Differences In Mean Values Research Articles

Exploring Psychological Distress, Burden of Care and Emotional Intelligence as Correlates of Psychological Well-being in Family and Non-family Caregivers of Individuals Living with Cannabis-induced Psychotic Disorder

Caring for individuals living with cannabis-induced psychotic disorder poses unique challenges that significantly impact caregivers’ psychological well-being. This study delved into this complex caregiving landscape, exploring how psychological distress, the burden of care, and emotional intelligence collectively influence caregivers’ psychological well-being. The study was conducted at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos Nigeria. The research adopted purposive sampling, involving one hundred (100) participants encompassing both family and non-family caregivers. Participants completed four key instruments: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) – 12, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), and Psychological Well-being Scale (PWB). Descriptive statistics provided mean and standard deviation values for psychological distress, burden of care, emotional intelligence, and psychological well-being, with the reliability of each scale assessed. Hypothesis testing included t-tests, simple linear regression, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression, yielding significant findings. Notably, family caregivers did not bear a significantly higher burden of care compared to their non-family counterparts (t = -.108, p<.05). Furthermore, female caregivers exhibited superior psychological well-being in contrast to male caregivers (t = -4.594, p<.05). Emotional intelligence significantly impacted psychological well-being (R square =.262), and a positive relationship existed between psychological distress and well-being (r = .596, p<.05). Lastly, psychological distress, emotional intelligence, and the burden of care collectively shaped psychological well-being (R square =.526). This research unravels the intricate dynamics faced by caregivers of individuals with cannabis-induced psychotic disorder, highlighting the pivotal roles of emotional intelligence and psychological distress. These insights deepen understanding of caregivers’ experiences and provide a foundation for tailored interventions to bolster their overall well-being. Keywords: Caregivers, Psychological Distress, Burden of Care, Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Well-being, Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder

Dyslipidemia is associated with sarcopenia of the elderly: a meta-analysis

PurposeSarcopenia is a pathological change characterized by muscle loss in older people. According to the reports, there is controversy on the relationship between dyslipidemia and sarcopenia. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to explore the association between sarcopenia and dyslipidemia.MethodsWe searched the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP Database) for case‒control studies to extract data on the odds ratio (OR) between sarcopenia and dyslipidemia and the MD(mean difference) of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, and TG/HDL-C between sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia. The JBI(Joanna Briggs) guidelines were used to evaluate the quality. Excel 2021, Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 16.0 were used for the statistical analysis.ResultsTwenty studies were included in the meta-analysis, 19 of which were evaluated as good quality. The overall OR of the relationship between sarcopenia and dyslipidemia was 1.47, and the MD values of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, and TG/HDL-C were 1.10, 1.95, 1.27, 30.13, and 0.16 respectively. In female, compared with the non-sarcopnia, the MD of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG of sarcopenia were − 1.67,2.21,1.02,-3.18 respectively. In male, the MD of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia were − 0.51, 1.41, 5.77, -0.67. The OR between sarcopenia and dyslipidemia of the non-China region was 4.38, and it was 0.9 in China. In the group(> 60), MD of TC between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia was 2.63, while it was 1.54 in the group(20–60).ConclusionDyslipidemia was associated with sarcopenia in the elderly, which was affected by sex, region and age.

Evaluation of Full-Field Stimulus Threshold Test Results in Retinitis Pigmentosa: Relationship with Full-Field Electroretinography, Multifocal Electroretinography, Optical Coherence Tomography, and Visual Field.

The full-field stimulus threshold (FST) test was developed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatments of hereditary retinal diseases. In this study we performed the FST test in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and compared the results with findings from other ophthalmological tests. The study included 51 intermediate and advanced RP patients and 21 normal subjects. All patients and controls underwent routine examination and ophthalmological tests including visual field, optical coherence tomography, full-field and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG), and FST tests. During FST testing, the perception thresholds of retina to the white, blue, and red FST were determined in decibels. The mean age of the patients and the controls were 35.2 and 33.5 years, respectively. For all RP patients, no response was obtained on full-field ERG. All subjects were able to perform reliable FST tests. The mean values of visual acuity and central macular thickness were significantly lower and visual field mean deviation values were significantly higher in the RP group than the controls. When we evaluated the mfERG findings, the mean P1 wave amplitudes in all rings were significantly lower and the mean peak times were significantly longer in RP patients than controls. In comparisons of FST test results, the mean values for white, blue, red and the difference between blue-red thresholds were significantly lower in the RP group than the control group. The FST test is a fast and a reliable exam which can be done in subjects with poor visual acuity and reduced visual field. The results of this study confirm that the FST test can measure retinal sensitivity in severely affected RP subjects with flat flash ERG.

Evaluation of Metals in Printed Wiring Boards of Selected Discarded Mobile Phones in Nigeria

Obsolete mobile phones form a major component of the e-waste stream. The Printed wiring boards (PWBs) of mobile phones are packed with economic and toxic metals. Regulatory bodies such as Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directives regulate the amount of these toxic metals in electrical and electronic equipment. This study is aimed at evaluating selected critical metals present in PWBs of three popular brands of discarded mobile phones used in Nigeria to understudy the behaviour of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) regarding toxicity, economic potentials, and level of compliance with international initiatives by regulatory bodies to reduce the level of toxic metals in electronic equipment. PWBs obtained from 60 discarded mobile phones of 3 popular mobile phone brands used in Nigeria were chopped into smaller particles, extracted according to EPA 3050B method, and analysed using the Inductive Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry technique. It was observed that Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu, had the highest concentration range across all brands studied. Notable toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, and As have mean and standard deviation values of 0.43±0.38 mg/kg, 0.62±0.160 mg/kg, 5.16±1.06 mg/kg, and 84.97±13.83 mg/kg respectively. Economic metals: Cu, Ag, and Au had mean and standard deviation values of 80.37±16.89 mg/kg, 2.12±0.43 mg/kg, and 0.95±0.19 mg/kg respectively. Results from the study indicate that PWBs of mobile phones are a perfect secondary source of a large variety of metals vital for the recycling industry. Also, the low levels of toxic metals suggest that some OEMs are already adopting the 'design-for-environment' option. Therefore, PWBs studied seem eco-friendly; however, need to be handled with care as there are still some toxic metals of concern not determined in this study.

Diagnostic performance of pressure-bounded coronary flow reserve.

Fluid dynamics studies have proposed that coronary flow reserve can be calculated from coronary artery pressure instead of coronary blood flow. We sought to investigate the diagnostic performance of pressure-bounded coronary flow reserve (pb-CFR) compared with CFR measured by conventional thermodilution method (CFRthermo) in the clinical setting. Pressure guidewire was used to measure CFRthermo and fractional flow reserve (FFR) in left anterior descending coronary artery in 62 patients with stable coronary artery disease. Pb-CFR was calculated only with resting distal coronary artery pressure (Pd), resting aortic pressure (Pa) and FFR. Pb-CFR was moderately correlated with CFRthermo (r = 0.54, P < 0.001). Pb-CFR showed a poor agreement with CFRthermo, presenting large values of mean difference and root mean square deviation (1.5 ± 1.4). Pb-CFR < 2.0 predicted CFRthermo < 2.0 with an accuracy of 79%, sensitivity of 83%, specificity of 78%, positive predictive value of 48%, negative predictive value of 95%. The discordance presenting CFRthermo < 2.0 and pb-CFR ≥ 2.0 was associated with diffuse disease (P < 0.001). The discordance presenting CFRthermo ≥ 2 and pb-CFR < 2 was associated with a high FFR (P = 0.002). Pb-CFR showed moderate correlation and poor agreement with CFRthermo. Pb-CFR might be reliable in excluding epicardial coronary artery disease and microcirculatory disorders.

Antibacterial Effect of Two Novel Sealants: A Laboratory-Based Study.

This research sought to assess the impact of polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMGH) and 1,3,5-triacryloyl hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (TAT) on the antibacterial activity of an experimental resin sealant. The two experimental sealants were formulated based on previous research, and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was tested for biofilm and planktonic bacteria's antibacterial properties. In 48 hours, 300 L of frozen S. mutans in skim milk was stored in an oven at 37°C in a microaerophilic atmosphere with 5% of CO2 and put on a petri plate containing brain-heart infusion (BHI) broth with agar at 15 g/L. By combining 100 mL of the subculture broth with 900 mL of a sterile saline solution (0.9%) in an Eppendorf tube, the initial inoculum used for the experiments was evaluated. The colonies were measured in colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) after being counted visually. To measure the antibacterial activity, log CFU/mL was used to express the number of bacteria in the broth that had been in contact with the samples for 24 hours. Outcomes of antibacterial activity against planktonic bacteria and against biofilm development on polymerized materials. The two innovative sealant materials were found to differ significantly from one another, while group 2's mean and standard deviation values were larger. Dental sealants designed with PHMGH and TCPTAT for anticaries application showed less bacterial growth throughout time the cavity prevention properties of the resin sealant.

Upregulated expression of PTTG1 is associated with progression of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive disease with a very poor prognosis. The insidious onset, rapid progression, and resistance to conventional therapies mark the imperious need for novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1), implicated in tumorigenesis and cellular transformation, has been studied in various cancers, however, its role and mechanisms in PC remain to be elucidated for better understanding the disease pathology and in enhancing patient management strategies. The present study examined the PTTG1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels and clinical significance through meta-analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to measure PTTG1 protein levels in PC and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. A correlation was observed between PTTG1 expression and some clinical characteristics based on the TCGA and IHC data. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were used to identify independent prognostic factors. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was performed. The co-expressed genes of PTTG1 were determined by integrating online tools, and the enrichment analyses were performed to determine PTTG1-related pathways and hub co-expressed genes. PTTG1 was highly expressed in PC tissues based on the TCGA, GEO, and IHC data. The combined standard mean difference (SMD) values of PTTG1 expression based on TCGA and GEO databases was 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-1.30]. The area under the curve (AUC) based on the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.95). PTTG1 overexpression was remarkably correlated with an inferior overall survival (OS). A total of 367 genes were identified as co-expressed genes of PTTG1 in PC and were mainly involved in the cell cycle pathway. The four identified core genes were CDK1, CCNA2, CDC20, and MAD2L1. The upregulated expression of PTTG1 plays an essential role in PC's progression as a biomarker.

Periapical Healing Outcome of Endodontic Re-Treatment Using Calcium Silicates Versus Resin-Based Sealers: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Aim: This systematic review was conducted with the purpose of analyzing the effects of root-end sealers in endodontic re-treatment cases and comparing calcium-based sealers with sealers, which were resin-based. Methodology: We conducted this review based on the principles of Cochrane systematic type of studies and also based on guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). An exhaustive search was conducted across PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases for the studies, which were based on root end sealers in cases of endodontic re-treatments. The data were then analyzed statistically with the help of SPSS 25.0. Results: It was seen that when comparing pain levels in post-obturation cases with these sealers after 24 hours and 48 hours, not much of statistically noteworthy differences were evident. Mean difference (MD) values at 24 hours were -0.20 with confidence intervals between -0.44 and 0.07 and P value of 0.15, whereas in case of 48 hours, MD was -0.36, CI- 0.65, and P value was 0.03. However, the results were slightly better with calcium-based sealers. Conclusion: Calcium silicate-based root end obturation sealers had similar performance when compared to resin-based sealers when we compared variables like pain intensity, etc.

Can Natural Speech Prosody Distinguish Autism Spectrum Disorders? A Meta-Analysis.

Natural speech plays a pivotal role in communication and interactions between human beings. The prosody of natural speech, due to its high ecological validity and sensitivity, has been acoustically analyzed and more recently utilized in machine learning to identify individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the findings of empirical studies on acoustic analysis and machine learning techniques to provide statistically supporting evidence for adopting natural speech prosody for ASD detection. Using a random-effects model, the results observed moderate-to-large pooled effect sizes for pitch-related parameters in distinguishing individuals with ASD from their typically developing (TD) counterparts. Specifically, the standardized mean difference (SMD) values for pitch mean, pitch range, pitch standard deviation, and pitch variability were 0.3528, 0.6744, 0.5735, and 0.5137, respectively. However, the differences between the two groups in temporal features could be unreliable, as the SMD values for duration and speech rate were only 0.0738 and -0.0547. Moderator analysis indicated task types were unlikely to influence the final results, whereas age groups showed a moderating role in pooling pitch range differences. Furthermore, promising accuracy rates on ASD identification were shown in our analysis of multivariate machine learning studies, indicating averaged sensitivity and specificity of 75.51% and 80.31%, respectively. In conclusion, these findings shed light on the efficacy of natural prosody in identifying ASD and offer insights for future investigations in this line of research.

Gross failure rates and failure modes for a commercial AI-based auto-segmentation algorithm in head and neck cancer patients.

Artificial intelligence (AI) based commercial software can be used to automatically delineate organs at risk (OAR), with potential for efficiency savings in the radiotherapy treatment planning pathway, and reduction of inter- and intra-observer variability. There has been little research investigating gross failure rates and failure modes of such systems. 50 head and neck (H&N) patient data sets with "gold standard" contours were compared to AI-generated contours to produce expected mean and standard deviation values for the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), for four common H&N OARs (brainstem, mandible, left and right parotid). An AI-based commercial system was applied to 500 H&N patients. AI-generated contours were compared to manual contours, outlined by an expert human, and a gross failure was set at three standard deviations below the expected mean DSC. Failures were inspected to assess reason for failure of the AI-based system with failures relating to suboptimal manual contouring censored. True failures were classified into 4 sub-types (setup position, anatomy, image artefacts and unknown). There were 24 true failures of the AI-based commercial software, a gross failure rate of 1.2%. Fifteen failures were due to patient anatomy, four were due to dental image artefacts, three were due to patient position and two were unknown. True failure rates by OAR were 0.4% (brainstem), 2.2% (mandible), 1.4% (left parotid) and 0.8% (right parotid). True failures of the AI-based system were predominantly associated with a non-standard element within the CT scan. It is likely that these non-standard elements were the reason for the gross failure, and suggests that patient datasets used to train the AI model did not contain sufficient heterogeneity of data. Regardless of the reasons for failure, the true failure rate for the AI-based system in the H&N region for the OARs investigated was low (∼1%).

The Effects of Early Mobilization Protocol on Pre and Post Operative Functional Performance for Individuals with Post Abdominal Surgery

Background: The post surgical period of abdominal incision was accompanied with respiratory muscle dysfunctionand diminished physical capability. Limited upright mobilisation, exhaustion, and restricted lung abnormalities,among other functional issues, are linked to the early postoperative days. Improving pre-operative levels ofphysical functioning in individuals might be beneficial for post operative outcome.Aim: Aim of the study was to find out on which post-operative day the abdominal surgery participants get to thesame functional status as pre-operative status.Method: 40 Individuals hospitalized for abdominal surgery at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital werechosen for the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selected participants were treated withdiaphragmatic breathing exercise, Incentive spirometry, thoracic expansion exercise, splinted coughing technique,active range of motion exercise for upper extremity and lower extremity for pre-operative abdominal surgeryparticipants. Post operative participants were treated with physiotherapy from POD 1 till the time their functionalstatus become same as the pre-operative status. Six- minute walk test, hospital anxiety and depression scale wereused in this study. Their scores were calculated and analysed.Result: Similar pre-operative mean (365.25±25.92) was attained at POD-7 (350.75±25.46). Day of POD-5, the HADSscore was normal (0 to7) in depression.Conclusion: This study shows the post-operative status is attained back on POD-7 with using 6MWT. Depressionwas relieved at POD-5 with a value of mean and standard deviation in HADS.

A Noninvasive Clinical Method to Measure in Vivo Mechanical Strains of the Lamina Cribrosa by OCT

To measure mechanical strain of the lamina cribrosa (LC) after intraocular pressure (IOP) change produced 1 week after a change in glaucoma medication. Cohort study. Adult glaucoma patients (23 eyes, 15 patients) prescribed a change in IOP-lowering medication. Noninvasive OCT imaging of the eye. Deformation calculated by digital volume correlation of OCT scans of the LC before and after IOP lowering by medication. Among 23 eyes, 17 eyes of 12 persons had IOP lowering ≥ 3 mmHg (reduced IOP group) with tensile anterior-posterior Ezz strain= 1.0% ± 1.1% (P= 0.003) and compressive radial strain (Err)=-0.3% ± 0.5% (P= 0.012; random effects models accounting inclusion of both eyes in some persons). Maximum in-plane principal (tensile) strain and maximum shear strain in the reduced-IOP group were as follows: Emax= 1.7% ± 1.0% and Γmax= 1.4% ± 0.7%, respectively (both P < 0.0001 vs. zero). Reduced-IOP group strains Emax and Γmax were significantly larger with greater % IOP decrease (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The compliances of the Ezz, Emax, and Γmax strain responses, defined as strain normalized by the IOP decrease, were larger with more abnormal perimetric mean deviation or visual field index values (all P ≤ 0.02). Strains were unrelated to age (all P ≥ 0.088). In reduced-IOP eyes, mean LC anterior border posterior movement was only 2.05 μm posteriorly (P= 0.052) and not related to % IOP change (P= 0.94, random effects models). Only Err was significantly related to anterior lamina depth change, becoming more negative with greater posterior LC border change (P= 0.015). Lamina cribrosa mechanical strains can be effectively measured by changes in eye drop medication using OCT and are related to degree of visual function loss in glaucoma. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Board Assurance and Financial Performance of Selected Saccos in Kiruhura District, Uganda

Board assurance is the term used to describe the board's degree of trust in the organization's capacity for efficient risk management. Among SACCOs in Uganda, board assurance and financial performance are important ideas. The financial sector in Uganda has been characterized by investor activity, hostile takeovers, poor corporate governance, weak boards of directors, and protection of minority shareholders. Several banks and other financial institutions have failed to operate despite Bank Uganda's multiple interventions, necessitating regulatory action to maintain the stability of the financial system. This study's goal was to examine how board assurance affected the financial performance of a subset of SACCOs in Uganda's Kiruhura District. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods, utilizing a cross-sectional survey research design. At a 95% confidence level or 0.05 error rate, a population of 342 individuals was used. The sample size consisted of 184 respondents, staff members, and members of the six SACCOs that were registered in the Kiruhura area of Uganda as of January 2023. There were two stages to the data collection for analysis. First, SPSS version 20.0 was used to conduct the preliminary data analysis and descriptive statistics on the respondents.In the second phase, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to evaluate and investigate the structural relationships between the variables in the proposed conceptual model. These statistics included multicollinearity, mean and standard deviation, outliers and extreme values, and missing data. SEM was implemented using Jaffrey's Amazing Statistical Program (JASP) version 0.17.2.0. The study's conclusion supported Ha1 by showing that board assurance (BoA) (=0.343**) significantly improved the financial management of savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs) in Uganda. According to the study's findings, SACCO would perform better financially the more its board took responsibility for the company's decisions and told stakeholders about them. The study recommends that; board of directors should be more effective in ensuring that they communicate the decisions clearly and appropriately so that SACCO’s maximize shareholders wealth.

Effect of Board Accountability on Financial Performance of Selected Saccos in Kiruhura District, Uganda

Board accountability and Financial Performance are significant concepts among SACCOs in Uganda due to their involvement in the financial inter mediation process. In spite of the several interventions by Bank Uganda, a number of banks and other financial institutions have failed to operate forcing the regulators to intervene to ensure sanity in the financial system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of corporate governance on financial performance of SACCOs in Kiruhura District, Uganda and the specific objective were; To examine the effect of board accountability on financial performance of selected SACCOs in Kiruhura District, In this study, a cross-sectional survey research design was employed, adopting quantitative and qualitative approaches research approaches. A total population of 342 people were used at a confidence level of 95% or error of 0.05 and the sample size was 184 respodents who involved the staff and members taken from the six SACCOs registered in Kiruhura district’s, Uganda as of January 2023.The obtained data for analysis was divided into two phases. First, descriptive statistics on the respondents and the preliminary data analysis were performed using SPSS version 20.0. These statistics included multicollinearity, mean and standard deviation, outliers and extreme values, and missing values and in the second phase, the structural relationships between the variables in the suggested conceptual model were tested and examined using structural equation modeling (SEM). Jaffrey’s Amazing Statistical Program (JASP) version 0.17.2.0 was used to implement SEM. The findings of the study were: The effect of board accountability (BAC) on financial performance was found to have a negative effect (g = -0.908), implying that the data failed to support the direct relationship between BAC and FiP, thus not supporting H01, Therefore the study concludes that SACCOS will do less well financially the more its board assumes accountability for the company’s decisions and communicates them openly to stakeholders.the study recommends that the board of directors should be more effective in ensuring that they communicate the decisions clearly and appropriately so that SACCO’s maximize shareholders wealth. SACCO’s should seek best strategies of communicating and sharing the accountability feedback with SACCO members to generate maximum benefits for everyone.

The long-term effects of topical latanoprost 0.005% treatment on pupillary functions: A 2-year longitudinal study.

To investigate the long-term effects of topical latanoprost 0.005% treatment on pupillary functions in early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes using automated pupillometry. This prospective study involved 20 eyes of 20 treatment-naive subjects with early-stage POAG. After comprehensive ophthalmic examination, static and dynamic pupillometry measurements were performedbefore treatment, at the 1st follow-up visit (1.10 ± 0.30 months) and the 2nd follow-up visit (25.85 ± 10.26 months) after treatment initiation. Dynamic parameters included resting diameter (mm), amplitude (mm), latency (ms), duration (ms), and velocity (mm/s) of pupil contraction and dilation. Static pupillometry parameters were pupil diameter (PD, mm) in high-photopic, low-photopic, mesopic and scotopic conditions. The velocity of pupil dilation significantly decreased during the 1st visit (p = 0.008) and the 2nd visit (p = 0.0003) of treatment compared to the pre-treatment visit. The resting PD was also significantly higher after the 1st visit (p = 0.003) and the 2nd visit (p = 0.001) compared to the pre-treatment visit. However, the difference in resting PD measured between the 1st and 2nd visits did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.065). There were no significant changes in other dynamic parameters (p > 0.05 for all). Additionally, a mild, but not significant, mydriatic effect was observed in PD measurements under scotopic, mesopic and low photopic lighting conditions after follow-up. None of the static and dynamic parameters correlate with age, changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) or mean deviation (MD) values of visual field tests. The long-term topical latanoprost 0.005% treatment in early-stage POAG has a slight mydriatic effect on the pupil. Further longitudinal clinical studies with larger patient cohorts are necessary to better understand the effects of latanoprost on pupillary functions.

Two‑year clinical performance of indirect restorations fabricated from CAD/CAM nano hybrid composite versus lithium disilicate in mutilated vital teeth. A randomized controlled trial

Trial designThis is a randomized, controlled, superiority, double-blinded, parallel-group, two-arms trial with an allocation ratio of 1:1. The aim of this trial was to compare the two-year clinical performance of partial indirect restorations fabricated from CAD/CAM nano-hybrid composite and ceramic lithium disilicate blocks using the modified USPHS criteria.MethodsIn two parallel groups (n = 50 restorations), fifty participants having mutilated vital teeth with a minimum of two remaining walls were randomly enrolled in this trial and received indirect restorations of either nano-hybrid composite resin blocks (Brilliant, Coltene, Switzerland) or Lithium Disilicate (IPS Emax CAD). The restorations were assessed using modified USPHS criteria by two independent blinded assessors at baseline, six months, one-year and two years follow-up visits. Categorical and ordinal data were presented as frequencies and percentages. Categorical data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Ordinal data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test for intergroup comparisons and Freidman’s test followed by the Nemenyi post hoc test for intragroup comparisons. Numerical data were presented as mean and standard deviation values. They were analyzed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Data were found to be normally distributed and were analyzed using the independent t-test. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05 within all tests.ResultsForty-eight participants received the allocated intervention and completed the follow-up periods. There was a statistically significant difference between both tested materials for all USPHS criteria regarding Marginal integrity and Marginal discoloration at six-months Follow-up, but with no statistically significant difference at one- and two-year follow-up.ConclusionsBoth materials showed an acceptable, successful clinical performance along the two-years follow-up period.Clinical relevanceThe CAD/CAM nano-hybrid composite blocks are as reliable as Lithium disilicate for restoring mutilated vital teeth.

Association between functional parameter and structural, and vascular parameters in advanced glaucoma

Aims/Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the function‐vasculature, and function–structure relationships in advanced glaucoma patients.Methods: This cross‐sectional study included 29 eyes of 24 advanced glaucoma patients. Advanced glaucoma was classified as visual fields (VFs) with a mean deviation (MD) below ‐12 dB according to Hodapp‐Parrish‐Anderson classification system. The structural parameters, cup/disc area ratio, cup/disc vertical ratio, cup/disc horizontal ratio, rim area, disc area, cup volume, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT, Optovue, Fremont, CA). The vessel density of superficial retinal capillary plexus (SRCP), deep retinal capillary plexus (DRCP), outer retina (OR), and choriocapillaris (CC) were analysed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA, DRI OCT Triton Plus, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan). For all layers, the average vessel density of the area between 1 mm and 3 mm diameter circles was calculated, assuming the 1 mm diameter area centered on the fovea as the central region. Relationships between 10–2 VF MD values, and structural and vascular parameters were assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficients. p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean ± SD age of all patients was 61.9 ± 15.8 years and 75% were male. For structural parameters, there was a positive correlation between the MD and GCC thickness values (p = 0.001, r = 0.617), while none of the parameters of the optic disc were related to the MD value. There were significant positive correlations with the vessel densities of the SRCP and CC layers (p = 0.001, r = 0.593 and p = 0.002, r = 0.541, respectively).Conclusions: Decreased vessel densities of the SRCP and CC were significantly associated with severity of visual field damage. This study showed that OCTA can be a promising method in daily use for monitoring advanced glaucoma.

Analyzing The Reliability And Validity Of Talent Identification Practices For Athletes: An Adaptation Study

In nations like Ethiopia, talent identification is vital for fostering competitive athletes by pinpointing individuals with promising potential and guiding their development through specialized programs.The aim of this study was to assess the significance and relevance of the reliability and validity of talent identification in Ethiopian athletes for an adaptation study.A descriptive survey method was employed. Five public clubs were purposefully sampled, with 156 athletes randomly selected from a total of 257. Data were collected using the talent identification questionnaire (TIQ), revealing a reliability value of 0.808 (r) in a pilot study conducted to ascertain the scientific authenticity of the adapted questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested at a significance level of 0.05.The original TIQ has five dimensions, namely: anthropometry (ANTH), sociological predictor (SP), physiological predictor (PHYP), psychological predictor (PSYP), and technical skill predictor (TSP). The mean and standard deviation values for each dimension were 4.14±0.96; 3.78±1.05; 4.18±0.74; 4.47±0.76; and 4.28±0.76, respectively. Thereafter factor analysis was performed result increased from five to six dimensions, among six dimensions, five dimensions were hybrid whereas one dimensions are independent, and the factors were named: i) SP, PSYP, and TSP; ii) ANTH and PHYP; iii) SP and PSYP; iv) PSYP and TSP; v) SP and PSYP; vi) PSYP. Mean and standard deviation values of eachdimension were 3.87±1.06 (p&lt;0.000), 4.21±0.85 (p&lt;0.001), 3.98±1.15 (p&lt;0.000), 4.02±1.08 (p&lt;0.002), 3.83±1.23 (p&lt;0.001), and 4.31±0.76 (p&lt;0.000), respectively.The study considered questions regarding data reduction, feasibility, validation, and reliability of Ethiopian adaptations of TIQ. The analysis indicated enhanced reliability (test-retest) for the Ethiopian adaptation along with significant factor loadings (ranged from .745 to .863) as compared to the original TI(.621 to .726). Ethiopian adaptation of TI correlation increased (range: 0.194 to .890**) surpassing the original range (.134 to .873*). Cronbach's alpha improved from r = .879 to r = .885, affirming future validity in the Ethiopian population.In summary, the study recommends the consideration of Ethiopian adaptations for all purposes with sufficient construct validity based on the improved reliability and internal consistency observed in the adaptation compared to the original version of TIQ.

Pharmacogenetic basis of glaucoma

Personalized medical treatment is becoming more important in the current therapeutic scenario in order to gain greater efficiency and reduce adverse drug reactions. A few decades ago, pharmacogenetic studies entered the therapeutic field of glaucoma. Our group performed a study whose aim was the analysis of the genotype that predicts the phenotypic characteristics of a cohort of glaucoma and ocular hypertension patients, and the correlation with their personal pharmacological response to beta‐blockers (BB) and prostaglandin analogues (PGA). It was a prospective study that included 139 eyes from 72 patients under BB and/or PGA treatment, and in some cases other types of ocular hypotensive treatments. Five single‐nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped by real‐time PCR assays: prostaglandin‐F2α receptor (rs3766355, rs3753380); cytochrome‐P450 2D6 (rs16947, rs769258); and beta‐2‐adrenergic receptor (rs1042714). Other studied variables were mean deviation (MD) of visual field, previous ocular interventions, medical treatment, baseline (bIOP) and treated intraocular pressure (tIOP). From a total of 139 eyes, 71 (51.1%) were left eyes. The main diagnosis was primary open angle glaucoma (66.2%). 0.57 (41%) eyes were under 3 or more medications (PGA + BB + other) and, additionally, 57 eyes (41%) had had some kind of glaucoma surgery. Mean bIOP and tIOP were 26.55 ± 8.19 and 21.01 ± 5.54 mmHg respectively. Significant differences in tIOP were found in heterozygous (HT) (21.07 ± 0.607 mmHg) and homozygous (HM) (20.98 ± 0.639 mmHg) rs3766355 with respect to wildtype individuals (16 ± 1.08 mmHg) (p = 0.031). MD values presented significant differences between wildtype rs3766355 (−2 ± 2.2 dB), HT (−3.87 ± 4 dB) and HM carriers (−9.37 ± 9.51 dB) (p = 0.009). Significant differences were also observed between MD in wildtype rs3753380 (−6.1 ± 8.67 dB), HT (−9.02 ± 8.63 dB), and HM carriers (−9.51 ± 7.44 dB) (p = 0.017). In conclusion, patients carrying the variant rs3766355 in HM or HT presented clinically significant higher tIOP than wildtype patients. Additionally, some differences in MD were found in rs3766355 and rs3753380 carriers, the more alleles affected, the worse the MD value meaning greater severity of the glaucoma. Poor response to treatment and more visual field damage may be associated with being a carrier of these mutated alleles.

Study on the Promotion of Green Financial Reform and Innovation on Enterprise Sustainable Development Capability in Low-Carbon Economic Development Based on Statistical Modeling

Abstract Green financial reform and innovation attempts to combine the two core principles of green development and innovation-driven to promote the sustainable development of enterprises. This paper adopts the synthetic control method to establish the experimental and reference groups according to whether the study area is a pilot area for green finance reform. According to the research theory, the indicators affecting the sustainable development of enterprises are selected, and the changes in the indicators of the experimental group before and after the green financial reform and innovation are compared and analyzed. Based on the Mean Difference value and Median Difference value, determine the role of green finance in influencing the sustainable development of enterprises. The parallel trend hypothesis test is carried out to verify the feasibility of the double difference model setting. Construct the mediation model for green lending and enterprise R&amp;D investment to promote sustainable development within enterprises in the context of green finance reform and innovation. The regression results show that the coefficient of the double difference interaction term Treati * Aftert is 0.2653, which passes the significance test at the 1% level. The mediation model, after adding all control variables and three fixed effects, has a double difference term coefficient of 0.0876. After removing irrelevant factors, it further indicates that the implementation of the green financial pilot zone policy can promote the green technological innovation of enterprises to a certain extent and that the green financial pilot zone policy plays a significant role in the promotion of sustainable transformation of enterprises.