Tag: statistics

Cancer Biomark. 2022 Sep 2. doi: 10.3233/CBM-220002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Bladder Cancer (BCa) is the tenth most incidental malignancy worldwide. BCa is mostly attributed to environmental exposure and lifestyle, particularly tobacco smoking. The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Repressor (AhRR) participates in the induction of many enzymes involved in metabolizing carcinogens, including tobacco smoke components. Additionally, studies have shown that smoking demethylates the (AhRR) gene in blood, suggesting AhRR demethylation as a specific serum smoking biomarker.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate AhRR demethylation as a smoking biomarker in the target tissue and investigate its contribution to bladder carcinogenesis.

METHODS: AhRR percent methylation was tested for its association with patient smoking status and oncogenic outcome indicators, particularly p53, RB1, and FGFR3 activating mutations, muscle-invasiveness, and tumor grade, in 180 BCa tissue-based DNA.

RESULTS: Results showed significantly higher AhRR percent methylation in muscle-invasive compared to non-muscle invasive tumors (42.86% vs. 33.98%; p= 0.011), while lower AhRR methylation was significantly associated with FGFR3 Codon 248 mutant genotype compared to wild-type (28.11% ± 9.44 vs. 37.87% ± 22.53; p= 0.036). All other tested associations were non-statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Although AhRR methylation did not predict smoking status in BCa tumors, it seems to play a role in carcinogenesis and disease progression. Our findings make a basis for further research.

PMID:36093686 | DOI:10.3233/CBM-220002

J Sports Sci. 2022 Sep 11:1-16. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2117474. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Injury assessment during sporting collisions requires estimation of the associated kinematics. While marker-based solutions are widely accepted as providing accurate and reliable measurements, setup times are lengthy and it is not always possible to outfit athletes with restrictive equipment in sporting situations. A new generation of markerless motion capture based on deep learning techniques holds promise for enabling measurement of movement in the wild. The aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of a popular deep learning model “out of the box” for human pose estimation, on a dataset of ten staged rugby tackle movements performed in a marker-based motion capture laboratory with a system of three high-speed video cameras. An analysis of the discrepancy between joint positions estimated by the marker-based and markerless systems shows that the deep learning approach performs acceptably well in most instances, although high errors exist during challenging intervals of heavy occlusion and self-occlusion. In total, 75.6% of joint position estimates are found to have a mean absolute error (MAE) of less than or equal to 25 $mm$, 17.8% with MAE between 25 and 50 $mm$ and 6.7% with MAE greater than 50 $mm$. The mean per joint position error is 47 $mm$.

PMID:36093680 | DOI:10.1080/02640414.2022.2117474

Work. 2022 Sep 8. doi: 10.3233/WOR-211088. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Studies in noise-exposed animals have shown changes in vestibular structures. Likewise, studies in humans have been suggesting that noise can damage the vestibular system, even with normal assessment results.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the vestibular system of workers exposed to noise and to compare with individuals not exposed.

METHODS: Twenty normal-hearing male adults were divided in the study group (SG), exposed to occupational noise, and control group (CG). We conducted the following procedures: medical history, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Dix-Hallpike maneuver, and electronystagmography (eye and caloric tests).

RESULTS: The DHI score did not differ between groups. The Dix-Hallpike maneuver was normal for both groups. All individuals had normal responses in the eye tests. 50% of the SG had hyperreflexia in the caloric tests, with a significant difference between the groups. There was a trend towards a statistical significance in the absolute values of angular speed of the slow component in the cold-air test, which were higher in the SG. There was a significant difference between the groups in the relative values of labyrinthine preponderance, which were higher in the SG.

CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that 70% of the workers exposed to occupational noise had vestibular alterations identified with electronystagmography, whereas 100% of the individuals in the CG had normal results in the vestibular assessment. Moreover, only 20% of the sample in both groups had vestibular complaints, indicating the presence of subclinical vestibular changes in 50% of the individuals exposed to occupational noise.

PMID:36093670 | DOI:10.3233/WOR-211088

Work. 2022 Sep 8. doi: 10.3233/WOR-205197. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, if it is considered that educated manpower is the most valuable resource of countries, it can be thought that various policies should be developed both at the macro- and micro-levels to minimize the loss of healthcare employees.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the effects of the corporate policies for COVID-19 on the work stress and anxiety of healthcare employees.

METHOD: The sample of the study consists of 136 of 265 healthcare employees in Sakarya Provincial Health Directorate Emergency Health Services in Turkey. The average age of the participants was 34.43 years old; the average duration of professional experience was 12.12 years. Approximately 61% of the participants are male and 51% have a bachelor’s degree or higher level. A questionnaire form was used in the study as the data collection tool consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, institutional policies on COVID-19, work stress, and the Status Anxiety Scale. Process Macro Model 4, descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used for the data analysis.

RESULTS: According to the results of the study, the corporate policies for COVID-19 perception of participants was above average (3.30±0.82) while work stress (2.99±0.88) and anxiety (2.65±0.56) were below average. The corporate policies for COVID-19 perception of participants reduced their work stress (β= – 0.430) and anxiety (β= – 0.361). Additionally, anxiety played a mediating role in the effect of the corporate policies for COVID-19 perception on work stress, and it further raised the impact of corporate policies for COVID-19 perception on the work stress reduction (β= – 0.169).

CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, health managers should determine and control the anxiety and stress levels of the health employees on their staff and take a number of steps to reduce their anxiety and stress.

PMID:36093654 | DOI:10.3233/WOR-205197

Technol Health Care. 2022 Sep 2. doi: 10.3233/THC-220230. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The failure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signal suppression in postmortem fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) of the brain is a problem.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was to clarify the relationship between the temperature of deceased persons and CSF T1, and to optimize the postmortem brain FLAIR imaging method using synthetic MRI.

METHODS: Forehead temperature was measured in 15 deceased persons. Next, synthetic MRI of the brain was performed, the CSF T1 was measured, and the optimal TI was calculated. Two types of FLAIR images were obtained with the clinical and optimal TI. The relationship between forehead temperature and the CSF T1 and optimal TI was evaluated. The optimized FLAIR images were physically and visually evaluated.

RESULTS: The CSF T1 and optimal TI were strongly correlated with forehead temperature. Comparing the average SNR and CNR ratios and visual evaluation scores of the two FLAIR images, those captured with the optimal TI showed statistically lower SNR, higher CNR, and higher visual evaluation scores (p< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Synthetic MRI enables the quantification of the CSF T1 resulting from postmortem temperature decreases and calculation of the optimal TI, which could aid in improving the failure of CSF signal suppression and in optimizing postmortem brain FLAIR imaging.

PMID:36093648 | DOI:10.3233/THC-220230

Food Funct. 2022 Sep 12. doi: 10.1039/d2fo01379g. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: The association between the ratio of fiber to carbohydrate (F : C-R) and cancer mortality is not currently well-known. We prospectively evaluated for the first time the aforementioned topic among ovarian cancer (OC) patients. Methods: A total of 703 newly diagnosed OC patients aged 18-79 years were included. Pre-diagnosis diet intake details were collected with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Deaths were ascertained until March 31, 2021, based on medical records and the cancer registry. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between pre-diagnostic fiber, carbohydrate, and F : C-R intake and OC mortality. Restricted cubic splines were used to analyze the potential nonlinear relationship between F : C-R and OC mortality. Results: During the follow-up period (median: 37.2 months; interquartile: 24.7-50.2 months), we observed 130 (18.49%) OC patients died. The pre-diagnosis higher fiber intake (comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of intake: HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.35-0.92; HR per 1 SD increment: 0.78, 95% CI = 0.64-0.96; P trend < 0.05) and higher F : C-R intake (comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of intake: HR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.31-0.85; HR per 1-SD increment: 0.73; 95% CI = 0.59-0.91; P trend < 0.05) were significantly associated with lower mortality for OC patients, but no evidence of the association between pre-diagnosis carbohydrate intake and OC mortality was observed. We found no evidence of a nonlinear relationship between F : C-R and OC mortality. Significant inverse associations were also observed for subgroup analyses stratified by age at diagnosis, menopausal status, residual lesions, histological type, FIGO stage, and body mass index, although not all associations showed statistical significance. Conclusion: Pre-diagnosis high fiber intake and high F : C-R diet intake were associated with a decreased risk of OC mortality.

PMID:36093635 | DOI:10.1039/d2fo01379g

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022 Sep 11:e2203460. doi: 10.1002/advs.202203460. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Respiration signals reflect many underlying health conditions, including cardiopulmonary functions, autonomic disorders and respiratory distress, therefore continuous measurement of respiration is needed in various cases. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of effective portable electronic devices that meet the demands for medical and daily respiration monitoring. This work showcases a soft, wireless, and non-invasive device for quantitative and real-time evaluation of human respiration. This device simultaneously captures respiration and temperature signatures using customized capacitive and resistive sensors, encapsulated by a breathable layer, and does not limit the user’s daily life. Further a machine learning-based respiration classification algorithm with a set of carefully studied features as inputs is proposed and it is deployed into mobile clients. The body status of users, such as being quiet, active and coughing, can be accurately recognized by the algorithm and displayed on clients. Moreover, multiple devices can be linked to a server network to monitor a group of users and provide each user with the statistical duration of physiological activities, coughing alerts, and body health advice. With these devices, individual and group respiratory health status can be quantitatively collected, analyzed, and stored for daily physiological signal detections as well as medical assistance.

PMID:36089657 | DOI:10.1002/advs.202203460

Eur J Nutr. 2022 Sep 11. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02984-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between the intake of specific fibers with prebiotic activity, namely inulin-type fructans (ITFs), fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and galactooligosaccharides (GOSs), and colorectal cancer risk.

METHODS: Within the PrebiotiCa study, we used data from a multicentric case-control study conducted in Italy and including 1953 incident, histologically confirmed, colorectal cancer patients and 4154 hospital controls. The amount of six prebiotic molecules [ITFs, nystose (FOS), kestose (FOS), 1F-β-fructofuranosylnystose (FOS), raffinose (GOS) and stachyose (GOS)] in a variety of foods was quantified via laboratory analyses. Subjects’ prebiotic fiber intake was estimated by multiplying food frequency questionnaire intake by the prebiotic content of each food item. The odds ratios (OR) of colorectal cancer for quintiles of intakes were derived from logistic regression models including terms for major confounders and total energy intake.

RESULTS: GOSs intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk. The OR for the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake were 0.73 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.58-0.92) for raffinose and 0.64 (95% CI 0.53-0.77) for stachyose, with significant inverse trends across quintiles. No association was found with total ITFs and FOSs. The association with stachyose was stronger for colon (continuous OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.66-0.83) than rectal cancer (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-1.02).

CONCLUSION: Colorectal cancer risk was inversely associated with the intake of dietary GOSs, but not ITFs and FOSs.

PMID:36089645 | DOI:10.1007/s00394-022-02984-y

Target Oncol. 2022 Sep 11. doi: 10.1007/s11523-022-00909-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusions are present across various tumor types with an estimated overall prevalence of less than 1%. Tropomyosin receptor kinase inhibitors (TRKis) block the constitutively activated tyrosine receptor kinase (TRK) fusion protein produced in cancers with NTRK gene fusions (NTRK+) from downstream signaling. Many treatment guidelines now include TRKis as first-line (1L) or subsequent treatment options for TRK fusion cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess treatment patterns subsequent to a finding of NTRK+ status among patients with TRK fusion cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a one-time, retrospective, multi-site patient chart abstraction by oncology practices in the USA from June to September 2020. US medical oncologists from the Oncology Provider Extended Network (OPEN) who had treated patients with NTRK+ advanced/metastatic solid tumors abstracted information into electronic case report forms (eCRFs) for adult patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors and a NTRK+ tumor test result with a known fusion partner. Data abstracted into eCRFs by oncologists included demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics of patients with advanced/metastatic TRK fusion solid tumors. Responses were summarized using descriptive statistics. Median treatment durations across the lines of therapy were estimated by Kaplan-Meier time to discontinuation.

RESULTS: A total of 19 medical oncologists abstracted data from 110 patient charts. Median patient age at advanced/metastatic diagnosis was 62 years. The majority of patients were male (58.2%) and White (79.1%). Solid tumor types reported in at least 10% of the study cohort were lung (24.5%), cholangiocarcinoma (13.6%), pancreatic (10.9%), and colorectal (10.0%). Results for patients with hepatobiliary cancers (i.e., cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma) and colorectal cancer, and appendiceal cancer are also included. Median duration of 1L TRKi therapy was 16.8 months across all solid tumor types, whereas median duration of 1L was 5.6 months among patients receiving non-TRKi therapies (p = 0.017). Among the solid tumor types represented by at least 10% of the study population, median duration of 1L TRKi therapy was only reached in patients with pancreatic cancer (3.3 months). Median duration of TRKi in the second-line (2L) setting was 7.9 months overall, relative to 5.3 months among patients receiving non-TRKi therapies (p = 0.003). Across lung, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers, the median durations of 2L TRKi therapy were 14.1, 6.0, 6.1, and 4.1 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with advanced/metastatic TRK fusion solid tumors, medical oncologists reported that approximately two-thirds initiated a TRKi during the study period. Treatment with a TRKi was longer in duration compared to non-TRKi treatment in 1L and 2L therapy. Additional research is needed to gain insight into the association between early TRKi therapy initiation and clinical outcomes in the real-world setting.

PMID:36089643 | DOI:10.1007/s11523-022-00909-7

BMC Med Educ. 2022 Sep 12;22(1):672. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03732-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Differences exist among doctors in examination performance, clinical and academic career progression, and prevalence of performance assessment by professional regulatory bodies. Some of these differences have been reported in relation to individual characteristics. The purpose of this study is to establish whether any specific individual characteristics are associated with performance in selection for entry into specialty training in Intensive Care in the United Kingdom.

METHODS: We evaluated data of 509 candidates from the national recruitment rounds of 2018/19 and 2019/20. The outcome evaluated was “success at interview”. Variables reaching statistical significance at univariate logistic regression analysis were fed in the multivariable analysis to identify independent predictors of success, with additional exploratory analyses performed, where indicated.

RESULTS: The candidates’ median age was 31.5 (interquartile range, IQR 30-33.7) years, 324 (63.7%) were male, 256 (50.3%) not married/in civil partnership, 6 (1.2%) pregnant. The majority (316, 62.1%) were White British, 99 (19.5%) of Asian background, other ethnicities represented less than 20% of the sample. Of the 509 candidates, 155 (30.5%) were Atheist, 140 (27.5%) Christian; most were heterosexual (440, 86.4%); 432 (84.9%) reported no disability, while 4 (0.8%) had a minor and 1 (0.2%) had a major disability; 432 (84.9%) candidates held a UK medical degree; 77 (15.1%) a non-UK degree. At univariate logistic regression analysis (LRA) multiple factors were found to be associated with a lower likelihood of success, the strongest being an international medical graduate (IMG, holding a non-UK medical degree); others were increasing age, male gender, being married, Asian or mixed ethnicity, specific religious beliefs (Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism). After feeding all factors significant at univariate analysis, the only two retained as independent predictors at multivariable regression were Asian ethnicity and holding a non-UK degree. Asian UK graduates success rate was 92.7%, comparable to the national average of 92.3%, the Asian IMGs success rate was significantly lower, at 45.5%.

CONCLUSIONS: As the imbalances seen within the candidates of Asian background are explained by considering the country of primary medical training, the variations in performance is likely to reflect differences in training systems and understanding of the UK NHS.

PMID:36089594 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-022-03732-w