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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Predicting response to and relapse after treatment of trichotillomania with the Comprehensive Behavioral model (ComB)

Bull Menninger Clin. 2024 Winter;88(1):81-99. doi: 10.1521/bumc.2024.88.1.81.

ABSTRACT

Prior studies of behavior therapy for trichotillomania (TTM) have shown that response is variable, and relapse after treatment discontinuation is common. Little information is available concerning prognostic factors capable of predicting individual differences in response or maintenance of improvement. The present study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (N = 36) of the Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model of treatment for TTM (Carlson et al., 2021). We investigated age, disorder history, pre-treatment symptom severity, longest prior period of abstinence from pulling, and Emotion and Intention hair pulling styles as predictors of initial response. We studied age, disorder history, pre-treatment symptom severity, longest prior period of abstinence from pulling, and post-treatment symptom severity or hair-pulling abstinence as predictors of relapse following treatment. Older age significantly predicted lower TTM severity following treatment. Lower pre-treatment severity significantly predicted lower severity of TTM at the 3-month follow-up.

PMID:38527102 | DOI:10.1521/bumc.2024.88.1.81

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Non-Operative Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fractures with Immediate Functional Bracing versus Coaptation Splinting and Delayed Functional Bracing: A Retrospective Study

J Orthop Trauma. 2024 Mar 25. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002810. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare radiographic and clinical outcomes in non-operative management of humeral shaft fractures treated initially with coaptation splinting (CS) followed by delayed functional bracing (FB) versus treatment with immediate FB.

METHODS: Design: Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING: Academic Level 1 Trauma Center.

PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: Patients with closed humeral shaft fractures managed non-operatively with initial CS followed by delayed FB or with immediate FB from 2016 to 2022. Patients younger than 18 years and/or with less than 3 months follow-up were excluded.Outcome Measures and Comparisons: The primary outcome was coronal and sagittal radiographic alignment assessed at final follow-up. Secondary outcomes included rate of failure of non-operative management (defined as surgical conversion and/or fracture nonunion), fracture union, and skin complications secondary to splint/brace wear.

RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients were managed non-operatively with delayed FB (n=58) or immediate FB (n=39). Overall, the mean age was 49.9 years (range 18-94), and 64 (66%) patients were female. The immediate FB group had less smokers (p=0.003) and lower incidence of radial nerve palsy (p=0.025), with more proximal third humeral shaft fractures (p=0.001). There were no other significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in coronal (p=0.144) or sagittal (p=0.763) radiographic alignment between groups. In total, 33 (34.0%) humeral shaft fractures failed non-operative management, with 11 (28.2%) in the immediate FB group, and 22 (37.9%) in the delayed FB group (p=0.322). There were no significant differences in fracture union (p=0.074) or skin complications (p=0.259) between groups.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that non-operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures with immediate functional bracing did not result in significantly different radiographic or clinical outcomes compared to treatment with coaptation splinting followed by delayed functional bracing. Future prospective studies assessing patient reported outcomes (PROs) will further guide clinical decision making.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:38527088 | DOI:10.1097/BOT.0000000000002810

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Contribution of statistical learning in learning to read across languages

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0298670. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298670. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Statistical Learning (SL) refers to human’s ability to detect regularities from environment Kirkham, N. Z. (2002) & Saffran, J. R. (1996). There has been a growing interest in understanding how sensitivity to statistical regularities influences learning to read. The current study systematically examined whether and how non-linguistic SL, Chinese SL, and English SL contribute to Chinese and English word reading among native Chinese-speaking 4th, 6th and 8th graders who learn English as a second language (L2). Children showed above-chance learning across all SL tasks and across all grades. In addition, developmental improvements were shown across at least two of the three grade ranges on all SL tasks. In terms of the contribution of SL to reading, non-linguistic auditory SL (ASL), English visual SL (VSL), and Chinese ASL accounted for a significant amount of variance in English L2 word reading. Non-linguistic ASL, Chinese VSL, English VSL, and English ASL accounted for a significant amount of variance in Chinese word reading. Our results provide clear and novel evidence for cross-linguistic contribution from Chinese SL to English reading, and from English SL to Chinese reading, highlighting a bi-directional relationship between SL in one language and reading in another language.

PMID:38527080 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0298670

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Socioeconomic inequality and urban-rural disparity of antenatal care visits in Bangladesh: A trend and decomposition analysis

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0301106. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301106. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequality in antenatal care visits is a great concern in developing countries including Bangladesh; however, there is a scarcity of investigation to assess the factors of inequality and these changes over time. In this study, we investigated the trend of socioeconomic inequalities (2004-2017) in 1+ANC and 4+ANC visits, and extracted determinants contributions to the observed inequalities and urban-rural disparities in Bangladesh over the period from 2011 to 2017.

METHODS: The data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) conducted in 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2017 were analyzed in this study. The analysis began with exploratory and bivariate analysis, followed by the application of logistic regression models. To measure the inequalities, the Erreygers concentration index was used, and regression-based decomposition analyses were utilized to unravel the determinant’s contribution to the observed inequalities. The Blinder-Oaxaca type decomposition is also used to decompose the urban-rural disparity into the factors.

RESULTS: Our analysis results showed that the prevalence of 1+ANC and 4+ANC visits has increased across all the determinants, although the rate of 4+ANC visits remains notably low. The magnitudes of socioeconomic inequality in 4+ANC visits represented an irregular pattern at both the national and urban levels, whereas it increased gradually in rural Bangladesh. However, inequalities in 1+ANC visits declined substantially after 2011 across the national, rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. Decomposition analyses have suggested that wealth status, women’s education, place of residence (only for 4+ANC visits), caesarean delivery, husband education, and watching television (TV) are the main determinants to attribute and changes in the level of inequality and urban-rural disparity between the years 2011 and 2017.

CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings of our study, it is imperative for authorities to ensure antenatal care visits are more accessible for rural and underprivileged women. Additionally, should focus on delivering high-quality education, ensuring the completion of education, reducing income disparity as well as launching a program to enhance awareness about health facilities, and the impact of caesarean delivery.

PMID:38527067 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0301106

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-related complications on in-hospital mortality

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0300713. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300713. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a well-established treatment for supporting severe cardiopulmonary failure, the morbidity and mortality of patients requiring ECMO support remain high. Evaluating and correcting potential risk factors associated with any ECMO-related complications may improve care and decrease mortality. This study aimed to assess the predictors of ECMO-related vascular and cerebrovascular complications among adult patients and to test the hypothesis that ECMO-related complications are associated with higher in-hospital mortality rates.

METHODS: This single-center, retrospective study included 856 ECMO runs administered via cannulation of the femoral vessels of 769 patients: venoarterial (VA) ECMO (n = 709, 82.8%) and venovenous (VV) ECMO (n = 147, 17.2%). The study outcomes included the occurrence of ECMO-related vascular and cerebrovascular complications and in-hospital death. The association of ECMO-related complications with the risk of in-hospital death was analyzed.

RESULTS: The incidences of ECMO-related vascular and cerebrovascular complications were 20.2% and 13.6%, respectively. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 48.7%: 52.8% among VA ECMO runs and 29.3% among VV ECMO runs. Multivariable analysis indicated that age (P < 0.01), cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (P < 0.01), continuous renal replacement therapy (P < 0.01), and initial platelet count [<50×103/μL (P = 0.02) and 50-100(×103)/μL (P < 0.01)] were associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death. ECMO-related vascular and cerebrovascular complications were not independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality rates for VA or VV ECMO runs.

CONCLUSION: ECMO-related vascular and cerebrovascular complications were not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death among adult patients.

PMID:38527053 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0300713

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Radiographic assessment of maxillary sinus membrane and lateral wall thickness using cone-beam CT in different facial types in southwestern Saudi Arabia

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0298403. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298403. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

The anatomy of the edentulous posterior maxilla and maxillary sinus possess unique challenges in implant dentistry. The purpose of this study was to assess maxillary sinus membrane thickness (MT) and lateral wall thickness (LWT) in different facial index profiles and to describe the clinical implications. A retrospective image analysis of 75 CBCT scans was done, which yielded a total of 150 sinus images. The facial index was calculated as per the formula given in the text and grouped as euryprosopic, mesoprosopic and leptoprosopic. The images obtained were of 36 women (48%) and 39 men (52%), with maximum subjects in 30-39 years age group. MT and LWT were measured at three different points on the radiograph at every 3mm from the base of the sinus floor in premolar and molar regions of each image. Results showed females had significant differences from males in LWT in both premolar and molar regions (p = 0.018 and 0.032 respectively). Subjects in 40-49 years of age had significant differences (p = 0.021) in MT in premolar region only. Also, difference in MT in premolar and molar regions were also statistically significant. Lastly, the present study did not find any statistically significant difference in MT and LWT in all three facial indices groups. It can be concluded that different facial indices have no positive correlation with maxillary sinus membrane thickness and lateral wall thickness. Hence, surgical complications are avoidable with proper detailed knowledge and appropriate identification of the anatomic structures characteristic to the maxillary sinus.

PMID:38527039 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0298403

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Firefighters’ medical use and Korean Medicine experience in Korea: A qualitative study protocol

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0300532. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300532. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Firefighters, compared to other occupational groups, are exposed more frequently in their working environment not only to physical issues, such as musculoskeletal disease, respiratory disease, and burns but also to mental health issues, such as PTSD and depression. Specifically, Korean firefighters experience significantly higher rates of work-related injuries compared to those in other countries. Recent statistics from the Korea National Fire Agency indicate a steady increase in the number of firefighting work-related injuries. However, there is a shortage of measures in place to address these issues. This study aims to investigate the health needs, overall healthcare usage, and unmet needs of firefighters in Korea. We also aim to investigate, through in-depth interviews, perceptions and hindering factors for integrative medicine approaches to fulfilling unmet needs.

METHOD: This study was conducted in accordance with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. Convenience and snowball sampling methods will be used to recruit firefighters to participate in the study, and interviews will be conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The data will be analyzed in four stages using the qualitative analysis method of Krippendorff.

DISCUSSION: In this study, we examine the state of health issues and healthcare usage among Korean firefighters and investigate their perceptions of and needs for integrative medicine. In this way, we aim to explore how integrative medicine and Korean medicine approaches could improve and assist healthcare services for firefighters. Furthermore, our findings will provide policymakers and healthcare providers with the necessary basic information to develop integrative medicine systems suited to firefighters.

PMID:38527034 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0300532

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Prevalence and associated factors of refractive error among adults in South Ethiopia, a community-based cross-sectional study

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 25;19(3):e0298960. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298960. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of refractive error has become a serious health issue that needs serious attention. However, there are few studies regarding the prevalence and associated factors of refractive error at the community level in Ethiopia as well as in the study area. Therefore, providing updated data is crucial to reduce the burdens of refractive error in the community.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of refractive error among adults in Hawassa City, South Ethiopia, 2023.

METHOD: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 951 adults using a multistage sampling technique from May 8 to June 8, 2023, in Hawassa City, South Ethiopia. A pretested, structured questionnaire combined with an ocular examination and a refraction procedure was used to collect data. The collected data from the Kobo Toolbox was exported to a statistical package for social sciences for analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in the multivariable analysis.

RESULT: A total of 894 study participants were involved in this study with a 94.1% response rate. The prevalence of refractive error was 12.3% (95% CI: 10.2, 14.5%). Regular use of electronic devices (adjusted odds ratio = 3.64, 95% CI: 2.25, 5.91), being diabetic (adjusted odds ratio = 4.02, 95% CI: 2.16, 7.48), positive family history of refractive error (adjusted odds ratio = 2.71, 95% CI 1.59, 4.61) and positive history of cataract surgery (adjusted odds ratio = 5.17, 95% CI 2.19, 12.4) were significantly associated with refractive error.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The overall magnitude of refractive error in our study area was high. Regular use of electronic devices, being diabetic, positive family history of refractive error, and a positive history of cataract surgery were associated with refractive error.

PMID:38527026 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0298960

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Dispersion complexity-entropy curves: An effective method to characterize the structures of nonlinear time series

Chaos. 2024 Mar 1;34(3):033137. doi: 10.1063/5.0197167.

ABSTRACT

The complexity-entropy curve (CEC) is a valuable tool for characterizing the structure of time series and finds broad application across various research fields. Despite its widespread usage, the original permutation complexity-entropy curve (PCEC), which is founded on permutation entropy (PE), exhibits a notable limitation: its inability to take the means and amplitudes of time series into considerations. This oversight can lead to inaccuracies in differentiating time series. In this paper, drawing inspiration from dispersion entropy (DE), we propose the dispersion complexity-entropy curve (DCEC) to enhance the capability of CEC in uncovering the concealed structures within nonlinear time series. Our approach initiates with simulated data including the logistic map, color noises, and various chaotic systems. The outcomes of our simulated experiments consistently showcase the effectiveness of DCEC in distinguishing nonlinear time series with diverse characteristics. Furthermore, we extend the application of DCEC to real-world data, thereby asserting its practical utility. A novel approach is proposed, wherein DCEC-based feature extraction is combined with multivariate support vector machine for the diagnosis of various types of bearing faults. This combination achieved a high accuracy rate in our experiments. Additionally, we employ DCEC to assess stock indices from different countries and periods, thereby facilitating an analysis of the complexity inherent in financial markets. Our findings reveal significant insights into the dynamic regularities and distinct structures of these indices, offering a novel perspective for analyzing financial time series. Collectively, these applications underscore the potential of DCEC as an effective tool for the nonlinear time series analysis.

PMID:38526984 | DOI:10.1063/5.0197167

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Efficient termination of cardiac arrhythmias using optogenetic resonant feedback pacing

Chaos. 2024 Mar 1;34(3):031103. doi: 10.1063/5.0191519.

ABSTRACT

Malignant cardiac tachyarrhythmias are associated with complex spatiotemporal excitation of the heart. The termination of these life-threatening arrhythmias requires high-energy electrical shocks that have significant side effects, including tissue damage, excruciating pain, and worsening prognosis. This significant medical need has motivated the search for alternative approaches that mitigate the side effects, based on a comprehensive understanding of the nonlinear dynamics of the heart. Cardiac optogenetics enables the manipulation of cellular function using light, enhancing our understanding of nonlinear cardiac function and control. Here, we investigate the efficacy of optically resonant feedback pacing (ORFP) to terminate ventricular tachyarrhythmias using numerical simulations and experiments in transgenic Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts. We show that ORFP outperforms the termination efficacy of the optical single-pulse (OSP) approach. When using ORFP, the total energy required for arrhythmia termination, i.e., the energy summed over all pulses in the sequence, is 1 mJ. With a success rate of 50%, the energy per pulse is 40 times lower than with OSP with a pulse duration of 10 ms. We demonstrate that even at light intensities below the excitation threshold, ORFP enables the termination of arrhythmias by spatiotemporal modulation of excitability inducing spiral wave drift.

PMID:38526981 | DOI:10.1063/5.0191519