Differences In Mean Values Research Articles

A comparative review of error rates in forensic handwriting examination.

A comparison of error rates between studies in forensic handwriting examination has been made in response to the lack of knowledge on error in this field. Fifteen indicators have been used to describe and compare error rates between studies. The results of each study have been processed to determine these indicators. Parameters related to the participants, conclusion scale, amount of time allocated to the task, and the task itself are also reported. The error rate indicators are provided for each study, and then combined across studies using values of mean and standard deviation. Experts were found to perform better than laypeople. For handwritten texts, absolute error rate for experts ranges from 0.32% to 5.85% (with a mean of 2.84 ± 2.33%), and for laypeople from 11.43% to 28.72% (with a mean of 21.40 ± 8.94%). For signatures, absolute error rate for experts ranges from 0% to 4.86% (with a mean of 2.50 ± 1.55%), and for laypeople from 10.68% to 28% (with a mean of 19.55 ± 7.05%). Overall, experts have an absolute error rate of 2.63 ± 1.73% (against 20.16 ± 7.20% for laypeople). Experts are also more likely to give inconclusive answers than laypeople. Overall, the rate of absolute inconclusive answers for experts is 21.96 ± 23.15% (against 8.13 ± 7.96% for laypeople). The comparative review of error rates presented in the present article contributes to validating the discipline by showing how research has been devoted to meeting the criteria of testing to be considered scientific.

Motivational Barriers and Facilitators for Older Adults' Engagement in Exercise during Depressive Episodes: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

This study aims to assess the motivational factors influencing the participation of older adults in various exercise interventions during depressive episodes and to identify which types of exercise are most effective in alleviating depressive symptoms in this population. Therefore, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on exercise interventions and their impact on depression in older adult patients, identified by the terms "exercise" AND "depression" AND "elderly" OR "geriatric", were selected from primary electronic databases to conduct this network meta-analysis (NMA). The primary outcome was the effect on depressive symptoms, while the secondary outcome was the comparison of dropout rates between the intervention groups and the usual care control groups, as a measure of sustained motivation and engagement. Standardized mean difference (SMD) values and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for effect evaluation. This study protocol has been registered in IPLASY (INPLASY 202460035). The results of 31 RCTs with 3238 participants indicated that qigong (SMD -1.17, -2.28 to -0.06), Otago Exercise (SMD -1.15, -2.29 to -0.01), and yoga (SMD -0.88, -1.55 to -0.21) significantly alleviate depressive symptoms in older adults. Walking (SMD -0.82, -1.34 to -0.31) and strength training (SMD -0.67, -1.05 to -0.30) also showed significant effects. Aerobic, physical training, and tai chi had moderate effects, while multisport showed a weaker impact with no significant improvement. In summary, our research findings demonstrate that exercise can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms in older adults, with low dropout rates likely due to interconnected physiological, psychological, and social mechanisms. This is crucial for enhancing treatment strategies for older adults' depression.

Accuracy of analytically determined fractional flow reserve derived from coronary angiography for non-invasive assessment of coronary artery stenosis.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) determined invasively has been globally accepted as the gold standard for determining the functional significance of coronary artery stenoses. However, despite its great importance, the invasive method has certain disadvantages, including the risk of vascular injuries, the need for vasodilation, and significant medical costs. That is why great attention was paid to the development of non-invasive methods that would enable reliable diagnosis without exposing patients to the risk of unwanted consequences. This paper aimed to create and verify an alternative, less resource- and time-demanding, non-invasive solution. The determination of FFR is based on the application of the fundamental laws of fluid dynamics. All energy losses in the coronary artery with stenosis were identified and analyzed in detail. A three-dimensional model of a coronary artery was generated using the corresponding angiographic images. Finally, the pressure due to stenosis was calculated and the FFR was determined. The results obtained using the proposed analytical method were compared with available experimental data for 40 patients who experienced the invasive coronary angiography. The coefficient of determination, mean difference and standard deviation values are determined to be 0.726, -0.017 and 0.056, respectively. These values were slightly higher for FFR values above 0.80. The FFR calculated by the proposed analytical method has a relatively good correlation with clinical data, which leads to the conclusion that it can provide a reliable assessment of the functional significance of coronary stenosis.

The relationship of age, sex and prothrombin time related to the severity of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta analysis

Background SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Looking at the prevalence data in the world and in Indonesia, the highest mortality rate due to COVID-19 involves age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus. Severity of the condition also refers to coagulation abnormalities, such as abnormal prothrombin time values. Methods This systematic review study and meta-analysis used online literature sourced from PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO, Cochrane and Google Scholar. The literature used here is literature that has data on age, sex and prothrombin time of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus whose quality is assessed by the NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) criteria and processing data using Review Manager 5.4. Results Out of 8711 literatures that were traced from various search sources, there were 46 literatures that were included in this study. The results of the analysis on age showed the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) value of 0.45 and P <0.0001 (95% CI: 0.23–0.68), the gender analysis showed an Odds Ratio (OR) value of 3.28 and P = 0.01 (95% CI: 1.26–8.52) and the prothrombin time analysis showed SMD values of 0.41 and P = 0.07 (95%CI = -0.03–0.85). Conclusion Older and male COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of having diabetes compared to younger and female COVID-19 patients. As diabetes is a comorbidity in COVID-19, it can be concluded that old age and male sex are associated with a more severe disease.

Contrast-enhanced photon-counting micro-CT of tumor xenograft models

Objective. Photon-counting micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a major advance in small animal preclinical imaging. Small molecule- and nanoparticle-based contrast agents have been widely used to enable the differentiation of liver tumors from surrounding tissues using photon-counting micro-CT. However, there is a notable gap in the application of these market-available agents to the imaging of breast and ovarian tumors using photon-counting micro-CT. Herein, we have used photon-counting micro-CT to determine the effectiveness of these contrast agents in differentiating ovarian and breast tumor xenografts in live, intact mice. Approach. Nude mice carrying different types of breast and ovarian tumor xenografts (AU565, MDA-MB-231 and SKOV-3 human cancer cells) were injected with ISOVUE-370 (a small molecule-based agent) or Exitron Nano 12000 (a nanoparticle-based agent) and subjected to photon-counting micro-CT. To improve tumor visualization using photon-counting micro-CT, we developed a novel color visualization method, which changes color tones to highlight contrast media distribution, offering a robust alternative to traditional material decomposition methods with less computational demand. Main results. Our in vivo experiments confirm the effectiveness of this color visualization approach, showing distinct enhancement characteristics for each contrast agent. Qualitative and quantitative analyses suggest that Exitron Nano 12000 provides superior vasculature enhancement and better quantitative consistency across scans, while ISOVUE-370 delivers a more comprehensive tumor enhancement but with significant variance between scans due to its short blood half-time. Further, a paired t-test on mean and standard deviation values within tumor volumes showed significant differences between the AU565 and SKOV-3 tumor models with the nanoparticle-based contrast agent (p-values < 0.02), attributable to their distinct vascularity, as confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. Significance. These findings underscore the utility of photon-counting micro-CT in non-invasively assessing the morphology and anatomy of different tumor xenografts, which is crucial for tumor characterization and longitudinal monitoring of tumor progression and response to treatments.

Coomans plot classification of lard in the ink blends and ink extracts from printed packaging films using lard Fourier transform infrared spectral profile and multivariate analysis

Lard in blends of commercial gravure ink (ranging from 0.5 to 20%) and ink extracts from eleven commercially printed packaging films for foodstuffs was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The FTIR spectral bands at 4000 ‒ 650 cm-1 associated with the lard fingerprint were acquired and used to classify the lard and its blends using partial least squares (PLS) regression and discriminant analysis (DA). Commercial gravure inks (also used for preparing calibration curve samples), blends of lard ranging from 0.5 to 20% in gravure inks, and commercially printed food packaging films were tested. Linear correlation of predicted and actual values of lard were determined using PLS calibration and validation models. They produced a high coefficient of determination (R2 ) of 0.943, a low root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 1.674, as well as a high R2 = 0.999 and a low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.233, respectively. The PLS calibration was verified employing a leave-oneout cross-validation, while DA was used to classify a series of lard standard, lard-added ink, and commercial food packaging films. The Coomans plot classification of the lardadded ink and commercial food packaging films illustrated that the food packaging samples were plotted in the right and left hemispheres in the lard-added ink class. This result also demonstrated that FTIR coupled with chemometric PLS predicted the lard content in the printing inks with high overall accuracy, as indicated by a low mean difference (MD) value of 0.577 and a low standard deviation of difference (SDD) value of 0.599. The DA allowed the ink packaging samples that potentially contained lard to be distinguished from those without lard. Sample 7 (commercially printed food packaging ink) exhibits the highest possibility of containing lard.

The relationship of age, sex and prothrombin time related to the severity of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta analysis

Background SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Looking at the prevalence data in the world and in Indonesia, the highest mortality rate due to COVID-19 involves age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus. Severity of the condition also refers to coagulation abnormalities, such as abnormal prothrombin time values. Methods This systematic review study and meta-analysis used online literature sourced from PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO, Cochrane and Google Scholar. The literature used here is literature that has data on age, sex and prothrombin time of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus whose quality is assessed by the NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) criteria and processing data using Review Manager 5.4. Results Out of 8711 literatures that were traced from various search sources, there were 46 literatures that were included in this study. The results of the analysis on age showed the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) value of 0.45 and P &lt;0.0001 (95% CI: 0.23–0.68), the gender analysis showed an Odds Ratio (OR) value of 3.28 and P = 0.01 (95% CI: 1.26–8.52) and the prothrombin time analysis showed SMD values of 0.41 and P = 0.07 (95%CI = -0.03–0.85). Conclusion Older and male COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of having diabetes compared to younger and female COVID-19 patients. As diabetes is a comorbidity in COVID-19, it can be concluded that old age and male sex are associated with a more severe disease.

Fluid aspiration from intraretinal cysts for refractory diabetic macular edema

PURPOSE: To report the surgical outcome of fluid aspiration in intraretinal cysts as a novel treatment approach for the refractory cystoid macular edema (CME) associated with diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: This retrospective consecutive case series examined eight patients with refractory CME who underwent intraretinal cyst fluid aspiration using a 38-gauge subretinal infusion needle during pars plana vitrectomy. We reviewed changes in central retinal thickness (CRT), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and central sensitivity among patients followed up for 12 months post-surgery. RESULTS: CRT on optical coherence tomography (μm) significantly improved at 12 months post-surgery (308 ± 99) compared to before surgery (480 ± 141) (P &lt; 0.005). During the follow-up period, CME relapsed in one eye. The BCVA (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution) at 12 months post-surgery (0.23 ± 0.32, Snellen equivalent: 20/50) was significantly better than the preoperative BCVA (0.39 ± 0.29, Snellen equivalent: 20/63) (P &lt; 0.01). The mean deviation value of central sensitivity did not significantly change between preoperative (-2.5 ± 2.1) and postoperative (-2.2 ± 2.2) assessments (P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Fluid aspiration in intraretinal cysts may be a treatment option for refractory CME in eyes with diabetes.

An Investigation of the Teacher Collaboration According to the Instructional Leadership Behaviors of Principals

This correlational study examines the relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school administrators and the collaboration behaviors among the teachers in the same branch according to teachers' perceptions. The research sample was determined by an easily accessible sampling method and consisted of 403 teachers working in public primary and secondary schools in the central districts of Ankara. The data in the study were collected using the "Instructional Leadership Behavior Scale" and "Scale for Determining the Level of Collaboration of Group Teachers." Mean and standard deviation values were calculated in the data analysis, and correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. The study results show that principals exhibit high levels of instructional leadership behaviors according to teachers' perceptions. Similarly, teachers' collaboration behaviors are also high. A positive and significant relationship was found between principals' instructional leadership and teachers' collaborative behaviors. According to the regression results, principals' instructional leadership behaviors significantly predicted teacher collaboration. Based on the results, some implications for the future were made, and suggestions were made to researchers and practitioners.

Assessing Glaucoma Severity and Progression in Individuals with Asymmetric Axial Length: An Intrapatient Comparative Study

PurposeTo investigate whether there is a difference in inter-eye glaucoma severity and progression in patients with asymmetric axial length DesignLong-term observational study ParticipantsPatients over 20 years of age who had been diagnosed with glaucoma at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, between 2010 and 2020. MethodsPatients diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes with an axial length difference of more than 1.0 mm were included. Each individual’s eyes were classified into “longer eye” and “shorter eye,” and the baseline and follow-up clinical data were analyzed using the paired test. Main Outcome MeasuresDifferences in clinical characteristics in patients with asymmetric axial length ResultsA total of 190 eyes of 95 glaucoma patients with asymmetric axial length were included in the study. The patients’ mean age was 51.2 ± 12.3 years, and the mean follow-up period was 10.1 ± 3.9 years. There was no difference in the baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) or central corneal thickness (CCT) between longer eyes and shorter eyes. Among the baseline disc parameters, ovality index, beta-zone and gamma-zone parapapillary atrophy (PPA) area were larger in the longer eyes. In the baseline OCT data, the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness were thinner in the longer eyes. According to a baseline visual field (VF) test, the mean deviation (MD) and visual field index (VFI) values were significantly lower in the longer eyes. Based on an analysis of glaucoma progression, the rate of change of superior GCIPL (longer eyes : -0.65 μm/yr, shorter eyes : -0.40 μm/yr) , MD (longer eyes : -0.40 dB/yr, shorter eyes : -0.21 dB/yr) , and VFI (longer eyes : -0.92 %/yr, shorter eyes : -0.46 %/yr) were larger in the longer eyes. The greater the difference between the mean IOP and beta-zone PPA area between inter-eyes, the greater the difference in the rate of change of RNFL and GCIPL. Additionally, the greater the difference in IOP fluctuation, the greater the difference in the rate of change between MD and VFI. ConclusionsWhen there was an axial length difference of more than 1.0 mm, glaucoma tended to be more severe and to progress faster in the longer eyes. The inter-eye difference in glaucoma progression rate is related to both mean IOP and IOP fluctuation.

Acute primary angle closure concurrent with coronavirus disease 2019 recurrence in Northern China: A retrospective multi-centre study

Aims and objectivesDuring the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak period, there was increasing presentation in the number of patients with acute primary angle closure (APAC). This study aimed to report the occurrence of APAC during the COVID-19 post-restriction period and investigate the related characteristics of these patients with APAC. MethodsThis retrospective, multi-center study included consecutive patients seeking APAC treatment at two eye centers in China from December 7, 2022 to January 13, 2023 (post-restriction period) and from December 7, 2021 to January 13, 2022 (control period). Electronic medical records were reviewed, and ocular data of the affected eye(s) were analyzed for patients with unilateral or bilateral APAC. Information including COVID-19 related symptoms, medications used for COVID-19 infection, and living habits and emotions related to the COVID-19 outbreak during the post restriction period were collected using a questionnaire. ResultsOverall, 189 (219 APAC eyes) and 51 (54 APAC eyes) patients with APAC were identified during the post-restriction and control periods, respectively. The patients identified during the post-restriction period were younger (P = 0.043) and had a longer duration from symptoms to treatment (P = 0.039), shorter axial length (P = 0.002), larger pupil diameter (P = 0.004), larger vertical cup disc ratio (P = 0.004), poorer mean deviation values (P = 0.003), and more glaucomatous optic neuropathy diagnoses (P = 0.032) compared with the patients with APAC identified during the control period. Among 151 included patients with APAC who completed the questionnaires, 130 patients with APAC were diagnosed with concurrent COVID-19 infection, of which 54 (41.5 %) had coughing and/or vomiting as the main symptoms. Of these, 89.2 % spent 0 h per day on outdoor activity; 44.6 % drank more water than usual, with 14.6 % drinking more than twice the amount of water than usual; 91.5 % used antipyretics; and 20.0 % had mood swings, including anxiety, depression, and tension, during the concurrent COVID-19 infection. ConclusionIn our study, a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with APAC with certain characteristics was observed during the COVID-19 post-restriction period. And whether COVID-19 symptoms, such as coughing and vomiting, and behavioral and psychological changes caused by COVID-19 infection contributing to the concurrence of APAC and COVID-19 recurrence require further investigation.

Evaluation of lamina cribrosa curvature index in different types of glaucoma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the lamina cribrosa curvature index in different types of glaucoma in comparison with clinical findings and conventional measurement methods. Patients older than 18years who were followed up in Glaucoma Unit of Department of Ophthalmology at Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, whose disease had been under control at least for 1year, who had at least three reliable visual fields, whose refractive error was between - 6 and + 5 diopter and who did not have any disease other than glaucoma that would affect the visual field, were included in the study. Clinical and demographic characteristics, visual field, optical coherence tomography and lamina cribrosa curvature index (LCCI) results were evaluated. The study patients were divided into six groups: early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) as group 1 and intermediate-advanced stage POAG as group 2, pseudo-exfoliation glaucoma (PEXG) as group 3, normal tension glaucoma (NTG) as group 4, ocular hypertension patients whom subsequently developed POAG as group 5 and healthy control as group 6. A total of 189 eyes of 101 patients were included in our study. Forty-seven patients were male (46.5%) and 54 were female (53.5%). The mean age was 62.43 ± 1.49years. LCCI, mean deviation (MD), visual field index (VFI), pattern standard deviation (PSD) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) values were analyzed in all groups and Pearson correlation analysis showed statistically significant correlation between PSD and RNFL measurements with LCCI values in all groups. MD value was correlated with LCCI in groups 2, 3 and 4, while VFI value was correlated with LCCI in all groups except group 5. When the groups were compared with each other according to the Post-Hoc Tamhane test, LCCI measurement showed statistically significant results in accordance with MD, VFI, PSD and RNFL values. The LCCI assessment is mostly consistent with conventional tests. In this study, in which different types of glaucoma and healthy subjects were examined simultaneously, LCCI shows promise as a detailed and reliable assessment method.

Design of geometric flower pattern for clothing based on deep learning and interactive genetic algorithm

Abstract Geometric and floral models are an important part of clothing and have been used for thousands of years. Although the styles of geometric models and flower models have undergone changes over the centuries, they are still one of the important factors of clothing patterns, the important carrier of aesthetics, and the manifestation of people’s spiritual views and cultural needs. The development and application of digital printing technology have freed people from excessive dependence on sewing and embroidery processes. Therefore, while deeply studying the design of clothing patterns, this work sorted and analyzed the geometric flower models of clothing through interactive genetic algorithms, and optimized programming to enrich the models of clothing with geometric textures. The results showed that the deviation value of geometric flower pattern design was constantly decreasing, while the optimal strategy value was constantly increasing. The mean deviation value was 0.82, which was a decrease of 0.21 on the seventh day compared with the first day; the mean value of the optimal strategy value was 0.84, which was an increase of 0.19 on the seventh day compared with the first day. The visual effect and creativity of the clothing flower pattern design under the interactive genetic algorithm are better than the traditional flower pattern design, and the visual effect and creativity under the interactive genetic algorithm are 9% higher than the traditional one.

The relationship of age, sex and prothrombin time related to the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta analysis

Background SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Looking at the prevalence data in the world and in Indonesia, the highest mortality rate due to COVID-19 involves age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus. Severity of the condition also refers to coagulation abnormalities, such as abnormal prothrombin time values. Methods This systematic review study and meta-analysis used online literature sourced from PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO, Cochrane and Google Scholar. The literature used here is literature that has data on age, sex and prothrombin time of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus whose quality is assessed by the NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) criteria and processing data using Review Manager 5.4. Results Out of 8711 literatures that were traced from various search sources, there were 46 literatures that were included in this study. The results of the analysis on age showed the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) value of 0.45 and P &lt;0.0001 (95% CI: 0.23–0.68), the gender analysis showed an Odds Ratio (OR) value of 3.28 and P = 0.01 (95% CI: 1.26–8.52) and the prothrombin time analysis showed SMD values of 0.41 and P = 0.07 (95%CI = -0.03–0.85). Conclusion Older and male COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of having diabetes compared to younger and female COVID-19 patients. As diabetes is a comorbidity in COVID-19, it can be concluded that old age and male sex are associated with a more severe disease.

Establishing target intraocular pressure in newly diagnosed exfoliation glaucoma patients

ABSTRACT Background This study aimed to determine the appropriate target intraocular pressure (IOP) for patients newly diagnosed with exfoliation glaucoma. Research design and methods The study followed a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed exfoliation patients for three years. The target IOP was defined using three methods to measure visual field deterioration, mean deviation (MD), visual field index (VFI), and guided progression analysis (GPA). Results Over the three years, the mean deviation (MD) values declined by an average of −3.84 (±2.61) dB, while the visual field index (VFI) values dropped by an average of 9.66 (±6.25) %. The untreated IOP at inclusion was 32.52 ± 5.54 mmHg. At the end of the study (due to treatment), it was 17.94 ± 1.82 mmHg, resulting in a reduction of 14.58 mmHg (45% reduction). Based on the MD and VFI methods, the target IOP for the whole cohort was around 14–15 mmHg, while the target IOP based on GPA was around 15 mmHg. For advanced glaucoma cases, the target IOP was around 13 mmHg. Conclusions The study concludes that the traditional reported IOP reduction of 20% and/or IOP 18–20 mmHg may not be sufficient for patients newly diagnosed with exfoliation glaucoma. Instead, the study recommends a target IOP of 14–15 mmHg for these patients. Clinical Trial Registration The study was registered in the www.clinicaltrials.gov website with the number NCT06237764.

Can Baseline Parapapillary Atrophy Morphology Predict Future Glaucoma Progression?—An OCT Glaucoma Imaging Study

PurposeTo investigate glaucoma progression based on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Guided Progression Analysis (GPA) according to baseline β-zone parapapillary atrophy (PPA) morphology in glaucoma patients. DesignRetrospective cohort study. MethodsPatients over 20 years of age who had been diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea between 2010 and 2020. This study included POAG patients with a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. We quantitatively measured the baseline β-zone PPA parameters, classified β-zone PPA morphology according to new classification standard we created and analyzed the corresponding GPA progression of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). ResultsA total of 210 patients with POAG (mean age: 53.8 years) were enrolled in the study. The mean follow-up period was 9.8 years. The average value of the baseline mean deviation in visual field perimetry was -2.48 dB. Longer radial extent and larger angular extent of β-zone PPA were significantly associated with progression on GPA, as was the presence of disc hemorrhage. Among the 4 classified β-zone PPA morphologies (Crescent type 1 & 2, Solar-eclipse type 1 & 2), the Solar-eclipse type 2 group showed the highest progression. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significant differences among the 4 types. ConclusionsThe larger the radial and angular extents of β-zone PPA, the more progression that was shown on OCT GPA. Furthermore, significant differences in progression were noted based on the morphological type of β-zone PPA. Our findings indicate that baseline β-zone PPA parameters and morphology are valuable predictors of future glaucoma progression.

The relationship of age, sex and prothrombin time related to the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta analysis

Background SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Looking at the prevalence data in the world and in Indonesia, the highest mortality rate due to COVID-19 involves age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus. Severity of the condition also refers to coagulation abnormalities, such as abnormal prothrombin time values. Methods This systematic review study and meta-analysis used online literature sourced from PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO, Cochrane and Google Scholar. The literature used here is literature that has data on age, sex and prothrombin time of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus whose quality is assessed by the NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) criteria and processing data using Review Manager 5.4. Results Out of 8711 literatures that were traced from various search sources, there were 46 literatures that were included in this study. The results of the analysis on age showed the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) value of 0.45 and P &lt;0.0001 (95% CI: 0.23–0.68), the gender analysis showed an Odds Ratio (OR) value of 3.28 and P = 0.01 (95% CI: 1.26–8.52) and the prothrombin time analysis showed SMD values of 0.41 and P = 0.07 (95%CI = -0.03–0.85). Conclusion Older and male COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of having diabetes compared to younger and female COVID-19 patients. As diabetes is a comorbidity in COVID-19, it can be concluded that old age and male sex are associated with a more severe disease.

Adding Genetics to the Risk Factors Model Improved Accuracy for Detecting Visual Field Progression in Newly Diagnosed Exfoliation Glaucoma Patients.

This study aims to determine whether including genetics as a risk factor for progression will improve the accuracy of the models used in newly diagnosed exfoliation glaucoma patients. This was a prospective cohort study. This study included only patients who were newly diagnosed with exfoliation glaucoma and received treatment upon inclusion. Blood samples were taken from all patients at inclusion to test for the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) LOXL-1 rs2165241 and rs1048661. This study found that the frequency of SNPs, as well as intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation (MD), and visual field index (VFI) values at diagnosis, were significant predictors of visual field deterioration (p ≤ 0.001). This study showed that interaction terms, including SNPs, were highly significant (p ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis also showed highly significant results for interaction terms when SNPs were included (p ≤ 0.001). Finally, the area under the curve (AUC) analysis showed an increased value of around 10-20% when SNPs were included. Adding genetic factors to the well-known clinical risk factors can increase the accuracy of models for predicting visual field deterioration in exfoliation glaucoma patients. However, further studies are needed to investigate the role of other genes in this process.

Comparison of a Novel Head-Mounted Objective Auto-perimetry (Gaze Analyzing Perimeter) and Humphrey Field Analyzer

To evaluate the agreement between 24-2 visual field (VF) test results obtained using the gaze analyzing perimeter (GAP; FINDEX, Tokyo, Japan) and the Humphrey field analyzer (HFA; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA). Cross-sectional study PARTICIPANTS: Patients who underwent HFA 24-2 for suspected or confirmed VF loss and were treated at the Kyoto University Hospital between December 2022 and July 2023. Patients underwent consecutive VF tests on the same eye using HFA and GAP 24-2 tests. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare GAP and HFA results. Examination points where the sensitivity measured using GAP was ≥10 dB higher than that measured using HFA were reevaluated by referring back to the original gaze data; two ophthalmologists assessed whether the gaze moved linearly toward the new test target. Mean deviation (MD) and elapsed time on an individual basis and sensitivity on an examination point basis. Forty-seven eyes of 47 patients were analyzed. The correlation coefficient of the MD using HFA and GAP was 0.811 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.683-0.891). Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement between HFA and GAP tests. The mean difference (95% limits of agreement [LOA]) in MD between HFA and GAP results was -0.63 dB (-5.81 to 4.54 dB). Although no statistically significant differences were observed in the elapsed time (P = 0.99), measurements completed within 200 s were observed only in the GAP group (11 cases, 23.4%), who had significantly better HFA MD value than others (P=0.001). On an examination point basis for sensitivity, the correlation coefficient between HFA and GAP was 0.691 (95% LOA, 0.670-0.711). Original gaze data assessment revealed that the gaze moved linearly toward the new test target for 70.2% of the examination points with a sensitivity discrepancy. The results indicate that the GAP provides VF assessment outcomes comparable to those of the HFA. The GAP exhibited advantages in terms of testing time, particularly in patients with minimal VF impairment. Furthermore, the GAP records all eye movements, enabling the objective determination of VF abnormalities based on gaze patterns and facilitating easy post-hoc verification.

Improved Fitness and VO2Max: Implementation of Traditional “Massallo” Games

Students' health needs are one of the priorities in learning. Therefore, physical education, sports and health have a very significant role. Physical education, sports and health are not only a means of improving physical fitness, but also play a role in maintaining body health and understanding the local wisdom contained in traditional sports such as Massallo. Therefore, the aim of this research is how Massallo games can shape students' fitness and Vo2max. This research is a quantitative pre-experimental design research using a Pretest-Posttest one group design. With a total of 42 students participating, they used exercises with the Massallo game. All data obtained were searched for mean, min, max, and standard deviation values as well as differences in applying exercises and Massallo games using independent sample t-test and simple regression. There are differences in results in implementing training with Massallo games in increasing students' fitness and VO2Max. It was found that using the Massallo game training method had a difference of 11,421 in increasing students' fitness and VO2Max and had a significant influence of 0.610, which indicated that the Massallo game had a good role in students' fitness and VO2Max. Key Words: Fitness, Massallo Games, Physical Education, VO2Max