Tag: statistics

Eur J Dent. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1722090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to present a view of head and neck neoplasms (HNN) prevalence with specific focus on sociodemographic determinants in Al-Madinah Province, Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a hospital-based retrospective study based on retrieval of histopathological data for a period of 6 years between 2012 and 2018. Data was collected from the archives of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory at King Fahad Hospital (the only referral center for biopsy services) in Al-Madinah City.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: An independent t-test and/or nonparametric (Mann-Whitney U test, chi-squared test) tests were used to determine the differences between groups. Statistical significance was set at the p-value < 0.05.

RESULTS: Out of 96 patients, a total of 58 patients had valid biopsy data with preoperative diagnosis. Over three quarters of the cases (n = 44) were benign with only 24% were malignant. Males were more likely to be diagnosed with a benign tumor than females (54.5 vs. 45.6%, respectively), and malignancy was also more common in males (64.3 vs. 24.1). A significant difference was found in relation to mean age of older patients who were more likely to be diagnosed with malignant tumors (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that most of biopsied HNN cases are benign neoplasms. Age is a significant risk factor for head and neck malignancy in this region. Delays in diagnosis of HNN need to be explored.

PMID:33622006 | DOI:10.1055/s-0040-1722090

Eur J Dent. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721910. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the dentists’ knowledge of the risks from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and how it will impact their practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: An ad hoc self-administered anonymous questionnaire was submitted to Italian dentists.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Differences in rates were calculated using the chi-square test. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS: A total of 849 dentists fully completed the survey. Eighty-eight per cent of Italian dentists are worried about the health of their families, with no difference in high-risk (red zone) and low-risk (orange zone) regions. About 86% of professionals report some income loss and 94% fear a drop in patients after the quarantine phase, with the dentists working the red zone claiming a greater economic loss and fearing a reduced practice after the end of the lockdown.

DISCUSSION: A large majority of the Italian dentists appears to be aware of the need for changes in their dental practices by planning specific sterilization processes between appointments, testing patients for SARS-CoV-2 serology, asking patients not to be accompanied, and reducing the number of visits per day.

CONCLUSION: The survey expresses the serious concern of the dentists for the pandemic’s effects on their profession.

PMID:33622007 | DOI:10.1055/s-0040-1721910

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 17;75:101619. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101619. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Toxocara spp. cause one of the most widespread soil-transmitted helminthic infections worldwide. In both developed and developing countries, soil contamination with Toxocara eggs is considered as a major threat to public health. A total of 515 soil samples from 89 sampling sites were collected from different locations of public health such as Wastelands and Streets, public parks, and marginal areas. The soil samples were examined for Toxocara eggs using a centrifugal-floatation technique utilizing a saturated sodium nitrate solution. centralization of positive soil samples in the province was studied by Spatial Statistics Techniques such as Average Nearest Neighbors and Spatial Autocorrelation and Kernel Density Function Toxocara spp. eggs were found in 94 (18.25 %) out of 515 samples collected from the studied areas. According to the results obtained, marginal areas are often contaminated with eggs of Toxocara. Consequently, preventive measures including health education should be implemented to reduce the potential risk of this parasitic infection.

PMID:33621915 | DOI:10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101619

J Autoimmun. 2021 Feb 20;119:102610. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102610. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CD4⁺ T cell trafficking is a fundamental property of adaptive immunity. In this study, we uncover a novel role for histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in controlling effector CD4⁺ T cell migration, thereby providing mechanistic insight into why a T cell-specific deletion of HDAC1 protects against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). HDAC1-deficient CD4⁺ T cells downregulated genes associated with leukocyte extravasation. In vitro, HDAC1-deficient CD4⁺ T cells displayed aberrant morphology and migration on surfaces coated with integrin LFA-1 ligand ICAM-1 and showed an impaired ability to arrest on and to migrate across a monolayer of primary mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells under physiological flow. Moreover, HDAC1 deficiency reduced homing of CD4⁺ T cells into the intestinal epithelium and lamina propria preventing weight-loss, crypt damage and intestinal inflammation in adoptive CD4⁺ T cell transfer colitis. This correlated with reduced expression levels of LFA-1 integrin chains CD11a and CD18 as well as of selectin ligands CD43, CD44 and CD162 on transferred circulating HDAC1-deficient CD4⁺ T cells. Our data reveal that HDAC1 controls T cell-mediated autoimmunity via the regulation of CD4⁺ T cell trafficking into the CNS and intestinal tissues.

PMID:33621930 | DOI:10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102610

Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2021 Feb 18;88:102548. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2021.102548. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma (CP) is being used as a treatment option in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Till date, there is conflicting evidence on efficacy of CP in reducing COVID-19 related mortality.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of CP on 28-day mortality reduction in patients with COVID-19.

METHODS: We did a multi-centre, retrospective case control observational study from 1st May 2020 to 31st August 2020. A total of 1079 adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen, were reviewed. Of these, 694 patients were admitted to ICU. Out of these, 333 were given CP along with best supportive care and remaining 361 received best supportive care only.

RESULTS: In the overall group of 1079 patients, mortality in plasma vs no plasma group was statistically not significant (22.4% vs 18.5%; p = 0.125; OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.94–1.72). However, in patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICU, mortality was significantly lower in plasma group (25.5% vs 33.2%; p = 0.026; OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.50-0.96). This benefit of reduced mortality was most seen in age group 60 to 74 years (26.7% vs 43.0%; p = 0.004; OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.29-0.80), driven mostly by females of this age group (23.1% vs 53.5%; p = 0.013; OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.09-0.78). Significant difference in mortality was observed in patients with one comorbidity (22.3% vs 36.5%; p = 0.004; OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.80). Moreover, patients on ventilator had significantly lower mortality in the plasma arm (37.2% vs 49.3%; p = 0.009; OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42-0.89); particularly so for patients on invasive mechanical ventilation (63.9% vs 82.9%; p = 0.014; OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16-0.83).

CONCLUSION: The use of CP was associated with reduced mortality in COVID-19 elderly patients admitted in ICU, above 60 years of age, particularly females, those with comorbidities and especially those who required some form of ventilation.

PMID:33621948 | DOI:10.1016/j.bcmd.2021.102548

Thromb Res. 2021 Feb 18;201:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2021.02.015. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may be the first symptom of cancer. Statins are suggested to prevent VTE, but the risk of cancer in VTE patients using statins remains poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES: To examine if VTE is a marker of cancer in users of statins.

METHODS: We identified all Danish patients during 1996-2017 with a first-time diagnosis of VTE and a filled prescription for a statin within 90 days prior to the VTE diagnosis. We classified patients as prevalent users if the first filling of a statin occurred more than one year preceding the VTE diagnosis, and as new users if the first filling occurred within the preceding year. We computed cumulative incidences of cancer, with death as a competing risk, and age-, sex-, and calendar-period standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), comparing the observed cancer incidence with the expected based on national cancer statistics.

RESULTS: Among 9280 (85%) prevalent users of statin and 1580 (15%) new users, the one-year cumulative incidence of any cancer was 6.6 (95% CI: 6.1-7.2) for prevalent users and 6.4 (95% CI: 5.2-7.6) for new users; the corresponding SIRs were 3.1 (95% CI: 2.9-3.3) and 3.5 (95% CI: 2.9-4.3). In the second and subsequent years, the SIRs diminished and approached unity for both prevalent (1.1 [95% CI: 1.1-1.2]) and new users (1.1 [95% CI: 0.9-1.3]).

CONCLUSIONS: VTE patients using statins had a 3-fold increased rate of cancer in the first year after diagnosis. A first VTE serves as an important marker of cancer, regardless of statin use.

PMID:33621859 | DOI:10.1016/j.thromres.2021.02.015

Thromb Res. 2021 Feb 18;201:6-14. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2021.02.017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), selected patients are treated with therapies directed at the immune response, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). To determine IVIG and TPE characteristics and outcomes in HIT, we analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database.

METHODS: In a population-based analysis of the NIS, we identified hospital discharges of adult patients with a HIT diagnosis. A two-level statistical analysis was performed comparing cases as follows 1) IVIG or TPE vs. none; and 2) IVIG vs. TPE. For each analysis, the primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were thrombotic events, major bleeding, infections, hospital length of stay, and total charges.

RESULTS: Among 22,152 discharges with a HIT diagnosis, 77 (0.34%) and 52 (0.23%) received TPE and IVIG, respectively. In the first level analysis of TPE or IVIG vs. no treatment, TPE or IVIG treatment was associated with a higher likelihood of in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.85; 95%CI: 1.13-3.03, p = 0.0104), major bleeding (OR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.25-2.93, p = 0.0030), gastrointestinal bleeding (OR = 1.89; 95%CI: 1.08-3.30, p = 0.0259), and infection (OR = 1.65; 95% CI:1.13-2.41, p = 0.0095). In the second-level analysis comparing IVIG vs. TPE, there were no significant differences in patient characteristics or outcomes in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based analysis of HIT, we found similar outcomes of IVIG and TPE-treated cases. Given the small sample size, future studies are needed to confirm this observation.

PMID:33621860 | DOI:10.1016/j.thromres.2021.02.017

Clin Imaging. 2021 Feb 10;77:13-16. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.01.038. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests an inhomogeneous distribution of intramuscular rotator cuff fat infiltration (FI) in a small sample of individuals with rotator cuff tears, yet clinically just a few slices at the scapular Y-view are used to evaluate FI in patients with rotator cuff tears. The purpose of this study was to determine if assessment of FI using the scapular Y-view is representative of the entire muscle in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears, and whether this varies by tear size.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (N = 25) diagnosed with full-thickness rotator cuff tear and confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. Fat-water sequences were used to objectively quantify mean FI (%) in the entire 3D muscle and the mean from 3 slices at the Y-view. Mixed-model 2 × 2 ANOVAs were used to assess for differences between methods, and if results vary by tear-size.

RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between mean amount of FI of the entire 3D muscle and mean Y-view in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles (p > 0.05). Additionally, this did not differ across tear size groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest FI assessed in the Y-view is not different (mean difference < 1.0%) from FI of the entire 3D muscle in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Therefore, the clinical utility of evaluating rotator cuff intramuscular fat infiltration with the Y-view is further supported in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears across tear sizes.

PMID:33621862 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.01.038

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2021 Feb 17;117:104406. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104406. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of single and multiple administrations of Poloxamer 188 (P188) in saving meniscal cells following an injurious impact.

METHODS: Meniscal explants were harvested from both the lateral and medial menisci of Flemish Giant rabbits. After a 24-h incubation period, explants were subjected to 50% impact strain to simulate traumatic joint injury, and the explants were then placed in media with or without supplemented P188. Temporal administrations of P188 over a 14-day period were given based on one of 6 different treatments regimes. Over the 14-day period, explants were cyclically loaded to 10% strain at 1 Hz for 1 h per day, five days a week. Cell viability was assessed on day 14, with the remainder of the tissue being fixed to determine cell apoptosis levels and proteoglycan changes via histology.

RESULTS: The injurious impact proved to produce significant levels of cell death in meniscal explants. The ability of P188 to prevent cell death was not affected by the number of P188 doses (single versus multiple). P188 treatment proved to maintain cell viability levels comparable to those from unimpacted explants. There were no significant changes in cell apoptosis or proteoglycan coverage in the tissues over a 14-day period for any group, all treatment groups were statistically similar to the unimpacted explants.

CONCLUSION: A single dose of P188 following impact is all that is necessary to inhibit cell death in the meniscus following a traumatic impact. Thus, orthopaedic surgeons may choose to administer P188 in addition to treating any other acute damage due to a traumatic load to the knee, such as anterior cruciate ligament rupture, although more in depth in vivo studies are necessary.

PMID:33621866 | DOI:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104406

Ultrason Sonochem. 2021 Jan 11;73:105459. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.105459. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ultrasonic flotation was an effective method to float fine coal. In this study, the effects of the standing waves with different frequencies on ultrasonic flotation were investigated. The dynamic processes of bubble and coal-bubble were revealed by a high-speed camera. The results showed that under the action of Bjerknes force, bubble aggregates were formed within 450 ms and coal bubble aggregates were formed within 20 ms. The bubble aggregates were statistically analyzed by image processing method. The number of aggregates and small bubbles in the ultrasonic field at 100 kHz was greater than those at 80 and 120 kHz. Besides, 100 kHz ultrasonic flotation achieved the highest yields of clean coal (35.89%) and combustible recovery (45.77%). The cavitation bubbles acted as either a “medium” or an “inclusion”, entrapping and entraining the coal particles in the flotation pulp. It promoted the aggregation of bubbles with coal particles, so the flotation efficiency was effectively improved in the presence of ultrasonic standing waves.

PMID:33621851 | DOI:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.105459