Cross-sectional Investigations Research Articles

Unveiling the hidden threats: a review of pathogen diversity and public health risks from bats, rodents, and non-human primates in Zambia (1990-2022).

Infectious disease agents of animal origin, which can cause mild to severe illnesses in humans, are increasingly spilling over into human populations. Southern Africa, particularly Zambia as a regional transport hub, has experienced notable outbreaks of zoonotic pathogens in recent years. This context underscores the importance of research, as numerous studies over the past 33 years have reported various infectious agents with differing zoonotic potential from bats, rodents, and non-human primates (NHPs) in Zambia. However, the data remained unaggregated, hampering comprehensive and organized understanding of these threats. A review spanning January 1990 to December 2022 synthesised data from selected studies conducted in bats, rodents, and NHPs across 14 of Zambia's 116 districts. Among the reported pathogens, viruses predominated (62%, 31/50), followed by parasites (20%, 10/50)), and bacteria (18%, 9/50). Notable pathogens included Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Hantavirus, Zika virus, Human parainfluenza virus-3, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia faini, Coxiella burnetii, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Calodium hepaticum, and Trichinella spiralis. Most identified infectious agents came from short term cross-sectional investigations, thus, the temporal dynamics related to abundance and likelihood of outbreaks remain unknown. The findings starkly illuminate significant zoonotic public health threats amidst glaring under-surveillance of zoonoses in humans in Zambia. This critical gap calls urgently for enhanced active, passive and syndromic surveillance activities to identify new diseases and provide evidence-based measures to safeguard public health from emerging infectious risks in Zambia and the Southern African sub-region, considering the country's position as a regional transport hub.

Copula-based analysis of dependent current status data with semiparametric linear transformation model.

This paper discusses regression analysis of current status data with dependent censoring, a problem that often occurs in many areas such as cross-sectional studies, epidemiological investigations and tumorigenicity experiments. Copula model-based methods are commonly employed to tackle this issue. However, these methods often face challenges in terms of model and parameter identification. The primary aim of this paper is to propose a copula-based analysis for dependent current status data, where the association parameter is left unspecified. Our method is based on a general class of semiparametric linear transformation models and parametric copulas. We demonstrate that the proposed semiparametric model is identifiable under certain regularity conditions from the distribution of the observed data. For inference, we develop a sieve maximum likelihood estimation method, using Bernstein polynomials to approximate the nonparametric functions involved. The asymptotic consistency and normality of the proposed estimators are established. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness and practical applicability of our method, we conduct an extensive simulation study and apply the proposed method to a real data example.

Study of etiology, clinical profile, and outcome of altered sensorium patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Altered sensorium is one of the most common presentations in patients coming to the emergency room. It includes decreased level of consciousness, attention disorder, arousal disorder, and cognitive disorder. The causes of altered sensorium can be varied, some of which are cerebrovascular diseases, alcoholism, cerebral trauma, hypoglycemia, epilepsy, drug intoxication, and neuroinfection. 4–10% of the patients presenting to the emergency department may have altered mental status. The outcome is dependent on early identification and effective treatment using investigations and imaging technologies, and it might range from full recovery to permanent damage to death. Aims and Objectives: (1) To study clinical profile and etiology in altered sensorium patients. (2) To assess outcomes in altered sensorium patients. Materials and Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, clinical examination and investigations are done and data are collected using pro forma for patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. In this study, all altered sensorium patients were evaluated by detailed history, clinical examination, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), laboratory investigations, computed tomography brain, and other investigations. All patients were followed up till discharge or death of the patient in the hospital. Results: There were 270 patients who presented with encephalopathy, 184 (68%) were males. The majority of these patients 60 (22.2%) were in the age group of 51–60 years old. The most common cause is neurological in 109 (40.3%) patients, metabolic in 64 (24%) patients, and sepsis in 50 (19%) patients. Ischemic stroke 83 (76%) is the most common neurological cause. Hepatic encephalopathy was the most common cause of metabolic encephalopathy present in 21 (32%) patients. Pneumonia was the most common infection. There were 114 (42.2%) deaths. Septic encephalopathy is the most common cause of mortality. Early presentation to the hospital, higher GCS, and conscious level at presentation were good prognostic markers of outcome in patients, while septic encephalopathy was found to have the worst prognosis. Conclusion: The common etiologies of encephalopathy are neurological followed by metabolic and sepsis. Early presentation to the emergency room within 6 h of symptom onset, higher GCS, neurological and metabolic causes are associated with a good prognosis. The mortality rate was 42.2%. Septic encephalopathy is the most common cause of death with pneumonia being the most common source of infection.

Development of Composite Measures of Neighborhood Economic Factors for Use in Spinal Cord Injury Outcomes Studies: A Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Database Study

ObjectiveTo develop composite measures of neighborhood economic factors for use with the national Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMSs) database in cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of the social determinants of health. DesignSecondary data analysis of administrative data from the 2009, 2014, and 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and survey data collected for the SCIMS database. SettingCommunity. ParticipantsThe validity of the neighborhood economic measures developed from the ACS data was tested with a sample of SCIMS participants who completed a follow-up interview between 2017 and 2021 (N=8,130). The predictive validity of the neighborhood measures was assessed with a subsample of cases with complete data on the outcome and covariate measures (N=6,457). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresA binary measure of self-rated health status (1=poor/fair health; 0=good/very good/excellent). ResultsA combination of panel review and data reduction techniques yielded 2 distinct measuring neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage that were validated using 3 waves of ACS data and the SCIMS data. The odds of reporting poor health were lower among people living in moderate- and high-SES neighborhoods and highest among people living in moderately and highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. The negative association between neighborhood SES and poor health was fully attenuated by differences in participants’ individual demographic and economic characteristics whereas the positive association between neighborhood disadvantage and poor health persisted after adjusting for individual differences. ConclusionsThe two composite measures of neighborhood economic factors developed by this study are robust in samples from different periods of time and valid for use with the SCIMS database. Future investigations conducting surveillance of the needs of the SCI population using this resource may consider using these measures to assess the effect of the social determinants of health in outcomes after SCI.

Not just phonology: a longitudinal study of dyslexia subtypes based on the distinction between reading accuracy and reading rate

IntroductionPrevious cross-sectional investigations by Shany and colleagues have provided evidence of double dissociation among dyslexics between word reading accuracy and (pure) word reading rate. A rate-disabled subtype (with intact reading accuracy) evinced deficits only in rapid naming (RAN); An accuracy-disabled subtype (with intact reading rate) showed deficits in phonological awareness (PA) and morphological awareness (MA) but not RAN.MethodThe present longitudinal study followed 639 Palestinian Arabic-speaking children from preschool to Grade 1 with the aim of determining (1) whether a dissociation between PA C MA and RAN is apparent among pre-literate preschoolers, (2) whether the PA C MA-disabled subgroup constitutes a mild form of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), (3) whether our three disabled subgroups (PA C MA-only, RAN-only, and PA C MA-plus-RAN) can be differentiated on preschool early literacy measures and, (4) whether the three at-risk subgroups develop into selectively rate-disabled, accuracy-disabled, or doubly-disabled (accuracy C rate) readers in Grade 1?ResultsOur findings confirmed the existence of two distinct selectively disabled/at-risk subgroups in preschool: a RAN-only subgroup with intact PA and MA and a PA C MA subgroup with broad impairments across language measures but intact RAN. Grade 1 reading data also confirmed that the RAN-disabled subgroup became slow but accurate readers, whereas the PA C MA subgroup developed into inaccurate and slow readers.DiscussionOur study indicates partial dissociation between early dyslexia subtypes, each displaying distinct and non-overlapping cognitive-linguistic profiles in preschool. The study also revealed a strong association between reading accuracy and reading rate among beginning readers. This study emphasizes the importance of considering heterogeneity in reading outcomes as well as multiple oral language skills beyond the well-documented role of PA.

Corticospinal tract alterations after ankle sprain in adolescence: Insights from the mouse model

PurposeLateral ankle sprains (LAS) are associated with corticospinal pathway deficits. Existing evidence is primarily based on cross-sectional investigations and noncausal speculations. This study aims to determine whether maladaptive corticospinal pathway alterations occur pre- and postligament transection in LAS mouse models. Additionally, this study explores whether the alterations are more pronounced in adolescent mice than adults. MethodsTwenty-four 8-week-old adolescent and twenty-four 24-week-old adult mice were randomly assigned to lateral ankle ligament transection or sham surgery. Diffusion-weighted imaging of the corticospinal pathway was performed presurgery and 8 weeks postsurgery. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values, reflecting fiber integrity within the corticospinal subregions of the medulla, pons, midbrain, and cerebrum, were extracted. ResultsOverall, 41 mice completed repeated image acquisition. Before surgery, no significant group effects on FA within the four corticospinal subregions were detected in either adolescent or adult mice. Two months after surgery, the adolescent cohort displayed a significant reduction in FA in the medulla subregion following ankle ligament transection (β-baseline-adjusted ​= ​−0.083, 95% CI, −0.145 to −0.021, p-corrected ​= ​0.048). Conversely, no significant effects of ankle ligament transection on corticospinal FA were observed in the adult cohort. ConclusionThe maladaptive alterations in the corticospinal tract could be observed in the adolescent LAS mouse model, characterized by reduced fiber integrity in the medulla subregion. While these results are derived from an animal model, they provide a foundation for future investigations into the mechanisms underlying neurological deficits following musculoskeletal injuries.

The Prevalence and Correlates of Self-restraint in Individuals with Autism and/or Intellectual Disability: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Purpose Self-restraint, purposeful restriction of one’s own bodily movements is observed in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. Case studies and cross-sectional investigations have reported that self-restraint co-occurs with self-injurious behaviour; however, small sample sizes limit understanding of prevalence and function. We aimed to synthesise the existing literature and estimate the pooled prevalence of self-restraint in autistic individuals and/or individuals with intellectual disability, and the pooled effect size with self-injury. Methods Six databases were systematically searched in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Results A total of 21,567 papers were retrieved, with 15 samples from 13 records included in the analyses. The pooled prevalence estimate of self-restraint in individuals with autism and/or intellectual disability was 39%, 95% CI [26.25, 51.59]. Age and presence of autism significantly increased prevalence rates. Pooled prevalence estimates were consistent across gender, presence of intellectual disability, and type of measurement of self-restraint. Meta-analyses of 31 topographies of self-restraint revealed ‘holds or squeezes objects’ and ‘holding onto others, holding onto others’ clothing’ were the most prevalent behaviours amongst those who self-restrained (both 32%). The least prevalent behaviour was ‘chooses mechanical restraint’ (1%). Pooled prevalence estimates of self-restraint in individuals known to self-injure were 34%, 95% CI [21.36, 46.97], and 13%, 95% CI [5.01, 21.43], in individuals who did not self-injure. Self-restraint and self-injurious behaviour were positively correlated, r = 0.21, 95% CI [0.14, 0.27], K = 13. Conclusions Findings highlight that on average, over one third of individuals with autism and/or intellectual disability show self-restraint. Clinical and theoretical implications of findings are discussed.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Seroprevalence in Tyrol, Austria, among 28,768 Blood Donors between May 2022 and March 2023.

To provide updated estimates on SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence and average antibody titres for Central Europe. In repeat cross-sectional investigations (1 May 2022 to 9 March 2023) involving 28,768 blood donors in the Federal State of Tyrol, Austria (participation rate: 87.0%), we measured Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) and Nucleocapsid IgG antibodies (37,065 and 12,645 samples), and estimated monthly seroprevalences and geometric mean titres. Median age of participants was 45.4 years (range 18-70); 43.2% were female. Spike RBD IgG antibody seroprevalence was 96.3% (95% CI: 95.6-96.9%) in May 2022, 97.4% (96.7-98.0%) in December 2022, and 97.9% (96.4-98.8%) in March 2023. Among seropositive participants, geometric mean titres increased from 1400 BAU/mL (95% CI: 1333-1471) in May 2022 to 1821 BAU/mL (1717-1932) in December 2022, and dropped to 1559 BAU/mL (1405-1729) by March 2023. Furthermore, titres differed markedly by vaccination status and history of infection, with being the highest in participants with booster vaccination and prior infection. In autumn 2022, Nucleocapsid IgG antibody seroprevalence ranged from 36.5% (35.0-38.1) in September to 39.2% (37.2-41.2) in December 2022. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood donors from Tyrol, Austria, was remarkably stable from May 2022 to March 2023. In contrast, average Spike RBD IgG antibody titres peaked in December 2022.

Paediatric norms for photopic electroretinogram testing based on a large cohort of Chinese preschool children

ObjectiveFull-field electroretinogram (ffERG) is an objective test to determine the electroretinal activities in response to light stimulation for investigating retinal physiology and diagnosing retinal diseases. This study aimed to establish...

Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Problematic Social Media Use Amongst Chinese College Students: A Longitudinal Study.

Numerous cross-sectional investigations have delved into the association between the self-esteem of college students and problematic social media use (PSMU). Nevertheless, the debated causal sequence between the two factors persists, and their unclear developmental connection over time prevails. We used a questionnaire method to follow 321 students in Chinese college over a period of 18 months and three times, of which 137 are male and 184 are female, with an average age of 18.42 years (SD = 0.78) at time 1. Descriptive statistics were used to present the general characteristics of the study participants. Moreover, the latent growth model was used to explore the developmental trajectory of self-esteem and PSMU and to explore the interplay between the two factors from a developmental perspective. On this basis, a cross-lagged model was used to verify the causal relationship between self-esteem and PSMU. In China, (a) the self-esteem levels of college students continuously decline during their academic years, whilst PSMU levels steadily increase. (b) The self-esteem of Chinese college students significantly negatively predicts PSMU. (c) The initial level of self-esteem amongst Chinese college students can significantly negatively predict the initial level of PSMU. Additionally, the rate of decline in self-esteem amongst Chinese college students can negatively predict the rate of increase in PSMU. Obtained results serve as a valuable resource for researchers and educators, enabling strategic intervention in addressing issues related to PSMU amongst college students from a developmental perspective.

Effect of Quartz and Red-Clay to Phonolite Ratios on Some Properties of Floor Tile

This research paper presents the procedure of preparing and testing of experimental ceramic slabs in order to examine and investigate some of their physical and mechanical properties. These slabs were divided into two types; type (I) includes slabs made of either Quartz, Phonolite, Red-Clay, Green-Clay or Kaoline, whereas, type (II) includes slabs various in their Quartz and Red-Clay to Phonolite ratios. Other constituents of type (II) slabs such as Green-Clay, Kaoline were intentionally kept comparable for the sake of comparisons. Methods of preparing and testing of the experimental ceramic slabs were performed according to the technical constraints and facilities available at the Investment Complex for Manufacturing Building Materials (INCOMA) at Misurata-Libya. Several tests and measurements have been done on the experimental ceramic slabs of both types. The physical properties of type (I) slabs and raw materials ceramic powder were investigated with the determination of their water absorption, thermal shrinkage, heat lose, bulk density and fluidity. The breaking strength and impact resistance of type (II) slabs were also determined. These results were enhanced with surface and cross-sectional metallographic investigations for both types of experimental slabs. It is thought that the presence of a considerable amounts of oxides such as CaO, K O and Fe O in the Red-Clay decreased significantly the fractural strength, but improved the impact resistance of the experimental ceramic slabs. Conversely, the presence of high alumina and silica contents together with trace amount of ZrO in the Phonolite probably behind the improvement of their fractural strength, and decline of the impact resistance of the experimental ceramic slabs.

Exploring the longitudinal impacts of academic stress and lifestyle factors among Chinese students.

Several cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations have demonstrated a robust association between academic stress, physical activity, mental health history, and time management skills. However, the existing literature exhibits inconsistencies in the relationship between academic stress and its predictive effects on physical activity and mental health history. In addition, there is a scarcity of scholarly research that concentrates on the significance of time management skills within this particular context. Furthermore, limited research has investigated these variables' longitudinal associations and causal pathways. Therefore, the present research explores the longitudinal relationships among academic stress, physical activity, mental health history, and time management skills among university students. The data were gathered from Wuhan University, China, employing a two-wave longitudinal survey methodology with an annual interval. A cohort of 980 university-level students engaged in the completion of questionnaires, which encompassed measures of academic stress via the Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents (ESSA), physical activity ascertained through Cho's five-item questionnaire, mental health history assessed by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and time management skills evaluated using the Time Management Behaviour Scale (TMBS). Subsequently, a cross-lagged path model was utilised to examine the prospective associations among these constructs. The outcomes of the cross-lagged path analysis indicated the presence of significant bidirectional relationships between academic stress and physical activity, mental health history, and time management skills. In addition, bidirectional interconnections existed between physical activity and mental health history. Furthermore, unilateral correlations were detected between physical activity and time management skills. These findings underscore the importance of an integrated approach to student health initiatives and highlight the need for comprehensive support systems that address student well-being's psychological and physical aspects.

Investigating mechanisms of sport-related cognitive improvement using measures of motor learning.

An increasing number of studies have linked engagement in sport or increased physical fitness with improved cognitive performance. Additionally, studies have employed physical activity as an intervention to help with cognition in aging individuals. Despite this, the underlying mechanism (or mechanisms) by which benefits occur remain unclear. We investigated whether improved trainability for individuals engaged in sport or fitness training might underlie such benefits. Specifically, we assessed motor skill performance and learning rates in young adult runners, baseball players, and "control" individuals who did not regularly engage in sport or exercise using an implicit motor sequence learning task. Better initial performance on the task was seen for both the runner group and the baseball group but no benefits were seen for the baseball/runner groups for rates of improvement on the task. This was the case for both non-specific learning (or general motor skill learning-learning not associated with specific sequences of responses) and for sequence-specific learning (or improvement on repeated sequences of responses that participants were not aware of). This pattern may mean that either engagement in sport/physical activity results in improvements that are transferable beyond the context of the sport/training activity or that engagement in sport/exercise may relate to initial differences in the motor competence of an individual. Further work could beneficially investigate learning in more directly cognitive-related tasks and consolidation/improvement of performance over more prolonged time periods. Importantly, assessment of a fitness/sport intervention on performance and learning rates may provide a better context for some of the benefits reported in cross-sectional investigations of the effects of sport/fitness on cognition and aid in determining which differences are due to engaging in exercise and which differences affect the tendency for such engagement.

Analisis Pengendalian Persedian Bahan Pupuk Pada Kebun Kelapa Sawit Di PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Agri Binanga

This research aims to investigate two aspects: (1) the methodology used to record the coal extraction process at PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Agri Binanga, and (2) the effectiveness and efficiency of the current coal extraction system at PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Agri Binanga. The research methodology used in this study falls into the domain of cross-sectional and qualitative investigations. The data collection process includes surveys and observations as the main methodology. After starting the verification process, the data entered undergoes analysis through techniques such as data cleaning, data processing, and interpretation of results.The research results show that the application of the Docflow method and fish bone diagrams in fish feeding at PT. Austindo Nusantara Jaya Agri Binanga, along with the use of feeding control procedures such as min-mix (s,S), System (s,Q), System (R,s,S), and System(R,S), is very effective and useful in feeding fish. During the land development phase, per meter counts are carried out to ensure that stocks are monitored and maintained in abundant quantities.

Neighborhood disadvantage and intellectual development in youth with epilepsy

RationaleRecent cross-sectional investigations have demonstrated an adverse impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on cognition and behavior in youth and adults with epilepsy. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of disadvantage on prospective intellectual development in youth with epilepsy. MethodParticipants were youth, aged 8–18 years, with recent onset epilepsy (n = 182) and healthy first-degree cousin controls (n = 106). The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) was administered at baseline and 2 years later. The Neighborhood Atlas identified each family’s Area Deprivation Index via state deciles and national percentiles. WASI data were analyzed by mixed group by time ANOVAs followed by regression analysis to identify other baseline predictors of time 2 outcomes. ResultsYouth with epilepsy demonstrated significant interactions between group and time for both verbal (F = 4.02, df = 1,215, p =.05) and nonverbal (F = 4.57, df = 1,215, p =.04) reasoning, demonstrating that disadvantage was associated with slower cognitive development compared to advantaged youth with epilepsy. Similar interactions were not observed for controls. ConclusionsIn youth with new and recent onset epilepsies, neighborhood-level disadvantage is associated with a negative impact on the development of verbal and nonverbal reasoning skills.

Markov model combined with MR diffusion tensor imaging for predicting the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects cognition, behavior, and memory of brain. It causes 60-80% of dementia cases. Cross-sectional imaging investigations of AD show that magnetic resonance (MR) with diffusion tensor image (DTI)-detected lesion locations in AD patients are heterogeneous and distributed across the imaging area. This study suggested that Markov model (MM) combined with MR-DTI (MM + MR-DTI) was offered as a method for predicting the onset of AD. In 120 subjects (normal controls [NCs], amnestic mild cognitive impairment [aMCI] patients, and AD patients) from a discovery dataset and 122 subjects (NCs, aMCI, and AD) from a replicated dataset, we used them to evaluate the white matter (WM) integrity and abnormalities. We did this by using automated fiber quantification, which allowed us to identify 20 central WM tracts. Point-wise alterations in WM tracts were shown using discovery and replication datasets. The statistical analysis revealed a substantial correlation between microstructural WM alterations and output in the patient groups and cognitive performance, suggesting that this may be a potential biomarker for AD. The MR-based classifier demonstrated the following performance levels for the basis classifiers, with DTI achieving the lowest performance. The following outcomes were seen in MM + MR-DTI using multimodal techniques when combining two modalities. Finally, a combination of every imaging method produced results with an accuracy of 98%, a specificity of 97%, and a sensitivity of 99%. In summary, DTI performs better when paired with structural MR, despite its relatively weak performance when used alone. These findings support the idea that WM modifications play a significant role in AD.

Associations between home environmental factors and childhood eczema and related symptoms in different cities in China

Previous studies have shown significant associations between home environmental factors and childhood eczema. However, few studies have compared how associations differ in different regions. This study investigated associations between home environmental factors and childhood eczema ever, and related symptoms including itchy rash (IR) and being awakened by itchy rash at night (awake by IR) in 4 cities located in different regions of China, based on cross-sectional investigations during 2010–2012. We used two-step analysis to explore the associations between influencing factors and eczema/related symptoms: first, group Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was conducted to identify important factors among a list of candidates; then, the associations in total study population and in each city were estimated using logistic regression. We found these home environmental factors to be risk factors for eczema or related symptoms: large residence size, shared room, air cleaner at home, abnormal smell, perceived dry air, visible mold or damp stains, cooking with coal or wood, painted wall, incense, mice, new furniture during pregnancy, abnormal smell at birth, window condensation at birth and environmental tobacco smoke at birth. Environmental protective factors were rural house location and window ventilation. Associations of factors with eczema/related symptoms differed across cities. For example, air conditioning was protective for eczema in Beijing and awakening by IR in Shanghai with ORs of 0.70 (95%CI: 0.52, 0.95) and 0.33 (95%CI: 0.14, 0.81) respectively, but not significant in other cities. Our results have implications for improving home environments to reduce the risk of childhood eczema/related symptoms in different regions of China.

Proficiency of Clear Aligner Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of orthodontic treatment using clear aligner therapy (CAT). This efficiency was measured using the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index, the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) index, or the similarity between the final ClinCheck and the final scanned models. A search was done electronically between 1998 and 2021 using the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Three reviewers individually rated the articles. The ROBINS tool and the Cochrane risk of bias tool were used to evaluate the quality of observational research and randomized controlled trials, respectively. The degree of certainty for each selected outcome was evaluated using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach.Six studies with a total of 166 participants were considered after the full texts of 61 potential reports were reviewed. This research included in the review covered the period from 1998 to 2021 in retrospect.According to the current systematic review and meta-analysis, transparent aligners had a successful outcome. In mild to moderate cases, aligner treatment appears to have a significant advantage in terms of efficiency (treatment time); nonetheless, insufficient evidence of efficacy was observed based on multiple cross-sectional investigations. When compared to traditional brackets, clear aligners provided a more stable course of treatment.

Regression Models of the Ultrasound Score of Madrid Sonographic Enthesis Index in Patients with Spondyloarthritis

Background Machine learning regression models are built by minimizing the generalization error in the prediction while avoiding overfitting. These techniques enhance the models and forecasts of earlier medical research by achieving greater accuracy than traditional econometric techniques. Objectives To predict the Madrid Sonographic Enthesis Index (MASEI) in spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients using the best predictor variables, including disease activity and other factors. Methods There were cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational investigations conducted. We gathered data from 24 SpA patients who received treatment in our clinics from May 2021 to September 2021 and underwent musculoskeletal ultrasonography utilizing the MASEI. Using F-tests and mutual information, we narrowed down the variables to the most important ones. Finally, we used machine learning to estimate a few regression models. Results The predictor variables with higher values in the feature selection tests explaining the MASEI are activity, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), corticosteroids, enthesophytes, and male sex. The most accurate regression model was the Support Vector Machine model (R-squared=0.81 in validation). Since this model is a black box, we also computed a classical linear regression (R-Squared=0.60 in validation) because it provides an explicit model given by: MASEI=-4.02+2,75 Enthesofites+4.838 ASDAS. Conclusion To date, the correlation between MASEI and disease activity in patients with SpA were known. In order to further examine this relationship, we predicted two regressive models to forecast the MASEI index: a classical linear regression model and a Support Vector Machine model with the lowest estimated Root Mean Square Error among 32 alternative machine learning models.

Regional cortical thickness recovery with extended abstinence after treatment in those with alcohol use disorder

Several cross-sectional investigations reported widespread cortical thinning in those with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The few longitudinal studies investigating cortical thickness changes during abstinence are limited to the first month of sobriety. Consequently, cortical thickness changes during extended abstinence in those with AUD is unclear. In this study, AUD participants were studied at approximately 1 week (n = 68), 1 month (n = 88), and 7.3 months (n = 40) of abstinence. Forty-five never-smoking controls (CON) completed a baseline study, and 15 were reassessed after approximately 9.6 months. Participants completed magnetic resonance imaging studies at 1.5T, and cortical thickness for 34 bilateral regions of interest (ROI) was quantitated with FreeSurfer. AUD participants demonstrated significant linear thickness increases in 25/34 ROI over 7.3 months of abstinence. The rate of change from 1 week to 1 month was greater than 1 month to 7.3 months in 19/34 ROIs. Proatherogenic conditions were associated with lower thickness recovery in anterior frontal, inferior parietal, and lateral/mesial temporal regions. After 7.3 months of abstinence, AUD participants were statistically equivalent to CON on cortical thickness in 24/34 ROIs; the cortical thickness differences between AUD and CON in the banks superior temporal gyrus, post central, posterior cingulate, superior parietal, supramarginal, and superior frontal cortices were driven by thinner cortices in AUD with proatherogenic conditions relative to CON. In actively smoking AUD, increasing pack-years was associated with decreasing thickness recovery primarily in the anterior frontal ROIs. Widespread bilateral cortical thickness recovery over 7.3 months of abstinence was the central finding for this AUD cohort. The longitudinal and cross-sectional findings for AUD with proatherogenic suggests alterations in perfusion or vascular integrity may relate to structural recovery in those with AUD. These results support the adaptive and beneficial effects of sustained sobriety on brain structural recovery in people with AUD.