Tag: statistics

Oral Radiol. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s11282-022-00661-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of maxillary molar dimensions as predictors of the presence of the second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal.

METHODS: Micro-computed tomography scans were obtained from 47 maxillary molars, out of which 26 had the MB2 canal. The distance between root canals, extension of the canals, and thickness of surrounding dentin were obtained from axial images at the furcation level, 3 mm from the apex, and 5 mm from the apex. The association between the measurements and the presence of the MB2 canal was assessed using multiple logistic regression and odds ratio.

RESULTS: At the furcation level, the bucco-palatal extension of the MB1 canal significantly decreased the chance of the presence of the MB2 canal. Regarding the thickness of surrounding dentin measurements, the mesial and distal aspects of the MB1 canal at 3 mm from the apex were statistically significant to decrease and increase the chance of presence of the MB2 canal, respectively. Regarding the extension of the canals, only buccal-palatal extension seems to decrease the chance of the presence of the MB2 canal.

CONCLUSION: The presence of the MB2 canal in the mesiobuccal root of maxillary molars is associated with the bucco-palatal extension and surrounding dentin thickness of the first mesiobuccal canal, and seems to be unrelated to the dimensions of the distobuccal and palatal roots.

PMID:36266556 | DOI:10.1007/s11282-022-00661-8

J Immigr Minor Health. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s10903-022-01418-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Community outreach and engagement has been a regular activity of the National Cancer Institute at its designated Cancer Centers. However, in 2016, community outreach and engagement became a required activity for all cancer centers. Yet there is a gap in the literature that provides guidelines for developing materials that resonate with communities. We developed the PEARL rubric to fulfill that gap from our work developing culturally sensitive breast cancer education materials for African American and Immigrant African women. We conducted a targeted literature review to understand the approaches that have been used for developing education materials for communities. We reviewed the literature and distilled key elements into our PEARL guide for creating culturally appropriate education materials. PEARL consists of five elements: Plain language and understandability, Explicit data, statistics, and graphs, Affirmative framing, Representative content, and Local connection. PEARL is a modern comprehensive guide that researchers can use for creating culturally sensitive materials. It is designed to guide researchers develop educational materials who have little to no experience in community engagement.

PMID:36266493 | DOI:10.1007/s10903-022-01418-5

Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 20;12(1):17561. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-22431-6.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this work was to review and synthesise the evidence on the comparative effectiveness of neutralising monoclonal antibody (nMAB) therapies in individuals exposed to or infected with SARS-CoV-2 and at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. Outcomes of interest were mortality, healthcare utilisation, and safety. A rapid systematic review was undertaken to identify and synthesise relevant RCT evidence using a Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. Relative treatment effects for individual nMABs (compared with placebo and one another) were estimated. Pooled effects for the nMAB class compared with placebo were estimated. Relative effects were combined with baseline natural history models to predict the expected risk reductions per 1000 patients treated. Eight articles investigating four nMABs (bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab/etesevimab, casirivimab/imdevimab, sotrovimab) were identified. All four therapies were associated with a statistically significant reduction in hospitalisation (70-80% reduction in relative risk; absolute reduction of 35-40 hospitalisations per 1000 patients). For mortality, ICU admission, and invasive ventilation, the risk was lower for all nMABs compared with placebo with moderate to high uncertainty due to small event numbers. Rates of serious AEs and infusion reactions were comparable between nMABs and placebo. Pairwise comparisons between nMABs were typically uncertain, with broadly comparable efficacy. In conclusion, nMABs are effective at reducing hospitalisation among infected individuals at high-risk of severe COVID-19, and are likely to reduce mortality, ICU admission, and invasive ventilation rates; the effect on these latter outcomes is more uncertain. Widespread vaccination and the emergence of nMAB-resistant variants make the generalisability of these results to current patient populations difficult.

PMID:36266486 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-22431-6

Surg Endosc. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s00464-022-09707-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Degree of resident participation in a case is often used as a surrogate marker for operative autonomy, an essential element of surgical resident training. Previous studies have demonstrated a considerable disagreement between the perceptions of attending surgeons and trainees when it comes to estimating operative participation. The Da Vinci Surgical System dual console interface allows machine generated measurements of trainee’s active participation, which has the potential to obviate the need for labor intensive direct observation of surgical procedures. However, the robotic metrics require validation. We present a comparison of operative participation as perceived by the resident, faculty, trained research staff observer (gold standard), and robotic machine generated data.

METHODS: A total of 28 consecutive robotic inguinal hernia repair procedures were observed by research staff. Operative time, percent active time for the resident, and number of handoffs between the resident and attending were recorded by trained research staff in the operating room and the Da Vinci Surgical System. Attending and resident evaluations of operative performance and perceptions of percent active time for the resident were collected using standardized forms and compared with the research staff observed values and the robot-generated console data. Wilcoxon two-sample tests and Pearson Correlation coefficients statistical analysis were performed.

RESULTS: Robotic inguinal hernia repair cases had a mean operative time of 91.3 (30) minutes and an attending-rated mean difficulty of 3.1 (1.26) out of 5. Residents were recorded to be the active surgeon 71.8% (17.7) of the total case time by research staff. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.77) in number of handoffs between faculty and trainee as recorded by the research staff and robot (4.28 (2.01) vs. 5.8 (3.04) respectively). The robotic machine generated data demonstrated the highest degree of association when compared to the gold standard (research staff observed data), with r = 0.98, p < 0.0001. Lower levels of association were seen with resident reported (r = 0.66) perceptions and faculty-reported (r = 0.55) perceptions of resident active operative time.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that robot-generated performance metrics are an extremely accurate and reliable measure of intraoperative resident participation indicated by a very strong correlation with the data recorded by research staff’s direct observation of the case. Residents demonstrated a more accurate awareness of their degree of participation compared with faculty surgeons. With high accuracy and ease of use, robotic surgical system performance metrics have the potential to be a valuable tool in surgical training and skill assessment.

PMID:36266482 | DOI:10.1007/s00464-022-09707-8

Surg Endosc. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s00464-022-09697-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: While it is widely accepted that laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal herniorrhaphy has decreased post-operative pain, there are conflicting data as to whether instillation of local anesthetic into the preperitoneal space improves post-operative pain in these patients. We designed a prospective study to evaluate this. Secondary outcomes include time spent in the PACU, need for narcotic pain medication, and total amount of narcotics required postoperatively.

METHODS: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study which enrolled 70 patients with unilateral non-recurrent inguinal hernia from 09/2013 to 03/2019 and included immediate and 2-week post-operative follow-up. All patients received unilateral laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair with control patients receiving 10 ml of 0.9% saline instilled into preperitoneal space while treatment group received 10-ml 0.5% bupivacaine without epinephrine.

RESULTS: A total of 70 patients [67 (96%) men and 3 women; mean age (SD), 57 years (13.8)] were enrolled, 35 randomized into each group. Demographics between the two groups were similar. No differences were found in post-operative pain between the control and test groups at 1 h [mean (SD) of 3.15(2.5) vs 3.21(2.9); P = 0.92], 2 h [3.39 (1.55) vs 2.74 (1.85) P = 0.18], or 1 day [4.79 (2.19) vs 4.39 (2.37); P = 0.13] postoperatively. Likewise, no significant differences were observed in usage of narcotic pain medication postoperatively, as 17 control patients (50%) and 16 (46%) study patients required narcotics within 2 h of surgery (P = 0.72).

CONCLUSION: Instilling local anesthetic into the preperitoneal space during laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair did not result in statistically significant difference in post-operative pain (Rade et al. in NESS Annual Meeting, 2021). Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02055053.

PMID:36266481 | DOI:10.1007/s00464-022-09697-7

Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s00068-022-02141-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: In the last decades, total elbow arthroplasty, elbow osteosynthesis and revision surgery have been more popularized. The study aimed to assess the course of the anconeus branch of the radial nerve in relation to two variations of the lateral para-olecranon approach, considering iatrogenic nerve injuries.

METHODS: The study consisted of 120 upper extremities from 60 Thiel-embalmed human specimens. Two randomized versions of the lateral para-olecranon approach (centrally orientated: P1 and laterally orientated: P2) were performed. The olecranon and the intersection points to the anconeus branch of the radial nerve were determined as anatomical landmarks. The measurements were assessed by two independent observers. Differences were analyzed using the Student’s t test; associations were computed with the Pearson correlation (r). An alpha of 0.05 (p) and a confidence interval of 95% were set.

RESULTS: The intersection points averaged 12.3 cm (SD 1.8, range 8.2-16.8) for P1 versus 5.5 cm (SD 1.4, range 3.0-9.2) for P2 (p ≤ 0.001). Statistically significantly higher values for male and longer humeral specimens were revealed (all values: p < 0.05). Comparison of left and right sides yielded no difference. Excellent inter-rater agreements were found (ICC = 0.902, range 0.860-0.921). A correlation was evaluated between the humeral length and the distances in both approaches (P1: r = 0.550, p < 0.001, P2: r = 0.669, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The data presented here allow preservation of the anconeus branch. The P1 forms a potential advantage by owing a broader safe zone. Using the centrally orientated approach seems to provide adequate nerve protection during surgery for one of the motor branches for extension of the elbow joint and might result in improved postoperative benefits.

PMID:36266477 | DOI:10.1007/s00068-022-02141-4

Nat Ecol Evol. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1038/s41559-022-01902-z. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:36266457 | DOI:10.1038/s41559-022-01902-z

Nat Hum Behav. 2022 Oct 20. doi: 10.1038/s41562-022-01458-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Following theories of emotional embodiment, the facial feedback hypothesis suggests that individuals’ subjective experiences of emotion are influenced by their facial expressions. However, evidence for this hypothesis has been mixed. We thus formed a global adversarial collaboration and carried out a preregistered, multicentre study designed to specify and test the conditions that should most reliably produce facial feedback effects. Data from n = 3,878 participants spanning 19 countries indicated that a facial mimicry and voluntary facial action task could both amplify and initiate feelings of happiness. However, evidence of facial feedback effects was less conclusive when facial feedback was manipulated unobtrusively via a pen-in-mouth task.

PMID:36266452 | DOI:10.1038/s41562-022-01458-9

Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 20;12(1):17603. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-20828-x.

ABSTRACT

Depression is associated with impaired quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients and kidney transplantation (KT) recipients. Depression incidence after KT is unclear. We compared depression incidence among KT recipients, ESKD patients, and healthy controls (HCs). We analyzed a nationwide health insurance database in South Korea and identified patients who underwent KT during 2007-2015. Participants were matched for age, sex, and inclusion year. KT and ESKD patients were further matched for hypertension and diabetes mellitus history. The incidence rate (IR, per 1000 patients-years) of depression was compared among KT, ESKD, and HC groups. We analyzed 5,234 patients per group. Depression incidence was markedly lower in KT than ESKD patients (IR, 18.87 vs. 58.03; hazard ratio [HR], 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30‒0.36), but only slightly higher in KT recipients than in HCs (IR, 18.87 vs. 17.49; HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.96‒1.22). After adjusting for comorbidities, the depression risk was lower in KT recipients than in HCs (adjusted HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.44‒0.62; p < 0.001), whereas it remained higher in ESKD patients than in HCs (adjusted HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.36‒1.87; p < 0.001). Among KT recipients, older age, female sex, lower economic status, and more comorbidities were associated with increased depression risk. Incident depression after KT increased mortality, graft failure, and death-censored graft failure risks in KT recipients. Our data suggest a broader role of KT than previously appreciated in terms of improving quality of life by reducing depression risk.

PMID:36266441 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-20828-x

Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 20;12(1):17509. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-22374-y.

ABSTRACT

China’s construction industry has assumed an important role in China’s urbanization process, improving China’s urban landscape and the level of national production and living facilities, but the productivity of the construction industry in some regions of China is still at a relatively low level. Taking the construction industry in Guangxi province in southwest China as an example, this paper analyzes the relevant indexes affecting the total factor productivity level of the regional construction industry and composes the statistical relationships among the indexes using dynamic measurement methods, and obtains that: (1) The number of employees, enterprises, labor productivity and construction profit have positive influence on the total factor productivity of Guangxi construction industry, but the improvement of regional construction gross product does not drive the improvement of technical equipment rate; (2) There is a dynamic equilibrium relationship between input and output indicators of total factor productivity of Guangxi construction industry, and the positive driving effect of output indicators on input indicators is not obvious; the influence of input indicators on output indicators is greater, and the positive influence is more. Accordingly, this paper also puts forward corresponding suggestions to promote the technical production level of Guangxi’s construction industry.

PMID:36266419 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-22374-y