J Infect Dis. 2021 Jul 12:jiab198. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab198. Online ahead of print.
NO ABSTRACT
PMID:34250540 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiab198
Tag: statistics
Gynecol Reprod Health. 2021;5(1):1488.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pregestational diabetes complicates one million pregnancies in the United States and is associated with placental dysfunction. Placental dysfunction can manifest as stillbirth, spontaneous abortions, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia in the mother. However, the underlying mechanisms of placental dysfunction are not well understood.
OBJECTIVE: We hypothesize that maternal hyperglycemia disrupts cellular processes important for normal vascular development and function.
STUDY DESIGN: Hyperglycemia, defined as a non-fasting glucose concentration of >250 mg/dL was induced in eight-week-old female CD1 mice by injecting a one-time intraperitoneal dose of 150mg/kg streptozotocin. Control mice received an equal volume of normal saline. Hyperglycemic and control females were mated with CD-1 males. At Embryonic Day 17.5, the pregnant mice were euthanized. Sixty-eight placentas were harvested from the six euglycemic dams and twenty-six placentas were harvested from three hyperglycemic dams. RNA was extracted from homogenized placental tissue (N=12/group; 2-4 placentas per litter of each group). Total RNA was prepared and sequenced. Differentially expressed genes that were >2-fold change was considered significant. Placentas (9-20/group) were fixed in paraffin wax and sectioned at 6 μm. Cross-sectional areas of placental zones were evaluated using slides stained for hematoxylin and eosin, glycogen, collagen, proliferation and apoptosis. Quantification of staining intensity and percent positive nuclei was done using Leica Image Hub Data software. Data were compared between the control and experimental group using t-tests. Values of p < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.
RESULTS: The average maternal blood glucose concentrations for control and diabetic dams were 112+/-24 and 473+/-47 respectively (p<0.0001). A higher rate of resorptions was noted in the hyperglycemia exposed placentas compared to euglycemic exposed placentas (24% vs 7%; p=0.04). A total of 24 RNA libraries (12/group) were prepared. Placentas from hyperglycemic pregnancies exhibited 1374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The 10 most significantly differentially expressed genes are Filip 1, Prom 2, Fam 78a, Pde4d, Pou3f1, Kcnk5, Dusp4, Cxcr4, Slc6a4 and D430019H16Rik. Their corresponding biologic functions are related to chemotaxis, ossification, cellular and vascular development. Histologically, we found that hyperglycemia exposed placentas demonstrated increased proliferation, apoptosis, and glycogen content and decreased collagen deposition.
CONCLUSION: There was a higher rate of resorptions in the pregnancies of hyperglycemic dams. Pregestational diabetes resulted in significant changes in placental morphology, including increased glycogen content in the spongiotrophoblast, decreased collagen deposition, increased apoptosis and proliferation in the junction zone. Maternal diabetes causes widespread disruption in multiple cellular processes important for normal vascular development and sets the platform for placenta dysfunction.
PMID:34250501 | PMC:PMC8270392
Affect Sci. 2021 Jul 7:1-10. doi: 10.1007/s42761-021-00051-z. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Most work to date in psychology and related sciences has examined simple, unidirectional causal processes of emotion affecting socio-political context or vice versa. In this classic, mechanistic view of science, each empirical observation stands on its own as a piece of some grander, not yet understandable, puzzle of nature. There have been repeated calls to eschew classic approaches in favor of systems meta-theory in psychology and related sciences. In this paper, we join these calls by arguing that systems meta-theory can better enable the study of emotions in socio-political contexts. We offer a brief primer on systems meta-theory, delineating three key beneficial features: multi-leveled, complex, and dynamic. Viewing emotion as a system of systems-within the person, their relationships (to others), and within the world (locally and globally)-enables fresh theory, method, and statistical analysis well suited to the study of emotion in a socio-political context.
PMID:34250508 | PMC:PMC8260573 | DOI:10.1007/s42761-021-00051-z
Crit Care Explor. 2021 Jul 6;3(7):e0457. doi: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000457. eCollection 2021 Jul.
ABSTRACT
Acute respiratory distress syndrome is underrecognized in the ICU, but it remains uncertain if acute respiratory distress syndrome recognition affects evidence-based acute respiratory distress syndrome care in the modern era. We sought to determine the rate of clinician-recognized acute respiratory distress syndrome in an academic medical ICU and understand how clinician-recognized-acute respiratory distress syndrome affects clinical care and patient-centered outcomes.
DESIGN: Observational cohort study.
SETTING: Single medical ICU at an academic tertiary-care hospital.
PATIENTS: Nine hundred seventy-seven critically ill adults (381 with expert-adjudicated acute respiratory distress syndrome) enrolled from 2006 to 2015.
INTERVENTIONS: Clinician-recognized-acute respiratory distress syndrome was identified using an electronic keyword search of clinical notes in the electronic health record. We assessed the classification performance of clinician-recognized acute respiratory distress syndrome for identifying expert-adjudicated acute respiratory distress syndrome. We also compared differences in ventilator settings, diuretic prescriptions, and cumulative fluid balance between clinician-recognized acute respiratory distress syndrome and unrecognized acute respiratory distress syndrome.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Overall, clinician-recognized-acute respiratory distress syndrome had a sensitivity of 47.5%, specificity 91.1%, positive predictive value 77.4%, and negative predictive value 73.1% for expert-adjudicated acute respiratory distress syndrome. Among the 381 expert-adjudicated acute respiratory distress syndrome cases, we did not observe any differences in ventilator tidal volumes between clinician-recognized-acute respiratory distress syndrome and unrecognized acute respiratory distress syndrome, but clinician-recognized-acute respiratory distress syndrome patients had a more negative cumulative fluid balance (mean difference, -781 mL; 95% CI, [-1,846 to +283]) and were more likely to receive diuretics (49.3% vs 35.7%, p = 0.02). There were no differences in mortality, ICU length of stay, or ventilator-free days.
CONCLUSIONS: Acute respiratory distress syndrome recognition was low in this single-center study. Although acute respiratory distress syndrome recognition was not associated with lower ventilator volumes, it was associated with differences in behaviors related to fluid management. These findings have implications for the design of future studies promoting evidence-based acute respiratory distress syndrome interventions in the ICU.
PMID:34250497 | PMC:PMC8263322 | DOI:10.1097/CCE.0000000000000457
Nurs Open. 2021 Jul 11. doi: 10.1002/nop2.985. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: To develop a competency scale for operating room nurses and test its reliability and validity.
BACKGROUND: The existing Chinese Registered Nurse Competency Scale and the core competency scale for operating room nurses developed abroad cannot fully meet the capacity needs of Chinese operating room nurses.
METHODS: The scale was developed based on the results of qualitative interview and the Delphi method. Ten experts were selected for expert consultation, and 300 operating room nurses were recruited by convenience sampling for a cross-sectional survey to test the reliability and validity of instrument.The reliability and validity of the scale was assessed based on internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability and confirmatory factor analysis. Data collection was conducted between March to July, 2015.
RESULTS: An initial scale with 42 items was confirmed, and 36 items remained. The internal consistency Cronbach’s α was 0.97 for the overall scale and 0.88-0.94 for the subscales. The retest reliability ranged from 0.55-0.96. Five factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis, and they explained 66% of the total variance. The fitting indices of the confirmatory factor analysis were as follows: χ2/df = 3.47, CFI = 0.83, TLI = 0.81, SRMR = 0.06 and RMSEA = 0.09.
CONCLUSIONS: The core competency scale for operating room nurses with 5 components and 36 items had acceptable reliability and validity. The scale could continue to be optimized in the future.
PMID:34247455 | DOI:10.1002/nop2.985
Helicobacter. 2021 Jul 10:e12830. doi: 10.1111/hel.12830. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vonoprazan fumarate is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker more effective in suppressing acid production than proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and when combined with antibiotics has been used to eradicate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, it has not yet been examined in an Australian setting. This study aimed to report on the efficacy and safety of vonoprazan-containing antibiotic combination therapies in the eradication of H. pylori.
METHODS: A single-center, exploratory, clinical review of patients 18 years or over, positive for H. pylori on Urea Breath Test (UBT), and/or histopathology who underwent a 10-day treatment of combination antibiotics plus vonoprazan between January 2017 and September 2019 was conducted. Eleven different combinations of antibiotics that included 2-5 different antibiotics predominantly amoxicillin, rifabutin, levofloxacin, furazolidone, nitazoxanide, and tetracycline were included. The eradication success was based on negative UBT results and/or histopathology results after the treatment. Descriptive statistics were summarized.
RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-three patients (Female n = 74, 48%) with a positive for H. pylori were treated with vonoprazan-containing antibiotic combination therapy during the study period. Of the 153 patients, 48 (31%) had previously failed a PPI-based H. pylori treatment. Follow-up was available for 66/153 (43%) patients. In those who completed follow-up, overall eradication was achieved in 97% (64/66) of patients. In the subgroup of patients treated for the first time, eradication was achieved in 100% (44/44). In those who had failed prior, non-vonoprazan-containing treatment, eradication was achieved in 91% (20/22) of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Vonoprazan-containing antibiotic therapy is an effective H. pylori eradication treatment. It is capable of achieving 100% efficacy in patients treated for the first time and even 91% efficacy in patients with previous eradication failure. Subsequent studies utilizing a factorial design will be needed to optimize each regimen as most regimens contained more than two antibiotics.
PMID:34247436 | DOI:10.1111/hel.12830
Health Expect. 2021 Jul 10. doi: 10.1111/hex.13306. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patient participation is essential for achieving high-quality care and positive outcomes, especially among patients with multimorbidity, which is a major challenge for health care due to high prevalence, care complexity and impact on patients’ lives.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the patient participation related to their own care among patients with multimorbidity in primary health-care settings.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult multimorbid patients who visited primary health-care facilities. The key instrument used was the Participation in Rehabilitation Questionnaire. Data representing 125 patients were analysed using various statistical methods.
RESULTS: The respondents generally felt patient participation to be important, yet provided highly varying accounts regarding the extent to which it was realized by professionals. Information and knowledge and Respect and encouragement were considered the most important and best implemented subcategories of participation. Several patient-related factors had a statistically significant effect on patient perceptions of participation for all subcategories and as explanatory factors for perceptions of total participation in univariate models. Most patients reported active participation in health-care communication, positively associated with patient activation and adherence. Gender, perceived health, patient activation and active participation were explanatory factors for total importance of participation in multivariate models, while patient activation was retained for realization of participation.
CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbid patients require individualized care that promotes participation and active communication; this approach may further improve patient activation and adherence. Poor perceived health and functional ability seemed to be related to worse perceptions of participation.
PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: The study topic importance was based on the patients’ experiences in author’s previous research and the need to develop patient-centred care.
PMID:34247439 | DOI:10.1111/hex.13306
Biom J. 2021 Jul 11. doi: 10.1002/bimj.202000269. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Motivated by a clinical trial conducted by Janssen Pharmaceutica in which a flexible dosing regimen is compared to placebo, we evaluate how switchers in the treatment arm (i.e., patients who were switched to the higher dose) would have fared had they been kept on the low dose. This is done in order to understand whether flexible dosing is potentially beneficial for them. Simply comparing these patients’ responses with those of patients who stayed on the low dose does not likely entail a satisfactory evaluation because the latter patients are usually in a better health condition. Because the available information in the considered trial is too limited to enable a reliable adjustment, we will instead transport data from a fixed dosing trial that has been conducted concurrently on the same target, albeit not in an identical patient population. In particular, we propose an estimator that relies on an outcome model, a model for switching, and a propensity score model for the association between study and patient characteristics. The proposed estimator is asymptotically unbiased if either the outcome or the propensity score model is correctly specified, and efficient (under the semiparametric model where the randomization probabilities are known and independent of baseline covariates) when all models are correctly specified. The proposed method for transporting information from an external study is more broadly applicable in studies where a classical confounding adjustment is not possible due to near positivity violation (e.g., studies where switching takes place in a (near) deterministic manner). Monte Carlo simulations and application to the motivating study demonstrate adequate performance.
PMID:34247409 | DOI:10.1002/bimj.202000269
Andrologia. 2021 Jul 11:e14188. doi: 10.1111/and.14188. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
In this study, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between AZF deletion type and clinical information of azoospermic patients with AZF microdeletion in the Turkish population. Azoospermic patients with normal karyotype and AZF microdeletion were analysed retrospectively by collecting clinical data including hormone profile, demographic characteristics and micro-TESE results. As a result of the AZF microdeletion tests of 42 cases with 46 XY karyotype, AZFa deletion was detected in 3 cases, AZFb deletion in 2 cases, AZFc deletion in 31 cases, AZFb + AZFc deletion in 4 cases and AZFa + AZFb + AZFc deletion in 2 cases respectively. Spermatozoon was obtained in 16 cases with AZFc microdeletion with micro-TESE. Pregnancy was achieved in 2 cases. There was no statistically significant difference between the type of deletion and age, height, weight, body mass index, hormone profile and testicular volume. When AZF is evaluated according to the type of microdeletion, it will be appropriate to plan the medical and surgical options more carefully in a multidisciplinary manner in cases with deletions including AZFa, AZFb or their combinations. Also, genotype-phenotype correlation was found to be consistent with the literature; particularly patients having AZFc deletions were found to have a chance for pregnancy.
PMID:34247421 | DOI:10.1111/and.14188
Andrologia. 2021 Jul 11:e14180. doi: 10.1111/and.14180. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Our study objective was to assess the effect of various sperm DNA fragmentation levels on clinical intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome. This retrospective study included 392 patients who underwent ICSI and performed sperm DNA fragmentation testing before the procedure. Based on sperm DNA fragmentation cut-off values, the patients were differentiated into 3 groups as <20%, 20%-30% and >30%. According to the female status, patients were differentiated into favourable group (n = 259) with female age <35 years and anti-Mullerian hormone level ≥7.1 pmol/L; and unfavourable group (n = 133) with female age ≥35 years and anti-Mullerian hormone level ≤7.1 pmol/L. The patient’s medical records were reviewed, and patient’s demographic, laboratory data including semen analysis, sperm DNA fragmentation determined by means of sperm chromatin dispersion, hormonal profile and data regarding intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle were collected. This cohort reported that the clinical reproductive outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection showed no statistical significance with increase sperm DNA fragmentation levels. In sperm DNA fragmentation above 30%, favourable females had significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate than unfavourable females, while fertilisation rate and miscarriage rate showed no significance between the subgroups. High sperm DNA fragmentation is linked to poor semen parameters.
PMID:34247427 | DOI:10.1111/and.14180