Tag: statistics

Chest. 2023 Jul 4:S0012-3692(23)00945-5. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.06.038. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Developing and evaluating statistical prediction models is challenging, and many pitfalls can arise. This article identifies what the authors feel are some common methodological concerns that may be encountered. We describe each problem and make suggestions on how to address them. The hope is that this manuscript will result in higher quality publications of statistical prediction models.

PMID:37414333 | DOI:10.1016/j.chest.2023.06.038

Chemosphere. 2023 Jul 4:139362. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139362. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The association between long-term air pollution exposure and the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been established, but the evidence regarding the effect of low levels of air pollution, especially ambient sulfur dioxide (SO₂), is limited. Besides, the combined effect and interaction between genetic susceptibility and ambient SO₂ on IPF remain uncertain.

METHODS: This study retrieved data from 402,042 participants who were free of IPF at baseline in the UK Biobank. The annual mean concentration of ambient SO₂ was estimated for each participant based on their residential addresses using a bilinear interpolation method. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the relationship between ambient SO₂ and incident IPF. We further generated a polygenic risk score (PRS) for IPF and estimated the combined effects of genetic susceptibility and ambient SO₂ on incident IPF.

RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 11.78 years, 2562 cases of IPF were identified. The results indicated that each 1 μg/m³ increase in ambient SO₂ was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 1.67 (1.58, 1.76) for incident IPF. The study found statistically significant synergistic additive interaction between genetic susceptibility and ambient SO₂. Individuals with high genetic risk and high ambient SO₂ exposure had a higher risk of developing IPF (HR = 7.48, 95% CI:5.66, 9.90).

CONCLUSION: The study suggests that long-term exposure to ambient SO₂, even at concentrations lower than current air quality guidelines set by the Word Health Organization and European Union, may be an important risk factor for IPF. This risk is more pronounced among people with a high genetic risk. Therefore, these findings emphasize the need to consider the potential health effects of SO₂ exposure and the necessity for stricter air quality standards.

PMID:37414299 | DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139362

J Food Prot. 2023 Jul 4:100126. doi: 10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100126. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Previous environmental monitoring projects in food production facilities have revealed inconsistencies in how produce brush washer machines are cleaned after use; thus, study of effective sanitation procedures for these machines is needed. Four chlorine solution treatments (ranging from 25-200ppm), as well as a water-only treatment, were tested for efficacy in reducing bacterial loads for a selected small brush washer machine. Results indicate that rinsing with the machine’s power and water alone, a frequent practice among some produce processors, yielded a reduction of 0.91-1.96 log CFU per brush roller in bacterial counts, which was not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, the chlorine treatments were found to be effective in reducing bacterial loads significantly, with higher concentrations being the most effective. The 200ppm and 100ppm chlorine treatments yielded bacterial reductions of 4.08 and 3.95 log CFU per brush roller respectively, leaving bacterial levels statistically similar to the levels at post-process decontamination, meaning these are the most effective at killing bacteria of all the chlorine concentrations tested. These data suggest the use of at least 100ppm chlorine sanitizer solution is a good method to sanitize hard-to-clean produce washing machines, yielding an approximate 4 log CFU reduction of the inoculated bacteria.

PMID:37414285 | DOI:10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100126

J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2023 Jul 4:S1544-3191(23)00237-6. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.06.024. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The growing population demand and the epidemic lead of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have highlighted the critical importance of patient access to compounded formulations, including for special purposes such as pediatrics, geriatrics, and other uses. However, there are many potential risks, including quality issues and 503A facilities have not received valid prescriptions for individually-identified patients for a portion of the drug products they produce.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to analyze the (503A facilities) warning letters and identify the problem of compounding medicines not meeting the USP specifications.

METHODS: Content analysis and descriptive statistics methods were used to analyze the violations of compounding warning letters from 2017 to 2021. The content of warning letter violations was analyzed in terms of both the compounding environment and 503A facilities that did not received valid prescriptions for individually-identified patients for a portion of the drug products they produced.

RESULTS: A total of 113 compounding warning letters (503A facilities, N=112) from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed in this study. The percentage of 503A facilities involved in sterile compounding environmental issues was 79.46%, with facility design and environmental controls (73/89, 82.02%), cleaning and disinfecting the compounding area (59/89, 66.29%), and personnel cleansing and garbing (44/89, 49.44%) being the top three issues. Seventy-two (72/112, 64.29%) 503A facilities that did not received valid prescriptions for individually-identified patients for a portion of the drug products they produced. Fifty-one (51/72, 70.83%) of these warning letters were related to sterile environment issues, and 28 warning letters identified specific drugs that did not qualify for Section 503A exemptions.

CONCLUSION: The warning letter of compounding drugs issued by FDA can be used as a learning tool for compounders. Compounders can learn from the experience and lessons, improve compounding operations and reduce mistakes.

PMID:37414280 | DOI:10.1016/j.japh.2023.06.024

Hear Res. 2023 Jun 20;436:108837. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108837. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Sensitivity to changes in the stimulus level at one or at both ears and to changes in the interaural level difference (ILD) between the two ears has been studied widely. Several different definitions of threshold and, for one of them, two different ways of averaging single-listener thresholds have been used (i.e., arithmetically and geometrically), but it is unclear which definition and which way of averaging is most suitable. Here, we addressed this issue by examining which of the differently defined thresholds yielded the highest degree of homoscedasticity (homogeneity of the variance). We also examined how closely the differently defined thresholds followed the normal distribution. We measured thresholds from a large number of human listeners as a function of stimulus duration in six experimental conditions, using an adaptive two-alternative forced-choice paradigm. Thresholds defined as the logarithm of the ratio of the intensities or amplitudes of the target and the reference stimulus (i.e., as the difference in their levels or ILDs; the most commonly used definition) were clearly heteroscedastic. Log-transformation of these latter thresholds, as sometimes performed, did not result in homoscedasticity. Thresholds defined as the logarithm of the Weber fraction for stimulus intensity and thresholds defined as the logarithm of the Weber fraction for stimulus amplitude (the most rarely used definition) were consistent with homoscedasticity, but the latter were closer to the ideal case. Thresholds defined as the logarithm of the Weber fraction for stimulus amplitude also followed the normal distribution most closely. The discrimination thresholds should therefore be expressed as the logarithm of the Weber fraction for stimulus amplitude and be averaged arithmetically across listeners. Other implications are discussed, and the obtained differences between the thresholds in different conditions are compared to the literature.

PMID:37413706 | DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2023.108837

Chic Med J. 1875 Aug;32(8):639-640.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37413629 | PMC:PMC9812181

Chic Med J. 1875 May;32(5):398-400.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37413624 | PMC:PMC9812173

Chic Med J. 1875 Jul;32(7):559-560.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37413605 | PMC:PMC9812148

Chic Med J. 1875 Apr;32(4):318-320.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37413598 | PMC:PMC9812136