Tag: statistics

Biometrics. 2022 Aug 25. doi: 10.1111/biom.13742. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Modern neuroimaging technologies have substantially advanced the measurement of brain activity. Electroencephalogram (EEG) as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique measures changes in electrical voltage on the scalp induced by brain cortical activity. With its high temporal resolution, EEG has emerged as an increasingly useful tool to study brain connectivity. Challenges with modeling EEG signals of complex brain activity include interactions among unknown sources, low signal-to-noise ratio and substantial between-subject heterogeneity. In this work, we propose a state space model that jointly analyzes multi-channel EEG signals and learns dynamics of different sources corresponding to brain cortical activity. Our model borrows strength from spatially correlated measurements and uses low-dimensional latent states to explain all observed channels. The model can account for patient heterogeneity and quantify the effect of a subject’s covariates on the latent space. The EM algorithm, Kalman filtering, and bootstrap resampling are used to fit the state space model and provide comparisons between patient diagnostic groups. We apply the developed approach to a case-control study of alcoholism and reveal significant attenuation of brain activity in response to visual stimuli in alcoholic subjects compared to healthy controls. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:36004670 | DOI:10.1111/biom.13742

Br J Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 25:1-7. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2022.116. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Understanding how and under what circumstances a highly effective psychological intervention, improved symptoms of depression is important to maximise its clinical effectiveness.

AIMS: To address this complexity, we estimate the indirect effects of potentially important mediators to improve symptoms of depression (measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)) in the Healthy Activity Program trial.

METHOD: Interventional in(direct) effects were used to decompose the total effect of the intervention on PHQ-9 scores into the direct and indirect effects. The following indirect effects were considered: characteristics of sessions, represented by the number of sessions and homework completed; behavioural activation, according to an adapted version of the Behavioural Activation for Depression Scale – Short Form; and extra sessions offered to participants who did not respond to the intervention.

RESULTS: Of the total effect of the intervention measured through the difference in PHQ-9 scores between treatment arms (mean difference: -2.1, bias-corrected 95% CI -3.2 to -1.5), 34% was mediated through improved levels of behavioural activation (mean difference: -0.7, bias-corrected 95% CI -1.2 to -0.4). There was no evidence to support the mediating role of characteristics of the sessions nor the extra sessions offered to participants who did not respond to the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings from our robust mediation analyses confirmed the importance of targeting behavioural activation. Contrary to published literature, our findings suggest that neither the number of sessions nor proportion of homework completed improved outcomes. Moreover, in this context, alternative treatments other than extra sessions should be considered for patients who do not respond to the intervention.

PMID:36004665 | DOI:10.1192/bjp.2022.116

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2022 Aug 25. doi: 10.1039/d2cp01998a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We investigate the use of orbital-optimized references in conjunction with single-reference coupled-cluster theory with single and double substitutions (CCSD) for the study of core excitations and ionizations of 18 small organic molecules, without the use of response theory or equation-of-motion (EOM) formalisms. Three schemes are employed to successfully address the convergence difficulties associated with the coupled-cluster equations, and the spin contamination resulting from the use of a spin symmetry-broken reference, in the case of excitations. In order to gauge the inherent potential of the methods studied, an effort is made to provide reasonable basis set limit estimates for the transition energies. Overall, we find that the two best-performing schemes studied here for ΔCCSD are capable of predicting excitation and ionization energies with errors comparable to experimental accuracies. The proposed ΔCCSD schemes reduces statistical errors against experimental excitation energies by more than a factor of two when compared to the frozen-core core-valence separated (FC-CVS) EOM-CCSD approach – a successful variant of EOM-CCSD tailored towards core excitations.

PMID:36004629 | DOI:10.1039/d2cp01998a

Soc Work Public Health. 2022 Aug 25:1-9. doi: 10.1080/19371918.2022.2111389. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Holding educational campaigns with the purpose of conveying message about one particular behavior in the target group, is one of the society-based educational strategies. This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of the Campaign of COVID-19 Prevention on Health Volunteers in Urmia. The present study was a semi-experimental research, in which the sampling was done in a census way with 200 people participated. In this study, which was done as pre- and posttest, the amount of knowledge, attitude and behavior of health volunteers were evaluated by the designed questionnaires. The campaign was held for 2 months, which has benefited from the five methods of pamphlet, banners, films, social networking sites, and educational classes. After the campaign, the knowledge level, attitude and behavior of Health Volunteers increased to 35.1%, 30.09%, and 29.2%, respectively, which was meaningful statistically. Holding the campaign can trigger positive changes in improving the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of health volunteers, leading to the prevention of a plethora of health problems in society.

PMID:36004628 | DOI:10.1080/19371918.2022.2111389

Int J Qual Health Care. 2022 Aug 25:mzac067. doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzac067. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The number of older adults with cancer is increasing. Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality in cancer, and may cause side effects and distress. Patient-reported experience measures aim to measure patients’ experience with health care. This can help health care services to improve in line with patients’ needs. To assess how Norwegian patients receiving radiotherapy experience their care, a valid and reliable tool is required. We selected the Person-centred coordinated care experience questionnaire as a tool. The aim of the study is to validate the Norwegian version of this questionnaire in a radiotherapy setting.

METHODS: A feasibility study of the Person-centred coordinated care experience questionnaire and a cross-sectional study – testing psychometric properties of the questionnaire in a Norwegian radiotherapy setting – were conducted. Participants were recruited from two different hospitals in Norway. Patient characteristics and item scores are described using descriptive statistics. We performed an exploratory factor analysis, and applied principal component analysis with a varimax rotation. Cronbach’s α was used to assess internal consistency.

RESULTS: 24 patients participated in the feasibility test, and 176 were included in the cross-sectional study where we explored the psychometric properties of the Person-centred coordinated care experience questionnaire. Three factors were identified. Internal consistency was established for the ten-item scale, with Cronbach’s α = 0.698.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions must consider the Norwegian setting and health care context. We found that the Norwegian version of the Person-centred coordinated care experience questionnaire is a relevant, valid, and reliable tool to provide insight into different areas of patients’ experiences upon receiving radiotherapy. However, further testing on a larger sample is necessitated.

PMID:36004618 | DOI:10.1093/intqhc/mzac067

Int Endod J. 2022 Aug 25. doi: 10.1111/iej.13819. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To evaluate the effect of systemic curcumin administration on the severity of apical periodontitis (AP).

METHODOLOGY: Forty male Wistar rats weighing 250-280g each, age 2.5 months, were distributed into four groups (n=10): control untreated rats (C), control rats treated with curcumin (CUR), rats with pulp exposure-induced apical periodontitis (AP), and rats with pulp exposure-induced apical periodontitis treated with curcumin (AP-CUR). Curcumin treatment was administered orally once daily for 15 days before pulp exposure and continued for 30 days after pulp exposure. The rats were sacrificed at 30 days, and the jaws were collected and reconstructed in a program specific for micro-CT. The jaws were processed for analysis of the inflammatory process using Haemotoxylin and Eosin staining and immunohistochemical assays for interleukin tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (Il)-6, and Il-1β. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and osteocalcin (OCN) staining were used to analyze the resorptive process on the bone surface of periapical area. Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn’s test was performed for nonparametric data, and ANOVA with Tukey’s test for parametric data, p < .05.

RESULTS: Micro-CT revealed no statistically significant differences in bone resorption between the AP and AP-CUR groups (p > .05). The levels of inflammatory cell infiltration and immunoreactivity for the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, Il-6, and Il-1β were significantly higher in the periapical lesions of the AP group than in the AP-CUR group (p < .05). The number of TRAP-positive multinucleated cells was higher in the AP group than in the AP-CUR group (p < .05). In OCN-positive cells, no differences were observed between the AP and AP-CUR groups (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Oral supplementation with curcumin had a significant effect on the AP severity in rats, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin on AP development.

PMID:36004614 | DOI:10.1111/iej.13819

Acta Ophthalmol. 2022 Aug 25. doi: 10.1111/aos.15239. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this pilot study was to assess oxygen saturation in retinal blood vessels in patients with monoclonal gammopathies (MGs).

METHODS: Thirty-one patients with MGs (11 women and 20 men, mean age 65.9 ± 8.9 years) were enrolled during 2016-2020. The patients were diagnosed at the Haemato-Oncology Department and subsequently examined at the Ophthalmology Department before initiating systemic therapy. All patients were subjected to automatic retinal oximetry (Oxymap ehf.) and had their fundus photographed (Topcon TRC-50DX retinal camera). We assessed the association between retinal oxygen saturation (SatO₂ ) – arterial SatO₂ , venous SatO₂ and arterio-venous (AV) difference-and MGs parameters: serum monoclonal immunoglobulin (M-protein) level and serum immunoglobulin-free light chains (FLC kappa and lambda), total protein, serum viscosity, haemoglobin, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, creatinine and serum calcium level. Hyperviscosity-related retinopathy was also evaluated.

RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.462; p = 0.009) between the AV difference and the haemoglobin level. A significant, medium strong negative correlation was found between the AV difference and the serum levels of the monoclonal light lambda chains (r = -0.450; p = 0.011). Contrary to expectations, no statistically significant correlation was found between retinal oxygen saturation and the total protein or viscosity.

CONCLUSION: This study found correlation between retinal oxygen saturation and certain parameters in the blood of patients with MGs. Increasing levels of monoclonal immunoglobulin seem to reduce oxygen absorption in retinal arterioles, resulting in a lower AV difference, particularly in patients with a high free light chain level.

PMID:36004612 | DOI:10.1111/aos.15239

Vestn Oftalmol. 2022;138(4):74-80. doi: 10.17116/oftalma202213804174.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze remote clinical and functional outcomes of correcting high myopia in patients with thin cornea by the method of femtosecond laser-assisted implantation of intracorneal implant MyoRing.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 22 patients (22 eyes; the mean age of study patients was 30.2±5.37 years). Mean spherical equivalent (SE) of refraction was -11.52±1.96 D, cylindrical component (cyl) of refraction was -2.04±1.64 D, minimal pachymetry index in the center was 491.6±20 µm, corneal hysteresis (CH) amounted to 8.6±1.19 mm Hg. The average pupil diameter in mesopic conditions was 5.6±0.23 mm. All patients had a history of mild amblyopia. The follow-up period lasted 2 years.

RESULTS: Two years after the surgery uncorrected visual acuity was 0.6±1.22, corrected visual acuity 0.7±0.20. Mean spherical equivalent (SE) of refraction was 0.61±1.43 D, cylindrical component of refraction was -0.13±0.5 D. Predictability of SE within ±0.5 D was recorded in 84% of cases, ±1.0 – also in 84% of cases. Index of safety was 1.16, index of efficacy – 1.0. CH was 9.5±0.03 mm Hg. Mean pachymetry at the center did not change statistically significantly after the surgery in comparison to the initial data (p=1.00).

CONCLUSION: MyoRing implantation is an effective and safe method, which ensures correction of the spherical component of refraction, as well as correction of astigmatism, improvement of biomechanical properties of the cornea, and an increase in corneal hysteresis (p=0.01).

PMID:36004594 | DOI:10.17116/oftalma202213804174

Vestn Oftalmol. 2022;138(4):20-28. doi: 10.17116/oftalma202213804120.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate structural and morphological changes in the retina using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) associated with atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study analyzed OCT data of 14 patients (28 eyes) with an established diagnosis of aHUS including such indicators as central retinal thickness (CRT), thickness of the retinal nerve fiver layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), etc.

RESULTS: Patients with aHUS were noted to have an increase in CRT, paracentral acute middle maculopathy in the form of a hyperreflective defect primarily of the inner nuclear layer of paracentral localization, as well as disorganization of the RPE, which was observed statistically significantly more often compared to healthy persons (p=0.0001, p=0.001 and p=0.009 respectively). In the subgroup with thrombotic retinopathy (6 people) a statistically significant increase in CRT and peripapillary RNFL was found (p=0.004 and p=0.001) compared to patients without thrombotic retinopathy, as well as the presence of paracentral acute middle maculopathy and transudative macular retinoschisis (p=0.0001 and p=0.004). A statistically significant thinning of the peripapillary RNFL was revealed (p=0.0001) in the subgroup with symptoms of Purtscher-like retinopathy (PLR) found retrospectively (4 people) compared to patients without retrospective PLR symptoms. A statistically significant decrease in CRT was revealed (p=0.018) in the subgroup of patients receiving systemic therapy with eculizumab (5 people) compared with patients not receiving this therapy. Statistically significant correlations were recorded between the studied OCT indicators, laboratory indicators, and the level of systolic blood pressure (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: According to OCT, paracentral acute middle maculopathy is a biomarker of thrombotic retinopathy and the activity of systemic TMA associated with aHUS. Arterial hypertension is an additional aggravating factor in the development of paracentral acute middle maculopathy and transudative macular retinoschisis. Targeted therapy with eculizumab leads to an effective decrease in CRT, which is potentially associated with regression of ischemic edema. The outcome of PLR involves thinning of peripapillary RNFL.

PMID:36004587 | DOI:10.17116/oftalma202213804120

Orthod Craniofac Res. 2022 Aug 11. doi: 10.1111/ocr.12600. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explore and validate the consensus of orthodontic experts on the assessment of orthodontic treatment outcomes based on subjective and objective analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research consisted of two parts: the exploration and verification of expert consensus. First, a sample of 108 cases randomly selected from six dental schools in China were evaluated by 69 orthodontic experts and measured by researchers based on post-treatment study casts and lateral cephalograms, respectively. Then, through statistical analysis, the objective indicators significantly correlated with experts’ subjective evaluations were selected, their weights were determined, and the critical values of satisfactory, acceptable and unacceptable grades were screened. Subsequently, another sample of 72 cases were evaluated by another 36 orthodontic experts, and the subjective evaluation results were compared with the objective measurement results.

RESULTS: There were six model indicators and seven cephalometric indicators being significantly correlated with the experts’ subjective evaluations, including occlusal contact, overjet, midline, interproximal contact, alignment, occlusal relationship, L1/NB, ANB, SN/OP, U1/SN, LL-EP, Cm-Sn-UL and Ns-Prn-Pos, with a cumulative R² of 0.704. In the verification part, the correlation coefficient between the 36 experts’ subjective scores and objective regression scores was 0.716 (P < .001); the correlation coefficient between the 36 experts’ subjective grades and objective grades was 0.757 (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic experts had good consistency in the subjective evaluation of the combined records of post-treatment study casts and lateral cephalograms. The objective indicators selected from subjective and objective analysis had good reliability and validity and could further improve the existing occlusal indices.

PMID:36004578 | DOI:10.1111/ocr.12600