Tag: statistics

Mil Med. 2022 Oct 8:usac285. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac285. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: U.S. Navy service members are primarily between the ages of 18 and 30 years and often required to be outside for extended periods of time in geographical locations with increased and often unfamiliar ultraviolet indexes that collectively increase their risk for skin cancer. Skin cancer is the country’s most common form of cancer, yet there is a paucity of skin cancer prevention literature, especially within the U.S. Navy. The purpose of this study was to describe skin cancer risk and skin cancer prevention “cues-to-action” and to determine if skin cancer prevention knowledge was associated with sun-protective attitudes (e.g., prevention perceptions, benefits, threats, barriers, and sun-protective behavior self-efficacy) and sun-protective behaviors (e.g., wearing long sleeve shirts and using sunscreen and not deliberately exposing skin for a tan) in a Navy population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design was utilized, and the study approval was obtained by the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Institutional Review Board. Two-hundred twenty-nine active duty Navy service members aged 18-30 years who presented to primary care for their periodic health assessment completed the Brief Skin Cancer Risk Assessment and the Skin Cancer Survey. Descriptive statistics were utilized to assess service members’ perceptions and knowledge regarding skin cancer prevention along with sociodemographic characteristics. The Spearman rank-order correlation and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess associations. P-values <.05 were used to determine statistical significance.

RESULTS: Skin cancer prevention knowledge was significantly related to sun-protective behavior self-efficacy (r = 0.218, P = .001), benefits (r = 0.271, P ≤ .001), sun protection behaviors (r = 0.152, P = .024), skin cancer risk (r = 0.256, P = .001), current frequency of high-risk sun behavior (r = 0.183, P = .006), past frequency of high-risk sun behavior (r = 0.219, P = .001), sun exposure (U = 4,813.50, P = .005), tanning bed use (U = 3,154.50, P = .031), and training (U = 4,099.50, P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS: Integrating skin cancer education into primary care visits (i.e., periodic health assessments) may improve Navy service members’ modifiable sun-protective attitudes and behaviors and may contribute to lowering future skin cancer rates.

PMID:36208319 | DOI:10.1093/milmed/usac285

Mil Med. 2022 Oct 8:usac291. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac291. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study was a preliminary evaluation of a manualized, brief mindfulness-based intervention (MB-SI) for veterans with suicidal ideation (SI), admitted into an inpatient psychiatric unit (IPU).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized, controlled pilot study of 20 veterans aged 18-70 years with SI, admitted into a psychiatric unit, assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) or MB-SI groups. Outcome data were collected at three time points: preintervention (beginning of first session), postintervention (end of last session), and 1-month postintervention. Primary outcomes were safety and feasibility. Secondary outcome measures were SI and behavior, mindfulness state and trait, cognitive reappraisal, and emotion regulation. Additionally, psychiatric and emergency department admissions were examined. Data analysis included Generalized Linear Models, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher’s exact tests for secondary outcomes.

RESULTS: Mindfulness-based intervention for suicidal ideation was feasible to implement on an IPU, and there were no associated adverse effects. Mindfulness-based intervention for suicidal ideation participants experienced statistically significant increase in Toronto Mindfulness Scale curiosity scores 1-month postintervention compared to preintervention and greater Toronto Mindfulness Scale decentering scores 1-month postintervention compared to TAU. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Reappraisal scores significantly increased for the MB-SI group and significantly decreased for TAU over time. IPU and emergency department admissions were not statistically different between groups or over time. Both TAU and MB-SI participants experienced a significant reduction in Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale-SI scores after the intervention. MB-SI participants experienced a higher increase in Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire scores postintervention compared to TAU.

CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness-based intervention for suicidal ideation is feasible and safe to implement among veterans during an inpatient psychiatric admission with SI, as it is not associated with increased SI or adverse effects. Preliminary evidence suggests that MB-SI increases veterans’ propensity to view experiences with curiosity while disengaging from experience without emotional overreaction. Further, more rigorous research is warranted to determine efficacy of MB-SI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinicaltrials.gov registration number is NCT04099173 and dates are July 16, 2019 (initial release) and February 24, 2022 (most recent update).

PMID:36208303 | DOI:10.1093/milmed/usac291

Genome Biol Evol. 2022 Oct 8:evac142. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evac142. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Trypanosomatids belong to a remarkable group of unicellular, parasitic organisms of the order Kinetoplastida, an early diverging branch of the phylogenetic tree of eukaryotes, exhibiting intriguing biological characteristics affecting gene expression (intronless polycistronic transcription, trans-splicing, and RNA editing), metabolism, surface molecules, and organelles (compartmentalization of glycolysis, variation of the surface molecules, and unique mitochondrial DNA), cell biology and life cycle (phagocytic vacuoles evasion, and intricate patterns of cell morphogenesis). With numerous genomic-scale data of several trypanosomatids becoming available since 2005 (genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes), the scientific community can further investigate the mechanisms underlying these unusual features and address other unexplored phenomena possibly revealing biological aspects of the early evolution of eukaryotes. One fundamental aspect comprises the processes and mechanisms involved in the acquisition and loss of genes throughout the evolutionary history of these primitive microorganisms. Here, we present a comprehensive in silico analysis of pseudogenes in three major representatives of this group: Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Pseudogenes, DNA segments originating from altered genes that lost their original function, are genomic relics that can offer an essential record of the evolutionary history of functional genes, as well as clues about the dynamics and evolution of hosting genomes. Scanning these genomes with functional proteins as proxies to reveal intergenic regions with protein-coding features, relying on a customized threshold to distinguish statistically and biologically significant sequence similarities, and reassembling remnant sequences from their debris, we found thousands of pseudogenes and hundreds of open reading frames (ORFs), with particular characteristics in each trypanosomatid: mutation profile, number, content, density, codon bias, average size, single- or multi-copy gene origin, number and type of mutations, putative primitive function, and transcriptional activity. These features suggest a common process of pseudogene formation, different patterns of pseudogene evolution and extant biological functions, and/or distinct genome organization undertaken by those parasites during evolution, as well as different evolutionary and/or selective pressures acting on distinct lineages.

PMID:36208292 | DOI:10.1093/gbe/evac142

DNA Res. 2022 Oct 8:dsac033. doi: 10.1093/dnares/dsac033. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A contiguous assembly of the inbred ‘EL10’ sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) genome was constructed using PacBio long read sequencing, BioNano optical mapping, Hi-C scaffolding, and Illumina short read error correction. The EL10.1 assembly was 540 Mb, of which 96.7% was contained in nine chromosome-sized pseudomolecules with lengths from 52 to 65 Mb, and 31 contigs with a median size of 282 kb that remained unassembled. Gene annotation incorporating RNAseq data and curated sequences via the MAKER annotation pipeline generated 24,255 gene models. Results indicated that the EL10.1 genome assembly is a contiguous genome assembly highly congruent with the published sugar beet reference genome. Gross duplicate gene analyses of EL10.1 revealed little large-scale intra-genome duplication. Reduced gene copy number for well-annotated gene families relative to other core eudicots was observed, especially for transcription factors. Variation in genome size in B. vulgaris was investigated by flow cytometry among 50 individuals producing estimates from 633 to 875 Mb/1C. Read depth mapping with short-read whole genome sequences from other sugar beet germplasm suggested that relatively few regions of the sugar beet genome appeared associated with high-copy number variation.

PMID:36208288 | DOI:10.1093/dnares/dsac033

Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi. 2022 Oct;30(5):1567-1571. doi: 10.19746/j.cnki.issn.1009-2137.2022.05.041.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of plasma exchange in the treatment of patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and to analyze the factors influencing the efficacy of plasma exchange in the treatment of ITP.

METHODS: The medical records of 39 ITP patients who were treated effectively by plasma exchange in Huai’an First People’s Hospital from January 2013 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were set as the effective group. In addition, the medical records of 39 ITP patients who were treated ineffective by plasma exchange during the same period in our hospital were collected, and they were set as the ineffective group. The general data such as sex and age of patients and laboratory indicators on admission were collected and recorded. The possible influencing factors were included, and Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influencing factors of efficacy of plasma exchange in the treatment of ITP.

RESULTS: The serum levels of IL-6, IL-18 and B lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) on admission in the ineffective group were significantly higher than those in the effective group, and the proportions of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and splenomegaly were significantly higher than those in the effective group (P<0.05). There was no statistical significantly difference in sex, age and other data between the two groups (P>0.05). After single factor analysis, multiple regression model was established, which showed that splenomegaly, HP infection and the over expression of serum IL-6, IL-18 and BAFF on admission might be the influencing factors of ineffective treatment of ITP by plasma exchange (OR>1, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The over expression of serum IL-6, IL-18, BAFF, splenomegaly and HP infection on admission may be the influencing factors resulting in the ineffective treatment of plasma exchange in ITP.

PMID:36208267 | DOI:10.19746/j.cnki.issn.1009-2137.2022.05.041

Lasers Surg Med. 2022 Oct 8. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23611. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The skin aging exposome encompasses internal and external factors that contribute to clinical signs of facial aging. Aging skin can be characterized by distinctive features such as wrinkles, lentigines, elastosis, and roughness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is capable of noninvasively measuring skin characteristics. This study aimed to assess bilateral features using OCT to explore temporal skin changes among decades and potential changes in facial skin aging based on laterality.

METHODS: A total of 97 subjects between 20 and 89 years old with Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV were enrolled. VivoSight, a Multi-Beam OCT system intended to gather topographical and histological images of skin, was used to scan the area inferolateral to the lateral canthus, bilaterally. Investigators compared characteristics of skin roughness, attenuation coefficient and blood flow across age groups and based on laterality to determine any differences.

RESULTS: Only data from successful OCT scans were used. Seventy subjects, 10 from each specified decade, had successful bilateral scans and were thus included in the analysis. Chronological aging was characterized by significantly decreased dermal attenuation coefficient with increased age. Skin roughness measurements showed trends of increased roughness with age; however, no statistically significant changes were seen between groups. Qualitative differences amongst scans taken on right and left sides of the face showed no significance regarding roughness, density or blood flow at depths ranging from 0.05 to 0.5 mm.

CONCLUSIONS: OCT is an effective method for evaluating changes in aging skin. Our results illustrate a decline in skin density with chronological age. Additionally, it was illustrated that structural change in the epidermis and dermis does occur, however on a microscopic scale, there are no significant differences based on laterality. OCT holds promise as a noninvasive technique for characterization of aging skin. Its utility and application in the clinical management and treatment of aged skin requires further research; however, the technology has potential to personalize therapies based on objective findings.

PMID:36208115 | DOI:10.1002/lsm.23611

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2022 Oct 8. doi: 10.1002/jmri.28456. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that treatment of multiple brain metastases (BMs) with stereotactic radiosurgery shows improvement when metastases are detected early, providing a case for BM detection capabilities on small lesions.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate automatic detection of BM on three MRI datasets using a deep learning-based approach. To improve the performance of the network is iteratively co-trained with datasets from different domains. A systematic approach is proposed to prevent catastrophic forgetting during co-training.

STUDY TYPE: Retrospective.

POPULATION: A total of 156 patients (105 ground truth and 51 pseudo labels) with 1502 BM (BrainMetShare); 121 patients with 722 BM (local); 400 patients with 447 primary gliomas (BrATS). Training/pseudo labels/validation data were distributed 84/51/21 (BrainMetShare). Training/validation data were split: 121/23 (local) and 375/25 (BrATS).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 5 T and 3 T/T1 spin-echo postcontrast (T1-gradient echo) (BrainMetShare), 3 T/T1 magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo postcontrast (T1-MPRAGE) (local), 0.5 T, 1 T, and 1.16 T/T1-weighted-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T1-FLAIR) (BrATS).

ASSESSMENT: The ground truth was manually segmented by two (BrainMetShare) and four (BrATS) radiologists and manually annotated by one (local) radiologist. Confidence and volume based domain adaptation (CAVEAT) method of co-training the three datasets on a 3D nonlocal convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture was implemented to detect BM.

STATISTICAL TESTS: The performance was evaluated using sensitivity and false positive rates per patient (FP/patient) and free receiver operating characteristic (FROC) analysis at seven predefined (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, and 8) FPs per scan.

RESULTS: The sensitivity and FP/patient from a held-out set registered 0.811 at 2.952 FP/patient (BrainMetShare), 0.74 at 3.130 (local), and 0.723 at 2.240 (BrATS) using the CAVEAT approach with lesions as small as 1 mm being detected.

DATA CONCLUSION: Improved sensitivities at lower FP can be achieved by co-training datasets via the CAVEAT paradigm to address the problem of data sparsity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

PMID:36208095 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.28456

Addiction. 2022 Oct 8. doi: 10.1111/add.16063. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To compare biomarkers of potential harm between people switching from smoking combustible cigarettes (CC) completely to electronic cigarettes (EC); continuing to smoke CC; using both EC and CC (dual users); and using neither (abstainers), based on behaviour during EC intervention studies.

DESIGN: Secondary analysis following systematic review, incorporating inverse variance random effects meta-analysis and effect direction plots.

SETTING: Greece, Italy, Poland, UK, and USA PARTICIPANTS: 1,299 adults smoking CC (9 studies) and provided EC MEASUREMENTS: Carbon monoxide (CO) and 26 other biomarkers FINDINGS: In pooled analyses, exhaled CO (eCO) was lower in EC versus EC+CC (mean difference (MD) -4.40ppm, 95% confidence interval [CI] -12.04-3.24, 2 studies) and CC (MD -9.57ppm, 95% CI -17.30 to -1.83, 3 studies). eCO was lower in dual users versus CC only (MD -1.91ppm, 95% CI -3.38 to -0.45, 2 studies). Magnitude rather than direction of effect drove substantial statistical heterogeneity. Effect-direction plots were used for other biomarkers. Comparing EC with CC, 12 of 13 biomarkers were significantly lower in EC users, with no difference for the 13^th . Comparing EC with dual users, 12 of the 25 biomarkers were lower for EC , and five were lower for dual use. For the remaining eight measures, single studies did not detect statistically significant differences, or the multiple studies contributing to the outcome had inconsistent results. Only one study provided data comparing dual use with CC; of the 13 biomarkers measured, 12 were significantly lower in the dual use group, with no statistically significant difference detected for the 13th. Only one study provided data on abstainers.

CONCLUSIONS: Switching from smoking to vaping or dual use appears to reduce levels of biomarkers of potential harm significantly.

PMID:36208090 | DOI:10.1111/add.16063

Int J Older People Nurs. 2022 Oct 8:e12505. doi: 10.1111/opn.12505. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) is increasingly being used to assess residential aged care workers’ knowledge and attitudes about palliative care for people with dementia. The qPAD developers performed an exploratory factor analysis and assessed the internal consistency using a small sample.

AIM: The aim of this study was to further assess the structural validity of the qPAD using a large sample of qPAD responses from staff who work in residential aged care homes in Australia.

METHODS: Data from 727 care staff who participated in an Australian dementia palliative care training project were used for exploratory factor analyses, assessment of internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis of the knowledge test and attitude scale components of the qPAD.

RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis of the knowledge test produced a four-factor solution. One item loaded weakly, and four items had cross-loadings. Factor labels for the knowledge test were difficult to define. Factor analysis of the attitude scale produced a three-factor structure with good internal consistency-Feeling valued and part of the care team (α = 0.88), Family and team engagement (α = 0.75) and Perceptions and beliefs (α = 0.83). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated improvements in model fit were needed for both the knowledge test and attitude scale.

CONCLUSION: The findings of this factor analysis differed from the original study. The attitude scale produced a three-factor structure, but the knowledge test requires further development due to weak and cross-loadings of several items, inadequate internal consistency of factors and poor model fit.

PMID:36208093 | DOI:10.1111/opn.12505

J Diabetes Investig. 2022 Oct 8. doi: 10.1111/jdi.13924. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Hypertriglyceridemia is common in patients with diabetes. Although the fatty acid (FA) composition of triglycerides (TGs) is suggested to be related to the pathology of diabetes and its complications, changes in the fatty acid composition caused by diabetes treatment remain unclear. This study aimed to identify short-term changes in the fatty acid composition of plasma triglycerides after diabetes treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a sub-analysis of a prospective observational study of patients with type 2 diabetes aged between 20 and 75 years who were hospitalized to improve glycemic control (n = 31). A lipidomic analysis of plasma samples on the 2nd and 16th hospital days was conducted by supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: In total, 104 types of triglycerides with different compositions were identified. Most of them tended to decrease after treatment. In particular, triglycerides with a lower carbon number and fewer double bonds showed a relatively larger reduction. The inclusion of FA 14:0 (myristic acid), as a constituent of triglyceride, was significantly associated with a more than 50%, and statistically significant, reduction (odds ratio 39.0; P < 0.001). The total amount of FA 14:0 as a constituent of triglycerides also decreased significantly, and its rate of decrease was the greatest of all the fatty acid constituents.

CONCLUSIONS: A 2 week comprehensive risk management for diabetes resulted in decreased levels of plasma triglycerides and a change in the fatty acid composition of triglycerides, characterized by a relatively large reduction in FA 14:0 as a constituent of triglycerides.

PMID:36208067 | DOI:10.1111/jdi.13924