Bivariate Statistical Analysis Research Articles

The Association of VEGF Expression with Degree of Differentiation and Lymphovascular Invasion in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

BackgroundColorectal carcinoma is the third most common malignancy in the world. Colorectal carcinoma is a heterogeneous tumor withdifferent clinical pathologic features and prognostic values. For the same tumor-stage, patients could have difference prognosis andit has been suggested that the angiogenesis might be correlated with the prognosis, especially expression of vascular endothelialgrowth factor (VEGF) as the main pro-angiogenic factor. High VEGF expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma is associated withincreased blood vessels in invasive tumor area, cell proliferation and metastases. However, relation VEGF expression with thedegree of differentiation and lymphovascular invasion is not known.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study with cross sectional approach. Samples were obtained from 39 paraffin blocks withdiagnosis adenocarcinoma not otherwise specific (NOS) in four Anatomical Pathology Laboratory in West Sumatera 2018 andevaluated for degree of differentiation and lymphovascular invasion. VEGF expressions in tumor cell were analyzed usingimmunohistochemistry staining. Bivariate statistical analysis used Fisher's Exact test and value p<0.05 was considered significant.ResultsColorectal adenocarcinoma with high grade differentiation entirely had high VEGF expression (100%), while low gradedifferantiation with high VEGF expression was 60.7%. Lymphovascular invasion positive was mostly found with high VEGFexpression (80.6%). Statistical analysis showed significant association between VEGF expression with degree of differentiation(p=0.017) and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.028).ConclusionThe conclusion was VEGF expression had significant association with degree of differentiation and lymphovascular invasion ofcolorectal adenocarcinoma.

The IDEAL approach to establish contemporary maternity care during labor.

The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of abusive and disrespectful behavior from healthcare workers toward women during childbirth, to determine the type of abuse with the highest prevalence, and to assess the factors that contributed to the prevalence of abuse and disrespectful behavior. This is a quantitative observational cross-sectional study that was conducted among mothers who gave birth in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 2019 to mid-March 2020, with a target sample size of 261. Descriptive statistics were described by frequencies and percentages, bivariate statistical analysis was carried out by using Chi-square test. The overall prevalence of disrespect and abuse (D&A) was 62.5%, the non-consented category was the commonest type in this study. D&A was 2.8 times more prevalent in women whose newborn suffered complications during delivery. Likewise, mothers who delivered in a room with 5 or more caregivers were 2 times more likely to be disrespected than others. Mothers who underwent a natural delivery without episiotomy were 53% less likely to face the risk of being disrespected than others. This study reveals that the prevalence of disrespect and abuse towards women during labor in the chosen setting was high. The type of delivery, number of caregivers present, and complications that occurred during delivery were significantly associated with disrespect and abuse. Therefore, the authors of this study present an IDEAL approach as a way to upgrade the maternity care standards.

Safety and effectiveness of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery compared to triportal surgery: a single institution experience.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has increasingly been used in thoracic surgery during the last decade. To assess the safety and effectiveness of uniportal VATS compared to triportal VATS. Data of a total of 318 patients between 2009 and 2019 who underwent uniportal and triportal VATS were reviewed. Bivariate statistical analysis using Pearson's χ2 test was performed. Our data showed statistical differences only in complications and hospital stay between the 2 groups. Uniportal VATS has a safe post-operative outcome and is comparable to triportal VATS.

Factors associated with immunization against hepatitis B among primary health care professionals.

The hepatitis B virus is the cause of one of the major public health problems worldwide. The infection may affect the entire population equally; however, health care professionals are part of a group that is more vulnerable to the disease, since they are exposed to both occupational and daily hazards. To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with the immunization of health care professionals against the hepatitis virus type B, in the city of Montes Claros, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This was a cross-sectional and quantitative study, conducted with primary health care professionals. Using a random cluster sampling, 209 medical professionals, nurses, and nursing technicians who were interested in participating in the research were selected. A structured questionnaire was applied, and blood sampling was performed for the analysis of hepatitis B surface antibody titers. Finally, a descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis was conducted. Data have shown that 91.8% of the professionals had complete immunization against the hepatitis B virus, that is, they had taken the three recommended doses of the vaccine. However, 13.9% of the sample, even after vaccination, was non-reactive (titers < 10 IU/mL hepatitis B surface antibody). Most of the professionals (94.3%) had direct contact with needlesticks/sharps at work and none of the participants reported a previous infection by the virus. Although most participants had complete immunization, the total result of individuals who did not obtain seroconversion was eminent, so the importance of the hepatitis B surface antibody test must be disseminated in the context of public health.

Risk factors and navigation accidents: A historical analysis comparing accident-free and accident-prone vessels using indicators from AIS data and vessel databases

This paper presents the results of an explorative analysis aiming to identify indicators and factors associated with navigation accidents (groundings and collisions). The analysis compares cargo vessels with at least one registered navigation accident (grounding or collision) within Norwegian waters with those that have none, in the period 2010–2019. The comparison is made using data based on automatic identification system (AIS) satellite data in combination with information from IHS Fairplay, to construct indicators that reflect different characteristics of the vessels. Hallmarks of vessels involved in navigation accidents have been identified using bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis. The multivariate model was a strong predictor of vessels' accident involvement with 44% of the variance explained. Indicators that predicted reported navigation accidents included: (1) vessel type, (2) higher age, (3) smaller size, (4) longer distance sailed, (5) higher average speed, (6) flying Norwegian flag, (7) gray or black Tokyo MoU rating, and 8) not on US Coast Guard target list. The results are discussed relative to their potential causes as well as limits and practical applications. The study shows the promising potential of utilizing AIS data combined with various data sets to obtain knowledge on risk factors and risk indicators.

Prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and associated factors in pregnant women in the state of Pará.

to analyze the prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the associated factors in pregnant women in the state of Pará. retrospective, analytical, quantitative study with a sample of 332 medical records of HIV-positive pregnant women hospitalized at the Referral Maternity Hospital in the state of Pará between 2010 and 2019. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis were performed with the variables collected. the average prevalence in the period was 2.39% and the Metropolitan Region concentrated 66.87% of cases. There was a strong relationship between the number of antenatal consultations and lack of knowledge of serological status (p value equal to 0.01E-17) variables, and a correlation between the education and number of antenatal consultations variables. the increase in the infection rate during the study period revealed the need to intensify health actions, early diagnosis and strategies to improve adherence to antiretroviral treatment for maternal viral suppression and reduction of the risk of vertical transmission, contributing to improve public policies.

Sličnosti i razlike u praksi upravljanja ljudskim resursima u podružnicama kompanija u stranom vlasništvu u postsovjetskom regionu u poređenju sa državama Centralne i Istočne Evrope

The purpose of this study is to determine interrelations between the characteristics of HRM in local subsidiaries in six focal countries in the light of different organizational variables: year of establishment, sector of MNC, mode of entry and origin of MNCs in selected post-Soviet counties in comparison to Central and Eastern European countries. We profile the HRM practices of almost 234 foreign owned subsidiaries located in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia and Poland. Using descriptive statistics, we present the general characteristics of the sample and then we use bivariate statistical analysis to test our hypotheses relating to the impact of different factors on the HR practice mix implemented in the subsidiaries of MNCs covered in our survey. The results support a contention that multinational companies following different HR management practices/approaches due to institutional histories. For example, in post-Soviet countries, HR departments have more centralized decision-making with tight control and the number of expatriates is lower when compared to the practices of firms in the CEE region.

Evaluation of Shannon Entropy and Weights of Evidence Models in Landslide Susceptibility Mapping for the Pithoragarh District of Uttarakhand State, India

Landslide susceptibility mapping is considered a useful tool for planning, disaster management, and natural hazard mitigation of a region. Although there are different methods for predicting landslide susceptibility, the bivariate statistical analysis method is considered to be simple and popular. In this study, the main aim is to evaluate the performance of Shannon entropy (SE) and weights of evidence (WOE) statistical models in landslide susceptibility mapping of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state, India. For this purpose, ten landslide affecting factors, namely, slope degree, aspect, curvature, elevation, land cover, slope forming materials, geomorphology (landforms), distance to rivers, distance to roads, and overburden depth were used for the development of landslide susceptibility maps using the SE and WOE methods. Data extracted from the Google Earth images, Aster Digital Elevation Model, and Geological Survey of India report were used for the construction and evaluation of landslide susceptibility models and maps. The landslide data of 91 locations were randomly divided into two parts in the ratio of 70 : 30 using GIS software that is 70% data was used for training the models and 30% data was used for testing and validating the models. Performance of the applied models was evaluated using area under the AUC (area under the curve) ROC (receiver operating characteristics) curve. Results indicated that the WOE model is having better accuracy (AUCWOE = 68.75%) than the SE model (AUCSE = 52.17%) in the development of landslide susceptibility maps. Hence, WOE model can be used for the development of accurate landslide susceptibility maps which can provide useful information to decision maker and policy planner in better development of landslide prone areas.

Hominin Femur finding from Banjarejo: Its morphological character and taxonomical position

Recently, Banjarejo became an important prehistoric site for Quaternary research because of its significant faunal and hominin remains. This study aims to describe a new finding of the hominin femur specimen from the site and its taxonomical position in human evolution. The specimen was identified by morphological and metric descriptions of the external feature of the femur. Then, comparative study to Homo erectus (n=2), Homo neanderthalensis (n=8), Homo heidelbergensis (n=1), prehistoric Homo sapiens (n=44), Australopithecus africanus (n=1), Paranthropus robustus (n=2), also non-human primate including Pongo (n=1), Macaca (n=1) and Gibbon (n=1) using bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis presented the specimen in the evolutionary perspective. This study shows the morphological and metric character of Banjarejo specimen located between Homo erectus and prehistoric Homo sapiens population sample. Further study should be addressed to investigate the cultural and chronological context of the hominin specimen.

RAZLIKUJE LI SE KVALITETA DRUŠTVENIH MREŽA FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM? PRIMJENA SNSQUAL MODELA

Although numerous studies investigated service quality in online environment, the social network quality has been inadequately captured by previous empirical research. Thus, the present study focuses on measuring social network quality. Specifically, it aims to examine potential differences in perceived social network quality between two popular social networks, namely Facebook and Instagram. The empirical data are based on gathering primary data using questionnaire based on SNSQUAL model, developed by Phillips et al. (2016). Descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis were conducted using data collected from undergraduate and graduate students who use social networks on regular bases. The study results show significant differences in 16 out of 27 social network quality items, revealing that Instagram’s social network quality was rated significantly higher than Facebook’s. These findings may contribute to the development of service excellence approach that aims to enhance social networks’ performance.

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of condylar displacement after orthognathic surgery: A voxel-based three-dimensional analysis

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the morphometric changes in the position of the mandibular condyles before and after orthognathic surgery. MethodsA retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted and included patients with a presurgical (T1) and postsurgical (T2) Cone Beam computed tomography (CBCT). The primary predictor variable was the orthognathic surgical treatment. Pre-operative and post-operative CBCT scans were superimposed using voxel-based registration. Semitransparent overlays of the models of condylar regions at T1 and T2 were created for the qualitative analysis. The primary outcome variable was the quantitative displacement of condyles (CoR; CoL) analyzed in X, Y, Z axis and the 3D distances. Descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis was performed, setting α=0.05. ResultsThe study sample included 33 patients (mean age: 25.33±2.49 years) affected by skeletal class III malocclusion with or without skeletal asymmetry. The X-axis showed a mean movement of 0.25 ± 0.17 mm for CoR, and 0.52 ± 0.51 mm for CoL. The Y-axis showed a mean movement of 0.29 ± 0.2 mm for CoR, and 0.51 ± 0.8 mm for CoL. The Z-axis was 0.33 ± 0.2 mm for CoR, and 0.5 ± 0.49 mm for CoL. No statistically significant difference was calculated comparing the movement of condylar surface between asymmetric and not asymmetric patients (p = 0.26 for CoR; p = 0.13 for CoL). No statistically significant difference was found in intercondylar distance between T1 and T2 (p = 0.39). ConclusionNo statistically nor clinically significant condylar displacement are recorded in orthognathic surgery patients at 12 to 18 months of follow-up.

Cambios en las prácticas culinarias y gastronómicas durante el confinamiento de la COVID-19 en la provincia de Alicante

Introducción: El confinamiento generado por el estado de alarma decretado a causa de la COVID-19 obligó a la ciudadanía a permanecer en sus casas salvo causa justificada y limitó el acceso a los servicios de restauración colectiva. Estas restricciones supusieron el cambio de hábitos y rutinas de la población, lo que se tradujo en más actividad culinaria en los domicilios. El objetivo del presente estudio es conocer el impacto del confinamiento sobre el comportamiento alimentario estudiando los cambios en las prácticas culinarias y gastronómicas experimentadas por la población alicantina.Material y métodos: Estudio observacional transversal aunque con enfoque diacrónico a partir de la percepción y experiencias de los entrevistados: antes/durante el confinamiento, y muestreo no probabilístico de conveniencia de la población de 18 a 69 años reclutada de forma electrónica entre el 28 de abril y el 10 de mayo de 2020, semanas 7-8 de confinamiento, en la provincia de Alicante (n=679). Análisis estadístico univariable, bivariable y multivariable de los datos mediante el paquete estadístico SPSS. Uso de pruebas no paramétricas al asumir la condición de muestras emparejadas para las respuestas antes (muestra teórica 1) y durante el confinamiento (muestra teórica 2).Resultados: El 70% cocinó con más frecuencia y dedicó más tiempo a hacerlo. Más del 35% amplió sus conocimientos culinarios con un incremento de consulta a la web y redes sociales. Durante el confinamiento predominó la cocina tradicional valenciana y los postres fueron las elaboraciones preferidas. El cocinado en grupo aumentó en más de 11 puntos porcentuales, al igual que comer en compañía, aunque persiste el uso de dispositivos audiovisuales durante el acto de comer. El 84% modificó su percepción sobre algún aspecto relacionado con la alimentación. Las diferencias entre el comportamiento previo a la pandemia y el que se desarrolló durante el confinamiento se han revelado significativas estadísticamente en la mayoría de las variables testadas.Conclusiones: Durante el confinamiento, el aumento de la actividad culinaria se tradujo en una apuesta por la cocina tradicional en detrimento de los platos precocinados, más convivialidad en el acto de comer y un mayor compromiso con el comercio y el consumo de alimentos de proximidad y la sustentabilidad del sistema alimentario.

Effects of urbanisation in a shallow coastal aquifer: An integrated GIS-based case study in Cochin, India

Urbanisation impacts the availability and quality of renewable natural resources, particularly water resources. In coastal regions, the magnitude of urbanisation and its consequences is more prevalent. However, there are limited quantitative assessments on how urbanisation affects the groundwater system, especially the groundwater potential. Therefore, in the present study, we analysed the variability in groundwater potential zones due to the temporal changes in land use land cover (LULC) for Cochin, Kerala, India. For this, a GIS-based weighted overlay analysis method was performed with six geo-environmental factors to delineate groundwater potential zones (GWPZ). GWPZ at three different decadal time points from 1992 to 2019 was derived using the representative LULC maps. Our analysis showed a significant reduction in the high potential zone, decreasing from 75.34 % to 17.53 %. Contrastingly, the low potential zone rose from 0 to 11.8 % from 1992 to 2019. The temporal change in the spatial pattern in GWPZ named Groundwater Potential Change Index (GWPCI) was derived through pixel-level change detection. We performed a long-term (1985–2017) trend analysis on groundwater levels obtained for a network of twenty-three observation wells from the study area to validate the results. The trend analysis showed that 47 % of the wells display a statistically significant declining water level trend. Subsequently, twelve wells were selected to perform a bivariate statistical analysis between the long-term trend in water level and GWPCI. Ten wells showed a reasonable agreement to the negative change in GWPCI, while two displayed no relation to GWPCI. The study illustrates the effect of LULC change patterns in the groundwater system since significant alterations were observed on GWPZ. The systematic approach adopted in the present study can contribute to sustainable land and water resource management aimed at reducing the urbanisation impact on the groundwater system in the future.

Emergency department visits and readmissions in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) at a safety net hospital

IntroductionReadmissions and emergency department (ED) visits after an index admission have been become a quality measure due to associations with poor outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Readmissions and ED encounters have been studied in a variety of conditions including epilepsy but have not been examined exclusively in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). In this study we examined the rate of readmissions and ED visits after a discharge from an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) in a safety net hospital. We also determined patient phenotypes that are associated with readmissions. Material and methodsThis was a retrospective chart review study with index admission being a discharge from an EMU between January 1 and December 31 2016 with follow-up until August 31 2020. We obtained data regarding demographics, medical and psychiatric history, and social history and treatment interventions. Our outcome variables were both all-cause and seizure-related hospital readmissions and ED visits 30 days following the index discharge and readmissions and ED visits 30 days thereafter. ResultsEleven of 122 patients (9%) had a non-seizure-related ED visit and/or hospitalization within 30 days of index discharge while 45 (37%) had re-contact with the health system thereafter for non-seizure-related issues. Seven of 122 patients (6%) had a seizure-related ED visit or hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge. Twenty-eight (23%) had a seizure-related readmission or ED visit after 30 days. Of these 28, 4 patients had been to an ER within 7 days of EMU discharge. The majority of subsequent encounters with the healthcare system were through the ED (n = 38) as compared to hospital (n = 10) and EMU readmissions (n = 9). On bivariate statistical analysis, charity or self-pay insurance status (p < 0.01), homelessness (p < 0.01), emergent EMU admission on index admission (p < 0.01), history of a psychiatric diagnosis (p < 0.02), and ED encounters 12 months prior to admission (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with readmission; however, on multivariate analysis only charity insurance status was a significant predictor. ConclusionsIn this study of readmissions and ED visits after discharge with a diagnosis of PNES at a safety net hospital, we found a seizure-related readmission rate of approximately 6% in 30 days and 23% thereafter with the majority of re-contact with the hospital being in the ED. On multi-variate analysis insurance status was a significant factor associated with readmission and ED visits. Our future research directions include examining referrals and treatment completion at the hospital’s PNES clinic as well as creating a risk score to better identify patients with PNES at risk of readmission.

THE EFFECTS OF WET CUTANEOUS CUPPING STIMULATION TOWARD MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Introduction: Hypertension (HT) identified as main risk factors of heart disease incidence. Cupping (Bekam) is a simple and affordable complementary therapy modality in various diseases with different causes and pathogenesis, including HT and increased MAP.Aim: This study aimed to identify the effect of wet cutaneous cupping stimulation to the Mean Arterial Pressure reduction among hypertensive patients.Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. The study population were all hypertensive patients in Canden District, Bantul Regency. 27 patients for the control group and 29 patients for the intervention group recruited through random sampling technique. A univariate analysis presented in a form of frequency distribution table while bivariate statistical analysis Wilcoxon signed Rank test.Results: Wet cupping treatments above 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 body points, twice a week within 3 days interval and 30 minutes intervention, provide different effects toward diastolic &amp; systolic blood pressure and MAP between pretest and posttest for both interventions. Mean Systolic differences in the first intervention was 18.33 mmHg(p value of 0.000). The mean Systolic difference in the second intervention16.11 mmHg with p value 0.000. Mean diastolic pressure in the first intervention 6.11 mmHg (p=0.003) while mean diastolic differences in the second intervention was 6.3 mmHg (p=0.000). The study results present mean MAP differences in the first account for 10.23 mmHg with p value=0.000. In the second intervention, mean MAP difference was 9.56 (p=0.000).Conclusion: The study confirms that wet cutaneous cupping stimulation effective to reduce MAP among hypertensive patients.

The impact of basic life support training on the knowledge and skills amongst medical students in faculty of medicine, Universitas Malikussaleh: a pre-experimental study

Introduction: Basic life Support (BLS) is a series of initial attempts to restore respiratory and/or circulatory functions in a person whose breathing and/or circulation stopped (cardiac or respiratory arrest). This study aimed to determine the impact of Basic Life Support (BLS) Training on the knowledge and skills amongst medical students of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Malikussaleh.Methods: An institution-based pre-experimental study with no control of extraneous variables in the form of a one-group pre-test-post-test design. Three steps of the study, administering a pre-test measuring the dependent variables, applying the training to the respondents, and administering a post-test. The differences attributed to the application of the BLS training were then evaluated by comparing the pre-test and post-test scores using the Wilcoxon test, and the differences were considered significant at p&lt;0.05.Results: A total of 82 medical students were involved in this study. The overall knowledge of BLS before the training was categorized as good, adequate, and poor with 1 (1.2%), 57 (69.5%) and 24 (29.3%), respectively. While the level of BLS skills of all respondents, 82 (100%), was poor. However, the level of knowledge and skills amongst respondents after participating in BLS training categorized as adequate increased significantly to 77 (93.9%) and 48 (58.5%), respectively, and none of the respondents categorized as a poor level of knowledge even though there were 34 (41.5%) respondents still had poor level of skills. Bivariate statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test found that the BLS training impacts knowledge and skills with a p-value of 0.000 (p&lt; 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that the implementation of BLS training for medical students greatly impacts knowledge and skills. The routine non-academic BLS training should be considered to increase both knowledge and skills amongst medical students.

Efectividad de la ratio TG/c-HDL en la mejora de la prescripción de GLP-1 en pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 en atención primaria

AimsCheck the usefulness of ratio TG/HDL-C≥2.5 to improve the effectiveness of GLP-1 prescribing in patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) in primary care, and determine whether any patient profile would higher benefit. DesignDescriptive cross-sectional study. LocationBarranco Grande Health Center, Tenerife. ParticipantsRandom selection of patients with DM2 attended by 12 family doctors and 12 nurses. Main measurementsPoor control according to the current criteria was compared to poor control according to the proposed rule. To determine who would benefit, the sociodemographic, clinical, therapeutic and follow-up characteristics were analyzed. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed. ResultsNo predominant characteristics were found in the patients who would be prescribed GLP-1 according to the proposed rule, but those that reached a significance P<.20 were included as potential explanatory factors in a multivariate binary logistic regression model. The adjustment of the model retained the factors of therapeutic non-compliance (OR 3.40 [1.58-5.02]; P=.003), evolution of DM2 less than 15 years (OR 2.74 [1.10-4.89]; P=.031), number of prescribed anti-diabetes drugs (OR 2.30 [1.88-2.81]; P<.001) and age under 65 years (OR 1.67 [1.08-2.58]; P=.021). ConclusionsThe use of the rule that we propose for the prescription of GLP-1 (2018 recommendations of the GDPS network combined with the TG/HDL-C ratio≥2.5 or BMI≥30kg/m2), instead of the current criterion adopted by the National Health System, would allow to broaden the spectrum of application of the drug in patients with poor control of their DM2.

Epidemiological Aspects of Maternal and Congenital Toxoplasmosis in Panama.

In Panama, epidemiological data on congenital toxoplasmosis are limited, making it difficult to understand the scope of clinical manifestations in the population and factors that may increase the risk of infection. This study provides insight into the epidemiological situation of maternal and congenital toxoplasmosis in Panama and contributing information on the burden of this disease in Central America. Blood samples were collected from 2326 pregnant women and used for the detection of anti-T. gondii antibodies. A high seroprevalence (44.41%) was observed for T. gondii infection in pregnant women from different regions of Panama, with an estimated incidence rate of congenital toxoplasmosis of 3.8 cases per 1000 live births. The main risk factors associated with T. gondii infection using bivariate statistical analysis were an elementary level education and maternal age range of 34-45 years. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that in some regions (San Miguelito, North and West regions), the number of positive cases correlated with the presence of pets, stray dogs and the consumption of poultry. In other regions (East and Metropolitan regions), the absence of pets was considered a protective factor associated with negative cases, while the presence of stray cats and the age range of 25–34 years did not represent any risk in these regions.

Vulnerability assessment of rural aging community for abandoned farmlands in South Korea

Rapid urbanization and industrialization in South Korea have led to less available farmland. The recent rapid aging of the rural population (i.e., farmers) has also resulted in the disuse of arable farmland and increased farmland abandonment in South Korea. This abandoned farmland has caused farmland malfunction and desolation and damaged the landscape. The objective of this study is to evaluate the vulnerability of farmland abandonment using the Geographic Information System (GIS), the Korean agricultural business registration database, and indirect bivariate statistical analysis. The results of this study can help predict potential abandoned farmlands and prepare effective policies to help maintain active arable farmlands for the future. Our findings show that significantly negative factors for farmland abandonment include an elevation of less than 100 m, no gravel, and a distance of 100 m or less from the road. In addition, a comparison of 2015 and 2025 vulnerabilities confirms that social factors such as farmer aging are important. The influence of social factors is significant because they are far more volatile than geographical factors. This study suggests that conducting regional vulnerability assessments for abandonment of agricultural land using GIS data and an agricultural business registration database can be utilized to establish regional policies for national food security, arable farmland use, and farm succession support for aging farmers.

Computed tomography assessment of the ethmoid roof based on Keros classification in Iraqi patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Background: Among the most popular methods employed to classify the depth of the olfactory fossa is Keros classification. This study aims to assess Keros classification of the ethmoid roof, any possible association between Keros types and gender, and the incidence of asymmetry between right and left sides among Iraqi patients. &#x0D; Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Shaheed Gazi Al-Hariri Teaching Hospital, Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq. The archived reports and the CT scans images (nose and paranasal sinuses) of 126 patients who have undergone functional endoscopic sinus surgery between January 2019 and January 2020 were reviewed. Univariate and bivariate statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24. The statistically significant was considered at less than 0.05.&#x0D; Results: More than half of patients were females (54.0%) with a mean age of 31.52 ± 11.38 (SD) years (range: 10-57 years). Among the total patients, the mean depth of olfactory fossa (OF) was 3.58 ± 0.02 mm. Results showed that Keros type I was the most common type (71.0%), followed by type II (27.4%) and type III (1.6%) respectively. The difference in the olfactory fossa depth between the right and left sides was ≥ 1 mm in 16 (12.7%) patients and &lt; 1 mm in 110 (87.3%) patients. Moreover, there was no significant relation between symmetry/asymmetry and gender ( p-value &gt; 0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Keros type I was the most common type, which carries the lowest risk of inadvertent intracranial injury during endoscopic sinus surgery; besides the relatively low percentage of asymmetry in the depth of the two olfactory fossae among patients, surgeons should always be cautious during surgery to avoid iatrogenic injury concerning the thin lateral lamella of the cribriform plate.