Evaluation of droplet size distributions using univariate and multivariate approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaunø, Mette Høg; Larsen, Crilles Casper; Vilhelmsen, Thomas; Møller-Sonnergaard, Jørn; Wittendorff, Jørgen; Rantanen, Jukka

2013-01-01

Pharmaceutically relevant material characteristics are often analyzed based on univariate descriptors instead of utilizing the whole information available in the full distribution. One example is droplet size distribution, which is often described by the median droplet size and the width of the distribution. The current study was aiming to compare univariate and multivariate approach in evaluating droplet size distributions. As a model system, the atomization of a coating solution from a two-fluid nozzle was investigated. The effect of three process parameters (concentration of ethyl cellulose in ethanol, atomizing air pressure, and flow rate of coating solution) on the droplet size and droplet size distribution using a full mixed factorial design was used. The droplet size produced by a two-fluid nozzle was measured by laser diffraction and reported as volume based size distribution. Investigation of loading and score plots from principal component analysis (PCA) revealed additional information on the droplet size distributions and it was possible to identify univariate statistics (volume median droplet size), which were similar, however, originating from varying droplet size distributions. The multivariate data analysis was proven to be an efficient tool for evaluating the full information contained in a distribution.

Univariate characterization of the German business cycle 1955-1994

OpenAIRE

Weihs, Claus; Garczarek, Ursula

2002-01-01

We present a descriptive analysis of stylized facts for the German business cycle. We demonstrate that simple ad-hoc instructions for identifying univariate rules characterizing the German business cycle 1955-1994 lead to an error rate comparable to standard multivariate methods.

Comparison of multivariate and univariate statistical process control and monitoring methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leger, R.P.; Garland, WM.J.; Macgregor, J.F.

1996-01-01

Work in recent years has lead to the development of multivariate process monitoring schemes which use Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This research compares the performance of a univariate scheme and a multivariate PCA scheme used for monitoring a simple process with 11 measured variables. The multivariate PCA scheme was able to adequately represent the process using two principal components. This resulted in a PCA monitoring scheme which used two charts as opposed to 11 charts for the univariate scheme and therefore had distinct advantages in terms of both data representation, presentation, and fault diagnosis capabilities. (author)

Evaluation of droplet size distributions using univariate and multivariate approaches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gauno, M.H.; Larsen, C.C.; Vilhelmsen, T.

2013-01-01

of the distribution. The current study was aiming to compare univariate and multivariate approach in evaluating droplet size distributions. As a model system, the atomization of a coating solution from a two-fluid nozzle was investigated. The effect of three process parameters (concentration of ethyl cellulose...... in ethanol, atomizing air pressure, and flow rate of coating solution) on the droplet size and droplet size distribution using a full mixed factorial design was used. The droplet size produced by a two-fluid nozzle was measured by laser diffraction and reported as volume based size distribution....... Investigation of loading and score plots from principal component analysis (PCA) revealed additional information on the droplet size distributions and it was possible to identify univariate statistics (volume median droplet size), which were similar, however, originating from varying droplet size distributions...

Combinatorial bounds on the α-divergence of univariate mixture models

KAUST Repository

Nielsen, Frank; Sun, Ke

2017-01-01

We derive lower- and upper-bounds of α-divergence between univariate mixture models with components in the exponential family. Three pairs of bounds are presented in order with increasing quality and increasing computational cost. They are verified

Prognostic significance of blood coagulation tests in carcinoma of the lung and colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Wojtukiewicz, M Z; Zacharski, L R; Moritz, T E; Hur, K; Edwards, R L; Rickles, F R

1992-08-01

Blood coagulation test results were collected prospectively in patients with previously untreated, advanced lung or colon cancer who entered into a clinical trial. In patients with colon cancer, reduced survival was associated (in univariate analysis) with higher values obtained at entry to the study for fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) split products, antiplasmin, and fibrinopeptide A and accelerated euglobulin lysis times. In patients with non-small cell lung cancer, reduced survival was associated (in univariate analysis) with higher fibrinogen and fibrin(ogen) split products, platelet counts and activated partial thromboplastin times. In patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung, only higher activated partial thromboplastin times were associated (in univariate analysis) with reduced survival in patients with disseminated disease. In multivariate analysis, higher activated partial thromboplastin times were a significant independent predictor of survival for patients with non-small cell lung cancer limited to one hemithorax and with disseminated small cell carcinoma of the lung. Fibrin(ogen) split product levels were an independent predictor of survival for patients with disseminated non-small cell lung cancer as were both the fibrinogen and fibrinopeptide A levels for patients with disseminated colon cancer. These results suggest that certain tests of blood coagulation may be indicative of prognosis in lung and colon cancer. The heterogeneity of these results suggests that the mechanism(s), intensity, and pathophysiological significance of coagulation activation in cancer may differ between tumour types.

What do differences between multi-voxel and univariate analysis mean? How subject-, voxel-, and trial-level variance impact fMRI analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Tyler; LaRocque, Karen F; Mumford, Jeanette A; Norman, Kenneth A; Wagner, Anthony D; Poldrack, Russell A

2014-08-15

Multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) has led to major changes in how fMRI data are analyzed and interpreted. Many studies now report both MVPA results and results from standard univariate voxel-wise analysis, often with the goal of drawing different conclusions from each. Because MVPA results can be sensitive to latent multidimensional representations and processes whereas univariate voxel-wise analysis cannot, one conclusion that is often drawn when MVPA and univariate results differ is that the activation patterns underlying MVPA results contain a multidimensional code. In the current study, we conducted simulations to formally test this assumption. Our findings reveal that MVPA tests are sensitive to the magnitude of voxel-level variability in the effect of a condition within subjects, even when the same linear relationship is coded in all voxels. We also find that MVPA is insensitive to subject-level variability in mean activation across an ROI, which is the primary variance component of interest in many standard univariate tests. Together, these results illustrate that differences between MVPA and univariate tests do not afford conclusions about the nature or dimensionality of the neural code. Instead, targeted tests of the informational content and/or dimensionality of activation patterns are critical for drawing strong conclusions about the representational codes that are indicated by significant MVPA results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[A SAS marco program for batch processing of univariate Cox regression analysis for great database].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Rendong; Xiong, Jie; Peng, Yangqin; Peng, Xiaoning; Zeng, Xiaomin

2015-02-01

To realize batch processing of univariate Cox regression analysis for great database by SAS marco program. We wrote a SAS macro program, which can filter, integrate, and export P values to Excel by SAS9.2. The program was used for screening survival correlated RNA molecules of ovarian cancer. A SAS marco program could finish the batch processing of univariate Cox regression analysis, the selection and export of the results. The SAS macro program has potential applications in reducing the workload of statistical analysis and providing a basis for batch processing of univariate Cox regression analysis.

Acceleration techniques in the univariate Lipschitz global optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeyev, Yaroslav D.; Kvasov, Dmitri E.; Mukhametzhanov, Marat S.; De Franco, Angela

2016-10-01

Univariate box-constrained Lipschitz global optimization problems are considered in this contribution. Geometric and information statistical approaches are presented. The novel powerful local tuning and local improvement techniques are described in the contribution as well as the traditional ways to estimate the Lipschitz constant. The advantages of the presented local tuning and local improvement techniques are demonstrated using the operational characteristics approach for comparing deterministic global optimization algorithms on the class of 100 widely used test functions.

Prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yee, David S; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Lowrance, William T; Maschino, Alexandra C; Savage, Caroline J; Cronin, Angel M; Scardino, Peter T; Eastham, James A

2011-08-01

Study Type - Prognosis (case series). 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The reported incidence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in radical prostatectomy specimens ranges from 5% to 53%. Although LVI has a strong and significant association with adverse clinicopathologic features, it has almost uniformly not been found to be a predictor of biochemical recurrence (BR) on multivariate analysis. This study confirms that LVI is associated with features of aggressive disease and is an independent predictor of BCR. Given that LVI may play a role in the metastatic process, it may be useful in clinical decision-making regarding adjuvant therapy for patients treated with RP. To determine whether lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens has prognostic significance. The study examined whether LVI is associated with clinicopathological characteristics and biochemical recurrence (BCR). LVI was evaluated based on routine pathology reports on 1298 patients treated with RP for clinically localized prostate cancer between 2004 and 2007. LVI was defined as the unequivocal presence of tumour cells within an endothelium-lined space. The association between LVI and clinicopathological features was assessed with univariate logistic regression. Cox regression was used to test the association between LVI and BCR. LVI was identified in 10% (129/1298) of patients. The presence of LVI increased with advancing pathological stage: 2% (20/820) in pT2N0 patients, 16% (58/363) in pT3N0 patients and 17% (2/12) in pT4N0 patients; and was highest in patients with pN1 disease (52%; 49/94). Univariate analysis showed an association between LVI and higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels and Gleason scores, and a greater likelihood of extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis and positive surgical margins (all P < 0.001). With a median follow-up of 27 months, LVI was significantly associated with an

Univariate decision tree induction using maximum margin classification

OpenAIRE

Yıldız, Olcay Taner

2012-01-01

In many pattern recognition applications, first decision trees are used due to their simplicity and easily interpretable nature. In this paper, we propose a new decision tree learning algorithm called univariate margin tree where, for each continuous attribute, the best split is found using convex optimization. Our simulation results on 47 data sets show that the novel margin tree classifier performs at least as good as C4.5 and linear discriminant tree (LDT) with a similar time complexity. F...

A Guideline to Univariate Statistical Analysis for LC/MS-Based Untargeted Metabolomics-Derived Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Vinaixa

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Several metabolomic software programs provide methods for peak picking, retention time alignment and quantification of metabolite features in LC/MS-based metabolomics. Statistical analysis, however, is needed in order to discover those features significantly altered between samples. By comparing the retention time and MS/MS data of a model compound to that from the altered feature of interest in the research sample, metabolites can be then unequivocally identified. This paper reports on a comprehensive overview of a workflow for statistical analysis to rank relevant metabolite features that will be selected for further MS/MS experiments. We focus on univariate data analysis applied in parallel on all detected features. Characteristics and challenges of this analysis are discussed and illustrated using four different real LC/MS untargeted metabolomic datasets. We demonstrate the influence of considering or violating mathematical assumptions on which univariate statistical test rely, using high-dimensional LC/MS datasets. Issues in data analysis such as determination of sample size, analytical variation, assumption of normality and homocedasticity, or correction for multiple testing are discussed and illustrated in the context of our four untargeted LC/MS working examples.

Expression features and prognostic significance of Yes-associated protein in hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocellular carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WANG Chun

2017-07-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of Yes-associated protein (YAP in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and cholangiocellular carcinoma (CC and its association with clinical prognosis. MethodsSamples were collected from 190 patients who were treated in The Second Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University from July 2004 to July 2009, among whom 110 had HCC and 80 had CC. The difference in YAP expression and its association were analyzed in both groups, and patients′ prognosis was compared between the two groups. The chi-square test was used to investigate the association between YAP expression and clinicopathological features of HCC and CC, and the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used to assess tumor-free survival rate and overall survival rate. A univariate Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of YAP expression on the prognosis of patients with HCC and CC. ResultsThe CC group had higher expression of YAP than the HCC group (68.7% vs 56.3%, P=0.036. High YAP expression in HCC and CC was significantly associated with tumor size (P＜0.001 and P=0.024, alpha fetoprotein (P=0.009 and 0034, liver cirrhosis (P=0032 and 0.006, vascular invasion (P=0.011 and 0.028, and intrahepatic metastasis (P=0.049 and 0030. In both groups, the patients with high YAP expression had significantly lower tumor-free survival rate and overall survival rate than those with low YAP expression(all P＜005. Multivariate analysis showed that high YAP expression is an adverse prognostic factor for tumor-free survival and overall survival in both groups (all P＜005. ConclusionHigh YAP expression is frequently found in patients with HCC and CC, and high YAP expression is associated with low survival rate.

Effect Sizes for Research Univariate and Multivariate Applications

CERN Document Server

Grissom, Robert J

2011-01-01

Noted for its comprehensive coverage, this greatly expanded new edition now covers the use of univariate and multivariate effect sizes. Many measures and estimators are reviewed along with their application, interpretation, and limitations. Noted for its practical approach, the book features numerous examples using real data for a variety of variables and designs, to help readers apply the material to their own data. Tips on the use of SPSS, SAS, R, and S-Plus are provided. The book's broad disciplinary appeal results from its inclusion of a variety of examples from psychology, medicine, educa

Combinatorial bounds on the α-divergence of univariate mixture models

KAUST Repository

Nielsen, Frank

2017-06-20

We derive lower- and upper-bounds of α-divergence between univariate mixture models with components in the exponential family. Three pairs of bounds are presented in order with increasing quality and increasing computational cost. They are verified empirically through simulated Gaussian mixture models. The presented methodology generalizes to other divergence families relying on Hellinger-type integrals.

Stress assessment based on EEG univariate features and functional connectivity measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, J F; Romero, S; Ballester, M R; Antonijoan, R M; Mañanas, M A

2015-07-01

The biological response to stress originates in the brain but involves different biochemical and physiological effects. Many common clinical methods to assess stress are based on the presence of specific hormones and on features extracted from different signals, including electrocardiogram, blood pressure, skin temperature, or galvanic skin response. The aim of this paper was to assess stress using EEG-based variables obtained from univariate analysis and functional connectivity evaluation. Two different stressors, the Stroop test and sleep deprivation, were applied to 30 volunteers to find common EEG patterns related to stress effects. Results showed a decrease of the high alpha power (11 to 12 Hz), an increase in the high beta band (23 to 36 Hz, considered a busy brain indicator), and a decrease in the approximate entropy. Moreover, connectivity showed that the high beta coherence and the interhemispheric nonlinear couplings, measured by the cross mutual information function, increased significantly for both stressors, suggesting that useful stress indexes may be obtained from EEG-based features.

Which DTW Method Applied to Marine Univariate Time Series Imputation

OpenAIRE

Phan , Thi-Thu-Hong; Caillault , Émilie; Lefebvre , Alain; Bigand , André

2017-01-01

International audience; Missing data are ubiquitous in any domains of applied sciences. Processing datasets containing missing values can lead to a loss of efficiency and unreliable results, especially for large missing sub-sequence(s). Therefore, the aim of this paper is to build a framework for filling missing values in univariate time series and to perform a comparison of different similarity metrics used for the imputation task. This allows to suggest the most suitable methods for the imp...

A comparison of bivariate and univariate QTL mapping in livestock populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sorensen Daniel

2003-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study presents a multivariate, variance component-based QTL mapping model implemented via restricted maximum likelihood (REML. The method was applied to investigate bivariate and univariate QTL mapping analyses, using simulated data. Specifically, we report results on the statistical power to detect a QTL and on the precision of parameter estimates using univariate and bivariate approaches. The model and methodology were also applied to study the effectiveness of partitioning the overall genetic correlation between two traits into a component due to many genes of small effect, and one due to the QTL. It is shown that when the QTL has a pleiotropic effect on two traits, a bivariate analysis leads to a higher statistical power of detecting the QTL and to a more precise estimate of the QTL's map position, in particular in the case when the QTL has a small effect on the trait. The increase in power is most marked in cases where the contributions of the QTL and of the polygenic components to the genetic correlation have opposite signs. The bivariate REML analysis can successfully partition the two components contributing to the genetic correlation between traits.

The Use of Univariate and Multivariate Analyses in the Geochemical Exploration, Ravanj Lead Mine, Delijan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa Nejadhadad

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A geochemical exploration program was applied to recognize the anomalous geochemical haloes at the Ravanj lead mine, Delijan, Iran. Sampling of unweathered rocks were undertaken across rock exposures on a 10 × 10 meter grid (n = 302 as well as the accessible parts of underground mine A (n = 42. First, the threshold values of all elements were determined using the cut-off values used in the exploratory data analysis (EDA method. Then, for further studies, elements with lognormal distributions (Pb, Zn, Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Sb, S, Sr, Th, Ba, Bi, Fe, Ni and Mn were selected. Robustness against outliers is achieved by application of central log ratio transformation to address the closure problems with compositional data prior to principle components analysis (PCA. Results of these analyses show that, in the Ravanj deposit, Pb mineralization is characterized by a Pb-Ba-Ag-Sb ± Zn ± Cd association. The supra-mineralization haloes are characterized by barite and tetrahedrite in a Ba- Th- Ag- Cu- Sb- As- Sr association and sub-mineralization haloes are comprised of pyrite and tetrahedrite, probably reflecting a Fe-Cu-As-Bi-Ni-Co-Mo-Mn association. Using univariate and multivariate geostatistical analyses (e.g., EDA and robust PCA, four anomalies were detected and mapped in Block A of the Ravanj deposit. Anomalies 1 and 2 are around the ancient orebodies. Anomaly 3 is located in a thin bedded limestone-shale intercalation unit that does not show significant mineralization. Drilling of the fourth anomaly suggested a low grade, non-economic Pb mineralization.

Cellulose I crystallinity determination using FT-Raman spectroscopy : univariate and multivariate methods

Science.gov (United States)

Umesh P. Agarwal; Richard S. Reiner; Sally A. Ralph

2010-01-01

Two new methods based on FT–Raman spectroscopy, one simple, based on band intensity ratio, and the other using a partial least squares (PLS) regression model, are proposed to determine cellulose I crystallinity. In the simple method, crystallinity in cellulose I samples was determined based on univariate regression that was first developed using the Raman band...

Univaried models in the series of temperature of the air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leon Aristizabal Gloria esperanza

2000-01-01

The theoretical framework for the study of the air's temperature time series is the theory of stochastic processes, particularly those known as ARIMA, that make it possible to carry out a univaried analysis. ARIMA models are built in order to explain the structure of the monthly temperatures corresponding to the mean, the absolute maximum, absolute minimum, maximum mean and minimum mean temperatures, for four stations in Colombia. By means of those models, the possible evolution of the latter variables is estimated with predictive aims in mind. The application and utility of the models is discussed

Handbook of univariate and multivariate data analysis with IBM SPSS

CERN Document Server

Ho, Robert

2013-01-01

Using the same accessible, hands-on approach as its best-selling predecessor, the Handbook of Univariate and Multivariate Data Analysis with IBM SPSS, Second Edition explains how to apply statistical tests to experimental findings, identify the assumptions underlying the tests, and interpret the findings. This second edition now covers more topics and has been updated with the SPSS statistical package for Windows.New to the Second EditionThree new chapters on multiple discriminant analysis, logistic regression, and canonical correlationNew section on how to deal with missing dataCoverage of te

Serological prevalence and associated risk factors of Salmonella ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... to identify risk factors associated with Salmonella infections in chickens. The overall sero-prevalence established using serum plate agglutination test was 16.7% (98/588). Using a univariate logistic analysis, factors significantly associated with Salmonella infections at p < 0.05 were presence of other birds in poultry farms ...

Association of Body Mass Index and Serum Adipocytokines with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: Univariate analysis showed that EMR exposure, age at presentation >30 years, nulliparity, artificial lactation and increased BMI were significantly associated with breast cancer risk (p30 years (p= 0.02) ...

Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses for 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 14 genes predisposing to chronic glomerular diseases and IgA nephropathy in Han Chinese.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Sui, Weiguo; Xue, Wen; Wu, Junyong; Chen, Jiejing; Dai, Yong

2014-09-01

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a complex trait regulated by the interaction among multiple physiologic regulatory systems and probably involving numerous genes, which leads to inconsistent findings in genetic studies. One possibility of failure to replicate some single-locus results is that the underlying genetics of IgAN nephropathy is based on multiple genes with minor effects. To learn the association between 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14 genes predisposing to chronic glomerular diseases and IgAN in Han males, the 23 SNPs genotypes of 21 Han males were detected and analyzed with a BaiO gene chip, and their associations were analyzed with univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis showed that CTLA4 rs231726 and CR2 rs1048971 revealed a significant association with IgAN. These findings support the multi-gene nature of the etiology of IgAN and propose a potential gene-gene interactive model for future studies.

Forecasting electric vehicles sales with univariate and multivariate time series models: The case of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong; Zhong, Miner; Geng, Nana; Jiang, Yunjian

2017-01-01

The market demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has increased in recent years. Suitable models are necessary to understand and forecast EV sales. This study presents a singular spectrum analysis (SSA) as a univariate time-series model and vector autoregressive model (VAR) as a multivariate model. Empirical results suggest that SSA satisfactorily indicates the evolving trend and provides reasonable results. The VAR model, which comprised exogenous parameters related to the market on a monthly basis, can significantly improve the prediction accuracy. The EV sales in China, which are categorized into battery and plug-in EVs, are predicted in both short term (up to December 2017) and long term (up to 2020), as statistical proofs of the growth of the Chinese EV industry.

Visual classification of very fine-grained sediments: Evaluation through univariate and multivariate statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Hohn, M. Ed; Nuhfer, E.B.; Vinopal, R.J.; Klanderman, D.S.

1980-01-01

Classifying very fine-grained rocks through fabric elements provides information about depositional environments, but is subject to the biases of visual taxonomy. To evaluate the statistical significance of an empirical classification of very fine-grained rocks, samples from Devonian shales in four cored wells in West Virginia and Virginia were measured for 15 variables: quartz, illite, pyrite and expandable clays determined by X-ray diffraction; total sulfur, organic content, inorganic carbon, matrix density, bulk density, porosity, silt, as well as density, sonic travel time, resistivity, and ??-ray response measured from well logs. The four lithologic types comprised: (1) sharply banded shale, (2) thinly laminated shale, (3) lenticularly laminated shale, and (4) nonbanded shale. Univariate and multivariate analyses of variance showed that the lithologic classification reflects significant differences for the variables measured, difference that can be detected independently of stratigraphic effects. Little-known statistical methods found useful in this work included: the multivariate analysis of variance with more than one effect, simultaneous plotting of samples and variables on canonical variates, and the use of parametric ANOVA and MANOVA on ranked data. ?? 1980 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

Prognostic factors in advanced breast cancer: Race and receptor status are significant after development of metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhiyong; Li, Yufeng; Shen, Tiansheng; Hameed, Omar; Siegal, Gene P; Wei, Shi

2016-01-01

Prognostic factors are well established in early-stage breast cancer (BC), but less well-defined in advanced disease. We analyzed 323 BC patients who had distant relapse during follow-up from 1997 to 2010 to determine the significant clinicopathologic factors predicting survival outcomes. By univariate analysis, race, tumor grade, estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR) and HER2 status were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and post-metastasis survival (PMS). Applying a Cox regression model revealed that all these factors remained significant for PMS, while race, tumor grade and HER2 were independent factors for OS. Tumor grade was the only significant factor for metastasis-free survival by univariate and multivariate analyses. Our findings demonstrated that being Caucasian, hormonal receptor positive (HR+) and HER2 positive (HER2+) were all associated with a decreased hazard of death and that patients with HR+/HER2+ tumors had superior outcomes to those with HR+/HER2- disease. Further, PR status held a prognostic value over ER, thus reflecting the biologic mechanism of the importance of the functional ER pathway and the heterogeneity in the response to endocrine therapy. These observations indicate that the patients' genetic makeup and the intrinsic nature of the tumor principally govern BC progression and prognosticate the long-term outcomes in advanced disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Wind Speed Prediction Using a Univariate ARIMA Model and a Multivariate NARX Model

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Erasmo Cadenas

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Two on step ahead wind speed forecasting models were compared. A univariate model was developed using a linear autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA. This method’s performance is well studied for a large number of prediction problems. The other is a multivariate model developed using a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous artificial neural network (NARX. This uses the variables: barometric pressure, air temperature, wind direction and solar radiation or relative humidity, as well as delayed wind speed. Both models were developed from two databases from two sites: an hourly average measurements database from La Mata, Oaxaca, Mexico, and a ten minute average measurements database from Metepec, Hidalgo, Mexico. The main objective was to compare the impact of the various meteorological variables on the performance of the multivariate model of wind speed prediction with respect to the high performance univariate linear model. The NARX model gave better results with improvements on the ARIMA model of between 5.5% and 10. 6% for the hourly database and of between 2.3% and 12.8% for the ten minute database for mean absolute error and mean squared error, respectively.

R package imputeTestbench to compare imputations methods for univariate time series

OpenAIRE

Bokde, Neeraj; Kulat, Kishore; Beck, Marcus W; Asencio-Cortés, Gualberto

2016-01-01

This paper describes the R package imputeTestbench that provides a testbench for comparing imputation methods for missing data in univariate time series. The imputeTestbench package can be used to simulate the amount and type of missing data in a complete dataset and compare filled data using different imputation methods. The user has the option to simulate missing data by removing observations completely at random or in blocks of different sizes. Several default imputation methods are includ...

Age and associated fibrocystic changes are prognostically significant in patients with small node-negative (T1a,bN0) invasive breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Durak, Merih Guray; Gonzalez-Angulo, Ana M; Hanrahan, Emer O; Broglio, Kristine R; Valero, Vicente; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N; Hunt, Kelly K; Sahin, Aysegul A

2011-01-01

Some patients with small (≤1.0 cm) node-negative (T1a,bN0) invasive breast cancer (IBC) who undergo only local therapy experience recurrences. There is limited information on prognostic factors in these patients. We sought to identify prognostic factors associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with T1a,bN0 IBC. Histologic sections from 273 T1a,bN0 IBC patients treated at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) between 1980 and 1999 were reviewed. Microscopic tumor size; multifocality; histologic type, grade of tumor; presence, type, grade of associated ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS); presence of fibrocystic changes (FCC) with/without atypia; and lymphovascular invasion were identified. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate DFS and OS. Median patient age was 58 years, median follow-up period was 10.8 years, and median tumor size was 0.8 cm. Multifocal disease was identified in 26% of cases. At 10 years, the DFS and OS rates were 91% and 88%, respectively. Twenty-one percent of patients had extensive (>50%), and 30% had grade 3 DCIS. Nonproliferative FCC and proliferative FCC with/without atypia were present in 80%, 36%, and 38% of patients, respectively. In univariate analysis, age at diagnosis (p < 0.0001), grade (p = 0.015), and percent (p = 0.046) of DCIS were significantly associated with DFS; presence of FCC was associated with longer DFS and OS. In multivariable models, age and presence of FCC remained significantly associated with survival. Age at diagnosis and associated FCC are significant factors in predicting recurrence in patients with T1a,bN0 IBC. Adjuvant systemic therapy should be discussed with and considered for young patients with T1a,bN0 IBC. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regression Is a Univariate General Linear Model Subsuming Other Parametric Methods as Special Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, Sherry

Although the concept of the general linear model (GLM) has existed since the 1960s, other univariate analyses such as the t-test and the analysis of variance models have remained popular. The GLM produces an equation that minimizes the mean differences of independent variables as they are related to a dependent variable. From a computer printout…

Identification of sequence motifs significantly associated with antisense activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peek Andrew S

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Predicting the suppression activity of antisense oligonucleotide sequences is the main goal of the rational design of nucleic acids. To create an effective predictive model, it is important to know what properties of an oligonucleotide sequence associate significantly with antisense activity. Also, for the model to be efficient we must know what properties do not associate significantly and can be omitted from the model. This paper will discuss the results of a randomization procedure to find motifs that associate significantly with either high or low antisense suppression activity, analysis of their properties, as well as the results of support vector machine modelling using these significant motifs as features. Results We discovered 155 motifs that associate significantly with high antisense suppression activity and 202 motifs that associate significantly with low suppression activity. The motifs range in length from 2 to 5 bases, contain several motifs that have been previously discovered as associating highly with antisense activity, and have thermodynamic properties consistent with previous work associating thermodynamic properties of sequences with their antisense activity. Statistical analysis revealed no correlation between a motif's position within an antisense sequence and that sequences antisense activity. Also, many significant motifs existed as subwords of other significant motifs. Support vector regression experiments indicated that the feature set of significant motifs increased correlation compared to all possible motifs as well as several subsets of the significant motifs. Conclusion The thermodynamic properties of the significantly associated motifs support existing data correlating the thermodynamic properties of the antisense oligonucleotide with antisense efficiency, reinforcing our hypothesis that antisense suppression is strongly associated with probe/target thermodynamics, as there are no enzymatic

QRS complex detection based on continuous density hidden Markov models using univariate observations

Science.gov (United States)

Sotelo, S.; Arenas, W.; Altuve, M.

2018-04-01

In the electrocardiogram (ECG), the detection of QRS complexes is a fundamental step in the ECG signal processing chain since it allows the determination of other characteristics waves of the ECG and provides information about heart rate variability. In this work, an automatic QRS complex detector based on continuous density hidden Markov models (HMM) is proposed. HMM were trained using univariate observation sequences taken either from QRS complexes or their derivatives. The detection approach is based on the log-likelihood comparison of the observation sequence with a fixed threshold. A sliding window was used to obtain the observation sequence to be evaluated by the model. The threshold was optimized by receiver operating characteristic curves. Sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spc) and F1 score were used to evaluate the detection performance. The approach was validated using ECG recordings from the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database. A 6-fold cross-validation shows that the best detection performance was achieved with 2 states HMM trained with QRS complexes sequences (Sen = 0.668, Spc = 0.360 and F1 = 0.309). We concluded that these univariate sequences provide enough information to characterize the QRS complex dynamics from HMM. Future works are directed to the use of multivariate observations to increase the detection performance.

An exercise in model validation: Comparing univariate statistics and Monte Carlo-based multivariate statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weathers, J.B.; Luck, R.; Weathers, J.W.

2009-01-01

The complexity of mathematical models used by practicing engineers is increasing due to the growing availability of sophisticated mathematical modeling tools and ever-improving computational power. For this reason, the need to define a well-structured process for validating these models against experimental results has become a pressing issue in the engineering community. This validation process is partially characterized by the uncertainties associated with the modeling effort as well as the experimental results. The net impact of the uncertainties on the validation effort is assessed through the 'noise level of the validation procedure', which can be defined as an estimate of the 95% confidence uncertainty bounds for the comparison error between actual experimental results and model-based predictions of the same quantities of interest. Although general descriptions associated with the construction of the noise level using multivariate statistics exists in the literature, a detailed procedure outlining how to account for the systematic and random uncertainties is not available. In this paper, the methodology used to derive the covariance matrix associated with the multivariate normal pdf based on random and systematic uncertainties is examined, and a procedure used to estimate this covariance matrix using Monte Carlo analysis is presented. The covariance matrices are then used to construct approximate 95% confidence constant probability contours associated with comparison error results for a practical example. In addition, the example is used to show the drawbacks of using a first-order sensitivity analysis when nonlinear local sensitivity coefficients exist. Finally, the example is used to show the connection between the noise level of the validation exercise calculated using multivariate and univariate statistics.

An exercise in model validation: Comparing univariate statistics and Monte Carlo-based multivariate statistics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weathers, J.B. [Shock, Noise, and Vibration Group, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, P.O. Box 149, Pascagoula, MS 39568 (United States)], E-mail: James.Weathers@ngc.com; Luck, R. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, 210 Carpenter Engineering Building, P.O. Box ME, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5925 (United States)], E-mail: Luck@me.msstate.edu; Weathers, J.W. [Structural Analysis Group, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, P.O. Box 149, Pascagoula, MS 39568 (United States)], E-mail: Jeffrey.Weathers@ngc.com

2009-11-15

The complexity of mathematical models used by practicing engineers is increasing due to the growing availability of sophisticated mathematical modeling tools and ever-improving computational power. For this reason, the need to define a well-structured process for validating these models against experimental results has become a pressing issue in the engineering community. This validation process is partially characterized by the uncertainties associated with the modeling effort as well as the experimental results. The net impact of the uncertainties on the validation effort is assessed through the 'noise level of the validation procedure', which can be defined as an estimate of the 95% confidence uncertainty bounds for the comparison error between actual experimental results and model-based predictions of the same quantities of interest. Although general descriptions associated with the construction of the noise level using multivariate statistics exists in the literature, a detailed procedure outlining how to account for the systematic and random uncertainties is not available. In this paper, the methodology used to derive the covariance matrix associated with the multivariate normal pdf based on random and systematic uncertainties is examined, and a procedure used to estimate this covariance matrix using Monte Carlo analysis is presented. The covariance matrices are then used to construct approximate 95% confidence constant probability contours associated with comparison error results for a practical example. In addition, the example is used to show the drawbacks of using a first-order sensitivity analysis when nonlinear local sensitivity coefficients exist. Finally, the example is used to show the connection between the noise level of the validation exercise calculated using multivariate and univariate statistics.

Prognostic significance of anti-p53 and anti-KRas circulating antibodies in esophageal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, Pierre; Quero, Laurent; Pacault, Vincent; Schlageter, Marie-Helene; Baruch-Hennequin, Valerie; Hennequin, Christophe

2012-01-01

P53 mutations are an adverse prognostic factor in esophageal cancer. P53 and KRas mutations are involved in chemo-radioresistance. Circulating anti-p53 or anti-KRas antibodies are associated with gene mutations. We studied whether anti-p53 or anti-KRas auto-antibodies were prognostic factors for response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or survival in esophageal carcinoma. Serum p53 and KRas antibodies (abs) were measured using an ELISA method in 97 consecutive patients treated at Saint Louis University Hospital between 1999 and 2002 with CRT for esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma (SCCE) 57 patients, adenocarcinoma (ACE) 27 patients). Patient and tumor characteristics, response to treatment and the follow-up status of 84 patients were retrospectively collected. The association between antibodies and patient characteristics was studied. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted. Twenty-four patients (28%) had anti-p53 abs. Abs were found predominantly in SCCE (p = 0.003). Anti-p53 abs were associated with a shorter overall survival in the univariate analysis (HR 1.8 [1.03-2.9], p = 0.04). In the multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors for overall and progression-free survival were an objective response to CRT, the CRT strategy (alone or combined with surgery [preoperative]) and anti-p53 abs. None of the long-term survivors had p53 abs. KRas abs were found in 19 patients (23%, no difference according to the histological type). There was no significant association between anti-KRas abs and survival neither in the univariate nor in the multivariate analysis. Neither anti-p53 nor anti-KRas abs were associated with response to CRT. Anti-p53 abs are an independent prognostic factor for esophageal cancer patients treated with CRT. Individualized therapeutic approaches should be evaluated in this population

Prognostic significance of anti-p53 and anti-KRas circulating antibodies in esophageal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, Pierre; Quero, Laurent; Pacault, Vincent; Schlageter, Marie-Helene; Baruch-Hennequin, Valerie; Hennequin, Christophe

2012-03-26

P53 mutations are an adverse prognostic factor in esophageal cancer. P53 and KRas mutations are involved in chemo-radioresistance. Circulating anti-p53 or anti-KRas antibodies are associated with gene mutations. We studied whether anti-p53 or anti-KRas auto-antibodies were prognostic factors for response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or survival in esophageal carcinoma. Serum p53 and KRas antibodies (abs) were measured using an ELISA method in 97 consecutive patients treated at Saint Louis University Hospital between 1999 and 2002 with CRT for esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma (SCCE) 57 patients, adenocarcinoma (ACE) 27 patients). Patient and tumor characteristics, response to treatment and the follow-up status of 84 patients were retrospectively collected. The association between antibodies and patient characteristics was studied. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted. Twenty-four patients (28%) had anti-p53 abs. Abs were found predominantly in SCCE (p = 0.003). Anti-p53 abs were associated with a shorter overall survival in the univariate analysis (HR 1.8 [1.03-2.9], p = 0.04). In the multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors for overall and progression-free survival were an objective response to CRT, the CRT strategy (alone or combined with surgery [preoperative]) and anti-p53 abs. None of the long-term survivors had p53 abs. KRas abs were found in 19 patients (23%, no difference according to the histological type). There was no significant association between anti-KRas abs and survival neither in the univariate nor in the multivariate analysis. Neither anti-p53 nor anti-KRas abs were associated with response to CRT. Anti-p53 abs are an independent prognostic factor for esophageal cancer patients treated with CRT. Individualized therapeutic approaches should be evaluated in this population.

Prognostic significance of anti-p53 and anti-KRas circulating antibodies in esophageal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanchard Pierre

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background P53 mutations are an adverse prognostic factor in esophageal cancer. P53 and KRas mutations are involved in chemo-radioresistance. Circulating anti-p53 or anti-KRas antibodies are associated with gene mutations. We studied whether anti-p53 or anti-KRas auto-antibodies were prognostic factors for response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT or survival in esophageal carcinoma. Methods Serum p53 and KRas antibodies (abs were measured using an ELISA method in 97 consecutive patients treated at Saint Louis University Hospital between 1999 and 2002 with CRT for esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma (SCCE 57 patients, adenocarcinoma (ACE 27 patients. Patient and tumor characteristics, response to treatment and the follow-up status of 84 patients were retrospectively collected. The association between antibodies and patient characteristics was studied. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted. Results Twenty-four patients (28% had anti-p53 abs. Abs were found predominantly in SCCE (p = 0.003. Anti-p53 abs were associated with a shorter overall survival in the univariate analysis (HR 1.8 [1.03-2.9], p = 0.04. In the multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors for overall and progression-free survival were an objective response to CRT, the CRT strategy (alone or combined with surgery [preoperative] and anti-p53 abs. None of the long-term survivors had p53 abs. KRas abs were found in 19 patients (23%, no difference according to the histological type. There was no significant association between anti-KRas abs and survival neither in the univariate nor in the multivariate analysis. Neither anti-p53 nor anti-KRas abs were associated with response to CRT. Conclusions Anti-p53 abs are an independent prognostic factor for esophageal cancer patients treated with CRT. Individualized therapeutic approaches should be evaluated in this population.

Novel loci and pathways significantly associated with longevity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Yi; Nie, Chao; Min, Junxia

2016-01-01

Only two genome-wide significant loci associated with longevity have been identified so far, probably because of insufficient sample sizes of centenarians, whose genomes may harbor genetic variants associated with health and longevity. Here we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of Han ...

MULTIVARIANT AND UNIVARIANT INTERGROUP DIFFERENCES IN THE INVESTIGATED SPECIFIC MOTOR SPACE BETWEEN RESPONDENTS JUNIORS AND SENIORS MEMBERS OF THE MACEDONIAN NATIONAL KARATE TEAM

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Kеnan Аsani

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The aim is to establish intergroup multivariant and univariant investigated differences in specific motor space between respondents juniors and seniors members of the Macedonian karate team. The sample of 30 male karate respondents covers juniors on 16,17 and seniors over 18 years.In the research were applied 20 specific motor tests. Based on Graph 1 where it is presented multivariant analysis of variance Manova and Anova can be noted that respondents juniors and seniors, although not belonging to the same population are not different in multivariant understudied area.W. lambda of .19, Rao-wool R - Approximation of 1.91 degrees of freedom df 1 = 20 and df 2 = 9 provides the level of significance of p =, 16. Based on univariant analysis for each variable separately can be seen that has been around intergroup statistically significant difference in seven SMAEGERI (kick in the sack with favoritism leg mae geri for 10 sec., SMAVASI (kick in the sack with favoritism foot mavashi geri by 10 sec., SUSIRO (kick in the sack with favoritism leg ushiro geri for 10 sec., SKIZAME (kick in the sack with favoritism hand kizame cuki for 10 sec., STAPNSR (taping with foot in sagital plane for 15 sec. SUDMNR (hitting a moving target with weaker hand and SUDMPN (hitting a moving target with favoritism foot of twenty applied manifest variables. There are no intergroup differences in multivariant investigated specific - motor space among the respondents juniors and seniors members of the Macedonian karate team. Based on univariant analysis for each variable separately can be seen that has been around intergroup statistically significant difference in seven SMAEGERI (kick in the sack with favoritism leg mae geri for 10 sec., SMAVASI (kick in the sack with favoritism foot mavashi geri by 10 sec., SUSIRO (kick in the sack with favoritism leg ushiro geri for 10 sec., SKIZAME (kick in the sack with favoritism hand kizame cuki for 10 sec., STAPNSR (taping with foot in

Associations between ABO blood groups and biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohno, Yoshio; Ohori, Makoto; Nakashima, Jun; Okubo, Hidenori; Satake, Naoya; Takizawa, Issei; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Hamada, Riu; Nakagami, Yoshihiro; Yoshioka, Kunihiko; Tachibana, Masaaki

2015-01-01

Recent studies have demonstrated associations between ABO blood groups and prognosis in various types of cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ABO blood groups and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP). A total of 555 patients with prostate cancer who underwent RP were included in the study. No patients received neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapy. The effect of ABO blood groups on BCR was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. During the follow-up period (mean, 52.0 months), 166 patients (29.9%) experienced BCR, with a 5-year BCR-free rate of 67.3%. Although the ABO blood group was not a significantly associated with BCR in the univariate analysis, it was an independent predictor of BCR in the multivariate analysis: blood type O patients had a significantly lower risk of BCR compared to type A patients (Hazard ratio, 0.608; 95% confidence interval, 0.410-0.902; P = 0.014). Further analyses revealed that surgical margin status confounded the assessment of the association between the ABO blood group and BCR. In the analyses of patients with a negative surgical margin, the 5-year BCR-free rate in blood type O patients was a significantly higher than that in type A patients (91.2% vs. 71.0%; P = 0.026). Blood type O is significantly associated with a decreased risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Further studies are needed to clarify the nature of this association.

How significant is the ‘significant other’? Associations between significant others’ health behaviors and attitudes and young adults’ health outcomes

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Berge Jerica M

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Having a significant other has been shown to be protective against physical and psychological health conditions for adults. Less is known about the period of emerging young adulthood and associations between significant others’ weight and weight-related health behaviors (e.g. healthy dietary intake, the frequency of physical activity, weight status. This study examined the association between significant others’ health attitudes and behaviors regarding eating and physical activity and young adults’ weight status, dietary intake, and physical activity. Methods This study uses data from Project EAT-III, a population-based cohort study with emerging young adults from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds (n = 1212. Logistic regression models examining cross-sectional associations, adjusted for sociodemographics and health behaviors five years earlier, were used to estimate predicted probabilities and calculate prevalence differences. Results Young adult women whose significant others had health promoting attitudes/behaviors were significantly less likely to be overweight/obese and were more likely to eat ≥ 5 fruits/vegetables per day and engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity, compared to women whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes. Young adult men whose significant other had health promoting behaviors/attitudes were more likely to engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity compared to men whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes. Conclusions Findings suggest the protective nature of the significant other with regard to weight-related health behaviors of young adults, particularly for young adult women. Obesity prevention efforts should consider the importance of including the significant other in intervention efforts with young adult women and potentially men.

Application of Raman Spectroscopy and Univariate Modelling As a Process Analytical Technology for Cell Therapy Bioprocessing

Science.gov (United States)

Baradez, Marc-Olivier; Biziato, Daniela; Hassan, Enas; Marshall, Damian

2018-01-01

Cell therapies offer unquestionable promises for the treatment, and in some cases even the cure, of complex diseases. As we start to see more of these therapies gaining market authorization, attention is turning to the bioprocesses used for their manufacture, in particular the challenge of gaining higher levels of process control to help regulate cell behavior, manage process variability, and deliver product of a consistent quality. Many processes already incorporate the measurement of key markers such as nutrient consumption, metabolite production, and cell concentration, but these are often performed off-line and only at set time points in the process. Having the ability to monitor these markers in real-time using in-line sensors would offer significant advantages, allowing faster decision-making and a finer level of process control. In this study, we use Raman spectroscopy as an in-line optical sensor for bioprocess monitoring of an autologous T-cell immunotherapy model produced in a stirred tank bioreactor system. Using reference datasets generated on a standard bioanalyzer, we develop chemometric models from the Raman spectra for glucose, glutamine, lactate, and ammonia. These chemometric models can accurately monitor donor-specific increases in nutrient consumption and metabolite production as the primary T-cell transition from a recovery phase and begin proliferating. Using a univariate modeling approach, we then show how changes in peak intensity within the Raman spectra can be correlated with cell concentration and viability. These models, which act as surrogate markers, can be used to monitor cell behavior including cell proliferation rates, proliferative capacity, and transition of the cells to a quiescent phenotype. Finally, using the univariate models, we also demonstrate how Raman spectroscopy can be applied for real-time monitoring. The ability to measure these key parameters using an in-line Raman optical sensor makes it possible to have immediate

Application of Raman Spectroscopy and Univariate Modelling As a Process Analytical Technology for Cell Therapy Bioprocessing.

Science.gov (United States)

Baradez, Marc-Olivier; Biziato, Daniela; Hassan, Enas; Marshall, Damian

2018-01-01

Cell therapies offer unquestionable promises for the treatment, and in some cases even the cure, of complex diseases. As we start to see more of these therapies gaining market authorization, attention is turning to the bioprocesses used for their manufacture, in particular the challenge of gaining higher levels of process control to help regulate cell behavior, manage process variability, and deliver product of a consistent quality. Many processes already incorporate the measurement of key markers such as nutrient consumption, metabolite production, and cell concentration, but these are often performed off-line and only at set time points in the process. Having the ability to monitor these markers in real-time using in-line sensors would offer significant advantages, allowing faster decision-making and a finer level of process control. In this study, we use Raman spectroscopy as an in-line optical sensor for bioprocess monitoring of an autologous T-cell immunotherapy model produced in a stirred tank bioreactor system. Using reference datasets generated on a standard bioanalyzer, we develop chemometric models from the Raman spectra for glucose, glutamine, lactate, and ammonia. These chemometric models can accurately monitor donor-specific increases in nutrient consumption and metabolite production as the primary T-cell transition from a recovery phase and begin proliferating. Using a univariate modeling approach, we then show how changes in peak intensity within the Raman spectra can be correlated with cell concentration and viability. These models, which act as surrogate markers, can be used to monitor cell behavior including cell proliferation rates, proliferative capacity, and transition of the cells to a quiescent phenotype. Finally, using the univariate models, we also demonstrate how Raman spectroscopy can be applied for real-time monitoring. The ability to measure these key parameters using an in-line Raman optical sensor makes it possible to have immediate

Application of Raman Spectroscopy and Univariate Modelling As a Process Analytical Technology for Cell Therapy Bioprocessing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc-Olivier Baradez

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Cell therapies offer unquestionable promises for the treatment, and in some cases even the cure, of complex diseases. As we start to see more of these therapies gaining market authorization, attention is turning to the bioprocesses used for their manufacture, in particular the challenge of gaining higher levels of process control to help regulate cell behavior, manage process variability, and deliver product of a consistent quality. Many processes already incorporate the measurement of key markers such as nutrient consumption, metabolite production, and cell concentration, but these are often performed off-line and only at set time points in the process. Having the ability to monitor these markers in real-time using in-line sensors would offer significant advantages, allowing faster decision-making and a finer level of process control. In this study, we use Raman spectroscopy as an in-line optical sensor for bioprocess monitoring of an autologous T-cell immunotherapy model produced in a stirred tank bioreactor system. Using reference datasets generated on a standard bioanalyzer, we develop chemometric models from the Raman spectra for glucose, glutamine, lactate, and ammonia. These chemometric models can accurately monitor donor-specific increases in nutrient consumption and metabolite production as the primary T-cell transition from a recovery phase and begin proliferating. Using a univariate modeling approach, we then show how changes in peak intensity within the Raman spectra can be correlated with cell concentration and viability. These models, which act as surrogate markers, can be used to monitor cell behavior including cell proliferation rates, proliferative capacity, and transition of the cells to a quiescent phenotype. Finally, using the univariate models, we also demonstrate how Raman spectroscopy can be applied for real-time monitoring. The ability to measure these key parameters using an in-line Raman optical sensor makes it possible

The issue of multiple univariate comparisons in the context of neuroelectric brain mapping: an application in a neuromarketing experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Vecchiato, G; De Vico Fallani, F; Astolfi, L; Toppi, J; Cincotti, F; Mattia, D; Salinari, S; Babiloni, F

2010-08-30

This paper presents some considerations about the use of adequate statistical techniques in the framework of the neuroelectromagnetic brain mapping. With the use of advanced EEG/MEG recording setup involving hundred of sensors, the issue of the protection against the type I errors that could occur during the execution of hundred of univariate statistical tests, has gained interest. In the present experiment, we investigated the EEG signals from a mannequin acting as an experimental subject. Data have been collected while performing a neuromarketing experiment and analyzed with state of the art computational tools adopted in specialized literature. Results showed that electric data from the mannequin's head presents statistical significant differences in power spectra during the visualization of a commercial advertising when compared to the power spectra gathered during a documentary, when no adjustments were made on the alpha level of the multiple univariate tests performed. The use of the Bonferroni or Bonferroni-Holm adjustments returned correctly no differences between the signals gathered from the mannequin in the two experimental conditions. An partial sample of recently published literature on different neuroscience journals suggested that at least the 30% of the papers do not use statistical protection for the type I errors. While the occurrence of type I errors could be easily managed with appropriate statistical techniques, the use of such techniques is still not so largely adopted in the literature. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systemic disease manifestations associated with epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Anna; Wong, Michael

2016-09-01

Epilepsy is one of the most disabling symptoms of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in affected individuals. The relationship between systemic disease manifestations and the presence of epilepsy has not been thoroughly investigated. This study utilizes a multicenter TSC Natural History Database including 1,816 individuals to test the hypothesis that systemic disease manifestations of TSC are associated with epilepsy. Univariate analysis was used to identify patient characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race, and TSC mutation status) associated with the presence of epilepsy. Individual logistic regression models were built to examine the association between epilepsy and each candidate systemic or neurologic disease variable, controlling for the patient characteristics found to be significant on univariate analysis. Finally, a multivariable logistic regression model was constructed, using the variables found to be significant on the individual analyses as well as the patient characteristics that were significant on univariate analysis. Nearly 88% of our cohort had a history of epilepsy. After adjusting for age, gender, and TSC mutation status, multiple systemic disease manifestations including cardiac rhabdomyomas (odds ratio [OR] 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-3.9, p = 0.002), retinal hamartomas (OR 2.1, CI 1.0-4.3, p = 0.04), renal cysts (OR 2.1, CI 1.3-3.4, p = 0.002), renal angiomyolipomas (OR 3.0, CI 1.8-5.1, p epilepsy. In the multivariable logistic regression model, cardiac rhabdomyomas (OR 1.9, CI 1.0-3.5, p = 0.04) remained significantly associated with the presence of epilepsy. The identification of systemic disease manifestations such as cardiac rhabdomyomas that confer a higher risk of epilepsy development in TSC could contribute to disease prognostication and assist in the identification of individuals who may receive maximal benefit from potentially novel, targeted, preventative therapies. Wiley

Trend and forecasting rate of cancer deaths at a public university hospital using univariate modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, A.; Hassan, Noor I.

2013-09-01

Cancer is one of the principal causes of death in Malaysia. This study was performed to determine the pattern of rate of cancer deaths at a public hospital in Malaysia over an 11 year period from year 2001 to 2011, to determine the best fitted model of forecasting the rate of cancer deaths using Univariate Modeling and to forecast the rates for the next two years (2012 to 2013). The medical records of the death of patients with cancer admitted at this Hospital over 11 year's period were reviewed, with a total of 663 cases. The cancers were classified according to 10th Revision International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Data collected include socio-demographic background of patients such as registration number, age, gender, ethnicity, ward and diagnosis. Data entry and analysis was accomplished using SPSS 19.0 and Minitab 16.0. The five Univariate Models used were Naïve with Trend Model, Average Percent Change Model (ACPM), Single Exponential Smoothing, Double Exponential Smoothing and Holt's Method. The overall 11 years rate of cancer deaths showed that at this hospital, Malay patients have the highest percentage (88.10%) compared to other ethnic groups with males (51.30%) higher than females. Lung and breast cancer have the most number of cancer deaths among gender. About 29.60% of the patients who died due to cancer were aged 61 years old and above. The best Univariate Model used for forecasting the rate of cancer deaths is Single Exponential Smoothing Technique with alpha of 0.10. The forecast for the rate of cancer deaths shows a horizontally or flat value. The forecasted mortality trend remains at 6.84% from January 2012 to December 2013. All the government and private sectors and non-governmental organizations need to highlight issues on cancer especially lung and breast cancers to the public through campaigns using mass media, media electronics, posters and pamphlets in the attempt to decrease the rate of cancer deaths in Malaysia.

Association between Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and occipital periventricular hyperintensities in a group of Chinese patients: an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Dazhi; Shen, Lin; Cui, Chun; Shu, Tongsheng; Zheng, Jian

2017-02-27

While occipital periventricular hyperintensities (OPVHs) are among the most common mild white matter hyperintensities, the clinical factors associated with OPVHs remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of clinical factors in development of pure OPVHs. This study included 97 patients with OPVHs and 73 healthy controls. Univariate analysis of clinical factors in OPVH patients and controls was followed by binomial logistic regression analysis to identify clinical factors significantly associated with OPVHs. Univariate analysis indicated that age, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B) levels differed significantly between the OPVH patients and controls (p correlated with OPVH scores (p anti-correlated with OPVHs scores (p correlated with OPVHs (p correlated with OPVHs (p < 0.001). In summary, LDL-C was negatively and age was positively associated with OPVHs among Chinese patients in a hospital.

Association of polypharmacy with fall risk among geriatric outpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Taro; Akishita, Masahiro; Nakamura, Tetsuro; Nomura, Kazushi; Ogawa, Sumito; Iijima, Katsuya; Eto, Masato; Ouchi, Yasuyoshi

2011-10-01

To investigate the association of fall risk with comorbidities and medications in geriatric outpatients in a cross-sectional design.   A total of 262 outpatients (84 men and 178 women, mean age 76.2±6.8years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical histories and medication profile were obtained from each patient. History of falls in the past year, 22-item fall risk index, 13-point simple screening test for fall, and time interval of one-leg standing test were examined as markers of fall risk. On univariate analysis, older age, female sex, hypertension, osteoporosis, history of stroke, number of comorbidities, use of antihypertensives, aspirin, bisphosphonates, hypnotics and number of prescribed drugs were significantly associated with either of four indices. On multiple regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with all of the four indices, independent of other factors associated in the univariate analysis. The association of number of drugs with fall risk indices was stepwise. In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy rather than number of comorbidities was associated with fall risk. Prospective and intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidities and fall risk. © 2011 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Automatic Image Segmentation Using Active Contours with Univariate Marginal Distribution

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I. Cruz-Aceves

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel automatic image segmentation method based on the theory of active contour models and estimation of distribution algorithms. The proposed method uses the univariate marginal distribution model to infer statistical dependencies between the control points on different active contours. These contours have been generated through an alignment process of reference shape priors, in order to increase the exploration and exploitation capabilities regarding different interactive segmentation techniques. This proposed method is applied in the segmentation of the hollow core in microscopic images of photonic crystal fibers and it is also used to segment the human heart and ventricular areas from datasets of computed tomography and magnetic resonance images, respectively. Moreover, to evaluate the performance of the medical image segmentations compared to regions outlined by experts, a set of similarity measures has been adopted. The experimental results suggest that the proposed image segmentation method outperforms the traditional active contour model and the interactive Tseng method in terms of segmentation accuracy and stability.

Depressive symptoms in middle-aged women are more strongly associated with physical health and social support than with socioeconomic factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aro, A R; Nyberg, N; Absetz, P

2001-01-01

The association of socioeconomic factors, health-related factors, and social support with depressive symptoms has been extensively studied. However, most epidemiological studies have focused on a few factors such as marital status, social class, and employment. In this study of middle-aged women we...... analyzed both univariate and multivariate associations of socioeconomic factors, perceived physical health factors, and social support with self-rated depressive symptoms measured with the Beck Depression Inventory. A nationwide sample (n = 1851) of Finnish women aged 48-50 years was analyzed....... Socioeconomic, health-related, and social support factors were all measured with single items. All variables, except level of urbanization, were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in univariate analyses. Multivariate associations were examined with standard multiple regression analyses in three...

A comparison of multivariate genome-wide association methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galesloot, Tessel E; Van Steen, Kristel; Kiemeney, Lambertus A L M

2014-01-01

Joint association analysis of multiple traits in a genome-wide association study (GWAS), i.e. a multivariate GWAS, offers several advantages over analyzing each trait in a separate GWAS. In this study we directly compared a number of multivariate GWAS methods using simulated data. We focused on six...... methods that are implemented in the software packages PLINK, SNPTEST, MultiPhen, BIMBAM, PCHAT and TATES, and also compared them to standard univariate GWAS, analysis of the first principal component of the traits, and meta-analysis of univariate results. We simulated data (N = 1000) for three...... for scenarios with an opposite sign of genetic and residual correlation. All multivariate analyses resulted in a higher power than univariate analyses, even when only one of the traits was associated with the QTL. Hence, use of multivariate GWAS methods can be recommended, even when genetic correlations between...

Association of Interarm Systolic Blood Pressure Difference with Atherosclerosis and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Ho-Ming; Lin, Tsung-Hsien; Hsu, Po-Chao; Chu, Chun-Yuan; Lee, Wen-Hsien; Chen, Szu-Chia; Lee, Chee-Siong; Voon, Wen-Chol; Lai, Wen-Ter; Sheu, Sheng-Hsiung

2012-01-01

An interarm systolic blood pressure (SBP) difference of 10 mmHg or more have been associated with peripheral artery disease and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We investigated whether an association exists between this difference and ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and echocardiographic parameters. A total of 1120 patients were included in the study. The bilateral arm blood pressures were measured simultaneously by an ABI-form device. The values of ABI and baPWV were also obtained from the same device. Clinical data, ABIdifference ≥10 mmHg were compared and analyzed. We performed two multivariate forward analyses for determining the factors associated with an interarm SBP difference ≥10 mmHg [model 1: significant variables in univariate analysis except left ventricular mass index (LVMI); model 2: significant variables in univariate analysis except ABIdifference ≥10 mmHg. Female, hypertension, and high body mass index were also associated with an interarm SBP difference ≥10 mmHg. Our study demonstrated that ABIdifference of 10 mmHg or more. Detection of an interarm SBP difference may provide a simple method of detecting patients at increased risk of atherosclerosis and left ventricular hypertrophy. PMID:22927905

Univariate and multivariate forecasting of hourly solar radiation with artificial intelligence techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sfetsos, A. [7 Pirsou Str., Athens (Greece); Coonick, A.H. [Imperial Coll. of Science Technology and Medicine, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, London (United Kingdom)

2000-07-01

This paper introduces a new approach for the forecasting of mean hourly global solar radiation received by a horizontal surface. In addition to the traditional linear methods, several artificial-intelligence-based techniques are studied. These include linear, feed-forward, recurrent Elman and Radial Basis neural networks alongside the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference scheme. The problem is examined initially for the univariate case, and is extended to include additional meteorological parameters in the process of estimating the optimum model. The results indicate that the developed artificial intelligence models predict the solar radiation time series more effectively compared to the conventional procedures based on the clearness index. The forecasting ability of some models can be further enhanced with the use of additional meteorological parameters. (Author)

Monitoring endemic livestock diseases using laboratory diagnostic data: A simulation study to evaluate the performance of univariate process monitoring control algorithms.

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Lopes Antunes, Ana Carolina; Dórea, Fernanda; Halasa, Tariq; Toft, Nils

2016-05-01

Surveillance systems are critical for accurate, timely monitoring and effective disease control. In this study, we investigated the performance of univariate process monitoring control algorithms in detecting changes in seroprevalence for endemic diseases. We also assessed the effect of sample size (number of sentinel herds tested in the surveillance system) on the performance of the algorithms. Three univariate process monitoring control algorithms were compared: Shewart p Chart(1) (PSHEW), Cumulative Sum(2) (CUSUM) and Exponentially Weighted Moving Average(3) (EWMA). Increases in seroprevalence were simulated from 0.10 to 0.15 and 0.20 over 4, 8, 24, 52 and 104 weeks. Each epidemic scenario was run with 2000 iterations. The cumulative sensitivity(4) (CumSe) and timeliness were used to evaluate the algorithms' performance with a 1% false alarm rate. Using these performance evaluation criteria, it was possible to assess the accuracy and timeliness of the surveillance system working in real-time. The results showed that EWMA and PSHEW had higher CumSe (when compared with the CUSUM) from week 1 until the end of the period for all simulated scenarios. Changes in seroprevalence from 0.10 to 0.20 were more easily detected (higher CumSe) than changes from 0.10 to 0.15 for all three algorithms. Similar results were found with EWMA and PSHEW, based on the median time to detection. Changes in the seroprevalence were detected later with CUSUM, compared to EWMA and PSHEW for the different scenarios. Increasing the sample size 10 fold halved the time to detection (CumSe=1), whereas increasing the sample size 100 fold reduced the time to detection by a factor of 6. This study investigated the performance of three univariate process monitoring control algorithms in monitoring endemic diseases. It was shown that automated systems based on these detection methods identified changes in seroprevalence at different times. Increasing the number of tested herds would lead to faster

Significance of Epstein-Barr virus (HHV-4 and CMV (HHV-5 infection among subtype-C human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals

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J Sachithanandham

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Opportunistic viral infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in HIV infection and their molecular detection in the whole blood could be a useful diagnostic tool. Objective: The frequency of opportunistic DNA virus infections among HIV-1-infected individuals using multiplex real-time PCR assays was studied. Materials and Methods: The subjects were in two groups; group 1: Having CD4 counts 350 cells/µl (n = 173. Individuals were classified by WHO clinical staging system. Samples from 70 healthy individuals were tested as controls. In-house qualitative multiplex real-time PCR was standardised and whole blood samples from 291 were tested, followed by quantitative real-time PCR for positives. In a proportion of samples genotypes of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV and CMV were determined. Results: The two major viral infections observed were EBV and CMV. The univariate analysis of CMV load showed significant association with cryptococcal meningitis, oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL, CMV retinitis, CD4 counts and WHO staging (P < 0.05 while the multivariate analysis showed an association with OHL (P = 0.02 and WHO staging (P = 0.05. Univariate analysis showed an association of EBV load with CD4 counts and WHO staging (P < 0.05 and multivariate analysis had association only with CD4 counts. The CMV load was significantly associated with elevated SGPT and SGOT level (P < 0.05 while the EBV had only with SGOT. Conclusion: This study showed an association of EBV and CMV load with CD4+ T cell counts, WHO staging and elevated liver enzymes. These viral infections can accelerate HIV disease and multiplex real-time PCR can be used for the early detection. Genotype 1 and 2 of EBV and genotype gB1 and gB2 of CMV were the prevalent in the HIV-1 subtype C-infected south Indians.

The incidence of surgical site dehiscence following full-thickness gastrointestinal biopsy in dogs and cats and associated risk factors.

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Swinbourne, F; Jeffery, N; Tivers, M S; Artingstall, R; Bird, F; Charlesworth, T; Doran, I; Freeman, A; Hall, J; Hattersley, R; Henken, J; Hughes, J; de la Puerta, B; Rutherford, L; Ryan, T; Williams, H; Woods, S; Nicholson, I

2017-09-01

The objectives of this study were to: (1) document the incidence of surgical site dehiscence after full-thickness gastrointestinal biopsy in dogs and cats and (2) identify potential risk factors. Data relating to dogs and cats undergoing full-thickness gastrointestinal biopsy were reviewed retrospectively following submission of a completed questionnaire by 12 referral institutions. Outcome measures were definite dehiscence, possible dehiscence (clinical records suggestive of dehiscence but not confirmed), suspected dehiscence (definite and possible combined) and death within 14 days. Logistic regression was planned for analysis of association of dehiscence with low preoperative serum albumin, biopsy through neoplastic tissue, biopsy alongside another major abdominal surgical procedure and biopsy of the colon. Of 172 cats, two (1·2%) had definite dehiscence, and four (2·3%) had possible dehiscence. Low preoperative serum albumin was significantly associated with definite dehiscence in univariable analysis and with suspected dehiscence and death within 14 days in univariable analysis, but all odds ratios had wide 95% confidence intervals. A histopathological diagnosis of neoplasia was significantly associated with death within 14 days in univariable analysis. Of 195 dogs, two (1·0%) had definite dehiscence, and three (1·5%) had possible dehiscence. In dogs, there was no association between any outcome measure and the putative risk factors. Incidence of dehiscence following full-thickness gastrointestinal biopsy was low in this study. When determining the appropriateness of biopsy in individual cases, this information should be balanced against the potentially life-threatening consequences of dehiscence. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Nuisance forecasting. Univariate modelling and very-short-term forecasting of winter smog episodes; Immissionsprognose. Univariate Modellierung und Kuerzestfristvorhersage von Wintersmogsituationen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlink, U.

1996-12-31

The work evaluates specifically the nuisance data provided by the measuring station in the centre of Leipig during the period from 1980 to 1993, with the aim to develop an algorithm for making very short-term forecasts of excessive nuisances. Forecasting was to be univariate, i.e., based exclusively on the half-hourly readings of SO{sub 2} concentrations taken in the past. As shown by Fourier analysis, there exist three main and mutually independent spectral regions: the high-frequency sector (period < 12 hours) of unstable irregularities, the seasonal sector with the periods of 24 and 12 hours, and the low-frequency sector (period > 24 hours). After breaking the measuring series up into components, the low-frequency sector is termed trend component, or trend for short. For obtaining the components, a Kalman filter is used. It was found that smog episodes are most adequately described by the trend component. This is therefore more closely investigated. The phase representation then shows characteristic trajectories of the trends. (orig./KW) [Deutsch] In der vorliegende Arbeit wurden speziell die Immissionsdaten der Messstation Leipzig-Mitte des Zeitraumes 1980-1993 mit dem Ziel der Erstellung eines Algorithmus fuer die Kuerzestfristprognose von Ueberschreitungssituationen untersucht. Die Prognosestellung sollte allein anhand der in der Vergangenheit registrierten Halbstundenwerte der SO{sub 2}-Konzentration, also univariat erfolgen. Wie die Fourieranalyse zeigt, gibt es drei wesentliche und voneinander unabhaengige Spektralbereiche: Den hochfrequenten Bereich (Periode <12 Stunden) der instabilen Irregularitaeten, den saisonalen Anteil mit den Perioden von 24 und 12 Stunden und den niedrigfrequenten Bereich (Periode >24 Stunden). Letzterer wird nach einer Zerlegung der Messreihe in Komponenten als Trendkomponente (oder kurz Trend) bezeichnet. Fuer die Komponentenzerlegung wird ein Kalman-Filter verwendet. Es stellt sich heraus, dass Smogepisoden am deutlichsten

Univariate time series modeling and an application to future claims amount in SOCSO's invalidity pension scheme

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Chek, Mohd Zaki Awang; Ahmad, Abu Bakar; Ridzwan, Ahmad Nur Azam Ahmad; Jelas, Imran Md.; Jamal, Nur Faezah; Ismail, Isma Liana; Zulkifli, Faiz; Noor, Syamsul Ikram Mohd

2012-09-01

The main objective of this study is to forecast the future claims amount of Invalidity Pension Scheme (IPS). All data were derived from SOCSO annual reports from year 1972 - 2010. These claims consist of all claims amount from 7 benefits offered by SOCSO such as Invalidity Pension, Invalidity Grant, Survivors Pension, Constant Attendance Allowance, Rehabilitation, Funeral and Education. Prediction of future claims of Invalidity Pension Scheme will be made using Univariate Forecasting Models to predict the future claims among workforce in Malaysia.

Prognostic significance of tumor size of small lung adenocarcinomas evaluated with mediastinal window settings on computed tomography.

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Yukinori Sakao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We aimed to clarify that the size of the lung adenocarcinoma evaluated using mediastinal window on computed tomography is an important and useful modality for predicting invasiveness, lymph node metastasis and prognosis in small adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We evaluated 176 patients with small lung adenocarcinomas (diameter, 1-3 cm who underwent standard surgical resection. Tumours were examined using computed tomography with thin section conditions (1.25 mm thick on high-resolution computed tomography with tumour dimensions evaluated under two settings: lung window and mediastinal window. We also determined the patient age, gender, preoperative nodal status, tumour size, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and pathological status (lymphatic vessel, vascular vessel or pleural invasion. Recurrence-free survival was used for prognosis. RESULTS: Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and preoperative nodal status were significant predictive factors for recurrence-free survival in univariate analyses. Areas under the receiver operator curves for recurrence were 0.76, 0.73 and 0.65 for mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and lung window, respectively. Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and preoperative nodal status were significant predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in univariate analyses; areas under the receiver operator curves were 0.61, 0.76, 0.72 and 0.66, for lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels, respectively. Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and preoperative nodal status were significant factors for lymphatic vessel, vascular vessel or pleural invasion in univariate analyses; areas under the receiver operator curves were 0

Prognostic Significance of Tumor Size of Small Lung Adenocarcinomas Evaluated with Mediastinal Window Settings on Computed Tomography

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Sakao, Yukinori; Kuroda, Hiroaki; Mun, Mingyon; Uehara, Hirofumi; Motoi, Noriko; Ishikawa, Yuichi; Nakagawa, Ken; Okumura, Sakae

2014-01-01

Background We aimed to clarify that the size of the lung adenocarcinoma evaluated using mediastinal window on computed tomography is an important and useful modality for predicting invasiveness, lymph node metastasis and prognosis in small adenocarcinoma. Methods We evaluated 176 patients with small lung adenocarcinomas (diameter, 1–3 cm) who underwent standard surgical resection. Tumours were examined using computed tomography with thin section conditions (1.25 mm thick on high-resolution computed tomography) with tumour dimensions evaluated under two settings: lung window and mediastinal window. We also determined the patient age, gender, preoperative nodal status, tumour size, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and pathological status (lymphatic vessel, vascular vessel or pleural invasion). Recurrence-free survival was used for prognosis. Results Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and preoperative nodal status were significant predictive factors for recurrence-free survival in univariate analyses. Areas under the receiver operator curves for recurrence were 0.76, 0.73 and 0.65 for mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and lung window, respectively. Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and preoperative nodal status were significant predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in univariate analyses; areas under the receiver operator curves were 0.61, 0.76, 0.72 and 0.66, for lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio and preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels, respectively. Lung window, mediastinal window, tumour disappearance ratio, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and preoperative nodal status were significant factors for lymphatic vessel, vascular vessel or pleural invasion in univariate analyses; areas under the receiver operator curves were 0.60, 0.81, 0

Univariate Lp and ɭ p Averaging, 0 < p < 1, in Polynomial Time by Utilization of Statistical Structure

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John E. Lavery

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We present evidence that one can calculate generically combinatorially expensive Lp and lp averages, 0 < p < 1, in polynomial time by restricting the data to come from a wide class of statistical distributions. Our approach differs from the approaches in the previous literature, which are based on a priori sparsity requirements or on accepting a local minimum as a replacement for a global minimum. The functionals by which Lp averages are calculated are not convex but are radially monotonic and the functionals by which lp averages are calculated are nearly so, which are the keys to solvability in polynomial time. Analytical results for symmetric, radially monotonic univariate distributions are presented. An algorithm for univariate lp averaging is presented. Computational results for a Gaussian distribution, a class of symmetric heavy-tailed distributions and a class of asymmetric heavy-tailed distributions are presented. Many phenomena in human-based areas are increasingly known to be represented by data that have large numbers of outliers and belong to very heavy-tailed distributions. When tails of distributions are so heavy that even medians (L1 and l1 averages do not exist, one needs to consider using lp minimization principles with 0 < p < 1.

Detection of biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma using a hybrid univariate gene selection methods

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Abdel Samee Nagwan M

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Discovering new biomarkers has a great role in improving early diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. The experimental determination of biomarkers needs a lot of time and money. This motivates this work to use in-silico prediction of biomarkers to reduce the number of experiments required for detecting new ones. This is achieved by extracting the most representative genes in microarrays of HCC. Results In this work, we provide a method for extracting the differential expressed genes, up regulated ones, that can be considered candidate biomarkers in high throughput microarrays of HCC. We examine the power of several gene selection methods (such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Cosine coefficient, Euclidean distance, Mutual information and Entropy with different estimators in selecting informative genes. A biological interpretation of the highly ranked genes is done using KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, ENTREZ and DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery databases. The top ten genes selected using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Cosine coefficient contained six genes that have been implicated in cancer (often multiple cancers genesis in previous studies. A fewer number of genes were obtained by the other methods (4 genes using Mutual information, 3genes using Euclidean distance and only one gene using Entropy. A better result was obtained by the utilization of a hybrid approach based on intersecting the highly ranked genes in the output of all investigated methods. This hybrid combination yielded seven genes (2 genes for HCC and 5 genes in different types of cancer in the top ten genes of the list of intersected genes. Conclusions To strengthen the effectiveness of the univariate selection methods, we propose a hybrid approach by intersecting several of these methods in a cascaded manner. This approach surpasses all of univariate selection methods when

Expression and Prognostic Significance of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors 1, 2 and 3 in Periampullary Adenocarcinoma.

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Jacob Elebro

Full Text Available Periampullary adenocarcinoma, including pancreatic cancer, is a heterogeneous group of tumours with dismal prognosis, for which there is an urgent need to identify novel treatment strategies. The human epithelial growth factor receptors EGFR, HER2 and HER3 have been studied in several tumour types, and HER-targeting drugs have a beneficial effect on survival in selected types of cancer. However, these effects have not been evident in pancreatic cancer, and remain unexplored in other types of periampullary cancer. The prognostic impact of HER-expression in these cancers also remains unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the expression and prognostic value of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 in periampullary cancer, with particular reference to histological subtype. To this end, protein expression of EGFR, HER2 and HER3, and HER2 gene amplification was assessed by immunohistochemistry and silver in situ hybridization, respectively, on tissue microarrays with tumours from 175 periampullary adenocarcinomas, with follow-up data on recurrence-free survival (RFS and overall survival (OS for up to 5 years. EGFR expression was similar in pancreatobiliary (PB and intestinal (I type tumours, but high HER2 and HER3 expression was significantly more common in I-type tumours. In PB-type cases receiving adjuvant gemcitabine, but not in untreated cases, high EGFR expression was significantly associated with a shorter OS and RFS, with a significant treatment interaction in relation to OS (pinteraction = 0.042. In I-type cases, high EGFR expression was associated with a shorter OS and RFS in univariable, but not in multivariable, analysis. High HER3 expression was associated with a prolonged RFS in univariable, but not in multivariable, analysis. Neither HER2 protein expression nor gene amplification was prognostic. The finding of a potential interaction between the expression of EGFR and response to adjuvant chemotherapy in PB-type tumours needs validation

Significant Overexpression of DVL1 in Taiwanese Colorectal Cancer Patients with Liver Metastasis

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Shiu-Ru Lin

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Undetected micrometastasis plays a key role in the metastasis of cancer in colorectal cancer (CRC patients. The aim of this study is to identify a biomarker of CRC patients with liver metastasis through the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs. Microarray and bioinformatics analysis of 10 CRC cancer tissue specimens compared with normal adjacent tissues revealed that 31 genes were up-regulated (gene expression ratio of cancer tissue to paired normal tissue > 2 in the cancer patients. We used a weighted enzymatic chip array (WEnCA including 31 prognosis-related genes to investigate CTCs in 214 postoperative stage I–III CRC patients and to analyze the correlation between gene expression and clinico-pathological parameters. We employed the immunohistochemistry (IHC method with polyclonal mouse antibody against DVL1 to detect DVL1 expression in 60 CRC patients. CRC liver metastasis occurred in 19.16% (41/214 of the patients. Using univariate analysis and multivariate proportional hazards regression analysis, we found that DVL1 mRNA overexpression had a significant, independent predictive value for liver metastasis in CRC patients (OR: 5.764; 95% CI: 2.588–12.837; p < 0.0001 on univariate analysis; OR: 3.768; 95% CI: 1.469–9.665; p = 0.006 on multivariate analysis. IHC staining of the immunoreactivity of DVL1 showed that DVL1 was localized in the cytoplasm of CRC cells. High expression of DVL1 was observed in 55% (33/60 of CRC tumor specimens and was associated significantly with tumor depth, perineural invasion and liver metastasis status (all p < 0.05. Our experimental results demonstrated that DVL1 is significantly overexpressed in CRC patients with liver metastasis, leading us to conclude that DVL1 could be a potential prognostic and predictive marker for CRC patients.

Significance of sarcopenia as a prognostic factor for metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with systemic chemotherapy.

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Abe, Hideyuki; Takei, Kohei; Uematsu, Toshitaka; Tokura, Yuumi; Suzuki, Issei; Sakamoto, Kazumasa; Nishihara, Daisaku; Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki; Mizuno, Tomoya; Nukui, Akinori; Kobayashi, Minoru; Kamai, Takao

2018-04-01

Recently, numerous studies have reported an association between sarcopenia and poor outcomes in various kinds of malignancies. We investigated whether sarcopenia predicts the survival of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who underwent systemic chemotherapy. We reviewed 87 metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients who underwent chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin or gemcitabine plus carboplatin for cisplatin-unfit patients) between 2007 and 2015. A computed tomography scan prior to chemotherapy was used for evaluating sarcopenia, and we measured three cross-sectional areas of skeletal muscle at the third lumbar vertebra and calculated the skeletal muscle index (SMI), the paraspinal muscle index (PSMI), and the total psoas area (TPA) of each patient. Predictive values of survival were assessed using Cox regression analysis. The median overall survival (OS) was 16 months (95% CI 13.5-18). Although SMI alone was not a significant predictor of shorter OS (P = 0.117) in univariate analysis, SMI stratified by the value of the body mass index (BMI) was a significant predictor of shorter OS in univariate analysis (P = 0.037) and was also an independent predictor of shorter OS in multivariate analysis (P = 0.026). PSMI and TPA were not significant prognostic factors even when stratified by BMI (P = 0.294 and 0.448), respectively. Neither PSMI nor TPA could substitute SMI as a predictor for poor outcomes in metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with systemic chemotherapy in our study. SMI stratified by BMI is a useful predictor of prognosis in these patients.

Capillary loss on nailfold capillary microscopy is associated with mortality in systemic sclerosis.

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Pavan, Thais Rohde; Bredemeier, Markus; Hax, Vanessa; Capobianco, Karina Gatz; da Silva Mendonça Chakr, Rafael; Xavier, Ricardo Machado

2018-02-01

The objective of this study is to test the association of the severity of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) abnormalities with mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). One hundred and seventy SSc patients underwent an extensive evaluation (including high-resolution computed tomography, pulmonary function tests, and Doppler echocardiography) at baseline following a standard protocol. Capillary loss on NFC was evaluated using the avascular score (AS, ranging from 0 to 3), and the mean number of ectasias, megacapillaries, and hemorrhages per finger was also recorded. After a mean period of 10.1 ± 4.9 years, the life status of the patients was ascertained. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used for statistical analysis. Overall, 73 patients died. By univariate Cox analysis, the AS was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.64, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.19, p = 0.001). In our study, this association was stronger than that of race, gender, anticentromere antibodies, anti-topoisomerase I antibodies, and form of disease and had similar strength to that of skin score in univariate analyses. However, after controlling for a combination of variables (age, skin score, gender, race, signs of peripheral ischemia, and extent of interstitial lung disease, all independently associated with mortality), the association of AS with mortality was blunted (HR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.65, p = 0.445). Other NFC variables were not related to mortality. AS was associated with higher risk of death and, despite not having an independent association with mortality after controlling for a set of demographic and clinical variables, may be a useful tool in prognostic evaluation of SSc.

Prognostic significance of multiple kallikreins in high-grade astrocytoma

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Drucker, Kristen L.; Gianinni, Caterina; Decker, Paul A.; Diamandis, Eleftherios P.; Scarisbrick, Isobel A.

2015-01-01

Kallikreins have clinical value as prognostic markers in a subset of malignancies examined to date, including kallikrein 3 (prostate specific antigen) in prostate cancer. We previously demonstrated that kallikrein 6 is expressed at higher levels in grade IV compared to grade III astrocytoma and is associated with reduced survival of GBM patients. In this study we determined KLK1, KLK6, KLK7, KLK8, KLK9 and KLK10 protein expression in two independent tissue microarrays containing 60 grade IV and 8 grade III astrocytoma samples. Scores for staining intensity, percent of tumor stained and immunoreactivity scores (IR, product of intensity and percent) were determined and analyzed for correlation with patient survival. Grade IV glioma was associated with higher levels of kallikrein-immunostaining compared to grade III specimens. Univariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis demonstrated that elevated KLK6- or KLK7-IR was associated with poor patient prognosis. In addition, an increased percent of tumor immunoreactive for KLK6 or KLK9 was associated with decreased survival in grade IV patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that patients with KLK6-IR < 10, KLK6 percent tumor core stained < 3, or KLK7-IR < 9 had a significantly improved survival. Multivariable analysis indicated that the significance of these parameters was maintained even after adjusting for gender and performance score. These data suggest that elevations in glioblastoma KLK6, KLK7 and KLK9 protein have utility as prognostic markers of patient survival. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1566-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Metabolic syndrome is directly associated with gamma glutamyl transpeptidase elevation in Japanese women

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Hiroshi Sakugawa; Fukunori Kin jo; Atsushi Saito; Tomofumi Nakayoshi; Kasen Kobashigawa; Hiroki Nakasone; Yuko Kawakami; Tsuyoshi Yamashiro; Tatsuji Maeshiro; Ko Tomimori; Satoru Miyagi

2004-01-01

AIM: This study aimed to determine whether metabolic syndrome is directly or indirectly, through fatty liver, associated with elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in Japanese women.METHODS: From 4 366 women who received their annual health check-up, 4 211 women were selected for analysis.All 4 211 women were negative for both hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis C virus. Clinical and biochemical variables were examined by using univariate and multivariate analysis.RESULTS: A raised GGT level (＞68 IU/L) was seen in 258 (6.1%) of the 4 211 women. In univariate analysis, all variables examined (age, body mass index, blood pressure,hemoglobin concentration, fasting blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, triglyceride, and uric acid) were associated with the elevated GGT level,whereas in multivariate analysis, four variables (age ≥ 50 yr,hemoglobin ≥14 g/dL, triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dL, and presence of diabetes) were significantly and independently associated with raised GGT level. Clinical variables predicting the presence of ultrasonographic evidence of fatty liver were also examined by multivariate analysis; four variables were associated with the presence of fatty liver: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2,hemoglobin ≥ 14 g/dL, triglyceride≥150 mg/dL, and uric acid≥ 7 mg/dL. There was no significant association between the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver.Hypertriglyceridemia was significantly and independently associated with both the raised GGT level and the presence of fatty liver.CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome seemed to be directly,not indirectly through fatty liver, associated with the raised GGT level in Japanese women.

Characteristics of genomic signatures derived using univariate methods and mechanistically anchored functional descriptors for predicting drug- and xenobiotic-induced nephrotoxicity.

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Shi, Weiwei; Bugrim, Andrej; Nikolsky, Yuri; Nikolskya, Tatiana; Brennan, Richard J

2008-01-01

ABSTRACT The ideal toxicity biomarker is composed of the properties of prediction (is detected prior to traditional pathological signs of injury), accuracy (high sensitivity and specificity), and mechanistic relationships to the endpoint measured (biological relevance). Gene expression-based toxicity biomarkers ("signatures") have shown good predictive power and accuracy, but are difficult to interpret biologically. We have compared different statistical methods of feature selection with knowledge-based approaches, using GeneGo's database of canonical pathway maps, to generate gene sets for the classification of renal tubule toxicity. The gene set selection algorithms include four univariate analyses: t-statistics, fold-change, B-statistics, and RankProd, and their combination and overlap for the identification of differentially expressed probes. Enrichment analysis following the results of the four univariate analyses, Hotelling T-square test, and, finally out-of-bag selection, a variant of cross-validation, were used to identify canonical pathway maps-sets of genes coordinately involved in key biological processes-with classification power. Differentially expressed genes identified by the different statistical univariate analyses all generated reasonably performing classifiers of tubule toxicity. Maps identified by enrichment analysis or Hotelling T-square had lower classification power, but highlighted perturbed lipid homeostasis as a common discriminator of nephrotoxic treatments. The out-of-bag method yielded the best functionally integrated classifier. The map "ephrins signaling" performed comparably to a classifier derived using sparse linear programming, a machine learning algorithm, and represents a signaling network specifically involved in renal tubule development and integrity. Such functional descriptors of toxicity promise to better integrate predictive toxicogenomics with mechanistic analysis, facilitating the interpretation and risk assessment of

Age most significant predictor of requiring enteral feeding in head-and-neck cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sachdev, Sean; Refaat, Tamer; Bacchus, Ian D; Sathiaseelan, Vythialinga; Mittal, Bharat B

2015-01-01

A significant number of patients treated for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) undergo enteral tube feeding. Data suggest that avoiding enteral feeding can prevent long-term tube dependence and disuse of the swallowing mechanism which has been linked to complications such as prolonged dysphagia and esophageal constriction. We examined detailed dosimetric and clinical parameters to better identify those at risk of requiring enteral feeding. One hundred patients with advanced stage HNSCC were retrospectively analyzed after intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to a median dose of 70 Gy (range: 60-75 Gy) with concurrent chemotherapy in nearly all cases (97%). Patients with significant weight loss (>10%) in the setting of severely reduced oral intake were referred for placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. Detailed DVH parameters were collected for several structures. Univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were used to determine clinical and dosimetric factors associated with needing enteral feeding. Dichotomous outcomes were tested using Fisher’s exact test and continuous variables between groups using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Thirty-three percent of patients required placement of an enteral feeding tube. The median time to tube placement was 25 days from start of treatment, after a median dose of 38 Gy. On univariate analysis, age (p = 0.0008), the DFH (Docetaxel/5-FU/Hydroxyurea) chemotherapy regimen (p = .042) and b.i.d treatment (P = 0.040) (used in limited cases on protocol) predicted need for enteral feeding. On multivariate analysis, age remained the single statistically significant factor (p = 0.003) regardless of other clinical features (e.g. BMI) and all radiation planning parameters. For patients 60 or older compared to younger adults, the odds ratio for needing enteral feeding was 4.188 (p = 0.0019). Older age was found to be the most significant risk factor for needing enteral feeding in

Expression and prognostic significance of lysozyme in male breast cancer

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Serra, Carlos; Baltasar, Aniceto; Medrano, Justo; Vizoso, Francisco; Alonso, Lorena; Rodríguez, Juan C; González, Luis O; Fernández, María; Lamelas, María L; Sánchez, Luis M; García-Muñiz, José L

2002-01-01

Lysozyme, one of the major protein components of human milk that is also synthesized by a significant percentage of breast carcinomas, is associated with lesions that have a favorable outcome in female breast cancer. Here we evaluate the expression and prognostic value of lysozyme in male breast cancer (MBC). Lysozyme expression was examined by immunohistochemical methods in a series of 60 MBC tissue sections and in 15 patients with gynecomastia. Staining was quantified using the HSCORE (histological score) system, which considers both the intensity and the percentage of cells staining at each intensity. Prognostic value of lysozyme was retrospectively evaluated by multivariate analysis taking into account conventional prognostic factors. Lysozyme immunostaining was negative in all cases of gynecomastia. A total of 27 of 60 MBC sections (45%) stained positively for this protein, but there were clear differences among them with regard to the intensity and percentage of stained cells. Statistical analysis showed that lysozyme HSCORE values in relation to age, tumor size, nodal status, histological grade, estrogen receptor status, metastasis and histological type did not increase the statistical significance. Univariate analysis confirmed that both nodal involvement and lysozyme values were significant predictors of short-term relapse-free survival. Multivariate analysis, according to Cox's regression model, also showed that nodal status and lysozyme levels were significant independent indicators of short-term relapse-free survival. Tumor expression of lysozyme is associated with lesions that have an unfavorable outcome in male breast cancer. This milk protein may be a new prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer

Correlation between smoking habit and surgical outcomes on viral-associated hepatocellular carcinomas.

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Kai, Keita; Komukai, Sho; Koga, Hiroki; Yamaji, Koutaro; Ide, Takao; Kawaguchi, Atsushi; Aishima, Shinichi; Noshiro, Hirokazu

2018-01-07

To investigate the association between smoking habits and surgical outcomes in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (B-HCC) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC (C-HCC) and clarify the clinicopathological features associated with smoking status in B-HCC and C-HCC patients. We retrospectively examined the cases of the 341 consecutive patients with viral-associated HCC (C-HCC, n = 273; B-HCC, n = 68) who underwent curative surgery for their primary lesion. We categorized smoking status at the time of surgery into never, ex- and current smoker. We analyzed the B-HCC and C-HCC groups' clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes, i.e ., disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. We also performed subset analyses in both patient groups comparing the current smokers to the other patients. The multivariate analysis in the C-HCC group revealed that current-smoker status was significantly correlated with both OS ( P = 0.0039) and DSS ( P = 0.0416). In the B-HCC patients, no significant correlation was observed between current-smoker status and DFS, OS, or DSS in the univariate or multivariate analyses. The subset analyses comparing the current smokers to the other patients in both the C-HCC and B-HCC groups revealed that the current smokers developed HCC at significantly younger ages than the other patients irrespective of viral infection status. A smoking habit is significantly correlated with the overall and disease-specific survivals of patients with C-HCC. In contrast, the B-HCC patients showed a weak association between smoking status and surgical outcomes.

Comparison of univariate and multivariate calibration for the determination of micronutrients in pellets of plant materials by laser induced breakdown spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista Braga, Jez Willian; Trevizan, Lilian Cristina; Nunes, Lidiane Cristina; Aparecida Rufini, Iolanda; Santos, Dario; Krug, Francisco Jose

2010-01-01

The application of laser induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) aiming the direct analysis of plant materials is a great challenge that still needs efforts for its development and validation. In this way, a series of experimental approaches has been carried out in order to show that LIBS can be used as an alternative method to wet acid digestions based methods for analysis of agricultural and environmental samples. The large amount of information provided by LIBS spectra for these complex samples increases the difficulties for selecting the most appropriated wavelengths for each analyte. Some applications have suggested that improvements in both accuracy and precision can be achieved by the application of multivariate calibration in LIBS data when compared to the univariate regression developed with line emission intensities. In the present work, the performance of univariate and multivariate calibration, based on partial least squares regression (PLSR), was compared for analysis of pellets of plant materials made from an appropriate mixture of cryogenically ground samples with cellulose as the binding agent. The development of a specific PLSR model for each analyte and the selection of spectral regions containing only lines of the analyte of interest were the best conditions for the analysis. In this particular application, these models showed a similar performance, but PLSR seemed to be more robust due to a lower occurrence of outliers in comparison to the univariate method. Data suggests that efforts dealing with sample presentation and fitness of standards for LIBS analysis must be done in order to fulfill the boundary conditions for matrix independent development and validation.

Clinical significance of spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia and intestinal metaplasia in Epstein-Barr virus-associated and Epstein-Barr virus-negative gastric cancer.

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Zhang, Yu; Chen, Jian-Ning; Dong, Min; Zhang, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Yi-Wang; Wu, Jun-Yan; Du, Hong; Li, Hai-Gang; Huang, Yan; Shao, Chun-Kui

2017-05-01

Spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) have been recognized as neoplastic precursors in gastric carcinogenesis. We explored the relationship between SPEM and IM in Epstein-Barr virus-associated (EBVaGC) and Epstein-Barr virus-negative (EBVnGC) gastric cancer. Sixty-four EBVaGC and one hundred and fifty-four EBVnGC patients were included. EBV positivity was identified using Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA-1 in situ hybridization. SPEM was subclassified into absent, early, and advanced SPEM. Acute and chronic inflammation was graded as absent, mild, moderate, and marked. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the correlation between SPEM, IM, and inflammation. Our study revealed that SPEM was detected in 87.5% EBVaGC and 85.1% EBVnGC patients. Distribution of patients according to the SPEM classification was significantly different between EBVaGC and EBVnGC groups (P=.038). IM was observed less frequently in EBVaGC when compared with EBVnGC patients (P<.001). No difference was observed between EBVaGC and EBVnGC in the levels of acute and chronic inflammation. A positive correlation between IM and SPEM status was observed in both EBVaGC and EBVnGC patients. Furthermore, advanced SPEM was an independent influential factor to IM in EBVnGC (P=.013). In conclusion, SPEM was associated with both EBVaGC and EBVnGC more frequently than IM. Moreover, advanced SPEM had a stronger association with IM than early SPEM in EBVnGC. These results suggest that identification of SPEM should be used as a high-risk indicator for detecting early gastric carcinoma, and should be brought to the attention of pathologists and clinicians. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of multivariate and univariate time series approaches to modelling and forecasting emergency department demand in Western Australia.

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Aboagye-Sarfo, Patrick; Mai, Qun; Sanfilippo, Frank M; Preen, David B; Stewart, Louise M; Fatovich, Daniel M

2015-10-01

To develop multivariate vector-ARMA (VARMA) forecast models for predicting emergency department (ED) demand in Western Australia (WA) and compare them to the benchmark univariate autoregressive moving average (ARMA) and Winters' models. Seven-year monthly WA state-wide public hospital ED presentation data from 2006/07 to 2012/13 were modelled. Graphical and VARMA modelling methods were used for descriptive analysis and model fitting. The VARMA models were compared to the benchmark univariate ARMA and Winters' models to determine their accuracy to predict ED demand. The best models were evaluated by using error correction methods for accuracy. Descriptive analysis of all the dependent variables showed an increasing pattern of ED use with seasonal trends over time. The VARMA models provided a more precise and accurate forecast with smaller confidence intervals and better measures of accuracy in predicting ED demand in WA than the ARMA and Winters' method. VARMA models are a reliable forecasting method to predict ED demand for strategic planning and resource allocation. While the ARMA models are a closely competing alternative, they under-estimated future ED demand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MRI features associated with acute appendicitis

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Leeuwenburgh, Marjolein M.N. [University of Amsterdam, Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University of Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Academic Medical Center, Department of Radiology (G1-223.1), Amsterdam (Netherlands); Jensch, Sebastiaan [Sint Lucas Andreas Hospital, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Gratama, Jan W.C. [Gelre Hospitals, Department of Radiology, Apeldoorn (Netherlands); Spilt, Aart [Kennemer Gasthuis, Department of Radiology, Haarlem (Netherlands); Wiarda, Bart M. [Alkmaar Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Alkmaar (Netherlands); Es, H.W. van [Sint Antonius Hospital, Department of Radiology, Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Cobben, Lodewijk P.J. [Haaglanden Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Leidschendam (Netherlands); Bossuyt, Patrick M.M. [University of Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Boermeester, Marja A. [University of Amsterdam, Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Stoker, Jaap [University of Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Collaboration: on behalf of the OPTIMAP study group

2014-01-15

To identify MRI features associated with appendicitis. Features expected to be associated with appendicitis were recorded in consensus by two expert radiologists on 223 abdominal MRIs in patients with suspected appendicitis. Nine MRI features were studied: appendix diameter >7 mm, appendicolith, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration, peri-appendiceal fluid, absence of gas in the appendix, appendiceal wall destruction, restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall, lumen or focal fluid collections. Appendicitis was assigned as the final diagnosis in 117/223 patients. Associations between imaging features and appendicitis were evaluated with logistic regression analysis. All investigated features were significantly associated with appendicitis in univariate analysis. Combinations of two and three features were associated with a probability of appendicitis of 88 % and 92 %, respectively. In patients without any of the nine features, appendicitis was present in 2 % of cases. After multivariate analysis, only an appendix diameter >7 mm, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration and restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall were significantly associated with appendicitis. The probability of appendicitis was 96 % in their presence and 2 % in their absence. An appendix diameter >7 mm, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration and restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall have the strongest association with appendicitis on MRI. (orig.)

MRI features associated with acute appendicitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leeuwenburgh, Marjolein M.N.; Jensch, Sebastiaan; Gratama, Jan W.C.; Spilt, Aart; Wiarda, Bart M.; Es, H.W. van; Cobben, Lodewijk P.J.; Bossuyt, Patrick M.M.; Boermeester, Marja A.; Stoker, Jaap

2014-01-01

To identify MRI features associated with appendicitis. Features expected to be associated with appendicitis were recorded in consensus by two expert radiologists on 223 abdominal MRIs in patients with suspected appendicitis. Nine MRI features were studied: appendix diameter >7 mm, appendicolith, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration, peri-appendiceal fluid, absence of gas in the appendix, appendiceal wall destruction, restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall, lumen or focal fluid collections. Appendicitis was assigned as the final diagnosis in 117/223 patients. Associations between imaging features and appendicitis were evaluated with logistic regression analysis. All investigated features were significantly associated with appendicitis in univariate analysis. Combinations of two and three features were associated with a probability of appendicitis of 88 % and 92 %, respectively. In patients without any of the nine features, appendicitis was present in 2 % of cases. After multivariate analysis, only an appendix diameter >7 mm, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration and restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall were significantly associated with appendicitis. The probability of appendicitis was 96 % in their presence and 2 % in their absence. An appendix diameter >7 mm, peri-appendiceal fat infiltration and restricted diffusion of the appendiceal wall have the strongest association with appendicitis on MRI. (orig.)

Associations between self-assessed masticatory disability and health of community-residing elderly people.

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Nakanishi, N; Hino, Y; Ida, O; Fukuda, H; Shinsho, F; Tatara, K

1999-10-01

To examine the relationship between the self-assessed masticatory disability and the health of community-residing older people. Of 1473 randomly selected people aged 65 years and older living in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, in October 1992, data on general health status, history of health management, psychosocial conditions, and dental conditions were obtained from 1405 people by interviews made during home visits. Follow-up for 54 months was completed for 1306 subjects (93.0%; 1072 living, 234 deceased). Being over 75 years of age, having poor general health and poor dental status, not using dental health checks, not using general health checks, not participating in social activities, not feeling that life is worth living (no "ikigai"), and feeling anxious about the future were univariately and significantly associated with self-assessed masticatory disability. Logistic regression analyses indicated that being older than 75 years, having poor general health and poor dental status, not using dental health checks, and not participating in social activities were independently associated with self-assessed masticatory disability. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that being male, over 75 years of age, and in poor general health, as well as not using general health checks, and not participating in social activities were independently associated with mortality. Self-assessed masticatory disability was univariately and significantly related to mortality, but by itself was not a significant risk factor for mortality, because of the potential influence of other variables. Certain health and psychosocial factors are closely associated with self-assessed masticatory disability among older people. Further investigations are needed to determine whether masticatory disability is a significant risk factor for mortality.

Guaranteed Bounds on Information-Theoretic Measures of Univariate Mixtures Using Piecewise Log-Sum-Exp Inequalities

KAUST Repository

Nielsen, Frank

2016-12-09

Information-theoreticmeasures, such as the entropy, the cross-entropy and the Kullback-Leibler divergence between two mixture models, are core primitives in many signal processing tasks. Since the Kullback-Leibler divergence of mixtures provably does not admit a closed-form formula, it is in practice either estimated using costly Monte Carlo stochastic integration, approximated or bounded using various techniques. We present a fast and generic method that builds algorithmically closed-form lower and upper bounds on the entropy, the cross-entropy, the Kullback-Leibler and the α-divergences of mixtures. We illustrate the versatile method by reporting our experiments for approximating the Kullback-Leibler and the α-divergences between univariate exponential mixtures, Gaussian mixtures, Rayleigh mixtures and Gamma mixtures.

Significant Association of Streptococcus bovis with Malignant Gastrointestinal Diseases

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Salah Shanan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Streptococcus bovis is a Gram-positive bacterium causing serious human infections, including endocarditis and bacteremia, and is usually associated with underlying disease. The aims of the current study were to compare prevalence of the bacterium associated with malignant and nonmalignant gastrointestinal diseases and to determine the susceptibility of the isolated strains to different antimicrobial agents. The result showed that the prevalence of S. bovis in stool specimens from patients with malignant or with nonmalignant gastrointestinal diseases was statistically significant. This result may support the idea that there is correlation between S. bovis and the malignant gastrointestinal diseases.

The number and microlocalization of tumor-associated immune cells are associated with patient's survival time in non-small cell lung cancer

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Dai, Fuqiang; Liu, Lunxu; Che, Guowei; Yu, Nanbin; Pu, Qiang; Zhang, Shangfu; Ma, Junliang; Ma, Lin; You, Zongbing

2010-01-01

Tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and infiltrating immune cells. Tumor-associated immune cells may inhibit or promote tumor growth and progression. This study was conducted to determine whether the number and microlocalization of macrophages, mature dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells in non-small cell lung cancer are associated with patient's survival time. Ninety-nine patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included in this retrospective study. Paraffin-embedded NSCLC specimens and their clinicopathological data including up to 8-year follow-up information were used. Immunohistochemical staining for CD68 (marker for macrophages), CD83 (marker for mature dendritic cells), and CD8 (marker for cytotoxic T cells) was performed and evaluated in a blinded fashion. The numbers of immune cells in tumor islets and stroma, tumor islets, or tumor stroma were counted under a microscope. Correlation of the cell numbers and patient's survival time was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 13.0). The numbers of macrophages, mature dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells were significantly more in the tumor stroma than in the tumor islets. The number of macrophages in the tumor islets was positively associated with patient's survival time, whereas the number of macrophages in the tumor stroma was negatively associated with patient's survival time in both univariate and multivariate analyses. The number of mature dendritic cells in the tumor islets and stroma, tumor islets only, or tumor stroma only was positively associated with patient's survival time in a univariate analysis but not in a multivariate analysis. The number of cytotoxic T cells in the tumor islets and stroma was positively associated with patient's survival time in a univariate analysis but not in a multivariate analysis. The number of cytotoxic T cells in the tumor islets only or stroma

Factors associated with failure of nonoperative treatment in lateral epicondylitis.

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Knutsen, Elisa J; Calfee, Ryan P; Chen, Raymond E; Goldfarb, Charles A; Park, Kevin W; Osei, Daniel A

2015-09-01

Lateral epicondylitis is a common cause of elbow pain that is treated with a variety of nonoperative measures and often improves with time. Minimal research is available on patients in whom these nonoperative treatments fail. To identify baseline patient and disease factors associated with the failure of nonoperative treatment of lateral epicondylitis, defined as surgery after a period of nonoperative treatment. Case control study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 580 patients treated for lateral epicondylitis at a tertiary center between 2007 and 2012 were analyzed. Disease-specific and patient demographic characteristics were compared between patient groups (nonoperative vs surgical treatment). A multivariable logistic regression model was created based on preliminary univariate testing to determine which characteristics were associated with failure of nonoperative treatment. Of the 580 patients, 92 (16%) underwent surgical treatment at a mean of 6 months (range, 0-31 months) from their initial visit. Univariate analysis demonstrated a potential association (P 12 months (OR, 2.5) remained significant independent predictors of surgical treatment. This study identifies risk factors for surgical treatment for lateral epicondylitis. While these findings do not provide information regarding causal factors associated with surgery, these patient and disease-specific considerations may be helpful when counseling patients regarding treatment options and the likelihood of the success of continued nonoperative treatment. © 2015 The Author(s).

Impact of Small Body Weight on Tenofovir-Associated Renal Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Japanese Patients

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Nishijima, Takeshi; Komatsu, Hirokazu; Gatanaga, Hiroyuki; Aoki, Takahiro; Watanabe, Koji; Kinai, Ei; Honda, Haruhito; Tanuma, Junko; Yazaki, Hirohisa; Tsukada, Kunihisa; Honda, Miwako; Teruya, Katsuji; Kikuchi, Yoshimi; Oka, Shinichi

2011-01-01

Background Treatment with tenofovir is sometimes associated with renal dysfunction. Limited information is available on this side effect in patients with small body weight, although the use of tenofovir will spread rapidly in Asia and Africa, where patients are likely to be of smaller body weight. Methods In a single-center cohort, Japanese patients with HIV infection who started tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of tenofovir-associated renal dysfunction, defined as more than 25% decrement of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from the baseline, was determined. The effects of small body weight and body mass index (BMI) on tenofovir-associated renal dysfunction, respectively, were estimated in univariate and multivariate Cox hazards models as the primary exposure. Other possible risk factors were evaluated by univariate analysis and those found significant were entered into the multivariate analysis. Results The median weight of 495 patients was 63 kg. Tenofovir-related renal dysfunction occurred in 97 (19.6%) patients (incidence: 10.5 per 100 person-years). Univariate analysis showed that the incidence of tenofovir-related renal dysfunction was significantly associated with smaller body weight and BMI, respectively (per 5 kg decrement, HR = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.10–1.37; pdecrement, HR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05–1.23; p = 0.001). Old age, high baseline eGFR, low serum creatinine, low CD4 count, high HIV viral load, concurrent nephrotoxic drugs, hepatitis C infection, and current smoking were also associated with tenofovir-related renal dysfunction. Multivariate analysis identified small body weight as a significant risk (adjusted HR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01–1.27; p = 0.039), while small BMI had marginal significance (adjusted HR = 1.07; 95% CI 1.00–1.16; p = 0.058). Conclusion The incidence of tenofovir-associated renal dysfunction in Japanese patients was high. Small body weight

Study of Ecotype and Sowing Date Interaction in Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. using Different Univariate Stability Parameters

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J Ghanbari

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Cumin is one of the most important medicinal plants in Iran and today, it is in the second level of popularity between spices in the world after black pepper. Cumin is an aromatic plant used as flavoring and seasoning agent in foods. Cumin seeds have been found to possess significant biological and have been used for treatment of toothache, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, epilepsy and jaundice. Knowledge of GEI is advantageous to have a cultivar that gives consistently high yield in a broad range of environments and to increase efficiency of breeding program and selection of best genotypes. A genotype that has stable trait expression across environments contributes little to GEI and its performance should be more predictable from the main several statistical methods have been proposed for stability analysis, with the aim of explaining the information contained in the GEI. Regression technique was proposed by Finlay and Wilkinson (1963 and was improved by Eberhart and Russell (1966. Generally, genotype stability was estimated by the slope of and deviation from the regression line for each of the genotypes. This is a popular method in stability analysis and has been applied in many crops. Non-parametric methods (rank mean (R, standard deviation rank (SDR and yield index ratio (YIR, environmental variance (S2i and genotypic variation coefficient (CVi Wricke's ecovalence and Shukla's stability variance (Shukla, 1972 have been used to determine genotype-by-environment interaction in many studies. This study was aimed to evaluate the ecotype × sowing date interaction in cumin and to evaluation of genotypic response of cumin to different sowing dates using univariate stability parameters. Materials and Methods In order to study of ecotype × sowing date interaction, different cumin ecotypes: Semnan, Fars, Yazd, Golestan, Khorasan-Razavi, Khorasan-Shomali, Khorasan-Jonoubi, Isfahan and Kerman in 5 different sowing dates (26th December, 10th January

A significant reduction in the frequency of HIV-1 drug resistance in Québec from 2001 to 2011 is associated with a decrease in the monitored viral load.

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Hugues Charest

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: HIV drug resistance represents a major threat for effective treatment. We assessed the trends in the frequency of drug resistance mutations and the monitored viral load (VL in treatment-naïve (TN and treatment-experienced (TE individuals infected with HIV-1 in Québec, Canada, between 2001 and 2011. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Resistance data were obtained from 4,105 and 5,086 genotypic tests performed on TN and TE patients, respectively. Concomitantly, 274,161 VL tests were carried out in the Province. Changes over time in drug resistance frequency and in different categories of VL were assessed using univariate logistic regression. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between the rates of certain mutations and antiretroviral prescriptions. From 2001 to 2011, the proportion of undetectable VL test results continually increased, from 42.1% to 75.9%, while a significant decrease in the frequency of resistance mutations associated with protease inhibitors [PI (from 54% to 16%], nucleoside [NRTI (from 78% to 37% and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NNRTI (from 44% to 31%] was observed in TE patients. In TN individuals, the overall frequency of transmitted drug resistance was 13.1%. A multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the introduction of co-formulated emtricitabine/tenofovir or emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz was positively associated with the decrease of the frequency of the M184I/V mutations observed overtime (p = 0.0004. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a significant decrease in the frequency of drug resistance mutations in TE patients, concomitant with a decrease in the proportion of patients with detectable viremia. These findings may be related to both the increased potencies and adherence to therapy associated with newer antiretroviral regimens. Nevertheless, our data demonstrate that broad use of antiretrovirals does not increase the level of circulating drug resistant

Association between diabetic nephrology and other diabetic microvascularand macrovascular complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandy, A.; John, M.; Pawar, B.; Isaac, R.

2008-01-01

Diabetic nephropathy is found to be significantly associated withdiabetic retinopathy and coronary artery disease. Few studies have also shownan association between diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy and peripheralvascular disease. A cross sectional study was done among consecutive type 2diabetics presenting to Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana fromJune 2004 to may 2005. Patients were subjected to the clinical and laboratoryinvestigations 174 patients were studied over a period of one year. Diabeticnephropathy was found to be associated with proliferative diabeticretinopathy, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease by univariate analysis. Inmultivariate analysis, diabetic nephropathy was again sufficiently associatedwith proliferative diabetic retinopathy and coronary artery disease. Weconclude that close association between diabetic nephropathy and other microand macrovascular complications exists in our Indian patients also. (author)

Psychosocial factors associated with migraine and tension-type headache in medical students.

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Lebedeva, Elena R; Kobzeva, Natalia R; Gilev, Denis V; Kislyak, Nadezhda V; Olesen, Jes

2017-11-01

Background In our previous study of workers, blood donors and medical students, students stood out with a higher 1-year prevalence of migraine (28%) and tension-type headache (TTH) (74%). General factors associated with headache were common for all groups except low physical activity. The hypothesis of this study was therefore that a number of psychosocial factors relating to the personal sphere would better explain the high prevalence of migraine and TTH in students. Methods The study population consisted of 1042 students (719 females, 323 males, mean age 20.6, range 17-40). Headache diagnoses and associated factors were identified by direct professional semi-structured interview. We also interviewed about the following psychosocial factors: dissatisfaction with study, dissatisfaction with family life, dissatisfaction for personal reasons, bad financial situation, overwork, stress, not enough sleep, insomnia, depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, tendency towards conflicts and not being married. We report psychosocial factors associated with headache according to diagnosis and sex using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Several factors were significantly associated with migraine and TTH in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, two psychosocial factors were statistically significantly associated with migraine in all students: irritability (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.6) and overwork (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.5). Insomnia (2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.9) and depressed mood (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.2) were associated with migraine only in females. Two psychosocial factors were associated with TTH: dissatisfaction with study in males (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.8) and depressed mood in females (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.5). Conclusion Psychosocial factors from the personal sphere showed significant association with migraine and TTH in students. Such factors should therefore be major targets for preventive efforts to reduce the prevalence of primary

Testing for significance of phase synchronisation dynamics in the EEG.

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Daly, Ian; Sweeney-Reed, Catherine M; Nasuto, Slawomir J

2013-06-01

A number of tests exist to check for statistical significance of phase synchronisation within the Electroencephalogram (EEG); however, the majority suffer from a lack of generality and applicability. They may also fail to account for temporal dynamics in the phase synchronisation, regarding synchronisation as a constant state instead of a dynamical process. Therefore, a novel test is developed for identifying the statistical significance of phase synchronisation based upon a combination of work characterising temporal dynamics of multivariate time-series and Markov modelling. We show how this method is better able to assess the significance of phase synchronisation than a range of commonly used significance tests. We also show how the method may be applied to identify and classify significantly different phase synchronisation dynamics in both univariate and multivariate datasets.

The expression and clinical significance of HDGF in osteosarcoma

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Chen Z

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Zhiguo Chen,1 Shenghai Qiu,2 Xiaofei Lu31Department of Orthopedics, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, People’s Hospital of Taiyuan, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Surgery, Jinan Central Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of ChinaAim: To investigate the expression of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF in osteosarcoma (OS and the correlation with clinicopathologic factors, prognosis, and tumor progression.Method: HDGF expression in OS tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between HDGF and clinicopathologic factors was analyzed by chi-square test, and the association between HDGF expression and the overall survival rates was evaluated by univariate analysis using Kaplan–Meier method. HDGF concentration in cell medium or cell lysates was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The effect of extrinsic and intrinsic HDGF on OS cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay after recombinant HDGF stimulation or HDGF knockdown, respectively.Results: Proportion of HDGF high expression was 18.69% (20/107 in OS. HDGF high expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size (P=0.004. With experiments in vitro, we demonstrated that human recombinant HDGF could activate AKT and MAPK signaling pathway, resulting in OS cell proliferation. By knocking down HDGF expression, we proved that intrinsic HDGF was required in OS proliferation.Conclusion: High HDGF expression was significantly associated with larger OS tumor size and could promote OS cell proliferation, indicating that HDGF could be an effective biomarker and a potential drug target in OS treatment.Keywords: hepatoma-derived growth factor, osteosarcoma, tumor size, proliferation, overall survival rate

Influence of microclimatic ammonia levels on productive performance of different broilers' breeds estimated with univariate and multivariate approaches.

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Soliman, Essam S; Moawed, Sherif A; Hassan, Rania A

2017-08-01

Birds litter contains unutilized nitrogen in the form of uric acid that is converted into ammonia; a fact that does not only affect poultry performance but also has a negative effect on people's health around the farm and contributes in the environmental degradation. The influence of microclimatic ammonia emissions on Ross and Hubbard broilers reared in different housing systems at two consecutive seasons (fall and winter) was evaluated using a discriminant function analysis to differentiate between Ross and Hubbard breeds. A total number of 400 air samples were collected and analyzed for ammonia levels during the experimental period. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Ammonia levels were significantly higher (p0.05) were found between the two farms in body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and performance index (PI) of broilers. Body weight; weight gain and PI had increased values (pbroiler breed. Ammonia emissions were positively (although weekly) correlated with the ambient relative humidity (r=0.383; p0.05). Test of significance of discriminant function analysis did not show a classification based on the studied traits suggesting that they cannot been used as predictor variables. The percentage of correct classification was 52% and it was improved after deletion of highly correlated traits to 57%. The study revealed that broiler's growth was negatively affected by increased microclimatic ammonia concentrations and recommended the analysis of broilers' growth performance parameters data using multivariate discriminant function analysis.

Severe virus associated community acquired pneumonia: predictors of lethality

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T. O. Pertseva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Despite the fact that the influenza virus pathogenicity factors have been well studied in vitro, in vivo lack is presented in understanding of the those risk factors, objective and laboratory parameters, which related most of all to the fatal virus-associated community-aquired pneumonia (CAP. That is why the purpose of the study was to study the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with severe virus-associated CAP during the 2015–2016 influenza epidemic and their role as predictors of patients’ mortality. To do this, patients with severe virus-associated CAP were examined. They were divided into 2 groups depending on the outcome of treatment: 1st- deaths from the virus-associated severe CAP and 2nd - patients with successful treatment of the severe virus-associated CAP. Special statistical method was used – one-dimensional analysis of variance to compare individual parameters between the two groups of patients (surviving and deceased. Pearson χ2 test (contingency table was used for categorical variables. Factors that were significant predictors of mortality as a result of univariate analysis were tested using multifactorial analysis using logistic regression. In the final model, each parameter must have had a significant impact on mortality. It was found that risk factors for death in patients with severe virus-associated CAP according to univariate analysis were: presence of obesity, disorders of consciousness, BH≥35 min, SaO2<80%, PaO2<50 mm Hg, mmHg PaCO2 ≥50 mmHg during hospitalization. Independent predictors of mortality according to the logistic regression are the presence of obesity, disorders of consciousness, PaO2<50 mm Hg, mmHg PaCO2 ≥50 mmHg. Given that among clinical and laboratory parameters key parameters that significantly influence the outcome, are indicators of the severity of hypoxia and hypoxemia, a major step in determining the severity of the patients with virus-associated severe emergency is

Lower bounds on the run time of the univariate marginal distribution algorithm on OneMax

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krejca, Martin S.; Witt, Carsten

2017-01-01

The Univariate Marginal Distribution Algorithm (UMDA), a popular estimation of distribution algorithm, is studied from a run time perspective. On the classical OneMax benchmark function, a lower bound of Ω(μ√n + n log n), where μ is the population size, on its expected run time is proved...... values maintained by the algorithm, including carefully designed potential functions. These techniques may prove useful in advancing the field of run time analysis for estimation of distribution algorithms in general........ This is the first direct lower bound on the run time of the UMDA. It is stronger than the bounds that follow from general black-box complexity theory and is matched by the run time of many evolutionary algorithms. The results are obtained through advanced analyses of the stochastic change of the frequencies of bit...

NCK2 Is Significantly Associated with Opiates Addiction in African-Origin Men

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Zhifa Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Substance dependence is a complex environmental and genetic disorder with significant social and medical concerns. Understanding the etiology of substance dependence is imperative to the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies. To this end, substantial effort has been made to identify genes underlying substance dependence, and in recent years, genome-wide association studies (GWASs have led to discoveries of numerous genetic variants for complex diseases including substance dependence. Most of the GWAS discoveries were only based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and a single dichotomized outcome. By employing both SNP- and gene-based methods of analysis, we identified a strong (odds ratio = 13.87 and significant (P value = 1.33E−11 association of an SNP in the NCK2 gene on chromosome 2 with opiates addiction in African-origin men. Codependence analysis also identified a genome-wide significant association between NCK2 and comorbidity of substance dependence (P value = 3.65E−08 in African-origin men. Furthermore, we observed that the association between the NCK2 gene (P value = 3.12E−10 and opiates addiction reached the gene-based genome-wide significant level. In summary, our findings provided the first evidence for the involvement of NCK2 in the susceptibility to opiates addiction and further revealed the racial and gender specificities of its impact.

The significance of FM associations for women with FM.

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Juuso, Päivi; Söderberg, Siv; Olsson, Malin; Skär, Lisa

2014-01-01

Living with fibromyalgia (FM) means living with a long-term pain syndrome that is invisible to others. Support and understanding from others seem to be important to managing the affected daily life. The aim of this study was to describe the significance of FM associations for women with FM. Data collection was carried out through focus group discussions with seventeen women with FM. Data were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The findings show that women experienced associations for people with FM as important as they gave access to contacts with others with similar experiences. Their need of togetherness was fulfilled at the association and they described being strengthened by the support received. Because of the lack of information and knowledge about FM, the association was described as an important venue for getting and mediating information about the illness. At the association the women seem to be empowered, which increases their ability to manage their daily lives despite the limitations imposed by FM. Healthcare personnel could not satisfy the women's needs and to manage to support women with FM. There is a need for communication based on a shared understanding between the women and healthcare personnel. This study highlighted the need for communication based on a shared understanding between people with chronic illness and healthcare personnel to support and strengthen women with FM in their daily lives. The FM associations meet the needs for togetherness, confirmation, and information that the women with FM in this study described and healthcare personnel could not satisfy. Healthcare personnel can learn from FM associations how to empower women with FM in their everyday lives.

Segmentation of Coronary Angiograms Using Gabor Filters and Boltzmann Univariate Marginal Distribution Algorithm

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Fernando Cervantes-Sanchez

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel method for improving the training step of the single-scale Gabor filters by using the Boltzmann univariate marginal distribution algorithm (BUMDA in X-ray angiograms. Since the single-scale Gabor filters (SSG are governed by three parameters, the optimal selection of the SSG parameters is highly desirable in order to maximize the detection performance of coronary arteries while reducing the computational time. To obtain the best set of parameters for the SSG, the area (Az under the receiver operating characteristic curve is used as fitness function. Moreover, to classify vessel and nonvessel pixels from the Gabor filter response, the interclass variance thresholding method has been adopted. The experimental results using the proposed method obtained the highest detection rate with Az=0.9502 over a training set of 40 images and Az=0.9583 with a test set of 40 images. In addition, the experimental results of vessel segmentation provided an accuracy of 0.944 with the test set of angiograms.

Factors Associated with Toothache among African American Adolescents Living in Rural South Carolina

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Wiegand, Ryan E.; Hill, Elizabeth G.; Magruder, Kathryn M.; Slate, Elizabeth H.; Salinas, Carlos F.; London, Steven D.

2012-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is to explore behavioral factors associated with toothache among African American adolescents living in rural South Carolina. Methods Using a self-administered questionnaire, data were collected on toothache experience in the past 12 months, oral hygiene behavior, dental care utilization, and cariogenic snack and non-diet soft drink consumption in a convenience sample of 156 African American adolescents aged 10-18 years old living in rural South Carolina. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations between reported toothache experience and socio-demographic variables, oral health behavior, and snack consumption. Results Thirty-four percent of adolescents reported having toothache in the past 12 months. In univariable modeling, age, dental visit in the last two years, quantity and frequency of cariogenic snack consumption, and quantity of non-diet soft drink consumption were each significantly associated with experiencing toothache in the past 12 months (all p-values cariogenic snacks, and number of cans of non-diet soft drink consumed during the weekend significantly increased the odds of experiencing toothache in the past 12 months (all p-values ≤ 0.01). Conclusion Findings indicate age, frequent consumption of cariogenic snacks and number of cans of non-diet soft drinks are related to toothache in this group. Public policy implications related to selling cariogenic snacks and soft drink that targeting children and adolescents especially those from low income families are discussed. PMID:22085328

Prevalence of cigarette smoking and associated factors among secondary school teachers in Malaysia.

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Al-Naggar, Redhwan A; Jawad, Ammar A; Bobryshev, Yuri V

2012-01-01

The smoking prevalence in Malaysia is high, especially among men and adolescents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors towards cigarette smoking among school teachers in Malaysia. This study was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 495 secondary school teachers. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of 29 questions categorized into two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and smoking behaviour. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program 13.0. ANOVA; t-tests were used in univariate analysis; multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. The majority of the participants were female (81.6%), in the age group ranged between 30-39 years (44%), Malay (90.1%), married (89.7%), degree holders (85.1%), with monthly income ranged between 3000-3999 Ringgit Malaysia (33.5%), from urban areas (94.7%), their specialty is social studies (33.9%) and with no family history of cancer (83.6%). The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be 7.8%. Regarding reasons to start smoking among school teachers: the major reason was found to be relaxation (33.3%), followed by stress-relief (28.2%). Univariate analysis showed that sex, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (pMalaysia was found to be relatively low. Sex, marital status, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers.

Reciprocal Benefits of Mass-Univariate and Multivariate Modeling in Brain Mapping: Applications to Event-Related Functional MRI, H215O-, and FDG-PET

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James R. Moeller

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In brain mapping studies of sensory, cognitive, and motor operations, specific waveforms of dynamic neural activity are predicted based on theoretical models of human information processing. For example in event-related functional MRI (fMRI, the general linear model (GLM is employed in mass-univariate analyses to identify the regions whose dynamic activity closely matches the expected waveforms. By comparison multivariate analyses based on PCA or ICA provide greater flexibility in detecting spatiotemporal properties of experimental data that may strongly support alternative neuroscientific explanations. We investigated conjoint multivariate and mass-univariate analyses that combine the capabilities to (1 verify activation of neural machinery we already understand and (2 discover reliable signatures of new neural machinery. We examined combinations of GLM and PCA that recover latent neural signals (waveforms and footprints with greater accuracy than either method alone. Comparative results are illustrated with analyses of real fMRI data, adding to Monte Carlo simulation support.

Vitamin D Levels Are Inversely Associated with Liver Fat Content and Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Chinese Middle-Aged and Elderly Population: The Shanghai Changfeng Study.

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Wang, Dan; Lin, Huandong; Xia, Mingfeng; Aleteng, Qiqige; Li, Xiaoming; Ma, Hui; Pan, Baishen; Gao, Jian; Gao, Xin

2016-01-01

Vitamin D exerts metabolic activities. We investigated whether the 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] is associated with liver fat content (LFC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a middle-aged, elderly Chinese population. A total of 2,960 participants (954 men and 2,006 women) aged over 45 years old were enrolled. Each participant underwent a standard interview, anthropometric measurements and laboratory examinations. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was diagnosed when serum 25(OH) D level was vitamin D deficiency, 769 (26.0%) had vitamin D insufficiency, and 209 (7%) had normal vitamin D. Male subjects with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency had significantly higher LFC than those with normal 25(OH)D (P = 0.034), while the LFC values showed no significant difference among the female subjects with vitamin D sufficiency, insufficiency and deficiency (P = 0.396). Univariate correlation analysis showed that 25(OH)D had a significantly negative association with LFC in men (r = -0.085, P = 0.009), but not in women. After adjusting for age, cigarette smoking, examination season, serum calcium, PTH and all possible confounders that displayed significant associations with LFC in univariate correlation analysis, serum 25(OH)D remained associated with LFC in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men. Serum 25(OH)D level was inversely associated with LFC in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men.

Risk factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in US veterans: A cohort study.

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Müller, Jan; Ganeshamoorthy, Sarmila; Myers, Jonathan

2017-01-01

To assess the association between clinical and exercise test factors and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in US Veterans. Exercise capacity, demographics and clinical variables were assessed in 5826 veterans (mean age 59.4 ± 11.5 years) from the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Palo Alto, CA. The study participants underwent routine clinical exercise testing between the years 1987 and 2011. The study end point was the development of PTSD. A total of 723 (12.9%) veterans were diagnosed with PTSD after a mean follow-up of 9.6 ± 5.6 years. Drug abuse (HR: 1.98, CI: 1.33-2.92, p = .001), current smoking (HR: 1.57, CI: 1.35-2.24, p history of chest pain (HR: 1.48, CI: 1.25-1.75, p PTSD in a univariate model. Physical activity pattern was not associated with PTSD in either the univariate or multivariate models. In the final multivariate model, current smoking (HR: 1.30, CI: 1.10-1.53, p = .002) history of chest pain (HR: 1.37, CI: 1.15-1.63, p PTSD. Onset of PTSD is significantly associated with current smoking, history of chest pain and younger age. Screening veterans with multiple risk factors for symptoms of PTSD should therefore be taken into account.

Is There an Association between Keloids and Blood Groups?

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Mouhari-Toure, Abas; Saka, Bayaki; Kombaté, Koussaké; Akakpo, Sefako; Egbohou, Palakiyem; Tchangaï-Walla, Kissem; Pitche, Palokinam

2012-01-01

Objective. The aim of the study is to investigate the possible associations between the blood groups ABO and Rhesus systems and the presence of keloids in patients with black skin. Method. This case-control study was conducted between September 2007 and August 2011 comparing dermatologic outpatients with keloids to matched controls recruited in preanesthetic consultation at Tokoin Teaching Hospital of Lomé (Togo). Results. The distribution of different ABO blood groups and Rhesus blood groups in both groups (cases versus controls) was not significantly different. This distribution of different blood groups was superimposed on the general population of blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Center of Lomé. Univariate analysis between each blood group and the presence of keloid does not yield any statistically significant association between blood groups and presence of keloids in the subjects. Conclusion. The study shows no significant association between blood groups and the presence of keloids in our patients. Further investigation needs to be conducted to elucidate this hypothesis further by conducting multicenter studies of several ethnic groups.

In situ calibration using univariate analyses based on the onboard ChemCam targets: first prediction of Martian rock and soil compositions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabre, C.; Cousin, A.; Wiens, R.C.; Ollila, A.; Gasnault, O.; Maurice, S.; Sautter, V.; Forni, O.; Lasue, J.; Tokar, R.; Vaniman, D.; Melikechi, N.

2014-01-01

Curiosity rover landed on August 6th, 2012 in Gale Crater, Mars and it possesses unique analytical capabilities to investigate the chemistry and mineralogy of the Martian soil. In particular, the LIBS technique is being used for the first time on another planet with the ChemCam instrument, and more than 75,000 spectra have been returned in the first year on Mars. Curiosity carries body-mounted calibration targets specially designed for the ChemCam instrument, some of which are homgeneous glasses and others that are fine-grained glass-ceramics. We present direct calibrations, using these onboard standards to infer elements and element ratios by ratioing relative peak areas. As the laser spot size is around 300 μm, the LIBS technique provides measurements of the silicate glass compositions representing homogeneous material and measurements of the ceramic targets that are comparable to fine-grained rock or soil. The laser energy and the auto-focus are controlled for all sequences used for calibration. The univariate calibration curves present relatively to very good correlation coefficients with low RSDs for major and ratio calibrations. Trace element calibration curves (Li, Sr, and Mn), down to several ppm, can be used as a rapid tool to draw attention to remarkable rocks and soils along the traverse. First comparisons to alpha-particle X-ray spectroscopy (APXS) data, on selected targets, show good agreement for most elements and for Mg# and Al/Si estimates. SiO 2 estimates using univariate cannot be yet used. Na 2 O and K 2 O estimates are relevant for high alkali contents, but probably under estimated due to the CCCT initial compositions. Very good results for CaO and Al 2 O 3 estimates and satisfactory results for FeO are obtained. - Highlights: • In situ LIBS univariate calibrations are done using the Curiosity onboard standards. • Major and minor element contents can be rapidly obtained. • Trace element contents can be used as a rapid tool along the

Prognostic significance of anaplasia and angiogenesis in childhood medulloblastoma: a pediatric oncology group study.

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Ozer, Erdener; Sarialioglu, Faik; Cetingoz, Riza; Yüceer, Nurullah; Cakmakci, Handan; Ozkal, Sermin; Olgun, Nur; Uysal, Kamer; Corapcioglu, Funda; Canda, Serefettin

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether quantitative assessment of cytologic anaplasia and angiogenesis may predict the clinical prognosis in medulloblastoma and stratify the patients to avoid both undertreatment and overtreatment. Medulloblastomas from 23 patients belonging to the Pediatric Oncology Group were evaluated with respect to some prognostic variables, including histologic assessment of nodularity and desmoplasia, grading of anaplasia, measurement of nuclear size, mitotic cell count, quantification of angiogenesis, including vascular surface density (VSD) and microvessel number (NVES), and immunohistochemical scoring of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses for prognostic indicators for survival were performed. Univariate analysis revealed that extensive nodularity was a significant favorable prognostic factor, whereas the presence of anaplasia, increased nuclear size, mitotic rate, VSD, and NVES were significant unfavorable prognostic factors. Using multivariate analysis, increased nuclear size was found to be an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for survival. Neither the presence of desmoplasia nor VEGF expression was significantly related to patient survival. Although care must be taken not to overstate the importance of the results of this single-institution preliminary report, pathologic grading of medulloblastomas with respect to grading of anaplasia and quantification of nodularity, nuclear size, and microvessel profiles may be clinically useful for the treatment of medulloblastomas. Further validation of the independent prognostic significance of nuclear size in stratifying patients is required.

Association of perioperative blood pressure with long-term survival in rectal cancer patients.

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Yu, Hui-Chuan; Luo, Yan-Xin; Peng, Hui; Wang, Xiao-Lin; Yang, Zi-Huan; Huang, Mei-Jin; Kang, Liang; Wang, Lei; Wang, Jian-Ping

2016-04-11

Several studies suggested that hypertension is positively related to cancer incidence and mortality. In this study, we investigated the association between perioperative blood pressure (BP) and long-term survival outcomes in patients with rectal cancer. This study included a cohort of 358 patients with stages I-III rectal cancer who underwent a curative resection between June 2007 and June 2011. Both pre- and postoperative BPs were measured, by which patients were grouped (low BP: cancer-specific survival (CSS). Univariate analysis showed that patients with high preoperative systolic BP had lower 3-year DFS (67.2% vs. 82.1%, P = 0.041) and CSS rates (81.9% vs. 94.8%, P = 0.003) than patients with low preoperative systolic BP, and the associations remained significant in the Cox multivariate analysis, with the adjusted hazard ratios equal to 1.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.08-3.60, P = 0.028] and 2.85 (95% CI = 1.00-8.25, P = 0.050), respectively. Similarly, in postoperative evaluation, patients with high systolic BP had significantly lower 3-year CSS rates than those with low systolic BP (78.3% vs. 88.9%, P = 0.032) in univariate analysis. Moreover, high pre- and/or postoperative systolic BP presented as risk factors for CSS in the subgroups of patients who did not have a history of hypertension, with and/or without perioperative administration of antihypertensive drugs. High preoperative systolic BP was an independent risk factor for both CSS and DFS rates, and high postoperative systolic BP was significantly associated with a low CSS rate in rectal cancer patients. Additionally, our results suggest that rectal cancer patients may get survival benefit from BP control in perioperative care. However, further studies should be conducted to determine the association between BP and CSS and targets of BP control.

Short communication Preliminary genome-wide association study ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Davids, Annie

2017-04-10

Apr 10, 2017 ... Smallholder sheep farmers in South Africa have been reported to have flocks with low .... A univariate linear mixed model was fit in GEMMA for testing marker associations with wet-dry .... FM assisted with the GWAS laboratory.

Association between periodontal disease and non-communicable diseases

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Lee, Jae-Hong; Oh, Jin-Young; Youk, Tae-Mi; Jeong, Seong-Nyum; Kim, Young-Taek; Choi, Seong-Ho

2017-01-01

Abstract The National Health Insurance Service–Health Examinee Cohort during 2002 to 2013 was used to investigate the associations between periodontal disease (PD) and the following non-communicable diseases (NCDs): hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, cerebral infarction, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and obesity. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusting for potential confounders during the follow-up period—including age, sex, household income, insurance status, residence area, health status, and comorbidities—were used to estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in order to assess the associations between PD and NCDs. We enrolled 200,026 patients with PD and 154,824 subjects with a healthy oral status. Statistically, significant associations were found between PD and the investigated NCDs except for cerebral and myocardial infarction after adjusting for sociodemographic and comorbidity factors (P periodontitis pathogenesis as a triggering and mediating mechanism. PMID:28658175

Influence of microclimatic ammonia levels on productive performance of different broilers’ breeds estimated with univariate and multivariate approaches

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Soliman, Essam S.; Moawed, Sherif A.; Hassan, Rania A.

2017-01-01

Background and Aim: Birds litter contains unutilized nitrogen in the form of uric acid that is converted into ammonia; a fact that does not only affect poultry performance but also has a negative effect on people’s health around the farm and contributes in the environmental degradation. The influence of microclimatic ammonia emissions on Ross and Hubbard broilers reared in different housing systems at two consecutive seasons (fall and winter) was evaluated using a discriminant function analysis to differentiate between Ross and Hubbard breeds. Materials and Methods: A total number of 400 air samples were collected and analyzed for ammonia levels during the experimental period. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Results: Ammonia levels were significantly higher (p0.05) were found between the two farms in body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and performance index (PI) of broilers. Body weight; weight gain and PI had increased values (pbroiler breed. Ammonia emissions were positively (although weekly) correlated with the ambient relative humidity (r=0.383; p0.05). Test of significance of discriminant function analysis did not show a classification based on the studied traits suggesting that they cannot been used as predictor variables. The percentage of correct classification was 52% and it was improved after deletion of highly correlated traits to 57%. Conclusion: The study revealed that broiler’s growth was negatively affected by increased microclimatic ammonia concentrations and recommended the analysis of broilers’ growth performance parameters data using multivariate discriminant function analysis. PMID:28919677

Prediction of significant conduction disease through noninvasive assessment of cardiac calcification.

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Mainigi, Sumeet K; Chebrolu, Lakshmi Hima Bindu; Romero-Corral, Abel; Mehta, Vinay; Machado, Rodolfo Rozindo; Konecny, Tomas; Pressman, Gregg S

2012-10-01

Cardiac calcification is associated with coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, conduction disease, and adverse cardiac events. Recently, we have described an echocardiographic-based global cardiac calcification scoring system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the severity of cardiac calcification in patients with permanent pacemakers as based on this scoring system. Patients with a pacemaker implanted within the 2-year study period with a previous echocardiogram were identified and underwent blinded global cardiac calcium scoring. These patients were compared to matched control patients without a pacemaker who also underwent calcium scoring. The study group consisted of 49 patients with pacemaker implantation who were compared to 100 matched control patients. The mean calcium score in the pacemaker group was 3.3 ± 2.9 versus 1.8 ± 2.0 (P = 0.006) in the control group. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed glomerular filtration rate and calcium scoring to be significant predictors of the presence of a pacemaker. Echocardiographic-based calcium scoring correlates with the presence of severe conduction disease requiring a pacemaker. © 2012, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Population genetics of apolipoprotein A-4, E, and H polymorphisms in Yanomami Indians of northwestern Brazil: associations with lipids, lipoproteins, and carbohydrate metabolism.

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Crews, D E; Kamboh, M I; Mancilha-Carvalho, J J; Kottke, B

1993-04-01

Using isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting techniques, we screened 96 serum samples from Yanomami Indians of northwestern Brazil to determine structural variation at three apolipoprotein loci: A4, E, and H. The APO-H locus, which is commonly polymorphic in white and black samples, was found to be monomorphic. At the APO-E locus only two alleles, APOE*3 and APOE*4, rather than the three-allele polymorphism commonly seen in Caucasians, was observed. At the APO-A4 locus no example of the APOA4*2 allele, found in Caucasians, was detected. However, the frequency of the less common APOA4*4 allele was above what has been observed in any other population. We investigated the impact of genetic variation at both polymorphic loci on quantitative differences in lipids, apolipoproteins, serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and uric acid. Contrary to the cholesterol-elevating effect of APOE*4 reported elsewhere, in both univariate analyses and after adjustments for age, sex, weight, and height, APOE*4 was associated with about a 4% lower mean serum cholesterol. Only after adjustment was this association statistically significant. The APOE*4 allele was significantly associated with unadjusted APO-A1 and APO-E levels but not with any other dependent variable; associations with adjusted APO-A1, APO-C2, and uric acid also approached standard levels of statistical significance (p < or = 0.05). In univariate analyses the APOA4*4 allele was significantly associated with APO-B, serum glucose, percent glycated hemoglobin, and uric acid, but no significant associations were observed after dependent variables were adjusted for age, sex, weight, and height. These results support the notion that apolipoprotein distributions and their associations with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism show ethnic variability.

A comparison between univariate probabilistic and multivariate (logistic regression) methods for landslide susceptibility analysis: the example of the Febbraro valley (Northern Alps, Italy)

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Rossi, M.; Apuani, T.; Felletti, F.

2009-04-01

.40). Geological map and land use map were also used, considering geological and land use properties as categorical variables. Appling the univariate probabilistic method the Landslide Susceptibility Index (LSI) is defined as the sum of the ratio Ra/Rb calculated for each predisposing factor, where Ra is the ratio between number of pixel of class and the total number of pixel of the study area, and Rb is the ratio between number of landslides respect to the pixel number of the interval area. From the analysis of the Ra/Rb ratio the relationship between landslide occurrence and predisposing factors were defined. Then the equation of LSI was used in GIS to trace the landslide susceptibility maps. The multivariate method for landslide susceptibility analysis, based on logistic regression, was performed starting from the density maps of the predisposing factors, calculated with the intervals defined above using the equation Rb/Rbtot, where Rbtot is a sum of all Rb values. Using stepwise forward algorithms the logistic regression was performed in two successive steps: first a univariate logistic regression is used to choose the most significant predisposing factors, then the multivariate logistic regression can be performed. The univariate regression highlighted the importance of the following factors: elevation, accumulation flow, drainage density, lineament density, geology and land use. When the multivariate regression was applied the number of controlling factors was reduced neglecting the geological properties. The resulting final susceptibility equation is: P = 1 / (1 + exp-(6.46-22.34*elevation-5.33*accumulation flow-7.99* drainage density-4.47*lineament density-17.31*land use)) and using this equation the susceptibility maps were obtained. To easy compare the results of the two methodologies, the susceptibility maps were reclassified in five susceptibility intervals (very high, high, moderate, low and very low) using natural breaks. Then the maps were validated using two

Real-time prediction of extreme ambient carbon monoxide concentrations due to vehicular exhaust emissions using univariate linear stochastic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, P.; Khare, M.

2000-01-01

Historical data of the time-series of carbon monoxide (CO) concentration was analysed using Box-Jenkins modelling approach. Univariate Linear Stochastic Models (ULSMs) were developed to examine the degree of prediction possible for situations where only a limited data set, restricted only to the past record of pollutant data are available. The developed models can be used to provide short-term, real-time forecast of extreme CO concentrations for an Air Quality Control Region (AQCR), comprising a major traffic intersection in a Central Business District of Delhi City, India. (author)

Factors associated with internet addiction among school-going adolescents in Vadodara

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M C Anusha Prabhakaran

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The internet is an important modern means of obtaining information and communicating with others which has converted the world into a global village. At the same time, increasing internet use among adolescents is also likely to pose a major public health concern that is internet addiction (IA. The aim was to assess the prevalence of IA among school-going adolescents and factors associated with IA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to survey adolescents studying in 8th to 11th standard of five schools of Vadodara. Information regarding sociodemography and various patterns of internet use were obtained using survey forms. IA test (IAT was used to screen for IA. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and logistic regression were done to analyze the data. Results: Seven hundred and twenty-four participants that completed IAT were analyzed. Internet use prevalence was 98.9%. Prevalence of IA was 8.7%. Male gender, owning a personal device, hours of internet use/day, use of smartphones, permanent login status, use of internet for chatting, making online friends, shopping, watching movies, online gaming, searching information online and instant messaging were found to be associated significantly with IA in univariate analysis. Internet use for online friendships was found to be a significant predictor of IA (odds ratio [OR] =2.4, and internet use for searching information was found to be protective (OR = 0.20 against IA on logistic regression. Conclusions: IA is prevalent in the adolescent population and requires awareness and intervention. Characteristics of internet usage found to be associated with IA needs to be considered while developing strategies for interventions.

Univariate and multivariate analysis on processing tomato quality under different mulches

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Carmen Moreno

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The use of eco-friendly mulch materials as alternatives to the standard polyethylene (PE has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Consequently, a comparison of mulch materials from different origins is necessary to evaluate their feasibility. Several researchers have compared the effects of mulch materials on each crop variable through univariate analysis (ANOVA. However, it is important to focus on the effect of these materials on fruit quality, because this factor decisively influences the acceptance of the final product by consumers and the industrial sector. This study aimed to analyze the information supplied by a randomized complete block experiment combined over two seasons, a principal component analysis (PCA and a cluster analysis (CA when studying the effects of mulch materials on the quality of processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.. The study focused on the variability in the quality measurements and on the determination of mulch materials with a similar response to them. A comparison of the results from both types of analysis yielded complementary information. ANOVA showed the similarity of certain materials. However, considering the totality of the variables analyzed, the final interpretation was slightly complicated. PCA indicated that the juice color, the fruit firmness and the soluble solid content were the most influential factors in the total variability of a set of 12 juice and fruit variables, and CA allowed us to establish four categories of treatment: plastics (polyethylene - PE, oxo- and biodegradable materials, papers, manual weeding and barley (Hordeum vulgare L. straw. Oxobiodegradable and PE were most closely related based on CA.

Previous exposure in a high-risk area for travellers' diarrhoea within the past year is associated with a significant protective effect for travellers' diarrhoea: a prospective observational cohort study in travellers to South Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuenzli, Esther; Juergensen, David; Kling, Kerstin; Jaeger, Veronika K; DeCrom, Susan; Steffen, Robert; Widmer, Andreas F; Battegay, Manuel; Hatz, Christoph; Neumayr, Andreas

2017-09-01

Travellers' diarrhoea is the most common health problem in travellers. Depending on the region visited, up to 40% of travellers develop diarrhoea during a 2-week trip. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for TD among travellers to the Indian subcontinent. An observational prospective multicentre cohort study investigated travellers to the Indian subcontinent. Participants completed questionnaires assessing the incidence of travellers' diarrhoea and identifying potential risk factors. Covariates were assessed univariately, followed by a multivariate regression. Two-hundred and twenty-six travellers were enrolled into the study, 178 filled in both pre- and post-travel questionnaires. Overall, the attack rate of travellers' diarrhoea was 38.2%. Travel destination is a key risk factor for the occurrence of TD. Travelling to India or Nepal vs Bhutan is associated with an increased risk for TD (OR 6.68 and 6.62, respectively). A length of stay of more than 3 weeks compared to less than 2 weeks is also associated with a significantly increased risk (OR 5.45). Having stayed in a high-risk area for travellers' diarrhoea within the past year before the current trip is associated with a significantly decreased risk (OR 0.19). No association was found between consumption of high risk food (i.e. tap water, ice cream, raw meat and hamburgers) and travellers' diarrhoea. Travellers' diarrhoea is a frequent problem in travellers to the Indian subcontinent. Previous exposure in a high-risk area for travellers' diarrhoea within the past year appears to have a significant protective effect. Furthermore, an association between the occurrence of travellers' diarrhoea and travel destination and length of stay, respectively, was observed. Consumption of risk food did not confer a TD risk in our study. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Ventilator-associated pneumonia: clinical significance and implications for nursing.

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Grap, M J; Munro, C L

1997-01-01

Pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection in the United States and the leading cause of death from nosocomial infections. Intubation and mechanical ventilation greatly increase the risk of bacterial pneumonia. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs in a patient treated with mechanical ventilation, and it is neither present nor developing at the time of intubation; it is a serious problem--with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Aspiration of bacteria from the oropharynx, leakage of contaminated secretions around the endotracheal tube, patient position, and cross-contamination from respiratory equipment and health care providers are important factors in the development of VAP. Nurses caring for patients treated with mechanical ventilation must recognize risk factors and include strategies for reducing these factors as part of their nursing care. This article summarizes the literature related to VAP: its incidence, associated factors, diagnosis, and current therapies, with an emphasis on nursing implications in the care of these patients.

Clinical significance of vagus nerve variation in radiofrequency ablation of thyroid nodules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Eun Ju; Baek, Jung Hwan; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Shong, Young Kee; Kim, Jae Kyun

2011-01-01

To evaluate the types and incidence of vagus nerve variations and to assess factors related to the vulnerability of vagus nerves during the radiofrequency (RF) ablation of thyroid nodules. Bilateral vagus nerves of 304 consecutive patients who underwent ultrasound of the neck were assessed. Two radiologists evaluated vagus nerve type (types 1-4; lateral/anterior/medial/posterior), the shortest distance between the thyroid gland and vagus nerve, and thyroid contour. Vagus nerve vulnerability was defined as a vagus nerve located within 2 mm of the thyroid gland through the ex vivo experiments, and factors associated with vulnerability were assessed. We were unable to find one vagus nerve. Of the 607 vagus nerves, 467 (76.9%) were type 1, 128 (21.1%) were type 2, 10 (1.6%) were type 3, and 2 (0.3%) were type 4, with 81 (13.3%) being vulnerable. Univariate analysis showed that sex, location, thyroid contour and type were significantly associated with vagus nerve vulnerability. Multivariate analysis showed that bulging contour caused by thyroid nodules (P = 0.001), vagus nerve types 2/4 (P < 0.001) and type 3 (P < 0.001) were independent predictors. The operator should pay attention to anatomical variations and the resulting vagus nerve injury during RF ablation of bulging thyroid nodules. (orig.)

Angioarchitectural characteristics associated with initial hemorrhagic presentation in supratentorial brain arteriovenous malformations

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Pan, Jianwei, E-mail: swordman_pan@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310006 (China); Feng, Lei, E-mail: lei_feng66@yahoo.com [Department of Radiology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (United States); Vinuela, Fernando, E-mail: fvinuela@mednet.ucla.edu [Interventional Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiological Sciences, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); He, Hongwei, E-mail: ttyyhhw@126.com [Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing, Capital Medical University, 6 Tiantan Xili, Beijing 100050 (China); Wu, Zhongxue, E-mail: 252694812@qq.com [Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing, Capital Medical University, 6 Tiantan Xili, Beijing 100050 (China); Zhan, Renya, E-mail: neurovasword@gmail.com [Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310006 (China)

2013-11-01

Objective: The difference in arterial supply, venous drainage, functional localization in supratentorial and infratentorial compartments may contribute to the conflicting results about risk factors for hemorrhage in published case series of brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM). Further investigation focused on an individual brain compartment is thus necessary. This retrospective study aims to identify angioarchitectural characteristics associated with the initial hemorrhagic event of supratentorial bAVMs. Materials and methods: The clinical and angiographic features of 152 consecutive patients with supratentorial bAVMs who presented to our hospital from 2005 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All these patients had new diagnosis of bAVM. Univariate (χ{sup 2} test) and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the angiographic features in patients with and without initial hemorrhagic presentations. A probability value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in each analysis. Results: In 152 patients with supratentorial AVMs, 70.6% of deep and 52.5% of superficial sbAVMs presented with hemorrhage. The deep location was correlated with initial hemorrhagic presentation in univariate analysis (χ{sup 2} = 3.499, p = 0.046) but not in the multivariate model (p = 0.144). There were 44 sbAVMs with perforating feeders, 39 (88.6%) of which bled at a significantly higher rate than those with terminal feeders (χ{sup 2} = 25.904, p = 0.000). 87.5% (21/24) of exclusive deep venous drainage presented with hemorrhage, a significantly higher rate than those of the other type of venous drainage (χ{sup 2} = 11.099, p = 0.004). All 10 patients with both perforating feeders and exclusive deep draining vein presented with initial hemorrhage. Hemorrhagic presentation was correlated with perforating feeders (p = 0.000) and exclusive deep draining vein (p = 0.007) in multivariate analysis as well. Conclusions: Supratentorial bAVMs with perforating feeders

Angioarchitectural characteristics associated with initial hemorrhagic presentation in supratentorial brain arteriovenous malformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Jianwei; Feng, Lei; Vinuela, Fernando; He, Hongwei; Wu, Zhongxue; Zhan, Renya

2013-01-01

Objective: The difference in arterial supply, venous drainage, functional localization in supratentorial and infratentorial compartments may contribute to the conflicting results about risk factors for hemorrhage in published case series of brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM). Further investigation focused on an individual brain compartment is thus necessary. This retrospective study aims to identify angioarchitectural characteristics associated with the initial hemorrhagic event of supratentorial bAVMs. Materials and methods: The clinical and angiographic features of 152 consecutive patients with supratentorial bAVMs who presented to our hospital from 2005 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All these patients had new diagnosis of bAVM. Univariate (χ 2 test) and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the angiographic features in patients with and without initial hemorrhagic presentations. A probability value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in each analysis. Results: In 152 patients with supratentorial AVMs, 70.6% of deep and 52.5% of superficial sbAVMs presented with hemorrhage. The deep location was correlated with initial hemorrhagic presentation in univariate analysis (χ 2 = 3.499, p = 0.046) but not in the multivariate model (p = 0.144). There were 44 sbAVMs with perforating feeders, 39 (88.6%) of which bled at a significantly higher rate than those with terminal feeders (χ 2 = 25.904, p = 0.000). 87.5% (21/24) of exclusive deep venous drainage presented with hemorrhage, a significantly higher rate than those of the other type of venous drainage (χ 2 = 11.099, p = 0.004). All 10 patients with both perforating feeders and exclusive deep draining vein presented with initial hemorrhage. Hemorrhagic presentation was correlated with perforating feeders (p = 0.000) and exclusive deep draining vein (p = 0.007) in multivariate analysis as well. Conclusions: Supratentorial bAVMs with perforating feeders and deep venous

Clinical and prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen in lung cancer

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Chen YS

2014-01-01

concentration (median, 19 months versus 35 months; P <0.001. In addition, a similar result was observed in 194 early stage NSCLC (stage I -IIIA (P <0.001. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that higher levels of fibrinogen (FIB≥4.20 g/L, age, distant metastases and pathological types were positively associated with shorter overall survival (OS. 3 In addition, there was a significant link between the elevation by more than 15% in the plasma fibrinogen level after receiving short-term chemotherapy and shorter overall survival (OS. Conclusion: 1 This study shows high plasma fibrinogen concentration is associated with lymph nodes or distant organ metastases in lung cancer. 2 Furthermore, our results indicate a significant relevance between high pre-treatment plasma fibrinogen concentration and poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer. 3 In addition, we find that the patients with a low plasma fibrinogen level will have a shorter OS if the plasma fibrinogen level increases significantly after receiving short-term chemotherapy. Interestingly, we also find that the patients with a high plasma fibrinogen level will have a longer OS if the plasma fibrinogen level decreases significantly after receiving short-term chemotherapy, which indicate the change of the plasma fibrinogen level after receiving short-term chemotherapy may be used as an independent prognostic factor.

In situ calibration using univariate analyses based on the onboard ChemCam targets: first prediction of Martian rock and soil compositions

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Fabre, C. [GeoRessources lab, Université de Lorraine, Nancy (France); Cousin, A.; Wiens, R.C. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ollila, A. [University of NM, Albuquerque (United States); Gasnault, O.; Maurice, S. [IRAP, Toulouse (France); Sautter, V. [Museum National d' Histoire Naturelle, Paris (France); Forni, O.; Lasue, J. [IRAP, Toulouse (France); Tokar, R.; Vaniman, D. [Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ (United States); Melikechi, N. [Delaware State University (United States)

2014-09-01

Curiosity rover landed on August 6th, 2012 in Gale Crater, Mars and it possesses unique analytical capabilities to investigate the chemistry and mineralogy of the Martian soil. In particular, the LIBS technique is being used for the first time on another planet with the ChemCam instrument, and more than 75,000 spectra have been returned in the first year on Mars. Curiosity carries body-mounted calibration targets specially designed for the ChemCam instrument, some of which are homgeneous glasses and others that are fine-grained glass-ceramics. We present direct calibrations, using these onboard standards to infer elements and element ratios by ratioing relative peak areas. As the laser spot size is around 300 μm, the LIBS technique provides measurements of the silicate glass compositions representing homogeneous material and measurements of the ceramic targets that are comparable to fine-grained rock or soil. The laser energy and the auto-focus are controlled for all sequences used for calibration. The univariate calibration curves present relatively to very good correlation coefficients with low RSDs for major and ratio calibrations. Trace element calibration curves (Li, Sr, and Mn), down to several ppm, can be used as a rapid tool to draw attention to remarkable rocks and soils along the traverse. First comparisons to alpha-particle X-ray spectroscopy (APXS) data, on selected targets, show good agreement for most elements and for Mg# and Al/Si estimates. SiO{sub 2} estimates using univariate cannot be yet used. Na{sub 2}O and K{sub 2}O estimates are relevant for high alkali contents, but probably under estimated due to the CCCT initial compositions. Very good results for CaO and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} estimates and satisfactory results for FeO are obtained. - Highlights: • In situ LIBS univariate calibrations are done using the Curiosity onboard standards. • Major and minor element contents can be rapidly obtained. • Trace element contents can be used as a

Endoglin (CD105) expression on microvessel endothelial cells in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: tissue microarray analysis and association with prognostic significance.

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Wang, Jing-Jing; Sun, Xi-Cai; Hu, Li; Liu, Zhuo-Fu; Yu, Hua-Peng; Li, Han; Wang, Shu-Yi; Wang, De-Hui

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine endoglin (CD105) expression on microvessel endothelial cells (ECs) in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) and its relationship with recurrence. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect CD105 expression in a tissue microarray from 70 patients with JNA. Correlation between CD105 expression on microvessel ECs and clinicopathological features, as well as tumor recurrence, were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry revealed CD105 expression on ECs but not in stroma of patients with JNA. Chi-square analysis indicated CD105-based microvessel density (MVD) was correlated with JNA recurrence (p = .013). Univariate and multivariate analyses determined that MVD was a significant predictor of time to recurrence (p = .009). The CD105-based MVD was better for predicting disease recurrence (AUROC: 0.673; p = .036) than other clinicopathological features. MVD is a useful predictor for poor prognosis of patients with JNA after curative resection. Angiogenesis, which may play an important role in the occurrence and development of JNA, is therefore a potential therapeutic target for JNA. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

De novo malignancy is associated with renal transplant tourism.

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Tsai, Meng-Kun; Yang, Ching-Yao; Lee, Chih-Yuan; Yeh, Chi-Chuan; Hu, Rey-Heng; Lee, Po-Huang

2011-04-01

Despite the objections to transplant tourism raised by the transplant community, many patients continue travel to other countries to receive commercial transplants. To evaluate some long-term complications, we reviewed medical records of 215 Taiwanese patients (touring group) who received commercial cadaveric renal transplants in China and compared them with those of 321 transplant recipients receiving domestic cadaveric renal transplants (domestic group) over the same 20-year period. Ten years after transplant, the graft and patient survival rates of the touring group were 55 and 81.5%, respectively, compared with 60 and 89.3%, respectively, of the domestic group. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. The 10-year cumulative cancer incidence of the touring group (21.5%) was significantly higher than that of the domestic group (6.8%). Univariate and multivariate stepwise regression analyses (excluding time on immunosuppression, an uncontrollable factor) indicated that transplant tourism was associated with significantly higher cancer incidence. Older age at transplantation was associated with a significantly increased cancer risk; however, the risk of de novo malignancy significantly decreased with longer graft survival. Thus, renal transplant tourism may be associated with a higher risk of post-transplant malignancy, especially in patients of older age at transplantation. © 2011 International Society of Nephrology

Is the prognostic significance of O6-methylguanine- DNA methyltransferase promoter methylation equally important in glioblastomas of patients from different continents? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

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Meng, Wei; Jiang, Yangyang; Ma, Jie

2017-01-01

O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is an independent predictor of therapeutic response and potential prognosis in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, its significance of clinical prognosis in different continents still needs to be explored. To explore the effects of MGMT promoter methylation on both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among GBM patients from different continents, a systematic review of published studies was conducted. A total of 5103 patients from 53 studies were involved in the systematic review and the total percentage of MGMT promoter methylation was 45.53%. Of these studies, 16 studies performed univariate analyses and 17 performed multivariate analyses of MGMT promoter methylation on PFS. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) estimated for PFS was 0.55 (95% CI 0.50, 0.60) by univariate analysis and 0.43 (95% CI 0.38, 0.48) by multivariate analysis. The effect of MGMT promoter methylation on OS was explored in 30 studies by univariate analysis and in 30 studies by multivariate analysis. The combined HR was 0.48 (95% CI 0.44, 0.52) and 0.42 (95% CI 0.38, 0.45), respectively. In each subgroup divided by areas, the prognostic significance still remained highly significant. The proportion of methylation in each group was in inverse proportion to the corresponding HR in the univariate and multivariate analyses of PFS. However, from the perspective of OS, compared with data from Europe and the US, higher methylation rates in Asia did not bring better returns.

Evaluation of 10 AMD Associated Polymorphisms as a Cause of Choroidal Neovascularization in Highly Myopic Eyes.

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Alvaro Velazquez-Villoria

Full Text Available Choroidal neovascularization (CNV commonly occurs in age related macular degeneration and pathological myopia patients. In this study we conducted a case-control prospective study including 431 participants. The aim of this study was to determine the potential association between 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs located in 4 different genetic regions (CFI, COL8A1, LIPC, and APOE, and choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration and the development of choroidal neovascularization in highly myopic eyes of a Caucasian population. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex and hypertension was performed for each allele, genotype and haplotype frequency analysis. We found that in the univariate analysis that both single-nucleotide polymorphisms in COL8A1 gene (rs13095226 and rs669676 together with age, sex and hypertension were significantly associated with myopic CNV development in Spanish patients (p0.05; however, analysis of the axial length between genotypes of rs13095226 revealed an important influence of COL8A1 in the development of CNV in high myopia. Furthermore we conducted a meta-analysis of COL8A1, CFI and LIPC genes SNPs (rs669676, rs10033900 and rs10468017 and found that only rs669676 of these SNPs were associated with high myopia neovascularization.

Prognostic significance of standardized uptake value and metabolic tumour volume on {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

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Kim, Ji Won; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Jungsu S.; Kim, Jae Seung [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Yoon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Standardized uptake value (SUV) and metabolic tumour volume (MTV) measured by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT are emerging prognostic biomarkers in human solid cancers. However, their prognostic significance in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been investigated in only a few studies and with small cohorts. In the present study we evaluated the ability of SUV, MTV, and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) measured on pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT to predict recurrence and survival outcomes in OPSCC. The study included 221 patients with OPSCC who underwent pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT imaging and received definitive treatment at our tertiary referral centre. The PET imaging parameters SUV{sub max}, SUV{sub peak}, MTV and TLG were measured in primary tumours with focal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake. Clinical and imaging variables significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model. Overall 5-year OS and DFS rates were 72.0 % and 79.5 %, respectively, during a median follow-up of 61 months (range 18 - 122 months). The cut-off values of tumour SUV{sub max}, SUV{sub peak}, MTV and TLG for prediction of DFS were 7.55, 6.80, 11.06 mL and 78.56 g, respectively. Univariate analyses showed that age >60 years, advanced tumour stage, and high tumour SUV{sub max}, SUV{sub peak}, MTV and TLG were significantly associated with decreased OS and DFS (P < 0.05 each). Age, tumour SUV{sub max} and MTV remained independent variables for OS and DFS (P < 0.05 each) in the multivariate analyses. SUV{sub max} and MTV measured on pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT may be useful in predicting the clinical outcomes in OPSCC patients. This study investigated the clinical prognostic value of imaging parameters from pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in 221 patients who underwent definitive treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. High maximum standardized

Periodontitis is associated with significant hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Alazawi, William; Bernabe, Eduardo; Tai, David; Janicki, Tomasz; Kemos, Polychronis; Samsuddin, Salma; Syn, Wing-Kin; Gillam, David; Turner, Wendy

2017-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a bidirectional association with metabolic syndrome. It affects up to 30% of the general population, 70% of individuals with diabetes and 90% with obesity. The main histological hallmark of progressive NAFLD is fibrosis. There is a bidirectional epidemiological link between periodontitis and metabolic syndrome. NAFLD, periodontitis and diabetes share common risk factors, are characterised by inflammation and associated with changes in commensal bacteria. Therefore we tested the hypothesis that periodontitis is associated with NAFLD and with significant fibrosis in two study groups. We analyzed data from a population-based survey and a patient-based study. NHANES III participants with abdominal ultrasound and sociodemographic, clinical, and oral examination data were extracted and appropriate weighting applied. In a separate patient-based study, consenting patients with biopsy-proved NAFLD (or with liver indices too mild to justify biopsy) underwent dental examination. Basic Periodontal Examination score was recorded. In NHANES, periodontitis was significantly associated with steatosis in 8172 adults even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. However, associations were fully explained after accounting for features of metabolic syndrome. In the patient-based study, periodontitis was significantly more common in patients with biopsy-proven NASH and any fibrosis (F0-F4) than without NASH (p = 0.009). Periodontitis was more common in patients with NASH and significant fibrosis (F2-4) than mild or no fibrosis (F0-1, p = 0.04). Complementary evidence from an epidemiological survey and a clinical study show that NAFLD is associated with periodontitis and that the association is stronger with significant liver fibrosis.

Clinical Significance of 18F-FDG-PET in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.

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Fujii, Takaaki; Yajima, Reina; Kurozumi, Sasagu; Higuchi, Toru; Obayashi, Sayaka; Tokiniwa, Hideaki; Nagaoka, Rin; Takata, Daisuke; Horiguchi, Jun; Kuwano, Hiroyuki

2016-10-01

The diagnostic utility of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) for breast cancer is controversial. The histological type or tumor size of breast cancer has been reported to be associated with a greater likelihood of positive FDG uptake. Compared to invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs), invasive lobular carcinomas (ILCs) have a lower level of FDG uptake and are detected at a significantly lower sensitivity. The role of preoperative FDG-PET for ILCs may, thus, be limited. Few data evaluating the significance of FDG-PET in ILCs are available. Here, we evaluated the clinical significance of FDG-PET for ILC patients. We retrospectively investigated the cases of 196 consecutive patients with primary breast cancer who were diagnosed as having ILC (n=15) or IDC (n=181) and underwent FDG-PET preoperatively. Fifteen (7.7%) of patients were histopathologically diagnosed as ILC. A univariate analysis revealed that tumor size, extent of tumor, estrogen receptor (ER) expression and progesterone receptor (PgR) expression were significantly different between the ILC and IDC groups. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) values of the primary tumors were not significantly different between the two groups but, regardless of the larger size of tumor or ductal spread, the SUV max was relatively lower in the ILC group compared to the IDC group. The tumors in two ILC cases showed no FDG uptake. Among the ILC cases, there were linear associations between SUV max and tumor size and between SUV max and the nuclear grade by Pearson correlation (r=0.447, p=0.048 and r=0.519, p=0.024, respectively). Our findings imply that the preoperative FDG uptake in ILC may be reflective of the tumor size and the nuclear grade of the tumor. FDG uptake may be useful and predictive of aggressive features or prognosis in ILC patients. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

The association between overactive bladder and fibromyalgia syndrome: a community survey.

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Chung, Jae Hoon; Kim, Shin Ah; Choi, Bo Youl; Lee, Hye-Soon; Lee, Seung Wook; Kim, Yong Tae; Lee, Tchun Yong; Moon, Hong Sang

2013-01-01

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is the most common disease causing chronic generalized pain, and FMS patients often complain of urinary symptoms such as frequency or urgency. This study focuses on the association of overactive bladder (OAB) and FMS in adults aged 40 and over. A survey of adults aged 40s and over was conducted in the Guri and Yangpyeong areas of South Korea. The response rate was 74.2% (940/1,266). After excluding subjects with incomplete questionnaires (n = 20), 920 were included in the final analysis. The association of FMS and OAB was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Individuals with FMS had a significantly increased symptoms of OAB after adjustment for gender, age group, and area of residence (odds ratio (OR) 3.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.82-6.31). The association between FMS and severity of OAB was statistical significant (P for trend <0.0001). OAB is associated with FMS. Moreover FMS increases with severity of OAB. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association of Lifestyle-Related Comorbidities With Periodontitis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae-Hong; Lee, Jung-Seok; Park, Jin-Young; Choi, Jung-Kyu; Kim, Dong-Wook; Kim, Young-Taek; Choi, Seong-Ho

2015-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the association of periodontitis with lifestyle-related comorbidities (LCs) using data in the Korean National Health Insurance Cohort Database from 2002 to 2013. This was a retrospective study involving a large national cohort with patient samples (representing 2% of the total Korean population) stratified on the basis of sociodemographic information. Using this precisely extracted database, the correlations between LCs (cerebral infarction, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, and obesity) and periodontitis were investigated while adjusting for confounding bias. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate differences in variable factors. Among a total of 1,025,340 samples, 321,103 (31.3%) cases were diagnosed with periodontitis. Statistically significant associations were found between all LCs except myocardial infarction and periodontitis (P Periodontitis is significantly and positively correlated with LCs (except for myocardial infarction) after adjusting for confounding bias. In particular, lifestyle-related diseases, erectile dysfunction, and osteoporosis seem to be intimately related to periodontitis. PMID:26376407

Determining the significance of associations between two series of discrete events : bootstrap methods /

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Niehof, Jonathan T.; Morley, Steven K.

2012-01-01

We review and develop techniques to determine associations between series of discrete events. The bootstrap, a nonparametric statistical method, allows the determination of the significance of associations with minimal assumptions about the underlying processes. We find the key requirement for this method: one of the series must be widely spaced in time to guarantee the theoretical applicability of the bootstrap. If this condition is met, the calculated significance passes a reasonableness test. We conclude with some potential future extensions and caveats on the applicability of these methods. The techniques presented have been implemented in a Python-based software toolkit.

Significance and outcome of nuclear anaplasia and mitotic index in prostatic adenocarcinomas.

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Kır, Gozde; Sarbay, Billur Cosan; Gumus, Eyup

2016-10-01

The Gleason grading system measures architectural differentiation and disregards nuclear atypia and the cell proliferation index. Several studies have reported that nuclear grade and mitotic index (MI) are prognostically useful. This study included 232 radical prostatectomy specimens. Nuclear anaplasia (NA) was determined on the basis of nucleomegali (at least 20µm); vesicular chromatin; eosinophilic macronucleoli, nuclear lobulation, and irregular thickened nuclear membranei. The proportion of area of NA was recorded in each tumor in 10% increments. The MI was defined as the number of mitotic figures in 10 consecutive high-power fields (HPF). In univariate analysis, significant differences included associations between biochemical prostate-specific antigen recurrence (BCR) and Gleason score, extraprostatic extension, positive surgical margin, the presence of high-pathologic stage, NA≥10% of tumor area, MI≥3/10 HPF, and preoperative prostate-specific antigen. In a stepwise Cox regression model, a positive surgical margin, the presence of a NA≥10% of tumor area, and a MI of≥3/10 HPF were independent predictors of BCR after radical prostatectomy. NA≥10% of tumor area appeared to have a stronger association with outcome than MI≥3/10 HPF, as still associated with BCR when Gleason score was in the model. The results of our study showed that, in addition to the conventional Gleason grading system, NA, and MI are useful prognostic parameters while evaluating long-term prognosis in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Significant association between parathyroid hormone and uric acid level in men

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Chin KY

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Kok-Yong Chin,1 Soelaiman Ima Nirwana,1 Wan Zurinah Wan Ngah21Department of Pharmacology, 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaBackground: Previous reports of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy and of patients receiving teriparatide as antiosteoporotic treatment have suggested a plausible relationship between parathyroid hormone (PTH and uric acid. However, similar data at population level were lacking. The current study aimed to determine the relationship between PTH and uric acid in a group of apparently healthy Malaysian men.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 380 Malay and Chinese men aged 20 years and above, residing in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Their body anthropometry was measured, and their fasting blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The relationship between PTH and uric acid was analyzed using regression analysis.Results: Increased serum PTH level was significantly associated with increased serum uric acid level (β=0.165; P=0.001. Increased PTH level was also significantly associated with the condition of hyperuricemia in the study population (odds ratio [OR], 1.045; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.017–1.075; P=0.002. All analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index, vitamin D, total calcium, inorganic phosphate, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels.Conclusion: There is a significant positive relationship between PTH level and uric acid level in Malaysian men. This relationship and its clinical significance should be further investigated in a larger longitudinal study. Keywords: hyperuricemia, Asian, cross-sectional study, uric acid, urate

Significance of genetic variants in DLC1 and their association with hepatocellular carcinoma

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XIE, CHENG-RONG; SUN, HONG-GUANG; SUN, YU; ZHAO, WEN-XIU; ZHANG, SHENG; WANG, XIAO-MIN; YIN, ZHEN-YU

2015-01-01

DLC1 has been shown to be downregulated or absent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with tumorigenesis and development. However, only a small number of studies have focused on genetic variations of DLC1. The present study performed exon sequencing for the DLC1 gene in HCC tissue samples from 105 patients to identify functional genetic variation of DLC1 and its association with HCC susceptibility, clinicopathological features and prognosis. A novel missense mutation and four non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs3816748, rs11203495, rs3816747 and rs532841) were identified. A significant correlation of rs3816747 polymorphisms with HCC susceptibility was identified. Compared to individuals with the GG genotype of rs3816747, those with the GA (odds ratio (OR)=0.486; P=0.037) or GA+AA genotype (OR=0.51; P=0.039) were associated with a significantly decreased HCC risk. Furthermore, patients with the GC+CC genotype of rs3816748, the TC+CC genotype of rs11203495 or the GA+AA genotype of rs3816747 had small-sized tumors compared with those carrying the wild-type genotype. No significant association of DLC1 SNPs with the patients' prognosis was found. These results indicated that genetic variations in the DLC1 gene may confer a risk for HCC. PMID:26095787

Periodontitis is associated with significant hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Alazawi

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD has a bidirectional association with metabolic syndrome. It affects up to 30% of the general population, 70% of individuals with diabetes and 90% with obesity. The main histological hallmark of progressive NAFLD is fibrosis. There is a bidirectional epidemiological link between periodontitis and metabolic syndrome. NAFLD, periodontitis and diabetes share common risk factors, are characterised by inflammation and associated with changes in commensal bacteria. Therefore we tested the hypothesis that periodontitis is associated with NAFLD and with significant fibrosis in two study groups.We analyzed data from a population-based survey and a patient-based study. NHANES III participants with abdominal ultrasound and sociodemographic, clinical, and oral examination data were extracted and appropriate weighting applied. In a separate patient-based study, consenting patients with biopsy-proved NAFLD (or with liver indices too mild to justify biopsy underwent dental examination. Basic Periodontal Examination score was recorded.In NHANES, periodontitis was significantly associated with steatosis in 8172 adults even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. However, associations were fully explained after accounting for features of metabolic syndrome. In the patient-based study, periodontitis was significantly more common in patients with biopsy-proven NASH and any fibrosis (F0-F4 than without NASH (p = 0.009. Periodontitis was more common in patients with NASH and significant fibrosis (F2-4 than mild or no fibrosis (F0-1, p = 0.04.Complementary evidence from an epidemiological survey and a clinical study show that NAFLD is associated with periodontitis and that the association is stronger with significant liver fibrosis.

[Risk factors associated with preterm birth in a second level hospital].

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Escobar-Padilla, Beatriz; Gordillo-Lara, Limberg Darinel; Martínez-Puon, Horacio

2017-01-01

Preterm birth is one of the biggest problems in obstetrics and gynecology, given that it has an incidence of 10-11%. The objective was to identify the risk factors associated with a preterm birth. A retrospective, observational, transversal and analytic case-control study was made. All premature birth incidences were determined as study objects and controls were integrated with term deliveries. A sample size of 344 patients with a control per case was calculated. A total of 688 patients were studied. Statistical analysis was descriptive, univariate and bivariate and we used the Pearson chi square test, with a p preclampsia, PROM, twin pregnancy, placenta praevia, cervicovaginitis, previous preterm delivery and UTI are risk factors with statistical significance associated with preterm delivery.

The baseline serum value of α-amylase is a significant predictor of distance running performance.

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Lippi, Giuseppe; Salvagno, Gian Luca; Danese, Elisa; Tarperi, Cantor; La Torre, Antonio; Guidi, Gian Cesare; Schena, Federico

2015-02-01

This study was planned to investigate whether serum α-amylase concentration may be associated with running performance, physiological characteristics and other clinical chemistry analytes in a large sample of recreational athletes undergoing distance running. Forty-three amateur runners successfully concluded a 21.1 km half-marathon at 75%-85% of their maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Blood was drawn during warm up and 15 min after conclusion of the run. After correction for body weight change, significant post-run increases were observed for serum values of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, creatine kinase (CK), iron, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), triglycerides, urea and uric acid, whereas the values of body weight, glomerular filtration rate, total and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol were significantly decreased. The concentration of serum α-amylase was unchanged. In univariate analysis, significant associations with running performance were found for gender, VO2max, training regimen and pre-run serum values of α-amylase, CK, glucose, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, LDH, urea and uric acid. In multivariate analysis, only VO2max (p=0.042) and baseline α-amylase (p=0.021) remained significant predictors of running performance. The combination of these two variables predicted 71% of variance in running performance. The baseline concentration of serum α-amylase was positively correlated with variation of serum glucose during the trial (r=0.345; p=0.025) and negatively with capillary blood lactate at the end of the run (r=-0.352; p=0.021). We showed that the baseline serum α-amylase concentration significantly and independently predicts distance running performance in recreational runners.

Are studies reporting significant results more likely to be published?

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Koletsi, Despina; Karagianni, Anthi; Pandis, Nikolaos; Makou, Margarita; Polychronopoulou, Argy; Eliades, Theodore

2009-11-01

Our objective was to assess the hypothesis that there are variations of the proportion of articles reporting a significant effect, with a higher percentage of those articles published in journals with impact factors. The contents of 5 orthodontic journals (American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Angle Orthodontist, European Journal of Orthodontics, Journal of Orthodontics, and Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research), published between 2004 and 2008, were hand-searched. Articles with statistical analysis of data were included in the study and classified into 4 categories: behavior and psychology, biomaterials and biomechanics, diagnostic procedures and treatment, and craniofacial growth, morphology, and genetics. In total, 2622 articles were examined, with 1785 included in the analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied with statistical significance as the dependent variable, and whether the journal had an impact factor, the subject, and the year were the independent predictors. A higher percentage of articles showed significant results relative to those without significant associations (on average, 88% vs 12%) for those journals. Overall, these journals published significantly more studies with significant results, ranging from 75% to 90% (P = 0.02). Multivariate modeling showed that journals with impact factors had a 100% increased probability of publishing a statistically significant result compared with journals with no impact factor (odds ratio [OR], 1.99; 95% CI, 1.19-3.31). Compared with articles on biomaterials and biomechanics, all other subject categories showed lower probabilities of significant results. Nonsignificant findings in behavior and psychology and diagnosis and treatment were 1.8 (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.51-2.67) and 3.5 (OR, 3.50; 95% CI, 2.27-5.37) times more likely to be published, respectively. Journals seem to prefer reporting significant results; this might be because of authors

MUC1 Expression by Immunohistochemistry Is Associated with Adverse Pathologic Features in Prostate Cancer: A Multi-Institutional Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okyaz Eminaga

Full Text Available The uncertainties inherent in clinical measures of prostate cancer (CaP aggressiveness endorse the investigation of clinically validated tissue biomarkers. MUC1 expression has been previously reported to independently predict aggressive localized prostate cancer. We used a large cohort to validate whether MUC1 protein levels measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC predict aggressive cancer, recurrence and survival outcomes after radical prostatectomy independent of clinical and pathological parameters.MUC1 IHC was performed on a multi-institutional tissue microarray (TMA resource including 1,326 men with a median follow-up of 5 years. Associations with clinical and pathological parameters were tested by the Chi-square test and the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Relationships with outcome were assessed with univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models and the Log-rank test.The presence of MUC1 expression was significantly associated with extracapsular extension and higher Gleason score, but not with seminal vesicle invasion, age, positive surgical margins or pre-operative serum PSA levels. In univariable analyses, positive MUC1 staining was significantly associated with a worse recurrence free survival (RFS (HR: 1.24, CI 1.03-1.49, P = 0.02, although not with disease specific survival (DSS, P>0.5. On multivariable analyses, the presence of positive surgical margins, extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, as well as higher pre-operative PSA and increasing Gleason score were independently associated with RFS, while MUC1 expression was not. Positive MUC1 expression was not independently associated with disease specific survival (DSS, but was weakly associated with overall survival (OS.In our large, rigorously designed validation cohort, MUC1 protein expression was associated with adverse pathological features, although it was not an independent predictor of outcome after radical prostatectomy.

The association between second-hand smoke exposure and depressive symptoms among pregnant women.

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Huang, Jingya; Wen, Guoming; Yang, Weikang; Yao, Zhenjiang; Wu, Chuan'an; Ye, Xiaohua

2017-10-01

Tobacco smoking and depression are strongly associated, but the possible association between second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and depression is unclear. This study aimed to examine the possible relation between SHS exposure and depressive symptoms among pregnant women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Shenzhen, China, using a multistage sampling method. The univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore the associations between SHS exposure and depressive symptoms. Among 2176 pregnant women, 10.5% and 2.0% were classified as having probable and severe depressive symptoms. Both binary and multinomial logistic regression revealed that there were significantly increased risks of severe depressive symptoms corresponding to SHS exposure in homes or regular SHS exposure in workplaces using no exposure as reference. In addition, greater frequency of SHS exposure was significantly associated with the increased risk of severe depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that SHS exposure is positively associated with depressive symptoms in a dose-response manner among the pregnant women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ER, p53 and MIB-1 are significantly associated with malignant phyllodes tumor

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Nurhayati H Munawer

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Phyllodes tumors (PT are rare. We evaluated the expression status of ER, Bcl2, p53, and MIB-1 protein in these tumors. Methods: One hundred and ninety-three tumors were examined using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray. Results: ERβ (p <0.001, and p53 (p=0.006 in the stromal component were associated with tumor size. p53 expression was significantly associated with both epithelial and stro­mal components of malignant PTs (p<0.05. In PT, the decreased expressions of p53 and MIB-1 were significantly different with positive Bcl2 protein expression in epi­thelial component (p=0.000. Besides, MIB-1 was also found to be associated with ERα and ERβ in stromal component (p=0.000. Conclusion: The expression of p53 with tumor size and histological grade in PTs may increase risk for malignancy.

Significant association between polymorphism of the erythropoietin gene promoter and myelodysplastic syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Brien Susan

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS may be induced by certain mutagenic environmental or chemotherapeutic toxins; however, the role of susceptibility genes remains unclear. The G/G genotype of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1617640 in the erythropoietin (EPO promoter has been shown to be associated with decreased EPO expression. We examined the association of rs1617640 genotype with MDS. Methods We genotyped the EPO rS1617640 SNP in 189 patients with MDS, 257 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, 106 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 97 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 353 with chronic myeloid leukemia, and 95 healthy controls. Results The G/G genotype was significantly more common in MDS patients (47/187; 25.1% than in controls (6/95; 6.3% or in patients with other leukemias (101/813; 12.4% (all P P = 0.03. Time to neutrophils recovery after therapy was significantly longer in MDS patients with the G/G genotype (P = 0.02. Conclusions These findings suggest a strong association between the rs1617640 G/G genotype and MDS. Further studies are warranted to investigate the utility of screening for this marker in individuals exposed to environmental toxins or chemotherapy.

Comparison between the univariate and multivariate analysis on the partial characterization of the endoglucanase produced in the solid state fermentation by Aspergillus oryzae ATCC 10124.

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de Brito, Aila Riany; Santos Reis, Nadabe Dos; Silva, Tatielle Pereira; Ferreira Bonomo, Renata Cristina; Trovatti Uetanabaro, Ana Paula; de Assis, Sandra Aparecida; da Silva, Erik Galvão Paranhos; Aguiar-Oliveira, Elizama; Oliveira, Julieta Rangel; Franco, Marcelo

2017-11-26

Endoglucanase production by Aspergillus oryzae ATCC 10124 cultivated in rice husks or peanut shells was optimized by experimental design as a function of humidity, time, and temperature. The optimum temperature for the endoglucanase activity was estimated by a univariate analysis (one factor at the time) as 50°C (rice husks) and 60°C (peanut shells), however, by a multivariate analysis (synergism of factors), it was determined a different temperature (56°C) for endoglucanase from peanut shells. For the optimum pH, values determined by univariate and multivariate analysis were 5 and 5.2 (rice husk) and 5 and 7.6 (peanut shells). In addition, the best half-lives were observed at 50°C as 22.8 hr (rice husks) and 7.3 hr (peanut shells), also, 80% of residual activities was obtained between 30 and 50°C for both substrates, and the pH stability was improved at 5-7 (rice hulls) and 6-9 (peanut shells). Both endoglucanases obtained presented different characteristics as a result of the versatility of fungi in different substrates.

Analysis of clinical and dosimetric factors associated with treatment-related pneumonitis (TRP) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemotherapy and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT)

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Wang Shulian; Liao Zhongxing; Wei Xiong; Liu, Helen H.; Tucker, Susan L.; Hu Chaosu; Mohan, Rodhe; Cox, James D.; Komaki, Ritsuko

2006-01-01

Purpose: To investigate factors associated with treatment-related pneumonitis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 223 patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Treatment-related pneumonitis was graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictive factors. Results: Median follow-up was 10.5 months (range, 1.4-58 months). The actuarial incidence of Grade ≥3 pneumonitis was 22% at 6 months and 32% at 1 year. By univariate analyses, lung volume, gross tumor volume, mean lung dose, and relative V5 through V65, in increments of 5 Gy, were all found to be significantly associated with treatment-related pneumonitis. The mean lung dose and rV5-rV65 were highly correlated (p 42% were 3% and 38%, respectively (p = 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, a number of clinical and dosimetric factors were found to be significantly associated with treatment-related pneumonitis. However, rV5 was the only significant factor associated with this toxicity. Until it is better understood which dose range is most relevant, multiple clinical and dosimetric factors should be considered in treatment planning for non-small-cell lung cancer patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy

SNPs in genes implicated in radiation response are associated with radiotoxicity and evoke roles as predictive and prognostic biomarkers

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Alsbeih, Ghazi; El-Sebaie, Medhat; Al-Harbi, Najla; Al-Hadyan, Khaled; Shoukri, Mohamed; Al-Rajhi, Nasser

2013-01-01

Biomarkers are needed to individualize cancer radiation treatment. Therefore, we have investigated the association between various risk factors, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes and late complications to radiotherapy in our nasopharyngeal cancer patients. A cohort of 155 patients was included. Normal tissue fibrosis was scored using RTOG/EORTC grading system. A total of 45 SNPs in 11 candidate genes (ATM, XRCC1, XRCC3, XRCC4, XRCC5, PRKDC, LIG4, TP53, HDM2, CDKN1A, TGFB1) were genotyped by direct genomic DNA sequencing. Patients with severe fibrosis (cases, G3-4, n = 48) were compared to controls (G0-2, n = 107). Univariate analysis showed significant association (P < 0.05) with radiation complications for 6 SNPs (ATM G/A rs1801516, HDM2 promoter T/G rs2279744 and T/A rs1196333, XRCC1 G/A rs25487, XRCC5 T/C rs1051677 and TGFB1 C/T rs1800469). In addition, Kaplan-Meier analyses have also highlighted significant association between genotypes and length of patients’ follow-up after radiotherapy. Multivariate logistic regression has further sustained these results suggesting predictive and prognostic roles of SNPs. Univariate and multivariate analysis suggest that radiation toxicity in radiotherapy patients are associated with certain SNPs, in genes including HDM2 promoter studied for the 1st time. These results support the use of SNPs as genetic predictive markers for clinical radiosensitivity and evoke a prognostic role for length of patients’ follow-up after radiotherapy

Participation in a novel treatment component during residential substance use treatment is associated with improved outcome: a pilot study.

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Decker, Kathleen P; Peglow, Stephanie L; Samples, Carl R

2014-05-16

A person-centered substance use treatment component, the Natural Recovery Program, was developed. The Natural Recovery Program is comprised of small group therapy combined with pursuit of hobbies. This was a pilot study of the program and was not randomized. A retrospective record review of 643 veterans in an inpatient mental health recovery and rehabilitation program was analyzed to determine if participants of Natural Recovery had a different rate of treatment completion than those who elected to participate in the core program alone. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted on: participation in the Natural Recovery Program; co-morbid psychiatric disorders; and legal, medical, and psychiatric issues. Participation in Natural Recovery was significantly associated with successful treatment completion when analyzed by univariate analysis (p = 0.01). Other significant variables associated with successful completion included: no co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis, fewer prior suicide attempts, and no homelessness prior to admission. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that participation in Natural Recovery was associated with improved treatment completion, even when other variables were considered (p = 0.01). Treatment retention was longer for patients who participated in Natural Recovery, even if they did not complete treatment. The Natural Recovery Program was associated with improved outcomes, as measured by treatment retention in the first 60 days and by treatment completion. Participants of Natural Recovery with co-morbid psychiatric disorders completed treatment at a higher rate than those with co-morbid psychiatric disorders who participated in the core program. Patients reported high satisfaction with the program. This program may be a valuable adjunct to residential treatment.

Prognostic significance of pretherapeutic and therapeutic factors in patients with advanced cancer of the uterine cervix treated with radical radiotherapy alone

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Karolewski, K.; Korzeniowski, S.; Urbanski, K.; Kojs, Z. [Centre of Oncology, Maia Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Inst., Krakow (Poland); Sokolowski, A. [Dept. of Statistics, Cracow Univ. of Economics (Poland)

1999-11-01

The prognostic importance of various pretherapeutic and therapeutic factors was analysed in a group of 413 cervical cancer patients with stage IIB (183 pts) and IIIB (230 pts) treated with radical radiotherapy, which consisted of external irradiation and intracavitary brachytherapy. Univariate analysis of pretherapeutic factors revealed the prognostic significance of patient age, history of abortion, stage, haemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Five-year overall survival rate in stage IIB patients was 51% in stage IIIB 40% and the respective rates for local control at each stage were 61%, and 46%. Univariate analysis of therapeutic factors showed that survival and local control rates increased with the dose, but a significant difference was found only in the case of a paracentral (point A) dose. In a multivariate analysis only patient age, abortions, and clinical stage appeared to have a significant and independent impact on survival. Linear regression analysis results indicated that prolongation of treatment time between 33 and 108 days caused a loss of local control of 0.36% per day. (orig.)

Improving the performance of univariate control charts for abnormal detection and classification

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Yiakopoulos, Christos; Koutsoudaki, Maria; Gryllias, Konstantinos; Antoniadis, Ioannis

2017-03-01

Bearing failures in rotating machinery can cause machine breakdown and economical loss, if no effective actions are taken on time. Therefore, it is of prime importance to detect accurately the presence of faults, especially at their early stage, to prevent sequent damage and reduce costly downtime. The machinery fault diagnosis follows a roadmap of data acquisition, feature extraction and diagnostic decision making, in which mechanical vibration fault feature extraction is the foundation and the key to obtain an accurate diagnostic result. A challenge in this area is the selection of the most sensitive features for various types of fault, especially when the characteristics of failures are difficult to be extracted. Thus, a plethora of complex data-driven fault diagnosis methods are fed by prominent features, which are extracted and reduced through traditional or modern algorithms. Since most of the available datasets are captured during normal operating conditions, the last decade a number of novelty detection methods, able to work when only normal data are available, have been developed. In this study, a hybrid method combining univariate control charts and a feature extraction scheme is introduced focusing towards an abnormal change detection and classification, under the assumption that measurements under normal operating conditions of the machinery are available. The feature extraction method integrates the morphological operators and the Morlet wavelets. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is validated on two different experimental cases with bearing faults, demonstrating that the proposed approach can improve the fault detection and classification performance of conventional control charts.

The association between risk factors and hypertension in perak, malaysia.

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Loh, K W; Rani, F; Chan, T C; Loh, H Y; Ng, C W; Moy, F M

2013-08-01

Hypertension is a major public health problem in Malaysia. A survey was initiated to examine the association of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for hypertension in Perak, Malaysia. A total of 2025 respondents aged 30 years and above were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. Hypertension was defined as self-reported hypertension and/or average of two blood pressure readings at single occasion with SBP ≥ 140mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. Body mass index (BMI) was defined using the Asian criteria and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to evaluate physical activity. Body weight, height and blood pressure were obtained using standard procedures. Univariate analyses were conducted to examine the associations between risk factors and hypertension. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine each significant risk factor on hypertension after adjusted for confounders. In total, 1076 (54.9%) respondents were found to be hypertensive. Significant associations (p diet, respondents who were obese and had positive family history had higher odds for hypertension (OR:2.34; 95% CI:1.84-3.17 and 1.96 (1.59-2.42) respectively. A significant increase (p diet score and smoking were not significantly associated with increased risk for hypertension. In conclusion, modifiable risk factors such as BMI and physical activity are important risk factors to target in reducing the risk for hypertension.

Association of OCT derived drusen measurements with AMD associated-genotypic SNPs in Amish population.

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Chavali, Venkata Ramana Murthy; Diniz, Bruno; Huang, Jiayan; Ying, Gui-Shuang; Sadda, SriniVas R; Stambolian, Dwight

To investigate the association of OCT derived drusen measures in Amish age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients with known loci for macular degeneration. Members of the Old Order Amish community in Pennsylvania ages 50 and older were assessed for drusen area, volume and regions of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy using a Cirrus High- Definition-OCT. Measurements were obtained in the macula region within a central circle (CC) of 3 mm diameter and a surrounding perifoveal ring (PR) of 3 to 5 mm diameter using the Cirrus OCT RPE analysis software. Other demographic information including age, gender and smoking status were collected. Study subjects were further genotyped to determine their risk for the AMD associated SNPs in SYN3, LIPC, ARMS2, C3, CFB, CETP, CFI and CFH genes using TaqMan genotyping assays. The association of genotypes with OCT measures were assessed using linear trend p-values calculated from univariate and multivariate generalized linear models. 432 eyes were included in the analysis. Multivariate analysis (adjusted by age, gender and smoking status) confirmed the known significant association between AMD and macular drusen with the number of CFH risk alleles for drusen area (area increased 0.12 mm 2 for a risk allele increase, pAmish AMD population.

Association of Preoperative Nutritional Status with Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal Cancer Undergoing Salvage Esophagectomy.

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Sakai, Makoto; Sohda, Makoto; Miyazaki, Tatsuya; Yoshida, Tomonori; Kumakura, Yuji; Honjo, Hiroaki; Hara, Keigo; Ozawa, Daigo; Suzuki, Shigemasa; Tanaka, Naritaka; Yokobori, Takehiko; Kuwano, Hiroyuki

2018-02-01

To investigate whether malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis of patients who undergo salvage esophagectomy. We examined the association between the preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and prognosis of patients who undergo salvage esophagectomy. We conducted a single-center retrospective study and reviewed hospital patient records for tumor characteristics and patient outcomes. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were carried out using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Thirty-two patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent salvage esophagectomy between 1998 and 2015 at our Institute were included in this study. Univariate analysis revealed that clinical response (p=0.045), preoperative PNI (pnutritional status is associated with the prognosis of patients undergoing salvage esophagectomy. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Psychosis Proneness in the Finnish Population.

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Ortega-Alonso, Alfredo; Ekelund, Jesper; Sarin, Antti-Pekka; Miettunen, Jouko; Veijola, Juha; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Hennah, William

2017-10-21

The current study examined quantitative measures of psychosis proneness in a nonpsychotic population, in order to elucidate their underlying genetic architecture and to observe if there is any commonality to that already detected in the studies of individuals with overt psychotic conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Heritability, univariate and multivariate genome-wide association (GWAs) tests, including a series of comprehensive gene-based association analyses, were developed in 4269 nonpsychotic persons participating in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study with information on the following psychometric measures: Hypomanic Personality, Perceptual Aberration, Physical and Social Anhedonia (also known as Chapman's Schizotypia scales), and Schizoidia scale. Genome-wide genetic data was available for ~9.84 million SNPs. Heritability estimates ranged from 16% to 27%. Phenotypic, genetic and environmental correlations ranged from 0.04-0.43, 0.25-0.73, and 0.12-0.43, respectively. Univariate GWAs tests revealed an intronic SNP (rs12449097) at the TMC7 gene (16p12.3) that significantly associated (P = 3.485 × 10-8) with the hypomanic scale. Bivariate GWAs tests including the hypomanic and physical anhedonia scales suggested a further borderline significant SNP (rs188320715; P-value = 5.261 × 10-8, ~572 kb downstream the ARID1B gene at 6q25.3). Gene-based tests highlighted 20 additional genes of which 5 had previously been associated to schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorder: CSMD1, CCDC141, SLC1A2, CACNA1C, and SNAP25. Altogether the findings explained from 3.7% to 14.1% of the corresponding trait heritability. In conclusion, this study provides preliminary genomic evidence suggesting that qualitatively similar biological factors may underlie different psychosis proneness measures, some of which could further predispose to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland

Associations between Narrow Angle and Adult Anthropometry: The Liwan Eye Study

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Jiang, Yuzhen; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Lee, Pak Sang; Nolan, Winifred P.; Yin, Qiuxia; Foster, Paul J.

2015-01-01

Purpose To assess the associations between narrow angle and adult anthropometry. Methods Chinese adults aged 50 years and older were recruited from a population-based survey in the Liwan District of Guangzhou, China. Narrow angle was defined as the posterior trabecular meshwork not visible under static gonioscopy in at least three quadrants (i.e. a circumference of at least 270°). Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between narrow angle and anthropomorphic measures (height, weight and body mass index, BMI). Results Among the 912 participants, lower weight, shorter height, and lower BMI were significantly associated with narrower angle width (tests for trend: mean angle width in degrees vs weight p<0.001; vs height p<0.001; vs BMI p = 0.012). In univariate analyses, shorter height, lower weight and lower BMI were all significantly associated with greater odds of narrow angle. The crude association between height and narrow angle was largely attributable to a stronger association with age and sex. Lower BMI and weight remained significantly associated with narrow angle after adjustment for height, age, sex, axial ocular biometric measures and education. In analyses stratified by sex, the association between BMI and narrow angle was only observed in women. Conclusion Lower BMI and weight were associated with significantly greater odds of narrow angle after adjusting for age, education, axial ocular biometric measures and height. The odds of narrow angle increased 7% per 1 unit decrease in BMI. This association was most evident in women. PMID:24707840

High Nrf2 expression in alveolar type I pneumocytes is associated with low recurrences in primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

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Chen, Yu-Wen; Chiu, Wen-Chin; Chou, Shah-Hwa; Su, Yu-Han; Huang, Ying-Fong; Lee, Yen-Lung; Yuan, Shyng-Shiou F; Lee, Yi-Chen

2017-10-01

Recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a troublesome problem and a major concern for the patients. This study examined whether nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression in alveolar type I pneumocytes was associated with the clinical manifestations of PSP patients including disease recurrence. Eighty-eight PSP patients who were managed with needlescopic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (NVATS) were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was assessed to determine Nrf2 expression in resected lung tissues and the results were correlated with clinicopathological characteristics by the chi-square or the Fisher's exact test. The prognostic value of Nrf2 for overall recurrence was evaluated by univariate and multivariable Cox regression model. The expression of Nrf2 was observed in type I pneumocytes of lung tissues from PSP patients by IHC. We found that low Nrf2 expression in PSP patients, especially in young (age ≤ 20, p = 0.033) and body mass index (BMI) ≥18 kg/m 2 (p = 0.019) groups, was significantly correlated with PSP recurrence. In the univariate and multivariate analyses, high Nrf2 expression was a significant protective factor for overall recurrence in PSP patients (univariate: p = 0.026; multivariate: p = 0.004). The expression level of Nrf2 in alveolar type I pneumocytes was a potential factor involved in PSP recurrence. Our findings suggest that elevated Nrf2 expression in PSP patients may be a promising way for reducing PSP recurrence. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Gender-dependent association of a β(2)-adrenergic gene variant with obesity parameters in Malaysian Malays.

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Apalasamy, Yamunah Devi; Ming, Moy Foong; Rampal, Sanjay; Bulgiba, Awang; Mohamed, Zahurin

2015-03-01

Recent findings have shown that the rs1042714 (Gln27Glu) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the β2-adrenoceptor gene may predispose to obesity. The findings from other studies carried on different populations, however, have been inconsistent. The authors investigated the association between the rs1042714 SNP with obesity-related parameters. DNA of 672 Malaysian Malays was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between rs1042714 and diastolic blood pressure in the pooled Malaysian Malay subjects under additive and recessive models. After gender stratification, however, a significant association was found between the rs1042714 and triglyceride and the rs1042714 and log-transformed high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in Malaysian Malay men. No significant association was found between the SNP and log-transformed body mass index. This polymorphism may have an important role in the development of obesity-related traits in Malaysian Malays. Gender is an effect modifier for the effect of the rs1042714 polymorphism on obesity-related traits in Malaysian Malays. © 2011 APJPH.

Investigating univariate temporal patterns for intrinsic connectivity networks based on complexity and low-frequency oscillation: a test-retest reliability study.

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Wang, X; Jiao, Y; Tang, T; Wang, H; Lu, Z

2013-12-19

Intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are composed of spatial components and time courses. The spatial components of ICNs were discovered with moderate-to-high reliability. So far as we know, few studies focused on the reliability of the temporal patterns for ICNs based their individual time courses. The goals of this study were twofold: to investigate the test-retest reliability of temporal patterns for ICNs, and to analyze these informative univariate metrics. Additionally, a correlation analysis was performed to enhance interpretability. Our study included three datasets: (a) short- and long-term scans, (b) multi-band echo-planar imaging (mEPI), and (c) eyes open or closed. Using dual regression, we obtained the time courses of ICNs for each subject. To produce temporal patterns for ICNs, we applied two categories of univariate metrics: network-wise complexity and network-wise low-frequency oscillation. Furthermore, we validated the test-retest reliability for each metric. The network-wise temporal patterns for most ICNs (especially for default mode network, DMN) exhibited moderate-to-high reliability and reproducibility under different scan conditions. Network-wise complexity for DMN exhibited fair reliability (ICC<0.5) based on eyes-closed sessions. Specially, our results supported that mEPI could be a useful method with high reliability and reproducibility. In addition, these temporal patterns were with physiological meanings, and certain temporal patterns were correlated to the node strength of the corresponding ICN. Overall, network-wise temporal patterns of ICNs were reliable and informative and could be complementary to spatial patterns of ICNs for further study. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased red blood cell distribution width associates with cancer stage and prognosis in patients with lung cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasuko Koma

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Red cell distribution width (RDW, one of many routinely examined parameters, shows the heterogeneity in erythrocyte size. We investigated the association of RDW levels with clinical parameters and prognosis of lung cancer patients. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data from 332 patients with lung cancer in a single institution were retrospectively studied by univariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the effect of RDW on survival. RESULTS: THE RDW LEVELS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: high RDW (>=15%, n=73 vs. low RDW, n=259 (<15%. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant associations of high RDW values with cancer stage, performance status, presence of other disease, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, platelet count, albumin level, C-reactive protein level, and cytokeratin 19 fragment level. Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed an association of RDW values with cancer stage in patients irrespective of comorbidity (patient with/without comorbidity: p<0.0001, patient without comorbidity: p<0.0001. Stages I-IV lung cancer patients with higher RDW values had poorer prognoses than those with lower RDW values (Wilcoxon test: p=0.002. In particular, the survival rates of stage I and II patients (n=141 were lower in the high RDW group (n=19 than in the low RDW group (n=122 (Wilcoxon test: p<0.001. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed higher RDW is a significant prognostic factor (p=0.040. CONCLUSION: RDW is associated with several factors that reflect inflammation and malnutrition in lung cancer patients. Moreover, high levels of RDW are associated with poor survival. RDW might be used as a new and convenient marker to determine a patient's general condition and to predict the mortality risk of lung cancer patients.

Magnetic resonance imaging-detected extramural venous invasion in rectal cancer before and after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Diagnostic performance and prognostic significance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eun Sun [Chung-Ang University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); National Cancer Centre, Department of Radiology, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Min Ju; Hur, Bo Yun [National Cancer Centre, Department of Radiology, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sung Chan; Hyun, Jong Hee; Chang, Hee Jin; Baek, Ji Yeon; Kim, Dae Yong; Oh, Jae Hwan [National Cancer Centre, Centre for Colorectal Cancer, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sun Young [National Cancer Centre, Centre for Colorectal Cancer, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2018-02-15

We evaluated the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in terms of identifying extramural venous invasion (EMVI) in rectal cancer patients with preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and its prognostic significance. During 2008-2010, 200 patients underwent surgery following preoperative CRT for rectal cancer. Two radiologists independently reviewed all pre- and post-CRT MRI retrospectively. We investigated diagnostic performance of pre-CRT MR-EMVI (MR-EMVI) and post-CRT MR-EMVI (yMR-EMVI), based on pathological EMVI as the standard of reference. We assessed correlation between MRI findings and patients' prognosis, such as disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Additionally, subgroup analysis in MR- or yMR-EMVI-positive patients was performed to confirm the significance of the severity of EMVI in MRI on patient's prognosis. The sensitivity and specificity of yMR-EMVI were 76.19% and 79.75% (area under the curve: 0.830), respectively. In univariate analysis, yMR-EMVI was the only significant MRI factor in DFS (P = 0.027). The mean DFS for yMR-EMVI (+) patients was significantly less than for yMR-EMVI (-) patients: 57.56 months versus 72.46 months. yMR-EMVI demonstrated good diagnostic performance. yMR-EMVI was the only significant EMVI-related MRI factor that correlated with patients' DFS in univariate analysis; however, it was not significant in multivariate analysis. (orig.)

Significant Risk Factors for Postoperative Enlargement of Basal Ganglia Hematoma after Frameless Stereotactic Aspiration: Antiplatelet Medication and Concomitant IVH.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Wonsoo; Park, Jaechan

2017-09-01

Frameless stereotactic aspiration of a hematoma can be the one of the treatment options for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in the basal ganglia. Postoperative hematoma enlargement, however, can be a serious complication of intracranial surgery that frequently results in severe neurological deficit and even death. Therefore, it is important to identify the risk factors of postoperative hematoma growth. During a 13-year period, 101 patients underwent minimally invasive frameless stereotactic aspiration for basal ganglia hematoma. Patients were classified into two groups according to whether or not they had postoperative hematoma enlargement in a computed tomography scan. Baseline demographic data and several risk factors, such as hypertension, preoperative hematoma growth, antiplatelet medication, presence of concomitant intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), were analysed via a univariate statistical study. Nine of 101 patients (8.9%) showed hematoma enlargement after frameless stereotactic aspiration. Among the various risk factors, concomitant IVH and antiplatelet medication were found to be significantly associated with postoperative enlargement of hematomas. In conclusion, our study revealed that aspirin use and concomitant IVH are factors associated with hematoma enlargement subsequent to frameless stereotactic aspiration for basal ganglia hematoma.

The significance of reduced respiratory chain enzyme activities: clinical, biochemical and radiological associations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mordekar, S R; Guthrie, P; Bonham, J R; Olpin, S E; Hargreaves, I; Baxter, P S

2006-03-01

Mitochondrial diseases are an important group of neurometabolic disorders in children with varied clinical presentations and diagnosis that can be difficult to confirm. To report the significance of reduced respiratory chain enzyme (RCE) activity in muscle biopsy samples from children. Retrospective odds ratio was used to compare clinical and biochemical features, DNA studies, neuroimaging, and muscle biopsies in 18 children with and 48 without reduced RCE activity. Children with reduced RCE activity were significantly more likely to have consanguineous parents, to present with acute encephalopathy and lactic acidaemia and/or within the first year of life; to have an axonal neuropathy, CSF lactate >4 mmol/l; and/or to have signal change in the basal ganglia. There were positive associations with a maternal family history of possible mitochondrial cytopathy; a presentation with failure to thrive and lactic acidaemia, ragged red fibres, reduced fibroblast fatty acid oxidation and with an abnormal allopurinol loading test. There was no association with ophthalmic abnormalities, deafness, epilepsy or myopathy. The association of these clinical, biochemical and radiological features with reduced RCE activity suggests a possible causative link.

[Association between the use of blood components and the five-year mortality after liver transplant].

Science.gov (United States)

de Morais, Bruno Salomé; Sanches, Marcelo Dias; Ribeiro, Daniel Dias; Lima, Agnaldo Soares; de Abreu Ferrari, Teresa Cristina; Duarte, Malvina Maria de Freitas; Cançado, Guilherme Henrique Gomes Moreira

2011-01-01

Liver transplant (LT) surgery is associated with significant bleeding in 20% of cases, and several authors have demonstrated the risks related to blood components. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of using blood components during hospitalization in five-year survival of patients undergoing LT. One hundred and thirteen patients were evaluated retrospectively. Several variables, including the use of blood components intraoperatively and throughout hospitalization, were categorized and evaluated by univariate analysis using Fisher's test. A level of significance of 5% was adopted. Results with p renal dysfunction, and longer stay in hospital and ICU are associated with greater five-year mortality after LT (p transplantation (p < 0.01). This study emphasizes the relationship between the use of blood components during hospitalization and increased mortality in five years after LT. 2011 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis Is Associated with Significant Oxidative Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Kaur

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Research has confirmed the involvement of oxidative stress (OxS in allergic contact dermatitis whilst other inflammation-related biomarkers have been less studied. Objective. To evaluate systemic levels of selected inflammatory markers, OxS indices and adipokines as well as their associations in allergic contact dermatitis. Methods. In 40 patients, interleukin- (IL- 6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1, and IL-10 levels were measured in sera with the Evidence Investigator Cytokine & Growth factors High-Sensitivity Array, total peroxide concentration (TPX and total antioxidant capacity (TAC by means of spectrophotometry, and the plasma concentrations of adiponectin and leptin by the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Results. TNF-α level (P < 0.01 and TPX (P < 0.0001 were increased whilst IL-10 (P < 0.05 and TAC (P < 0.0001 were decreased in the patients as compared to controls. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis identified both, TPX and TAC (inversely, as possible independent markers for evaluating allergic contact dermatitis. Adiponectin level in patients was increased (P < 0.0001, but neither adiponectin nor leptin correlated significantly with the biomarkers of inflammation or OxS. Conclusion. OxS parameters, especially TPX and OSI, reflect the degree of systemic inflammation associated with allergic contact dermatitis in the best way. The relation between OxS and adiponectin level warrants further studies.

The prognostic significance of parapharyngeal tumour involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teo, P.Y.; Lee, W.; Yu, P.

1996-01-01

From 1984 to 1989, 903 treatment-naive non-disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) were given primary radical radiotherapy. All patients had computed tomographic and endoscopic evaluation of the primary tumour. Potentially significant parameters were analysed by both univariate and multivariate methods for independent significance. In the whole group of patients, the male sex, skull base and cranial nerve(s) involvement, advanced Ho N-level, presence of fixed or partially fixed nodes and nodes contralateral to the side of the bulk of the nasopharyngeal primary, significantly determined survival and distant metastasis rates, whereas skull base and cranial nerve involvement, advanced age and male sex significantly worsened local control. However in the Ho T2No subgroup, parapharyngeal tumour involvement was the most significant prognosticator that determined distant metastasis and survival rates in the absence of the overriding prognosticators of skull base infiltration, cranial nerve(s) palsy, and cervical nodal metastasis. The local tumour control of the Ho T2No was adversely affected by the presence of oropharyngeal tumour extension. The administration of booster radiotherapy (20 Gy) after conventional radiotherapy (60-62.5 Gy) in tumours with parapharyngeal involvement has led to an improvement in local control, short of statistical significance

Prognostic Significance of Blood Transfusion in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients without Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Liping; Fu, Danhui; Zhang, Jinping; Wang, Qingqing; Ye, Yamei; Xie, Qianling

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether blood transfusions affect overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A total of 181 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: 68 patients in the transfused group and 113 patients in the nontransfused group. Statistical analyses showed that there were significant differences in ECOG scoring, Ig isotype, platelet (Plt) counts, hemoglobin (Hb) level, serum creatinine (Scr) level, and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) level between the two groups. Univariate analyses showed that higher International Staging System staging, Plt counts blood transfusion was associated with PFS but not OS in MM patients. Multivariate analyses showed that blood transfusion was not an independent factor for PFS in MM patients. Our preliminary results suggested that newly diagnosed MM patients may benefit from a liberal blood transfusion strategy, since blood transfusion is not an independent impact factor for survival. PMID:28567420

Association between serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ping; Xu, Cheng-Fu; Wan, Xing-Yong; Yu, Chao-Hui; Shen, Chao; Chen, Peng; Xu, Gen-Yun; Li, You-Ming

2014-01-01

AIM: To investigate the association between serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and fatty liver disease (FLD) in a Chinese population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among subjects who presented for a health examination at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University in 2013. FLD was diagnosed based on an ultrasonography examination. Serum AFP levels were measured with a chemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Of the 9800 subjects enrolled, 2601 were diagnosed with FLD. Subjects with FLD had higher serum AFP levels than those without the disease. Subjects with high serum AFP levels had a higher prevalence of FLD, metabolic syndrome, and its components. Univariate logistic analysis showed that elevated serum AFP levels were associated with an increased risk of FLD (OR = 1.057, 95%CI: 1.031-1.084). However, after adjusting for covariates, AFP no longer remained significantly associated with the risk factors for FLD. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that serum AFP levels are significantly associated with FLD and that AFP acts as a cofactor, but not as an independent factor, for FLD. PMID:25206293

Association of primary tumour FDG uptake with clinical, histopathological and molecular characteristics in breast cancer patients scheduled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koolen, B.B.; Aukema, T.S. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Surgical Oncology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Vrancken Peeters, M.J.T.F.D.; Rutgers, E.J.T. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Surgical Oncology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Wesseling, J.; Lips, E.H. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapy, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Vogel, W.V.; Valdes Olmos, R.A. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Werkhoven, E. van [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Biometrics, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Gilhuijs, K.G.A. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University Medical Centre Utrecht, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands); Rodenhuis, S. [Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2012-12-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of primary tumour {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake with clinical, histopathological and molecular characteristics of breast cancer patients scheduled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Second, we wished to establish for which patients pretreatment positron emission tomography (PET)/CT could safely be omitted because of low FDG uptake. PET/CT was performed in 214 primary stage II or III breast cancer patients in the prone position with hanging breasts. Tumour FDG uptake was qualitatively evaluated to determine the possibility of response monitoring with PET/CT and was quantitatively assessed using maximum standardized uptake values (SUV{sub max}). FDG uptake was compared with age, TNM stage, histology, hormone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status, grade, Ki-67 and molecular subtype in univariable and multivariable analyses. In 203 tumours (95 %) FDG uptake was considered sufficient for response monitoring. No subgroup of patients with consistently low tumour FDG uptake could be identified. In a univariable analysis, SUV{sub max} was significantly higher in patients with distant metastases at staging examination, non-lobular carcinomas, tumours with negative hormone receptors, triple negative tumours, grade 3 tumours, and in tumours with a high proliferation index (Ki-67 expression). After multiple linear regression analysis, triple negative and grade 3 tumours were significantly associated with a higher SUV{sub max}. Primary tumour FDG uptake in breast cancer patients scheduled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy is significantly higher in tumours with prognostically unfavourable characteristics. Based on tumour characteristics associated with low tumour FDG uptake, this study was unable to identify a subgroup of patients unlikely to benefit from pretreatment PET/CT. (orig.)

Assessment of significant psychological distress at the end of pregnancy and associated factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorén-Guerrero, L; Gascón-Catalán, A; Pasierb, D; Romero-Cardiel, M A

2018-06-01

The aim of this study is to study the prevalence of mental distress at the end of pregnancy and after birth and the impact of selected socio-demographic and obstetric factors. This is a cross-sectional study. The sample is consisted of 351 puerperal women at the age of 18 and over. Sociodemographic, obstetric variables were collected to detect significant psychological distress; the instrument used was General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Logistic multivariable regressions were used to investigate associations. The prevalence of significant mental distress amounted to 81.2%, mostly related to social relationship and anxiety. The women who affirmed having more stress during pregnancy had too significantly increased emotional distress before the birth as well as during early puerperium, increasing somatic symptoms (p Psychological distress at the end of a full-term pregnancy and in the postpartum period occurs frequently and was associated mainly with stress experienced during pregnancy and parity. It is advisable to perform proper assessment of stress and significant psychological distress at the early stage of pregnancy and repeatedly later on until delivery. Information and support from professionals can help to decrease and prevent their negative impact on maternal and fetal health, as observed in the current evidence.

Clinical significance of pretreatment FDG PET/CT IN MOBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma

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Kang, Seo Young; Kim, Yong Il; Cheon, Gi Jeong; Kang, Keon Wook; Chung, June Key; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Hyoung Jin; Shin, Hee Young [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, E. Edmund [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Rahim, Muhammad Kashif [Nishtar Medical College and Hospital, Multan (Pakistan)

2017-06-15

{sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging is well known to have clinical significance in the initial staging and response evaluation of the many kinds of neoplasms. However, its role in the pediatric neuroblastoma is not clearly defined. In the present study, the clinical significance of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in 123I- or 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid pediatric neuroblastoma was investigated. Twenty patients with neuroblastoma who undertook pretreatment FDG PET/CT at our institute between 2008 and 2015 and showed MIBG avidity were retrospectively enrolled in the present study. Clinical information—including histopathology, and serum markers—and several PET parameters—including SUVmax of the primary lesion (Psuv), target-to-background ratio (TBR), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and coefficient of variation (CV)—were analyzed. The prognostic effect of PET parameters was evaluated in terms of progression-free survival (PFS). Total 20 patients (4.5 ± 3.5 years) were divided as two groups by disease progression. Six patients (30.0 %) experienced disease progression and one patient (5.0 %) died during follow-up period. There were not statistically significant in age, stage, MYCN status, primary tumor size, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and ferritin level between two groups with progression or no progression. However, Psuv (p = 0.017), TBR (p = 0.09), MTV (p = 0.02), and CV (p = 0.036) showed significant differences between two groups. In univariate analysis, PFS was significantly associated with Psuv (p = 0.021) and TBR (p = 0.023). FDG-PET parameters were significantly related with progression of neuroblastoma. FDG-PET/CT may have the potential as a valuable modality for evaluating prognosis in the patients with MIBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma.

Association of baseline vitamin D levels with clinical parameters and treatment outcomes in chronic hepatitis B.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Henry Lik-Yuen; Elkhashab, Magdy; Trinh, Huy; Tak, Won Young; Ma, Xiaoli; Chuang, Wan-Long; Kim, Yoon Jun; Martins, Eduardo B; Lin, Lanjia; Dinh, Phillip; Charuworn, Prista; Foster, Graham R; Marcellin, Patrick

2015-11-01

The relationship between vitamin D levels and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection and treatment outcomes are poorly elucidated. We measured pre-treatment serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D3; 25[OH]D3) levels and determined their association with clinical parameters and treatment outcomes in active CHB patients without advanced liver disease enrolled in a global clinical trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either 48 weeks of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) plus peginterferon alfa-2a (PegIFN), TDF plus PegIFN for 16 weeks followed by TDF for 32 weeks, PegIFN for 48 weeks, or TDF for 120 weeks. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine associations between vitamin D, baseline factors, and week 48 clinical outcome. Of 737 patients, 35% had insufficient (⩾20 but vitamin D levels. In univariate analysis, lower vitamin D levels were significantly associated with the following baseline parameters: younger age, lower uric acid levels, HBeAg-positive status, lower calcium levels, blood draw in winter or autumn, and HBV genotype D. On multivariate analysis, only HBV genotype, season of blood draw, calcium level, and age retained their association. High baseline level of vitamin D was associated with low HBV DNA, normal ALT and HBsAg at week 48 independent of treatment groups, but the association, with the exception of ALT, became statistically insignificant after adjusting for age, gender, HBeAg and HBV genotype. Abnormally low vitamin D levels are highly prevalent among untreated, active CHB patients. Baseline vitamin D levels are not associated with treatment outcomes, but were associated with normal ALT. Copyright © 2015 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preovulatory progesterone concentration associates significantly to follicle number and LH concentration but not to pregnancy rate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yding Andersen, Claus; Bungum, Leif; Nyboe Andersen, Anders

2011-01-01

Using data from a large prospective randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effect of recombinant LH (rLH)co-administration for ovarian stimulation, the present study assessed whether progesterone concentration on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration was associated...... with or without rLH administration from day 6 of stimulation. There was no significant association between the late-follicular-phase progesterone concentration and the clinical pregnancy rate. However, progesterone concentration was strongly associated with the number of follicles and retrieved oocytes. Late......-follicular-phase LH concentration also showed a significant positive association with progesterone concentration (P = 0.018). Administration of rLH during ovarian stimulation did not affect progesterone concentration. The present study does not support an association between progesterone concentration on the day...

Risk Factors Associated with Mortality and Increased Drug Costs in Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Mingliang; Sun, Gang; Zhang, Xiu-li; Zhang, Xiao-mei; Liu, Qing-sen; Huang, Qi-yang; Lau, James W Y; Yang, Yun-sheng

2015-06-01

To determine risk factors associated with mortality and increased drug costs in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients hospitalized with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding between January 2001-December 2011. Demographic and clinical characteristics and drug costs were documented. Univariate analysis determined possible risk factors for mortality. Statistically significant variables were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Multiple linear regression analyzed factors influencing drug costs. p study included data from 627 patients. Risk factors associated with increased mortality were age > 60, systolic blood pressurebleeding rate is 11.20% and mortality is 5.74%. The mortality risk in patients with comorbidities was higher than in patients without comorbidities, and was higher in patients requiring blood transfusion than in patients not requiring transfusion. Rebleeding was associ-ated with mortality. Rebleeding, blood transfusion, and prolonged hospital stay were associated with increased drug costs, whereas bleeding from lesions in the esophagus and duodenum was associated with lower drug costs.

Evaluation of the efficiency of continuous wavelet transform as processing and preprocessing algorithm for resolution of overlapped signals in univariate and multivariate regression analyses; an application to ternary and quaternary mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Hegazy, Maha A.; Lotfy, Hayam M.; Mowaka, Shereen; Mohamed, Ekram Hany

2016-07-01

Wavelets have been adapted for a vast number of signal-processing applications due to the amount of information that can be extracted from a signal. In this work, a comparative study on the efficiency of continuous wavelet transform (CWT) as a signal processing tool in univariate regression and a pre-processing tool in multivariate analysis using partial least square (CWT-PLS) was conducted. These were applied to complex spectral signals of ternary and quaternary mixtures. CWT-PLS method succeeded in the simultaneous determination of a quaternary mixture of drotaverine (DRO), caffeine (CAF), paracetamol (PAR) and p-aminophenol (PAP, the major impurity of paracetamol). While, the univariate CWT failed to simultaneously determine the quaternary mixture components and was able to determine only PAR and PAP, the ternary mixtures of DRO, CAF, and PAR and CAF, PAR, and PAP. During the calculations of CWT, different wavelet families were tested. The univariate CWT method was validated according to the ICH guidelines. While for the development of the CWT-PLS model a calibration set was prepared by means of an orthogonal experimental design and their absorption spectra were recorded and processed by CWT. The CWT-PLS model was constructed by regression between the wavelet coefficients and concentration matrices and validation was performed by both cross validation and external validation sets. Both methods were successfully applied for determination of the studied drugs in pharmaceutical formulations.

Clinical and laboratory factors associated with mortality in dengue.

Science.gov (United States)

Saroch, Atul; Arya, Vivek; Sinha, Nitin; Taneja, R S; Sahai, Pooja; Mahajan, R K

2017-04-01

Dengue is endemic in more than 100 countries, giving rise to an increased number of deaths in the last five years in the South-East Asian region. We report our findings from a retrospective study of adults admitted with confirmed dengue at our institution. We studied the clinical and laboratory parameters associated with mortality in these patients. Of the 172 hospitalised patients studied, 156 (90.69 %) recovered while 16 (9.3%) died. Univariate analysis showed altered sensorium on presentation, lower haemoglobin and haematocrit levels, higher serum creatinine, higher serum transaminase and lower serum albumin levels to be significantly associated with mortality in dengue. Further, using stepwise multivariate logistic regression, altered sensorium ( P = 0.006) and hypoalbuminemia ( P = 0.013) were identified as independent predictors of mortality in dengue. Identification of these parameters early in the course of disease should prompt intensification of treatment in dengue cases.

Gender-associated violence at a women's hospital in nairobi, Kenya

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2008-07-07

Jul 7, 2008 ... single status of the victim and assault by more than one assailant. Conclusions: ... compared using the univariate analysis. variables found significant (p .... elementary school (71.4%) and married (72.3%). Quarrels over ...

Significant variables associated with epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheema, F.A.; Qayyum, K.; Ahmad, N.; Makhdoomi, A.; Safdar, A.; Asif, A.; Chaudhry, H.R.

2003-01-01

Objective: To study the characteristics of the epileptics and the risk factors contributing to the development of epilepsy. Results: Majority of the subjects were single (77.84%), 1st born among their siblings (25.95%), belonged to low social class (50.63%), and unemployed(25.31%). The major risk factors were family history of illness (23.52%) and positive medical problem around birth (12.66%). The presence of family history of illness, positive medical problem around birth and advanced maternal age at birth were associated with early onset of epilepsy. Vulnerability for the epilepsy also increases among hospital deliveries. Conclusion: Although the present study has identified various risk factors, yet the results need to be further confirmed through case-control studies. (author)

Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Outcome for Onconeural Antibody-Associated Disorders: A Retrospective Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaohua Liao

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo describe and analyze the clinical characteristics, laboratory data, management, and outcome of patients with onconeural antibody-associated disorders (OAAD and identify predictors for poor outcome.MethodsThis was a retrospective review of all patients with potential OAAD, who were hospitalized in Jinan General Hospital between September 2009 and July 2017. We clarified the diagnosis, collected comprehensive information and categorized patients into three groups: paraneoplastic neurological disorders (PNDs, autoimmune encephalitis (AE, and possible OAAD. Within the three groups, we analyzed a range of clinical and laboratory parameters and used univariate and multivariate regression analysis to identify predictors for poor outcome [modified Rankin Scale (mRS = 3–6].ResultsFrom 158 patients, we identified 70 who fulfilled the criteria for OAAD, including 44 men (62.9% and 26 women (37.1%. There were 38 patients (54.3% in the PNDs group, 14 patients (20% in the AE group, and 18 patients (25.7% in the possible OAAD group. After the last follow-up, 14 (36.8%, 9 (64.2%, and 12 (66.7% had a good outcome (mRS = 0–2. However, 6 (15.8%, 2 (14.3%, and 3 (16.7% died, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that duration prior to the hospital (p = 0.0224 and urinary incontinence/retention (p = 0.0043 were associated with poor outcome (mRS = 3–6. After multivariate regression analysis, urinary incontinence/retention (p = 0.0388 and an immunocompromised state (p = 0.0247 remained as significant factors for poor outcome.ConclusionUrinary incontinence/retention and an immunocompromised state represent significant predictors of a worse prognosis for patients with OAAD. By contrast, cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed that serum autoantibodies and tumor markers, the function of crucial organs, electrophysiology, and radiological findings were not associated with a poor outcome.

Factors Associated with Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus in Chinese Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Kong

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infections spontaneously clear in approximately 15–45% of infected individuals. Factors which influence spontaneous HCV clearance remain to be identified. The purpose of the present study was to identify variables associated with spontaneous HCV clearance in a referred population of Chinese patients. The prevalence of host, viral, and environmental factors known to influence the outcome of HCV infections was compared in 92 HCV spontaneous clearance subjects and 318 HCV persistent infection subjects. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify those factors associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. In univariate analysis, female gender, a history of icteric hepatitis, serologic evidence of concurrent HBV infection, and rs12979860 CC genotype were positively associated with spontaneous HCV clearance, while alcohol consumption was negatively associated with clearance. In multivariate analysis, female gender, a history of icteric hepatitis, concurrent HBV infection, and rs12979860 CC genotype remained independent variables associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. Spontaneous HCV clearance is more likely to occur in females, subjects with a history of icteric hepatitis, HBV coinfections, and those with the rs12979860 CC genotype.

Levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in patients with coronary heart diseases and clinic significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lingyan; Cai Gaojun; Zhang Wenwei; Wang Wenzhi; Sun Wenwei; Yan Weiqun

2006-01-01

Objective: To explore the relationship between pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and occurance, development of cardiovascular diseases, and lipids. Methods: 75 patients with coronary disease were divided into acute myocardial infarction (n=32), unstable angina pectoris (n=22) and stable angina pectoris (n=21) groups, and 60 subjects without coronary diseases were used as controls. The serum PAPP-A, IL-6, IL-10, lipids were measured in all patients and controls by different methods of enzymatically amplified two-step sandwith- type immunoassay, double antibody radio-immunoassay, ABC-HRP, auto biochemistic analytist. Results: (1) The level of PAPP-A in acute coronary syndrome (ACS, including acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris) patients was significantly higher than that in stable angina pectoris patients and controls (P<0.05). (2) There were significantly associations between PAPP-A and serum totle cholesterol, ApoA1/ApoB (r=0.348, 0.420, P<0.05). (3) The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in coronary heart disease patients were significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.05), and the variations among acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, stable angina pectoris patients were significantly (P<0.05). There were significantly associations between PAPP-A, IL-6 and IL-10 (Spearman r 0.446, 0.523, P<0.05). Conclusion: PAPP-A is significantly associated with occurance and development of coronary heart disease, probablely as a marker of unstable plaque in coronary heart disease. (authors)

Poor sleep quality is independently associated with physical disability in older adults.

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Chien, Meng-Yueh; Chen, Hsi-Chung

2015-03-15

We aimed to evaluate the association between sleep quality and physical disability in community-dwelling older adults. There were 213 community-dwelling adults (76 men and 137 women) aged 65 years and above participated into this investigation. The Groningen Activity Restriction Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were utilized to evaluate physical disability and subjective sleep quality, respectively. Global functional capacity was measured by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The Mini Mental State Examination and the Chinese Geriatric Depression Screening Scale were used to evaluate cognitive function and depression. Univariate analysis revealed a correlation between physical disability and poor sleep quality, older age, 2 or more comorbidities, depression, functional capacity, and poor cognitive function. However, in the multivariate analyses, depression failed to show significant association with physical disability. In contrast, an independent association was observed between poor sleep quality and physical disability (OR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.02-4.05). In community-dwelling older adults, subjective poor sleep was significantly associated with physical disability, even after controlling for the effects of other established risk factors. © 2014 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Serum Levels of ApoA1 and ApoA2 Are Associated with Cognitive Status in Older Men

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Ma, Cheng; Li, Jin; Bao, Zhijun; Ruan, Qingwei; Yu, Zhuowei

2015-01-01

Background. Advancing age, chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, and disorders of lipid metabolism are positively linked to the late-life cognitive impairment. Serum biomarkers may be associated with the cognitive status in older men. Methods. 440 old male subjects with different cognitive functions were recruited to investigate probable serum markers. Pearson Chi-Squared test, univariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate biomarkers which may be associated with cognitive status. Results. Levels of fundus atherosclerosis (AS) (P age (P age, AS levels, POD, IL-6, HDL-C, ApoA2, and ApoC2 were significantly related to cognitive status. Moreover, ApoA1 and ApoA2 were independently associated with cognitive impairment and late-life dementia. PMID:26682220

The Association Between Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Systematic Review.

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Russell, Abigail Emma; Ford, Tamsin; Williams, Rebecca; Russell, Ginny

2016-06-01

This systematic review examines associations between parental socioeconomic disadvantage and childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by parental income, education, occupation and marital status. Results were mixed by measure of SES with no one aspect being differentially related to ADHD. 42 studies were included in the review, of which 35 found a significant univariate association between socioeconomic disadvantage and ADHD. Meta-analyses of dimensions of SES and their association with ADHD indicate that children in families of low SES are on average 1.85-2.21 more likely to have ADHD than their peers in high SES families. In spite of substantial between-study heterogeneity, there is evidence for an association between socioeconomic disadvantage and risk of ADHD measured in different ways. This is likely mediated by factors linked to low SES such as parental mental health and maternal smoking during pregnancy.

The status of diabetes control in Kurdistan province, west of Iran.

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Esmailnasab, Nader; Afkhamzadeh, Abdorrahim; Roshani, Daem; Moradi, Ghobad

2013-09-17

Based on some estimation more than two million peoples in Iran are affected by Type 2 diabetes. The present study was designed to evaluate the status of diabetes control among Type 2 diabetes patients in Kurdistan, west of Iran and its associated factors. In our cross sectional study conducted in 2010, 411 Type 2 diabetes patients were randomly recruited from Sanandaj, Capital of Kurdistan. Chi square test was used in univariate analysis to address the association between HgAlc and FBS status and other variables. The significant results from Univariate analysis were entered in multivariate analysis and multinomial logistic regression model. In 38% of patients, FBS was in normal range (70-130) and in 47% HgA1c was <7% which is normal range for HgA1c. In univariate analysis, FBS level was associated with educational levels (P=0.001), referral style (P=0.001), referral time (P=0.009), and insulin injection (P=0.016). In addition, HgA1c had a relationship with sex (P=0.023), age (P=0.035), education (P=0.001), referral style (P=0.001), and insulin injection (P=0.008). After using multinomial logistic regression for significant results of univariate analysis, it was found that FBS was significantly associated with referral style. In addition HgA1c was significantly associated with referral style and Insulin injection. Although some of patients were under the coverage of specialized cares, but their diabetes were not properly controlled.

On the Use of Running Trends as Summary Statistics for Univariate Time Series and Time Series Association

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Trottini, Mario; Vigo, Isabel; Belda, Santiago

2015-01-01

Given a time series, running trends analysis (RTA) involves evaluating least squares trends over overlapping time windows of L consecutive time points, with overlap by all but one observation. This produces a new series called the “running trends series,” which is used as summary statistics of the original series for further analysis. In recent years, RTA has been widely used in climate applied research as summary statistics for time series and time series association. There is no doubt that ...

Clinical Profiles and Factors Associated with Death in Adults with Dengue Admitted to Intensive Care Units, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

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Frederico Figueiredo Amâncio

Full Text Available The purpose of our study was to describe the clinical profile of dengue-infected patients admitted to Brazilian intensive care units (ICU and evaluate factors associated with death. A longitudinal, multicenter case series study was conducted with laboratory-confirmed dengue patients admitted to nine Brazilian ICUs situated in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2013. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data; disease severity scores; and mortality were evaluated. A total of 97 patients were studied. The in-ICU and in-hospital mortality rates were 18.6% and 19.6%, respectively. Patients classified as having severe dengue according to current World Health Organization classifications showed an increased risk of death in a univariate analysis. Nonsurvivors were older, exhibited lower serum albumin concentrations and higher total leukocyte counts and serum creatinine levels. Other risk factors (vomiting, lethargy/restlessness, dyspnea/respiratory distress were also associated with death in a univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis indicated that in-hospital mortality was significantly associated with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. The ICU and in-hospital mortality observed in this study were higher than values reported in similar studies. An increased frequency of ICU admission due to severe organ dysfunction, higher severity indices and scarcity of ICU beds may partially explain the higher mortality.

Significant association of SREBP-2 genetic polymorphisms with avascular necrosis in the Korean population

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Park Eui

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is known that steroid usage and alcohol abuse are major etiological factors in the development of avascular necrosis (AVN, a bone disease that produces osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The facilitation of fat biosynthesis by steroids and alcohol disrupts the blood supply into the femoral head. SREBP-2 plays a central role in the maintenance of lipid homeostasis through stimulating expression of genes associated with cholesterol biosynthetic pathways. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the polymorphisms of the SREBP-2 gene and AVN susceptibility in the Korean population. Methods Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP in the SREBP-2 gene, IVS1+8408 T>C (rs2267439, IVS3-342 G>T (rs2269657, IVS11+414 G>A (rs1052717 and IVS12-1667 G>A (rs2267443, were selected from public databases and genotyped in 443 AVN patients and 273 control subjects by using single-based extension (SBE genotyping. Results The minor allele (C frequency of rs2267439 showed a significant protective effect on AVN (P = 0.01, OR; 0.75, 95% CI; 0.604–0.935, and the genotype frequencies of this polymorphism were also different from the controls in all alternative analysis models (P range, 0.009–0.03, OR; 0.647–0.744. In contrast, rs1052717 and rs2267443 polymorphisms were significantly associated with AVN risk. Further analysis based on pathological etiology showed that the genotypes of rs2267439, rs1052717 and rs2267443 were also significantly associated with AVN susceptibility in each subgroup. Conclusion This study is the first report to evaluate the association between SREBP-2 gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility of AVN in the Korean population.

Effects of univariate and multivariate regression on the accuracy of hydrogen quantification with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

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Ytsma, Cai R.; Dyar, M. Darby

2018-01-01

Hydrogen (H) is a critical element to measure on the surface of Mars because its presence in mineral structures is indicative of past hydrous conditions. The Curiosity rover uses the laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) on the ChemCam instrument to analyze rocks for their H emission signal at 656.6 nm, from which H can be quantified. Previous LIBS calibrations for H used small data sets measured on standards and/or manufactured mixtures of hydrous minerals and rocks and applied univariate regression to spectra normalized in a variety of ways. However, matrix effects common to LIBS make these calibrations of limited usefulness when applied to the broad range of compositions on the Martian surface. In this study, 198 naturally-occurring hydrous geological samples covering a broad range of bulk compositions with directly-measured H content are used to create more robust prediction models for measuring H in LIBS data acquired under Mars conditions. Both univariate and multivariate prediction models, including partial least square (PLS) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), are compared using several different methods for normalization of H peak intensities. Data from the ChemLIBS Mars-analog spectrometer at Mount Holyoke College are compared against spectra from the same samples acquired using a ChemCam-like instrument at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the ChemCam instrument on Mars. Results show that all current normalization and data preprocessing variations for quantifying H result in models with statistically indistinguishable prediction errors (accuracies) ca. ± 1.5 weight percent (wt%) H2O, limiting the applications of LIBS in these implementations for geological studies. This error is too large to allow distinctions among the most common hydrous phases (basalts, amphiboles, micas) to be made, though some clays (e.g., chlorites with ≈ 12 wt% H2O, smectites with 15-20 wt% H2O) and hydrated phases (e.g., gypsum with ≈ 20

Long time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma in children is not associated with decreased survival or with worse neurological outcome.

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Jean-Francois Brasme

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The long time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma, one of the most frequent brain tumors in children, is the source of painful remorse and sometimes lawsuits. We analyzed its consequences for tumor stage, survival, and sequelae. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective population-based cohort study included all cases of pediatric medulloblastoma from a region of France between 1990 and 2005. We collected the demographic, clinical, and tumor data and analyzed the relations between the interval from symptom onset until diagnosis, initial disease stage, survival, and neuropsychological and neurological outcome. RESULTS: The median interval from symptom onset until diagnosis for the 166 cases was 65 days (interquartile range 31-121, range 3-457. A long interval (defined as longer than the median was associated with a lower frequency of metastasis in the univariate and multivariate analyses and with a larger tumor volume, desmoplastic histology, and longer survival in the univariate analysis, but not after adjustment for confounding factors. The time to diagnosis was significantly associated with IQ score among survivors. No significant relation was found between the time to diagnosis and neurological disability. In the 62 patients with metastases, a long prediagnosis interval was associated with a higher T stage, infiltration of the fourth ventricle floor, and incomplete surgical resection; it nonetheless did not influence survival significantly in this subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: We found complex and often inverse relations between time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma in children and initial severity factors, survival, and neuropsychological and neurological outcome. This interval appears due more to the nature of the tumor and its progression than to parental or medical factors. These conclusions should be taken into account in the information provided to parents and in expert assessments produced for malpractice claims.

Significant association of serum creatinine with HbA1C in impaired glucose tolerant Pakistani subjects.

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Farasat, Tasnim; Sharif, Saima; Naz, Shagufta; Fazal, Sabiha

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to assess the serum concentration of creatinine and determine its relationship with potential risk factors of diabetes in Impaired Glucose tolerance subjects. This cross sectional study was conducted on 100 IGT patients who attended Amin Hayat diabetic center in Lahore from January 2011- June 2011. Patients with age group 34-67 years, (both sexes) were included in the study. Different demographic parameters as age, BMI, WHR, B.P, personal history and socioeconomic status were recorded. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test was performed. The biochemical parameters including HbA1c, lipid profile, urea, uric acid, creatinine and bilirubin level were measured by chemistry analyzer. A strong correlation between creatinine and HbA1c was observed. The level of creatinine was also significantly associated with age in IGT subjects. Creatinine is non-significantly correlated with Cholesterol, LDL-Chol and TG while negatively significantly associated with BMI, fasting blood glucose and HDL-Chol. The present study concluded significant association of serum creatinine with HbA1c, BMI and HDL cholesterol.

Clinical analysis and prognostic significance of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma in children.

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Pasqualini, Claudia; Minard-Colin, Veronique; Saada, Veronique; Lamant, Laurence; Delsol, Georges; Patte, Catherine; Le Deley, Marie-Cécile; Valteau-Couanet, Dominique; Brugières, Laurence

2014-04-01

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) has been rarely described in children treated for an anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). We evaluated the incidence, the clinical and histological characteristics and the prognosis of HLH associated-ALCL. The medical, biological, cytological and histological data of patients treated for ALK-positive ALCL in the paediatric department of a single institution between 1975 and 2008 were analysed and assessed for HLH according to diagnosis criteria of the Histiocyte Society. Data concerning a series of 50 consecutive children with ALCL were reviewed. HLH-associated ALCL was observed in 12% of the patients. Lung involvement was significantly more frequent in HLH-associated ALCL patients than in the group without HLH (P = 0·004), as well as central nervous system (CNS) and bone marrow involvement (P = 0·001 and P = 0·007 respectively). The histological subtype in children with HLH-associated ALCL did not differ from that of the group without HLH. There was no significant difference between the two groups in 5-year EFS and OS (P = 0·91 and P > 0·99 respectively). In conclusion, HLH is not rare in paediatric ALCL. Despite a high incidence of visceral, CNS and bone marrow involvement, HLH does not seem to exert a significant impact on outcome in children treated for ALCL. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Self-esteem is associated with perceived stress in multiple sclerosis patients.

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N Ifantopoulou, Parthena; K Artemiadis, Artemios; Triantafyllou, Nikolaos; Chrousos, George; Papanastasiou, Ioannis; Darviri, Christina

2015-07-01

Previous studies have showed that perceived stress (PS) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) constitutes an important factor for disease onset, relapse, symptomatology and psychological adjustment. The aim of this pilot cross-sectional study was to examine the role of self-esteem in PS, after controlling for sociodemographical characteristics, depression and personality in MS patients. Sixty-six relapsing-remitting MS patients (66.67% females, mean age of 40 ± 11.1 years old, mean duration of disease 133.6 ± 128.8 months) were studied. Perceived stress, self-esteem, depression and personality type were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Hierarchical multivariate regression modelling was used. Higher education and depression and lower self-esteem were independently and significantly associated with increased PS, accounting for 40.5% of its variance. Univariate analyses revealed that low extroversion and openness and higher neurotism were associated with higher PS, although no significant after adjusting for other factors. Although our findings need further confirmation, psychological interventions targetting self-esteem are strongly encouraged.

Downregulation of ZNF132 in prostate cancer is associated with aberrant promoter hypermethylation and poor prognosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abildgaard, Mette Opstrup; Borre, Michael; Mørck Mortensen, Martin

2012-01-01

This study investigates the expression and biomarker potential of zinc finger protein 132 (ZNF132) in prostate cancer (PC) by transcriptional profiling and immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays, including tumor specimens from 615 radical prostatectomy (RP) patients and 199...... conservatively treated patients. Primary clinical endpoints were time to PSA recurrence and cancer-specific death, respectively. Compared to normal prostate epithelial cells from men without PC, ZNF132 transcript levels were significantly reduced in PC cells from patients with localized PC and further...... immunoreactivity was significantly associated with high Gleason score and advanced T stage in both PC patient cohorts. By univariate analysis, no/weak ZNF132 staining was a significant adverse predictor of PSA recurrence after RP (p = 0.024) and cancer-specific death following conservative treatment (p = 0...

A large cohort study reveals the association of elevated peripheral blood lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio with favorable prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

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Jing Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC is an endemic neoplasm in southern China. Although NPC sufferers are sensitive to radiotherapy, 20-30% of patients finally progress with recurrence and metastases. Elevated lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR has been reported to be associated with favorable prognosis in some hematology malignancies, but has not been studied in NPC. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether LMR could predict the prognosis of NPC patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 1,547 non-metastatic NPC patients was recruited between January 2005 and June 2008. The counts for peripheral lymphocyte and monocyte were retrieved, and the LMR was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards analyses were applied to evaluate the associations of LMR with overall survival (OS, disease-free survival (DFS, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS and loco-regional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS, respectively. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that higher LMR level (≥ 5.220 was significantly associated with superior OS, DFS and DMFS (P values <0.001. The higher lymphocyte count (≥ 2.145 × 10(9/L was significantly associated with better OS (P = 0.002 and DMFS (P = 0.031, respectively, while the lower monocyte count (<0.475 × 10(9/L was associated with better OS (P = 0.012, DFS (P = 0.011 and DMFS (P = 0.003, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that higher LMR level was a significantly independent predictor for superior OS (hazard ratio or HR = 0.558, 95% confidence interval or 95% CI = 0.417-0.748; P<0.001, DFS (HR = 0.669, 95% CI = 0.535-0.838; P<0.001 and DMFS (HR = 0.543, 95% CI = 0.403-0.732; P<0.001, respectively. The advanced T and N stages were also independent indicators for worse OS, DFS, and DMFS, except that T stage showed borderline statistical significance for DFS (P = 0.053 and DMFS (P = 0.080. CONCLUSIONS: The

Comparing lagged linear correlation, lagged regression, Granger causality, and vector autoregression for uncovering associations in EHR data.

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Levine, Matthew E; Albers, David J; Hripcsak, George

2016-01-01

Time series analysis methods have been shown to reveal clinical and biological associations in data collected in the electronic health record. We wish to develop reliable high-throughput methods for identifying adverse drug effects that are easy to implement and produce readily interpretable results. To move toward this goal, we used univariate and multivariate lagged regression models to investigate associations between twenty pairs of drug orders and laboratory measurements. Multivariate lagged regression models exhibited higher sensitivity and specificity than univariate lagged regression in the 20 examples, and incorporating autoregressive terms for labs and drugs produced more robust signals in cases of known associations among the 20 example pairings. Moreover, including inpatient admission terms in the model attenuated the signals for some cases of unlikely associations, demonstrating how multivariate lagged regression models' explicit handling of context-based variables can provide a simple way to probe for health-care processes that confound analyses of EHR data.

[Association between insomnia symptoms, daytime napping, and falls in community-dwelling elderly].

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Pereira, Alexandre Alves; Ceolim, Maria Filomena; Neri, Anita Liberalesso

2013-03-01

This study focused on associations between insomnia symptoms, daytime napping, and falls in community-dwelling elderly, using a population-based cross-sectional design and probability sample with 689 community-dwelling elders. The protocol consisted of self-reported and physical performance variables. The study used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis with statistical significance set at p napping were 49.9% (n = 339) and 62.8% (n = 432), respectively. 14.4% reported a single fall and 11.9% reported multiple falls. Falls were associated with female gender (OR = 7.73; 95%CI: 3.03-19.72), age > 80 (OR = 3.48; 95%CI: 1.54-7.85), napping (OR = 2.24; 95%CI: 1.24-4.05), and depressive symptoms (OR = 1.98; 95%CI: 1.11-3.53). The association between daytime napping and falls corroborates data from international research. Identifying modifiable risk factors may help programs to prevent falls in the elderly.

Association between age at onset of multiple sclerosis and vitamin D level-related factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Julie Hejgaard; Søndergaard, Helle Bach; Sørensen, Per Soelberg

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare vitamin D level-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GC and CYP2R1, multiple sclerosis (MS) risk SNPs in CYP27B1, CYP24A1, and HLA-DRB1*1501, and adolescent exposure to environmental risk factors for hypovitaminosis D, with MS age at onset. METHODS: This cross......, and the study was approved by the local ethics committee. RESULTS: Younger age at onset was significantly associated with low exposure to summer sun in adolescence, higher body mass index at 20 years of age, and the HLA-DRB1*1501 risk allele in both univariate analyses and in a multivariable regression analysis....... No association was found between age at onset and any of the other SNPs or vitamin D-associated environmental factors. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate an independent effect by HLA-DRB1*1501, adolescent summer sun habits, and body mass index at the age of 20 on age at onset of MS....

Mammographic, pathologic, and treatment-related factors associated with local recurrence in patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast conserving therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kini, Vijay R.; Vicini, Frank A.; Frazier, Robert; Victor, Sandra J.; Wimbish, Kathryn; Martinez, Alvaro A.

1999-01-01

Background: We retrospectively reviewed our institution's experience treating early-stage breast cancer patients with breast conserving therapy (BCT) to determine clinical, pathologic, mammographic, and treatment-related factors associated with outcome. Methods: Between January 1980 and December 1987, 400 cases of Stage I and II breast cancer were managed with BCT at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan. All patients underwent at least an excisional biopsy. Radiation treatment consisted of delivering 45-50 Gy to the whole breast, followed by a boost to the tumor bed to at least 60 Gy in all patients. The median follow-up in the 292 surviving patients is 118 months. Multiple clinical, pathologic, mammographic, and treatment-related factors were analyzed for an association with local recurrence and survival. Results: A total of 37 local recurrences developed in the treated breast, for a 5- and 10-year actuarial rate of 4% and 10%, respectively. On univariate analysis, patient age ≤ 35 years (25% vs. 7%, p = 0.004), and positive surgical margins (17% vs. 6%, p = 0.018) were associated with an increased risk of local recurrence at 10 years. On multivariate analysis, only age ≤ 35 years remained significant. A subset analysis of 214 patients with evaluable mammographic findings was performed. On univariate analysis, age ≤ 35 years (38% vs. 8%, p = 0.0029) and the presence of calcifications on preoperative mammography (22% vs. 6%, p = 0.0016) were associated with an increased risk of local recurrence. On multivariate analysis, both of these factors remained significant. The presence of calcifications on preoperative mammography did not affect the rates of overall survival, disease-free survival, and cause-specific survival. Conclusion: In patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with BCT, age ≤ 35 years and calcifications on preoperative mammography appear to be associated with an increased risk of local recurrence

Well-Being and Associated Factors among Women in the Gender-Segregated Country

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Hoda Jradi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Well-being is an essential measure that contributes to the evaluation of the health and quality of life of populations. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO defined health as physical, mental and social well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between July and September 2015. Women aged 18 years old and above were invited to participate in the study. The data were collected using the WHO’s Well-Being Index questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors that are significantly associated with well-being. A total of 900 women completed the survey. Approximately 58% of the women reported moderate to high (≥50 score of well-being, whereas 41.7% reported ill-being/likely depression. Experiencing violence, living in unfavorable physical conditions and reporting morbidities were shown to be significantly associated with low levels of subjective well-being (ill-being (p < 0.0001. Our study revealed a significant percentage of low levels of well-being among women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and identified the factors associated with them. Further research in this domain is recommended to better investigate additional causes of the low levels of well-being hence help in planning and guiding necessary interventions.

Expression and clinical significance of fibroblast growth factor 1 in gastric adenocarcinoma

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Liu NQ

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Naiqing Liu,1,2,* Jingyu Zhang,2,* Shuxiang Sun,2 Liguang Yang,2 Zhongjin Zhou,2 Qinli Sun,2 Jun Niu11Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Surgery, Yishui Central Hospital, Linyi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: The clinical significance of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1 has been revealed in several cancers, including ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and bladder cancer. However, the clinical significance of FGF1 in gastric adenocarcinoma has not been explored.Patients and methods: In our experiments, we systematically evaluated FGF1 expression in 178 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma with immunohistochemistry, and subsequently analyzed the correlation between FGF1 expression and clinicopathologic features. Moreover, FGF1 expression in tumor tissue and corresponding adjacent tissue was detected and compared by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox-regression model were used with univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively, to evaluate the prognostic value of FGF1 in gastric adenocarcinoma.Results: Higher FGF1 expression rate is 56.7% (101/178 in gastric adenocarcinoma. FGF1 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than adjacent tissue (P<0.0001. Expression of FGF1 is significantly associated with lymph node invasion (P<0.001, distant metastasis (P=0.013, and differentiation (P=0.015. Moreover, FGF1 overexpression was closely related to unfavorable overall survival rate (P=0.021, and can be identified to be an independent unfavorable prognostic factor (P=0.004.Conclusion: FGF1 is an independent prognostic factor, indicating that FGF1 could be a potential molecular drug target in gastric adenocarcinoma.Keywords: fibroblast growth factor 1, gastric adenocarcinoma, prognosis, biomarker, lymph node, gene fusion

Factors Associated with Salmonella Prevalence in U.S. Swine Grower-Finisher Operations, 2012.

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Bjork, Kathe E; Fields, Victoria; Garber, Lindsey P; Kopral, Christine A

2018-05-15

Nontyphoidal Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen with diverse serotypes occurring in animal and human populations. The prevalence of the organism on swine farms has been associated with numerous risk factors, and although there are strong veterinary public health controls for preventing Salmonella from entering food, there remains interest in eradicating or controlling the organism in the preharvest environment. In this study, using data collected via the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System Swine 2012 study, we describe nontyphoidal Salmonella and specific serotype prevalence on U.S. grower-finisher swine operations and investigate associations between Salmonella detection and numerous factors via multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and regression analysis. MCA plots, complementary to univariate analyses, display relationships between covariates and Salmonella detection at the farm level. In the univariate analysis, Salmonella detection varied with feed characteristics and farm management practices, reports of diseases on farms and vaccinations administered, and administration of certain antimicrobials. Results from the univariate analysis reinforce the importance of biosecurity in managing diseases and pathogens such as Salmonella on farms. All multivariable regression models for the likelihood of Salmonella detection were strongly affected by multicollinearity among variables, and only one variable, pelleted feed preparation, remained in the final model. The study was limited by its cross-sectional nature, timelines of data collection, and reliance on operator-reported data via a convenience sample.

Well-Being and Associated Factors among Women in the Gender-Segregated Country.

Science.gov (United States)

Jradi, Hoda; Abouabbas, Oraynab

2017-12-14

Well-being is an essential measure that contributes to the evaluation of the health and quality of life of populations. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as physical, mental and social well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between July and September 2015. Women aged 18 years old and above were invited to participate in the study. The data were collected using the WHO's Well-Being Index questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors that are significantly associated with well-being. A total of 900 women completed the survey. Approximately 58% of the women reported moderate to high (≥50) score of well-being, whereas 41.7% reported ill-being/likely depression. Experiencing violence, living in unfavorable physical conditions and reporting morbidities were shown to be significantly associated with low levels of subjective well-being (ill-being) ( p Saudi Arabia, and identified the factors associated with them. Further research in this domain is recommended to better investigate additional causes of the low levels of well-being hence help in planning and guiding necessary interventions.

The Factors Associated with Outcomes in Surgically Managed Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysm.

Science.gov (United States)

Chee, Lai Chuang; Siregar, Johari Adnan; Ghani, Abdul Rahman Izani; Idris, Zamzuri; Rahman Mohd, Noor Azman A

2018-02-01

. The mean GCS of the patients subjected to surgical clipping was 13, with the majority falling into the good clinical grade (78.1%). The mean timing of the surgery after SAH was 5.3 days and this was further categorised into early (day one to day three, 45.3%), intermediate (day four to day ten, 56.2%), and late (after day ten, 9.5%). The total favourable outcome achieved at discharge was 59.0% as compared to 41.0% of the unfavourable outcome, with an overall mortality rate of 10.5%. At the six-month post surgery review ( n = 94), the patients with a favourable outcome constituted 71.3% as compared to 28.7% with an unfavourable outcome. The mortality, six months post surgery was 3.2%. On a univariate analysis of early surgical clipping, patients with a better GCS and good clinical grade had a significantly better outcome at discharge. Based on the univariate study, six months post surgery, the timing of the surgery and the clinical grade remained significant predictors of the outcome. On the basis of the multivariate analysis, male patients of younger age, with a good clinical grade, were associated with favourable outcomes, both at discharge and six months post surgery. In this study, we concluded that younger male patients with a good clinical grade were associated with a favourable outcome both at discharge and six months post surgery. We did not find the timing of the surgery, size of the aneurysm or duration of surgery to be associated with a patient's surgical outcome. Increasing age was not associated with the surgical outcome in a longer term of patient's follow up.

Stress Exposure in Significant Relationships Is Associated with Lymph Node Status in Breast Cancer.

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Chiara Renzi

Full Text Available Life stress exposure may impact on health and disease. Previous literature showed that stressful life events are associated with cancer incidence, survival and mortality. In animal models, patterns of maternal care have been shown to critically affect stress sensitivity and immunity trajectories later in life, by modifying DNA methylation during critical periods early in life. However, the role of parental care in breast cancer progression and survival has only limitedly been explored. Here, we investigated whether these factors may be linked to biological prognostic variables.One hundred twenty-three women hospitalized for surgery of primary breast cancer completed a questionnaire assessing parental bonding. Stressful events throughout the life span were also assessed.We found that the absence of optimal parental relationships is significantly associated with an increased risk of lymph node involvement, adjusting for confounders, while cumulative stress in the area of sentimental relationships is borderline significantly associated with the same prognostic factor.Our results suggest that parental bonding and sentimental relations may have a role in breast cancer progression. These variables represent an important evolutionary aspect which may modulate cancer progression through psycho-physiological stress pathways and influence the immune system.

Breast-cancer-associated metastasis is significantly increased in a model of autoimmune arthritis.

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Das Roy, Lopamudra; Pathangey, Latha B; Tinder, Teresa L; Schettini, Jorge L; Gruber, Helen E; Mukherjee, Pinku

2009-01-01

Sites of chronic inflammation are often associated with the establishment and growth of various malignancies including breast cancer. A common inflammatory condition in humans is autoimmune arthritis (AA) that causes inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other systemic effects associated with arthritis include increased cellular infiltration and inflammation of the lungs. Several studies have reported statistically significant risk ratios between AA and breast cancer. Despite this knowledge, available for a decade, it has never been questioned if the site of chronic inflammation linked to AA creates a milieu that attracts tumor cells to home and grow in the inflamed bones and lungs which are frequent sites of breast cancer metastasis. To determine if chronic inflammation induced by autoimmune arthritis contributes to increased breast cancer-associated metastasis, we generated mammary gland tumors in SKG mice that were genetically prone to develop AA. Two breast cancer cell lines, one highly metastatic (4T1) and the other non-metastatic (TUBO) were used to generate the tumors in the mammary fat pad. Lung and bone metastasis and the associated inflammatory milieu were evaluated in the arthritic versus the non-arthritic mice. We report a three-fold increase in lung metastasis and a significant increase in the incidence of bone metastasis in the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice compared to non-arthritic control mice. We also report that the metastatic breast cancer cells augment the severity of arthritis resulting in a vicious cycle that increases both bone destruction and metastasis. Enhanced neutrophilic and granulocytic infiltration in lungs and bone of the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice and subsequent increase in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) may contribute

Breast cancer-associated metastasis is significantly increased in a model of autoimmune arthritis

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Das Roy, Lopamudra; Pathangey, Latha B; Tinder, Teresa L; Schettini, Jorge L; Gruber, Helen E; Mukherjee, Pinku

2009-01-01

Introduction Sites of chronic inflammation are often associated with the establishment and growth of various malignancies including breast cancer. A common inflammatory condition in humans is autoimmune arthritis (AA) that causes inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other systemic effects associated with arthritis include increased cellular infiltration and inflammation of the lungs. Several studies have reported statistically significant risk ratios between AA and breast cancer. Despite this knowledge, available for a decade, it has never been questioned if the site of chronic inflammation linked to AA creates a milieu that attracts tumor cells to home and grow in the inflamed bones and lungs which are frequent sites of breast cancer metastasis. Methods To determine if chronic inflammation induced by autoimmune arthritis contributes to increased breast cancer-associated metastasis, we generated mammary gland tumors in SKG mice that were genetically prone to develop AA. Two breast cancer cell lines, one highly metastatic (4T1) and the other non-metastatic (TUBO) were used to generate the tumors in the mammary fat pad. Lung and bone metastasis and the associated inflammatory milieu were evaluated in the arthritic versus the non-arthritic mice. Results We report a three-fold increase in lung metastasis and a significant increase in the incidence of bone metastasis in the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice compared to non-arthritic control mice. We also report that the metastatic breast cancer cells augment the severity of arthritis resulting in a vicious cycle that increases both bone destruction and metastasis. Enhanced neutrophilic and granulocytic infiltration in lungs and bone of the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice and subsequent increase in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor

Clinical significance of AGE-RAGE axis in colorectal cancer: associations with glyoxalase-I, adiponectin receptor expression and prognosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakellariou, Stratigoula; Fragkou, Paraskevi; Levidou, Georgia; Gargalionis, Antonios N.; Piperi, Christina; Dalagiorgou, Georgia; Adamopoulos, Christos; Saetta, Angelica; Agrogiannis, George; Theohari, Irini; Sougioultzis, Stavros; Tsioli, Panagiota; Karavokyros, Ioannis; Tsavaris, Nikolaos; Kostakis, Ioannis D.; Zizi-Serbetzoglou, Adamantia; Vandoros, Gerasimos P.; Patsouris, Efstratios; Korkolopoulou, Penelope

2016-01-01

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor RAGE emerge as important pathogenic contributors in colorectal carcinogenesis. However, their relationship to the detoxification enzyme Glyoxalase (GLO)-I and Adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1, AdipoR2) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is currently understudied. In the present study, we investigated the expression levels of the above molecules in CRC compared to adjacent non-tumoral tissue and their potential correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and patients’ survival. We analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of AGE, RAGE, GLO-1, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 in 133 primary CRC cases, focusing on GLO-I. The tumour MSI status was further assessed in mucinous carcinomas. Western immunoblotting was employed for validation of immunohistochemical data in normal and tumoral tissues as well in three CRC cell lines. An independent set of 55 patients was also used to validate the results of univariate survival analysis regarding GLO-I. CRC tissue showed higher intensity of both AGE and RAGE expression compared with normal colonic mucosa which was negative for GLO-I in most cases (78 %). Western immunoblotting confirmed AGE, RAGE and GLO-I overexpression in tumoral tissue. GLO-I expression was directly related to RAGE and inversely related to AGE immunolabeling. There was a trend towards higher expression of all markers (except for RAGE) in the subgroup of mucinous carcinomas which, although of borderline significance, seemed to be more prominent for AdipoR1 and AGE. Additionally, AGE, AdipoR1 and Adipo R2 expression was related to tumor grade, whereas GLO-1 and AdipoR1 to T-category. In survival analysis, AdipoR2 and GLO-I overexpression predicted shortened survival in the entire cohort and in early stage cases, an effect which for GLO-I was reproduced in the validation cohort. Moreover, GLO-I emerged as an independent prognosticator of adverse significance in the patients’ cohort. We herein provide novel

Genome-Wide Association Uncovers Shared Genetic Effects Among Personality Traits and Mood States

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luciano, Michelle; Huffman, Jennifer E.; Arias-Vásquez, Alejandro; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A. E.; Middeldorp, Christel M.; Giegling, Ina; Payton, Antony; Davies, Gail; Zgaga, Lina; Janzing, Joost; Ke, Xiayi; Galesloot, Tessel; Hartmann, Annette M.; Ollier, William; Tenesa, Albert; Hayward, Caroline; Verhagen, Maaike; Montgomery, Grant W.; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Konte, Bettina; Starr, John M.; Vitart, Veronique; Vos, Pieter E.; Madden, Pamela A. F.; Willemsen, Gonneke; Konnerth, Heike; Horan, Michael A.; Porteous, David J.; Campbell, Harry; Vermeulen, Sita H.; Heath, Andrew C.; Wright, Alan; Polasek, Ozren; Kovacevic, Sanja B.; Hastie, Nicholas D.; Franke, Barbara; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Rujescu, Dan; Wilson, James F.; Buitelaar, Jan; Pendleton, Neil; Rudan, Igor; Deary, Ian J.

2012-01-01

Measures of personality and psychological distress are correlated and exhibit genetic covariance. We conducted univariate genome-wide SNP (similar to 2.5 million) and gene-based association analyses of these traits and examined the overlap in results across traits, including a prediction analysis of

Applicant characteristics associated with successful matching into otolaryngology.

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Hauser, Leah J; Gebhard, Grant M; Blumhagen, Rachel; Carlson, Nichole E; Cabrera-Muffly, Cristina

2017-05-01

To identify resident applicant characteristics that increase the odds of matching to otolaryngology residency. Cross-sectional analysis. Residency applications to our institution from 2009 through 2013 were reviewed. The available data represented 81.1% of applicants to otolaryngology programs nationwide. Online public records were searched to determine whether an applicant matched to an otolaryngology residency position. Factors that were significantly associated with the odds of matching were determined using logistic regression. A total of 1,479 unique applications were analyzed. On univariate analysis, 27 demographic, academic, personal, medical school, prior training, and application-specific factors were associated with the odds of matching into otolaryngology. On multivariate analysis, indicators of academic achievement, such as Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA) status, whether applicant received awards, and publications, were significantly associated with the odds of matching (odds ratio [OR] 2.03, 1.39, 1.66, respectively). The odds of matching increased with increasing step 1 scores (P otolaryngology residency. Although this information allows medical students to determine the strength of their application, these criteria have not been correlated with resident success. We urge selection committees to begin identifying applicant selection methods that reflect the values we want to cultivate in our future colleagues. N/A. Laryngoscope, 127:1052-1057, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Lower Parietal Encoding Activation Is Associated with Sharper Information and Better Memory.

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Lee, Hongmi; Chun, Marvin M; Kuhl, Brice A

2017-04-01

Mean fMRI activation in ventral posterior parietal cortex (vPPC) during memory encoding often negatively predicts successful remembering. A popular interpretation of this phenomenon is that vPPC reflects "off-task" processing. However, recent fMRI studies considering distributed patterns of activity suggest that vPPC actively represents encoded material. Here, we assessed the relationships between pattern-based content representations in vPPC, mean activation in vPPC, and subsequent remembering. We analyzed data from two fMRI experiments where subjects studied then recalled word-face or word-scene associations. For each encoding trial, we measured 1) mean univariate activation within vPPC and 2) the strength of face/scene information as indexed by pattern analysis. Mean activation in vPPC negatively predicted subsequent remembering, but the strength of pattern-based information in the same vPPC voxels positively predicted later memory. Indeed, univariate amplitude averaged across vPPC voxels negatively correlated with pattern-based information strength. This dissociation reflected a tendency for univariate reductions to maximally occur in voxels that were not strongly tuned for the category of encoded stimuli. These results indicate that vPPC activity patterns reflect the content and quality of memory encoding and constitute a striking example of lower univariate activity corresponding to stronger pattern-based information. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Perioperative Blood Transfusion as a Significant Predictor of Biochemical Recurrence and Survival after Radical Prostatectomy in Patients with Prostate Cancer.

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Jung Kwon Kim

Full Text Available There have been conflicting reports regarding the association of perioperative blood transfusion (PBT with oncologic outcomes including recurrence rates and survival outcomes in prostate cancer. We aimed to evaluate whether perioperative blood transfusion (PBT affects biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS, cancer-specific survival (CSS, and overall survival (OS following radical prostatectomy (RP for patients with prostate cancer.A total of 2,713 patients who underwent RP for clinically localized prostate cancer between 1993 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. We performed a comparative analysis based on receipt of transfusion (PBT group vs. no-PBT group and transfusion type (autologous PBT vs. allogeneic PBT. Univariate and multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression analysis were performed to evaluate variables associated with BRFS, CSS, and OS. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival estimates for BRFS, CSS, and OS, and log-rank test was used to conduct comparisons between the groups.The number of patients who received PBT was 440 (16.5%. Among these patients, 350 (79.5% received allogeneic transfusion and the other 90 (20.5% received autologous transfusion. In a multivariate analysis, allogeneic PBT was found to be statistically significant predictors of BRFS, CSS, and OS; conversely, autologous PBT was not. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed significantly decreased 5-year BRFS (79.2% vs. 70.1%, log-rank, p = 0.001, CSS (98.5% vs. 96.7%, log-rank, p = 0.012, and OS (95.5% vs. 90.6%, log-rank, p < 0.001 in the allogeneic PBT group compared to the no-allogeneic PBT group. In the autologous PBT group, however, none of these were statistically significant compared to the no-autologous PBT group.We found that allogeneic PBT was significantly associated with decreased BRFS, CSS, and OS. This provides further support for the immunomodulation hypothesis for allogeneic PBT.

Significant association between renal function and amyloid-positive area in renal biopsy specimens in AL amyloidosis

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Kuroda Takeshi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The kidney is a major target organ for systemic amyloidosis that often affects the kidney including proteinura, and elevated serum creatinine (Cr. The correlation between amount of amyloid deposits and clinical parameters is not known. The aim of this study was to clarify correlation the amyloid area in all renal biopsy specimen and clinical parameters. Methods Fifty-eight patients with an established diagnosis of AL amyloidosis participated in the study. All patients showed amyloid deposits in renal biopsies. We retrospectively investigated the correlation between clinical data and amyloid occupied area in whole renal biopsy specimens. Results The area occupied by amyloid was less than 10% in 57 of the 58 patients, and was under 2% in 40. For statistical analyses, %amyloid-positive areas were transformed to common logarithmic values (Log10%amyloid. Cr showed significant correlation with Log10%amyloid and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR showed the significant negative correlation. Patient age, cleatinine clearance (Ccr, blood urea nitorogen, and urinary protein was not significantly correlated with Log10%amyloid. The correlation with other clinical factors such as sex, and serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, immunoglobulins, compliments was evaluated. None of these factors significantly correlated with Log10%amyloid. According to sex- and age- adjusted multiple linear regression analysis, Log10%amyloid had significant positive association with Cr and significant negative association with eGFR. Conclusion There is significant association between amyloid-positive area in renal tissue and renal function, especially Cr and eGFR. The level of Cr and eGFR may be a marker of amount of amyloid in renal tissue.

Expression of CD44v6 and Its Association with Prognosis in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinomas

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Dang-xia Zhou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate CD44v6 protein expression and its prognostic value of CD44v6 in ovarian carcinoma. The expression of CD44v6 was analyzed in 62 patients with ovarian carcinoma by immunohistochemical method. The data obtained were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The present study clearly demonstrates that tumor tissues from 41 (66.1% patients showed positive expression with CD44v6. The expression of CD44v6 was significantly correlated with histological type, FIGO stage and histological grade of ovarian carcinomas. Concerning the prognosis, the survival period of patients with CD44v6 positive was shorter than that of patients with CD44v6 negative (36.6% versus 66.7%, 5-year survival, P<0.05. Univariate analysis showed that CD44v6 expression, histological type, FIGO stage and histological grade were associated with 5-year survival, and CD44v6 expression was associated with histological type, FIGO stage and histological grade and 5-year survival. In multivariate analysis, using the COX-regression model, CD44v6 expression was important prognostic factor. In conclusion, these results suggest that CD44v6 may be related to histological type, FIGO stage and histological grade of ovarian carcinomas, and CD44v6 may be an important molecular marker for poor prognosis in ovarian carcinomas.

A significant association between BDNF promoter methylation and the risk of drug addiction.

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Xu, Xuting; Ji, Huihui; Liu, Guili; Wang, Qinwen; Liu, Huifen; Shen, Wenwen; Li, Longhui; Xie, Xiaohu; Zhou, Wenhua; Duan, Shiwei

2016-06-10

As a member of the neurotrophic factor family, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in the survival and differentiation of neurons. The aim of our work was to evaluate the role of BDNF promoter methylation in drug addiction. A total of 60 drug abusers (30 heroin and 30 methylamphetamine addicts) and 52 healthy age- and gender-matched controls were recruited for the current case control study. Bisulfite pyrosequencing technology was used to determine the methylation levels of five CpGs (CpG1-5) on the BDNF promoter. Among the five CpGs, CpG5 methylation was significantly lower in drug abusers than controls. Moreover, significant associations were found between CpG5 methylation and addictive phenotypes including tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia, and depression-dejection. In addition, luciferase assay showed that the DNA fragment of BDNF promoter played a key role in the regulation of gene expression. Our results suggest that BDNF promoter methylation is associated with drug addiction, although further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms by which BDNF promoter methylation contributes to the pathophysiology of drug addiction. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Thyroid Autoimmunity and Behçet’s Disease: Is There a Significant Association?

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Filiz Cebeci

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Behcet’s disease (BD could be regarded as an autoimmune disease in many aspects. Autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD is frequently accompanied by other various autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, there is not still enough data showing the association between BD and ATD. In addition, no controlled study is present in the PubMed, which evaluates thyroidal autoimmunity using antithyroid peroxidase antibody in a large series of patients with BD. Methods. We aimed to investigate the frequency of ATD in patients with BD. The study included 124 patients with BD and 99 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Results. Autoimmune thyroiditis was noted in 21 cases (16.9% with BD. In the control group, 22 cases (22.22% were diagnosed as autoimmune thyroiditis. There was no difference between the groups in respect to thyroid autoantibodies (. There were no statistically significant differences between baseline TSH levels of the BD patients and of the controls (. Statistically, the mean serum free T4 levels of the patients with BD were higher than those of the controls (. Conclusions. No association could be found between BD and ATD. Therefore, it is not of significance to investigate thyroid autoimmunity in BD.

Grey matter volume patterns in thalamic nuclei are associated with familial risk for schizophrenia.

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Pergola, Giulio; Trizio, Silvestro; Di Carlo, Pasquale; Taurisano, Paolo; Mancini, Marina; Amoroso, Nicola; Nettis, Maria Antonietta; Andriola, Ileana; Caforio, Grazia; Popolizio, Teresa; Rampino, Antonio; Di Giorgio, Annabella; Bertolino, Alessandro; Blasi, Giuseppe

2017-02-01

Previous evidence suggests reduced thalamic grey matter volume (GMV) in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, it is not considered an intermediate phenotype for schizophrenia, possibly because previous studies did not assess the contribution of individual thalamic nuclei and employed univariate statistics. Here, we hypothesized that multivariate statistics would reveal an association of GMV in different thalamic nuclei with familial risk for schizophrenia. We also hypothesized that accounting for the heterogeneity of thalamic GMV in healthy controls would improve the detection of subjects at familial risk for the disorder. We acquired MRI scans for 96 clinically stable SCZ, 55 non-affected siblings of patients with schizophrenia (SIB), and 249 HC. The thalamus was parceled into seven regions of interest (ROIs). After a canonical univariate analysis, we used GMV estimates of thalamic ROIs, together with total thalamic GMV and premorbid intelligence, as features in Random Forests to classify HC, SIB, and SCZ. Then, we computed a Misclassification Index for each individual and tested the improvement in SIB detection after excluding a subsample of HC misclassified as patients. Random Forests discriminated SCZ from HC (accuracy=81%) and SIB from HC (accuracy=75%). Left anteromedial thalamic volumes were significantly associated with both multivariate classifications (p<0.05). Excluding HC misclassified as SCZ improved greatly HC vs. SIB classification (Cohen's d=1.39). These findings suggest that multivariate statistics identify a familial background associated with thalamic GMV reduction in SCZ. They also suggest the relevance of inter-individual variability of GMV patterns for the discrimination of individuals at familial risk for the disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The prognostic significance of whole blood global and specific DNA methylation levels in gastric adenocarcinoma.

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Mansour S Al-Moundhri

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Epigenetics, particularly DNA methylation, has recently been elucidated as important in gastric cancer (GC initiation and progression. We investigated the clinical and prognostic importance of whole blood global and site-specific DNA methylation in GC. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 105 Omani GC patients at diagnosis. DNA methylation was quantified by pyrosequencing of global DNA and specific gene promoter regions at 5 CpG sites for CDH1, 7 CpG sites for p16, 4 CpG sites for p53, and 3 CpG sites for RUNX3. DNA methylation levels in patients were categorized into low, medium, and high tertiles. Associations between methylation level category and clinicopathological features were evaluated using χ(2 tests. Survival analyses were carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test. A backward conditional Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent predictors of survival. RESULTS: Older GC patients had increased methylation levels at specific CpG sites within the CDH1, p53, and RUNX-3 promoters. Male gender was significantly associated with reduced global and increased site-specific DNA methylation levels in CDH1, p16, and p53 promoters. Global DNA low methylation level was associated with better survival on univariate analysis. Patients with high and medium methylation vs. low methylation levels across p16 promoter CpG sites, site 2 in particular, had better survival. Multivariate analysis showed that global DNA hypermethylation was a significant independent predictor of worse survival (hazard ratio (HR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.8; p = 0.02 and high methylation mean values across p16 promoter sites 1-7 were associated with better survival with HR of 0.3 (95% CI, 0.1-0.8; p = 0.02 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of global and site-specific DNA methylation in peripheral blood by pyrosequencing provides quantitative DNA methylation values that may serve as important

Expression of miR-146a-5p in patients with intracranial aneurysms and its association with prognosis.

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Zhang, H-L; Li, L; Cheng, C-J; Sun, X-C

2018-02-01

The study aims to detect the association of miR-146a-5p with intracranial aneurysms (IAs). The expression of miR-146a-5p was compared from plasma samples between 72 patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and 40 healthy volunteers by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between miR-146a-5p expression and clinical data and overall survival (OS) time of IAs patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards have also been performed. Notably, higher miR-146a-5p expression was found in plasma samples from 72 patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs) compared with 40 healthy controls. Higher miR-146a-5p expression was significantly associated with rupture and Hunt-Hess level in IAs patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis verified that higher miR-146a-5p expression predicted a shorter overall survival (OS) compared with lower miR-146a-5p expression in IAs patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards demonstrated that higher miR-146a-5p expression, rupture, and Hunt-Hess were independent risk factors of OS in patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs). MiR-146a-5p expression may serve as a biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with IAs.

Factors Associated with Delayed Cancer Diagnosis in Egyptian Children

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E.R. Abdelkhalek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background Despite tremendous importance of early cancer diagnosis in children, few studies on this topic have been conducted in Egypt. Early stage diagnosis can have a positive effect on prognoses and the quality of life of children with cancer. We investigated delays in the diagnosis of childhood cancers in Egypt and determined the factors associated with these delays. Methods This retrospective study included 172 children with cancer from two pediatric oncology units. The interval between symptoms onset and final diagnosis for each child was estimated and examined by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine correlations with the child's sex, age at diagnosis, type and site of malignancy, family residence, socioeconomic status, and parental educational level. Findings The median total diagnosis delay period was 47 days caused by patients and/or parents (8 days and diagnosis (28 days. Statistically significant patient factors associated with delayed diagnosis were age (<5 years, lower parental education, and socioeconomic status. Sex residence and family size were not significant. Malignancy type and tumor site significantly affected the time for diagnosis. The lowest median value was associated with germ cell tumors (GCTs and leukemia, and the highest value was in children with brain tumor. Missed diagnoses were initially recorded in 39.5% of the patients and were associated with patient and tumor factors. Interpretation Delayed diagnosis of childhood cancer is related to age, family, socioeconomic status and parental education, and cancer type and site. Efforts should be made to promote awareness, develop effective steps to eliminate possible contributing factors, and determine the best intervention method.

Cord serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is not associated with cranial anthropometrics in infants up to 6 months of age. An Odense Child Cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Egge, Sissil; Christensen, Nikolas; Lykkedegn, Sine

2018-01-01

Skull changes are poorly described in vitamin D insufficiency [serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) 25–50 nmol/L]. We aimed to investigate factors associated with cranial anthropometrics in infants, especially s-25(OH)D. In infants 2.5–6 months old from the Odense Child Cohort, associations......)D and any cranial measure by univariate or adjusted analysis. Among significant, independent associations in multivariate analysis, fontanel area was associated inversely with gestational age (GA); HC was associated directly with GA, maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and caesarean section and inversely...... with smoking; and asymmetrical head shape showed a novel association with male sex: adjusted OR = 1.54 (95% CI 1.25; 1.89), p associations with asymmetrical head shape included parity 3+, gestational age and maternal age 30+ years (all protective). In conclusion, neither pregnancy nor cord s-25...

Recurrent major depression and right hippocampal volume: A bivariate linkage and association study.

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Mathias, Samuel R; Knowles, Emma E M; Kent, Jack W; McKay, D Reese; Curran, Joanne E; de Almeida, Marcio A A; Dyer, Thomas D; Göring, Harald H H; Olvera, Rene L; Duggirala, Ravi; Fox, Peter T; Almasy, Laura; Blangero, John; Glahn, David C

2016-01-01

Previous work has shown that the hippocampus is smaller in the brains of individuals suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) than those of healthy controls. Moreover, right hippocampal volume specifically has been found to predict the probability of subsequent depressive episodes. This study explored the utility of right hippocampal volume as an endophenotype of recurrent MDD (rMDD). We observed a significant genetic correlation between the two traits in a large sample of Mexican American individuals from extended pedigrees (ρg = -0.34, p = 0.013). A bivariate linkage scan revealed a significant pleiotropic quantitative trait locus on chromosome 18p11.31-32 (LOD = 3.61). Bivariate association analysis conducted under the linkage peak revealed a variant (rs574972) within an intron of the gene SMCHD1 meeting the corrected significance level (χ(2) = 19.0, p = 7.4 × 10(-5)). Univariate association analyses of each phenotype separately revealed that the same variant was significant for right hippocampal volume alone, and also revealed a suggestively significant variant (rs12455524) within the gene DLGAP1 for rMDD alone. The results implicate right-hemisphere hippocampal volume as a possible endophenotype of rMDD, and in so doing highlight a potential gene of interest for rMDD risk. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age: An effect modifier of the association between allergic rhinitis and Otitis media with effusion.

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Roditi, Rachel E; Veling, Maria; Shin, Jennifer J

2016-07-01

1) To determine whether there is a significant relationship between allergic rhinitis and otitis media with effusion (OME), Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), or tympanic membrane retraction (TMR) in children in a nationally representative population; and 2) to determine whether age is an effect modifier of any such association because this hypothesis has yet to be tested. Retrospective analysis of cross-sectional national databases with limited potential for referral bias. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2005-2010. Univariate, multivariate, stratified, and subgroup analyses were performed as defined a priori. The primary outcomes were OME, ETD, or TMR; the primary predictor variable was allergic rhinitis, with age evaluated as an effect modifier. Data representing 1,491,045,375 pediatric visits were examined and demonstrated that age was an effect modifier of the assessed association. More specifically, in children 6 years of age or older, the presence of allergic rhinitis significantly increased the odds of OME, ETD, or TMR (odds ratio [OR] 4.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17, 8.09; P effect modifier of the association between allergic rhinitis and OME; a significant relationship is observed in children 6 years of age and older, whereas there is no significant association in younger children. 2c. Laryngoscope, 126:1687-1692, 2016. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Glutathione peroxidase level in patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis

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Tala, Z. Z.; Siregar, G. A.; Siregar, G. P.

2018-03-01

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), with leads to oxidative stress in the gastric mucosa. GPX is one of human antioxidative defense system allows the elimination of excess ROS. A cross-sectional study was in 80 consecutive gastritis patients who came to the endoscopic unit of Adam Malik General Hospital and PermataBunda Hospital in Medan, Indonesia, from May–September 2017, to determine the difference of GPX serum level between positive and negative infected H. pylori. the diagnosis of gastritis used Histopathology. Rapid urease test for diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Serum samples were obtained to determined circulating GPX. It used Univariate and bivariate analysis (Mann Whitney U test). There were 50 patients (62.5%) infected with H. pylori. GPX levels in patients with positive H. pylori gastritis were lower than those of negative H. pylori but did not differ significantly. In conclusion, there were no significant differences in GPX level between positive and negative infected H. pylori patients.

Carotid intima-media thickness and its associations with type 2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Outcome measures: We evaluated clinical, biochemical and CIMT ultrasound measurements in a standardised fashion. Results: In 185 patients, the univariate significant predictors of mean far-wall CIMT were age [beta 0.007 (standard error 0.001)], systolic blood pressure [beta 0.001 (standard error 0.000)] and inverse ...

Decreased tongue pressure is associated with sarcopenia and sarcopenic dysphagia in the elderly.

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Maeda, Keisuke; Akagi, Junji

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to clarify the association between tongue pressure and factors related to sarcopenia such as aging, activities of daily living, nutritional state, and dysphagia. One-hundred-and-four patients without a history of treatment of stroke and without a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease (36 men and 68 women), with a mean age of 84.1 ± 5.6 years, hospitalized from May 2013 to June 2013 were included in this study. Maximum voluntary tongue pressure against the palate (MTP) was measured by a device consisting of a disposable oral balloon probe. Nutritional and anthropometric parameters such as serum albumin concentration, Mini-Nutritional Assessment short form (MNA-SF), body mass index, arm muscle area (AMA), and others and presence of sarcopenia and dysphagia were analyzed to evaluate their relationships. Correlation analysis and univariate or multivariate analysis were performed. Simple correlation analysis showed that MTP correlated with Barthel index (BI), MNA-SF, serum albumin concentration, body mass index, and AMA. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that sarcopenia, BI, MNA-SF, and age were the independent explanatory factors for decreased MTP, and the propensity score for dysphagia, including causes of primary or secondary sarcopenia, and the presence of sarcopenia were significantly associated with the presence of dysphagia. Decreased MTP and dysphagia were related to sarcopenia or the causes of sarcopenia in the studied population. Furthermore, the clinical condition of sarcopenic dysphagia may be partially interpreted as the presence of sarcopenia and causal factors for sarcopenia.

Significant association of RNF213 p.R4810K, a moyamoya susceptibility variant, with coronary artery disease.

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Morimoto, Takaaki; Mineharu, Yohei; Ono, Koh; Nakatochi, Masahiro; Ichihara, Sahoko; Kabata, Risako; Takagi, Yasushi; Cao, Yang; Zhao, Lanying; Kobayashi, Hatasu; Harada, Kouji H; Takenaka, Katsunobu; Funaki, Takeshi; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Matsubara, Tatsuaki; Yamamoto, Ken; Izawa, Hideo; Kimura, Takeshi; Miyamoto, Susumu; Koizumi, Akio

2017-01-01

The genetic architecture of coronary artery disease has not been fully elucidated, especially in Asian countries. Moyamoya disease is a progressive cerebrovascular disease that is reported to be complicated by coronary artery disease. Because most Japanese patients with moyamoya disease carry the p.R4810K variant of the ring finger 213 gene (RNF213), this may also be a risk factor for coronary artery disease; however, this possibility has never been tested. We genotyped the RNF213 p.R4810K variant in 956 coronary artery disease patients and 716 controls and tested the association between p.R4810K and coronary artery disease. We also validated the association in an independent population of 311 coronary artery disease patients and 494 controls. In the replication study, the p.R4810K genotypes were imputed from genome-wide genotyping data based on the 1000 Genomes Project. We used multivariate logistic regression analyses to adjust for well-known risk factors such as dyslipidemia and smoking habits. In the primary study population, the frequency of the minor variant allele was significantly higher in patients with coronary artery disease than in controls (2.04% vs. 0.98%), with an odds ratio of 2.11 (p = 0.017). Under a dominant model, after adjustment for risk factors, the association remained significant, with an odds ratio of 2.90 (95% confidence interval: 1.37-6.61; p = 0.005). In the replication study, the association was significant after adjustment for age and sex (odds ratio = 4.99; 95% confidence interval: 1.16-21.53; p = 0.031), although it did not reach statistical significance when further adjusted for risk factors (odds ratio = 3.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.87-16.77; p = 0.076). The RNF213 p.R4810K variant appears to be significantly associated with coronary artery disease in the Japanese population.

Use of erythropoietin is associated with threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm ELBW neonates: a retrospective, cohort study from two large tertiary NICUs in Italy.

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Manzoni, Paolo; Memo, Luigi; Mostert, Michael; Gallo, Elena; Guardione, Roberta; Maestri, Andrea; Saia, Onofrio Sergio; Opramolla, Anna; Calabrese, Sara; Tavella, Elena; Luparia, Martina; Farina, Daniele

2014-09-01

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease with evidence of many associated risk factors. Erythropoietin has been reported to be associated with this disorder in a murine model, as well as in humans in some single-center reports. We reviewed the data from two large tertiary NICUs in Italy to test the hypothesis that the use of erythropoietin may be associated with the development of the most severe stages of ROP in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) neonates. Retrospective study by review of patient charts and eye examination index cards on infants with birth weight large tertiary NICUs in Northern Italy (Sant'Anna Hospital NICU in Torino, and Ca' Foncello Hospital Neonatology in Treviso) in the years 2005 to 2007. Standard protocol of administration of EPO in the two NICUs consisted of 250 UI/kg three times a week for 6-week courses (4-week in 1001-1500g infants). Univariate analysis was performed to assess whether the use of EPO was associated with severe (threshold) ROP. A control, multivariate statistical analysis was performed by entering into a logistic regression model a number of neonatal and perinatal variables that - in univariate analysis - had been associated with threshold ROP. During the study period, 211 ELBW infants were born at the two facilities and survived till discharge. Complete data were obtained for 197 of them. Threshold retinopathy of prematurity occurred in 26.9% (29 of 108) of ELBW infants who received erythropoietin therapy, as compared with 13.5% (12 of 89) of those who did not receive erythropoietin (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.121-4.949; p=0.02 in univariate analysis, and p=0.04 at multivariate logistic regression after controlling for the following variables: birth weight, gestational age, days on supplemental oxygen, systemic fungal infection, vaginal delivery). Use of erythropoietin was not significantly associated with other major sequelae of prematurity (intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing

Lack of independent significance of a close (<1 mm) circumferential resection margin involvement in esophageal and junctional cancer.

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O'Farrell, N J; Donohoe, C L; Muldoon, C; Costelloe, J M; King, S; Ravi, N; Reynolds, J V

2013-08-01

For rectal cancer, an involved circumferential resection margin (CRM), defined as tumor cells within 1 mm of the CRM, is of established prognostic significance. This definition for the esophagus, however, is controversial, with the UK Royal College of Pathologists (RCP) recommending the 1 mm definition, while the College of American Pathologists (CAP) advises that only tumor cells at the cut margin (0 mm) define an incomplete (R1) resection. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical significance of both definitions in patients with pT3 tumors. CAP- and RCP-defined CRM status in patients treated by surgery only or by multimodal therapy was recorded prospectively in a comprehensive database from May 2003 to May 2011. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated, and factors affecting survival were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 157 of 340 patients had pT3 esophageal tumors, with RCP-positive CRM in 60 %, and 18 % by CAP. There were no significant differences between RCP-positive CRM and negative margins for node-positive disease, local recurrence, and survival. CAP-positive CRM was associated with positive nodes (P = 0.036) and poorer survival (P = 0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed nodal invasion to be the only independent prognostic variable (P = 0.004). A CRM margin of CRM.

Association of sociodemographic factors, smoking-related beliefs, and smoking restrictions with intention to quit smoking in Korean adults: findings from the ITC Korea Survey.

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Myung, Seung-Kwon; Seo, Hong Gwan; Cheong, Yoo-Seock; Park, Sohee; Lee, Wonkyong B; Fong, Geoffrey T

2012-01-01

Few studies have reported the factors associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adult smokers. This study aimed to examine sociodemographic characteristics, smoking-related beliefs, and smoking-restriction variables associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adult smokers. We used data from the International Tobacco Control Korea Survey, which was conducted from November through December 2005 by using random-digit dialing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of male and female smokers aged 19 years or older in 16 metropolitan areas and provinces of Korea. We performed univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of intention to quit. A total of 995 respondents were included in the final analysis. Of those, 74.9% (n = 745) intended to quit smoking. In univariate analyses, smokers with an intention to quit were younger, smoked fewer cigarettes per day, had a higher annual income, were more educated, were more likely to have a religious affiliation, drank less alcohol per week, were less likely to have self-exempting beliefs, and were more likely to have self-efficacy beliefs regarding quitting, to believe that smoking had damaged their health, and to report that smoking was never allowed anywhere in their home. In multiple logistic regression analysis, higher education level, having a religious affiliation, and a higher self-efficacy regarding quitting were significantly associated with intention to quit. Sociodemographic factors, smoking-related beliefs, and smoking restrictions at home were associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adults.

High expression of SDF-1 and VEGF is associated with poor prognosis in patients with synovial sarcomas.

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Feng, Qi; Guo, Peng; Wang, Jin; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Yang, Hui-Chai; Feng, Jian-Gang

2018-03-01

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) predicts poor clinical outcomes of certain types of cancer. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes the growth and metastasis of solid tumors. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of SDF-1 and VEGF in patients with synovial sarcoma and to determine their expression is correlated with unfavorable outcomes. Levels of SDF-1 and VEGF proteins were evaluated in 54 patients with synovial sarcoma using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining. Potential associations between the expression of SDF-1 and VEGF and various clinical parameters were analyzed using Pearson's χ 2 test and the Spearman-rho test. Additionally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify potential prognostic factors, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the overall survival rates of patients. Low SDF-1 and VEGF expression was detected in 20.4% (11/54) and 22.2% (12/54) of patients with synovial sarcoma; moderate expression was detected in 35.2% (19/54) and 37.0% (20/54) of patients and high expression was detected in 44.4% (24 of 54) and 40.7% (22 of 54) of patients, respectively. Levels of SDF-1 and VEGF proteins were significantly associated with histological grade (P<0.05), metastasis (P<0.05) and American Joint Committee on Cancer staging (P<0.05). In addition, levels of SDF-1 and VEGF expression were positively correlated with each other (P<0.001). Univariate analysis also indicated that VEGF expression was associated with shorter overall survival rates in (P<0.05), whereas multivariate analysis demonstrated that SDF-1 expression was associated with shorter patient survival rates (P<0.05). Finally, both SDF-1 and VEGF expression were associated with various characteristics of synovial sarcoma. Therefore, SDF-1 expression may be a potential independent prognostic indicator in patients with synovial sarcomas.

Atrial fibrillation and acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenoses associated with subclinical hyperthyroidism and erythrocytosis.

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Patanè, Salvatore; Marte, Filippo

2010-11-05

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is an increasingly recognized entity that is defined as a normal serum free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine levels with a thyroid-stimulating hormone level suppressed below the normal range and usually undetectable. It has been reported that sub-clinical hyperthyroidism is not associated with CHD or mortality from cardiovascular causes but is sufficient to induce arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Moreover increased factor X activity in patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism represents a potential hypercoagulable state. It has been also reported an acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries associated with iatrogenic hyperthyroidism and with a myocardial bridge too. It has been also reported an acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenoses associated with subclinical hyperthyroidism. Furthermore it has been reported that at highly increased hematocrit levels patients may experience hyperviscosity symptoms. We present a case of atrial fibrillation and acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenoses associated with subclinical hyperthyroidism and erythrocytosis. Also this case focuses attention on the importance of a correct evaluation of subclinical hyperthyroidism. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinicopathologic significance of fascin, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, and ezrin expressions in colorectal adenocarcinoma

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Eun-Joo Jung

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The over expression of fascin, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN, and ezrin proteins has been associated with poor prognosis in various carcinomas and sarcomas. However, very few studies have reported the relationship between the expression of fascin, EMMPRIN, and ezrin proteins and the clinico-pathologic parameters of colorectal carcinomas. Aims: The aim was to investigate the relationship between fascin, EMMPRIN, and ezrin proteins in colorectal adenocarcinomas and their correlation with clinico-pathologic parameters. Settings and Design: The expression of fascin, EMMPRIN, and ezrin proteins was studied in 210 colorectal adenocarcinoma patients through immunohistochemical staining. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining by the avidin-biotin peroxidase method was done. The scoring of each protein expression was done and divided into three groups (negative, low-, and high-expression groups. Statistical Analysis: A chi-square test, and Kendall′s tau-b correlation test were used for comparing. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests and the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The percentages of the high-expression group of fascin, EMMPRIN, and ezrin proteins in colorectal adenocarcinomas were 24%, 73%, and 62%, respectively. Weak positive correlations were observed among these protein expressions. An increased expression of the fascin protein was significantly associated with advanced tumor depth and shorter survival times, and a high expression of fascin protein was an independent prognostic factor in univariate and multivariate survival analyses. EMMPRIN and ezrin protein expressions were not associated with the clinico-pathologic parameters. Conclusions: The high expression of fascin protein may be an unfavorable prognostic marker for individual colorectal cancer patients.

Clinical significance of serum anti-human papillomavirus 16 and 18 antibodies in cervical neoplasia.

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Chay, Doo Byung; Cho, Hanbyoul; Kim, Bo Wook; Kang, Eun Suk; Song, Eunseop; Kim, Jae-Hoon

2013-02-01

To estimate the clinical significance of serum anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) antibodies and high-risk cervical HPV DNA in cervical neoplasia. The study population comprised patients who were histopathologically diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 (n=64), CIN 2 and 3 (n=241), cervical cancer (n=170), and normal control participants (n=975). Cervical HPV DNA tests were performed through nucleic acid hybridization assay tests, and serum anti-HPV 16 and 18 antibodies were measured by competitive immunoassay. The associations of HPV DNA and anti-HPV antibodies were evaluated with demographic characteristics and compared according to the levels of disease severity. Anti-HPV antibodies were also investigated with clinicopathologic parameters, including survival data. Among various demographic characteristics, factors involving sexual behavior had a higher tendency of HPV DNA positivity and HPV seropositivity. Human papillomavirus DNA mean titer and positivity were both increased in patients with cervical neoplasia compared with those with normal control participants, but there was no statistical difference among types of cervical neoplasia. Serum anti-HPV 16 antibodies were also able to differentiate cervical neoplasia from a normal control participant and furthermore distinguished CIN 1 from CIN 2 and 3 (odd ratio 2.87 [1.43-5.78], P=.002). In cervical cancer, HPV 16 seropositivity was associated with prolonged disease-free survival according to the univariable analysis (hazard ratio=0.12 [0.01-0.94], P=.044). Serum anti-HPV 16 antibodies can distinguish cervical neoplasia from a normal control and has the advantage of identifying high-grade CIN. Moreover, in cervical cancer, HPV 16 seropositivity may be associated with a more favorable prognosis. II.

SU-F-R-07: Radiomics of CT Features and Associations and Correlation with Outcomes Following Lung SBRT

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Schreibmann, E; Iwinski Sutter, A; Whitaker, D; Switchenko, J; Elder, E; Higgins, K; Patel, P [Department of Radiation Oncology and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University Atlanta, GA (United States)

2016-06-15

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of image gradients and in predicting clinical outcomes in a patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on 71 patients with 83 treated lesions. Methods: The records of patients treated with lung SBRT were retrospectively reviewed. When applicable, SBRT target volumes were modified to exclude any overlap with pleura, chestwall, or mediastinum. The ITK software package was utilized to generate quantitative measures of image intensity, inhomogeneity, shape morphology and first and second-order CT textures. Multivariate and univariate models containing CT features were generated to assess associations with clinicopathologic factors. Results: On univariate analysis, tumor size (HR 0.54, p=0.045) sumHU (HR 0.31, p=0.044) and short run grey level emphasis STD (HR 0.22, p=0.019) were associated with regional failure-free survival; meanHU (HR 0.30, p=0.035), long run emphasis (HR 0.21, p=0.011) and long run low grey level emphasis (HR 0.14, p=0.005) was associated with distant failure-free survival (DFFS). No features were significant on multivariate modeling however long run low grey level emphasis had a hazard ratio of 0.12 (p=0.061) for DFFS. Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma differed with respect to long run emphasis STD (p=0.024), short run low grey level emphasis STD (p<0.001), and long run low grey level emphasis STD (p=0.024). Multivariate modeling of texture features associated with tumor histology was used to estimate histologies of 18 lesions treated without histologic confirmation. Of these, MVA suggested the same histology as a prior metachronous lung malignancy in 3/7 patients. Conclusion: Extracting radiomics features on clinical datasets was feasible with the ITK package with minimal effort to identify pre-treatment quantitative CT features with prognostic factors for distant control after lung SBRT.

Association of preoperative levels of selected blood inflammatory markers with prognosis in gliomas

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Auezova R

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Raushan Auezova,1 Nurzhan Ryskeldiev,1 Aidos Doskaliyev,1 Yerbol Kuanyshev,1 Berik Zhetpisbaev,1 Nurgul Aldiyarova,1 Natalia Ivanova,2 Serik Akshulakov,1 Lizette Auezova3 1Department of Pathology of the Central Nervous System, National Centre for Neurosurgery, Astana, Kazakhstan; 2Polenov Russian Scientific Research Institute of Neurosurgery (a branch of Federal Almazov North-West Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; 3Bioactive Molecules Research Group, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences-II, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR, and platelet count (PLT routinely tested as part of the complete blood count are indicative of systemic inflammation. The prognostic significance of NLR and PLT in cancer was demonstrated in many studies while the role of RDW has been hardly investigated. The present study aimed to assess the association of RDW, NLR, and PLT with survival and tumor grade in glioma patients. Methods: Clinical data from 178 patients with primary gliomas treated in a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves for cutoff value determination, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, various bivariate tests, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: Patients with high RDW (≥13.95 and NLR (≥4 levels had worse overall survival (OS (Wilcoxon test, P<0.026 and P<0.003, respectively while the effect of thrombocytosis (≥400×109/L on prognosis was not significant. Besides, a strong association between RDW and NLR was found (Spearman’s rho =0.230, P<0.02; χ2=8.887, P<0.03; Mann–Whitney U-test, P<0.017. Moreover, RDW and NLR were significantly associated with tumor grade. In univariate Cox analysis, elevated NLR (hazard ratio, HR 1.385; confidence interval, CI 1.020–1.881, P<0.037, older age

Risk Factors for Intracranial Haemorrhage in Accidents Associated with the Shower or Bathtub.

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Thomas C Sauter

Full Text Available There has been little research on bathroom accidents. It is unknown whether the shower or bathtub are connected with special dangers in different age groups or whether there are specific risk factors for adverse outcomes.This cross-sectional analysis included all direct admissions to the Emergency Department at the Inselspital Bern, Switzerland from 1 January 2000 to 28 February 2014 after accidents associated with the bathtub or shower. Time, age, location, mechanism and diagnosis were assessed and special risk factors were examined. Patient groups with and without intracranial bleeding were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test.The association of risk factors with intracranial bleeding was investigated using univariate analysis with Fisher's exact test or logistic regression. The effects of different variables on cerebral bleeding were analysed by multivariate logistic regression.Two hundred and eighty (280 patients with accidents associated with the bathtub or shower were included in our study. Two hundred and thirty-five (235 patients suffered direct trauma by hitting an object (83.9% and traumatic brain injury (TBI was detected in 28 patients (10%. Eight (8 of the 27 patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (GCS 13-15, (29.6% exhibited intracranial haemorrhage. All patients with intracranial haemorrhage were older than 48 years and needed in-hospital treatment. Patients with intracranial haemorrhage were significantly older and had higher haemoglobin levels than the control group with TBI but without intracranial bleeding (p<0.05 for both.In univariate analysis, we found that intracranial haemorrhage in patients with TBI was associated with direct trauma in general and with age (both p<0.05, but not with the mechanism of the fall, its location (shower or bathtub or the gender of the patient. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified only age as a risk factor for cerebral bleeding (p<0.05; OR 1.09 (CI 1.01;1.171.In patients

Association between gallbladder stones and chronic hepatitis C: Ultrasonographic survey in a hepatitis C and B hyperendemic township in Taiwan

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Chia-Yen Dai

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Gallbladder (GB stones have been associated with several metabolic factors and liver diseases. This community-based study aimed at investigating the prevalence rate of GB stones and its associated factors in a hepatitis B virus (HBV/hepatitis C virus (HCV-endemic township in southern Taiwan. A total of 1701 residents (689 males and 1012 females; mean age: 51.2 ± 16.0 years were enrolled in this prospectively designed screening project. Serum biochemistry tests, including testing for levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg, and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV were conducted. In addition, a hepatobiliary ultrasonographic (US examination was also conducted. Of the 1701 residents, 243 (14.3% and 475 (27.9% were found to be positive for HBsAg and anti-HCV, respectively. Results of the US examination revealed the prevalence rate of GB stone and fatty liver to be 6.8% and 55.6%, respectively. Using univariate analyses we found that significantly higher proportions of the participants with GB stone were male, over 50 years of age, positive for anti-HCV (p = 0.001, p 50 year were identified as independent factors associated with the formation of GB stones. Anti-HCV was associated with GB stones in males but not in females in both univariate and multivariate analyses. GB stones were found to have a prevalence rate of 6.8% in this HCV/HBV hyperendemic township and are associated with higher mean age. A correlation between chronic hepatitis C and GB stones is observed only among males.

Association between bullous pemphigoid and neurologic diseases: a case-control study.

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Casas-de-la-Asunción, E; Ruano-Ruiz, J; Rodríguez-Martín, A M; Vélez García-Nieto, A; Moreno-Giménez, J C

2014-11-01

In the past 10 years, bullous pemphigoid has been associated with other comorbidities and neurologic and psychiatric conditions in particular. Case series, small case-control studies, and large population-based studies in different Asian populations, mainland Europe, and the United Kingdom have confirmed this association. However, no data are available for the Spanish population. This was an observational, retrospective, case-control study with 1:2 matching. Fifty-four patients with bullous pemphigoid were selected. We compared the percentage of patients in each group with concurrent neurologic conditions, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and solid tumors using univariate logistic regression. An association model was constructed with conditional multiple logistic regression. The case group had a significantly higher percentage of patients with cerebrovascular accident and/or transient ischemic attack (odds ratio [OR], 3.06; 95% CI, 1.19-7.87], dementia (OR, 5.52; 95% CI, 2.19-13.93), and Parkinson disease (OR, 5; 95% CI, 1.57-15.94). A significantly higher percentage of cases had neurologic conditions (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 2.89-13.91). Dementia and Parkinson disease were independently associated with bullous pemphigoid in the multivariate analysis. Patients with bullous pemphigoid have a higher frequency of neurologic conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

Prognostic significance of preoperative metabolic tumour volume and total lesion glycolysis measured by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

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Ryu, In Sun; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jae Seung [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Kyung-Ja [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Yoon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Biomedical Research Institute, Korean Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-03-15

Metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) from {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT are emerging prognostic biomarkers in human solid cancers; yet few studies have investigated their clinical and prognostic significance in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The present retrospective study evaluated the utility of pretreatment MTV and TLG measured by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT to predict survival and occult metastasis (OM) in OSCC. Of 162 patients with OSCC evaluated preoperatively by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT, 105 who underwent definitive surgery with or without adjuvant therapy were eligible. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}), MTV and TLG were measured. For calculation of MTV, 3-D regions of interest were drawn and a SUV threshold of 2.5 was used for defining regions. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified clinicopathological and imaging variables associated with OM, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The median (range) SUV{sub max}, MTV and TLG were 7.3 (0.7-41.9), 4.5 ml (0.7-115.1 ml) and 18.3 g (2.4-224.1 g), respectively. Of 53 patients with clinically negative lymph nodes, OM was detected in 19 (36 %). By univariate and multivariate analyses, MTV (P = 0.018) and TLG (P = 0.011) were both independent predictive factors for OM, although they were not independent of each other. The 4-year DFS and OS rates were 53.0 % and 62.0 %, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that MTV (P = 0.001) and TLG (P = 0.006), with different cut-off levels, were both independent predictive factors for DFS, although they were not independent of each other, and MTV (P = 0.001), TLG (P = 0.002) and the involved resection margin (P = 0.007) were independent predictive factors for OS. Pretreatment MTV and TLG may be useful in stratifying the likelihood of survival and predicting OM in OSCC. (orig.)

Facet orientation and tropism: associations with spondylolysis.

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Kalichman, Leonid; Guermazi, Ali; Li, Ling; Hunter, David J; Suri, Pradeep

2010-04-01

Cross-sectional study. To evaluate the association between lumbar spine facet joint orientation, facet joint tropism, and spondylolysis identified by multidetector computed tomography (CT) in the community-based Framingham Heart Study. The association between lumbar spondylolysis and facet orientation and tropism remains unclear. This study was an ancillary project to the Framingham Heart Study. Three thousand five hundred twenty-nine participants of the Framingham Heart Study aged 40 to 80 years underwent multidetector CT imaging to assess aortic calcification. One hundred ninety-one subjects were included in this ancillary study. Facet joint features and spondylolysis were evaluated on CT scans. The final analyzed sample included 104 men with mean age 51.90+/-11.25 years and 84 women with mean age 53.61+/-10.20 years. The association between spondylolysis and facet orientation and tropism was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Spondylolysis was prevalent in 11.5% of the total population. chi2 test demonstrated a significant sex difference in prevalence of spondylolysis (P=0.0154), with almost 3 times higher prevalence among men. There was no statistically significant difference in facet orientation and continuous facet tropism between individuals with and without spondylolysis at the L5 level (P=0.49 to 0.91). After adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index, no significant association between the occurrence of spondylolysis and facet orientation and tropism was found. In the studied sample the prevalence of facet joint osteoarthritis was significantly higher in individuals with spondylolysis than in those without spondylolysis at both sides of L4-L5 spinal level (P=0.044 at the right side and P=0.003 at the left side) and at left side of L5-S1 level (P=0.038). We did not find an association between facet orientation, facet tropism, and spondylolysis. One of the possible explanations for this is that the high prevalence of facet joint

The use of principal components and univariate charts to control multivariate processes

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Marcela A. G. Machado

2008-04-01

Full Text Available In this article, we evaluate the performance of the T² chart based on the principal components (PC X chart and the simultaneous univariate control charts based on the original variables (SU charts or based on the principal components (SUPC charts. The main reason to consider the PC chart lies on the dimensionality reduction. However, depending on the disturbance and on the way the original variables are related, the chart is very slow in signaling, except when all variables are negatively correlated and the principal component is wisely selected. Comparing the SU , the SUPC and the T² charts we conclude that the SU X charts (SUPC charts have a better overall performance when the variables are positively (negatively correlated. We also develop the expression to obtain the power of two S² charts designed for monitoring the covariance matrix. These joint S² charts are, in the majority of the cases, more efficient than the generalized variance chart.Neste artigo, avaliamos o desempenho do gráfico de T² baseado em componentes principais (gráfico PC e dos gráficos de controle simultâneos univariados baseados nas variáveis originais (gráfico SU X ou baseados em componentes principais (gráfico SUPC. A principal razão para o uso do gráfico PC é a redução de dimensionalidade. Entretanto, dependendo da perturbação e da correlação entre as variáveis originais, o gráfico é lento em sinalizar, exceto quando todas as variáveis são negativamente correlacionadas e a componente principal é adequadamente escolhida. Comparando os gráficos SU X, SUPC e T² concluímos que o gráfico SU X (gráfico SUPC tem um melhor desempenho global quando as variáveis são positivamente (negativamente correlacionadas. Desenvolvemos também uma expressão para obter o poder de detecção de dois gráficos de S² projetados para controlar a matriz de covariâncias. Os gráficos conjuntos de S² são, na maioria dos casos, mais eficientes que o gr

Trimming the fat: optimizing overall educational value by defining factors associated with overall educational value and service-to-education ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinke, Caroline E; Kelz, Rachel R; Pray, Lori; Williams, Noel; Bleier, Joshua; Murayama, Kenric; Morris, Jon B

2012-01-01

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education work rules have forced programs to critically appraise the overall educational value (OEV) of rotations. Successful rotations must satisfy Residency Review Committee mandates and optimize the service-to-education ratio (SER). This study was designed to examine the relationship between the OEV and SER and identify rotation characteristics (RC) associated with both. The Division of Surgery Education at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania administered a survey in FY2011 to all residents detailing resident perceptions regarding OEV, SER, and other RC. Responses were linked to additional rotation data. The relationship between OEV and SER was examined before and after controlling for significant RC identified in univariate analyses. Subgroup analyses by junior (CY1-2) and senior (CY3-5) resident status were performed. The survey was sent to 85 residents participating in 48 general surgery rotations, with an overall response rate of 87%. OEV was inversely proportional to SER. All RC were significant predictors of OEV in univariate models except rotation length, patient care participation and the presence of fellows. SER alone was a significant predictor of OEV (coefficient = -1.24, p < 0.001) and explained 68% of the variation in OEV. After including other RC, SER remained a significant predictor (coefficient = -1.08, p < 0.001) and the model explained 85% of the variation in OEV. In subgroup analysis, SER remained a significant predictor of OEV for junior residents (coefficient = -1.27, p = < 0.001), but not for senior residents (coefficient = -0.46, p = 0.15). The SER is inversely correlated with the OEV of general surgery rotations for the aggregate group of surgical residents, but this relationship appears to be attenuated by other factors in the senior resident group. Identification of the factors that affect junior surgical residents may provide the ability to improve the SER for junior residents

Family-based Association Analyses of Imputed Genotypes Reveal Genome-Wide Significant Association of Alzheimer’s disease with OSBPL6, PTPRG and PDCL3

Science.gov (United States)

Herold, Christine; Hooli, Basavaraj V.; Mullin, Kristina; Liu, Tian; Roehr, Johannes T; Mattheisen, Manuel; Parrado, Antonio R.; Bertram, Lars; Lange, Christoph; Tanzi, Rudolph E.

2015-01-01

The genetic basis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is complex and heterogeneous. Over 200 highly penetrant pathogenic variants in the genes APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2 cause a subset of early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (EOFAD). On the other hand, susceptibility to late-onset forms of AD (LOAD) is indisputably associated to the ε4 allele in the gene APOE, and more recently to variants in more than two-dozen additional genes identified in the large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses reports. Taken together however, although the heritability in AD is estimated to be as high as 80%, a large proportion of the underlying genetic factors still remain to be elucidated. In this study we performed a systematic family-based genome-wide association and meta-analysis on close to 15 million imputed variants from three large collections of AD families (~3,500 subjects from 1,070 families). Using a multivariate phenotype combining affection status and onset age, meta-analysis of the association results revealed three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that achieved genome-wide significance for association with AD risk: rs7609954 in the gene PTPRG (P-value = 3.98·10−08), rs1347297 in the gene OSBPL6 (P-value = 4.53·10−08), and rs1513625 near PDCL3 (P-value = 4.28·10−08). In addition, rs72953347 in OSBPL6 (P-value = 6.36·10−07) and two SNPs in the gene CDKAL1 showed marginally significant association with LOAD (rs10456232, P-value: 4.76·10−07; rs62400067, P-value: 3.54·10−07). In summary, family-based GWAS meta-analysis of imputed SNPs revealed novel genomic variants in (or near) PTPRG, OSBPL6, and PDCL3 that influence risk for AD with genome-wide significance. PMID:26830138

Is somatic comorbidity associated with more somatic symptoms, mental distress, or unhealthy lifestyle in elderly cancer survivors?

Science.gov (United States)

Grov, Ellen Karine; Fosså, Sophie D; Dahl, Alv A

2009-06-01

The associations of lifestyle factors, somatic symptoms, mental distress, and somatic comorbidity in elderly cancer survivors have not been well studied. This study examines these associations among elderly cancer survivors (age >or=65 years) in a population-based sample. A cross-sectional comparative study of Norwegian elderly cancer survivors. Combining information from The Norwegian Cancer Registry, and by self-reporting, 972 elderly cancer survivors were identified, of whom 632 (65%) had somatic comorbidity and 340 did not. Elderly cancer survivors with somatic comorbidity had significantly higher BMI, more performed minimal physical activity, had more somatic symptoms, used more medication, and had more frequently seen a medical doctor than survivors without somatic comorbidity. In multivariable analyses, unhealthy lifestyle and higher somatic symptoms scores were significantly associated with cancer cases with somatic comorbidity. In univariate analyses those with somatic comorbidity were significantly older, had lower levels of education, higher proportions of BMI >or= 30, less physical activity, poorer self-rated health, higher somatic symptoms score, more mental distress, had more frequently seen a medical doctor last year, and more frequently used daily medication. Our outcome measures of lifestyle, somatic symptoms and mental distress were all significantly associated with somatic comorbidity in elderly cancer survivors, however only lifestyle and somatic symptoms were significant in multivariable analyses. In elderly cancer survivors not only cancer, but also somatic comorbidity, deserve attention. Such comorbidity is associated with unhealthy lifestyles, more somatic symptoms and mental distress which should be evaluated and eventually treated.

Expression of HIWI in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is significantly associated with poorer prognosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shou Chengcao

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background HIWI, the human homologue of Piwi family, is present in CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and germ cells, but not in well-differentiated cell populations, indicating that HIWI may play an impotent role in determining or maintaining stemness of these cells. That HIWI expression has been detected in several type tumours may suggest its association with clinical outcome in cancer patients. Methods With the methods of real-time PCR, western blot, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, the expression of HIWI in three esophageal squamous cancer cell lines KYSE70, KYSE140 and KYSE450 has been characterized. Then, we investigated HIWI expression in a series of 153 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas using immunohistochemistry and explored its association with clinicopathological features. Results The expression of HIWI was observed in tumour cell nuclei or/and cytoplasm in 137 (89.5% cases, 16 (10.5% cases were negative in both nuclei and cytoplasm. 86 (56.2% were strongly positive in cytoplasm, while 49 (32.0% were strongly positive in nuclei. The expression level of HIWI in cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells was significantly associated with histological grade (P = 0.011, T stage (P = 0.035, and clinic outcome (P Conclusion The expression of HIWI in the cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells is significantly associated with higher histological grade, clinical stage and poorer clinical outcome, indicating its possible involvement in cancer development.

Differential pattern and prognostic significance of CD4+, FOXP3+ and IL-17+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in ductal and lobular breast cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Droeser, Raoul; Zlobec, Inti; Kilic, Ergin; Güth, Uwe; Heberer, Michael; Spagnoli, Giulio; Oertli, Daniel; Tapia, Coya

2012-01-01

Clinical relevance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer is controversial. Here, we used a tumor microarray including a large series of ductal and lobular breast cancers with long term follow up data, to analyze clinical impact of TIL expressing specific phenotypes and distribution of TILs within different tumor compartments and in different histological subtypes. A tissue microarray (TMA) including 894 ductal and 164 lobular breast cancers was stained with antibodies recognizing CD4, FOXP3, and IL-17 by standard immunohistochemical techniques. Lymphocyte counts were correlated with clinico-pathological parameters and survival. CD4 + lymphocytes were more prevalent than FOXP3 + TILs whereas IL-17 + TILs were rare. Increased numbers of total CD4 + and FOXP3 + TIL were observed in ductal, as compared with lobular carcinomas. High grade (G3) and estrogen receptor (ER) negative ductal carcinomas displayed significantly (p < 0.001) higher CD4 + and FOXP3 + lymphocyte infiltration while her2/neu over-expression in ductal carcinomas was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with higher FOXP3 + TIL counts. In contrast, lymphocyte infiltration was not linked to any clinico-pathological parameters in lobular cancers. In univariate but not in multivariate analysis CD4 + infiltration was associated with significantly shorter survival in patients bearing ductal, but not lobular cancers. However, a FOXP3 + /CD4 + ratio > 1 was associated with improved overall survival even in multivariate analysis (p = 0.033). Ductal and lobular breast cancers appear to be infiltrated by different lymphocyte subpopulations. In ductal cancers increased CD4 + and FOXP3 + TIL numbers are associated with more aggressive tumor features. In survival analysis, absolute numbers of TILs do not represent major prognostic indicators in ductal and lobular breast cancer. Remarkably however, a ratio > 1 of total FOXP3 + /CD4 + TILs in ductal carcinoma appears to represent an independent

Will initiatives to promote hydroelectricity consumption be effective? Evidence from univariate and panel LM unit root tests with structural breaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lean, Hooi Hooi; Smyth, Russell

2014-01-01

This paper examines whether initiatives to promote hydroelectricity consumption are likely to be effective by applying univariate and panel Lagrange Multiplier (LM) unit root tests to hydroelectricity consumption in 55 countries over the period 1965–2011. We find that for the panel, as well as about four-fifths of individual countries, that hydroelectricity consumption is stationary. This result implies that shocks to hydroelectricity consumption in most countries will only result in temporary deviations from the long-run growth path. An important consequence of this finding is that initiatives designed to have permanent positive effects on hydroelectricity consumption, such as large-scale dam construction, are unlikely to be effective in increasing the share of hydroelectricity, relative to consumption of fossil fuels. - Highlights: • Applies unit root tests to hydroelectricity consumption. • Hydroelectricity consumption is stationary. • Shocks to hydroelectricity consumption result in temporary deviations from the long-run growth path

[Associations of obesity and physical activity with cognition in people aged 50 and above in Shanghai].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Z Z; Zhang, Y C; Zheng, Y; Guo, Y F; Ruan, Y; Sun, S Y; Shi, Y; Gao, S N; Ye, J H; Yan, Y J; Wu, K; Xu, R F; Wu, F

2018-03-10

Objective: To investigate the associations of obesity and physical activity with cognition in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2009 to June 2010 among people aged ≥50 years selected through multistage random cluster sampling in Shanghai. The subjects' body weight, body height, waist circumference and hip circumference were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), and the data on self-reported physical activity level were collected through questionnaire survey. A comprehensive battery of cognitive tests was conducted to assess subjects' cognitive functions, including verbal recall, forward digit span (FDS), backward digit span (BDS), and verbal fluency (VF). General linear model was used to examine the associations of BMI, WHR and physical activity with cognition. Results: A total of 7 913 participants were included, with a median age of 60 years. Age, sex, education level, income level, BMI, WHR and physical activity level were significantly associated with cognitive scores in univariate analysis. After adjusted for age, sex, education level and income level, BMI was no longer significantly associated with cognitive scores in all cognitive functions (all P >0.01). WHR was significantly associated with VF score ( P cognitive functions ( P cognitive functions ( P cognition level in the elderly, suggesting that waist circumference control and physical activity might help maintain cognition in the elderly.

Preovulatory progesterone concentration associates significantly to follicle number and LH concentration but not to pregnancy rate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yding Andersen, Claus; Bungum, Leif; Nyboe Andersen, Anders

2011-01-01

Using data from a large prospective randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effect of recombinant LH (rLH)co-administration for ovarian stimulation, the present study assessed whether progesterone concentration on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration was associated...... with or without rLH administration from day 6 of stimulation. There was no significant association between the late-follicular-phase progesterone concentration and the clinical pregnancy rate. However, progesterone concentration was strongly associated with the number of follicles and retrieved oocytes. Late...

The significance of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G in non-thrombocytopenic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, P G; Mickley, H; Fristed, P

1985-01-01

The possible pathogenetic significance of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been studied, using a semiquantitative immunofluorescence technique. The study included 22 patients suffering from SLE during the period 1973-81. Thirteen patients had various ...

Emergent risk factors associated with eyeball loss and ambulatory vision loss after globe injuries.

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Hyun Lee, Seung; Ahn, Jae Kyoun

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with eyeball loss and ambulatory vision loss on emergent examination of patients with ocular trauma. We reviewed the medical records of 1,875 patients hospitalized in a single tertiary referral center between January 2003 and December 2007. Emergent examinations included a history of trauma, elapsed time between injury and hospital arrival, visible intraocular tissues, and initial visual acuity (VA) using a penlight. The main outcome measures were ocular survival and ambulatory vision survival (>20/200) at 1 year after trauma using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. The ocular trauma scores were significantly higher in open globe injuries than in closed globe injuries (p eyeball loss. Elapsed time more than 12 hours and visible intraocular tissues were the significant risk factors associated with ambulatory vision loss. The most powerful predictor of eyeball loss and ambulatory vision loss was eyeball rupture. In closed globe injuries, there were no significant risk factors of eyeball loss, whereas initial vision less than LP and the presence of relative afferent pupillary defect were the significant risk factors associated with ambulatory vision loss. An initial VA less than LP using a penlight, a history of golf ball injury, and elapsed time more than 12 hours between ocular trauma and hospital arrival were associated with eyeball loss and ambulatory vision loss. Physicians should bear these factors in mind so that they can more effectively counsel patients with such injuries.

The association of acculturation and depressive and anxiety symptoms in immigrant chronic dialysis patients.

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Haverkamp, Gertrud L G; Loosman, Wim L; van den Beukel, Tessa O; Hoekstra, Tiny; Dekker, Friedo W; Chandie Shaw, Prataap K; Smets, Yves F C; Vleming, Louis-Jean; Ter Wee, Pieter M; Honig, Adriaan; Siegert, Carl E H

2016-01-01

Among immigrant chronic dialysis patients, depressive and anxiety symptoms are common. We aimed to examine the association of acculturation, i.e. the adaptation of immigrants to a new cultural context, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in immigrant chronic dialysis patients. The DIVERS study is a prospective cohort study in five urban dialysis centers in the Netherlands. The association of five aspects of acculturation ("Skills", "Social integration", "Traditions", "Values and norms" and "Loss") and the presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was determined using linear regression analyses, both univariate and multivariate. A total of 249 immigrant chronic dialysis patients were included in the study. The overall prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was 51% and 47%, respectively. "Skills" and "Loss" were significantly associated with the presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively ("Skills" β=0.34, CI: 0.11-0.58, and "Loss" β=0.19, CI: 0.01-0.37; "Skills" β=0.49, CI: 0.25-0.73, and "Loss" β=0.33, CI: 0.13-0.53). The associations were comparable after adjustment. No significant associations were found between the other subscales and depressive and anxiety symptoms. This study demonstrates that less skills for living in the Dutch society and more feelings of loss are associated with the presence of both depressive and anxiety symptoms in immigrant chronic dialysis patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Unsteady walking as a symptom in type 2 diabetes mellitus: independent association with depression and sedentary lifestyle and no association with diabetic neuropathy.

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Dias, L S; Nienov, O H; Goelzer Neto, C F; Schmid, H

2018-03-26

The purpose of this study was to look at the determinants of the unsteady walking (UW) symptom in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by defining if UW and/or the Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms Score (DNSS) are associated with positive scores in Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and with a positive Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument score (MNSI). We evaluated 203 T2DM patients without visible gait disturbances. They were divided into UW (+) and UW (-) or DNSS (+) and DNSS (-) according to symptoms. We found a prevalence of 48.3% for UW (+) and of 63% for DNSS (+) in our sample. In univariate analysis, the presence of UW was significantly associated with waist circumference (P=0.024), number of comorbidities (P=0.012), not practicing physical exercise (P=0.011), positive BDI score (P=0.003), presence of neuropathic symptoms by the MNSI questionnaire (Psedentary lifestyle (P=0.025; 95%CI=1.06-2.5). The UW symptom and a positive DNSS are more closely related to a positive score for depression than to presence of neuropathy in T2DM.

WBC Associates with Readmission Following Cystectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

McIntosh, Andrew G; Li, Tianyu; Ito, Timothy; Mannion, Jason; Dziemianowicz, Mark; Waingankar, Nikhil; Haseebuddin, Mohammed; Chen, David Y T; Greenberg, Richard E; Viterbo, Rosalia; Kutikov, Alexander; Uzzo, Robert G; Smaldone, Marc C; Abbosh, Philip H

2017-04-27

Background: Radical cystectomy is associated with perioperative complication rates exceeding 50% in some series. Readmission rates are increasingly used as a surgical quality metric. White blood cell count is a crude surrogate for physiologic processes which may reflect postoperative complications leading to readmission. Objective: We assessed the association between final white blood cell count at discharge and risk of readmission following radical cystectomy. Methods: Records on 477 patients undergoing radical cystectomy from 2006-2013 were reviewed. Final white blood cell count was defined as the last documented value during index admission. Univariate analysis was performed using Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Spearman's coefficient tests where appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the associations between final white blood cell count and readmission. Results: 34% of patients were readmitted within 90 days of surgery. Amongst this cohort, a cutoff final white blood cell count of 9000/mm 3 was identified, with a significantly higher proportion of patients with values >9000/mm 3 experiencing readmission than those with values≤9000/mm 3 (42% vs 28%, p  = 0.004). Other perioperative variables associated with an increased readmission rate included initial hospital length of stay≤10 days, and receipt of a continent diversion. Following adjustment, final white blood cell count >9000/mm 3 was associated with increased risk of readmission (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.23-3.53, p  = 0.006). Conclusions: Final white blood cell count is associated with hospital readmission following radical cystectomy. This metric may provide important guidance in discharge algorithms.

Significant association of inflammation grade with the number of Langerhans cells in odontogenic keratocysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Han Chang

2017-10-01

Conclusion: A significant association of inflammation grade with the number of LCs in OKCs is found. The paucity of finding LCs in the lining epithelia of OKCs without inflammation indicates the loss of immunosurveillance ability against the OKC lining epithelial cells; this can explain why OKCs have aggressive clinical behavior, a great growth potential, and a high recurrence rate.

Factors Associated with Prosthetic Looseness in Lower Limb Amputees.

Science.gov (United States)

Phonghanyudh, Thong; Sutpasanon, Taweesak; Hathaiareerug, Chanasak; Devakula, M L Buddhibongsa; Kumnerddee, Wipoo

2015-12-01

To determine the factors associated with prosthetic looseness in lower limb amputees in Sisaket province. The present was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Subjects were lower limb amputees who previously obtained prostheses and required prosthetic replacements at the mobile prosthetic laboratory unit under the Prostheses Foundation of H.R.H. the Princess Mother at Khun Han Hospital, Sisaket province, in February 2013. Data including participant characteristics, prosthetic looseness data, and various variables were collected by direct semi-structured interview. Energy expenditures in physical activities were measured using the Thai version of the short format international physical activity questionnaire. Data between participants with and without prosthetic looseness were compared to determine prosthetic loosening associated factors. Among 101 participants enrolled, 33 (32.7%) had prosthetic looseness with average onset of 1.76 ± 1.67 years. Diabetes mellitus was the only significant factor associated with prosthetic looseness from both univariate and multivariate analyses (HR = 7.05, p = 0.002 and HR = 5.93, p = 0.007 respectively). Among the lower limb amputees in Sisaket province, diabetes mellitus was the only factor associated with prosthetic looseness. Therefore, diabetic screening should be supplemented in lower limb amputee assessment protocol. In addition, we recommend that amputees with diabetes mellitus should receive prosthesis check out at approximately

Prevalence and risk factors associated with non-attendance in neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic among infants with CHD.

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Loccoh, Eméfah C; Yu, Sunkyung; Donohue, Janet; Lowery, Ray; Butcher, Jennifer; Pasquali, Sara K; Goldberg, Caren S; Uzark, Karen

2018-04-01

Neurodevelopmental impairment is increasingly recognised as a potentially disabling outcome of CHD and formal evaluation is recommended for high-risk patients. However, data are lacking regarding the proportion of eligible children who actually receive neurodevelopmental evaluation, and barriers to follow-up are unclear. We examined the prevalence and risk factors associated with failure to attend neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic after infant cardiac surgery. Survivors of infant (neurodevelopmental clinic attendees and non-attendees in univariate and multivariable analyses. A total of 552 patients were included; median age at surgery was 2.4 months, 15% were premature, and 80% had moderate-severe CHD. Only 17% returned for neurodevelopmental evaluation, with a median age of 12.4 months. In univariate analysis, non-attendees were older at surgery, had lower surgical complexity, fewer non-cardiac anomalies, shorter hospital stay, and lived farther from the surgical center. Non-attendee families had lower income, and fewer were college graduates or had private insurance. In multivariable analysis, lack of private insurance remained independently associated with non-attendance (adjusted odds ratio 1.85, p=0.01), with a trend towards significance for distance from surgical center (adjusted odds ratio 2.86, p=0.054 for ⩾200 miles). The majority of infants with CHD at high risk for neurodevelopmental dysfunction evaluated in this study are not receiving important neurodevelopmental evaluation. Efforts to remove financial/insurance barriers, increase access to neurodevelopmental clinics, and better delineate other barriers to receipt of neurodevelopmental evaluation are needed.

Residency program characteristics that are associated with pass rate of the American Board of Pediatrics certifying exam.

Science.gov (United States)

Atsawarungruangkit, Amporn

2015-01-01

The US is home to almost 200 pediatrics residency programs; despite this, there is little information about the relationship between program characteristics and performance in the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certifying exam. To evaluate the relationship between pass rate of the ABP certifying exam with the characteristics of categorical pediatrics residency programs. This retrospective, cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the ABP website and the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. All programs that reported pass rates were included. The analysis, comprising univariate and multivariate linear regression, involved determining how 69 factors (eg, general information, number of faculty and trainees, work schedule, educational environment) related to the pass rate. Of 199 programs, 194 reported pass rates. The univariate analysis revealed 20 program characteristics with P-values program characteristics: ratio of full-time equivalent paid faculty to positions, percentage of US medical graduates, and average hours per week of regularly scheduled lectures or conferences. Unlike in previous studies, location and program size were not significantly associated with the pass rate in this multivariate analysis. The finding regarding the ratio of full-time equivalent paid faculty to positions highlighted the benefits of a well-supervised training environment, while that regarding the percentage of US medical graduates indicated the necessity of high competition in residency programs. Finally, longer hours per week of regularly scheduled lectures or conferences were associated with better academic outcomes, both statistically and intuitively.

Global variability in angina pectoris and its association with body mass index and poverty.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Longjian; Ma, Jixiang; Yin, Xiaoyan; Kelepouris, Ellie; Eisen, Howard J

2011-03-01

In the absence of a previous global comparison, we examined the variability in the prevalence of angina across 52 countries and its association with body weight and the poverty index using data from the World Health Organization-World Health Survey. The participants with angina were defined as those who had positive results using a Rose angina questionnaire and/or self-report of a physician diagnosis of angina. The body mass index (BMI) was determined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. The poverty index (a standard score of socioeconomic status for a given country) was extracted from the United Nations' statistics. The associations of angina with the BMI and poverty index were analyzed cross-sectionally using univariate and multivariate analyses. The results showed that the total participants (n = 210,787) had an average age of 40.64 years. The prevalence of angina ranged from 2.44% in Tunisia to 23.89% in Chad. Those participants with a BMI of poverty status was considered. A tendency was seen for underweight status and a poverty index >14.65% to be associated with the risk of having angina, although these associations were not statistically significant in the multilevel models. In conclusion, significant variations were found in the anginal rates across 52 countries worldwide. An increased BMI was significantly associated with the odds of having angina. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Insertion/Deletion Within the KDM6A Gene Is Significantly Associated With Litter Size in Goat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Cui

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A previous whole-genome association analysis identified lysine demethylase 6A (KDM6A, which encodes a type of histone demethylase, as a candidate gene associated to goat fecundity. KDM6A gene knockout mouse disrupts gametophyte development, suggesting that it has a critical role in reproduction. In this study, goat KDM6A mRNA expression profiles were determined, insertion/deletion (indel variants in the gene identified, indel variants effect on KDM6A gene expression assessed, and their association with first-born litter size analyzed in 2326 healthy female Shaanbei white cashmere goats. KDM6A mRNA was expressed in all tissues tested (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, muscle, brain, skin and testis; the expression levels in testes at different developmental stages [1-week-old (wk, 2, 3 wk, 1-month-old (mo, 1.5 and 2 mo] indicated a potential association with the mitosis-to-meiosis transition, implying that KDM6A may have an essential role in goat fertility. Meanwhile, two novel intronic indels of 16 bp and 5 bp were identified. Statistical analysis revealed that only the 16 bp indel was associated with first-born litter size (P < 0.01, and the average first-born litter size of individuals with an insertion/insertion genotype higher than that of those with the deletion/deletion genotype (P < 0.05. There was also a significant difference in genotype distributions of the 16 bp indel between mothers of single-lamb and multi-lamb litters in the studied goat population (P = 0.001. Consistently, the 16 bp indel also had a significant effect on KDM6A gene expression. Additionally, there was no significant linkage disequilibrium (LD between these two indel loci, consistent with the association analysis results. Together, these findings suggest that the 16 bp indel in KDM6A may be useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS of goats.

Expression of HIWI in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is significantly associated with poorer prognosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Wei; Wang, Zhihui; Wang, Qi; Fan, Qingxia; Shou, Chengcao; Wang, Junsheng; Giercksky, Karl-Erik; Nesland, Jahn M; Suo, Zhenhe

2009-01-01

HIWI, the human homologue of Piwi family, is present in CD34 + hematopoietic stem cells and germ cells, but not in well-differentiated cell populations, indicating that HIWI may play an impotent role in determining or maintaining stemness of these cells. That HIWI expression has been detected in several type tumours may suggest its association with clinical outcome in cancer patients. With the methods of real-time PCR, western blot, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, the expression of HIWI in three esophageal squamous cancer cell lines KYSE70, KYSE140 and KYSE450 has been characterized. Then, we investigated HIWI expression in a series of 153 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas using immunohistochemistry and explored its association with clinicopathological features. The expression of HIWI was observed in tumour cell nuclei or/and cytoplasm in 137 (89.5%) cases, 16 (10.5%) cases were negative in both nuclei and cytoplasm. 86 (56.2%) were strongly positive in cytoplasm, while 49 (32.0%) were strongly positive in nuclei. The expression level of HIWI in cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells was significantly associated with histological grade (P = 0.011), T stage (P = 0.035), and clinic outcome (P < 0.001), while there was no correlation between the nuclear HIWI expression and clinicopathological features. The expression of HIWI in the cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells is significantly associated with higher histological grade, clinical stage and poorer clinical outcome, indicating its possible involvement in cancer development

[Factors associated with abdominal obesity in children].

Science.gov (United States)

Melzer, Matheus Ribeiro Theodósio Fernandes; Magrini, Isabella Mastrangi; Domene, Semíramis Martins Álvares; Martins, Paula Andrea

2015-12-01

To identify the association of dietary, socioeconomic factors, sedentary behaviors and maternal nutritional status with abdominal obesity in children. A cross-sectional study with household-based survey, in 36 randomly selected census tracts in the city of Santos/SP. 357 families were interviewed and questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were applied in mothers and their 3-0 years-old children. Assessment of abdominal obesity was made by maternal and child's waist circumference measurement; for classification used cut-off points proposed by World Health Organization (1998) and Taylor et al. (2000) were applied. The association between variables was performed by multiple logistic regression analysis. 30.5% of children had abdominal obesity. Associations with children's and maternal nutritional status and high socioeconomic status were shown in the univariate analysis. In the regression model, children's body mass index for age (OR=93.7; 95%CI 39.3-223.3), female gender (OR=4.1; 95%CI 1.8-9.3) and maternal abdominal obesity (OR=2.7; 95%CI 1.2-6.0) were significantly associated with children's abdominal obesity, regardless of the socioeconomic status. Abdominal obesity in children seems to be associated with maternal nutritional status, other indicators of their own nutritional status and female gender. Intervention programs for control of childhood obesity and prevention of metabolic syndrome should consider the interaction of the nutritional status of mothers and their children. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Functional promoter rs2868371 variant of HSPB1 associates with radiation-induced esophageal toxicity in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with radio(chemo)therapy

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Lopez Guerra, Jose Luis; Wei Qingyi; Yuan Xianglin; Gomez, Daniel; Liu Zhensheng; Zhuang Yan; Yin Ming; Li Minghuan; Wang, Li-E; Cox, James D.; Liao Zhongxing

2011-01-01

Purpose: We investigated the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1) gene and the risk of radiation-induced esophageal toxicity (RIET) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and methods: The experimental dataset comprised 120 NSCLC patients who were treated with radio(chemo)therapy between 2005 and 2009, when novel radiation techniques were implemented at MD Anderson. The validation dataset comprised 181 NSCLC patients treated between 1998 and 2004. We genotyped two SNPs of the HSPB1 gene (rs2868370 and rs2868371) by TaqMan assay. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses of the experimental dataset showed that the CG/GG genotypes of HSPB1 rs2868371 were associated with significantly lower risk of grade ⩾3 RIET than the CC genotype (univariate hazard ratio [HR] 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10–0.91; P = 0.033; multivariate HR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09–0.97; P = 0.045). This difference in risk was replicated in the validation cohort despite the different radiation techniques used during that period. Conclusions: The CG/GG genotypes of HSPB1 rs2868371 were associated with lower risk of RIET, compared with the CC genotype in patients with NSCLC treated with radio(chemo)therapy. This finding should be validated in large multi-institutional prospective trials.

ER, p53 and MIB-1 are significantly associated with malignant phyllodes tumor.

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Munawer, Nurhayati H; Md Zin, Reena; Md Ali, Siti-Aishah; Muhammad, Rohaizak; Ali, Jasmi; Das, Srijit

2012-01-01

Fibroadenomas (FA) are common while phyllodes tumors (PT) are rare and both tumors are composed of epithelial and stromal components. We evaluated the expression status of ER, Bc12, p53, and MIB-1 protein in these tumors. One hundred and ninety-three tumors comprising of 117 FAs and 76 PTs were examined using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray. The mean age of patients with FA was 28.5 years while the mean ages of patients with benign, borderline and malignant PTs were 41.7, 48.6 and 42.1 years, respectively. Also all types of PTs were large (>Scm). ER showed a strong nuclear staining in the epithelial component of all tumors while ER/3 immunoreactivity was detected in both the epithelial and stromal components ofF A and PT. ER/β (pcomponent were associated with tumor size. p53 expression was significantly associated with both the epithelial and stromal components of malignant PTs (pcomponent (p=0.000). In addition, MIB-1 was also found to be associated with ER and ER/3 in the stromal component (p=0.000). The expression of p53 with tumor size and histological grade in PT may increase the risk for malignancy.

High serum folate is associated with reduced biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy: Results from the SEARCH Database

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Daniel M. Moreira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction To analyze the association between serum levels of folate and risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy among men from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH database. Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis of 135 subjects from the SEARCH database treated between 1991-2009 with available preoperative serum folate levels. Patients' characteristics at the time of the surgery were analyzed with ranksum and linear regression. Uni- and multivariable analyses of folate levels (log-transformed and time to biochemical recurrence were performed with Cox proportional hazards. Results The median preoperative folate level was 11.6ng/mL (reference = 1.5-20.0ng/mL. Folate levels were significantly lower among African-American men than Caucasians (P = 0.003. In univariable analysis, higher folate levels were associated with more recent year of surgery (P < 0.001 and lower preoperative PSA (P = 0.003. In univariable analysis, there was a trend towards lower risk of biochemical recurrence among men with high folate levels (HR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.37-1.03, P = 0.064. After adjustments for patients characteristics' and pre- and post-operative clinical and pathological findings, higher serum levels of folate were independently associated with lower risk for biochemical recurrence (HR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.20-0.89, P = 0.023. Conclusion In a cohort of men undergoing radical prostatectomy at several VAs across the country, higher serum folate levels were associated with lower PSA and lower risk for biochemical failure. While the source of the folate in the serum in this study is unknown (i.e. diet vs. supplement, these findings, if confirmed, suggest a potential role of folic acid supplementation or increased consumption of folate rich foods to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Insertion/Deletion Within the KDM6A Gene Is Significantly Associated With Litter Size in Goat

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Cui, Yang; Yan, Hailong; Wang, Ke; Xu, Han; Zhang, Xuelian; Zhu, Haijing; Liu, Jinwang; Qu, Lei; Lan, Xianyong; Pan, Chuanying

2018-01-01

A previous whole-genome association analysis identified lysine demethylase 6A (KDM6A), which encodes a type of histone demethylase, as a candidate gene associated to goat fecundity. KDM6A gene knockout mouse disrupts gametophyte development, suggesting that it has a critical role in reproduction. In this study, goat KDM6A mRNA expression profiles were determined, insertion/deletion (indel) variants in the gene identified, indel variants effect on KDM6A gene expression assessed, and their association with first-born litter size analyzed in 2326 healthy female Shaanbei white cashmere goats. KDM6A mRNA was expressed in all tissues tested (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, muscle, brain, skin and testis); the expression levels in testes at different developmental stages [1-week-old (wk), 2, 3 wk, 1-month-old (mo), 1.5 and 2 mo] indicated a potential association with the mitosis-to-meiosis transition, implying that KDM6A may have an essential role in goat fertility. Meanwhile, two novel intronic indels of 16 bp and 5 bp were identified. Statistical analysis revealed that only the 16 bp indel was associated with first-born litter size (P goat population (P = 0.001). Consistently, the 16 bp indel also had a significant effect on KDM6A gene expression. Additionally, there was no significant linkage disequilibrium (LD) between these two indel loci, consistent with the association analysis results. Together, these findings suggest that the 16 bp indel in KDM6A may be useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS) of goats. PMID:29616081

Plasma kisspeptin levels are associated with insulin secretion in nondiabetic individuals.

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Francesco Andreozzi

Full Text Available To evaluate if plasma kisspeptin concentrations are associated with insulin secretion, as suggested by recent in vitro studies, independently of confounders. 261 nondiabetic subjects were stratified into tertiles according to kisspeptin values. Insulin secretion was assessed using indexes derived from oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT. After adjusting for age, gender, and BMI, subjects in the highest (tertile 3 kisspeptin group exhibited significantly lower values of insulinogenic index, corrected insulin response (CIR30, and Stumvoll indexes for first-phase and second-phase insulin release as compared with low (tertile 1 or intermediate (tertile 2 kisspeptin groups. Univariate correlations between kisspeptin concentration and metabolic variables showed that kisspeptin concentration was significantly and positively correlated with age, blood pressure, and 2-h post-load glucose, and inversely correlated with BMI, and waist circumference. There was an inverse relationship between kisspeptin levels and OGTT-derived indexes of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. A multivariable regression analysis in a model including all the variables significantly correlated with kisspeptin concentration showed thar age (β = -0.338, P<0.0001, BMI (β = 0.272, P<0.0001, 2-h post-load glucose (β = -0.229, P<0.0001, and kisspeptin (β = -0.105, P = 0.03 remained associated with insulinogenic index. These factors explained 34.6% of the variance of the insulinogenic index. In conclusion, kisspeptin concentrations are associated with insulin secretion independently of important determinants of glucose homeostasis such as gender, age, adiposity, 2-h post-load glucose, and insulin sensitivity.

Blood Transfusion During Total Ankle Arthroplasty Is Associated With Increased In-Hospital Complications and Costs.

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Ewing, Michael A; Huntley, Samuel R; Baker, Dustin K; Smith, Kenneth S; Hudson, Parke W; McGwin, Gerald; Ponce, Brent A; Johnson, Michael D

2018-04-01

Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an increasingly used, effective treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. Although numerous studies have associated blood transfusion with complications following hip and knee arthroplasty, its effects following TAA are largely unknown. This study uses data from a large, nationally representative database to estimate the association between blood transfusion and inpatient complications and hospital costs following TAA. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2004 to 2014, 25 412 patients who underwent TAA were identified, with 286 (1.1%) receiving a blood transfusion. Univariate analysis assessed patient and hospital factors associated with blood transfusion following TAA. Patients requiring blood transfusion were more likely to be female, African American, Medicare recipients, and treated in nonteaching hospitals. Average length of stay for patients following transfusion was 3.0 days longer, while average inpatient cost was increased by approximately 50%. Patients who received blood transfusion were significantly more likely to suffer from congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, hypothyroidism, coagulation disorder, or anemia. Acute renal failure was significantly more common among patients receiving blood transfusion ( P < .001). Blood transfusions following TAA are infrequent and are associated with multiple medical comorbidities, increased complications, longer hospital stays, and increased overall cost. Level III: Retrospective, comparative study.

Degree of neutrophil, atrophy, and metaplasia intestinal were associate with malondialdehyde level in gastritis patients

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Siregar, G. A.; Sari, D. K.; Sungkar, T.

2018-03-01

The main pathogenesis of gastritis is inflammation that closely related to free radicals. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a free radical biomarker and is found to increase in gastritis patients. However, these studies are generally performed on experimental animals as well as MDA examination in gastric mucosa. This study aim was to determine the association of degrees of gastritis (degree of lymphocyte infiltration, neutrophil activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia) with plasma MDA level. A cross-sectional study of 80 consecutive gastritis patients who came to an endoscopic unit of Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan, Indonesia, from May–September 2017. Assessed for severity of chronic inflammatory, neutrophil activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia refers to Updated Sydney System. Plasma MDA levels were examined using an HPLC MDA kit. Univariate analysis, bivariate (chi-square and Fisher exact test), and multivariate (binary logistic regression test) were programmed with SPSS version 22. There was no significant association between degree of lymphocyte infiltration with MDA level. There were significant associations between degree of neutrophil activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia with MDA level (p=0.039, 0.003, 0.021; respectively). The moderate+severe degree of neutrophil activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia were associated with high level of MDA.

[Clinical significance of drug resistance-associated mutations in treatment of hepatitis C with direct-acting antiviral agents].

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Li, Z; Chen, Z W; Ren, H; Hu, P

2017-03-20

Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) achieve a high sustained virologic response rate in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. However, drug resistance-associated mutations play an important role in treatment failure and have attracted more and more attention. This article elaborates on the clinical significance of drug resistance-associated mutations from the aspects of their definition, association with genotype, known drug resistance-associated mutations and their prevalence rates, the impact of drug resistance-associated mutations on treatment naive and treatment-experienced patients, and the role of clinical detection, in order to provide a reference for clinical regimens with DAAs and help to achieve higher sustained virologic response rates.

Multivariate Meta-Analysis of Genetic Association Studies: A Simulation Study.

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Binod Neupane

Full Text Available In a meta-analysis with multiple end points of interests that are correlated between or within studies, multivariate approach to meta-analysis has a potential to produce more precise estimates of effects by exploiting the correlation structure between end points. However, under random-effects assumption the multivariate estimation is more complex (as it involves estimation of more parameters simultaneously than univariate estimation, and sometimes can produce unrealistic parameter estimates. Usefulness of multivariate approach to meta-analysis of the effects of a genetic variant on two or more correlated traits is not well understood in the area of genetic association studies. In such studies, genetic variants are expected to roughly maintain Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium within studies, and also their effects on complex traits are generally very small to modest and could be heterogeneous across studies for genuine reasons. We carried out extensive simulation to explore the comparative performance of multivariate approach with most commonly used univariate inverse-variance weighted approach under random-effects assumption in various realistic meta-analytic scenarios of genetic association studies of correlated end points. We evaluated the performance with respect to relative mean bias percentage, and root mean square error (RMSE of the estimate and coverage probability of corresponding 95% confidence interval of the effect for each end point. Our simulation results suggest that multivariate approach performs similarly or better than univariate method when correlations between end points within or between studies are at least moderate and between-study variation is similar or larger than average within-study variation for meta-analyses of 10 or more genetic studies. Multivariate approach produces estimates with smaller bias and RMSE especially for the end point that has randomly or informatively missing summary data in some individual studies, when

Association between chronic musculoskeletal pain and executive function in community-dwelling older adults.

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Murata, S; Sawa, R; Nakatsu, N; Saito, T; Sugimoto, T; Nakamura, R; Misu, S; Ueda, Y; Ono, R

2017-11-01

We examined the association of chronic musculoskeletal pain with executive function in community-dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional study recruited 234 community-dwelling older adults in Japan (mean age: 72.7, women: 62.8%). Chronic musculoskeletal pain was defined as having moderate or more severe pain lasting ≥ 3 months. Executive function was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B, Letter Verbal Fluency Test (LVFT) and Category Verbal Fluency Test (CVFT). Prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain was 19% (n = 44). In the univariate analysis, the DSST and CVFT scores were significantly lower in the chronic musculoskeletal pain group than in the control group (DSST: chronic musculoskeletal pain group vs. control group, 40.2 vs. 45.4, respectively, p dwelling older adults. The association of chronic musculoskeletal pain with executive function requires further investigation. Our results suggest an association between moderate-severe chronic musculoskeletal pain and impairments of semantic fluency and processing speed in community-dwelling older adults. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Significance and prognostic value of increased serum direct bilirubin level for lymph node metastasis in Chinese rectal cancer patients.

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Gao, Chun; Fang, Long; Li, Jing-Tao; Zhao, Hong-Chuan

2016-02-28

To determine the significance of increased serum direct bilirubin level for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in Chinese rectal cancer patients, after those with known hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases were excluded. A cohort of 469 patients, who were treated at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Ministry of Health (Beijing, China), in the period from January 2003 to June 2011, and with a pathological diagnosis of rectal adenocarcinoma, were recruited. They included 231 patients with LNM (49.3%) and 238 patients without LNM. Follow-up for these patients was taken through to December 31, 2012. The baseline serum direct bilirubin concentration was (median/inter-quartile range) 2.30/1.60-3.42 μmol/L. Univariate analysis showed that compared with patients without LNM, the patients with LNM had an increased level of direct bilirubin (2.50/1.70-3.42 vs 2.10/1.40-3.42, P = 0.025). Multivariate analysis showed that direct bilirubin was independently associated with LNM (OR = 1.602; 95%CI: 1.098-2.338, P = 0.015). Moreover, we found that: (1) serum direct bilirubin differs between male and female patients; a higher concentration was associated with poor tumor classification; (2) as the baseline serum direct bilirubin concentration increased, the percentage of patients with LNM increased; and (3) serum direct bilirubin was associated with the prognosis of rectal cancer patients and higher values indicated poor prognosis. Higher serum direct bilirubin concentration was associated with the increased risk of LNM and poor prognosis in our rectal cancers.

Mining, Validation, and Clinical Significance of Colorectal Cancer (CRC)-Associated lncRNAs.

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Sun, Xiangwei; Hu, Yingying; Zhang, Liang; Hu, Changyuan; Guo, Gangqiang; Mao, Chenchen; Xu, Jianfeng; Ye, Sisi; Huang, Guanli; Xue, Xiangyang; Guo, Aizhen; Shen, Xian

2016-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest tumours, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. The involvement of differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in CRC tumorigenesis makes them suitable tumour biomarkers. Here, we screened 150 cases of CRC and 85 cases of paracancerous tissues in the GEO database for differentially expressed lncRNAs. The levels of lncRNA candidates in 84 CRC and paracancerous tissue samples were validated by qRT-PCR and their clinical significance was analyzed. We identified 15 lncRNAs with differential expression in CRC tumours; among them, AK098081 was significantly up-regulated, whereas AK025209, BC040303, BC037331, AK026659, and CR749831 were down-regulated in CRC. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve for the six lncRNAs was 0.914. High expression of AK098081 and low expression of BC040303, CR749831, and BC037331 indicated poor CRC differentiation. CRC patients with lymph node metastasis had lower expression of BC037331. In addition, the group with high AK098081 expression presented significantly lower overall survival and disease-free survival rates than the low-expression group, confirming AK098081 as an independent risk factor for CRC patients. In conclusion, we have identified multiple CRC-associated lncRNAs from microarray expression profiles that can serve as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC.

Impact of preoperative patient characteristics on posturethroplasty recurrence: The significance of stricture length and prior treatments

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Jibril Oyekunle Bello

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Urethral strictures are common in urologic practice of Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. We determine the rate of stricture recurrence following urethroplasty for anterior urethral strictures and evaluate preoperative variables that predict of stricture recurrence in our practice. Subjects and Methods: Thirty-six men who had urethroplasty for proven anterior urethral stricture disease between February 2012 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative factors including age, socioeconomic factors, comorbidities, etiology of strictures, stricture location, stricture length, periurethral spongiofibrosis, and prior stricture treatments were assessed for independent predictors of stricture recurrence. Results: The median age was 49.5 years (range 21-90, median stricture length was 4 cm (range 1-18 cm and the overall recurrence rate was 27.8%. Postinfectious strictures, pan urethral strictures or multiple strictures involving the penile and bulbar urethra were more common. Most patients had penile circular fasciocutaneous flap urethroplasty. Following univariate analysis of potential preoperative predictors of stricture recurrence, stricture length, and prior treatments with dilations or urethrotomies were found to be significantly associated with stricture recurrence. On multivariate analysis, they both remained statistically significant. Patients who had prior treatments had greater odds of having a recurrent stricture (odds ratio 18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-224.3. Stricture length was dichotomized based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC analysis, and strictures of length ≥5 cm had significantly greater recurrence (area under ROC curve of 0.825, 95% CI 0.690-0.960, P = 0.032. Conclusion: Patients who had prior dilatations or urethrotomies and those with long strictures particularly strictures ≥5 cm have significantly greater odds of developing a recurrence following urethroplasty in Nigerian

Cardiometabolic syndrome and its association with education, smoking, diet, physical activity, and social support: findings from the Pennsylvania 2007 BRFSS Survey.

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Liu, Longjian; Núñez, Ana E

2010-07-01

The authors aimed to examine the prevalence of cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) and its association with education, smoking, diet, physical activity, and social support among white, black, and Hispanic adults using data from the 2007 Pennsylvania Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, the largest population-based survey in the state. The authors examined associations between CMS and associated factors cross-sectionally using univariate and multivariate methods. The study included a representative sample of 12,629 noninstitutionalized Pennsylvanians aged > or =18. Components of CMS included obesity, hypercholesterolemia, angina (as a surrogate for decreased high-density lipoprotein), prehypertension or hypertension, and prediabetes or diabetes. CMS was identified as the presence of > or =3 CMS components. The results show that the prevalence of CMS was 20.48% in blacks, followed by Hispanics (19.14%) and whites (12.26%), (Psmoking, daily consumption of vegetables and/or fruits <3 servings, and lack of social support were significantly associated with the odds of having CMS. In conclusion, black and Hispanic adults have a significantly higher prevalence of CMS than whites. The significant association between CMS and risk factors provides new insights in the direction of health promotion to prevent and control CMS in those who are at high risk.

Prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality among secondary school teachers in a developing country.

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Musa, Nor Asma; Moy, Foong Ming; Wong, Li Ping

2018-05-31

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality among secondary school teachers in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. This was a cross sectional study, conducted in two phases. Phase I tested the reliability of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in the Malay language (M-PSQI), whereas Phase II determined the prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality where a total of 1871 secondary school teachers were studied. Participants were recruited using multistage sampling. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and teaching characteristics, comorbidities and characteristics of sleep. The M-PSQI was used to measure sleep quality. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was used to measure mental health status. Results showed that the M-PSQI had a good internal consistency and moderate reliability. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 61 (95% CI: 54-67) %. Total teaching hours/day, depression and stress were significantly associated with poor sleep quality in the univariate analysis, while only stress (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.05%) remained significant in the multivariate analyses. In conclusion, stress level of the secondary school teachers should be reduced to improve sleep quality.

Association of Sociodemographic Factors, Smoking-Related Beliefs, and Smoking Restrictions With Intention to Quit Smoking in Korean Adults: Findings From the ITC Korea Survey

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Myung, Seung-Kwon; Seo, Hong Gwan; Cheong, Yoo-Seock; Park, Sohee; Lee, Wonkyong B; Fong, Geoffrey T

2012-01-01

Background Few studies have reported the factors associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adult smokers. This study aimed to examine sociodemographic characteristics, smoking-related beliefs, and smoking-restriction variables associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adult smokers. Methods We used data from the International Tobacco Control Korea Survey, which was conducted from November through December 2005 by using random-digit dialing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of male and female smokers aged 19 years or older in 16 metropolitan areas and provinces of Korea. We performed univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of intention to quit. Results A total of 995 respondents were included in the final analysis. Of those, 74.9% (n = 745) intended to quit smoking. In univariate analyses, smokers with an intention to quit were younger, smoked fewer cigarettes per day, had a higher annual income, were more educated, were more likely to have a religious affiliation, drank less alcohol per week, were less likely to have self-exempting beliefs, and were more likely to have self-efficacy beliefs regarding quitting, to believe that smoking had damaged their health, and to report that smoking was never allowed anywhere in their home. In multiple logistic regression analysis, higher education level, having a religious affiliation, and a higher self-efficacy regarding quitting were significantly associated with intention to quit. Conclusions Sociodemographic factors, smoking-related beliefs, and smoking restrictions at home were associated with intention to quit smoking among Korean adults. PMID:22186157

Collagen Induced Arthritis in DBA/1J Mice Associates with Oxylipin Changes in Plasma

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Min He

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Oxylipins play important roles in various biological processes and are considered as mediators of inflammation for a wide range of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA. The purpose of this research was to study differences in oxylipin levels between a widely used collagen induced arthritis (CIA mice model and healthy control (Ctrl mice. DBA/1J male mice (age: 6-7 weeks were selected and randomly divided into two groups, namely, a CIA and a Ctrl group. The CIA mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p. with the joint cartilage component collagen type II (CII and an adjuvant injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS. Oxylipin metabolites were extracted from plasma for each individual sample using solid phase extraction (SPE and were detected with high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS, using dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM. Both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were applied. The results in univariate Student’s t-test revealed 10 significantly up- or downregulated oxylipins in CIA mice, which were supplemented by another 6 additional oxylipins, contributing to group clustering upon multivariate analysis. The dysregulation of these oxylipins revealed the presence of ROS-generated oxylipins and an increase of inflammation in CIA mice. The results also suggested that the collagen induced arthritis might associate with dysregulation of apoptosis, possibly inhibited by activated NF-κB because of insufficient PPAR-γ ligands.

Morphological parameters associated with ruptured posterior communicating aneurysms.

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Ho, Allen; Lin, Ning; Charoenvimolphan, Nareerat; Stanley, Mary; Frerichs, Kai U; Day, Arthur L; Du, Rose

2014-01-01

The rupture risk of unruptured intracranial aneurysms is known to be dependent on the size of the aneurysm. However, the association of morphological characteristics with ruptured aneurysms has not been established in a systematic and location specific manner for the most common aneurysm locations. We evaluated posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms for morphological parameters associated with aneurysm rupture in that location. CT angiograms were evaluated to generate 3-D models of the aneurysms and surrounding vasculature. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate morphological parameters including aneurysm volume, aspect ratio, size ratio, distance to ICA bifurcation, aneurysm angle, vessel angles, flow angles, and vessel-to-vessel angles. From 2005-2012, 148 PCoA aneurysms were treated in a single institution. Preoperative CTAs from 63 patients (40 ruptured, 23 unruptured) were available and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that smaller volume (p = 0.011), larger aneurysm neck diameter (0.048), and shorter ICA bifurcation to aneurysm distance (p = 0.005) were the most strongly associated with aneurysm rupture after adjusting for all other clinical and morphological variables. Multivariate subgroup analysis for patients with visualized PCoA demonstrated that larger neck diameter (p = 0.018) and shorter ICA bifurcation to aneurysm distance (p = 0.011) were significantly associated with rupture. Intracerebral hemorrhage was associated with smaller volume, larger maximum height, and smaller aneurysm angle, in addition to lateral projection, male sex, and lack of hypertension. We found that shorter ICA bifurcation to aneurysm distance is significantly associated with PCoA aneurysm rupture. This is a new physically intuitive parameter that can be measured easily and therefore be readily applied in clinical practice to aid in the evaluation of patients with PCoA aneurysms.

Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance: Bethesda Classification and Association with Human Papillomavirus

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Ana Cristina Macêdo Barcelos

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. To analyze patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS through a cytology review and the presence of microbiological agents, with consideration of colposcopy and semiannual tracking. Methods. 103 women with ASCUS were reviewed and reclassified: normal/inflammatory, ASCUS, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL, or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL. If ASCUS confirmed, it was subclassified in reactive or neoplastic ASCUS, ASC-US, or ASC-H; and Regione Emilia Romagna Screening Protocol. Patients underwent a colposcopic examination, and test for Candida sp., bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and human papillomavirus (HPV were performed. Results. Upon review, ASCUS was diagnosis in 70/103 (67.9%, being 38 (54.2% reactive ASCUS and 32 (45.71% neoplastic ASCUS; 62 (88.5% ASC-US and 8 (11.41% ASC-H. ASCUS (Regione Protocol, respectively 1-5: 15 (21.4%, 19 (27.1%, 3 (27.1%, 16 (22.8%, and 1 (1.4%. A higher number of cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II/III in the biopsies of patients with ASC-H compared to ASC-US (P=.0021. High-risk HPV test and presence of CIN II/III are more frequent in ASC-H than ASC-US (P=.031. Conclusions. ASC-H is associated with clinically significant disease. High-risk HPV-positive status in the triage for colposcopy of patients with ASC-US is associated with increased of CIN.

Significant Locus and Metabolic Genetic Correlations Revealed in Genome-Wide Association Study of Anorexia Nervosa.

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Duncan, Laramie; Yilmaz, Zeynep; Gaspar, Helena; Walters, Raymond; Goldstein, Jackie; Anttila, Verneri; Bulik-Sullivan, Brendan; Ripke, Stephan; Thornton, Laura; Hinney, Anke; Daly, Mark; Sullivan, Patrick F; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Breen, Gerome; Bulik, Cynthia M

2017-09-01

The authors conducted a genome-wide association study of anorexia nervosa and calculated genetic correlations with a series of psychiatric, educational, and metabolic phenotypes. Following uniform quality control and imputation procedures using the 1000 Genomes Project (phase 3) in 12 case-control cohorts comprising 3,495 anorexia nervosa cases and 10,982 controls, the authors performed standard association analysis followed by a meta-analysis across cohorts. Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to calculate genome-wide common variant heritability (single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP]-based heritability [h 2 SNP ]), partitioned heritability, and genetic correlations (r g ) between anorexia nervosa and 159 other phenotypes. Results were obtained for 10,641,224 SNPs and insertion-deletion variants with minor allele frequencies >1% and imputation quality scores >0.6. The h 2 SNP of anorexia nervosa was 0.20 (SE=0.02), suggesting that a substantial fraction of the twin-based heritability arises from common genetic variation. The authors identified one genome-wide significant locus on chromosome 12 (rs4622308) in a region harboring a previously reported type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disorder locus. Significant positive genetic correlations were observed between anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia, neuroticism, educational attainment, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and significant negative genetic correlations were observed between anorexia nervosa and body mass index, insulin, glucose, and lipid phenotypes. Anorexia nervosa is a complex heritable phenotype for which this study has uncovered the first genome-wide significant locus. Anorexia nervosa also has large and significant genetic correlations with both psychiatric phenotypes and metabolic traits. The study results encourage a reconceptualization of this frequently lethal disorder as one with both psychiatric and metabolic etiology.

Significant Association of HLA-DQ5 with Autoimmune Hepatitis in Taiwan

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Lok-Beng Koay

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Genetic predisposition is known to be an important etiopathogenic factor of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH. HLA antigens associated with AIH have been well studied in Western countries and Japan, but there is no HLA typing data of AIH patients in Taiwan. We therefore investigated HLA phenotypes and their association with AIH patients and compared the results with those of normal subjects and patients with chronic liver disease. Group 1 consisted of 22 AIH patients. All were born in Taiwan with no history of blood transfusion. Group 2 consisted of 19 chronic liver disease patients. Group 3 consisted of 81 unrelated healthy subjects who were normal blood donors. All three groups were tested for HLA phenotypes (HLAA, B, C, DR, DQ using the polymerase chain reaction—sequence specific probe method. The statistical method used was Fisher's exact test. We found that HLA-DQ5 was significantly more frequent in the AIH group compared to the control group (RR, 2.03; p = 0.034. Low frequency of A1 (n = 2/22, B8 (n = 1/22 and DR3 (n = 0/22 were noted compared to results from the West; only HLA-DR4 showed a higher rate in our AIH patients (n = 8/22. This is a preliminary report of our study of HLA antigens in AIH patients. Further investigation to characterize AIH patients into HLA allelic subgroups is being done.

Association of TAP Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

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Camilla Natter

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP is responsible for peptide loading onto class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I molecules. TAP seems to facilitate the detection of HPV by MHC-I molecules and contributes to successful eradication of HPV. TAP polymorphisms could have an important impact on the course of HPV infection. Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between five TAP gene polymorphisms and the risk of CIN. Methods. This case-control study investigated five common TAP polymorphisms in TAP1 (1341 and 2254 and TAP2 (1135, 1693, and 1993 in 616 women with CIN and 206 controls. Associations between gene polymorphisms and risk of CIN were analysed by univariate and multivariable models. The combined effect of the five TAP gene polymorphisms on the risk for CIN was investigated by haplotype analysis. Results. No significant difference in genotype distribution of the five TAP polymorphisms was observed in women with CIN and controls. Haplotype analysis revealed that women with haplotype mut-wt-wt-wt-wt (TAP polymorphisms t1135-t1341-t1693-t1993-t2254 had a significantly lower risk for CIN, compared to women with the haplotype wt-wt-wt-wt-wt (; OR 0.5 []. Conclusion. Identification of this haplotype combination could be used to identify women, less susceptible for development of CIN following HPV infection.

Assessment of trunk muscle density using CT and its association with degenerative disc and facet joint disease of the lumbar spine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebro, Ronnie; O'Brien, Liam; Torriani, Martin; Bredella, Miriam A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate the association of trunk muscle density assessed by computed tomography (CT) with age, gender, and BMI and (2) to evaluate the association between trunk muscle CT density and degenerative disc and facet joint disease of the lumbar spine. The study was IRB approved and HIPAA compliant. The study group comprised 100 subjects (mean age 44.4 ± 22.2 years, 51 % male) who underwent CT of the abdomen and pelvis without intravenous contrast. Exclusion criteria included prior abdominal or spine surgery, active malignancy and scoliosis. CTs were reviewed and the attenuation of the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, psoas, multifidus, longissimus and gluteus maximus were measured bilaterally at consistent levels. Degenerative disc and bilateral facet joint disease were scored using established methods. Univariate analyses were performed using linear regression. Multivariate linear regression was performed to adjust for age, gender and BMI. CT density of each trunk muscle correlated inversely with age (p < 0.001) and BMI (p < 0.001). CT density of each trunk muscle correlated inversely with degenerative disc and facet joint disease in the univariate analyses (p < 0.001); however, only the gluteus maximus and the transverse abdominis remained significant predictors of degenerative disc and facet joint disease respectively in the multivariate analysis. Fatty infiltration of trunk musculature increases with age and BMI. Fatty infiltration of the gluteus maximus and transverse abdominis are associated with degenerative disc and facet joint disease, independent of age, gender and BMI. (orig.)

Genome-wide association study of CSF levels of 59 alzheimer's disease candidate proteins: significant associations with proteins involved in amyloid processing and inflammation.

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Kauwe, John S K; Bailey, Matthew H; Ridge, Perry G; Perry, Rachel; Wadsworth, Mark E; Hoyt, Kaitlyn L; Staley, Lyndsay A; Karch, Celeste M; Harari, Oscar; Cruchaga, Carlos; Ainscough, Benjamin J; Bales, Kelly; Pickering, Eve H; Bertelsen, Sarah; Fagan, Anne M; Holtzman, David M; Morris, John C; Goate, Alison M

2014-10-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 42 amino acid species of amyloid beta (Aβ42) and tau levels are strongly correlated with the presence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology including amyloid plaques and neurodegeneration and have been successfully used as endophenotypes for genetic studies of AD. Additional CSF analytes may also serve as useful endophenotypes that capture other aspects of AD pathophysiology. Here we have conducted a genome-wide association study of CSF levels of 59 AD-related analytes. All analytes were measured using the Rules Based Medicine Human DiscoveryMAP Panel, which includes analytes relevant to several disease-related processes. Data from two independently collected and measured datasets, the Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), were analyzed separately, and combined results were obtained using meta-analysis. We identified genetic associations with CSF levels of 5 proteins (Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4), Interleukin 6 receptor (IL6R) and Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3)) with study-wide significant p-values (pprocessing and pro-inflammatory signaling. SNPs associated with ACE, IL6R and MMP3 protein levels are located within the coding regions of the corresponding structural gene. The SNPs associated with CSF levels of CCL4 and CCL2 are located in known chemokine binding proteins. The genetic associations reported here are novel and suggest mechanisms for genetic control of CSF and plasma levels of these disease-related proteins. Significant SNPs in ACE and MMP3 also showed association with AD risk. Our findings suggest that these proteins/pathways may be valuable therapeutic targets for AD. Robust associations in cognitively normal individuals suggest that these SNPs also influence regulation of these proteins more generally and may therefore be relevant to other diseases.

Association of OCT-Derived Drusen Measurements with AMD-Associated Genotypic SNPs in the Amish Population

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Venkata Ramana Murthy Chavali

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To investigate the association of optical coherence tomography (OCT-derived drusen measures in Amish age-related macular degeneration (AMD patients with known loci for macular degeneration. Methods: Members of the Old Order Amish community in Pennsylvania ages 50 and older were assessed for drusen area, volume and regions of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE atrophy using a Cirrus High-Definition OCT. Measurements were obtained in the macula region within a central circle (CC of 3 mm in diameter and a surrounding perifoveal ring (PR of 3 to 5 mm in diameter using the Cirrus OCT RPE analysis software. Other demographic information, including age, gender and smoking status, were collected. Study subjects were further genotyped to determine their risk for the AMD-associated SNPs in the SYN3, LIPC, ARMS2, C3, CFB, CETP, CFI and CFH genes using TaqMan genotyping assays. The association of genotypes with OCT measures were assessed using linear trend p-values calculated from univariate and multivariate generalized linear models. Results: 432 eyes were included in the analysis. Multivariate analysis (adjusted by age, gender and smoking status confirmed the known significant association between AMD and macular drusen with the number of CFH risk alleles for the drusen area (the area increased 0.12 mm2 for a risk allele increase, p < 0.01, drusen volume (the volume increased 0.01 mm3 for a risk allele increase, p ≤ 0.05 and the area of RPE atrophy (the area increased 0.43 mm2 for a risk allele increase, p = 0.003. SYN3 risk allele G is significantly associated with larger area PR (the area increased 0.09 mm2 for a risk allele increase, p = 0.03 and larger drusen volume in the central circle (the volume increased 0.01 mm3 for a risk allele increase, p = 0.04. Conclusion: Among the genotyped SNPs tested, the CFH risk genotype appears to play a major role in determining the drusen phenotype in the Amish AMD population.

[Association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage].

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Loscul, C; Chantry, A-A; Caubit, L; Deneux-Tharaux, C; Goffinet, F; Le Ray, C

2016-09-01

To study the association between the duration of oxytocin augmentation intervals and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) among primiparous women in spontaneous labour. Retrospective cohort including primiparous women in spontaneous labour who received oxytocin during labour (n=454). Oxytocin augmentation intervals were dichotomized in intervalsoxytocin augmentation intervals. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes for 43.8% of the study population. The rate of PPH was higher (9.1% vs 3.5%; P=0.014), and the use of sulprostone was more frequent (6.5% vs 3.5%; P=0.013) if oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes in comparison with intervals≥20minutes. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH remains significant after adjustment on other PPH risk factors (adjusted OR=3.48, 95% CI [1.45-8.34]). The rate of adverse neonatal issue, defined by arterial pH at birth≤7.10 and/or 5minutes score d'Apgar≤7, was higher if oxytocin augmentation intervals wereoxytocin with augmentation intervals shorter than 20minutes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

The Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio at Diagnosis Is Significantly Associated with Survival in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Patients

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Matteo Piciucchi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Different inflammation-based scores such as the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR, the Odonera Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI, the Glasgow Prognostic Score, the platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio have been found to be significantly associated with pancreatic cancer (PDAC prognosis. However, most studies have investigated patients undergoing surgery, and few of them have compared these scores. We aimed at evaluating the association between inflammatory-based scores and PDAC prognosis. In a single center cohort study, inflammatory-based scores were assessed at diagnosis and their prognostic relevance as well as that of clinic-pathological variables were evaluated through multiple logistic regression and survival probability analysis. In 206 patients, age, male sex, tumor size, presence of distant metastasis, access to chemotherapy, and an NLR > 5 but not other scores were associated with overall survival (OS at multivariate analysis. Patients with an NLR < 5 had a median survival of 12 months compared to 4 months in those with an NLR > 5. In the 81 patients with distant metastasis at diagnosis, an NLR > 5 resulted in the only variable significantly associated with survival. Among patients with metastatic disease who received chemotherapy, the median survival was 3 months in patients with an NLR > 5 and 7 months in those with an NLR < 5. The NLR might drive therapeutic options in PDAC patients, especially in the setting of metastatic disease.

Significant association of periodontal disease with anti-citrullinated peptide antibody in a Japanese healthy population - The Nagahama study.

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Terao, Chikashi; Asai, Keita; Hashimoto, Motomu; Yamazaki, Toru; Ohmura, Koichiro; Yamaguchi, Akihiko; Takahashi, Katsu; Takei, Noriko; Ishii, Takanori; Kawaguchi, Takahisa; Tabara, Yasuharu; Takahashi, Meiko; Nakayama, Takeo; Kosugi, Shinji; Sekine, Akihiro; Fujii, Takao; Yamada, Ryo; Mimori, Tsuneyo; Matsuda, Fumihiko; Bessho, Kazuhisa

2015-05-01

Anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) is a highly specific autoantibody to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies have revealed that periodontal disease (PD) is closely associated with RA and production of ACPA in RA. Analyses of associations between PD and ACPA production in a healthy population may deepen our understandings. Here, we analyzed a total of 9554 adult healthy subjects. ACPA and IgM-rheumatoid factor (RF) was quantified and PD status was evaluated using the number of missing teeth (MT), the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and Loss of Attachment (LA) for these subjects. PD status was analyzed for its association with the positivity and categorical levels of ACPA and RF conditioned for covariates which were shown to be associated with PD, ACPA or RF. As a result, all of MT, CPI and LA showed suggestive or significant associations with positivity (p = 0.024, 0.0042 and 0.037, respectively) and levels of ACPA (p ≤ 0.00031), but none of the PD parameters were associated with those of RF. These association patterns were also observed when we analyzed 6206 non-smokers of the participants. The significant associations between PD parameters and positivity and levels of ACPA in healthy population support the fundamental involvement of PD with ACPA production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visceral adiposity index is associated with significant fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Petta, S; Amato, M C; Di Marco, V; Cammà, C; Pizzolanti, G; Barcellona, M R; Cabibi, D; Galluzzo, A; Sinagra, D; Giordano, C; Craxì, A

2012-01-01

Metabolic factors have been associated with liver damage in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To test a new marker of adipose dysfunction, the visceral adiposity index (VAI), in NAFLD patients to assess whether or not it is associated with host factors, and to investigate a potential correlation with histological findings. One hundred and forty-two consecutive NAFLD patients were evaluated by liver biopsy, and clinical and metabolic measurements, including insulin resistance with the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), and VAI by using waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides and HDL. Serum levels of TNFα, IL-6, adiponectin and leptin were also assessed. All biopsies were scored for NAFLD activity score (NAS) and its components, and for staging (Kleiner). By multiple linear regression analysis, VAI was independently associated with higher HOMA (P = 0.04), and fibrosis (P = 0.04). In addition, an independent association was found between higher VAI and lower adiponectin levels (P = 0.002). Higher HOMA (OR 1.149, 95% CI 1.003-1.316, P = 0.04), higher VAI (OR 1.446, 95% CI 1.023-2.043, P = 0.03), lobular inflammation (OR 3.777, 95% CI 1.771-8.051, P = 0.001), and ballooning (OR 2.884, 95% CI 1.231-6.757, P = 0.01) were correlated with significant fibrosis (F2-F4) on multiple logistic regression analysis. In particular, the prevalence of significant fibrosis progressively increased from patients with a VAI ≤ 2.1 and HOMA ≤ 3.4 (26%) to those with a VAI > 2.1 and HOMA > 3.4 (83%). In NAFLD patients, visceral adiposity index is an expression of both qualitative and quantitative adipose tissue dysfunction and, together with insulin resistance, is independently correlated with significant fibrosis. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Sleep Duration and Breast Cancer Phenotype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khawaja, A.; Rao, S.

2013-01-01

Emerging evidence suggests that short sleep is associated with an increased risk of cancer; however, little has been done to study the role of sleep on tumor characteristics. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and tumor phenotype in 972 breast cancer patients. Sleep duration was inversely associated with tumor grade (univariate P= 0.032), particularly in postmenopausal women (univariate P= 0.018). This association did not reach statistical significance after adjustments for age, race, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy use, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity in the entire study sample (P= 0.052), but it remained statistically significant (P= 0.049) among post-menopausal patients. We did not observe a statistically significant association between sleep duration and stage at diagnosis, ER, or HER2 receptor status. These results present a modest association between short duration of sleep and higher grade breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Further work needs to be done to validate these findings.

Associated Variables of Myositis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cross-Sectional Study.

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Liang, Yan; Leng, Rui-Xue; Pan, Hai-Feng; Ye, Dong-Qing

2017-05-26

BACKGROUND This study aimed to estimate the point prevalence of myositis and identify associated variables of myositis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). MATERIAL AND METHODS Clinical date of patients hospitalized with lupus at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University and Anhui Provincial Hospital were collected. Patients were defined as having myositis if they reported the presence of persistent invalidating muscular weakness combined with increased levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and abnormal electromyography (EMG). RESULTS The study sample comprised 1701 lupus patients, of which 44 had myositis. Patients with SLE-associated myositis are more likely to have skin rash, alopecia, pericarditis, vasculitis, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, anti-dsDNA, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, low C3, low C4, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high D-dimer, and active disease. Multivariate logistic regression found positive associations between leukopenia, alopecia, and active disease with myositis. Negative associations between myositis with the use of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs were revealed in univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS The point prevalence of myositis was 2.6% in SLE patients. The significant association of alopecia, leukopenia, and active disease with myositis suggests that organ damage, hematological abnormality, and high disease activity promote the progression of myositis in lupus patients.

Decreased Visual Function Scores on a Low Luminance Questionnaire Is Associated with Impaired Dark Adaptation.

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Yazdanie, Mohammad; Alvarez, Jason; Agrón, Elvira; Wong, Wai T; Wiley, Henry E; Ferris, Frederick L; Chew, Emily Y; Cukras, Catherine

2017-09-01

We investigate whether responses on a Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) in patients with a range of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) severity are associated with their performance on focal dark adaptation (DA) testing and with choroidal thickness. Cross-sectional, single-center, observational study. A total of 113 participants older than 50 years of age with a range of AMD severity. Participants answered the LLQ on the same day they underwent DA testing using a focal dark adaptometer measuring rod intercept time (RIT). We performed univariable and multivariable analyses of the LLQ scores and age, RIT, AMD severity, subfoveal choroidal thickness [SFCT], phakic status, and best-corrected visual acuity. The primary outcome of this study was the score on the 32-question LLQ. Each item in the LLQ is designated to 1 of 6 subscales describing functional problems in low luminance: driving, emotional distress, mobility, extreme lighting, peripheral vision, and general dim lighting. Scores were computed for each subscale, in addition to a weighted total mean score. Responses from 113 participants (mean age, 76.2±9.3 years; 58.4% were female) and 113 study eyes were analyzed. Univariable analysis demonstrated that lower scores on all LLQ subscales were correlated with prolonged DA testing (longer RIT) and decreased choroidal thickness. All associations were statistically significant except for the association of choroidal thickness and "peripheral vision." The strongest association was the LLQ subscale of driving with RIT (r =-0.97, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis for each of the LLQ subscale outcomes, adjusted for age, included RIT, with total LLQ score, "driving," "extreme lighting," and "mobility" also including choroidal thickness. In all multivariable analyses, RIT had a stronger association than choroidal thickness. This cross-sectional analysis demonstrates associations of patient-reported functional deficits, as assessed on the LLQ, with both reduced DA and

Analysis of association of clinical aspects and IL1B tagSNPs with severe preeclampsia.

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Leme Galvão, Larissa Paes; Menezes, Filipe Emanuel; Mendonca, Caio; Barreto, Ikaro; Alvim-Pereira, Claudia; Alvim-Pereira, Fabiano; Gurgel, Ricardo

2016-01-01

This study investigates the association between IL1B genotypes using a tag SNP (single polymorphism) approach, maternal and environmental factors in Brazilian women with severe preeclampsia. A case-control study with a total of 456 patients (169 preeclamptic women and 287 controls) was conducted in the two reference maternity hospitals of Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil. A questionnaire was administered and DNA was extracted to genotype the population for four tag SNPs of the IL1Beta: rs 1143643, rs 1143633, rs 1143634 and rs 1143630. Haplotype association analysis and p-values were calculated using the THESIAS test. Odds ratio (OR) estimation, confidence interval (CI) and multivariate logistic regression were performed. High pregestational body mass index (pre-BMI), first gestation, cesarean section, more than six medical visits, low level of consciousness on admission and TC and TT genotype in rs1143630 of IL1Beta showed association with the preeclamptic group in univariate analysis. After multivariate logistic regression pre-BMI, first gestation and low level of consciousness on admission remained associated. We identified an association between clinical variables and preeclampsia. Univariate analysis suggested that inflammatory process-related genes, such as IL1B, may be involved and should be targeted in further studies. The identification of the genetic background involved in preeclampsia host response modulation is mandatory in order to understand the preeclampsia process.

Prognostic significance of contrast-enhanced CT attenuation value in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

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Asayama, Yoshiki [Kyushu University, Department of Advanced Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan); Nishie, Akihiro; Ishigami, Kousei; Ushijima, Yasuhiro; Takayama, Yukihisa; Okamoto, Daisuke; Fujita, Nobuhiro; Honda, Hiroshi [Kyushu University, Departments of Clinical Radiology, Fukuoka (Japan); Ohtsuka, Takao [Kyushu University, Departments of Surgery and Oncology, Fukuoka (Japan); Yoshizumi, Tomoharu [Kyushu University, Departments of Surgery and Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan); Aishima, Shinichi [Saga University, Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga (Japan); Kyushu University, Departments of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan); Oda, Yoshinao [Kyushu University, Departments of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan)

2017-06-15

To determine whether washout characteristics of dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) could predict survival in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHC). This study collected 46 resected cases. All cases were examined by dynamic contrast study on multidetector-row CT. Region-of-interest measurements were obtained at the non-enhanced, portal venous phase and delayed phase in the tumour and were used to calculate the washout ratio as follows: [(attenuation value at portal venous phase CT - attenuation value at delayed enhanced CT)/(attenuation value at portal venous phase CT - attenuation value at unenhanced CT)] x 100. On the basis of the median washout ratio, we classified the cases into two groups, a high-washout group and low-washout group. Associations between overall survival and various factors including washout rates were analysed. The median washout ratio was 29.4 %. Univariate analysis revealed that a lower washout ratio, venous invasion, lymphatic permeation and lymph node metastasis were associated with shorter survival. Multivariate analysis identified the lower washout ratio as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 3.768; p value, 0.027). The washout ratio obtained from the contrast-enhanced CT may be a useful imaging biomarker for the prediction of survival of patients with EHC. (orig.)

Prognostic significance of mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake in PET/CT in advanced ovarian cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bats, Anne-Sophie; Lecuru, Fabrice [Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculte de Medecine, Paris (France); Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Chirurgie Gynecologique et Cancerologique, Paris (France); Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, INSERM UMR-S 747, Paris (France); Hugonnet, Florent; Faraggi, Marc [Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculte de Medecine, Paris (France); Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, Paris (France); Huchon, Cyrille [Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculte de Medecine, Paris (France); Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Chirurgie Gynecologique et Cancerologique, Paris (France); Bensaid, Cherazade [Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Chirurgie Gynecologique et Cancerologique, Paris (France); Pierquet-Ghazzar, Nadia [Hopital Europeen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, Paris (France)

2012-03-15

To evaluate the prognostic significance of increased mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake in PET/CT for the staging of advanced ovarian cancer. We retrospectively evaluated patients managed for FIGO stage III/IV ovarian cancer between 1 January 2006 and 1 June 2009. Patients were included if they had undergone {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and surgery for initial staging. Exclusion criteria were age younger than 18 years, inability to undergo general anaesthesia, recurrent ovarian cancer, and borderline or nonepithelial malignancy. Whole-body PET/CT was performed after intravenous {sup 18}F-FDG injection. The location of abnormal hot spots and {sup 18}F-FDG maximal standard uptake values (SUV{sub max}) were recorded. We compared the complete cytoreduction and survival rates in groups defined based on mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake and SUV{sub max} values. Kaplan-Meier curves of overall survival and disease-free survival were compared using the log-rank test. Hazard ratios with their 95% confidence intervals were computed. Adjusted hazard ratios were obtained using a multivariate Cox model. We included 53 patients, of whom 17 (32%) had increased mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake. Complete cytoreduction was achieved in 14 (87.5%) of the 16 patients managed with primary surgery and in 21 (75%) of the 28 patients managed with interval surgery. Complete cytoreduction was achieved significantly more often among patients without increased mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake (80.6% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.001). Disease-free survival was comparable between the two groups. By univariate analysis, overall mortality was significantly higher among patients with increased mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake (hazard ratio 5.70, 95% confidence interval 1.74-18.6). The only factor significantly associated with overall survival by multivariate analysis was complete cytoreduction (adjusted hazard ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.89). Increased mediastinal {sup 18}F-FDG uptake was common in patients

The association of neuropsychiatric symptoms and environment with quality of life in assisted living residents with dementia.

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Samus, Quincy M; Rosenblatt, Adam; Steele, Cynthia; Baker, Alva; Harper, Michael; Brandt, Jason; Mayer, Lawrence; Rabins, Peter V; Lyketsos, Constantine G

2005-10-01

We conducted this study to determine whether neuropsychiatric symptoms and environmental characteristics are associated with quality of life in assisted living residents with dementia. We used a cross-sectional study of 134 residents from 22 facilities and employed the Alzheimer's Disease-Related Quality of Life Scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. A scale was developed to capture the homelike climate of each facility. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship of neuropsychiatric symptoms and homelike climate with quality of life, controlling for sociodemographics, cognition, functional dependence, and physical health. Exploratory analyses and graphical techniques were employed to test for environmental-level moderating effects. Agitation, depression, apathy, and irritability were significant predictors of quality of life, explaining 29% of the variance. Neither facility size nor homelike environment was significantly associated with quality of life in univariate analyses. Size of facility moderated the relationship between agitation and quality of life. Neuropsychiatric symptoms impair quality of life in residents with dementia. Further research should investigate the role of other environmental aspects.

[Retrospective statistical analysis of clinical factors of recurrence in chronic subdural hematoma: correlation between univariate and multivariate analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Takayama, Motoharu; Terui, Keita; Oiwa, Yoshitsugu

2012-10-01

Chronic subdural hematoma is common in elderly individuals and surgical procedures are simple. The recurrence rate of chronic subdural hematoma, however, varies from 9.2 to 26.5% after surgery. The authors studied factors of the recurrence using univariate and multivariate analyses in patients with chronic subdural hematoma We retrospectively reviewed 239 consecutive cases of chronic subdural hematoma who received burr-hole surgery with irrigation and closed-system drainage. We analyzed the relationships between recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma and factors such as sex, age, laterality, bleeding tendency, other complicated diseases, density on CT, volume of the hematoma, residual air in the hematoma cavity, use of artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Twenty-one patients (8.8%) experienced a recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma. Multiple logistic regression found that the recurrence rate was higher in patients with a large volume of the residual air, and was lower in patients using artificial cerebrospinal fluid. No statistical differences were found in bleeding tendency. Techniques to reduce the air in the hematoma cavity are important for good outcome in surgery of chronic subdural hematoma. Also, the use of artificial cerebrospinal fluid reduces recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma. The surgical procedures can be the same for patients with bleeding tendencies.

Association of homocysteine and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) gene polymorphism with coronary artery disease (CAD) in the population of North India

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2010-01-01

The implications of the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and the level of homocysteine in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) have been extensively studied in various ethnic groups. Our aim was to discover the association of MTHFR (C677T) polymorphism and homocysteine level with CAD in north Indian subjects. The study group consisted of 329 angiographically proven CAD patients, and 331 age and sex matched healthy individuals as controls. MTHFR (C677T) gene polymorphism was detected based on the polymerase chain reaction and restriction digestion with HinfI. Total homocysteine plasma concentration was measured using immunoassay. T allele frequency was found to be significantly higher in patients than in the control group. We found significantly elevated levels of mean homocysteine in the patient group when compared to the control group (p = 0.00). Traditional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking habits, a positive family history and lipid profiles (triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol), were found significantly associated through univariate analysis. Furthermore, multivariable logistics regression analysis revealed that CAD is significantly and variably associated with diabetes, hypertension, smoking, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. Our findings showed that MTHFR C677T polymorphism and homocysteine levels were associated with coronary artery disease in the selected population. PMID:21637473

Genome-wide association study identifies TF as a significant modifier gene of iron metabolism in HFE hemochromatosis.

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de Tayrac, Marie; Roth, Marie-Paule; Jouanolle, Anne-Marie; Coppin, Hélène; le Gac, Gérald; Piperno, Alberto; Férec, Claude; Pelucchi, Sara; Scotet, Virginie; Bardou-Jacquet, Edouard; Ropert, Martine; Bouvet, Régis; Génin, Emmanuelle; Mosser, Jean; Deugnier, Yves

2015-03-01

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is the most common form of genetic iron loading disease. It is mainly related to the homozygous C282Y/C282Y mutation in the HFE gene that is, however, a necessary but not a sufficient condition to develop clinical and even biochemical HH. This suggests that modifier genes are likely involved in the expressivity of the disease. Our aim was to identify such modifier genes. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using DNA collected from 474 unrelated C282Y homozygotes. Associations were examined for both quantitative iron burden indices and clinical outcomes with 534,213 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotypes, with replication analyses in an independent sample of 748 C282Y homozygotes from four different European centres. One SNP met genome-wide statistical significance for association with transferrin concentration (rs3811647, GWAS p value of 7×10(-9) and replication p value of 5×10(-13)). This SNP, located within intron 11 of the TF gene, had a pleiotropic effect on serum iron (GWAS p value of 4.9×10(-6) and replication p value of 3.2×10(-6)). Both serum transferrin and iron levels were associated with serum ferritin levels, amount of iron removed and global clinical stage (pHFE-associated HH (HFE-HH) patients, identified the rs3811647 polymorphism in the TF gene as the only SNP significantly associated with iron metabolism through serum transferrin and iron levels. Because these two outcomes were clearly associated with the biochemical and clinical expression of the disease, an indirect link between the rs3811647 polymorphism and the phenotypic presentation of HFE-HH is likely. Copyright © 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A higher score on the Aging Males' Symptoms scale is associated with insulin resistance in middle-aged men.

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Hamanoue, Nobuya; Tanabe, Makito; Tanaka, Tomoko; Akehi, Yuko; Murakami, Junji; Nomiyama, Takashi; Yanase, Toshihiko

2017-05-30

An age-associated androgen decrease and its pathological conditions are defined as late-onset hypogonadism (LOH). Among the various symptoms associated with LOH, a visceral fat increase is strongly associated with relatively low levels of testosterone. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scores and metabolic abnormalities. Thus, we aimed to clarify this relationship by investigating the relationship between AMS scores and various markers in blood. During routine health examinations in 241 middle-aged males (52.7±7.5 years of age, mean±SD), 150 males (62.2%) displayed higher AMS values than normal. No statistical association was observed between total AMS scores and any testosterone value. All mental, physical and sexual AMS subscales were significantly positively correlated with insulin levels and HOMA-IR. Only sexual subscale scores were significantly inversely associated with free or bioavailable testosterone level. Males with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR≥2.5) demonstrated significantly higher AMS scores than those with normal insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IRinsulin and HOMA-IR values. Interestingly, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that HOMA-IR≥2.5 was a significant predictor for detection of moderately severe AMS values (AMS≥37), whereas AMS≥37 was not a predictor of metabolic syndrome by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criterion. In conclusion, almost 60% of healthy male subjects displayed abnormal AMS scores. AMS values were not associated with testosterone values but rather were related to insulin resistance, particularly in subjects with moderately severe AMS values. Insulin resistance-related general unwellness might be reflected by AMS values.

Retinal vascular calibres are significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

von Hanno, T.; Bertelsen, G.; Sjølie, Anne K.

2014-01-01

. Association between retinal vessel calibre and the cardiovascular risk factors was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: Retinal arteriolar calibre was independently associated with age, blood pressure, HbA1c and smoking in women and men, and with HDL cholesterol in men......Purpose: To describe the association between retinal vascular calibres and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: Population-based cross-sectional study including 6353 participants of the TromsO Eye Study in Norway aged 38-87years. Retinal arteriolar calibre (central retinal artery equivalent...... cardiovascular risk factors were independently associated with retinal vascular calibre, with stronger effect of HDL cholesterol and BMI in men than in women. Blood pressure and smoking contributed most to the explained variance....

The measure and significance of Bateman's principles.

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Collet, Julie M; Dean, Rebecca F; Worley, Kirsty; Richardson, David S; Pizzari, Tommaso

2014-05-07

Bateman's principles explain sex roles and sexual dimorphism through sex-specific variance in mating success, reproductive success and their relationships within sexes (Bateman gradients). Empirical tests of these principles, however, have come under intense scrutiny. Here, we experimentally show that in replicate groups of red junglefowl, Gallus gallus, mating and reproductive successes were more variable in males than in females, resulting in a steeper male Bateman gradient, consistent with Bateman's principles. However, we use novel quantitative techniques to reveal that current methods typically overestimate Bateman's principles because they (i) infer mating success indirectly from offspring parentage, and thus miss matings that fail to result in fertilization, and (ii) measure Bateman gradients through the univariate regression of reproductive over mating success, without considering the substantial influence of other components of male reproductive success, namely female fecundity and paternity share. We also find a significant female Bateman gradient but show that this likely emerges as spurious consequences of male preference for fecund females, emphasizing the need for experimental approaches to establish the causal relationship between reproductive and mating success. While providing qualitative support for Bateman's principles, our study demonstrates how current approaches can generate a misleading view of sex differences and roles.

Prognostic significance of standardized uptake value on preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hye Jin; Kang, Chang Moo; Lee, Woo Jung; Jo, Kwanhyeong; Lee, Jong Doo; Lee, Jae-Hoon; Ryu, Young Hoon

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) after curative surgical resection. Fifty-two patients with AAC who had undergone 18 F-FDG PET/CT and subsequent curative resections were retrospectively enrolled. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) and tumor to background ratio (TBR) were measured on 18 F-FDG PET/CT in all patients. The prognostic significances of PET/CT parameters and clinicopathologic factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Of the 52 patients, 19 (36.5 %) experienced tumor recurrence during the follow-up period and 18 (35.8 %) died. The 3-year RFS and OS were 62.3 and 61.5 %, respectively. Preoperative CA19-9 level, tumor differentiation, presence of lymph node metastasis, SUV max , and TBR were significant prognostic factors for both RFS and OS (p < 0.05) on univariate analyses, and patient age showed significance only for predicting RFS (p < 0.05). On multivariate analyses, SUV max and TBR were independent prognostic factors for RFS, and tumor differentiation, SUV max , and TBR were independent prognostic factors for OS. SUV max and TBR on preoperative 18 F-FDG PET/CT are independent prognostic factors for predicting RFS and OS in patients with AAC; patients with high SUV max (>4.80) or TBR (>1.75) had poor survival outcomes. The role of and indications for adjuvant therapy after curative resection of AAC are still unclear. 18 F-FDG uptake in the primary tumor could provide additive prognostic information for the decision-making process regarding adjuvant therapy. (orig.)

Study on risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy among the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in South India

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Senthilvel Vasudevan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available AIM:To find the severities status of diabetic retinopathy(DRamong the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to determine the association of the severities of diabetic retinopathy with duration of DR, HbA1C levels, history of hypertension, age and gender in the study population.METHODS:Hospital based cross-sectional studies with sample of 100 patients with DR were selected by using simple random sampling technique with a structured questionnaire was conducted in May to June 2012. The study participants those who with DR aged ≥35 years were included in this study and an oral consent was also collected from the study participants. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis were performed. MS Excel spread sheet was used for data entry and data analysis was done by using SPSS 21.0 version. Statistical significance was taken as PRESULTS:Out of 100 patients, mean age of the patient was found as 53.16±10.81(range 35-78y. By univariate analysis, there was a positive relationship between diabetic retinopathy severity and age(PPPPP>0.05 by Mann Whitney u-test. All these factors were found as independent risk factors with the severity of DR except the factor age.CONCLUSION:This study was concluded that the duration of DM, HbA1C levels, family history of DM, History of hypertension and gender were independently associated with severity of DR. However, the factors like age and HDL weren't significant with severity of DR in multivariate analysis. Therefore, by using the availability of the existing treatments and controlling in time, which can prevent and free from the vision threatening diseases or delay the occurrence of DR in their life.

COMT Val158Met polymorphism is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and functional outcome following mild traumatic brain injury.

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Winkler, Ethan A; Yue, John K; Ferguson, Adam R; Temkin, Nancy R; Stein, Murray B; Barber, Jason; Yuh, Esther L; Sharma, Sourabh; Satris, Gabriela G; McAllister, Thomas W; Rosand, Jonathan; Sorani, Marco D; Lingsma, Hester F; Tarapore, Phiroz E; Burchard, Esteban G; Hu, Donglei; Eng, Celeste; Wang, Kevin K W; Mukherjee, Pratik; Okonkwo, David O; Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon; Manley, Geoffrey T

2017-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) results in variable clinical trajectories and outcomes. The source of variability remains unclear, but may involve genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A SNP in catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) is suggested to influence development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but its role in TBI remains unclear. Here, we utilize the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot (TRACK-TBI Pilot) study to investigate whether the COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism is associated with PTSD and global functional outcome as measured by the PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version and Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE), respectively. Results in 93 predominately Caucasian subjects with mTBI show that the COMT Met 158 allele is associated with lower incidence of PTSD (univariate odds ratio (OR) of 0.25, 95% CI [0.09-0.69]) and higher GOSE scores (univariate OR 2.87, 95% CI [1.20-6.86]) 6-months following injury. The COMT Val 158 Met genotype and PTSD association persists after controlling for race (multivariable OR of 0.29, 95% CI [0.10-0.83]) and pre-existing psychiatric disorders/substance abuse (multivariable OR of 0.32, 95% CI [0.11-0.97]). PTSD emerged as a strong predictor of poorer outcome on GOSE (multivariable OR 0.09, 95% CI [0.03-0.26]), which persists after controlling for age, GCS, and race. When accounting for PTSD in multivariable analysis, the association of COMT genotype and GOSE did not remain significant (multivariable OR 1.73, 95% CI [0.69-4.35]). Whether COMT genotype indirectly influences global functional outcome through PTSD remains to be determined and larger studies in more diverse populations are needed to confirm these findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modifiable Lifestyle Behaviors Are Associated With Metabolic Syndrome in a Taiwanese Population.

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Lin, Kuei-Man; Chiou, Jeng-Yuan; Ko, Shu-Hua; Tan, Jung-Ying; Huang, Chien-Ning; Liao, Wen-Chun

2015-11-01

To explore associations between metabolic syndrome and modifiable lifestyle behaviors among the adult population in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a nationally representative sample that participated in the 2005-2008 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan. The sample (2,337 participants older than 19 years) provided data on demographic characteristics, modifiable lifestyle behaviors, anthropometric measurements, and blood chemistry panel. These data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, univariate logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression to determine factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome had a prevalence of 25.2%, and this prevalence increased with age. In univariate regression analysis, metabolic syndrome was associated with age, living with family members, educational level, and modifiable lifestyle behaviors (smoking, drinking, betel quid chewing, and physical activity). Individuals with a smoking history and currently chewing betel quid had the highest risk for metabolic syndrome. The risk for metabolic syndrome might be reduced by public health campaigns to encourage people to quit smoking cigarettes and chewing betel quid. Implementing more modifiable lifestyle behaviors in daily life will decrease metabolic syndrome in Taiwan. Considering that betel quid chewing and tobacco smoking interact to adversely affect metabolic syndrome risk, public health campaigns against both behaviors seem to be a cost-effective and efficient health promotion strategy to reduce the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Prognostic significance of an early decline in serum alpha-fetoprotein during chemotherapy for ovarian yolk sac tumors.

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de la Motte Rouge, Thibault; Pautier, Patricia; Genestie, Catherine; Rey, Annie; Gouy, Sébastien; Leary, Alexandra; Haie-Meder, Christine; Kerbrat, Pierre; Culine, Stéphane; Fizazi, Karim; Lhommé, Catherine

2016-09-01

The ovarian yolk sac tumor (OYST) is a very rare malignancy arising in young women. Our objective was to determine whether an early decline in serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) during chemotherapy has a prognostic impact. This retrospective study is based on prospectively recorded OYST cases at Gustave Roussy (Cancer Treatment Center). Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The serum AFP decline was calculated with the formula previously developed and validated in male patients with poor prognosis non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the log-rank test and logistic regression, respectively. Data on AFP were available to calculate an early AFP decline in 57 patients. All patients had undergone surgery followed by chemotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were 86% (95% CI: 74%-93%) and 84% (95% CI: 73%-91%), respectively. The disease stage, presence of ascites at presentation, use of the BEP regimen, serum AFP half-life and an early AFP decline were significantly predictive factors for OS and EFS in the univariate analysis. The OS rate was 100% and 49% (95% CI: 26%-72%) in patients with a favorable AFP decline and in those with an unfavorable decline, respectively (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, only the presence of ascites at diagnosis (RR=7.3, p=0.03) and an unfavorable early AFP decline (RR=16.9, p<0.01) were significant negative predictive factors for OS. An early AFP decline during chemotherapy is an independent prognostic factor in patients with OYSTs. No conflict of interest. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Clinical Significance of ErbB Receptor Family in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Yuh-Shyan Tsai

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The prognostic importance of examining ErbB receptor family expression in human bladder cancer remains uncertain. Using published evidence, we examined the clinical value and the updated results of clinical trials targeting ErbB receptor family members. Twenty-seven articles from 65 references related to ErbB receptor expression assessment in bladder cancer were reviewed. The estimates included the association significance, hazard ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs from actuarial curves and survival analyses. A meta-analysis was done on those reports using univariate log-rank tests or a Cox-regression model. The methods of analysis and study subjects chosen varied widely among studies. The overall risks of disease progression for patients with EGFR or ErbB2 overexpression were 4.5 (95% CI: 2.5–8.4 and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.6–1.9, and the risks of mortality were 3.0 (95% CI: 1.6–5.9 and 1.1 (95% CI: 1.0–1.2, respectively. However, the significance of coexpression patterns of the ErbB receptor family remains controversial. None of six clinical trials yielded convincing results for blockading ErbB receptor signaling in urothelial carcinoma. The results of this analysis suggest that assessing co-expression patterns of the ErbB family may provide better prognostic information for bladder cancer patients.

Acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenoses associated with endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism.

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Patanè, Salvatore; Marte, Filippo; Sturiale, Mauro

2012-04-05

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is an increasingly recognized entity that is defined as a normal serum free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine levels with a thyroid-stimulating hormone level suppressed below the normal range and usually undetectable. It has been reported that subclinical hyperthyroidism is not associated with coronary heart disease or mortality from cardiovascular causes but it is sufficient to induce arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Nowadays, there is growing interest regarding endogenous sublinical hyperthyroidism and the cardiovascular system. We present a case of acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenoses in a 75-year-old Italian woman with endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. Also this case focuses attention on the importance of a correct evaluation of endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The clinical significance of thymidylate synthase expression in human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Hisayuki; Yui, Takehiro; Okada, Tatsuyoshi; Urano, Makoto; Sakurai, Kazuo; Naito, Kensei; Yamamoto, Naoki

2012-01-01

The focus of human papilloma virus (HPV), particulary HPV 16 is on the role of carcinogenic and prognostic factors on oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma (OSCC). However, it remains unclear why patients with HPV-positive tumors have better outcomes than those with HPV-negative tumors. Thymidylate synthase (TS) is one of the initial key enzymes in the 5-fluouracil (5-FU) metabolic pathway. Clinical studies showed that intratumoural TS level was related to the response to 5-FU-based chemotherapy in patients with several types of cancer such as gastroenterological and head and neck cancers. We investigated the prevalence of HPV infection and TS expression in the patients with OSCC and evaluated the prognostic implications according to the HPV status and TS expression. We evaluated for high-risk HPV types (HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 51, 52, 58) using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay on archival biopsies from 54 patients with OSCC. Immunohistochemical assessments for TS were also performed. HPV was positive in 22 (40.7%) of 54 samples. Of these positive cases, 21 (95%) carried HPV 16 and only 1 (5%) HPV58 sequences. TS was overexpressed in 25 (46.3%) of 54 samples. Of these, 19 (76.0%) had an HPV-negative status and 21 (84.0%) were heavy smokers. TS overexpression was associated with the patients with HPV-negative tumors (P=0.02) and heavy smokers (p=0.012). Univariate analysis revealed that HPV positive status (77.3% vs. 29.0%; p=0.006) significantly improved overall survival. Conversely, no remarkable prognostic difference was observed on immunohistochemical analysis of TS expression. A multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model showed that early T stage (T1-2), early N stage (N0-1), and positive HPV status were significantly independent predictors for superior overall survival. Our studies suggested that positive HPV status was most strongly associated with a favorable prognosis in the patients with OSCC. TS expression has an unusual aspect

Clinically significant fatigue: prevalence and associated factors in an international sample of adults with multiple sclerosis recruited via the internet.

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Tracey J Weiland

Full Text Available Fatigue contributes a significant burden of disease for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS. Modifiable lifestyle factors have been recognized as having a role in a range of morbidity outcomes in PwMS. There is significant potential to prevent and treat fatigue in PwMS by addressing modifiable risk factors.To explore the associations between clinically significant fatigue and demographic factors, clinical factors (health-related quality of life, disability and relapse rate and modifiable lifestyle, disease-modifying drugs (DMD and supplement use in a large international sample of PwMS.PwMS were recruited to the study via Web 2.0 platforms and completed a comprehensive survey measuring demographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics, including health-related quality of life, disability, and relapse rate.Of 2469 participants with confirmed MS, 2138 (86.6% completed a validated measure of clinically significant fatigue, the Fatigue Severity Scale. Participants were predominantly female from English speaking countries, with relatively high levels of education, and due to recruitment methods may have been highly pro-active about engaging in lifestyle management and self-help. Approximately two thirds of our sample (1402/2138; 65.6% (95% CI 63.7-67.7 screened positive for clinically significant fatigue. Bivariate associations were present between clinically significant fatigue and several demographic, clinical, lifestyle, and medication variables. After controlling for level of disability and a range of stable socio-demographic variables, we found increased odds of fatigue associated with obesity, DMD use, poor diet, and reduced odds of fatigue with exercise, fish consumption, moderate alcohol use, and supplementation with vitamin D and flaxseed oil.This study supports strong and significant associations between clinically significant fatigue and modifiable lifestyle factors. Longitudinal follow-up of this sample may help clarify the contribution

Mouse and human genetic analyses associate kalirin with ventral striatal activation during impulsivity and with alcohol misuse

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Yolanda ePeña-Oliver

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Impulsivity is associated with a spectrum of psychiatric disorders including drug addiction. To investigate genetic associations with impulsivity and initiation of drug taking, we took a two-step approach. First, we identified genes whose expression level in prefrontal cortex, striatum and accumbens were associated with impulsive behaviour in the 5-choice serial reaction time task across 10 BXD recombinant inbred (BXD RI mouse strains and their progenitor C57BL/6J and DBA2/J strains. Behavioural data were correlated with regional gene expression using GeneNetwork (www.genenetwork.org, to identify 44 genes whose probability of association with impulsivity exceeded a false discovery rate of <0.05. We then interrogated the IMAGEN database of 1423 adolescents for potential associations of SNPs in human homologues of those genes identified in the mouse study, with brain activation during impulsive performance in the Monetary Incentive Delay task, and with novelty seeking scores from the Temperament and Character Inventory, as well as alcohol-experience. There was a significant overall association between the human homologues of impulsivity-related genes and percentage of premature responses in the MID task and with fMRI BOLD-response in ventral striatum (VS during reward anticipation. In contrast, no significant association was found between the polygenic scores and anterior cingulate cortex activation. Univariate association analyses revealed that the G allele (major of the intronic SNP rs6438839 in the KALRN gene was significantly associated with increased VS activation. Additionally, the A-allele (minor of KALRN intronic SNP rs4634050, belonging to the same haplotype block, was associated with increased frequency of binge drinking.

Factors associated with thromboembolic events following cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

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Rottenstreich, Amihai; Kalish, Yosef; Kleinstern, Geffen; Yaacov, Almog Ben; Dux, Joseph; Nissan, Aviram

2017-12-01

We investigated the risk factors, incidence, and role of thromboprophylaxis in the development of thrombosis following cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC). We reviewed data of patients with CRS/HIPEC in three hospitals. Overall, 192 patients underwent CRS/HIPEC during 2007-2016. Mechanical (thigh-length pneumatic compression stockings) and pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis (40 mg enoxaparin daily, starting 12 h before surgery until discharge) was provided for all patients; and 116 (60.4%) also received an extended course of enoxaparin for 2-4 weeks after discharge. Twenty-six patients experienced thrombotic complications (13.5%) including portal-splenic-mesenteric venous thrombosis (n = 11, 5.7%), pulmonary embolism (n = 10, 5.2%), and deep vein thrombosis (n = 5, 2.6%); most (n = 21, 80.8%) occurred after hospital discharge. Univariate analysis identified Peritoneal Cancer Index, intraoperative transfusion requirement, operative blood loss, operative time, lengths of hospital, and intensive care unit stay, and lack of administration of anticoagulation at discharge as significantly associated with thrombosis. With multivariate analysis, only the lack of anticoagulation therapy at discharge remained significantly associated with thrombosis (P = 0.0001). Thromboembolic complications are common following CRS/HIPEC. As significantly lower rates of thrombosis were found in patients who received an extended course of anticoagulation, we support its use for at least 2 weeks after discharge. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A functionally significant polymorphism in ID3 is associated with human coronary pathology.

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Ani Manichaikul

Full Text Available We previously identified association between the ID3 SNP rs11574 and carotid intima-media thickness in the Diabetes Heart Study, a predominantly White diabetic population. The nonsynonymous SNP rs11574 results in an amino acid substitution in the C-terminal region of ID3, attenuating the dominant negative function of ID3 as an inhibitor of basic HLH factor E12-mediated transcription. In the current investigation, we characterize the association between the functionally significant polymorphism in ID3, rs11574, with human coronary pathology.The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA is a longitudinal study of subclinical cardiovascular disease, including non-Hispanic White (n = 2,588, African American (n = 2,560 and Hispanic (n = 2,130 participants with data on coronary artery calcium (CAC. The Coronary Assessment in Virginia cohort (CAVA included 71 patients aged 30-80 years, undergoing a medically necessary cardiac catheterization and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS at the University of Virginia. ID3 SNP rs11574 risk allele was associated with the presence of CAC in MESA Whites (P = 0.017. In addition, the risk allele was associated with greater atheroma burden and stenosis in the CAVA cohort (P = 0.003, P = 0.04 respectively. The risk allele remained predictive of atheroma burden in multivariate analysis (Model 1: covariates age, gender, and LDL, regression coefficient = 9.578, SE = 3.657, p = 0.0110; Model 2: covariates Model 1, presence of hypertension, presence of diabetes, regression coefficient = 8.389, SE = 4.788, p = 0.0163.We present additional cohorts that demonstrate association of ID3 SNP rs11574 directly with human coronary artery pathology as measured by CAC and IVUS: one a multiethnic, relatively healthy population with low levels of diabetes and the second a predominantly White population with a higher incidence of T2DM referred for cardiac catheterization.

Socioeconomic Status Is Significantly Associated with the Dietary Intakes of Folate and Depression Scales in Japanese Workers (J-HOPE Study

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Takuro Shimbo

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The association of socioeconomic status (SES with nutrient intake attracts public attention worldwide. In the current study, we examined the associations of SES with dietary intake of folate and health outcomes in general Japanese workers. This Japanese occupational cohort consisted off 2266 workers. SES was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Intakes of all nutrients were assessed with a validated, brief and self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ. The degree of depressive symptoms was measured by the validated Japanese version of the K6 scale. Multiple linear regression and stratified analysis were used to evaluate the associations of intake with the confounding factors. Path analysis was conducted to describe the impacts of intake on health outcomes. Education levels and household incomes were significantly associated with intake of folate and depression scales (p < 0.05. After adjusting for age, sex and total energy intake, years of education significantly affect the folate intake (β = 0.117, p < 0.001. The structural equation model (SEM shows that the indirect effect of folate intake is statistically significant and strong (p < 0.05, 56% of direct effect in the pathway of education level to depression scale. Our study shows both education and income are significantly associated with depression scales in Japanese workers, and the effort to increase the folate intake may alleviate the harms of social disparities on mental health.

The significance of tumoral ERCC1 status in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy: a multicenter clinicopathologic analysis.

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Doll, Corinne M; Aquino-Parsons, Christina; Pintilie, Melania; Klimowicz, Alexander C; Petrillo, Stephanie K; Milosevic, Michael; Craighead, Peter S; Clarke, Blaise; Lees-Miller, Susan P; Fyles, Anthony W; Magliocco, Anthony M

2013-03-01

ERCC1 (excision repair cross-complementation group 1) expression has been shown to be a molecular marker of cisplatin resistance in many tumor sites, but has not been well studied in cervical cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to measure tumoral ERCC1 in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in a large multicenter cohort, and to correlate expression with clinical outcome parameters. A total of 264 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, treated with curative-intent radical CRT from 3 major Canadian cancer centers were evaluated. Pretreatment formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were retrieved, and tissue microarrays were constructed. Tumoral ERCC1 (FL297 antibody) was measured using AQUA (R) technology. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the significance of clinical factors and ERCC1 status with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years. The majority of patients had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II disease (n=119, 45%); median tumor size was 5 cm. OS was associated with tumor size (HR 1.16, P=.018), pretreatment hemoglobin status (HR 2.33, P=.00027), and FIGO stage. In addition, tumoral ERCC1 status (nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio) was associated with PFS (HR 2.33 [1.05-5.18], P=.038) and OS (HR 3.13 [1.27-7.71], P=.013). ERCC1 status was not significant on multivariate analysis when the model was adjusted for the clinical factors: for PFS (HR 1.49 [0.61-3.6], P=.38); for OS (HR 2.42 [0.94-6.24] P=.067). In this large multicenter cohort of locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with radical CRT, stage, tumor size, and pretreatment hemoglobin status were significantly associated with PFS and OS. ERCC1 status appears to have prognostic impact on univariate analysis in these patients, but was not independently associated with outcome on multivariate analysis. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier

The Significance of Tumoral ERCC1 Status in Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Treated With Chemoradiation Therapy: A Multicenter Clinicopathologic Analysis

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Doll, Corinne M., E-mail: Corinne.Doll@albertahealthservices.ca [Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Aquino-Parsons, Christina [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Pintilie, Melania [Department of Biostatistics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Klimowicz, Alexander C. [Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Petrillo, Stephanie K. [Department of Pathology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Milosevic, Michael [Department of Radiation Oncology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Craighead, Peter S. [Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Clarke, Blaise [Department of Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Lees-Miller, Susan P. [Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Fyles, Anthony W. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Magliocco, Anthony M. [Department of Pathology, Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States)

2013-03-01

Purpose: ERCC1 (excision repair cross-complementation group 1) expression has been shown to be a molecular marker of cisplatin resistance in many tumor sites, but has not been well studied in cervical cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to measure tumoral ERCC1 in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in a large multicenter cohort, and to correlate expression with clinical outcome parameters. Methods and Materials: A total of 264 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, treated with curative-intent radical CRT from 3 major Canadian cancer centers were evaluated. Pretreatment formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were retrieved, and tissue microarrays were constructed. Tumoral ERCC1 (FL297 antibody) was measured using AQUA (R) technology. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the significance of clinical factors and ERCC1 status with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years. Results: The majority of patients had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II disease (n=119, 45%); median tumor size was 5 cm. OS was associated with tumor size (HR 1.16, P=.018), pretreatment hemoglobin status (HR 2.33, P=.00027), and FIGO stage. In addition, tumoral ERCC1 status (nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio) was associated with PFS (HR 2.33 [1.05-5.18], P=.038) and OS (HR 3.13 [1.27-7.71], P=.013). ERCC1 status was not significant on multivariate analysis when the model was adjusted for the clinical factors: for PFS (HR 1.49 [0.61-3.6], P=.38); for OS (HR 2.42 [0.94-6.24] P=.067). Conclusions: In this large multicenter cohort of locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with radical CRT, stage, tumor size, and pretreatment hemoglobin status were significantly associated with PFS and OS. ERCC1 status appears to have prognostic impact on univariate analysis in these patients, but was not independently associated with outcome on

The Significance of Tumoral ERCC1 Status in Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Treated With Chemoradiation Therapy: A Multicenter Clinicopathologic Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doll, Corinne M.; Aquino-Parsons, Christina; Pintilie, Melania; Klimowicz, Alexander C.; Petrillo, Stephanie K.; Milosevic, Michael; Craighead, Peter S.; Clarke, Blaise; Lees-Miller, Susan P.; Fyles, Anthony W.; Magliocco, Anthony M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: ERCC1 (excision repair cross-complementation group 1) expression has been shown to be a molecular marker of cisplatin resistance in many tumor sites, but has not been well studied in cervical cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to measure tumoral ERCC1 in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in a large multicenter cohort, and to correlate expression with clinical outcome parameters. Methods and Materials: A total of 264 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, treated with curative-intent radical CRT from 3 major Canadian cancer centers were evaluated. Pretreatment formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were retrieved, and tissue microarrays were constructed. Tumoral ERCC1 (FL297 antibody) was measured using AQUA (R) technology. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the significance of clinical factors and ERCC1 status with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years. Results: The majority of patients had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II disease (n=119, 45%); median tumor size was 5 cm. OS was associated with tumor size (HR 1.16, P=.018), pretreatment hemoglobin status (HR 2.33, P=.00027), and FIGO stage. In addition, tumoral ERCC1 status (nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio) was associated with PFS (HR 2.33 [1.05-5.18], P=.038) and OS (HR 3.13 [1.27-7.71], P=.013). ERCC1 status was not significant on multivariate analysis when the model was adjusted for the clinical factors: for PFS (HR 1.49 [0.61-3.6], P=.38); for OS (HR 2.42 [0.94-6.24] P=.067). Conclusions: In this large multicenter cohort of locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with radical CRT, stage, tumor size, and pretreatment hemoglobin status were significantly associated with PFS and OS. ERCC1 status appears to have prognostic impact on univariate analysis in these patients, but was not independently associated with outcome on

Characteristics and intraoperative treatments associated with head and neck free tissue transfer complications and failures.

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Hand, William R; McSwain, Julie R; McEvoy, Matthew D; Wolf, Bethany; Algendy, Abdalrahman A; Parks, Matthew D; Murray, John L; Reeves, Scott T

2015-03-01

To investigate the association between perioperative patient characteristics and treatment modalities (eg, vasopressor use and volume of fluid administration) with complications and failure rates in patients undergoing head and neck free tissue transfer (FTT). A retrospective review of medical records. Perioperative hospitalization for head and neck FTT at 1 tertiary care medical center between January 1, 2009, and October 31, 2011. Consecutive patients (N=235) who underwent head and neck FTT. Demographic, patient characteristic, and intraoperative data were extracted from medical records. Complication and failure rates within the first 30 days were collected In a multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, reason for receiving flap, and type and volume of fluid given, perioperative complication was significantly associated with surgical blood loss (P=.019; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.16), while the rate of intraoperative fluid administration did not reach statistical significance (P=.06; 95% CI, 0.99-1.28). In a univariate analysis, FTT failure was significantly associated with reason for surgery (odds ratio, 5.40; P=.03; 95% CI, 1.69-17.3) and preoperative diagnosis of coronary artery disease (odds ratio, 3.60; P=.03; 95% CI, 1.16-11.2). Intraoperative vasopressor administration was not associated with either FTT complication or failure rate. FTT complications were associated with surgical blood loss but not the use of vasoactive drugs. For patients undergoing FTT, judicious monitoring of blood loss may help stratify the risk of complication and failure. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer: association between prolonged preoperative treatment and lymph-node negativity and overall survival.

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Kadera, Brian E; Sunjaya, Dharma B; Isacoff, William H; Li, Luyi; Hines, O Joe; Tomlinson, James S; Dawson, David W; Rochefort, Matthew M; Donald, Graham W; Clerkin, Barbara M; Reber, Howard A; Donahue, Timothy R

2014-02-01

Treatment of patients with locally advanced/borderline resectable (LA/BR) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is not standardized. To (1) perform a detailed survival analysis of our institution's experience with patients with LA/BR PDAC who were downstaged and underwent surgical resection and (2) identify prognostic biomarkers that may help to guide a decision for the use of adjuvant therapy in this patient subgroup. Retrospective observational study of 49 consecutive patients from a single institution during 1992-2011 with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III LA/BR PDAC who were initially unresectable, as determined by staging computed tomography and/or surgical exploration, and who were treated and then surgically resected. Clinicopathologic variables and prognostic biomarkers SMAD4, S100A2, and microRNA-21 were correlated with survival by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard modeling. All 49 patients were deemed initially unresectable owing to vascular involvement. After completing preoperative chemotherapy for a median of 7.1 months (range, 5.4-9.6 months), most (75.5%) underwent a pylorus-preserving Whipple operation; 3 patients (6.1%) had a vascular resection. Strikingly, 37 of 49 patients were lymph-node (LN) negative (75.5%) and 42 (85.7%) had negative margins; 45.8% of evaluable patients achieved a complete histopathologic (HP) response. The median overall survival (OS) was 40.1 months (range, 22.7-65.9 months). A univariate analysis of HP prognostic biomarkers revealed that perineural invasion (hazard ratio, 5.5; P=.007) and HP treatment response (hazard ratio, 9.0; P=.009) were most significant. Lymph-node involvement, as a marker of systemic disease, was also significant on univariate analysis (P=.05). Patients with no LN involvement had longer OS (44.4 vs 23.2 months, P=.04) than LN-positive patients. The candidate prognostic biomarkers, SMAD4 protein loss (P=.01) in tumor cells and microRNA-21 expression in the stroma (P=.05

Prognostic significance of preoperative IKBKE expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

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Yang WJ

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Wenjing Yang, Yan Qu, Bingxu Tan, Yibin Jia, Nana Wang, Peng Hu*, Jianbo Wang* Department of Radiation, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: IκB kinase epsilon (IKBKE; IKKε, a member of the nuclear factor-κB kinase inhibitor family, is upregulated in several human cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC is one of the most common and most aggressively malignant cancers with dismal prognosis. However, the state of IKBKE expression in ESCC is still unknown and its potential value remains unexplored.Patients and methods: IKBKE protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 118 paraffin specimens of ESCC treated by curative surgery. All patients were regularly followed up by telephone over 3 years after surgery. The chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to analyze the relationship of IKBKE expression, clinicopathological characteristics, and prognostic value for ESCC.Results: IKBKE expression was 61.9% (73/118 in paraffin-embedded archived ESCC. Its expression was significantly associated with tumor differentiation grade (p=0.045 and advanced TNM (pathologic tumor node metastasis stages (p=0.023. In univariate analysis, IKBKE expression was closely associated with decreased 3-year disease-free survival (HR 1.804, 95% CI 1.076–3.027; p=0.023 and overall survival (HR 2.118, 95% CI 1.189–3.773; p=0.009. Meanwhile, in multivariate analysis it was identified as an independent prognostic factor for 3-year disease-free survival (HR 1.777, 95% CI 1.034–3.054; p=0.037 and overall survival (HR 2.078, 95% CI 1.138–3.796; p=0.017.Conclusion: Our data indicated for the first time that IKKε expression is a highly recurrent event in ESCC and could play a pivotal role in the evaluation of prognosis. IKBKE upregulation is

Newborn body fat: associations with maternal metabolic state and placental size.

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Camilla M Friis

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Neonatal body composition has implications for the health of the newborn both in short and long term perspective. The objective of the current study was first to explore the association between maternal BMI and metabolic parameters associated with BMI and neonatal percentage body fat and to determine to which extent any associations were modified if adjusting for placental weight. Secondly, we examined the relations between maternal metabolic parameters associated with BMI and placental weight. METHODS: The present work was performed in a subcohort (n = 207 of the STORK study, an observational, prospective study on the determinants of fetal growth and birthweight in healthy pregnancies at Oslo University Hospital, Norway. Fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acids, HDL- and total cholesterol were measured at week 30-32. Newborn body composition was determined by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA. Placenta was weighed at birth. Linear regression models were used with newborn fat percentage and placental weight as main outcomes. RESULTS: Maternal BMI, fasting glucose and gestational age were independently associated with neonatal fat percentage. However, if placental weight was introduced as a covariate, only placental weight and gestational age remained significant. In the univariate model, the determinants of placenta weight included BMI, insulin, triglycerides, total- and HDL-cholesterol (negatively, gestational weight gain and parity. In the multivariable model, BMI, total cholesterol HDL-cholesterol, gestational weight gain and parity remained independent covariates. CONCLUSION: Maternal BMI and fasting glucose were independently associated with newborn percentage fat. This effect disappeared by introducing placental weight as a covariate. Several metabolic factors associated with maternal BMI were associated with placental weight, but not with neonatal body fat. Our findings are consistent with a concept

Qualitative and Semiquantitative Elastography for the Diagnosis of Intermediate Suspicious Thyroid Nodules Based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association Guidelines.

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Yang, Bo Ra; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Moon, Hee Jung; Yoon, Jung Hyun; Park, Vivian Y; Kwak, Jin Young

2018-04-01

To evaluate qualitative and semiquantitative elastography for the diagnosis of intermediate suspicious thyroid nodules based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines. Through a retrospective search of our institutional database, 746 solid thyroid nodules found on grayscale ultrasonography, strain elastography, and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration between June and November 2009 were collected. Among them, 80 nodules from 80 patients with an intermediate suspicion of malignancy based on the 2015 ATA guidelines that were 10 mm or larger were recruited as the final study nodules. Elastographic findings were categorized according to the criteria of Rago et al (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007; 92:2917-2922) and Asteria et al (Thyroid 2008; 18:523-531), and strain ratio values were calculated and recorded. The independent 2-sample t test and χ 2 test (or Fisher exact test) were used to evaluate differences in clinical parameters between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. All variables were compared by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Of the 80 nodules, 6 (7.5%) were malignant, and 74 (92.5%) were benign. No significant differences were observed in age, sex, nodule size, elasticity score, and strain ratio between benign and malignant nodules. No variables significantly predicted thyroid malignancy on the univariate analysis. On the multivariate logistic regression analysis, there were no independent variables associated with thyroid malignancy, including the elasticity score and strain ratio (all P > .05). Elastographic analysis using the elasticity score and strain ratio has limited ability to characterize the benignity or malignancy of thyroid nodules with an intermediate suspicion of malignancy based on the 2015 ATA guidelines. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Robust assignment of cancer subtypes from expression data using a uni-variate gene expression average as classifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauss, Martin; Frigyesi, Attila; Ryden, Tobias; Höglund, Mattias

2010-01-01

Genome wide gene expression data is a rich source for the identification of gene signatures suitable for clinical purposes and a number of statistical algorithms have been described for both identification and evaluation of such signatures. Some employed algorithms are fairly complex and hence sensitive to over-fitting whereas others are more simple and straight forward. Here we present a new type of simple algorithm based on ROC analysis and the use of metagenes that we believe will be a good complement to existing algorithms. The basis for the proposed approach is the use of metagenes, instead of collections of individual genes, and a feature selection using AUC values obtained by ROC analysis. Each gene in a data set is assigned an AUC value relative to the tumor class under investigation and the genes are ranked according to these values. Metagenes are then formed by calculating the mean expression level for an increasing number of ranked genes, and the metagene expression value that optimally discriminates tumor classes in the training set is used for classification of new samples. The performance of the metagene is then evaluated using LOOCV and balanced accuracies. We show that the simple uni-variate gene expression average algorithm performs as well as several alternative algorithms such as discriminant analysis and the more complex approaches such as SVM and neural networks. The R package rocc is freely available at http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/rocc/index.html

Interaction between FOXO1A-209 Genotype and Tea Drinking is Significantly Associated with Reduced Mortality at Advanced Ages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Yi; Chen, Huashuai; Ni, Ting

2016-01-01

Based on the genotypic/phenotypic data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and Cox proportional hazard model, the present study demonstrates that interactions between carrying FOXO1A-209 genotypes and tea drinking are significantly associated with lower risk of mortality...... at advanced ages. Such significant association is replicated in two independent Han Chinese CLHLS cohorts (p =0.028-0.048 in the discovery and replication cohorts, and p =0.003-0.016 in the combined dataset). We found the associations between tea drinking and reduced mortality are much stronger among carriers...... of the FOXO1A-209 genotype compared to non-carriers, and drinking tea is associated with a reversal of the negative effects of carrying FOXO1A-209 minor alleles, that is, from a substantially increased mortality risk to substantially reduced mortality risk at advanced ages. The impacts are considerably...

Burnout and Associated Factors among Iranian Emergency Medicine Practitioners.

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Jalili, Mohammad; Sadeghipour Roodsari, Gholamreza; Bassir Nia, Anahita

2013-09-01

Emergency physicians are at risk of burnout, which can affect their mental health, as well as patient care. We assessed burnout level among Iranian emergency physicians and investigated demographic, work-related factors and stressors associated with higher burnout. In a cross-sectional study, we surveyed all 188 emergency medicine residents and practitioners in Iran. We measured burnout using 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory assessing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment, also demographic factors, work related factors and sources of stress in emergency department using anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis to evaluate association with higher score of burnout, and multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict high burnout in 3 subscales was performed. Totally, 165 questionnaires were filled (response rate: 88%; mean age: 33.6 years, 91% male). Mean burnout scores were 22.94 for emotional exhaustion (95% CI=20.78-25.01; moderate), 9.3 for depersonalization (95% CI=8.24-10.36; moderate to high), and 31.47 for personal accomplishment (95% CI=29.87-33.07; moderate to high). Frequent reported sources of stress were shortage of equipment, problem with work physical environment, and relationship with other services. All 19 sources of stress were associated with higher score of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; while twelve out of 19 were significantly associated with lower level of personal accomplishment. In logistic regression model, the significant predictors for high emotional exhaustion were work overload, feeling of insecurity for future career and difficulties to balance professional and private life. Burnout is high among Iranian emergency medicine practitioners and some interventions can be proposed to reduce stress.

System-Wide and Group-Specific Health Service Improvements: Cross-Sectional Survey of Outpatient Improvement Preferences and Associations with Demographic Characteristics

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Elizabeth A. Fradgley

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Efficient patient-centred quality improvement requires an understanding of the system-wide areas of dissatisfaction along with evidence to identify the programs which can be strategically targeted according to specific patient characteristics and preferences. This cross-sectional study reports the proportion of chronic disease outpatients selecting 23 patient-centred improvement initiatives. Using univariate tests and multivariable logistic regressions, this multi-site study also identifies initiatives differentially selected by outpatients according to clinical and demographic characteristics. A total of 475 outpatients participated (49% response. Commonly selected initiatives included: reducing wait-times (22.3%; convenient appointment scheduling (16.0%; and receiving up-to-date treatment information (16.0%. Within univariate tests, preferences for information and service accessibility initiatives were not significantly associated with specific subgroups. However, seven initiatives were preferred according to age, gender, diagnosis status, and chronic disease type within multivariate models. For example, neurology outpatients were more likely to select assistance to manage psychological symptoms when compared to oncology outpatients (OR: 2.89. Study findings suggest that system-wide programs to enhance information provision are strategic approaches to improve experiences across patient characteristics. Furthermore, a few initiatives can be targeted to specific groups and emphasized the importance of detailed scoping analyses and tailored implementation plans when designing patient-centred quality improvement programs.

Analysis of Medication Errors in Simulated Pediatric Resuscitation by Residents

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Evelyn Porter

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The objective of our study was to estimate the incidence of prescribing medication errors specifically made by a trainee and identify factors associated with these errors during the simulated resuscitation of a critically ill child. Methods: The results of the simulated resuscitation are described. We analyzed data from the simulated resuscitation for the occurrence of a prescribing medication error. We compared univariate analysis of each variable to medication error rate and performed a separate multiple logistic regression analysis on the significant univariate variables to assess the association between the selected variables. Results: We reviewed 49 simulated resuscitations . The final medication error rate for the simulation was 26.5% (95% CI 13.7% - 39.3%. On univariate analysis, statistically significant findings for decreased prescribing medication error rates included senior residents in charge, presence of a pharmacist, sleeping greater than 8 hours prior to the simulation, and a visual analog scale score showing more confidence in caring for critically ill children. Multiple logistic regression analysis using the above significant variables showed only the presence of a pharmacist to remain significantly associated with decreased medication error, odds ratio of 0.09 (95% CI 0.01 - 0.64. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the presence of a clinical pharmacist during the resuscitation of a critically ill child reduces the medication errors made by resident physician trainees.

Tumour-associated endothelial-FAK correlated with molecular sub-type and prognostic factors in invasive breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexopoulou, Annika N; Ho-Yen, Colan M; Papalazarou, Vassilis; Elia, George; Jones, J Louise; Hodivala-Dilke, Kairbaan

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that can be classified into one of 4 main molecular sub-types: luminal A, luminal B, Her2 over-expressing and basal-like (BL). These tumour sub-types require different treatments and have different risks of disease progression. BL cancers can be considered a sub-group of Triple negative (TN) cancers since they lack estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and Her2 expression. No targeted treatment currently exists for TN/BL cancers. Thus it is important to identify potential therapeutic targets and describe their relationship with established prognostic factors. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is upregulated in several human cancers and also plays a functional role in tumour angiogenesis. However, the association between breast cancer sub-types and tumour endothelial-FAK expression is unknown. Using immunofluorescence, we quantified FAK expression in tumour endothelial and tumour cell compartments in 149 invasive breast carcinomas and correlated expression with clinical, pathological and molecular parameters. Low endothelial-FAK expression was independently associated with luminal A tumours at univariate (p < 0.001) and multivariate (p = 0.001) analysis. There was a positive correlation between FAK expression in the vascular and tumour cell compartments (Spearman’s correlation co-efficient = 0.394, p < 0.001). Additionally, endothelial and tumour cell FAK expression were significantly increased in TN tumours (p = 0.043 and p = 0.033 respectively), in tumours with negative ER and PR status, and in high grade tumours at univariate analysis. Our findings establish a relationship between endothelial-FAK expression levels and the molecular sub-type of invasive breast cancer, and suggest that endothelial-FAK expression is potentially more clinically relevant than tumour cell FAK expression in breast cancer

PTIP associated protein 1, PA1, is an independent prognostic factor for lymphnode negative breast cancer.

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Takashi Takeshita

Full Text Available Pax transactivation domain interacting protein (PTIP associated protein 1, PA1, was a newly found protein participating in the modulation of transactivity of nuclear receptor super family members such as estrogen receptor (ER, androgen receptor (AR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR. Breast cancer is one of the most life threatening diseases for women and has tight association with estrogen and ER. This study was performed to understand the function of PA1 in breast cancer. The expression of PA1 had been evaluated in a total of 344 primary invasive breast cancer samples and examined the relationship with clinical output, relapse free survival (RFS, breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS. PA1 expression was observed in both nucleus and cytoplasm, however, appeared mainly in nuclear. PA1 nuclear expression was correlated with postmenopausal (P = 0.0097, smaller tumor size (P = 0.0025, negative Ki67 (P = 0.02, positive AR (P = 0.049 and positive ERβ (P = 0.0020. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated PA1 nuclear positive cases seemed to have a longer survival than negative ones for RFS (P = 0.023 but not for BCSS (P = 0.23. In the Cox hazards model, PA1 nuclear protein expression proved to be a significant prognostic univariate parameter for RFS (P = 0.03, but not for BCSS (P = 0.20. In addition, for those patients without lymphnode metastasis PA1 was found to be an independent prognostic factor for RFS (P = 0.025, which was verified by univariate and multivariate analyses. These investigations suggested PA1 expression could be a potential prognostic indicator for RFS in breast cancer.

Periostin overexpression is associated with worse prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma from endemic area: a cohort study

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Wei YC

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Yu-Ching Wei,1,2 Sheau-Fang Yang,2,3 Shih-Lun Chang,4,5 Tzu-Ju Chen,5,6 Sung-Wei Lee,7 Hung-Sung Chen,1 Li-Ching Lin,8 Chien-Feng Li6,9,10 1Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Otolaryngology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 5Department of Optometry, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan; 6Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 7Department of Radiation Oncology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan; 8Department of Radiation Oncology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 9National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institute, Tainan, Taiwan; 10Department of Biotechnology, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan Purpose: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC is a heterogeneous disease. We searched for genes that function in cell adhesion in GSE12452, a published transcriptomic database. We found that POSTN, which encodes periostin (POSTN, was significantly upregulated in NPC tumorigenesis. Herein, we sought to analyze the expression of POSTN and its prognostic significances in patients with NPC. Materials and methods: In this single-institution retrospective study, we determined and analyzed POSTN expression by immunohistochemistry and H-score method, respectively, in 124 patients with NPC. The results indicated that POSTN expression was correlated with the clinicopathologic features, disease-specific survival (DSS, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS, and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS of NPC. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to determinate the statistical significance. Results: High POSTN expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis

Association between thyroid hormones and TRAIL.

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Bernardi, Stella; Bossi, Fleur; Toffoli, Barbara; Giudici, Fabiola; Bramante, Alessandra; Furlanis, Giulia; Stenner, Elisabetta; Secchiero, Paola; Zauli, Giorgio; Carretta, Renzo; Fabris, Bruno

2017-11-01

Recent studies suggest that a circulating protein called TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) might have a role in the regulation of body weight and metabolism. Interestingly, thyroid hormones seem to increase TRAIL tissue expression. This study aimed at evaluating whether overt thyroid disorders affected circulating TRAIL levels. TRAIL circulating levels were measured in euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid patients before and after thyroid function normalization. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation between thyroid hormones and TRAIL. Then, the stimulatory effect of both triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) on TRAIL was evaluated in vitro on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Circulating levels of TRAIL significantly increased in hyperthyroid and decreased in hypothyroid patients as compared to controls. Once thyroid function was restored, TRAIL levels normalized. There was an independent association between TRAIL and both fT3 and fT4. Consistent with these findings, T3 and T4 stimulated TRAIL release in vitro. Here we show that thyroid hormones are associated with TRAIL expression in vivo and stimulate TRAIL expression in vitro. Given the overlap between the metabolic effects of thyroid hormones and TRAIL, this work sheds light on the possibility that TRAIL might be one of the molecules mediating thyroid hormones peripheral effects. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anxiety and depression among Nigerian patients with asthma; Association with sociodemographic, clinical, and personality factors.

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Adewuya, Abiodun O; Adeyeye, Olufunke O

2017-04-01

To estimate the rate of anxiety and depression in adult asthma patients and examine the possible association with sociodemographic, clinical and other significant variables. Adult asthmatics (n = 203) were recruited from the asthma outpatient clinic and assessed for sociodemographic and clinical profiles, their levels of disability, social support, asthma treatment stigma and personality traits. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I) was used to assess for the diagnosis of Anxiety and Depression in comparison with matched healthy controls (n = 205). Seventy (34.5%) of the patients with asthma have a diagnosis of Anxiety or Depression compared with 15 (7.3%) of matched healthy controls and the difference was significant (OR 6.67, 95% CI 3.58-13.04). Although older age, lower income, use of oral corticosteroid, patients perceived severity of asthma, disability, social support and personality traits were initially significant in univariate analysis, a subsequent logistic regression analysis revealed that only disability scores above the group mean (OR 4.50, 95% CI 2.28-8.87) and not having a strong social support (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.443-5.78) were the only variables independently associated with diagnosis of Anxiety and Depression in the group of patients with asthma. Anxiety and depression are significantly more common in adult outpatients with asthma when compared with healthy control in Nigeria and was significantly associated with levels of disability and social support. These factors should be considered while formulating predictive models for management of psychosocial problems in asthma in this environment.

Wealth and Its Associations with Enteric Parasitic Infections in a Low-Income Community in Peru: Use of Principal Component Analysis

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Nundy, Shantanu; Gilman, Robert H.; Xiao, Lihua; Cabrera, Lilia; Cama, Rosa; Ortega, Ynes R.; Kahn, Geoffrey; Cama, Vitaliano A.

2011-01-01

The association of wealth and infections with Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and microsporidia were examined in a longitudinal cohort conducted in Peru from 2001 to 2006. Data from 492 participants were daily clinical manifestations, weekly copro-parasitological diagnosis, and housing characteristics and assets owned (48 variables), and these data were used to construct a global wealth index using principal component analysis. Data were analyzed using continuous and categorical (wealth tertiles) models. Participant's mean age was 3.43 years (range = 0–12 years), with average follow-up of 993 days. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified significant associations between wealth and infections with Giardia and microsporidia. Participants with greater wealth indexes were associated with protection against Giardia (P 14 days). For microsporidia, greater wealth was protective (P = 0.066 continuous and P = 0.042 by tertiles). Contrarily, infections with Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora were independent of wealth. Thus, subtle differences in wealth may affect the frequency of specific parasitic infections within low-income communities. PMID:21212198

Factors associated with HIV infection among delivered women in Sergipe, Brazil

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Lemos Lígia

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In Brazil, the number of HIV cases has increased mostly amongst poor less educated women in the northeast region. This combination increased the risk for vertical transmission. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection at delivery in Sergipe-NE Brazil. Findings This was a case-control study, with 39 cases and 117 controls that gave birth at the official health system hospitals. All patients were tested for HIV at hospital admission, using a rapid test and were interviewed about socioeconomic conditions and health attitudes and practices. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to evaluate the factors associated with HIV infection. In the univariate analysis, association with HIV positivity was found for the variables "antenatal HIV test" (OR: 4.44; CI: 1.93 – 10.29 and "intravenous drug use" (OR = 12.08; 95% CI 1.28 – 8. Three patients were intravenous drug users, all HIV+. After logistic multivariate regression, not being tested for HIV during antenatal care (OR = 4.98; 95% CI: 2.13–12.22; p Conclusion Drug use, limited knowledge about how to prevent AIDS, and lack of HIV testing during pregnancy were risk factors for infection with HIV. Although it was not conceived to evaluate effectiveness of procedures to prevent vertical transmission, the risk factors here detected may corroborate official recommendation for rapid HIV testing at delivery as an effective procedure to prevent vertical transmission.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia in ARDS patients: the impact of prone positioning. A secondary analysis of the PROSEVA trial.

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Ayzac, L; Girard, R; Baboi, L; Beuret, P; Rabilloud, M; Richard, J C; Guérin, C

2016-05-01

The goal of this study was to assess the impact of prone positioning on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and the role of VAP in mortality in a recent multicenter trial performed on patients with severe ARDS. An ancillary study of a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial on early prone positioning in patients with severe ARDS. In suspected cases of VAP the diagnosis was based on positive quantitative cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or tracheal aspirate at the 10(4) and 10(7) CFU/ml thresholds, respectively. The VAP cases were then subject to central, independent adjudication. The cumulative probabilities of VAP were estimated in each position group using the Aalen-Johansen estimator and compared using Gray's test. A univariate and a multivariate Cox model was performed to assess the impact of VAP, used as a time-dependent covariate for mortality hazard during the ICU stay. In the supine and prone position groups, the incidence rate for VAP was 1.18 (0.86-1.60) and 1.54 (1.15-2.02) per 100 days of invasive mechanical ventilation (p = 0.10), respectively. The cumulative probability of VAP at 90 days was estimated at 46.5 % (27-66) in the prone group and at 33.5 % (23-44) in the supine group. The difference between the two cumulative probability curves was not statistically significant (p = 0.11). In the univariate Cox model, VAP was associated with an increase in the mortality rate during the ICU stay [HR 1.65 (1.05-2.61), p = 0.03]. HR increased to 2.2 (1.39-3.52) (p position group, age, SOFA score, McCabe score, and immunodeficiency. In severe ARDS patients prone positioning did not reduce the incidence of VAP and VAP was associated with higher mortality.

Clinical Significance of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Endocrine Therapy for Stage IV Breast Cancer.

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Iimori, Nozomi; Kashiwagi, Shinichiro; Asano, Yuka; Goto, Wataru; Takada, Koji; Takahashi, Katsuyuki; Hatano, Takaharu; Takashima, Tsutomu; Tomita, Shuhei; Motomura, Hisashi; Hirakawa, Kosei; Ohira, Masaichi

2018-01-01

Studies have found that patients with cancer exhibit abnormal leukocyte fractions, such as elevated neutrophil count and diminished lymphocyte count, and that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) provides a surrogate marker for prognosis and response to treatment of patients after radical surgery for several different types of cancer. However, few reports have addressed the association between the NLR and response to endocrine therapy. In this study, we carried out a clinical investigation to confirm whether or not the NLR predicted the response to endocrine therapy of stage IV breast cancer. The study subjects were 34 patients who underwent endocrine therapy as initial drug therapy for stage IV breast cancer. The correlation between NLR and prognosis, including the efficacy of endocrine therapy, was evaluated retrospectively. Among the 34 patients, the NLR was high in 10 (29.4%) and low in 24 (70.6%). In analysis of outcomes, the group with low NLR had a significant prolongation of progression-free survival (p=0.003), time to treatment failure (p=0.031), and overall survival (p=0.013) compared to the group with high NLR. Univariate analysis of progression-free survival found that responding to treatment [hazard ratio (HR)=4.310, p=0.004] and low NLR (HR=3.940, p=0.016) were factors associated with a favorable prognosis. Multivariate analysis also showed that responding to treatment (HR=4.329, p=0.006) and low NLR (HR=3.930, p=0.008) were independent factors associated with a favorable prognosis. Our results suggested that the NLR may represent a predictive marker for response to endocrine therapy in stage IV breast cancer. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Aurora-A Expression Is Independently Associated with Chromosomal Instability in Colorectal Cancer

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Yoshifumi Baba

2009-05-01

Full Text Available AURKA (the official symbol for Aurora-A, STK15, or BTAK regulates the function of centrosomes, spindles, and kinetochores for proper mitotic progression. AURKA overexpression is observed in various cancers including colon cancer, and a link between AURKA and chromosomal instability (CIN has been proposed. However, no study has comprehensively examined AURKA expression in relation to CIN or prognosis using a large number of tumors. Using 517 colorectal cancers in two prospective cohort studies, we detected AURKA overexpression (by immunohistochemistry in 98 tumors (19%. We assessed other molecular events including loss of heterozygosity (LOH in 2p, 5q, 17q, and 18q, the CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP, and microsatellite instability (MSI. Prognostic significance of AURKA was evaluated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier method. In both univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, AURKA overexpression was significantly associated with CIN (defined as the presence of LOH in any of the chromosomal segments; multivariate odds ratio, 2.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.40–6.29; P = .0045. In multivariate analysis, AURKA was associated with cyclin D1 expression (P = .010 and inversely with PIK3CA mutation (P=.014, fatty acid synthase expression (P=.028, and family history of colorectal cancer (P = .050, but not with sex, age, body mass index, tumor location, stage, CIMP, MSI, KRAS, BRAF, BMI, LINE-1 hypomethylation, p53, p21, β-catenin, or cyclooxygenase 2. AURKA was not significantly associated with clinical outcome or survival. In conclusion, AURKA overexpression is independently associated with CIN in colorectal cancer, supporting a potential role of Aurora kinase-A in colorectal carcinogenesis through genomic instability (rather than epigenomic instability.

Expression and clinical significance of PIWIL2 in hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines.

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Chen, Y J; Xiong, X F; Wen, S Q; Tian, L; Cheng, W L; Qi, Y Q

2015-06-26

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between PIWI-like protein 2 (PIWIL2) and clinicopathological charac-teristics and prognosis after radical resection. To accomplish this, we analyzed PIWIL2 expression in hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. PIWIL2 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in 41 hilar cholangiocarcinoma samples and 10 control tissues. Western blotting and immunocytofluorescence were used to investigate PIWIL2 expression in the cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 and the bile duct epithelial cell line HIBEpic. Univariate and multivariate surviv-al analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method for hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients who underwent radical resection. PIWIL2 expression was significantly higher in the hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and QBC939 cells than in control tissues and HIBEpic cells, respectively (P hilar cholangiocarcinoma (P hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

CNTNAP2 Is Significantly Associated With Speech Sound Disorder in the Chinese Han Population.

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Zhao, Yun-Jing; Wang, Yue-Ping; Yang, Wen-Zhu; Sun, Hong-Wei; Ma, Hong-Wei; Zhao, Ya-Ru

2015-11-01

Speech sound disorder is the most common communication disorder. Some investigations support the possibility that the CNTNAP2 gene might be involved in the pathogenesis of speech-related diseases. To investigate single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the CNTNAP2 gene, 300 unrelated speech sound disorder patients and 200 normal controls were included in the study. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms were amplified and directly sequenced. Significant differences were found in the genotype (P = .0003) and allele (P = .0056) frequencies of rs2538976 between patients and controls. The excess frequency of the A allele in the patient group remained significant after Bonferroni correction (P = .0280). A significant haplotype association with rs2710102T/+rs17236239A/+2538976A/+2710117A (P = 4.10e-006) was identified. A neighboring single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs10608123, was found in complete linkage disequilibrium with rs2538976, and the genotypes exactly corresponded to each other. The authors propose that these CNTNAP2 variants increase the susceptibility to speech sound disorder. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs10608123 and rs2538976 may merge into one single-nucleotide polymorphism. © The Author(s) 2015.

Pulse Pressure, Instead of Brachium-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity, is Associated with Reduced Kidney Function in a Chinese Han Population.

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Jia, Linpei; Zhang, Weiguang; Ma, Jie; Chen, Xizhao; Chen, Lei; Li, Zuoxiang; Cai, Guangyan; Huang, Jing; Zhang, Jinping; Bai, Xiaojuan; Feng, Zhe; Sun, Xuefeng; Chen, Xiangmei

2017-01-01

In this study, we aim to investigate the association between renal function and arterial stiffness in a Chinese Han population, and further to discuss the effects of smoking on renal function. We collected the data of the brachium-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), blood pressure, blood chemistry and smoking status. Then, the multiple linear regression was done to explore the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) and baPWV. Further, the parameters were compared among the four groups divided according to the quartiles of baPWV. Finally, the baPWV, eGFR and albuminuria values were compared between smokers and non-smokers. baPWV is associated with eGFR in the correlation analysis and univariate linear regression model. After adjustment, the pulse pressure (PP) instead of baPWV showed a significant association with eGFR. Nevertheless, the eGFR values differed among the four baPWV groups; the baPWV values were significantly higher in the subjects at the CKD (eGFRfunction. Smokers have worse arterial stiffness and worse renal function. © 2017 The Author(s)Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Association of Socioeconomic and Geographic Factors With Google Trends for Tanning and Sunscreen.

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Seth, Divya; Gittleman, Haley; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill; Bordeaux, Jeremy S

2018-02-01

Internet search trends are used to track both infectious diseases and noncommunicable conditions. The authors sought to characterize Google Trends search volume index (SVI) for the terms "sunscreen" and tanning ("tanning salon" and "tanning bed") in the United States from 2010 to 2015 and analyze association with educational attainment, average income, and percent white data by state. SVI is search frequency data relative to total search volume. Analysis of variance, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to assess seasonal variations in SVI and the association of state-level SVI with state latitudes and census data. Hawaii had the highest SVI for sunscreen searches, whereas Alaska had the lowest. West Virginia had the highest SVI for tanning searches, whereas Hawaii had the lowest. There were significant differences between seasonal SVI for sunscreen and tanning searches (p Tanning SVI was correlated with a decrease in educational attainment and average income, and an increase in latitude (p tanning are influenced by socioeconomic factors, and could be a tool for skin-related public health.

Genome-wide significant associations in schizophrenia to ITIH3/4, CACNA1C and SDCCAG8, and extensive replication of associations reported by the Schizophrenia PGC

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Hamshere, M L; Walters, J T R; Smith, R

2013-01-01

The Schizophrenia Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study Consortium (PGC) highlighted 81 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with moderate evidence for association to schizophrenia. After follow-up in independent samples, seven loci attained genome-wide significance (GWS), but multi-locus t...... interval (CI) 78-100%) of the original set of 78 SNPs represent true associations. We also provide strong evidence for overlap in genetic risk between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 22 May 2012; doi:10.1038/mp.2012.67....

Specific Infectious Organisms Associated With Poor Outcomes in Treatment for Hip Periprosthetic Infection.

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Cunningham, Daniel J; Kavolus, Joseph J; Bolognesi, Michael P; Wellman, Samuel S; Seyler, Thorsten M

2017-06-01

Periprosthetic hip infection treatment remains a significant challenge for orthopedics. Some studies have suggested that methicillin resistance and gram-negative organism type are associated with increased treatment failure. The aim of this research is to determine if specific organisms were associated with poor outcomes in treatment for hip periprosthetic infection. Records were reviewed of all patients between 2005 and 2015 who underwent treatment for infected partial or total hip arthroplasty. Characteristics of each patient's treatment course were determined including baseline characteristics, infecting organism(s), infection status at final follow-up, surgeries for infection, and time in hospital. Baseline characteristics and organisms that were associated with clinical outcomes in univariate analysis were incorporated into multivariable outcomes models. When compared with patients infected with other organism(s), patients infected with the following organisms had significantly decreased infection-free rates: Pseudomonas, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Proteus. Infection with certain organisms was associated with 1.13-2.58 additional surgeries: methicillin-sensitive S aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, MRSA, Pseudomonas, Peptostreptococcus, Klebsiella, Candida, diphtheroids, Propionibacterium acnes, and Proteus species. Specific organisms were associated with 8.56-24.54 additional days in hospital for infection: methicillin-sensitive S aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Proteus, MRSA, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, and diphtheroids. Higher comorbidity score was also associated with greater length of hospitalization. MRSA, Pseudomonas, and Proteus were associated with all 3 outcomes of lower infection-free rate, more surgery, and more time in hospital in treatment for hip periprosthetic infection. Organism-specific outcome information may help individualize patient

Association of pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and outcome in emergency colorectal cancer care.

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Palin, R P; Devine, A T; Hicks, G; Burke, D

2018-04-01

Introduction The association between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and outcome in elective colorectal cancer surgery is well established; the relationship between NLR and the emergency colorectal cancer patient is, as yet, unexplored. This paper evaluates the predictive quality of the NLR for outcome in the emergency colorectal cancer patient. Materials and Methods A total of 187 consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery for colorectal cancer were included in the study. NLR was calculated from the haematological tests done on admission. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to determine the most suitable cut-off for NLR. Outcomes were assessed by mortality at 30 and 90 days using stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression. Results An NLR cut-off of 5 was found to have the highest sensitivity and specificity. At 30 days, age and time from admission to surgery were associated with increased mortality; a high NLR was associated with an increased risk of mortality in univariate but not multivariate analysis. At 90 days, age, NLR, time from admission to surgery and nodal status were all significantly associated with increased mortality on multivariate analysis. Conclusions Pre-operative NLR is a cheap, easily performed and useful clinical tool to aid prediction of outcome in the emergency colorectal cancer patient.

Serum TNF-α, IL-8, VEGF Levels in Helicobacter pylori Infection and Their Association with Degree of Gastritis

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Gontar A Siregar

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aim: to investigate the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, VEGF in Helicobacter pylori infection, and their association with the degrees of gastritis histopathology. Methods: a cross-sectional study was done on 80 consecutive gastritis patients admitted to endoscopy units at Adam Malik General Hospital and Permata Bunda Hospital, Medan, Indonesia from July-December 2014. The Rapid Urease test was used for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. The severity of chronic inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia were assessed. Serum samples were obtained to determine circulating TNF-α, IL-8, and VEGF. Univariate and bivariate analysis (chi square, fisher’s exact, and mann-whitney test were done using SPSS version-22. Results: there were 41.25% of 80 patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. Serum TNF-α and VEGF levels in the infected group were significantly higher compared to H. pylori negative, but there were no significant differences between serum levels of IL-8 in H. pylori positive and negative. There were significant associations between serum level of TNF-α and IL-8 with degree of chronic inflammation, and also between serum level of IL-8 and degree of neutrophil infiltration. There were significant associations between serum level of VEGF and degree of atrophy, and also between serum level of VEGF and degree of intestinal metaplasia. Conclusion: High levels of TNF-α were associated with severe degree of chronic inflammation, high levels of IL-8 associated with severe degree of chronic inflammation and neutrophil infiltration, and high levels of VEGF associated with severe degree of premalignant gastric lesion. Key words: cytokine, neoangiogenesis, Helicobacter pylori, atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia.

Extra-nodal extension is a significant prognostic factor in lymph node positive breast cancer.

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Sura Aziz

Full Text Available Presence of lymph node (LN metastasis is a strong prognostic factor in breast cancer, whereas the importance of extra-nodal extension and other nodal tumor features have not yet been fully recognized. Here, we examined microscopic features of lymph node metastases and their prognostic value in a population-based cohort of node positive breast cancer (n = 218, as part of the prospective Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program NBCSP (1996-2009. Sections were reviewed for the largest metastatic tumor diameter (TD-MET, nodal afferent and efferent vascular invasion (AVI and EVI, extra-nodal extension (ENE, number of ENE foci, as well as circumferential (CD-ENE and perpendicular (PD-ENE diameter of extra-nodal growth. Number of positive lymph nodes, EVI, and PD-ENE were significantly increased with larger primary tumor (PT diameter. Univariate survival analysis showed that several features of nodal metastases were associated with disease-free (DFS or breast cancer specific survival (BCSS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated an independent prognostic value of PD-ENE (with 3 mm as cut-off value in predicting DFS and BCSS, along with number of positive nodes and histologic grade of the primary tumor (for DFS: P = 0.01, P = 0.02, P = 0.01, respectively; for BCSS: P = 0.02, P = 0.008, P = 0.02, respectively. To conclude, the extent of ENE by its perpendicular diameter was independently prognostic and should be considered in line with nodal tumor burden in treatment decisions of node positive breast cancer.

IMP3 expression in human ovarian cancer is associated with improved survival

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Noske, Aurelia; Faggad, Areeg; Wirtz, Ralph

2009-01-01

The insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein IMP3 plays an important role in embryogenesis and recent reports suggest an involvement in tumorigenesis. Although IMP3 expression has been well studied in mouse and human fetal and adult gonads, its role in ovarian cancer is unknown. We...... investigated the expression of IMP3 at protein and mRNA levels in a cohort of primary ovarian carcinomas and in 11 ovarian cancer cell lines. Western blot analysis revealed an expression of IMP3 in all ovarian cancer cell lines and immunohistochemistry demonstrated a positive cytoplasmic staining in 32 of 68...... carcinomas (47%). In contrast, epithelium of borderline tumors, as well as, benign ovarian lesions and normal ovaries exhibited only weak or no IMP3 expression. In univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis, IMP3 protein expression was significantly associated with better overall survival (P=0.048). To confirm...

Association between poor glycemic control, impaired sleep quality, and increased arterial thickening in type 2 diabetic patients.

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Koichiro Yoda

Full Text Available Poor sleep quality is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. However, little is known about the association between glycemic control and objective sleep architecture and its influence on arteriosclerosis in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM. The present study examined the association of objective sleep architecture with both glycemic control and arteriosclerosis in type-2 DM patients.Cross-sectional study in vascular laboratory.The subjects were 63 type-2 DM inpatients (M/F, 32/31; age, 57.5±13.1 without taking any sleeping promoting drug and chronic kidney disease. We examined objective sleep architecture by single-channel electroencephalography and arteriosclerosis by carotid-artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT.HbA1c was associated significantly in a negative manner with REM sleep latency (interval between sleep-onset and the first REM period (β=-0.280, p=0.033, but not with other measurements of sleep quality. REM sleep latency associated significantly in a positive manner with log delta power (the marker of deep sleep during that period (β=0.544, p=0.001. In the model including variables univariately correlated with CA-IMT (REM sleep latency, age, DM duration, systolic blood pressure, and HbA1c as independent variables, REM sleep latency (β=-0.232, p=0.038, but not HbA1c were significantly associated with CA-IMT. When log delta power was included in place of REM sleep latency, log delta power (β=-0.257, p=0.023 emerged as a significant factor associated with CA-IMT.In type-2 DM patients, poor glycemic control was independently associated with poor quality of sleep as represented by decrease of REM sleep latency which might be responsible for increased CA-IMT, a relevant marker for arterial wall thickening.

Clinical significance of MCM-2 and MCM-5 expression in colon cancer: association with clinicopathological parameters and tumor proliferative capacity.

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Giaginis, Constantinos; Georgiadou, Maria; Dimakopoulou, Konstantina; Tsourouflis, Gerasimos; Gatzidou, Elisavet; Kouraklis, Gregorios; Theocharis, Stamatios

2009-02-01

Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins are essential components of DNA replication, being related to cell proliferation, and serve as useful markers for cancer screening, surveillance, and prognosis. Our aim was to examine the clinical significance of MCM-2 and MCM-5 protein expression in colon cancer and to evaluate the association with various clinicopathological characteristics and tumor proliferative capacity. Immunohistochemical expression of MCM-2 and MCM-5 was performed on paraffin-embedded malignant tissue sections obtained from 96 patients with colon cancer. MCM-2 and MCM-5 expression was correlated with different clinicopathological characteristics, proliferative capacity (Ki-67 labeling index), and p53 cell-cycle regulator expression. MCM-2 and Ki-67 expression was significantly associated with the tumors' histological grade (P = 0.003), existence of nodular metastases (N) (P = 0.003 and P = 0.030, respectively), malignancy on adenoma (P = 0.029 and P = 0.024, respectively), and vascular invasion (P = 0.010 and P = 0.011, respectively). MCM-2 expression was additionally associated with Dukes' stage (P = 0.005). Significant positive relationships were found between the expression of MCM-2 or MCM-5 proteins and that of Ki-67 protein (r = 0.963, P-value characteristics examined. The current data suggest that MCM-2 protein expression is significantly associated with important clinicopathological characteristics for patients' management, being correlated with the cell proliferation state in colon cancer.

Association mapping to discover significant marker-trait associations for resistance against fusarium wilt variant 2 in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] using SSR markers.

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Patil, Prakash G; Dubey, Jyotirmay; Bohra, Abhishek; Mishra, R K; Saabale, P R; Das, Alok; Rathore, Meenal; Singh, N P

2017-08-01

Pigeonpea production is severely constrained by wilt disease caused by Fusarium udum. In the current study, we discover the putative genomic regions that control resistance response to variant 2 of fusarium wilt using association mapping approach. The association panel comprised of 89 diverse pigeonpea genotypes including seven varieties, three landraces and 79 germplasm lines. The panel was screened rigorously for 3 consecutive years (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-2016) against variant 2 in a wilt-sick field. A total of 65 pigeonpea specific hypervariable SSR markers (HASSRs) were screened representing seven linkage groups and 29 scaffolds of the pigeonpea genome. A total of 181 alleles were detected, with average values of gene diversity and polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.55 and 0.47, respectively. Further analysis using model based (STRUCTURE) and distance based (clustering) approaches separated the entire pigeonpea collection into two distinct subgroups (K = 2). The marker trait associations (MTAs) were established based on three-year wilt incidence data and SSR dataset using a unified mixed linear model. Consequently, six SSR markers were identified, which were significantly associated with wilt resistance and explained up to 6% phenotypic variance (PV) across the years. Among these SSRs, HASSR18 was found to be the most stable and significant, accounting for 5-6% PV across the years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of identification of favourable alleles for resistance to variant 2 of Fusarium udum in pigeonpea using association mapping. The SSR markers identified here will greatly facilitate marker assisted resistance breeding against fusarium wilt in pigeonpea.

Dimensions of adult attachment are significantly associated with specific affective temperament constellations in a Hungarian university sample.

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Lang, Andras; Papp, Barbara; Gonda, Xenia; Dome, Peter; Rihmer, Zoltan

2016-02-01

Related to emotion regulation and mental health, adult attachment and affective temperaments are relevant research topics of contemporary psychiatry and clinical psychology. However, to date, only one study investigated the relationship between these two constructs. Thus, we aimed to further reveal adult attachment's association with affective temperaments. Affective temperament and adult attachment dimensions of 1469 Hungarian university students were assessed with self-report measures (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego autoquestionnaire and Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, respectively). Age and measured variables were compared between genders with ANOVAs. Associations between attachment dimensions and affective temperaments were examined with Pearson's correlations and partial correlations; the moderation effect of age and gender on these relationships was tested with PROCESS macro. Using Fisher r-to-z transformation, we also compared our results with the findings of the previous study. Cohen's ds were used to report effect size and Cronbach's alphas were computed as indices of internal reliability. Significant correlations were found between attachment dimensions and affective temperaments. Correlations were especially robust between attachment anxiety and depressive, cyclothymic and anxious temperaments. Contrasted with the results of the previous study, hyperthymic temperament was negatively related to attachment avoidance and anxious temperament was significantly more strongly correlated with attachment anxiety in our study. We used a previous version of the adult attachment measure. Our sample differed from the target sample in several ways. Participants were not screened for mental disorders. Findings highlight that adult attachment dimensions are significantly associated with affective temperaments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prophylactic use of Saccharomyces boulardii probiotics in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a single center hospital-based case-control study in Serbia

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Nikola Panic

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD develops through the loss of normal bacterial intestinal flora. We have conducted a case-control study in order to assess whether prophylactic administration of Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii prevents occurrence of AAD among adult hospitalized patients. Methods. Single-center hospital based case-control study was conducted in University Clinic “Dr Dragisa Misovic-Dedinje”, Belgrade, Serbia. Hospital records were screened in order to identify all the patients developing AAD in period January 1. 2010 – August 31. 2015. For every case, one age and gender matched control was randomly selected among patients hospitalized at the same time at the same department who were administered with antibiotics and did not develop AAD. For both cases and controls data were extracted on demographics, medical history, indication for use of antibiotics, antibiotics used, and prophylactic use of S.boulardii probiotics. The relationship between occurrence of AAD and putative risk factors were measured using the odds ratios (ORs and their 95% confidence interval (CI derived from logistic regression analysis. Results. Number of 59 cases and 59 controls were included in the study. Most of AAD cases were associated with old age (mean age of 78.05, and almost half (49.15% were hospitalized on geriatrics department. Most prescribed class of antibiotics among cases was III generation cephalosporins (50.85%, followed by fluoroquinolones (28.81% and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (20.34%. Significantly more cases than controls were treated with carbapenems (16.95% vs. 5.08% respectively, p=0.04. Significantly less cases were administered with prophylactic S. boulardii probiotics (18.64% vs. 42.37% p=0.005. We identified prophylactic use of S. boulardii to act protectively against development of AAD from both univariate (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14-0.72 and multivariate analysis (OR:0.36, 95% CI: 0.14-0.80. Use of

Secondary Trauma and Job Burnout and Associated Factors among HIV Lay Counsellors in Nkangala District, South Africa

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Peltzer, Karl; Matseke, Gladys; Louw, Julia

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate secondary trauma and job burnout and associated factors in a sample of 71 HIV lay counsellors in South Africa. Results indicate that 49.5% were not satisfied with their work environment and 51.4% were potentially secondary traumatic stress cases. In univariate analysis, seeing more HIV counselling and testing…

Expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 and its clinical significance in kidney cancer.

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Si, Tong; Yang, Guosheng; Qiu, Xiaofu; Luo, Youhua; Liu, Baichuan; Wang, Bingwei

2015-01-01

To investigate the expression and clinical significance of TRAP1 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1) in kidney cancer. TRAP1 expression was detected in kidney cancer and normal kidney tissues by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Then, the correlation of TRAP1 expression with clinicopathological characters and patients' prognosis was evaluated in kidney cancer. IHC results revealed that the high-expression rates of TRAP1 in kidney cancer tissues and normal kidney tissues were 51.3% (41/80), 23.3% (7/30), and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.01). Also, TRAP1 mRNA level in kidney cancer was found to be significantly greater compared with those in normal kidney by qRT-PCR. In addition, TRAP1 expression in kidney cancer significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (Pkidney cancer and correlates with patients prognosis, which may be served as a potential marker for the diagnosis and treatment of kidney cancer.

Polymorphisms in the TLR4 and TLR5 gene are significantly associated with inflammatory bowel disease in German shepherd dogs.

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Kathrani, Aarti; House, Arthur; Catchpole, Brian; Murphy, Angela; German, Alex; Werling, Dirk; Allenspach, Karin

2010-12-23

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered to be the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs, and the German shepherd dog (GSD) is particularly susceptible. The exact aetiology of IBD is unknown, however associations have been identified between specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and human IBD. However, to date, no genetic studies have been undertaken in canine IBD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in canine TLR 2, 4 and 5 genes are associated with IBD in GSDs. Mutational analysis of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR5 was performed in 10 unrelated GSDs with IBD. Four non-synonymous SNPs (T23C, G1039A, A1571T and G1807A) were identified in the TLR4 gene, and three non-synonymous SNPs (G22A, C100T and T1844C) were identified in the TLR5 gene. The non-synonymous SNPs identified in TLR4 and TLR5 were evaluated further in a case-control study using a SNaPSHOT multiplex reaction. Sequencing information from 55 unrelated GSDs with IBD were compared to a control group consisting of 61 unrelated GSDs. The G22A SNP in TLR5 was significantly associated with IBD in GSDs, whereas the remaining two SNPs were found to be significantly protective for IBD. Furthermore, the two SNPs in TLR4 (A1571T and G1807A) were in complete linkage disequilibrium, and were also significantly associated with IBD. The TLR5 risk haplotype (ACC) without the two associated TLR4 SNP alleles was significantly associated with IBD, however the presence of the two TLR4 SNP risk alleles without the TLR5 risk haplotype was not statistically associated with IBD. Our study suggests that the three TLR5 SNPs and two TLR4 SNPs; A1571T and G1807A could play a role in the pathogenesis of IBD in GSDs. Further studies are required to confirm the functional importance of these polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of this disease.

The clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of AID, miR-181b, and miR-155 expression in adult patients with de novo B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

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Zhou, Guangquan; Cao, Yang; Dong, Weimin; Lin, Yan; Wang, Qi; Wu, Wei; Hua, Xiaoying; Ling, Yun; Xie, Xiaobao; Hu, Shaoyan; Cen, Jiannong; Gu, Weiying

2017-09-01

This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) gene, miR-181b and miR-155 expression in de novo adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients. Results showed that AID and miR-155 expression were higher in B-ALL patients than healthy controls, while miR-181b expression was lower in B-ALL patients. In addition, Ph + B-ALLs had higher AID expression than Ph - B-ALLs, and its high expression was associated with BCR-ABL. Moreover, B-ALL patients with AID high or miR-181b low expression had a shorter overall survival (OS). AID high with miR-181b low , AID high with miR-155 low , miR-181b low , miR-155 low , AID high with miR-181b low and miR-155 low expression were associated with shorter OS. Combination of the three molecules are more accurate predictors for unfavorable OS compared with univariate group. Therefore, AID, miR-181b and miR-155 provide clinical prognosis of adult de novo B-ALL patients and may refine their molecular risk classification.

Association of depression with social support and self-esteem among HIV positives.

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Jagannath, Vinita; Unnikrishnan, B; Hegde, Supriya; Ramapuram, John T; Rao, S; Achappa, B; Madi, D; Kotian, M S

2011-12-01

Depression in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positives has implications such as poor drug compliance, lower quality of life, faster progression to full blown Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and higher mortality. To assess depression, social support and self-esteem in HIV positives and to find out the association of depression with social support and self-esteem among HIV positive patients. Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Hospital, a tertiary care hospital, Mangalore, India and cross-sectional design. Study constituted of 105 HIV positive subjects; depression was assessed using BDI (Beck depression inventory), social support was assessed using Lubben social network scale and self-esteem was assessed using Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Kappa statistics was used to measure the agreement of depression assessed by BDI with clinical diagnosis of depression. Logistic regression analyses were done to find out predictors of depression among HIV positives. All analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. Depression was found to be present in 43.8% of HIV positives. Among the study subjects, 10.5% had high risk for isolation and low self-esteem was found only among 5.7%. In univariate analysis both gender and self-esteem were significantly associated with depression whereas in multivariate analysis only self-esteem was found to be significantly associated with depression. The present study shows a high prevalence of depression in HIV positive patients along with the importance of self-esteem. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Volunteering is associated with increased survival in able-bodied participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

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Rogers, Nina Trivedy; Demakakos, Panayotes; Taylor, Mark Steven; Steptoe, Andrew; Hamer, Mark; Shankar, Aparna

2016-06-01

Volunteering has been linked to reduced mortality in older adults, but the mechanisms explaining this effect remain unclear. This study investigated whether volunteering is associated with increased survival in participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and whether differences in survival are modified by functional disabilities. A multivariate Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to estimate the association of volunteering with survival over a period of 10.9 years in 10 324 participants, while controlling for selected confounders. To investigate effect modification by disability, the analyses were repeated in participants with and without self-reported functional disabilities. Volunteering was associated with a reduced probability of death from all causes in univariate analyses (HR=0.65, CI 0.58 to 0.73, pvolunteers had significantly increased survival compared with able-bodied non-volunteers (HR=0.81, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.95, p=0.009). There was no significant survival advantage among disabled volunteers, compared with disabled non-volunteers (HR=1.06, CI 0.88 to 1.29, p=0.53). Volunteering is associated with reduced mortality in older adults in England, but this effect appears to be limited to volunteers who report no disabilities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Prevalence of Malaria, Dengue, and Chikungunya Significantly Associated with Mosquito Breeding Sites

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Islam, Mohammad Nazrul; ZulKifle, Mohammad; Sherwani, Arish Mohammad Khan; Ghosh, Susanta Kumar; Tiwari, Satyanarayan

2011-01-01

Objectives: To observe the prevalence of malaria, dengue, and chikungunya and their association with mosquito breeding sites. Methods: The study was observational and analytical. A total of 162 houses and 670 subjects were observed during the study period. One hundred forty-two febrile patients were eligible for the study. After obtaining informed consent from all febrile patients, 140 blood samples were collected to diagnose malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. Larval samples were collected by the standard protocol that follows. Correlation of data was performed by Pearson correlation test. Results: Forty-seven blood samples were found positive: 33 for chikungunya, 3 for dengue, and 11 for malaria. Fifty-one out of 224 larval samples were found positive. Out of the 51 positive samples, 37 were positive for Aedes, 12 were positive for Anopheles, and two were positive for Culex larvae. Interpretation and Conclusion: Mosquito-borne fevers, especially malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, have shown a significant relationship with mosquito breeding sites. PMID:23610486

The antibiotic resistome of swine manure is significantly altered by association with the Musca domestica larvae gut microbiome.

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Wang, Hang; Sangwan, Naseer; Li, Hong-Yi; Su, Jian-Qiang; Oyang, Wei-Yin; Zhang, Zhi-Jian; Gilbert, Jack A; Zhu, Yong-Guan; Ping, Fan; Zhang, Han-Luo

2017-01-01

The overuse of antibiotics as veterinary feed additives is potentially contributing to a significant reservoir of antibiotic resistance in agricultural farmlands via the application of antibiotic-contaminated manure. Vermicomposting of swine manure using housefly larvae is a promising biotechnology for waste reduction and control of antibiotic pollution. To determine how vermicomposting influences antibiotic resistance traits in swine manure, we explored the resistome and associated bacterial community dynamics during larvae gut transit over 6 days of treatment. In total, 94 out of 158 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were significantly attenuated (by 85%), while 23 were significantly enriched (3.9-fold) following vermicomposting. The manure-borne bacterial community showed a decrease in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, and an increase in Proteobacteria, specifically Ignatzschineria, following gut transit. ARG attenuation was significantly correlated with changes in microbial community succession, especially reduction in Clostridiales and Bacteroidales. Six genomes were assembled from the manure, vermicompost (final product) and gut samples, including Pseudomonas, Providencia, Enterococcus, Bacteroides and Alcanivorax. Transposon-linked ARGs were more abundant in gut-associated bacteria compared with those from manure and vermicompost. Further, ARG-transposon gene cassettes had a high degree of synteny between metagenomic assemblies from gut and vermicompost samples, highlighting the significant contribution of gut microbiota through horizontal gene transfer to the resistome of vermicompost. In conclusion, the larvae gut microbiome significantly influences manure-borne community succession and the antibiotic resistome during animal manure processing.

Selective neurocognitive deficits and poor life functioning are associated with significant depressive symptoms in alcoholism-HIV infection comorbidity

OpenAIRE

Sassoon, Stephanie A.; Rosenbloom, Margaret J.; Fama, Rosemary; Sullivan, Edith V.; Pfefferbaum, Adolf

2012-01-01

Alcoholism, HIV, and depressive symptoms frequently co-occur and are associated with impairment in cognition and life function. We administered the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), measures of life function, and neurocognitive tests to 67 alcoholics, 56 HIV+ patients, 63 HIV+ alcoholics, and 64 controls to examine whether current depressive symptom level (significant, BDI-II ≥ 14 vs. minimal, BDI-II < 14) was associated with poorer cognitive or psychosocial function in alcoholism-HIV co...

Age is highly associated with stereo blindness among surgeons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fergo, Charlotte; Burcharth, Jakob; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of stereo blindness in the general population varies greatly within a range of 1-30 %. Stereo vision adds an extra dimension to aid depth perception and gives a binocular advantage in task completion. Lack of depth perception may lower surgical performance, potentially...... and stereo tested by the use of the Random Dot E stereo test. Upon stereo testing, a demographic questionnaire was completed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between stereo blindness and the variables resulting from the univariate analysis. RESULTS: Three...

Pleiotropy analysis of quantitative traits at gene level by multivariate functional linear models.

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Wang, Yifan; Liu, Aiyi; Mills, James L; Boehnke, Michael; Wilson, Alexander F; Bailey-Wilson, Joan E; Xiong, Momiao; Wu, Colin O; Fan, Ruzong

2015-05-01

In genetics, pleiotropy describes the genetic effect of a single gene on multiple phenotypic traits. A common approach is to analyze the phenotypic traits separately using univariate analyses and combine the test results through multiple comparisons. This approach may lead to low power. Multivariate functional linear models are developed to connect genetic variant data to multiple quantitative traits adjusting for covariates for a unified analysis. Three types of approximate F-distribution tests based on Pillai-Bartlett trace, Hotelling-Lawley trace, and Wilks's Lambda are introduced to test for association between multiple quantitative traits and multiple genetic variants in one genetic region. The approximate F-distribution tests provide much more significant results than those of F-tests of univariate analysis and optimal sequence kernel association test (SKAT-O). Extensive simulations were performed to evaluate the false positive rates and power performance of the proposed models and tests. We show that the approximate F-distribution tests control the type I error rates very well. Overall, simultaneous analysis of multiple traits can increase power performance compared to an individual test of each trait. The proposed methods were applied to analyze (1) four lipid traits in eight European cohorts, and (2) three biochemical traits in the Trinity Students Study. The approximate F-distribution tests provide much more significant results than those of F-tests of univariate analysis and SKAT-O for the three biochemical traits. The approximate F-distribution tests of the proposed functional linear models are more sensitive than those of the traditional multivariate linear models that in turn are more sensitive than SKAT-O in the univariate case. The analysis of the four lipid traits and the three biochemical traits detects more association than SKAT-O in the univariate case. © 2015 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Pica associated with iron deficiency or depletion: clinical and laboratory correlates in 262 non-pregnant adult outpatients

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Barton James C

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are many descriptions of the association of pica with iron deficiency in adults, but there are few reports in which observations available at diagnosis of iron deficiency were analyzed using multivariable techniques to identify significant predictors of pica. We sought to identify clinical and laboratory correlates of pica in adults with iron deficiency or depletion using univariable and stepwise forward logistic regression analyses. Methods We reviewed charts of 262 non-pregnant adult outpatients (ages ≥18 y who required treatment with intravenous iron dextran. We tabulated their sex, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, symptoms and causes of iron deficiency or depletion, serum iron and complete blood count measures, and other conditions at diagnosis before intravenous iron dextran was administered. We excluded patients with serum creatinine >133 μmol/L or disorders that could affect erythrocyte or iron measures. Iron deficiency was defined as both SF Results There were 230 women (184 white, 46 black; ages 19-91 y and 32 men (31 white, 1 black; ages 24-81 y. 118 patients (45.0% reported pica; of these, 87.3% reported ice pica (pagophagia. In univariable analyses, patients with pica had lower mean age, black race/ethnicity, and higher prevalences of cardiopulmonary and epithelial manifestations. The prevalence of iron deficiency, with or without anemia, did not differ significantly between patients with and without pica reports. Mean hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume (MCV were lower and mean red blood cell distribution width (RDW and platelet count were higher in patients with pica. Thrombocytosis occurred only in women and was more prevalent in those with pica (20.4% vs. 8.3%; p = 0.0050. Mean total iron-binding capacity was higher and mean serum ferritin was lower in patients with pica. Nineteen patients developed a second episode of iron deficiency or depletion; concordance of recurrent pica (or absence of

Race is associated with completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

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Knisely, Anne T; Michaels, Alex D; Mehaffey, J Hunter; Hassinger, Taryn E; Krebs, Elizabeth D; Brenin, David R; Schroen, Anneke T; Showalter, Shayna L

2018-05-03

Completion of prescribed neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is paramount to patients obtaining full benefit from the treatment; however, factors affecting neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion are not known. We hypothesized that race is a predictor of completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. All patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy 2009-2016 at a single institution were stratified by completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and by race. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify patient and tumor characteristics that affected the rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion. A total of 92 (74%) of 124 patients completed their prescribed neoadjuvant chemotherapy. On univariate analysis, white patients were more likely to complete neoadjuvant chemotherapy than non-white patients (76% vs 50%, P = .006). Non-white patients were more likely to have government insurance and larger prechemotherapy tumors (both, P < .05), but these factors were not associated with rates of neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion. After controlling for age, insurance status, tumor size, and estrogen receptor status, whites remained associated with completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR 3.65, P = .014). At our institution, white patients with breast cancer were more likely than non-white patients to complete neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Further investigation into the underlying factors impacting this disparity is needed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between proportion of US medical graduates and program characteristics in gastroenterology fellowships.

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Atsawarungruangkit, Amporn

2017-01-01

Gastroenterology is one of the most competitive internal medicine fellowship. However, factors that associated with program competitiveness have not been documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between characteristics of gastroenterology fellowship programs and their competitiveness through the proportion of US medical graduates for the academic year 2016/17. This study used a retrospective, cross-sectional design with data obtained from the American Medical Association. The proportion of US medical graduates in gastroenterology fellowships was used as an indicator of program competitiveness. Using both univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses, we analyzed the association between the proportion of medical graduates in each program and 27 program characteristics based on a significance level of 0.05. In total, 153 out of 171 gastroenterology fellowship programs satisfied the inclusion criteria. A multivariate analysis revealed that a higher proportion of US medical graduates was significantly associated with five program characteristics: that it was a university-based program (p < 0.001), the ratio of full-time paid faculty to fellow positions (p < 0.001), the proportion of females in the program (p = 0.002), location in the Pacific region (p = 0.039), and a non-smoker hiring policy (p = 0.042). Among the five significant factors, being university based, located in the Pacific, and having a non-smoker hiring policy were likely to remain unchanged over a long period. However, program directors and candidates should pay attention to equivalence between full-time paid faculty and fellowship positions, and the proportion of women in the program. The former indicates the level of supervision while the latter has become increasingly important owing to the higher proportion of women in medicine.

The Leu72Met polymorphism of the ghrelin gene is significantly associated with binge eating disorder.

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Monteleone, Palmiero; Tortorella, Alfonso; Castaldo, Eloisa; Di Filippo, Carmela; Maj, Mario

2007-02-01

The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying binge eating disorder are poorly understood. Evidence exists for the fact that abnormalities in peptides involved in the regulation of appetite, including ghrelin, may play a role in binge eating behavior. Genes involved in the ghrelin physiology may therefore contribute to the biological vulnerability to binge eating disorder. We examined whether two polymorphisms of the ghrelin gene, the G152A (Arg51Gln) and C214A (Leu72Met), were associated with binge eating disorder. Ninety obese or nonobese women with binge eating disorder and 119 normal weight women were genotyped at the ghrelin gene. Statistical analyses showed that the Leu72Met ghrelin gene variant was significantly more frequent in binge eating disorder patients (chi2=5.940; d.f.=1, P=0.01) and was associated with a moderate, but significant risk to develop binge eating disorder (odds ratio=2.725, 95% confidence interval: 1.168-6.350). Although these data should be regarded as preliminary because of the small sample size, they suggest that the Leu72Met ghrelin gene variant may contribute to the genetic susceptibility to binge eating disorder.

HOMA-IR is associated with significant angiographic coronary artery disease in non-diabetic, non-obese individuals: a cross-sectional study.

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Mossmann, Márcio; Wainstein, Marco V; Gonçalves, Sandro C; Wainstein, Rodrigo V; Gravina, Gabriela L; Sangalli, Marlei; Veadrigo, Francine; Matte, Roselene; Reich, Rejane; Costa, Fernanda G; Bertoluci, Marcello C

2015-01-01

Insulin resistance is a major component of metabolic syndrome, type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Although important in T2DM, its role as a predictor of CAD in non-diabetic patients is less studied. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association of HOMA-IR with significant CAD, determined by coronary angiography in non-obese, non-T2DM patients. We also evaluate the association between 3 oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) based insulin sensitivity indexes (Matsuda, STUMVOLL-ISI and OGIS) and CAD. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 54 non-obese, non-diabetic individuals referred for coronary angiography due to suspected CAD. CAD was classified as the "anatomic burden score" corresponding to any stenosis equal or larger than 50 % in diameter on the coronary distribution. Patients without lesions were included in No-CAD group. Patients with at least 1 lesion were included in the CAD group. A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with measurements of plasma glucose and serum insulin at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min was obtained to calculate insulin sensitivity parameters. HOMA-IR results were ranked and patients were also categorized into insulin resistant (IR) or non-insulin resistant (NIR) if they were respectively above or below the 75th percentile (HOMA-IR > 4.21). The insulin sensitivity tests results were also divided into IR and NIR, respectively below and above each 25th percentile. Chi square was used to study association. Poisson Regression Model was used to compare prevalence ratios between categorized CAD and IR groups. Fifty-four patients were included in the study. There were 26 patients (48 %) with significant CAD. The presence of clinically significant CAD was significant associated with HOMA-IR above p75 (Chi square 4.103, p = 0.0428) and 71 % of patients with HOMA-IR above p75 had significant CAD. Subjects with CAD had increased prevalence ratio of HOMA-IR above p75 compared to subjects without

Necrotizing sialometaplasia-like change of the esophageal submucosal glands is associated with Barrett's esophagus.

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Braxton, David R; Nickleach, Dana C; Liu, Yuan; Farris, Alton B

2014-08-01

The esophageal submucosal glands (SMG) protect the squamous epithelium from insults such as gastroesophageal reflux disease by secreting mucins and bicarbonate. We have observed metaplastic changes within the SMG acini that we have termed oncocytic glandular metaplasia (OGM), and necrotizing sialometaplasia-like change (NSMLC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the associated clinicopathological parameters of, and to phenotypically characterize the SMG metaplasias. Esophagectomy specimens were retrospectively assessed on hematoxylin and eosin sections and assigned to either a Barrett's esophagus (BE) or non-BE control group. Clinicopathologic data was collected, and univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the adjusted associations with NSMLC and OGM. Selected cases of SMG metaplasia were characterized. SMG were present in 82 esophagi that met inclusion criteria. On univariate analysis, NSMLC was associated with BE (p = 0.002). There was no relationship between NSMLC and patient age, sex, tumor size, or treatment history. OGM was associated with BE (p = 0.031). No relationship was found between OGM and patient age, sex, or tumor size. On multivariate analysis, BE was independently associated with NSMLC (odds ratio [OR] 4.95, p = 0.003). Treatment history was also independently associated with OGM (p = 0.029), but not NSMLC. Both NSMLC and OGM were non-mucinous ductal type epithelia retaining a p63-smooth muscle actin co-positive myoepithelial cell layer. NSMLC and OGM were present in endoscopic mucosal resection specimens. Our study suggests that SMG metaplasia is primarily a reflux-induced pathology. NSMLC may pose diagnostic dilemmas in resection specimens or when only partially represented in mucosal biopsies or endoscopic resection specimens.

Highly significant association between two common single nucleotide polymorphisms in CORIN gene and preeclampsia in Caucasian women.

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Alain Stepanian

Full Text Available Preeclampsia is a frequent medical complication during pregnancy. Corin, a serine protease which activates pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, has recently been shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to search for CORIN gene variations and their association to preeclampsia in Caucasian and African women. Our study population was composed of 571 pregnant women (295 with preeclampsia and 276 normotensive controls matched for maternal and gestational age, and ethnic origin. The 22 exons of the CORIN gene were sequenced in a discovery sample (n = 260, where 31 single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified. In a replication sample (n = 311, 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms were tested. Two minor alleles (C for rs2271036 and G for rs2271037 were significantly associated to preeclampsia. Adjusted odds ratios [95% confidence interval] were 2.5 [1.2-3.8] (p = 0.007 and 2.3 [1.5-3.5] (p = 1.3 × 10(-4, respectively. These associations were ethnic-specific, as only found in the Caucasian of subjects (odds ratio = 3.5 [1.8-6.6], p = 1.1 × 10(-4; odds ratio = 3.1 [1.7-5.8], p = 2.1 × 10(-4, for each single nucleotide polymorphism, respectively. The two single nucleotide polymorphisms are in almost perfect linkage disequilibrium (r(2 = 0.93. No specific association was found with severe preeclampsia, early-onset preeclampsia nor fetal growth retardation. In conclusion, this is the first report of a highly significant association between these two single nucleotide polymorphisms in CORIN gene and preeclampsia. Our findings further support the probability of a critical role of corin in preeclamspia pathophysiology at the uteroplacental interface.

Food addiction: its prevalence and significant association with obesity in the general population.

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Pedram, Pardis; Wadden, Danny; Amini, Peyvand; Gulliver, Wayne; Randell, Edward; Cahill, Farrell; Vasdev, Sudesh; Goodridge, Alan; Carter, Jacqueline C; Zhai, Guangju; Ji, Yunqi; Sun, Guang

2013-01-01

'Food addiction' shares a similar neurobiological and behavioral framework with substance addiction. However whether, and to what degree, 'food addiction' contributes to obesity in the general population is unknown. to assess 1) the prevalence of 'food addiction' in the Newfoundland population; 2) if clinical symptom counts of 'food addiction' were significantly correlated with the body composition measurements; 3) if food addicts were significantly more obese than controls, and 4) if macronutrient intakes are associated with 'food addiction'. A total of 652 adults (415 women, 237 men) recruited from the general population participated in this study. Obesity was evaluated by Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat percentage measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. 'Food addiction' was assessed using the Yale Food Addiction Scale and macronutrient intake was determined from the Willet Food Frequency Questionnaire. The prevalence of 'food addiction' was 5.4% (6.7% in females and 3.0% in males) and increased with obesity status. The clinical symptom counts of 'food addiction' were positively correlated with all body composition measurements across the entire sample (pObesity measurements were significantly higher in food addicts than controls; Food addicts were 11.7 (kg) heavier, 4.6 BMI units higher, and had 8.2% more body fat and 8.5% more trunk fat. Furthermore, food addicts consumed more calories from fat and protein compared with controls. Our results demonstrated that 'food addiction' contributes to severity of obesity and body composition measurements from normal weight to obese individuals in the general population with higher rate in women as compared to men.

Significance, Nature, and Direction of the Association Between Child Sexual Abuse and Conduct Disorder: A Systematic Review.

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Maniglio, Roberto

2015-07-01

To elucidate the significance, nature, and direction of the potential relationship between child sexual abuse and conduct disorder, all the pertinent studies were reviewed. Ten databases were searched. Blind assessments of study eligibility and quality were performed by two independent researchers. Thirty-six studies including 185,358 participants and meeting minimum quality criteria that were enough to ensure objectivity and to not invalidate results were analyzed. Across the majority of studies, conduct disorder was significantly and directly related to child sexual abuse, especially repeated sexual molestation and abuse involving penetration, even after controlling for various sociodemographic, family, and clinical variables. The association between child sexual abuse and conduct disorder was not confounded by other risk factors, such as gender, socioeconomic status, school achievement, substance problems, physical abuse, parental antisocial behavior or substance problems, parent-child relationships, and family disruption, conflict, or violence. Evidence for a significant interactive effect between child sexual abuse and monoamine oxidase A gene on conduct disorder was scant. Early sexual abuse might predispose to the subsequent onset of conduct disorder which, in turn, may lead to further sexual victimization through association with sexually abusive peers or involvement in dangerous situations or sexual survival strategies. © The Author(s) 2014.

Multistate outbreak of Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis associated with a common caterer.

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Anderson, A D; Garrett, V D; Sobel, J; Monroe, S S; Fankhauser, R L; Schwab, K J; Bresee, J S; Mead, P S; Higgins, C; Campana, J; Glass, R I

2001-12-01

In February 2000, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred among employees of a car dealership in New York. The same meal was also supplied to 52 dealerships nationwide, and 13 states reported illness at dealerships where the banquet was served. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify risk factors associated with the illness. Stool samples were collected to detect Norwalk-like virus, and sera were drawn and tested for immunoglobulin A antibodies to the outbreak strain. By univariate analysis, illness was significantly associated with consumption of any of four salads served at the banquet (relative risk = 3.8, 95% confidence interval: 2.5, 5.6). Norwalk-like virus was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay in 32 of 59 stool samples from eight states. Nucleotide sequences of a 213-base pair fragment from 16 stool specimens collected from cases in eight states were identical, confirming a common source outbreak. Two of 15 workers at caterer A had elevated immunoglobulin A titers to an antigenically related Norwalk-like virus strain. This study highlights the value of molecular techniques to complement classic epidemiologic methods in outbreak investigations and underscores the critical role of food handlers in the spread of foodborne disease associated with Norwalk-like virus.

Effects of mining-associated lead and zinc soil contamination on native floristic quality.

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Struckhoff, Matthew A; Stroh, Esther D; Grabner, Keith W

2013-04-15

We assessed the quality of plant communities across a range of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) soil concentrations at a variety of sites associated with Pb mining in southeast Missouri, USA. In a novel application, two standard floristic quality measures, Mean Coefficient of Conservatism (Mean C) and Floristic Quality Index (FQI), were examined in relation to concentrations of Pb and Zn, soil nutrients, and other soil characteristics. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and Regression Tree Analyses identified soil Pb and Zn concentrations as primary explanatory variables for plant community composition and indicated negative relationships between soil metals concentrations and both Mean C and FQI. Univariate regression also demonstrated significant negative relationships between metals concentrations and floristic quality. The negative effects of metals in native soils with otherwise relatively undisturbed conditions indicate that elevated soil metals concentrations adversely affect native floristic quality where no other human disturbance is evident. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Meta-Analysis Reveals Significant Association of the 3'-UTR VNTR in SLC6A3 with Alcohol Dependence.

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Ma, Yunlong; Fan, Rongli; Li, Ming D

2016-07-01

Although many studies have analyzed the association of 3'-untranslated region variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in SLC6A3 with alcohol dependence (AD), the results remain controversial. This study aimed to determine whether this variant indeed has any genetic effect on AD by integrating 17 reported studies with 5,929 participants included. The A9-dominant genetic model that considers A9-repeat and non-A9 repeat as 2 genotypes and compared their frequencies in alcoholics with that in controls was adopted. Considering the potential influence of ethnicity, differences in diagnostic criteria of AD, and alcoholic subgroups, stratified meta-analyses were conducted. There existed no evidence for the presence of heterogeneity among the studied samples, indicating the results under the fixed-effects model are acceptable. We found a significant association of VNTR A9 genotypes with AD in all ethnic populations (pooled odds ratio [OR] 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00, 1.25; p = 0.045) and the Caucasian population (pooled OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.01, 1.31; p = 0.036). We also found VNTR A9 genotypes to be significantly associated with alcoholism as defined by the DSM-IV criteria (pooled OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.03, 1.36; p = 0.02). Further, we found a significant association between VNTR A9 genotypes and alcoholism associated with alcohol withdrawal seizure or delirium tremens (pooled OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.24, 1.92; p = 1.0 × 10(-4) ). In all these meta-analyses, no evidence of publication bias was detected. We concluded that the VNTR polymorphism has an important role in the etiology of AD, and individuals with at least 1 A9 allele are more likely to be dependent on alcohol than persons carrying the non-A9 allele. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Seizure-associated aphasia has good lateralizing but poor localizing significance.

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Loesch, Anna Mira; Steger, Hannah; Losher, Claudia; Hartl, Elisabeth; Rémi, Jan; Vollmar, Christian; Noachtar, Soheyl

2017-09-01

To investigate the occurrence of ictal and postictal aphasia in different focal epilepsy syndromes. We retrospectively analyzed the video-electroencephalographic monitoring data of 1,118 patients with focal epilepsy for seizure-associated aphasia (SAA). Statistical analysis included chi-square analysis and Fisher's exact test. We identified 102 of 1,118 patients (9.1%) in whom ictal or postictal aphasia (SAA) was part of their recorded seizures (n = 59 of 102; 57.8%) or who reported aphasia by history (n = 43; 42.2% only reported aphasia by history). Postictal aphasia was present in 18 patients (30.5%). Six of the 59 patients had both ictal and postictal aphasia (10.2%). SAA occurred either with left hemisphere seizure onset or with seizures spreading from the right to the left hemisphere. SAA was most common in patients with parieto-occipital epilepsy (10.9%; five of 46 patients), followed by patients with temporal (6.7%; 28 of 420 patients), focal (not further localized; 4.8%; 22 of 462 patients), and frontal epilepsy (2.1%; four of 190 patients; p = 0.04). SAA was more common in parieto-occipital epilepsy than in frontal epilepsy (p = 0.02). In contrast, there was no significant difference in SAA between temporal and parieto-occipital epilepsy (p = 0.36). SAA has a high lateralizing but limited localizing value, as it often reflects spread of epileptic activity into speech-harboring brain regions. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.

Socioeconomic status is significantly associated with dietary salt intakes and blood pressure in Japanese workers (J-HOPE Study).

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Miyaki, Koichi; Song, Yixuan; Taneichi, Setsuko; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Hashimoto, Hideki; Kawakami, Norito; Takahashi, Masaya; Shimazu, Akihito; Inoue, Akiomi; Kurioka, Sumiko; Shimbo, Takuro

2013-03-11

The association of socioeconomic status (SES) with nutrients intakes attracts public attention worldwide. In the current study, we examined the associations of SES with dietary salt intake and health outcomes in general Japanese workers (2,266) who participated in this Japanese occupational cohort. SES was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Dietary intakes were assessed with a validated, brief, self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ). Multiple linear regression and stratified analysis were used to evaluate the associations of salt intake with the confounding factors. Education levels and household incomes were significantly associated with salt intake, as well as blood pressures (P < 0.05). After adjusting for age, sex and total energy intake, both years of education and household income significantly affect the salt intake (for education, β = -0.031, P = 0.040; for household income, β = -0.046, P = 0.003). SES factors also affect the risk of hypertension, those subjects with higher levels of education or income had lower risk to become hypertensive (ORs for education was 0.904, P < 0.001; ORs for income was 0.956, P = 0.032). Our results show that SES is an independent determinant of salt intake and blood pressure, in order to lower the risk of hypertension, the efforts to narrow the social status gaps should be considered by the health policy-makers.

Expression of the Hippo transducer TAZ in association with WNT pathway mutations impacts survival outcomes in advanced gastric cancer patients treated with first-line chemotherapy.

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Melucci, Elisa; Casini, Beatrice; Ronchetti, Livia; Pizzuti, Laura; Sperati, Francesca; Pallocca, Matteo; De Nicola, Francesca; Goeman, Frauke; Gallo, Enzo; Amoreo, Carla Azzurra; Sergi, Domenico; Terrenato, Irene; Vici, Patrizia; Di Lauro, Luigi; Diodoro, Maria Grazia; Pescarmona, Edoardo; Barba, Maddalena; Mazzotta, Marco; Mottolese, Marcella; Fanciulli, Maurizio; Ciliberto, Gennaro; De Maria, Ruggero; Buglioni, Simonetta; Maugeri-Saccà, Marcello

2018-02-05

An extensive crosstalk co-regulates the Hippo and Wnt pathway. Preclinical studies revealed that the Hippo transducers YAP/TAZ mediate a number of oncogenic functions in gastric cancer (GC). Moreover, comprehensive characterization of GC demonstrated that the Wnt pathway is targeted by oncogenic mutations. On this ground, we hypothesized that YAP/TAZ- and Wnt-related biomarkers may predict clinical outcomes in GC patients treated with chemotherapy. In the present study, we included 86 patients with advanced GC treated with first-line chemotherapy in prospective phase II trials or in routine clinical practice. Tissue samples were immunostained to evaluate the expression of YAP/TAZ. Mutational status of key Wnt pathway genes (CTNNB1, APC and FBXW7) was assessed by targeted DNA next-generation sequencing (NGS). Survival curves were estimated and compared by the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and the log-rank test, respectively. Variables potentially affecting progression-free survival (PFS) were verified in univariate Cox proportional hazard models. The final multivariate Cox models were obtained with variables testing significant at the univariate analysis, and by adjusting for all plausible predictors of the outcome of interest (PFS). We observed a significant association between TAZ expression and Wnt mutations (Chi-squared p = 0.008). Combined TAZ expression and Wnt mutations (TAZ pos /WNT mut ) was more frequently observed in patients with the shortest progression-free survival (negative outliers) (Fisher p = 0.021). Uni-and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that patients whose tumors harbored the TAZ pos /WNT mut signature had an increased risk of disease progression (univariate Cox: HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.27-4.05, p = 0.006; multivariate Cox: HR 2.73, 95% CI 1.41-5.29, p = 0.003). Finally, the TAZ pos /WNT mut signature negatively impacted overall survival. Collectively, our findings indicate that the oncogenic YAP/TAZ-Wnt crosstalk may be

Incidence of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea associated with epirubicin, docetaxel and navelbine in younger breast cancer patients

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2010-01-01

Background The rates of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) associated with docetaxel-based regimens reported by previous studies are discordant. For navelbine-based chemotherapies, rates of CIA have seldom been reported. Methods Of 170 premenopausal patients recruited between January 2003 and September 2008, 78 were treated with fluorouracil plus epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC), 66 were treated with docetaxel plus epirubicin (TE), and 26 were treated with navelbine plus epirubicin (NE). Patient follow-up was carried up every 3-4 months during the first year, then every 9-12 months during subsequent years. Results In univariate analysis, the rates of CIA were 44.87% for the FEC regimen, 30.30% for the TE regimen and 23.08% for the NE regimen (P = 0.068). Significant differences in the rates of CIA were not found between the FEC and TE treatment groups (P > 0.05), but were found between the FEC and NE treatment groups (P 0.05). Tamoxifen use was a significant predictor for CIA (P = 0.001), and age was also a significant predictor (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age (P < 0.001), the type of chemotherapy regimens (P = 0.009) and tamoxifen use (P = 0.003) were all significant predictors. Conclusions Age and administration of tamoxifen were found to be significant predictive factors of CIA, whereas docetaxel and navelbine based regimens were not associated with higher rates of CIA than epirubicin-based regimen. PMID:20540745

Male infertility is significantly associated with multiple deletions in an 8.7-kb segment of sperm mtDNA in Pakistan.

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Mughal, Irfan Afzal; Irfan, Asma; Jahan, Sarwat; Hameed, Abdul

2017-06-12

This study aimed to find a link between sperm mitochondrial DNA mutations and male infertility in Pakistan. DNA from semen samples was extracted and amplified by PCR using 7.8-kb deletion-specific primers. The PCR products were separated on agarose gel, visualized under UV-illumination, and then photographed. The results were genotyped and the data were analyzed using SPSS. Deletion analysis of the 8.7-kb fragment by long PCR revealed multiple deletions. The frequency of deletion was much higher in infertile groups as compared to the control group. Further, on comparison between different subtypes of infertile groups, the deletions were highest in the oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) group. The statistical analysis of case and control groups showed a significant association of the 8.7-kb deletion with human male infertile groups (P = 0.031), and particularly a very significant association with the OAT subgroup (P = 0.019). A significant association has been found between human male infertility and mtDNA deletions in an 8.7-kb segment of sperm mtDNA in a Pakistani population.

Elevated post-void residual volume in a geriatric post-hip fracture assessment in women-associated factors and risk of mortality.

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Nuotio, Maria S; Luukkaala, Tiina; Tammela, Teuvo

2018-04-09

Multiple factors contribute to elevated post-void residual urine volumes (PVR), but they may indicate detrusor underactivity (DU), especially in older women. The aim here was to examine factors associated with and prognostic significance of elevated PVR in a geriatric post-hip fracture assessment in a female population. Consecutive female hip fracture patients (n = 409) aged 65 years and older were included. PVR was measured by bladder scanner. PVR of 160 ml or more was deemed elevated. Age-adjusted univariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of the domains of the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) with elevated PVR. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the age-adjusted association of an elevated PVR with 1-year mortality. Of the patients, 64 (15.6%) had elevated PVR. Having urinary or fecal incontinence, difficulties in physical activities of daily living, malnutrition, poor performance on Timed Up and Go and Elderly Mobility Scale were significantly associated with elevated PVR. Difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living, renal dysfunction, constipation, polypharmacy, nocturia, cognitive impairment and depressive mood were not associated with elevated PVR. Elevated PVR significantly increased the risk of mortality 1 year post hip fracture. Elevated PVR is relatively common in older female hip fracture patients and associated with physical functioning, malnutrition and risk of mortality. Even though a causal relationship cannot be confirmed, the findings may suggest a relationship between DU and physical frailty. PVR deserves to be included in the CGA of frail older patients including women.

Clinicopathological significance of fascin-1 expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

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Ling XL

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Xiao-Ling Ling,* Tao Zhang,* Xiao-Ming Hou, Da Zhao Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University (The Branch Hospital of Donggang, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Fascin-1 promotes the formation of filopodia, lamellipodia, and microspikes of cell membrane after its cross-linking with F-actin, thereby enhancing the cell movement and metastasis and invasion of tumor cells. This study explored the fascin-1 protein’s expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC tissues and its relationship with clinical pathology and prognostic indicators.Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was used to determine the expression of fascin-1 in NSCLC tissues. We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis to further verify the results. The fascin-1 expression and statistical method for clinical pathological parameters are examined by χ2. Kaplan–Meier method is used for survival analysis. Cox’s Proportional Hazard Model was used to conduct a combined-effect analysis for each covariate.Results: In 73 of the 128 cases, NSCLC cancer tissues (57.0% were found with high expression of fascin-1, which was significantly higher than the adjacent tissues (35/128, 27.3%. The results suggested that the high expression of fascin-1 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.022 and TNM stage (P=0.042. The high fascin-1 expression patients survived shorter than those NSCLC patients with low fascin-1 expression (P<0.05. Univariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and fascin-1 expression status were correlated with the overall survival. Similarly, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and fascin-1 expression status were significantly associated with the overall survival in multivariate analyses by using the Cox regression model.Conclusion: The fascin-1 protein may be a useful prognostic indicator and

Polymorphisms in the Tlr4 and Tlr5 Gene Are Significantly Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in German Shepherd Dogs

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Kathrani, Aarti; House, Arthur; Catchpole, Brian; Murphy, Angela; German, Alex; Werling, Dirk; Allenspach, Karin

2010-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered to be the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs, and the German shepherd dog (GSD) is particularly susceptible. The exact aetiology of IBD is unknown, however associations have been identified between specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and human IBD. However, to date, no genetic studies have been undertaken in canine IBD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in canine TLR 2, 4 and 5 genes are associated with IBD in GSDs. Mutational analysis of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR5 was performed in 10 unrelated GSDs with IBD. Four non-synonymous SNPs (T23C, G1039A, A1571T and G1807A) were identified in the TLR4 gene, and three non-synonymous SNPs (G22A, C100T and T1844C) were identified in the TLR5 gene. The non-synonymous SNPs identified in TLR4 and TLR5 were evaluated further in a case-control study using a SNaPSHOT multiplex reaction. Sequencing information from 55 unrelated GSDs with IBD were compared to a control group consisting of 61 unrelated GSDs. The G22A SNP in TLR5 was significantly associated with IBD in GSDs, whereas the remaining two SNPs were found to be significantly protective for IBD. Furthermore, the two SNPs in TLR4 (A1571T and G1807A) were in complete linkage disequilibrium, and were also significantly associated with IBD. The TLR5 risk haplotype (ACC) without the two associated TLR4 SNP alleles was significantly associated with IBD, however the presence of the two TLR4 SNP risk alleles without the TLR5 risk haplotype was not statistically associated with IBD. Our study suggests that the three TLR5 SNPs and two TLR4 SNPs; A1571T and G1807A could play a role in the pathogenesis of IBD in GSDs. Further studies are required to confirm the functional importance of these polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of this disease. PMID:21203467

Powerful bivariate genome-wide association analyses suggest the SOX6 gene influencing both obesity and osteoporosis phenotypes in males.

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Yao-Zhong Liu

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Current genome-wide association studies (GWAS are normally implemented in a univariate framework and analyze different phenotypes in isolation. This univariate approach ignores the potential genetic correlation between important disease traits. Hence this approach is difficult to detect pleiotropic genes, which may exist for obesity and osteoporosis, two common diseases of major public health importance that are closely correlated genetically.To identify such pleiotropic genes and the key mechanistic links between the two diseases, we here performed the first bivariate GWAS of obesity and osteoporosis. We searched for genes underlying co-variation of the obesity phenotype, body mass index (BMI, with the osteoporosis risk phenotype, hip bone mineral density (BMD, scanning approximately 380,000 SNPs in 1,000 unrelated homogeneous Caucasians, including 499 males and 501 females. We identified in the male subjects two SNPs in intron 1 of the SOX6 (SRY-box 6 gene, rs297325 and rs4756846, which were bivariately associated with both BMI and hip BMD, achieving p values of 6.82x10(-7 and 1.47x10(-6, respectively. The two SNPs ranked at the top in significance for bivariate association with BMI and hip BMD in the male subjects among all the approximately 380,000 SNPs examined genome-wide. The two SNPs were replicated in a Framingham Heart Study (FHS cohort containing 3,355 Caucasians (1,370 males and 1,985 females from 975 families. In the FHS male subjects, the two SNPs achieved p values of 0.03 and 0.02, respectively, for bivariate association with BMI and femoral neck BMD. Interestingly, SOX6 was previously found to be essential to both cartilage formation/chondrogenesis and obesity-related insulin resistance, suggesting the gene's dual role in both bone and fat.Our findings, together with the prior biological evidence, suggest the SOX6 gene's importance in co-regulation of obesity and osteoporosis.

Powerful Bivariate Genome-Wide Association Analyses Suggest the SOX6 Gene Influencing Both Obesity and Osteoporosis Phenotypes in Males

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Liu, Yao-Zhong; Pei, Yu-Fang; Liu, Jian-Feng; Yang, Fang; Guo, Yan; Zhang, Lei; Liu, Xiao-Gang; Yan, Han; Wang, Liang; Zhang, Yin-Ping; Levy, Shawn; Recker, Robert R.; Deng, Hong-Wen

2009-01-01

Background Current genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are normally implemented in a univariate framework and analyze different phenotypes in isolation. This univariate approach ignores the potential genetic correlation between important disease traits. Hence this approach is difficult to detect pleiotropic genes, which may exist for obesity and osteoporosis, two common diseases of major public health importance that are closely correlated genetically. Principal Findings To identify such pleiotropic genes and the key mechanistic links between the two diseases, we here performed the first bivariate GWAS of obesity and osteoporosis. We searched for genes underlying co-variation of the obesity phenotype, body mass index (BMI), with the osteoporosis risk phenotype, hip bone mineral density (BMD), scanning ∼380,000 SNPs in 1,000 unrelated homogeneous Caucasians, including 499 males and 501 females. We identified in the male subjects two SNPs in intron 1 of the SOX6 (SRY-box 6) gene, rs297325 and rs4756846, which were bivariately associated with both BMI and hip BMD, achieving p values of 6.82×10−7 and 1.47×10−6, respectively. The two SNPs ranked at the top in significance for bivariate association with BMI and hip BMD in the male subjects among all the ∼380,000 SNPs examined genome-wide. The two SNPs were replicated in a Framingham Heart Study (FHS) cohort containing 3,355 Caucasians (1,370 males and 1,985 females) from 975 families. In the FHS male subjects, the two SNPs achieved p values of 0.03 and 0.02, respectively, for bivariate association with BMI and femoral neck BMD. Interestingly, SOX6 was previously found to be essential to both cartilage formation/chondrogenesis and obesity-related insulin resistance, suggesting the gene's dual role in both bone and fat. Conclusions Our findings, together with the prior biological evidence, suggest the SOX6 gene's importance in co-regulation of obesity and osteoporosis. PMID:19714249

Factors Associated With Patient-perceived Hoarseness in Spasmodic Dysphonia Patients.

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Hu, Amanda; Hillel, Al; Meyer, Tanya

2016-11-01

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Clinical Practice Guidelines on Hoarseness distinguishes between hoarseness, which is a symptom perceived by the patient, and dysphonia, which is a diagnosis made by the clinician. Our objective was to determine factors that are associated with patient-perceived hoarseness in spasmodic dysphonia (SD) patients. Retrospective study. Adductor SD patients who presented for botulinum toxin injections from September 2011 to June 2012 were recruited. The main outcome variable, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), was used to quantify patient-perceived hoarseness. Clinical data, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and VHI-10 were collected. Clinician-perceived dysphonia was measured by a speech-language pathologist with Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V). Statistical analysis included univariate analyses and multiple linear regression. One hundred thirty-nine SD patients had VHI-10 score of 26.0 ± 7.2 (mean ± standard deviation), disease duration of 10.5 + 7.0 years, CAPE-V overall score of 43.2 ± 21.8, HADS anxiety score of 6.7 ± 3.8, and HADS depression score of 3.6 ± 2.8. In univariate analyses, there were positive correlations (P dysphonia are associated with higher levels of patient-perceived hoarseness in SD patients. Hoarseness is a very personal symptom. Multiple factors determine its self-perception. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical significance of gastritis cystica profunda and its association with Epstein-Barr virus in gastric cancer.

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Choi, Min-Gew; Jeong, Ji Yun; Kim, Kyoung-Mee; Bae, Jae Moon; Noh, Jae Hyung; Sohn, Tae Sung; Kim, Sung

2012-11-01

Gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) is a relatively rare disorder characterized by hyperplastic and cystic down growth of gastric glands into the submucosa. In the current study, the authors attempted to clarify the clinical and pathologic features of GCP in patients with gastric cancer. The records of 10,728 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastric cancer surgery were reviewed. The clinicopathologic features of patients who had GCP (n = 161) were compared with the features of patients without GCP (n = 10,567). In situ hybridization to determine Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positivity was performed in cancer tissues from patients with (n = 119) and without (n = 503) GCP. GCP was associated significantly with older age, male gender, proximal tumor location, differentiated histology and Lauren intestinal type compared with non-GCP. GCP also was present more frequently in remnant and multiple gastric cancers. Patients who had GCP presented with earlier tumor stages in terms of depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis, and they had less lymphatic and perineural invasion than patients without GCP; however, the presence of GCP was not an independent prognostic factor. The EBV-positive rate was significantly higher in the GCP group (31.1%) than in the non-GCP group (5.8%). Patients with gastric cancer who had GCP had clinicopathologic features that differed from the features observed in patients without GCP. GCP was associated significantly with EBV-positive gastric cancers, and its possible role as a premalignant lesion needs to be clarified. Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Dermatomyositis: Associations with Clinical and Laboratory Features Including Autoantibodies.

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Mugii, Naoki; Hasegawa, Minoru; Matsushita, Takashi; Hamaguchi, Yasuhito; Oohata, Sacihe; Okita, Hirokazu; Yahata, Tetsutarou; Someya, Fujiko; Inoue, Katsumi; Murono, Shigeyuki; Fujimoto, Manabu; Takehara, Kazuhiko

2016-01-01

Dysphagia develops with low frequency in patients with dermatomyositis. Our objective was to determine the clinical and laboratory features that can estimate the development of dysphagia in dermatomyositis. This study included 92 Japanese patients with adult-onset dermatomyositis. The associations between dysphagia and clinical and laboratory features including disease-specific autoantibodies determined by immunoprecipitation assays were analyzed. Videofluoroscopy swallow study (VFSS) was performed for all patients with clinical dysphagia (n = 13, 14.1%) but not for patients without clinical dysphagia. Typical findings of dysphagia (pharyngeal pooling, n = 11 and/or nasal regurgitation, n = 4) was detected by VFSS in all patients with clinical dysphagia. Eleven patients with dysphagia (84.6%) had anti-transcription intermediary factor 1γ (TIF-1γ) antibody. By univariate analysis, the average age and the male to female ratio, internal malignancy, and anti-TIF-1γ antibody were significantly higher and the frequency of interstitial lung diseases and manual muscle testing (MMT) scores of sternomastoid and dertoid muscles were significantly lower in patients with dysphagia than in patients without dysphagia. Among patients with anti-TIF-1γ antibody, the mean age, the ratios of male to female and internal malignancy were significantly higher and mean MMT scores of sternomastoid muscle were significantly lower in patients with dysphagia compared with patients without dysphagia. By multivariable analysis, the risk of dysphagia was strongly associated with the existence of internal malignancy and ant-TIF-1γ antibody and was also associated with reduced scores of manual muscle test of sternomastoid muscle. Dysphagia was markedly improved after the treatment against myositis in all 13 patients. These findings indicate that dysphagia can develop frequently in patients with internal malignancy, anti-TIF-1γ antibody, or severe muscle weakness of sternomastoid muscle.

Factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly home-care patients.

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Komiya, Hitoshi; Umegaki, Hiroyuki; Asai, Atsushi; Kanda, Shigeru; Maeda, Keiko; Shimojima, Takuya; Nomura, Hideki; Kuzuya, Masafumi

2018-01-01

Polypharmacy, which is often observed in elderly patients, has been associated with several unfavorable outcomes, including an increased risk of potentially inappropriate medications, medication non-adherence, drug duplication, drug-drug interactions, higher healthcare costs and adverse drug reactions. A significant association between polypharmacy and adverse outcomes among older people living in the community has also been confirmed. A reduction in the number of medications should thus be pursued for many older individuals. Nevertheless, the factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly home-care patients have not been reported. Here, we investigated those factors in elderly home-care patients in Japan. We used the data of the participants in the Observational Study of Nagoya Elderly with Home Medical investigation. Polypharmacy was defined as the current use of six or more different medications. We carried out univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the associations between polypharmacy and each of several factors. A total of 153 home-care patients were registered. The mean number of medications used per patient was 5.9, and 51.5% of the patients belonged to the polypharmacy group. The multivariate model showed that the patients' scores on the Charlson Comorbidity Index and the Mini-Nutrition Assessment Short Form were inversely associated with polypharmacy, and potentially inappropriate medication was most strongly associated with polypharmacy (odds ratio 4.992). The present findings showed that polypharmacy was quite common among the elderly home-care patients, and they suggest that home-care physicians should prescribe fewer medications in accord with the deterioration of home-care patients' general condition. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 33-41. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Association between human breast milk and retinopathy of prematurity.

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Fonseca, Luciana Teixeira; Senna, Denise C; Eckert, Gabriela Unchalo; Silveira, Rita de Cássia; Procianoy, Renato Soibelmann

2018-04-01

To evaluate the possible protective effect of breast milk against retinopathy of prematurity by comparing the amount of breast milk received by patients who developed retinopathy of prematurity and those who did not and to determine both the required minimum amount of breast milk and the time of life during which neonates need to receive breast milk for this effect to be significant. Cohort study of newborns with a birth weight of prematurity of any degree was 31% (100 of 323 patients) and that of severe retinopathy of prematurity was of 9% (29 of 323 patients). The median amounts of breast milk received daily by patients with and without retinopathy of prematurity were 4.9 mL/kg (interquartile range, 0.3-15.4) and 10.2 mL/kg (1.5-25.5), respectively. The amount of breast milk received in the first 6 weeks of life was inversely associated with the incidence of both retinopathy of prematurity of any degree and severe retinopathy of prematurity in the univariate analyses. However, the statistical significance was maintained only during the sixth week of life in a per-period multivariate analysis controlling for confounding factors. Small amounts of breast milk are inadequate to prevent retinopathy of prematurity in premature newborns at risk for the disease.

Factors associated with an increased risk of vertebral fracture in monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance

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Piot, J M; Royer, M; Schmidt-Tanguy, A; Hoppé, E; Gardembas, M; Bourrée, T; Hunault, M; François, S; Boyer, F; Ifrah, N; Renier, G; Chevailler, A; Audran, M; Chappard, D; Libouban, H; Mabilleau, G; Legrand, E; Bouvard, B

2015-01-01

Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS) have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of fractures. This study describes prospectively the bone status of MGUS patients and determines the factors associated with vertebral fracture. We included prospectively 201 patients with MGUS, incidentally discovered, and with no known history of osteoporosis: mean age 66.6±12.5 years, 48.3% women, 51.7% immunoglobulin G (IgG), 33.3% IgM and 10.4% IgA. Light chain was kappa in 64.2% patients. All patients had spinal radiographs and bone mineral density measurement in addition to gammopathy assessment. At least one prevalent non-traumatic vertebral fracture was discovered in 18.4% patients and equally distributed between men and women. Fractured patients were older, had a lower bone density and had also more frequently a lambda light chain isotype. Compared with patients with κ light chain, the odds ratio of being fractured for patients with λ light chain was 4.32 (95% confidence interval 1.80–11.16; P=0.002). These results suggest a high prevalence of non-traumatic vertebral fractures in MGUS associated with lambda light chain isotype and not only explained by low bone density

Association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen in a normal working population: a cross sectional analysis in referents of the SHEEP Study. Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program.

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Tsutsumi, A; Theorell, T; Hallqvist, J; Reuterwall, C; de Faire, U

1999-06-01

To explore the association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen concentrations. Cross sectional design. The Greater Stockholm area. A total of 1018 men and 490 women aged 45-70 who were randomly selected from the general population during 1992-1994. They were all employed and had no history of myocardial infarction. The self reported job characteristics were measured by a Swedish version of the Karasek demand-control questionnaire. For inferred scoring of job characteristics, psychosocial exposure categories (job control and psychological demands) were assigned by linking each subject's occupational history with a work organisation exposure matrix. Job strain was defined as the ratio between demands and control. In univariate analyses, expected linear trends were found in three of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and low control (the self reported score for women and the inferred score for both sexes), in one of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and high demands (the inferred score for women) and in two of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and job strain (the inferred score for both sexes). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that men in the inferred job strain group have an increased risk of falling into the increased plasma fibrinogen concentration group (above median level of the distribution) (odds ratio (OR) 1.2; 95% CI 1.0, 1.5) after adjustment for the variables that were associated with plasma fibrinogen in the univariate analyses. In women, low self reported control, high inferred demand, and inferred job strain were significantly associated with increased plasma fibrinogen concentration (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0, 1.8, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0, 2.2, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1, 2.2, respectively). These results indicate that adverse job characteristics may be related to plasma fibrinogen concentrations and this relation is more relevant in female workers. The clearest evidence for

Necrotizing Sialometaplasia-Like Change of the Esophageal Submucosal Glands is Associated with Barrett’s Esophagus

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Braxton, David R.; Nickleach, Dana C.; Liu, Yuan; Farris, Alton B.

2014-01-01

The esophageal submucosal glands (SMG) protect the squamous epithelium from insults such as gastroesophageal reflux disease by secreting mucins and bicarbonate. We have observed metaplastic changes within the SMG acini that we have termed oncocytic glandular metaplasia (OGM), and necrotizing sialometaplasia-like change (NSMLC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the associated clinicopathological parameters of, and to phenotypically characterize the SMG metaplasias. Esophagectomy specimens were retrospectively assessed on hematoxylin and eosin sections and assigned to either a Barrett’s esophagus (BE) or non-BE control group. Clinicopathologic data was collected, and univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the adjusted associations with NSMLC and OGM. Selected cases of SMG metaplasia were characterized. SMG were present in 82 esophagi that met inclusion criteria. On univariate analysis, NSMLC was associated with BE (p=0.002). There was no relationship between NSMLC and patient age, sex, tumor size, or treatment history. OGM was associated with BE (p=0.031). No relationship was found between OGM and patient age, sex, or tumor size. On multivariate analysis, BE was independently associated with NSMLC (odds ratio [OR] 4.95, p =0.003). Treatment history was also independently associated with OGM (p =0.029), but not NSMLC. Both NSMLC and OGM were non-mucinous ductal type epithelia retaining a p63-smooth muscle actin co-positive myoepithelial cell layer. NSMLC and OGM were present in endoscopic mucosal resection specimens. Our study suggests that SMG metaplasia is primarily a reflux-induced pathology. NSMLC may pose diagnostic dilemmas in resection specimens or when only partially represented in mucosal biopsies or endoscopic resection specimens. PMID:24863247

Type 1 IGF Receptor Localization in Paediatric Gliomas: Significant Association with WHO Grading and Clinical Outcome.

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Clément, Florencia; Martin, Ayelen; Venara, Marcela; de Luján Calcagno, Maria; Mathó, Cecilia; Maglio, Silvana; Lombardi, Mercedes García; Bergadá, Ignacio; Pennisi, Patricia A

2018-06-01

Nuclear localization of insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1 (IGF-1R) has been described as adverse prognostic factor in some cancers. We studied the expression and localization of IGF-1R in paediatric patients with gliomas, as well as its association with World Health Organization (WHO) grading and survival. We conducted a single cohort, prospective study of paediatric patients with gliomas. Samples were taken at the time of the initial surgery; IGF-1R expression and localization were characterized by immunohistochemistry (IHC), subcellular fractionation and western blotting. Tumours (47/53) showed positive staining for IGF-1R by IHC. IGF-1R nuclear labelling was observed in 10/47 cases. IGF-1R staining was mostly non-nuclear in low-grade tumours, while IGF-1R nuclear labelling was predominant in high-grade gliomas (p = 0.0001). Survival was significantly longer in patients with gliomas having non-nuclear IGF-1R localization than in patients with nuclear IGF-1R tumours (p = 0.016). In gliomas, IGF-1R nuclear localization was significantly associated with both high-grade tumours and increased risk of death. Based on a prospective design, we provide evidence of a potential usefulness of intracellular localization of IGF-1R as prognostic factor in paediatric patients with gliomas.

Genome-wide significant risk associations for mucinous ovarian carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kelemen, Linda E; Lawrenson, Kate; Tyrer, Jonathan

2015-01-01

at 2q13 in colorectal tumors (P = 0.03, FDR = 0.09). Chromosome conformation capture analysis identified interactions between the HOXD9 promoter and risk-associated SNPs at 2q31.1. Overexpressing HOXD9 in MOC cells augmented the neoplastic phenotype. These findings provide the first evidence for MOC...... susceptibility variants and insights into the underlying biology of the disease....

Selective neurocognitive deficits and poor life functioning are associated with significant depressive symptoms in alcoholism-HIV infection comorbidity.

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Sassoon, Stephanie A; Rosenbloom, Margaret J; Fama, Rosemary; Sullivan, Edith V; Pfefferbaum, Adolf

2012-09-30

Alcoholism, HIV, and depressive symptoms frequently co-occur and are associated with impairment in cognition and life function. We administered the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), measures of life function, and neurocognitive tests to 67 alcoholics, 56 HIV+ patients, 63 HIV+ alcoholics, and 64 controls to examine whether current depressive symptom level (significant, BDI-II>14 vs. minimal, BDI-IIalcoholism-HIV comorbidity. Participants with significant depressive symptoms demonstrated slower manual motor speed and poorer visuospatial memory than those with minimal depressive symptoms. HIV patients with depressive symptoms showed impaired manual motor speed. Alcoholics with depressive symptoms showed impaired visuospatial memory. HIV+ alcoholics with depressive symptoms reported the poorest quality of life; alcoholics with depressive symptoms, irrespective of HIV status, had poorest life functioning. Thus, significant depressive symptoms were associated with poorer selective cognitive and life functioning in alcoholism and in HIV infection, even though depressive symptoms had neither synergistic nor additive effects on cognition in alcoholism-HIV comorbidity. The results suggest the relevance of assessing and treating current depressive symptoms to reduce cognitive compromise and functional disability in HIV infection, alcoholism, and their comorbidity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

No genetic footprints of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene in human plasma 1H CPMG NMR metabolic profiles

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Kjeldahl, Karin; Rasmussen, Morten Arendt; Hasselbalch, Ann Louise

2014-01-01

In this paper it was investigated if any genotypic footprints from the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) SNP could be found in 600 MHz 1H CPMG NMR profiles of around 1,000 human plasma samples from healthy Danish twins. The problem was addressed with a combination of univariate and multivariate...

The association between physical activity and social isolation in community-dwelling older adults.

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Robins, Lauren M; Hill, Keith D; Finch, Caroline F; Clemson, Lindy; Haines, Terry

2018-02-01

Social isolation is an increasing concern in older community-dwelling adults. There is growing need to determine effective interventions addressing social isolation. This study aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between physical activity (recreational and/or household-based) and social isolation. An examination was conducted for whether group- or home-based falls prevention exercise was associated with social isolation. Cross-sectional analysis of telephone survey data was used to investigate relationships between physical activity, health, age, gender, living arrangements, ethnicity and participation in group- or home-based falls prevention exercise on social isolation. Univariable and multivariable ordered logistic regression analyses were conducted. Factors found to be significantly associated with reduced social isolation in multivariable analysis included living with a partner/spouse, reporting better general health, higher levels of household-based physical activity (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.01-1.05) and feeling less downhearted/depressed. Being more socially isolated was associated with symptoms of depression and a diagnosis of congestive heart failure (pseudo R 2 = 0.104). Findings suggest that household-based physical activity is related to social isolation in community-dwelling older adults. Further research is required to determine the nature of this relationship and to investigate the impact of group physical activity interventions on social isolation.

Temporomandibular disorders are differentially associated with headache diagnoses: a controlled study.

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Gonçalves, Daniela A G; Camparis, Cinara M; Speciali, José G; Franco, Ana L; Castanharo, Sabrina M; Bigal, Marcelo E

2011-09-01

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are considered to be comorbid with headaches. Earlier population studies have suggested that TMD may also be a risk factor for migraine progression. If that is true, TMD should be associated with specific headache syndromes (eg, migraine and chronic migraine), but not with headaches overall. Accordingly, our aim was to explore the relationship between TMD subtypes and severity with primary headaches in a controlled clinical study. The sample consisted of 300 individuals. TMDs were assessed using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD, and primary headache was classified according to International Classification for Headache Disorders-2. Univariate and multivariate models assessed headache diagnoses and frequency as a function of the parameters of TMD. Relative to those without TMD, individuals with myofascial TMD were significantly more likely to have chronic daily headaches (CDHs) [relative risk (RR)=7.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.1-19.6], migraine (RR=4.4; 95% CI, 1.7-11.7), and episodic tension-type headache (RR=4.4; 95% CI, 1.5-12.6). Grade of TMD pain was associated with increased odds of CDH (Pheadache (Pheadache frequency. In multivariate analyses, TMD was associated with migraine and CDH (P=0.001). Painful TMD (P=0.0034) and grade of TMD pain (Pheadache frequency. TMD, TMD subtypes, and TMD severity are independently associated with specific headache syndromes and with headache frequency. This differential association suggests that the presence of central facilitation of nociceptive inputs may be of importance, as positive association was observed only when muscular TMD pain was involved.

Is perceived patient involvement in mental health care associated with satisfaction and empowerment?

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Tambuyzer, Else; Van Audenhove, Chantal

2015-08-01

Patients increasingly assume active roles in their mental health care. While there is a growing interest in patient involvement and patient-reported outcomes, there is insufficient research on the outcomes of patient involvement. The research questions in this study are as follows: 'To what extent is perceived patient involvement associated with satisfaction and empowerment?'; 'What is the nature of the relationship between satisfaction and empowerment?'; and 'To what extent are background variables associated with satisfaction and empowerment?'. We assumed that a higher degree of patient involvement is associated with higher satisfaction and empowerment scores and that satisfaction and empowerment are positively associated. Data were gathered using surveys of 111 patients of 36 multidisciplinary care networks for persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Demographic characteristics, patient involvement and satisfaction were measured using a new questionnaire. Empowerment was assessed using the Dutch Empowerment Scale. Descriptive, univariate (Pearson's r and independent-samples t-tests), multivariate (hierarchical forced entry regression) and mixed-model analyses were conducted. The hypotheses of positive associations between patient involvement, satisfaction and empowerment are confirmed. The demographics are not significantly related to satisfaction or empowerment, except for gender. Men reported higher empowerment scores than did women. Making patient involvement a reality is more than just an ethical imperative. It provides an opportunity to enhance patient-reported outcomes such as satisfaction and empowerment. Future research should focus on the nature of the association between satisfaction and empowerment. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sensorimotor and postural control factors associated with driving safety in a community-dwelling older driver population.

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Lacherez, Philippe; Wood, Joanne M; Anstey, Kaarin J; Lord, Stephen R

2014-02-01

To establish whether sensorimotor function and balance are associated with on-road driving performance in older adults. The performance of 270 community-living adults aged 70-88 years recruited via the electoral roll was measured on a battery of peripheral sensation, strength, flexibility, reaction time, and balance tests and on a standardized measure of on-road driving performance. Forty-seven participants (17.4%) were classified as unsafe based on their driving assessment. Unsafe driving was associated with reduced peripheral sensation, lower limb weakness, reduced neck range of motion, slow reaction time, and poor balance in univariate analyses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified poor vibration sensitivity, reduced quadriceps strength, and increased sway on a foam surface with eyes closed as significant and independent risk factors for unsafe driving. These variables classified participants into safe and unsafe drivers with a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 70%. A number of sensorimotor and balance measures were associated with driver safety and the multivariate model comprising measures of sensation, strength, and balance was highly predictive of unsafe driving in this sample. These findings highlight important determinants of driver safety and may assist in developing efficacious driver safety strategies for older drivers.

Prevalence of and factors associated with overweight among university students from Rio Branco, Acre – Brazil

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Gustavo de Souza Moretti

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with overweight among university students from the city of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,104 students (mean age: 24 years from Rio Branco, Acre. Overweight was used as the dependent variable. The following independent variables were studied: socioeconomic variables (gender, age, teaching institution, period of study, marital status, income, household members, living with other people, parent’s education level, and working or not; self-reported health and morbidity variables (health perception, hypertension, diabetes, and altered cholesterol; lifestyle variables (physical activity, watching television, computer use, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The nutritional status was classified based on body mass index. Univariate analysis was performed using Pearson’s chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test. Variables with a p value < 20% on univariate analysis were included in the multiple Poisson regression model. The prevalence of overweight was 35.6%. In the multiple regression model for male students adjusted for age, overweight was associated with marital status, household income, hypertension, and watching television every day. In the model for female students, the variables that remained associated were self-perceived health status, hypertension, and alcohol consumption in the last month. Overweight is determined by a combination of different factors which differed in the present study between men and women.

Breastfeeding in infancy is not associated with inflammatory status in healthy adolescents.

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Vérier, Caroline M P; Duhamel, Alain; Béghin, Laurent; Diaz, Ligia-Esperanza; Warnberg, Julia; Marcos, Ascensión; Gómez-Martínez, Sonia; Manios, Yannis; De Henauw, Stefaan; Sjöström, Michael; Moreno, Luis A; Kersting, Mathilde; Breidenassel, Christina; Molnar, Dènes; Artero, Enrique G; Ferrari, Marika; Widhalm, Kurt; Turck, Dominique; Gottrand, Frédéric

2011-03-01

It has been suggested that breast-feeding (BF) may be associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. A low-grade inflammation is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, even in apparently healthy children. The objective of this study was to assess the potential modulating effect of BF on the inflammatory status of healthy adolescents. Information on BF (duration) was obtained from parental records in 484 of 1040 healthy European urban adolescents (56.4% females) that had a blood sample obtained as part of the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition and Adolescence study. Blood serum inflammatory markers were measured, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein, complement factors 3 and 4, ceruloplasmin, adhesion molecules (L-selectin and soluble endothelial selectin, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1), cytokines, TGFβ1, and white blood cells. After univariate analysis, a propensity score, including the potential confounding factors, was computed and used to assess the association between BF and selected inflammatory markers. BF was not significantly associated with any of the selected inflammatory markers after adjustment for gender and propensity score. In our study, BF was not associated with low-grade inflammatory status in healthy adolescents, suggesting that the potential cardiovascular benefits of BF are related to other mechanisms than modulation of inflammation or might become relevant at a later age. Groups at high risk for cardiovascular disease should be a target for further research concerning the effects of BF.

Association between Patient History and Physical Examination and Osteoarthritis after Ankle Sprain.

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van Ochten, John M; de Vries, Anja D; van Putte, Nienke; Oei, Edwin H G; Bindels, Patrick J E; Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita M A; van Middelkoop, Marienke

2017-09-01

Structural abnormalities on MRI are frequent after an ankle sprain. To determine the association between patient history, physical examination and early osteoarthritis (OA) in patients after a previous ankle sprain, 98 patients with persistent complaints were selected from a cross-sectional study. Patient history taking and physical examination were applied and MRI was taken. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to test possible associations. Signs of OA (cartilage loss, osteophytes and bone marrow edema) were seen in the talocrural joint (TCJ) in 40% and the talonavicular joint (TNJ) in 49%. Multivariable analysis showed a significant positive association between swelling (OR 3.58, 95%CI 1.13;11.4), a difference in ROM of passive plantar flexion (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.01;1.18) and bone edema in the TCJ. A difference in ROM of passive plantar flexion (OR 1.07, 95%CI 1.00;1.15) and pain at the end range of dorsiflexion/plantar flexion (OR 5.23, 95%CI 1.88;14.58) were associated with osteophytes in the TNJ. Pain at the end of dorsiflexion/plantar flexion, a difference in ROM of passive plantar flexion and swelling seem to be associated with features of OA (bone marrow edema, osteophytes) in the TCJ and TNJ. Our findings may guide physicians to predict structural joint abnormalities as signs of osteoarthritis. 1b. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Significance of bacteria associated with invertebrates in drinking water distribution networks.

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Wolmarans, E; du Preez, H H; de Wet, C M E; Venter, S N

2005-01-01

The implication of invertebrates found in drinking water distribution networks to public health is of concern to water utilities. Previous studies have shown that the bacteria associated with the invertebrates could be potentially pathogenic to humans. This study investigated the level and identity of bacteria commonly associated with invertebrates collected from the drinking water treatment systems as well as from the main pipelines leaving the treatment works. On all sampling occasions bacteria were isolated from the invertebrate samples collected. The highest bacterial counts were observed for the samples taken before filtration as was expected. There were, however, indications that optimal removal of invertebrates from water did not always occur. During the investigation, 116 colonies were sampled for further identification. The isolates represent several bacterial genera and species that are pathogenic or opportunistic pathogens of humans. Diarrhoea, meningitis, septicaemia and skin infections are among the diseases associated with these organisms. The estimated number of bacteria that could be associated with a single invertebrate (as based on average invertebrate numbers) could range from 10 to 4000 bacteria per organism. It can, therefore, be concluded that bacteria associated with invertebrates might under the worst case scenario pose a potential health risk to water users. In the light of the above findings it is clear that invertebrates in drinking water should be controlled at levels as low as technically and economically feasible.

Neurosurgeon academic impact is associated with clinical outcomes after clipping of ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

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Alotaibi, Naif M; Ibrahim, George M; Wang, Justin; Guha, Daipayan; Mamdani, Muhammad; Schweizer, Tom A; Macdonald, R Loch

2017-01-01

Surgeon-dependent factors such as experience and volume are associated with patient outcomes. However, it is unknown whether a surgeon's research productivity could be related to outcomes. The main aim of this study is to investigate the association between the surgeon's academic productivity and clinical outcomes following neurosurgical clipping of ruptured aneurysms. We performed a post-hoc analysis of 3567 patients who underwent clipping of ruptured intracranial aneurysms in the randomized trials of tirilazad mesylate from 1990 to 1997. These trials included 162 centers and 156 surgeons from 21 countries. Primary and secondary outcomes were: Glasgow outcome scale score and mortality, respectively. Total publications, H-index, and graduate degrees were used as academic indicators for each surgeon. The association between outcomes and academic factors were assessed using a hierarchical logistic regression analysis, adjusting for patient covariates. Academic profiles were available for 147 surgeons, treating a total of 3307 patients. Most surgeons were from the USA (62, 42%), Canada (18, 12%), and Germany (15, 10%). On univariate analysis, the H-index correlated with better functional outcomes and lower mortality rates. In the multivariate model, patients under the care of surgeons with higher H-indices demonstrated improved neurological outcomes (p = 0.01) compared to surgeons with lower H-indices, without any significant difference in mortality. None of the other academic indicators were significantly associated with outcomes. Although prognostication following surgery for ruptured intracranial aneurysms primarily depends on clinical and radiological factors, the academic impact of the operating neurosurgeon may explain some heterogeneity in surgical outcomes.

[Risk indicators associated with the consumption of illicit drugs by schoolchildren in a community in the south of Brazil].

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Backes, Dirce Stein; Zanatta, Fabrício Batistin; Costenaro, Regina Santini; Rangel, Rosiane Filipin; Vidal, Janice; Kruel, Cristina Saling; de Mattos, Karen Mallo

2014-03-01

This study sought to identify the risk indicators associated with the consumption of illicit drugs by schoolchildren in public schools in a community in the south of Brazil. This is a non-experimental cross-sectional study conducted with 535 students of primary schoolchildren from six public schools. Data were collected using a questionnaire between October 2011 and March 2012. The results were presented by simple and relative distribution of frequency and odds ratio (OR) and the 95% reliability intervals were calculated to verify the association between the dependent and independent variables. Multivariate analysis was also performed using the question "have you ever used illicit drugs?" Univariate analysis revealed an association between family income, color, period in which the child studied, failure to pass annual tests, use of methods of prevention, smoking habit and knowing someone who uses drugs with the fact of having experimented with the use of illicit drugs. After multivariate analysis, the smoking habit was the only indicator significantly associated with the question of having made use of illicit drugs. The results indicate that the smoking habit is an important indicator of the predictive risk for the use of illicit drugs.

Prognostic significance of Epstein-Barr virus in nodal peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified: A Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte (GELA) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dupuis, Jehan; Emile, Jean-François; Mounier, Nicolas; Gisselbrecht, Christian; Martin-Garcia, Nadine; Petrella, Tony; Bouabdallah, Reda; Berger, Françoise; Delmer, Alain; Coiffier, Bertrand; Reyes, Félix; Gaulard, Philippe

2006-12-15

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are rare and have a dismal prognosis. The most frequent subtype is PTCL, unspecified. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been detected in around 40% of cases, but its prognostic significance is not fully established. Lymph node samples from 110 patients with PTCL, unspecified included in LNH87 and LNH93 trials were available. EBV status was studied by EBV-encoded small RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH). EBER-ISH showed positive cells in 45 (41%) of 110 patients. Pretreatment characteristics were comparable between positive and negative cases, except for male sex (80% versus 60%, respectively, P = .02). Only 50% of patients achieved complete remission with a 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of 21% and 30%, respectively. EBER-ISH positivity was the sole factor linked with worse EFS, with a 5-year probability of 11% for positive patients. In univariate analysis, factors affecting OS were EBER-ISH positivity, high LDH level, and age older than 60 years. In multivariate analysis, EBER-ISH was associated with a worse OS in the elderly population. Time-dependent analysis showed that the negative impact of EBV was essentially seen in the first 2 years following diagnosis. These results warrant further studies regarding pathogenesis and specific treatment approaches for EBV-associated PTCL patients.

Multivariate Methods for Meta-Analysis of Genetic Association Studies.

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Dimou, Niki L; Pantavou, Katerina G; Braliou, Georgia G; Bagos, Pantelis G

2018-01-01

Multivariate meta-analysis of genetic association studies and genome-wide association studies has received a remarkable attention as it improves the precision of the analysis. Here, we review, summarize and present in a unified framework methods for multivariate meta-analysis of genetic association studies and genome-wide association studies. Starting with the statistical methods used for robust analysis and genetic model selection, we present in brief univariate methods for meta-analysis and we then scrutinize multivariate methodologies. Multivariate models of meta-analysis for a single gene-disease association studies, including models for haplotype association studies, multiple linked polymorphisms and multiple outcomes are discussed. The popular Mendelian randomization approach and special cases of meta-analysis addressing issues such as the assumption of the mode of inheritance, deviation from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium and gene-environment interactions are also presented. All available methods are enriched with practical applications and methodologies that could be developed in the future are discussed. Links for all available software implementing multivariate meta-analysis methods are also provided.

Association between smoking habits and acne vulgaris. A case-control study

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Alice Mannocci

2012-09-01

Full Text Available

Background: acne vulgaris, is one of the most common skin disorder. Previous studies about the role of smoke in the pathogenesis of acne reported contradictory results. The aim of this study was to conduct a case-control study investigating the relationship between tobacco smoking and acne.

Methods: a case-control study was performed during the period September 2009 - February 2010. A questionnaire was administrated to each participant, to assess the association acne - smoke. Cases were outpatients of the Dermatologic Ambulatory of the “Fiorini” Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome (Italy. Controls were age and gender-matched to the cases. The ratio cases-controls was 1:2. A univariate and a multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted; Odds Ratio (OR and the relative 95% confidence interval (95%CI were assessed. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: crude OR for the association acne - smoke was 7.26 (IC=2.27-23.18; adjusted OR for sex and age was 5.47 (IC=1.67-17.97. Of 93 cases, 6 had a severe grade of acne (6.5%, 19 had an intermediate grade of acne (20.4%, and 68 had a mild grade of acne (73.1%. No one of the smokers had a severe grade of acne, one had an intermediate grade of acne and 11 had mild acne; these differences are not statistically significant.

Conclusions: the association between acne and smoke shows an increased risk (OR=7.26 with a statistically significant CI. Moreover, people ≥ 18 years of age have twice the risk compared to persons < 18 years of age (OR=2.31.

Event-Level Analysis of Anal Sex Roles and Sex Drug Use Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

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Rich, Ashleigh J; Lachowsky, Nathan J; Cui, Zishan; Sereda, Paul; Lal, Allan; Moore, David M; Hogg, Robert S; Roth, Eric A

2016-08-01

This study analyzed event-level partnership data from a computer-assisted survey of 719 gay and bisexual men (GBM) enrolled in the Momentum Health Study to delineate potential linkages between anal sex roles and the so-called "sex drugs," i.e., erectile dysfunction drugs (EDD), poppers, and crystal methamphetamine. Univariable and multivariable analyses using generalized linear mixed models with logit link function with sexual encounters (n = 2514) as the unit of analysis tested four hypotheses: (1) EDD are significantly associated with insertive anal sex roles, (2) poppers are significantly associated with receptive anal sex, (3) both poppers and EDD are significantly associated with anal sexual versatility, and (4) crystal methamphetamine is significantly associated with all anal sex roles. Data for survey respondents and their sexual partners allowed testing these hypotheses for both anal sex partners in the same encounter. Multivariable results supported the first three hypotheses. Crystal methamphetamine was significantly associated with all anal sex roles in the univariable models, but not significant in any multivariable ones. Other multivariable significant variables included attending group sex events, venue where first met, and self-described sexual orientation. Results indicate that GBM sex-drug use behavior features rational decision-making strategies linked to anal sex roles. They also suggest that more research on anal sex roles, particularly versatility, is needed, and that sexual behavior research can benefit from partnership analysis.

Rhabdomyolysis among critically ill combat casualties: Associations with acute kidney injury and mortality.

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Stewart, Ian J; Faulk, Tarra I; Sosnov, Jonathan A; Clemens, Michael S; Elterman, Joel; Ross, James D; Howard, Jeffrey T; Fang, Raymond; Zonies, David H; Chung, Kevin K

2016-03-01

Rhabdomyolysis has been associated with poor outcomes in patients with traumatic injury, especially in the setting of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, rhabdomyolysis has not been systematically examined in a large cohort of combat casualties injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We conducted a retrospective study of casualties injured during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan who were initially admitted to the intensive care unit from February 1, 2002, to February 1, 2011. Information on age, sex, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score, Injury Severity Score (ISS), mechanism of injury, shock index, creatine kinase, and serum creatinine were collected. These variables were examined via multivariate logistic and Cox regression analyses to determine factors independently associated with rhabdomyolysis, AKI, and death. Of 6,011 admissions identified, a total of 2,109 patients met inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. Rhabdomyolysis, defined as creatine kinase greater than 5,000 U/L, was present in 656 subjects (31.1%). Risk factors for rhabdomyolysis identified on multivariable analysis included injuries to the abdomen and extremities, increased ISS, male sex, explosive mechanism of injury, and shock index greater than 0.9. After adjustment, patients with rhabdomyolysis had a greater than twofold increase in the odds of AKI. In the analysis for mortality, rhabdomyolysis was significantly associated with death until AKI was added, at which point it lost statistical significance. We found that rhabdomyolysis is associated with the development of AKI in combat casualties. While rhabdomyolysis was strongly associated with mortality on the univariate model and in conjunction with both ISS and age, it was not associated with mortality after the inclusion of AKI. This suggests that the effect of rhabdomyolysis on mortality may be mediated by AKI. Prognostic and epidemiologic study, level III.

Polypharmacy as a risk for fall occurrence in geriatric outpatients.

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Kojima, Taro; Akishita, Masahiro; Nakamura, Tetsuro; Nomura, Kazushi; Ogawa, Sumito; Iijima, Katsuya; Eto, Masato; Ouchi, Yasuyoshi

2012-07-01

To investigate the predictors of falls, such as comorbidity and medication, in geriatric outpatients in a longitudinal observational study. A total of 172 outpatients (45 men and 126 women, mean age 76.9 ± 7.0 years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical history and medication profile were obtained from each patient at baseline. These patients were followed for up to 2 years and falls were self-reported to their physicians. The factors associated with falls were analyzed statistically. A total of 32 patients experienced falls within 2 years. On univariate analysis, older age, osteoporosis, number of comorbid conditions and number of drugs were significantly associated with falls within 2 years. On multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with falls, independent of age, sex, number of comorbid conditions and other factors that were significantly associated in univariate analysis. A receiver-operator curve evaluating the optimal cut-off value for the number of drugs showed that taking five or more drugs was a significant risk. In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy is associated with falls. Intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidity and falls. © 2011 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Significant association of interleukin-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism with susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis.

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Yigit, Serbulent; Inanir, Ahmet; Tekcan, Akın; Tural, Ercan; Ozturk, Gokhan Tuna; Kismali, Gorkem; Karakus, Nevin

2014-03-01

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a strong chondroprotective cytokine and polymorphisms within this gene may be a risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). We aimed to investigate genotype and allele frequencies of IL-4 gene intron 3 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in patients with knee OA in a Turkish population. The study included 202 patients with knee OA and 180 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated and IL-4 gene 70 bp VNTR polymorphism determined by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Our result show that there was statistically significant difference between knee OA patients and control group with respect to IL-4 genotype distribution and allele frequencies (p=0.000, OR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.10-0.41, OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.12-0.42, respectively). Our findings suggest that there is an association of IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism with susceptibility of a person for development of knee OA. As a result, IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism could be a genetic marker in OA in a Turkish study population. This is the first association study that evaluates the associations between IL-4 gene VNTR polymorphism and knee OA. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Maternal conditions and perinatal characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.

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Amanda T Langridge

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: As well as being highly comorbid conditions, autism spectrum disorders (ASD and intellectual disability (ID share a number of clinically-relevant phenomena. This raises questions about similarities and overlap in diagnosis and aetiological pathways that may exist for both conditions. AIMS: To examine maternal conditions and perinatal factors for children diagnosed with an ASD, with or without ID, and children with ID of unknown cause, compared with unaffected children. METHODS: The study population comprised all live singleton births in Western Australia (WA between January 1984 and December 1999 (N = 383,153. Univariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were applied using a blocked modelling approach to assess the effect of maternal conditions, sociodemographic factors, labour and delivery characteristics and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: In univariate analyses mild-moderate ID was associated with pregnancy hypertension, asthma, urinary tract infection, some types of ante-partum haemorrhage, any type of preterm birth, elective C-sections, breech presentation, poor fetal growth and need for resuscitation at birth, with all factors showing an increased risk. Severe ID was positively associated with poor fetal growth and need for resuscitation, as well as any labour or delivery complication. In the multivariate analysis no maternal conditions or perinatal factors were associated with an increased risk of ASD without ID. However, pregnancy hypertension and small head circumference were associated with a reduced risk (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.94; OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.96, respectively. For ASD with ID, threatened abortion before 20 weeks gestation and poor fetal growth were associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSION: Findings show that indicators of a poor intrauterine environment are associated with an elevated risk of ID, while for ASD, and particularly ASD without ID, the associations are much weaker. As

Maternal conditions and perinatal characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.

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Langridge, Amanda T; Glasson, Emma J; Nassar, Natasha; Jacoby, Peter; Pennell, Craig; Hagan, Ronald; Bourke, Jenny; Leonard, Helen; Stanley, Fiona J

2013-01-01

As well as being highly comorbid conditions, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) share a number of clinically-relevant phenomena. This raises questions about similarities and overlap in diagnosis and aetiological pathways that may exist for both conditions. To examine maternal conditions and perinatal factors for children diagnosed with an ASD, with or without ID, and children with ID of unknown cause, compared with unaffected children. The study population comprised all live singleton births in Western Australia (WA) between January 1984 and December 1999 (N = 383,153). Univariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were applied using a blocked modelling approach to assess the effect of maternal conditions, sociodemographic factors, labour and delivery characteristics and neonatal outcomes. In univariate analyses mild-moderate ID was associated with pregnancy hypertension, asthma, urinary tract infection, some types of ante-partum haemorrhage, any type of preterm birth, elective C-sections, breech presentation, poor fetal growth and need for resuscitation at birth, with all factors showing an increased risk. Severe ID was positively associated with poor fetal growth and need for resuscitation, as well as any labour or delivery complication. In the multivariate analysis no maternal conditions or perinatal factors were associated with an increased risk of ASD without ID. However, pregnancy hypertension and small head circumference were associated with a reduced risk (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.94; OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.96, respectively). For ASD with ID, threatened abortion before 20 weeks gestation and poor fetal growth were associated with an increased risk. Findings show that indicators of a poor intrauterine environment are associated with an elevated risk of ID, while for ASD, and particularly ASD without ID, the associations are much weaker. As such, these findings highlight the importance of accounting for

Temperament and character profiles associated with depression and treatment response in patients with or without comorbid substance abuse.

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Paavonen, Vesa; Luoto, Kaisa; Koivukangas, Antti; Lassila, Antero; Leinonen, Esa; Kampman, Olli

2016-11-30

There is limited knowledge on the relationship between temperament and character profiles and substance abuse comorbidity in depressed patients. We recruited 127 depressed patients without alcohol use problems (non-AUP) and 89 depressed patients with alcohol use problems (AUP). We assessed all patients using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R) at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment. Using univariate general linear models (GLMs), we analyzed differences in TCI-R between AUP and non-AUP. GLMs were also used in analyzing the associations between TCI-R changes and antidepressive treatment responses measured with changes in Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score (ΔMADRS). Alcohol use explained independently significant proportions of the variation in Novelty Seeking, Self-Directedness, and Persistence. Reward Dependence score change explained 14.1% of the ΔMADRS in AUP, but was non-significant in non-AUP. Character score changes in Self-Directedness and Self-Transcendence explained together 14.1% of ΔMADRS in non-AUP, whereas they were all non-significant in AUP. AUP compared with non-AUP patients had lower Self-Directedness and Persistence and higher Novelty Seeking scores. Detected changes in Reward Dependence and lower Self-Directedness in AUP patients could be reflective of different biological mechanisms associated with depressive symptomatology in alcohol abuse. Changes in character are associated with acute treatment response in non-AUP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.