Tag: statistics

Ind Health. 2021 Sep 28. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2020-0249. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the sleep quality of psychiatric nurses in China and explore the risk factors affecting it. This study used the stratified random sampling method. The general data questionnaire was conducted using the 10-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K10), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of sleep quality among 812 psychiatric nurses in China. There were statistically significant differences in sleep quality among different shift frequency. Surveys demonstrated that sleep quality among psychiatric nurses was positively correlated with psychological distress and job burnout. Multiple logistics regression analysis showed that high psychological distress (OR = 0.907, p<0.001, 95% CI = 0.885~0.931), high emotional exhaustion (OR = 0.946, p<0.001, 95% CI = 0.921~0.972), low depersonalization (OR = 1.061, p=0.004, 95% CI = 1.019~1.104), and low personal accomplishment (OR = 0.972, p=0.018, 95% CI = 0.949~0.995) were the contributing factors of sleep quality. Future studies should investigate effective measures to relieve psychological distress and alleviate burnout, particularly for psychiatric nurses with poor sleep quality.

PMID:34588380 | DOI:10.2486/indhealth.2020-0249

Endocr J. 2021 Sep 28. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.EJ21-0076. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The receptors of chemokines play a significance role in the aggressiveness of tumor. CXCR4/CXCR7 promote metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study examined the expresssion of chemokine receptors CXCR4/CXCR7 in human tissue specimens of PTC and peritumoral nonmalignant tissues. The correlation between CXCR4/CXCR7 and the clinicopathological factors in PTC was also determined. CXCR4/CXCR7 were examined in 115 PTC tissues from 115 patients using immunohistochemistry. Staining intensity was compared with patients and tumor characteristics including gender, age, tumor size, capsule invasion, multifocality, lymph node metastasis, and nature of paracancerous tissue. [Statistics: rank sum test, Spearman rank order correlation test; p < 0.05]. Higher expression rates of CXCR4/CXCR7 exhibited in PTC compared with peritumoral nonmalignant tissues. The expression of them was correlated in cancer and paracancerous specimens. A trend toward higher CXCR4/CXCR7 expression was found among tumors showing positive lymph nodes and capsule invasion, while no association with sex, age, tumor size, and nature of paracancerous tissue. Number of lymph nodes was associated with higher intensity IHC staining for CXCR4/CXCR7. Intense staining for CXCR4 was also associated with multifocality. Expression of CXCR4/CXCR7 by PTCs was correlated with lymph node metastasis and capsule invasion. Although multiple bias, they were thought to play a significance role in the aggressiveness of PTC, which provides potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

PMID:34588386 | DOI:10.1507/endocrj.EJ21-0076

Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2021 Sep 29;8(6):e1083. doi: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000001083. Print 2021 Nov.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the extent of intrathecal inflammation in patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) at the time of diagnosis and to define markers and a specific inflammatory profile capable of distinguishing progressive from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

METHODS: Levels of 34 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the CSF were evaluated at the diagnosis in 16 patients with PPMS and 80 with RRMS. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, including Expanded Disability Status Scale assessment and a 3T brain MRI to detect white matter and cortical lesion number and volume and global and regional cortical thickness.

RESULTS: Higher levels of CXCL12 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.97, 95% CI [1.34-11.7]) and the monocyte-related osteopontin (OR = 2.24, 95% CI [1.01-4.99]) were detected in patients with PPMS, whereas levels of interleukin-10 (IL10) (OR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.09-0.96]) were significantly increased in those with RRMS. High CXCL12 levels were detected in patients with increased gray matter lesion number and volume (p = 0.001, r = 0.832 and r = 0.821, respectively). Pathway analysis confirmed the chronic inflammatory processes occurring in PPMS.

CONCLUSIONS: At the time of diagnosis, a specific CSF protein profile can recognize the presence of early intrathecal inflammatory processes, possibly stratifying PPMS with respect to RRMS. Elevated CSF levels of CXCL12 and osteopontin suggested a key role of brain innate immunity and glia activity in MS. These molecules could represent useful candidate markers of MS progression, with implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of progressive MS.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence that CXCL12 and monocyte-related osteopontin may be correlated with PPMS, and IL-10 may be related to RRMS. It is may be correlated due to Bonferroni correction negating the statistical correlations found in the study.

PMID:34588298 | DOI:10.1212/NXI.0000000000001083

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Oct 5;118(40):e2025727118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2025727118.

ABSTRACT

Brain aging is associated with hypometabolism and global changes in functional connectivity. Using functional MRI (fMRI), we show that network synchrony, a collective property of brain activity, decreases with age. Applying quantitative methods from statistical physics, we provide a generative (Ising) model for these changes as a function of the average communication strength between brain regions. We find that older brains are closer to a critical point of this communication strength, in which even small changes in metabolism lead to abrupt changes in network synchrony. Finally, by experimentally modulating metabolic activity in younger adults, we show how metabolism alone-independent of other changes associated with aging-can provide a plausible candidate mechanism for marked reorganization of brain network topology.

PMID:34588302 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2025727118

Radiol Technol. 2021 Sep;93(1):8-24.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To examine the determinants of radiation safety culture among radiologic technologists in the United States. The specific aims were to report descriptive statistics related to radiation safety culture determinants and examine relationships between specific determinants of radiation safety culture and overall perception of radiation safety (OPRS).

METHODS: Radiologic technologists working in radiography, mammography, and computed tomography were identified using the American Society of Radiologic Technologists membership database. The researcher implemented a quantitative cross-sectional design using the Radiation Actions and Dimensions of Radiation Safety (RADS) survey instrument, which contained the study’s determinants and OPRS variable, to guide hypotheses testing. Descriptive statistics were used to report RADS survey item outcomes, and Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression tests were conducted to analyze the hypothesis.

RESULTS: A total of 425 radiologic technologists completed the survey. Ten variables significantly correlated with OPRS. The variables of leadership actions (β = .402; P < .001), teamwork across imaging stakeholders (β = .304; P = .011), organizational learning (β = .121; P = .007), and questioning attitude (β = .110; P = .001) predicted OPRS, with leadership actions being most important in the model.

DISCUSSION: The correlation between OPRS scores and the 10 determinants suggests that each variable is a relevant determinant of radiation safety culture among radiologic technologists in the United States. The outcomes establish key priorities and provide an actionable foundation to facilitate a positive radiation safety culture in medical imaging.

CONCLUSION: The study presented a unique examination of OPRS determinants among American radiologic technologists. Findings can be used to support clinically-oriented interventions in improving radiation safety culture.

PMID:34588275

BMJ Open. 2021 Sep 29;11(9):e053885. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053885.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to measure ambulance sickness absence rates over time, comparing ambulance services and investigate the predictability of rates for future forecasting.

SETTING: All English ambulance services, UK.

DESIGN: We used a time series design analysing published monthly National Health Service staff sickness rates by gender, age, job role and region, comparing the 10 regional ambulance services in England between 2009 and 2018. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Seasonal ARIMA (SARIMA) models were developed using Stata V.14.2 and trends displayed graphically.

PARTICIPANTS: Individual participant data were not available. The total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) days lost due to sickness absence (including non-working days) and total number of days available for work for each staff group and level were available. In line with The Data Protection Act, if the organisation had less than 330 FTE days available during the study period it was censored for analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 1117 months of sickness absence rate data for all English ambulance services were included in the analysis. We found considerable variation in annual sickness absence rates between ambulance services and over the 10-year duration of the study in England. Across all the ambulance services the median days available were 1 336 888 with IQR of 548 796 and 73 346 median days lost due to sickness absence, with IQR of 30 551 days. Among clinical staff sickness absence varied seasonally with peaks in winter and falls over summer. The winter increases in sickness absence were largely predictable using seasonally adjusted (SARIMA) time series models.

CONCLUSION: Sickness rates for clinical staff were found to vary considerably over time and by ambulance trust. Statistical models had sufficient predictive capability to help forecast sickness absence, enabling services to plan human resources more effectively at times of increased demand.

PMID:34588266 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053885

J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14488. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss in males. Physical examination and history are the most important examinations in diagnosis of the disease. As yet, there is no diagnostic method to be able to determine which individuals will develop AGA. Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is a novel diagnostic tool, which can evaluate tissue stiffness. Superb microvascular imaging (SMI) can determine low flow in microvessels. The aim of the current study was to determine whether or not AGA would develop in individuals with normal hair and a family history of AGA using B-mode US, SMI, and SWE.

METHODS: The study included 26 patients clinically diagnosed with AGA and a control group of 26 volunteers.

RESULTS: Thickness with the distance from the epidermis to the calvarium (ECD) on the hairline and cranial subcutaneous tissue thickness (CSTD) were determined to be statistically significantly thinner in the AGA group than in the control group (p < 0.0001). For the differentiation of the AGA patients, the cutoff value was determined to be 5.5 mm for ECD and 4.05 mm for CSTD. The cranial epidermis-dermis (CED) stiffness values both as meter/second (m/s) and kilopascals (kPa) were statistically significantly lower in the AGA patients than in the control group (p < 0.0001). The cutoff values were 6.075 as m/s and 104.4 as kPa.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrated that differentiation could be made of individuals before the development of AGA from normal healthy individuals with CSTD measurement on B-mode US and CED stiffness measurement on SWE.

PMID:34587657 | DOI:10.1111/jocd.14488

Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi. 2021 Oct 2;59(10):847-852. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112140-20210323-00246.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the application of glucocorticoids in children with neurological diseases by pediatricians, and to provide baseline data for further standardization of glucocorticoids application. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey, an electronic questionnaire survey was conducted online from July 8, 2019 to July 28, 2019 through the Subspecialty Group of Clinical Pharmacology, the Subspecialty Group of Neurology, and Expert Committee on Rational Use of Medicines for Children in the Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association. This survey was conducted for the application of glucocorticoids in 8 neurological diseases in children, and compared with the current guidelines or consensus to judge whether the application was standard. A total of 1 850 pediatricians from 1 073 hospitals were surveyed. Surveyed diseases included bacterial meningitis, anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD), multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, juvenile dermatomyositis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In order to explore the associated factors of standardized glucocorticoid application, the level of hospital, whether there was an independent department of pediatric neurology, and working experience of the doctor were used as independent variables. The χ² test and multivariate Logistic analysis was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 1 834 (99.1%) valid questionnaires were collected from 1 073 hospitals in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The coincidence rate with recommendation of the current guideline or consensus on glucocorticoids was 5.8% (51/879) in juvenile dermatomyositis, 13.7% (153/1 115) in myasthenia gravis, 18.2% (142/781) in bacterial meningitis, 18.5% (310/1 680) in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis, 23.0% (248/1 079) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 33.4% (322/964) in NMOSD and multiple sclerosis, and 43.5% (477/1 096) in Guillain-Barre syndrome. The most common one was the irregular course of treatment, and the coincidence rate was 36.8% (12.5%-62.2%). The multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that the use of glucocorticoids was more standardized in bacterial meningitis (OR=1.83, 95%CI 1.39-2.43, P<0.01), Guillain-Barre syndrome (OR=1.97, 95%CI 1.50-2.59, P<0.01), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (OR=1.85, 95%CI 1.38-2.48, P<0.01), juvenile dermatomyositis (OR=2.08, 95%CI 1.03-4.19, P=0.040) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (OR=0.302, 95%CI 0.20-0.46, P<0.01) and by pediatricians with pediatric neurology specialty in the hospital. Conclusions: The coincidence rate with recommendation of the current guideline or consensus on glucocorticoids is less than half in children with neurological diseases, and the use of glucocorticoids is more standardized in a variety of diseases by pediatricians with pediatric neurology specialty in the hospital, which indicates that the study of guidelines or consensus and the special training of pediatric neurologists should be further strengthened.

PMID:34587681 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn112140-20210323-00246

Thromb Haemost. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1735531. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Platelet-targeted FVIII gene therapy can efficiently recover bleeding phenotype for hemophilia A (HA), yet characteristics of thrombus formation with this ectopic expression of factor VIII (FVIII) in platelets remain unclear. Here, we generated 2bF8^trans mice restrictively expressing human B-domain-deleted FVIII (hBDD FVIII) in platelets on a hemophilic (FVIII^null) mice background. The results showed no statistical difference in clot strength and stability between wild-type (WT) and 2bF8^trans mice, but with a prolonged reaction time (R-time), by thromboelastography. Fluid dynamics analysis showed that at the shear rates of 500 to 1,500 s^-1, where physiological hemostasis often develops, the thrombi formed in 2bF8^trans mice were more stable than those in FVIII^null mice, while at high pathological shear rates (2,500 s^-1), mimicking atherosclerosis, thrombus size and fibrin deposition in 2bF8^trans mice were less than those in WT mice. Thrombus morphology analysis showed that there was a locally concentrated deposition of fibrin in thrombus at the injured site and fibrin co-localized with activated platelets in 2bF8^trans mice. Moreover, a higher ratio of fibrin to platelets was found in thrombus from 2bF8^trans mice following laser-induced injury in cremaster arterioles, which might be the underlying mechanism of thrombus stability in 2bF8^trans mice at physiological arterial circumstance. These observations suggest that specific morphological features of the thrombi might contribute to the efficacy and safety of platelet-targeted FVIII gene therapy for HA.

PMID:34587639 | DOI:10.1055/s-0041-1735531

J Occup Health. 2021 Jan;63(1):e12281. doi: 10.1002/1348-9585.12281.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting has become a new way of working that has not only changed individuals’ work, but also their health and lifestyle. We examined the relationship between telecommuting frequency and unhealthy dietary habits among Japanese workers.

METHODS: A total of 33,302 workers completed an Internet survey about telecommuting and dietary habits. Data from 13,468 office workers who telecommuted were analyzed. Telecommuting frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic was extracted from a questionnaire. The odds ratios (ORs) of four types of dietary habits, namely, skipping breakfast, solitary eating, lower meal frequency, and meal substitution associated with telecommuting frequency were estimated using multilevel logistic regression nested in the prefecture of residence to control for differences in residential area.

RESULTS: The multivariate OR of skipping breakfast was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.03-1.29, p = .013) for participants who telecommuted in excess of four days per week compared to those who rarely telecommuted. Similarly, the OR of solitary eating, lower meal frequency and meal substitution were 1.44 (95% CI: 1.28-1.63, p < .001), 2.39 (95% CI: 1.66-3.44, p < .001), and 1.26 (95% CI: 1.04-1.51, p = .015) for those who telecommuted in excess of four days per week compared to those who rarely telecommuted. There was a statistically significant increase in the dose-response trend in ORs of solitary eating (p for trend <.001), lower meal frequency (p for trend <.001), and meal substitution (p for trend = .001) with increasing telecommuting frequency.

CONCLUSION: Telecommuters may develop unhealthy dietary habits, indicating the need for strategies to help telecommuters manage their nutrition and diet.

PMID:34587654 | DOI:10.1002/1348-9585.12281