Propensity Score Matching Method Research Articles

Enhancing vaccination uptake through community engagement: evidence from China

With growing recognition of the importance of community engagement in addressing public health challenges, its role in promoting healthy behaviors and preventing infectious diseases has gained attention. However, vaccination coverage remains a significant concern in many developing countries. While previous studies have linked community engagement to positive health outcomes, there is a gap in understanding its influence on individual vaccination choices, particularly in the context of developing countries. Utilizing data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study examines the impact of community engagement on COVID-19 and flu vaccination uptake among 7281 individuals. Community engagement, measured by community vaccination notifications, serves as the key independent variable. The study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methods to analyze the relationship between community engagement and vaccination behavior. The analysis reveals a positive association between community engagement and vaccination rates. Specifically, individuals receiving notifications were more likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine compared to non-recipients (vaccination rates: 100% vs. 53.3%), and flu vaccination rates were also significantly higher among those notified (2.7% vs. 1.9%). Mechanism analysis suggests that individuals receiving community notifications are more aware of the benefits of vaccination, leading to higher vaccination rates among this group. This study underscores the effectiveness of community engagement strategies in promoting positive vaccination behavior among individuals in China. By enhancing awareness and trust in immunization, community engagement initiatives play a crucial role in shaping health behaviors and improving vaccination uptake. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating community engagement approaches into public health interventions to address vaccination challenges.

The Impact of Changes in Rural Family Structure on Agricultural Productivity and Efficiency: Evidence from Rice Farmers in China

Over the past three decades, China has shifted from a relatively immobile society to one where rural migrant workers are dispersed throughout urban areas, resulting in significant changes in rural family structure. Previous studies have tended to approach migrant workers as homogeneous groups within families. In contrast, our attention turns to the diversity among individuals and the complex interactions within families. Based on a survey of rice farmers in five provinces of China, this study aims to explore the heterogeneous impact of changes in rural family structure on the single-factor (i.e., land, labor, and capital) productivity and technical efficiency (TE) of rice production. Methodologically, we calculated the productivity indicator through the Cobb–Douglas production function. Following this, a one-step stochastic frontier approach (SFA) was employed to assess the production frontier and estimate inefficiency. To address self-selection bias in family migration behavior, we applied the propensity score matching method (PSM). The results reveal that significant outcomes are observed only with certain types of changes in rural family structure. The production decisions of rural families are influenced by the migration regions of their family members. Compared to non-migrating families (NM), families with couples’ joint migration outside the province show higher single-factor productivity and TE. We used multiple approaches to examine the results and came to similar conclusions. Therefore, enhancing social security measures and employment opportunities for migrant workers, with specific attention to supporting migrant couples, can have a positive impact on sustainable urban and rural development, as well as food security.

Association of diabetic retinopathy on all-cause and cause-specific mortality in older adults with diabetes: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2008

To evaluate the effect of diabetic retinopathy (DR) status or severity on all-cause and cause-specific mortality among diabetic older adults in the United States using the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) follow-up mortality data. The severity of DR was graded according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grading scale. Multiple covariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models, Fine and Gray competing risk regression models, and propensity score matching (PSM) methods were used to assess the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in individuals with diabetes. All analyses adopted the weighted data and complex stratified design approach proposed by the NHANES guidelines. Time to death was calculated based on the time between baseline and date of death or December 31, 2019, whichever came first. Ultimately 1077 participants, representing 3,025,316 US non-hospitalized individuals with diabetes, were included in the final analysis. After a median follow-up of 12.24 years (IQR, 11.16–13.49), 379 participants were considered deceased from all-causes, with 43.90% suffering from DR, including mild DR (41.50%), moderate to severe DR (46.77%), and proliferative DR (PDR) (67.21%). DR was associated with increased all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM)-specific mortality, which remained consistent after propensity score matching (PSM). Results of DR grading assessment suggested that the presence of mild, moderate to severe NPDR was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause and CVD-specific mortality, while the presence and severity of any DR was associated with increased DM-specific mortality, with a positive trend. The presence of DR in elderly individuals with diabetes is significantly associated with the elevated all-cause and CVD mortality. The grading or severity of DR may reflect the severity of cardiovascular disease status and overall mortality risk in patients with diabetes.

Does cap-and-trade scheme impact energy efficiency and firm value? Empirical evidence from India

Governments worldwide have adopted environmental regulations to fight global warming. In 2012, the Government of India introduced the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT), a cap-and-trade scheme, to achieve energy efficiency for large-sized industries. The extant literature is divided on the impacts of environmental regulations on firm performance. While the win-win argument of Porter and Van der Linde (1991) proposes a positive effect, the cost-regulation theory suggests a negative impact. Against this backdrop, we examine the impact of the PAT scheme on energy efficiency and firm value. As an identification strategy, we employ difference-in-differences (DID) combined with propensity score matching methods on firm level data from 2006 to 2015. We do not find evidence of a statistically significant impact of the PAT scheme on firms' energy efficiency. In contrast, our results suggest that the scheme adversely affects firm value. Furthermore, we find that increased expenditure on repair and maintenance, research and development, rising plant and machinery purchases, and a fall in productivity are the potential channels through which the PAT scheme impacts firm value. Our results are robust to alternative definitions of energy intensity, firm value, and empirical specifications.

Is digital finance always beneficial to accounting information transparency? Evidence from China

ABSTRACT Using a sample of Chinese listed firms over 2011–2020, this study examines the impact of digital finance on accounting information transparency. Our findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between digital finance and accounting information transparency, suggesting that digital finance within certain limits increases accounting information transparency by optimising information acquisition and processing, but excessive digital finance leads to information overload and impairs accounting information transparency. Our findings are robust to a variety of sensitivity tests and are still valid after using two-stage “shift-share” instrumental variable procedures, propensity score matching method and firm-level fixed effect regression to control for the endogeneity issue. Lastly, MD&A and annual reporting disclosure timeliness are two influential channels by which digital finance affects accounting information transparency, and further the inverted U-shaped relationship is more pronounced for firms in provinces with lower marketisation indexes (CEO-chairman duality) than for their counterparts.

Generalist CEOs and stock price crash risk

AbstractWe investigate whether generalist chief executive officers (CEOs), that is, CEOs who gain transferable skills across firms and industries, have less incentive to hoard bad news. To address endogeneity concerns stemming from firm–CEO matching, we deploy a difference‐in‐differences method utilizing exogenous CEO turnovers, propensity score matching and entropy balancing matching methods, and Oster's coefficient stability test. Supporting our conjecture, we find a negative relation between CEOs’ general ability index (GAI) and future stock price crash risk. The effect of CEOs’ GAI on crash risk is stronger when labor demand is stronger and when firms have more agency conflicts. Our analysis further suggests that generalist CEOs attenuate crash risk by increasing conditional accounting conservatism and reducing real earnings management. Taken together, our findings highlight the role of CEOs’ general human capital in increasing their tolerance for failure and mitigating the agency problem.

Abstract PO3-22-03: Effect of Radiation Therapy on Survival Outcomes in Elderly ER/PR Positive AJCC Stage T1 Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract Background: The CALGB 9343 study in 2004 reported that women >70 years of age with pT1NO hormone receptor positive breast cancer received no meaningful benefit from breast irradiation following lumpectomy. The effectiveness of adjuvant radiation therapy in node negative, T1 tumor patients has been limited to institutional experiences with relatively lack of information in population-based studies. In this hospital-based study using National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) from 2004 to 2020, we report on adjuvant radiation therapy (XRT) usage and the survival outcomes in stage IA, IB, IC breast cancer patients who received XRT versus those who did not. Materials and Methods: Patients in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) who were registered between 2004 and 2019 and followed up to the end of 2020 were used in this research. We evaluated a cohort of 126,156 female breast cancer patients of age >= 70 years with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage TIA, TIB, and TIC. All patients were ER/PR positive, received hormonal therapy, all patients were either white or black, were either privately or Medicare insured, received hormonal therapy, and patients were receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy or not. Radiation statuses were grouped as no radiation, radiation only and/or radiation with boost. Other adjusted variables included: age, race, Charlson comorbidity index, payer status, income, education, distance traveled, diagnosing/treating facility, location of treatment and treatment delay. SAS for Windows 9.4 was used for all data management and statistical analysis. Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess the effect of the XRT on overall survival while adjusting for other factors. All p-values < 0.05 or 95% Confidence Limits of Hazards Ratio (HR) does not include 1 were considered statistically significant. Results: Among 126,156 female breast cancer patients, the age distribution was 47.87%, 31.72%, and 20.4% for age group of 70-74, 75-79, 80 or older, respectively. Ninety-three percent of patients were white. 89% of patients were Medicare and 11% were privately insured at diagnosis. 21% of patient were with the Charlson Comorbidity index score 1 or above. 10.77%, 34.42% and 54.81% of patients were AJCC Stage T1A, T1B, and T1C respectively. 11.7% of patients received chemotherapy and 57.9% of patients received radiation therapy. 54.38%, 59.59%, and 57.59% of T1a, T1b, and T1c patients received the XRT, respectively. In univariate analysis, the XRT demonstrated a statistically significant increase of 10-year survival by 9.75%, 9.8%, and 12.6% in T1a, T1b, and T1c (all p < 0.0001) patients respectfully. In multivariate cox regression analysis, age was a predictor of survival outcome with a HR at 1.65, 3.02 for 75-79, and 80 or older as compared to 70-74 years old, respectively. In addition, compared to patients who traveled less than 20 miles, the HR were 0.90 for patients travelled more than 20 miles. AJCC stage was also associated the survival, a HR of 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01-1.186) for T1b, 1.16 (95% CI: 1.11 – 1.21) for T1c as compared for T1a. Adjusting for other factors, the usage of radiation reduced the risk of dying by 25% (HR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.73-0.77) when compared to no radiation therapy. Conclusion: The current study has demonstrated that more than 54% of these patients received radiation therapy. In univariate analysis, the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy is more than 9.7% for T1a, T1b, and T1c on 10-year overall survival which is statistically significant. Adjusting for other factors, patients receiving radiation therapy in these elderly population have a 25% less chance of dying as compared to no radiation therapy regardless of AJCC Stage. A further propensity score matching method would help assess the effectiveness of radiation therapy on these patients’ population. A randomized prospective clinical trial would be better to define the precise benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy in this elderly population. Table 1 Patients Demographic, Social Economic and Clinical Characteristics XX- XX Table 3 Hazard Ratios estimate from Multivariate Cox Regression XX- XX Radiation Effect on Overall Survival of Elderly Breast Cancer Patients by Stage T1A, T1B, T1C XX- XX Citation Format: Runhua Shi, Gary Burton. Effect of Radiation Therapy on Survival Outcomes in Elderly ER/PR Positive AJCC Stage T1 Breast Cancer Patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-22-03.

Clinical effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir on the short- and long-term outcome in high-risk children with COVID-19.

This study investigated the clinical effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) on short-term outcome and the risk of postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) among pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX research network to identify pediatric patients between 12 and 18 years with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to match patients receiving NMV-r (NMV-r group) with those who did not receive NMV-r (control group). Two cohorts comprising 633 patients each (NMV-r and control groups), with balanced baseline characteristics, were identified using the PSM method. During the initial 30 days, the NMV-r group showed a lower incidence of all-cause hospitalization, mortality, or ED visits (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.546, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.372-0.799, p = 0.002). Additionally, the NMV-r group had a significantly lower risk of all-cause hospitalization compared with the control group (HR = 0.463, 95% CI: 0.269-0.798), with no deaths occurring in either group. In the 30-180-day follow-up period, the NMV-r group exhibited a non-significantly lower incidence of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), encompassing symptoms such as fatigue, cardiopulmonary symptoms, pain, cognitive impairments, headache, dizziness, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression, compared to the control group. This study underscores the potential effectiveness of NMV-r in treating high-risk pediatric patients with COVID-19, demonstrating significant reductions in short-term adverse outcomes such as emergency department visits, hospitalization, or mortality within the initial 30-day period. Additionally, NMV-r shows promise in potentially preventing the development of PASC.

The Association of High Lipoprotein(a) Concentration and Risk of Ischaemic Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a well-established risk factor for ischaemic stroke (IS). It is unclear whether Lp(a) is associated with IS in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to explore the association between the concentration of Lp(a) and the risk of IS in AF patients, hope to find the potential risk factor for the IS in AF patients. This study is a retrospective cohort study. The screened AF patients between January 2017 and July 2021 were matched at 1:1 by the propensity score matching (PSM) method in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Associations between Lp(a) and ischaemic stroke were analysed using logistic regression models, stratified analysis and sensitivity analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS software. The number of enrolled participates is 2258, which contains 1129 non-AF patients and 1129 AF patients. Among IS patients, the median Lp(a) concentration was higher than that of controls (17.03 vs. 15.36 mg/dL, P = 0.032). The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients revealed significant positive relationships between IS and Lp(a) (P = 0.032). In addition, a significant increase in IS risk was associated with Lp(a) levels >30.00 mg/dL in unadjusted model [OR:1.263, 95% CI(1.046-1.523), P = 0.015], model 1 [OR:1.284, 95% CI(1.062,1.552), P = 0.010], model 2 [OR: 1.297, 95% CI(1.07,1.573). P = 0.008], and model 3 [OR: 1.290, 95% CI (1.064, 1.562). P = 0.009]. The stratified analysis indicated that this correlation was not affected by female sex [1.484 (1.117, 1.972), P = 0.006], age ≤ 60 [1.864 (1.067-3.254), P=0.029], hypertension [1.359 (1.074, 1.721), P = 0.011], or non-coronary heart disease (CHD) [1.388 (1.108, 1.738), P = 0.004]. High levels of Lp(a) were significantly related to IS in AF patients and may be a potential risk factor in the onset of an IS in AF patients.

국제 바칼로레아 초등 프로그램(IB PYP)의 종단적 효과: 초등학생의 학업성취도와 학습동기에 미치는 영향

Despite the burgeoning enthusiasm for the implementation of International Baccalaureate (IB) education within the Korean public education system, there is a paucity of research investigating the effects of IB PYP on student learning outcomes. In order to reduce the research gap, we conducted a longitudinal study to track the progress of 212 third-grade students at IB PYP World Schools over a period of three years. Using a propensity score matching method with socioeconomic status and private tutoring experiences as covariates, we statistically sampled 212 third graders attending to non-IB PYP schools as a control group. The results from repeated-measure analyses of variance revealed that students attending IB PYP schools exhibited superior academic achievement and motivation in Korean language and mathematics, compared to students in non-IB PYP schools. The impact of the implementation of the IB PYP was more pronounced when students were third graders than when they were fifth graders.

The impact of rural living environment improvement programs on the subjective well-being of rural residents in China

Increasing people’s subjective well-being (SWB) remains a critical challenge for all countries. However, few studies have been dedicated to examining the influence of environmental governance programs on SWB, especially in developing and non-democratic societies. This paper aims to fill this void by taking the Rural Living Environment Improvement (RLEI) program in China—the largest rural living environment governance program in history, as an example to understand the role of environmental governance programs in SWB in the world’s biggest developing and non-democratic country. Based on 3747 individual samples from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey database, we found that RLEI can significantly improve rural residents’ SWB. This effect remains significant after using the propensity score matching method and the instrumental variable approach to address potential selection bias and endogenous problems. The indirect analysis shows that RLEI can increase rural residents’ SWB mainly through improving their income, consumption expenditure, and health. Compared with rural sewage and livestock manure RLEI programs, rural waste RLEI program has a greater enhanced impact on rural residents’ SWB. The monetary value of RLEI based on the life satisfaction approach shows that the resulting improvement in rural residents’ SWB created by RLEI is almost equivalent to the effect of household income. While the monetary value of rural sewage, livestock manure, and rural waste RLEI program is equivalent to 1.2, 3.67, and 1.1 times the effect of household income. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that RLEI has a greater positive impact on SWB for junior and old-aged, low-educated, Midwestern and Northeastern, and working rural residents.

Board skill diversity and corporate environmental responsibility: the moderating effects of formal and informal pressures

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of board skill diversity (BSD) on corporate environmental responsibility (CER). In addition, this study explores the moderating effects of formal regulatory pressure and informal media pressure. Design/methodology/approach This study uses Chinese high polluting companies as the sample and uses regression analysis. Robustness checks, including instrumental variable regression, Heckman two-stage model and propensity score matching method, are performed to test the robustness of the results. Findings The findings suggest that BSD significantly improves CER performance. Both formal regulatory pressure and informal media pressure strengthen the positive impact of BSD on CER. Further channel analyses reveal that BSD improves CER performance by promoting corporate proenvironmental behaviors rather than by restricting environmental violations; skill diversity of executive directors has a more significant effect on CER than that of independent directors. Finally, the moderating effect of regulatory pressure is only significant after the implementation of the Environmental Protection Law, and the moderating effect of media pressure mainly concentrates on negative media coverage. Practical implications The involvement of directors with more diverse skills is essential to improve corporate proenvironmental behaviors. Companies should select qualified directors with different skills to further improve their performance on environmental protection and sustainable development. Social implications Regulators and standard-setters should develop efficient guidelines on corporate board governance to enhance the positive role of companies in environmental and sustainable development. Originality/value This study broadens the research on the determinants of CER by examining the influence of BSD on CER and the moderating roles of various stakeholder pressures, thereby providing a deeper understanding of corporate environmental performance and sustainable development.

Predictive value of lactate dehydrogenase for Mycoplasma pneumoniae necrotizing pneumonia in children based on decision curve analysis and dose–response analysis

Mycoplasma pneumoniae necrotizing pneumonia (MPNP) has a long and severe disease course, which seriously threatens to jeopardize patients' lives and health. Early prediction is essential for good recovery and prognosis. In the present study, we retrospect 128 children with MPNP and 118 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia combined with pulmonary consolidation to explore the predictive value of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in children with MPNP by propensity score matching method, multiple logistic regression analysis, dose–response analysis and decision curve analysis. The WBC count, PLT count and percentage of neutrophils were significantly higher in necrosis group than consolidation group. The serum CRP, PCT, ESR, D-D, FIB, ALT, LDH, IgG and IgM were significantly higher in necrosis group. Compared to consolidation group, necrosis group is more severe in chest pain and dyspnea. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that duration of LDH levels, high fever, d-dimer, and fibrinogen were independent predictive factors for the incidence of MPNP. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that a non-linear dose–response relationship between the continuous changes of LDH level and the incidence of MPNP. Decision curve analysis revealed that LDH had an important clinical value in predicting MPNP. This study provides a potential serologic indicator for early diagnosis of MPNP.

Impact of Rural E-Commerce Participation on Farmers’ Household Development Resilience: Evidence from 1229 Farmers in China

This paper investigates the impact of e-commerce participation on household development resilience using a sample of 1229 households in the Shandong and Shaanxi provinces of China in 2022. It constructs the developmental resilience index of farm households from three dimensions of economy, society and culture using the entropy method, and establishes a counterfactual framework using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method. The results suggest that participation in e-commerce has a significant and positive impact on farming household development resilience. The PSM method estimates that participation in e-commerce increases the developmental resilience of farming households by 9.63% compared to non-participation, with economic, social, and cultural resilience increasing by 9.29%, 9.84%, and 9.92%, respectively. The robustness test results confirm the findings. Further analysis reveals that participation in e-commerce enhances farm household development resilience through three mechanisms: improving economic efficiency, network relationship linkage, and risk appetite. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of e-commerce participation on household development resilience varies among farmers with different endowment constraints. In particular, farmers with more years of education and cooperative members benefit more from e-commerce participation, especially live and platform e-commerce.

Does Land Approval Facilitate Conservation Tillage? An Examination through the Lens of Straw-Returning Technology

Well-defined and stable property rights play a pivotal role in shaping human economic behavior by averting the tragedy of the commons. This study employs micro-survey data from Heilongjiang Province, China, to empirically investigate the impact and mechanisms of land approval on the adoption of straw-returning technology by farmers. Utilizing the Probit model and mediation and moderation effect testing methods, the findings reveal the following: (1) Land approval significantly promotes the adoption of straw-returning techniques by farmers, with a marginal effect of 0.288. This view is further validated through counterfactual inference constructed using the propensity score matching method. (2) Endowment effects mediate the relationship between land approval and farmers’ adoption of straw-returning technology. (3) Digital skills and farming scale negatively moderate the policy’s impact on farmers’ adoption of straw-returning technology. (4) In terms of control variables, the age of farmers and the dispersion of cultivated land have a significant negative impact on the adoption of straw-returning technology by farmers, while training related to agricultural straw-returning skills and government technology promotion significantly positively affects the use of straw-returning technology by farmers. Therefore, the clarity of land property rights helps to harness the policy effects of land approval and provides a research approach for countries with communal land ownership to implement actions for soil quality conservation.

Assessing the effect of remdesivir alone and in combination with corticosteroids on time to death in COVID-19: A propensity score-matched analysis

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of remdesivir, alone or in combination with corticosteroids, on the time to death in COVID-19 patients. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted between March 20, 2020, and March 18, 2021, on 5318 patients with confirmed COVID-19 at three tertiary educational hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The treated group consisted of COVID-19 patients who received remdesivir, either alone or in combination with corticosteroids, while the untreated group included infected patients who did not receive these treatments. The two groups were matched by propensity score matching method, which adjusted for 92 confounding factors such as demographic, sign and symptom, clinical, and treatment-related factors, to provide balanced covariates between the treated and untreated groups. ResultsOf the 4,322 patients, 791 received remdesivir alone and 694 received remdesivir combined with corticosteroids. Among the patients who received remdesivir, 456 were male, and the mean (±standard deviation) age was 59.52±16.49 with a median hospitalization stay of 8 (interquartile range: 5–13) days. After applying the nearest neighbor propensity score matching method, there were no significant differences found in the hazard of death between patients who received remdesivir alone and those who did not receive treatment (hazard ratio: 0.94; 95 % confidence interval: 0.76, 1.16). In addition, the combination of remdesivir and corticosteroids was not associated with a reduced hazard of death (hazard ratio: 1.00; 95 % confidence interval: 0.80, 1.26). The median hospitalization stay was significantly longer in the group treated with remdesivir (alone/combined with corticosteroids) compared to the untreated group, both before and after matching. ConclusionNo association was observed between remdesivir treatment (alone/combined with corticosteroids) and a reduced hazard of death among COVID-19 patients. However, longer hospitalization stays were observed in patients receiving remdesivir, either alone or in combination with corticosteroids, compared to the untreated group.

A practical guide to estimating treatment effects in patients with rheumatic diseases using real-world data.

Randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard in study methodology. However, due to their study design and inclusion criteria, these studies may not capture the heterogeneity of real-world patient populations. In contrast, the lack of randomization and the presence of both measured and unmeasured confounding factors could bias the estimated treatment effect when using observational data. While causal inference methods allow for the estimation of treatment effects, their mathematical complexity may hinder their application in clinical research. We present a practical, nontechnical guide using a common statistical package (Stata) and a motivational simulated dataset that mirrors real-world observational data from patients with rheumatic diseases. We demonstrate regression analysis, regression adjustment, inverse-probability weighting, propensity score (PS) matching and two robust estimation methods. Although the methods applied to control for confounding factors produced similar results, the commonly used one-to-one PS matching method could yield biased results if not thoroughly assessed. The guide we propose aims to facilitate the use of readily available methods in a common statistical package. It may contribute to robust and transparent epidemiological and statistical methods, thereby enhancing effectiveness research using observational data in rheumatology.

The impact of green finance on transformation to green energy: Evidence from industrial enterprises in China

Green finance is a novel financial model that strikes a balance between economic gains and environmental preservation, and it is crucial in encouraging industrial companies to move towards environmentally friendly development. This paper examines the impact of green finance on the green transformation of industrial enterprises using the data of China's A-share listed industrial enterprises from 2009 to 2019. The study adopts a propensity score matching method and a difference-in-difference method (PSM-DID), based on the Green Credit Guidance (2012 Guidance) issued by China as a quasi natural experiment. The results suggest that: (1) Green finance contributes significantly to improving the green production efficiency of industrial enterprises. (2) Although the current impact of green finance on the green innovation of industrial enterprises is not statistically significant, it exhibits a positive influence in the subsequent period. (3) The results of the heterogeneity analysis show that the impact of green finance on the green transformation of industrial enterprises is asymmetric, with more emphasis on state-owned enterprises, enterprises with severe financial constraints, and enterprises with low industrial concentration. As a result, our study makes recommendations on how to best link CSR, green finance, and industrial green transformation.

One-hole split endoscope versus unilateral biportal endoscopy for lumbar spinal stenosis: a retrospective propensity score study

BackgroundThe one-hole split endoscopy (OSE) was first proposed and clinically applied in China in 2019. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of one-hole split endoscopy (OSE) and unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) for treating lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).MethodsOne hundred sixty patients with LSS who met the inclusion from November 2020 to August 2022 were analyzed and divided into OSE and UBE groups. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to adjust the imbalanced confounding variables between the two groups. After matching, surgical outcomes were recorded, and clinical data, including functional scores and imaging findings, were compared. Functional scores included the visual analog scale of leg pain (VAS-LP) and back pain (VAS-BP), the Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Imaging data included dural sac cross-sectional area (DCSA), lumbar range of motion (ROM), and sagittal translation (ST).ResultsAfter PSM, 104 LSS patients were included in the study, and all covariates were well-balanced between the two groups. Among the matched patients, the OSE showed advantages over the UBE regarding operative time (62.42 ± 4.86 vs. 68.96 ± 4.56) and incision length (2.30 ± 0.14 vs. 2.70 ± 0.15) (P < 0.001). However, differences between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss, hospital length of stay, and complication rates were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference regarding VAS-BP, VAS-LP, JOA, and ODI between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, all clinical and functional scores significantly improved postoperatively (P < 0.05). Postoperative DCSA of both groups was significantly found to be improved (P < 0.05), ROM and ST remained within the normal range, and no cases of lumbar instability were recorded. According to the modified MacNab criteria, the excellent and good rates in the OSE and UBE groups were 94.23% and 90.38%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.713).ConclusionOSE is an alternative technique to UBE for the treatment of LSS, with similar satisfactory clinical outcomes, shorter operative time, and smaller incision length. Further studies are needed for long-term efficacy.

Effect of early mobilization on the development of pneumonia in patients with traumatic brain injury in the neurosurgical intensive care unit: A historical controls study.

Pneumonia has a high incidence in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and lacks effective treatments. Early mobilization (EM) may be a potentially effective treatment. To explore the impact of EM on TBI-related pneumonia in the neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU). This study was a historical control study. 100 TBI patients who received EM intervention were prospectively included as the experimental group (EM cohort), and 250 TBI patients were retrospectively included as the control group. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to balance baseline and minimize potential bias. The relationship between EM and TBI-related pneumonia was investigated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, then further determined by subgroup analysis. The influence of other variables was excluded by interaction analyses. Finally, the effect of EM on the prognosis of TBI patients was analysed by comparing the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the hospital stay. After screening, 86 patients were included in the EM cohort and 199 patients were included in the control cohort. There were obvious differences between the two cohorts at baseline, and these differences were eliminated after PSM, when the incidence of pneumonia was significantly lower in the EM cohort than in the control cohort (35.0% vs. 61.9%, p < .001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that EM was an independent risk factor for TBI-related pneumonia and was significantly associated with a decreased incidence of pneumonia. This correlation was present in most subgroups and was not affected by other variables (p for interaction >.05). Patients in the EM cohort had shorter length of ICU stay (6 vs. 7 days, p = .017) and higher GCS at discharge (12 vs. 11, p = .010). EM is a safe and effective treatment for TBI patients in NICU, which can reduce the incidence of pneumonia, help to improve prognosis and shorten the length of ICU stay. Although the utilization rate of EM is low in TBI patients for various reasons, EM is still an effective method to prevent complications. Our study confirms that a scientific and detailed EM strategy can effectively reduce the incidence of pneumonia while ensuring the safety of TBI patients, which is worthy of further research and clinical application.