (AUC of 0.55 for all).

CONCLUSIONS: The reference standards for UA-PI evaluated herein have poor predictive ability for SGA, adverse neonatal outcomes and obstetric complications. At present, no particular UA-PI reference standard can be recommended over others. Larger trials are needed to answer this research question. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

PMID:39743627 | DOI:10.1002/uog.29142

Lasers Med Sci. 2025 Jan 2;40(1):4. doi: 10.1007/s10103-024-04216-7.

ABSTRACT

The broad spectrum of clinical manifestations caused by peripheral arterial disease [PAD] and the morphologic heterogeneity of associated atherosclerotic lesions present a considerable management challenge. Endovascular interventions are recognized an effective treatment for PAD. Within this revascularization strategy the role of atherectomy debulking modalities continue to evolve. Accordingly, the study herein assessed the efficacy and safety of a novel, solid state, Nd: YAG pulsed-wave [355 nm wavelength] laser atherectomy in the treatment of symptomatic infra-inguinal PAD. The EX-PAD-01 study, a prospective, single-arm, open label trial enrolled 50 patients (38 males, 12 females; mean age 64 years] with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, who underwent percutaneous revascularization with a novel, solid state, pulsed-wave [355 nm wavelength] laser atherectomy followed with adjunct treatment. The Ankle-brachial index [ABI], Rutherford classification for chronic limb ischemia and the walking impairment questionnaire [WIQ] were used for assessment of the index clinical condition of the enrolled patients, for post procedure evaluation and during follow-up. Accordingly, the patients were followed for 12-months with repeated direct physician contact visits. Fifty-three atherosclerotic stenoses (51 femoropopliteal, 2 tibial) with a mean length of 7.4 cm. (ranged 1cm to 25cm) were treated. There were 79% occlusions, and 61% containing moderate-to-severe calcifications. The pre-procedure stenosis was 95.3 ± 10.3%, the Rutherford classification for chronic limb ischemia [CLI] was 2.90 ± 0.54 ranging between 2-4 and the WIQ 34.6 ± 8.62. Technical success was achieved in 52 of the 53 (98%) target lesions. Following laser debulking the baseline stenosis was reduced from 95.3 ± 10.3% to 61.3 ± 25.5% [ [p < 0.0001] and with adjunct balloon/stenting to final of 14.0 ± 14.0% [p < 0.0001]. Embolic protection devices were utilized in 6 [12%] patients. At 30-day post procedure evaluation the ABI increased from baseline of 0.57 ± 0.14 to 0.94 ± 0.14 [p < 0.0001] and no major adverse effects or device adverse effects were detected. At 6 months follow -up the ABI was 0.84 ± 0.20% (p < 0.0001 vs. initial) and at 1 year follow-up 0.79 ± 0.16 (P = 0.0001 vs. initial) without major adverse events. Out of 46 [92%] patients who reached the 12 months follow-up mark, 2 [4.3%] experienced clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Sustained clinical benefit for up to 12 months post procedure was demonstrated through documentation of statistically significant decrease of Rutherford CLI class as well as concomitant improvement in WIQ score and an increase of ABI value. The primary patency rate, as defined by peak systolic velocity ratio (PSVR) of < 2.5m/second was 95.7% (22 of 23) and 81.8% (18 of 22) at 6 months and 12 months, respectively. In an early European clinical experience with a series of 50 patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, the novel Nd: YAG solid state, pulsed- wave 355nm cardiovascular laser atherectomy device provided effective and safe revascularization treatment. Follow-up at 6 and 12 months, respectively, substantiate the efficacy, safety profile and clinical merits of this novel laser. Thus, this device is useful in the management of select patients with symptomatic infra-inguinal atherosclerotic lesions.Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical trials.gov number: NTC02556255.

PMID:39743624 | DOI:10.1007/s10103-024-04216-7

Nature. 2025 Jan;637(8044):118-126. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08275-2. Epub 2025 Jan 1.

ABSTRACT

Many known and unknown historical events have remained below detection thresholds of genetic studies because subtle ancestry changes are challenging to reconstruct. Methods based on shared haplotypes^1,2 and rare variants^3,4 improve power but are not explicitly temporal and have not been possible to adopt in unbiased ancestry models. Here we develop Twigstats, an approach of time-stratified ancestry analysis that can improve statistical power by an order of magnitude by focusing on coalescences in recent times, while remaining unbiased by population-specific drift. We apply this framework to 1,556 available ancient whole genomes from Europe in the historical period. We are able to model individual-level ancestry using preceding genomes to provide high resolution. During the first half of the first millennium CE, we observe at least two different streams of Scandinavian-related ancestry expanding across western, central and eastern Europe. By contrast, during the second half of the first millennium CE, ancestry patterns suggest the regional disappearance or substantial admixture of these ancestries. In Scandinavia, we document a major ancestry influx by approximately 800 CE, when a large proportion of Viking Age individuals carried ancestry from groups related to central Europe not seen in individuals from the early Iron Age. Our findings suggest that time-stratified ancestry analysis can provide a higher-resolution lens for genetic history.

PMID:39743601 | DOI:10.1038/s41586-024-08275-2

Nature. 2025 Jan;637(8044):43-47. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08184-4. Epub 2025 Jan 1.

ABSTRACT

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) last for milliseconds and arrive at Earth from cosmological distances. Although their origins and emission mechanisms are unknown, their signals bear similarities with the much less luminous radio emission generated by pulsars within our Miky Way Galaxy¹, with properties suggesting neutron star origins^2,3. However, unlike pulsars, FRBs typically show minimal variability in their linear polarization position angle (PA) curves⁴. Even when marked PA evolution is present, their curves deviate significantly from the canonical shape predicted by the rotating vector model (RVM) of pulsars⁵. Here we report on FRB 20221022A, detected by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Burst project (CHIME/FRB) and localized to a nearby host galaxy (about 65 Mpc), MCG+14-02-011. This FRB shows a notable approximately 130° PA rotation over its about 2.5 ms burst duration, resembling the characteristic S-shaped evolution seen in many pulsars and some radio magnetars. The observed PA evolution supports magnetospheric origins^6-8 over models involving distant shocks^9-11, echoing similar conclusions drawn from tempo-polarimetric studies of some repeating FRBs^12,13. The PA evolution is well described by the RVM and, although we cannot determine the inclination and magnetic obliquity because of the unknown period or duty cycle of the source, we exclude very short-period pulsars (for example, recycled millisecond pulsars) as the progenitor.

PMID:39743599 | DOI:10.1038/s41586-024-08184-4

BMC Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 2;25(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-10405-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is the most successful obligate protozoan that can infect warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. Some researchers suggest that the presence of Toxoplasma cysts in the brain can lead to mental disorders. Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the serious neuropsychiatric disorders. Several studies have shown a high seroprevalence of T. gondii in bipolar patients. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of this infection in patients with BD.

METHODS: In this case-control study, anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM antibodies were measured in serum samples from 115 patients with BD and 115 subjects without this disorder from the general population using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Demographic characteristics of the patient and control groups, information about T. gondii infection and BD, and their potential risk factors were analyzed. We utilized the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables, the chi-square test for categorical data, and multivariate logistic regression to assess T. gondii infection and BD, with significance set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: Twenty-eight (24.34%) of 115 patients with BD and 10 (8.7%) of 115 controls had anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. IgM antibodies against T. gondii were not reported to be positive in any participants. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference in the results [odds ratio (OR) = 2.89: 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.08-7.73. P = 0.03]. Within the study population, various factors were identified as significant risk factors for BD: sex (OR 8.10, 95% CI 3.16-20.75), age 20-50 (OR 5.11, 95% CI 1.81-14.45), age over 50 (OR 19.54, 95% CI 4.02-94.89), education level (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.60), working status (non-employment, OR 4.12, 95% CI 1.65-10.30), and income (middle, OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.89; high, OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.01-0.77), all with P-values less than 0.05. In addition, in the group of patients, there was no statistically significant relationship between T. gondii infection with the type of bipolar disease (P = 0.93), the severity of the disease (P = 0.61), and the history of suicide attempts (P = 0.63).

CONCLUSION: This study showed that toxoplasmosis is a risk factor for BD and increases the chance of developing BD. However, more studies with a larger sample size are recommended to clarify the development pathways of this disorder and provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of this disease.

CLINICAL TRIAL: Not applicable.

PMID:39743583 | DOI:10.1186/s12879-024-10405-0

J Dent Child (Chic). 2024 Sep 15;91(3):137-145.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of young children in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of silver diammine fluoride (SDF) and five percent sodium fluoride varnish (NaFV) to manage early childhood caries (ECC). Methods: Children younger than 72 months of age with active dentinal caries lesions (ICDAS 5 or 6) in primary teeth received two applications of 38 percent SDF and five percent NaFV as part of an RCT testing three different frequency regimes (one, four, and six months apart). The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) questionnaire was completed at three study visits. Statistical analyses included descrip- tive and parametric methods. A P -value of ≤0.05 was significant. Results: Eighty-two children (58.5 percent male) were recruited with a mean age of 44.3±14.2 months. Significant improvement in total ECOHIS scores for all children was observed following treatment (baseline mean scores=4.52±4.77 versus third visit mean scores=3.19±3.78, P =0.01) and family impact scores for all children (base- line mean scores=3.00±2.98 versus third visit mean scores=1.68±2.01, P ≤0.001). However, no significant change in the mean child impact score was observed among all the children ( P =0.97). The parental distress and family function domains showed the most improvement with SDF treatment. No significant ECOHIS score differences were found among the three frequency groups across visits. Conclusions: Children showed better OHRQoL after applying 38 percent SDF and five percent NaFV. No significant differences were found between treatment groups. SDF is a viable non-restorative option for managing ECC as it has a positive effect on OHRQoL.

PMID:39743577

J Dent Child (Chic). 2024 Sep 15;91(3):129-136.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of Biodentine^™ (BD), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and ferric sulfate (FS) as pulpotomy agents in primary molars and evaluate the impact of behavior guidance strategies on pulpotomy success.Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, data from 374 cases (50.5 percent male, aged two to 10 years) undergoing 469 pulpotomies at a university pediatric clinic between April 1, 2016 and January 1, 2020 were analyzed. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated by two calibrated examiners using validated criteria. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, logistic regression (P <0.05), Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazard models, with inter- and intra-examiner reliability confirmed by Cohen’s Kappa. Results: Among the materials, BD and MTA showed the highest clinical (98.5 percent and 97.9 percent, respectively) and radiographic (95.2 percent and 93.6 percent, respectively) success, significantly outperforming FS (88.9 percent and 80.9 percent, respectively). Pulpotomy failures were notably higher with the use of protective stabilization (P =0.002), while treatment under general anesthesia and good patient cooperation were associated with better outcomes. Conclusions: BD and MTA demonstrated superior effectiveness over FS for primary molar pulpotomies. The success of pulpotomy is significantly influenced by behavior guidance techniques, with less restrictive methods correlating with improved outcomes.

PMID:39743575

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025 Jan 2;26(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-08241-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adhesion formation poses a significant challenge for both patients and hand surgeons following tendon repair. One common strategy to prevent adhesion formation is the use of physical barriers. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of extensor tendon repair with and without the application of the OrthoWrap^® bioresorbable Sheet, specifically in terms of adhesion prevention.

METHODS: This triple-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on patients with trauma to the extensor zone VI tendons. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the intervention group, OrthoWrap^® bioresorbable Sheet was applied in addition to the standard tendon repair protocol. Over a three-month follow-up period, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, extension lag, and metacarpophalangeal joint flexion were assessed. Additionally, the mobility of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints was evaluated using the Strickland classification.

RESULTS: A total of 42 patients in the OrthoWrap^® group and 43 in the control group were evaluated over the three-month period. Both groups showed a significant reduction in mean extension lag at the metacarpophalangeal joint over time. No significant condition-by-time interactions were found for MP joint flexion or VAS scores (p > 0.05). However, significant improvements in MP joint flexion and VAS scores were observed over time. The OrthoWrap^® group demonstrated significantly more favorable outcomes compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION: The clinical application of OrthoWrap^® in extensor tendon repair demonstrated statistically significant but modest improvements in extension lag (2.5°). While patients treated with OrthoWrap^® showed better outcomes in Strickland’s classification, the clinical significance of these small differences and their impact on patient function requires further investigation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT, IRCT20180627040252N3. Registered 20,220,617, Https//irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/56,652.

PMID:39743570 | DOI:10.1186/s12891-024-08241-z