Tag: statistics

Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2021 Jun 7. doi: 10.1007/s00423-021-02216-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Lateral neck nodal metastases are common in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and usually have an indolent nature. They may be detected via neck palpation or preoperative ultrasound (US) of the neck. We hypothesized that preoperative neck metastases detected with US did not affect regional recurrence or long-term survival.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients’ records treated for DTC at our institution between January 2006 and December 2016 was performed. Information about preoperative US of the neck, treatment, demographics, staging, and histopathology was obtained. The endpoints for the study were nodal recurrence and survival. Differences in survival were analyzed between three groups of patients divided by presence or lack of preoperative US and/or palpable cervical lymph nodes (PLN). Furthermore, the prognostic value of multiple variables was tested by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS: There were 1108 patients with DTC, 221 males and 887 females. The median age was 48.3 years (range 3 to 86), the median time of observation was 68 months (range 0 to 142). Eight hundred sixty-two patients without PLN or preoperative US represented group 1, 112 patients with PLN were in group 2, and 134 patients without PLN and with preoperative US were in group 3. Only five patients had a regional recurrence, one died due to distant metastases. There was no statistically significant difference in survival between the groups (p = 0.841) and neck US was not significantly associated with overall survival neither in univariate nor in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION: In patients with DTC, the benefits of preoperative US of cervical lymph nodes are probably limited and “less is more” approach is advised.

PMID:34097134 | DOI:10.1007/s00423-021-02216-7

SAGE Open Nurs. 2021 May 21;7:23779608211017798. doi: 10.1177/23779608211017798. eCollection 2021 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Moral resilience has recently been proposed as one strategy to address moral distress in nurses and nursing students. Central to nursing students’ capacity for moral resilience is how they understood and enact resilience with an element of realism, suggesting an ethical, ideological influence. Resilience is shown to differ significantly across students, and possibly because of a disconnect between a students’ perceived resilience and their ethical ideology. Yet, resilience seldom has been explored in relation to ethical ideology.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore self-reported resilience in relation to ethical ideology in undergraduate nursing students, compare differences in scores, and explore relationships between study variables and selected demographic characteristics.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was followed. An online encrypted survey was conducted among a convenient sample of nursing undergraduates who met the eligibility criteria and provided implied informed consent. This study complied with ethical principles outlined in the Canadian Tri-Council Policy Statement for research with human subjects. Ethical approval was secured from the University’s Research Ethics Board. Data were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviations, independent sample t-test, variance analysis with post hoc-testing, and Pearson correlation to explore differences in perceptions and associations between study and selected demographic variables.

RESULTS: Undergraduate students have a high level of self-reported resilience. Statistically significant differences in self-reported resilience across selected demographic variables were observed. The association between resilience and ethical ideology was not significant. Ethical relativism was significantly correlated with age and year of study.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that faculty cultivating resilience in nursing students pays attention to gender’s influence discourses in students’ perceptions of resilience and ethical ideology and provides students with opportunities for ethical self-reflection and dialogue to critically examine their ethical ideological perspectives and the influence these may have on moral resilience development. Implications for future research are discussed.

PMID:34095499 | PMC:PMC8141986 | DOI:10.1177/23779608211017798

Wellcome Open Res. 2021 May 21;6:125. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16913.1. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

The Tree of Life Gateway uses Genome Note publications to announce the completion of genomes assembled by the Tree of Life programme, based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and involving numerous partner organisations and institutes. Tree of Life participates in the Darwin Tree of Life Project, which aims to sequence the genomes of all 70,000+ eukaryotic species in the Atlantic archipelago of Britain and Ireland, the Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project, which will sequence 1000 species involved in 500 symbioses between eukaryotic hosts and their microbial ‘cobionts’, and other initiatives, such as the Vertebrate Genome Project. These Genome Notes report the origins of ethically sourced samples used for sequencing, give the methods used to generate the sequence and use statistics and interactive figures to demonstrate the quality of the genome sequences. In addition to describing the production of these sequences, each Genome Note gives citeable credit to those who participated in producing the genome assembly and announces the availability of the data for reuse by all. It is through the use and reuse of this openly and publicly released data that we hope effective and lasting solutions to the ongoing biodiversity crisis can be found.

PMID:34095514 | PMC:PMC8142598 | DOI:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16913.1

BMJ Open Sci. 2020 Jul 20;4(1):e100115. doi: 10.1136/bmjos-2020-100115. eCollection 2020 Jul 20.

ABSTRACT

Reproducible science requires transparent reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) were originally developed in 2010 to improve the reporting of animal research. They consist of a checklist of information to include in publications describing in vivo experiments to enable others to scrutinise the work adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour and reproduce the methods and results. Despite considerable levels of endorsement by funders and journals over the years, adherence to the guidelines has been inconsistent, and the anticipated improvements in the quality of reporting in animal research publications have not been achieved. Here, we introduce ARRIVE 2.0. The guidelines have been updated and information reorganised to facilitate their use in practice. We used a Delphi exercise to prioritise and divide the items of the guidelines into two sets, the ‘ARRIVE Essential 10’, which constitutes the minimum requirement, and the ‘Recommended Set’, which describes the research context. This division facilitates improved reporting of animal research by supporting a stepwise approach to implementation. This helps journal editors and reviewers verify that the most important items are being reported in manuscripts. We have also developed the accompanying Explanation and Elaboration document, which serves (1) to explain the rationale behind each item in the guidelines, (2) to clarify key concepts and (3) to provide illustrative examples. We aim, through these changes, to help ensure that researchers, reviewers and journal editors are better equipped to improve the rigour and transparency of the scientific process and thus reproducibility.

PMID:34095516 | PMC:PMC7610906 | DOI:10.1136/bmjos-2020-100115

Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2021 May 31;7(1):e12136. doi: 10.1002/trc2.12136. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: A previous phase 2b study supported the use of the 5-HT6 receptor antagonist intepirdine as adjunctive therapy to donepezil for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. A phase 3 study, MINDSET, was performed to test this hypothesis.

METHODS: MINDSET was a global, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 1315 mild-to-moderate AD dementia patients on stable donepezil. Patients received 35 mg/day intepirdine or placebo for 24 weeks. The co-primary endpoints were change from baseline to week 24 on the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL).

RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between intepirdine and placebo groups (adjusted mean [95% confidence interval]) on the co-primary endpoints ADAS-Cog (-0.36 [-0.95, 0.22], P = 0.2249) and ADCS-ADL (-0.09 [-0.90, 0.72], P = 0.8260). Intepirdine demonstrated a favorable safety profile similar to placebo.

DISCUSSION: Intepirdine as adjunctive therapy to donepezil did not produce statistical improvement over placebo on cognition or activities of daily living in mild-to-moderate AD dementia patients.

PMID:34095437 | PMC:PMC8165732 | DOI:10.1002/trc2.12136

Energy Ecol Environ. 2021 May 29:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s40974-021-00215-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pollution-free rivers give indication of a healthy ecosystem. The stretch of Tawi river particularly in the Jammu city is experiencing pollution load and the quality is degraded. The present study highlights the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the water quality of Tawi river in Jammu, J&K Union Territory. Water quality data based upon the real-time water monitoring for four locations (Below Tawi Bridge, Bhagwati Nagar, Belicharana and Surajpur) have been obtained from the web link of Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board. The important parameters used in the present study include pH, alkalinity, hardness, conductivity, BOD and COD. The river was designated fit for bathing in all the monitoring locations except Bhagwati Nagar which recorded a BOD value >5 mg/L because of domestic sewage and municipal waste dumping. The overall water quality in the river during lockdown was good and falls in Class B with pH (7.0-8.5), alkalinity (23.25-185.0 mg/L), hardness (84.25-177.5 mg/L), conductivity (117-268 ms/cm). The improved water quality obtained during lockdown is never long-lasting as evident from the BOD and COD values observed during Unlock 1.0 due to accelerated anthropogenic activities in response to overcoming the economic loss, bringing the river water quality back to the degraded state. The statistical analysis known as cluster analysis has also been performed to evaluate the homogeneity of various monitoring sites based on the physicochemical variables. The need of the hour is to address the gaps of rejuvenation strategies and work over them for effective river resiliency and for sustainable river basin management.

PMID:34095454 | PMC:PMC8164404 | DOI:10.1007/s40974-021-00215-4

Pract Lab Med. 2021 Apr 27;25:e00231. doi: 10.1016/j.plabm.2021.e00231. eCollection 2021 May.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Whole blood bilirubin measured on blood gas analyzers is accepted by physicians in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia management since it requires a small sample volume. The accuracy of bilirubin measurement on blood gas analyzers is instrument dependent and remains controversial.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Bilirubin in adult and umbilical cord whole blood samples, spiked with an unconjugated bilirubin standard, and non-spiked adult plasma samples was measured on a blood gas analyzer (GEM 4000) and a Core Laboratory Chemistry analyzer (Architect c16000) respectively. We also investigated the linear regression for neonatal and adult hemoglobin measured on the blood gas analyzer and the Core Laboratory hematology analyzer (Alinity h-Series).

RESULTS: Plasma bilirubin measured on the blood gas analyzer and the chemistry analyzer was statistically identical. Adult whole blood bilirubin showed slightly increased proportional bias. When umbilical cord whole blood samples were used, the Deming regression showed GEM bilirubin =1.233(Architect) (95% CI 1.199 ~ 1.266)-44.43 ​μmol/L (95% CI -53.6 ​~ ​-35.2). The regression was significantly different from that in plasma (p ​< ​0.001) or adult whole blood (p ​< ​0.001) samples. 36.1% neonatal samples with bilirubin levels >50 ​μmol/L showed that the bias% was above laboratory standards. In addition, the regression of neonatal hemoglobin measurement between the GEM and the Alinity was significantly different from adult hemoglobin (p ​< ​0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal whole blood bilirubin measurement on blood gas analyzers may be affected by neonatal hemoglobin. The method should be validated using neonatal whole blood samples or samples with a similar matrix before the analyzers are implemented into neonatal hyperbilirubinemia management.

PMID:34095416 | PMC:PMC8145737 | DOI:10.1016/j.plabm.2021.e00231

Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2021 May 13;37:100784. doi: 10.1016/j.gore.2021.100784. eCollection 2021 Aug.

ABSTRACT

Expedited diagnostic processes for all suspected cervical cancer cases remain essential in the effort to improve clinical outcomes of the disease. However, in some developing countries like Zambia, there is paucity of data that assesses factors influencing diagnostic and treatment turnaround time (TAT) and other metrics vital for quality cancer care. We conducted a retrospective hospital-based study at the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) for cervical cancer cases presenting to the facility between January 2014 and December 2018. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic characteristics while a generalized linear model of the negative binomial was used to assess determinants of overall TAT. Our study included 2121 patient case files. The median age was 49 years (IQR: ±17) and most patients (n = 634, 31%) were aged between 41 and 50 years. The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Cancer stage II (n = 941, 48%) was the most prevalent while stage IV (n = 103, 5.2%) was the least. The average diagnostic TAT in public laboratories was 1.48 (95%CI: 1.21-1.81) times longer than in private laboratories. Furthermore, referral delay was 55 days (IQR: 24-152) and the overall TAT (oTAT) was 110 days (IQR: 62-204). The age of the patient, HIV status, stage of cancer and histological subtype did not influence oTAT while marital status influenced oTAT. The observed longer oTAT may increase irreversible adverse health outcomes among cervical cancer patients. There is a need to improve cancer care in Zambia through improved health expenditure especially in public health facilities.

PMID:34095422 | PMC:PMC8165546 | DOI:10.1016/j.gore.2021.100784

SSM Popul Health. 2021 May 19;15:100823. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100823. eCollection 2021 Sep.

ABSTRACT

There is a rise in attention to residential history in cancer epidemiology aimed at more effective estimation of social and physical environmental exposures and the influence of place of residence on cancer outcomes. However, in the United States, as in many other countries, residential history data are not readily available. In this paper we explore the feasibility of using the annual Medicare billing ZIP code history available in the SEER-Medicare database to study residential mobility among older cancer survivors in the U.S. In a cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2007 and 2015, we examine the completeness of the data along with the overall characteristics of residential moves based on race and stage at diagnosis. Findings indicate that residential mobility among older women with breast cancer in the U.S. is limited, but differences by race/ethnicity, stage at diagnosis and before/after diagnosis are statistically significant. And breast cancer survivors from minority groups move more frequently than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. The results also show that move rate slightly, but statistically significantly, increases after diagnosis. We conclude that SEER-Medicare can be utilized to study residential mobility among older cancer survivors. We recommend the creation of sub-cohorts based on specific research questions to account for variability in residential mobility due to very short survival times or a diagnosis shortly after Medicare enrollment. Studying residential history provides the opportunity for assigning socioecological and exposure metrics for future survival studies.

PMID:34095430 | PMC:PMC8167195 | DOI:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100823

Arthroplast Today. 2021 Apr 22;8:289-294.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.artd.2021.03.017. eCollection 2021 Apr.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Prolonged length of stay (LOS) after elective total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty is often associated with worse patient outcomes. Social support through room-sharing has been identified as a factor that may reduce LOS in a hospital setting, but has not yet been examined in an orthopedic population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of single- vs shared-room accommodation after elective TKA or THA on hospital LOS.

METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted using data from hospital medical records at our institution. Patients receiving unilateral, elective THA or TKA over a 2-year period were eligible. Patients were allocated to either a single room or four-bed shared room. The primary outcome was LOS; secondary outcomes included complications, discharge destination, and return to operating theater.

RESULTS: One hundred eighty-five patients (70 THA, 115 TKA; mean age 65.74 ± 10.38, 59% female) were included, of whom 82 were allocated to a single room and 103 to a shared room. There was no statistically significant difference in LOS between the 2 groups (5.18 ± 2.21 days [single] vs 4.88 ± 2.12 days [shared]; mean difference -0.29 [95% CI -0.92-0.33], P = .36). Analysis modeling for multiple confounders found no association among room allocation, LOS, and discharge destination. However, more patients in single rooms required discharge to rehabilitation (27% vs 9%) and return to theater (7% vs 1%).

CONCLUSIONS: Room allocation did not correlate with a difference in LOS in patients undergoing elective THA or TKA.

PMID:34095406 | PMC:PMC8167312 | DOI:10.1016/j.artd.2021.03.017