Randomized Block Analysis Of Variance Research Articles

Evaluation of efficacy of infliximab in the long-term treatment of moderate and severe psoriasis vulgaris

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of long-term treatment with infliximab in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris. Methods Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris, who started infliximab therapy in Department of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital between March 2016 and May 2018, were followed up. The patients treated with infliximab for more than 54 weeks were enrolled into this study. The patients were treated with infliximab at a weight-based dosage of 5 mg/kg, and the total dosage used per session was 200, 300 and 400 mg for patients with the body weight of 40 - 59 kg, 60 - 79 kg, and > 80 kg respectively. The patients were treated at week 0, 2, 6, 14, 22, 30, 38, 46 and 54, and the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score was determined before each treatment. Mauchly′s test of sphericity, randomized block analysis of variance and Bonferroni method were used to analyze changes of PASI scores after 2-, 6-, 14-, 22-, 30-, 38-, 46- and 54-week treatment. Sequelae and adverse reactions were also recorded. Results Twelve patients received the treatment with infliximab, and 9 patients were treated for more than 54 weeks, whose clinical data were analyzed. Before the treatment, the PASI score (M[P25, P75]) of the 9 patients was 26.3 (23.4, 27.7) . There were significant differences in the PASI score among different time points (F = 7.12, P = 0.0004) , and the PASI score of the patients showed a generally decreasing trend over time. After 30-week treatment, the PASI score was 4 (2.5, 5.2) , and the PASI improvement rate was 86.38% ± 6.98%; of the 9 patients, 8 achieved PASI50, 7 achieved PASI75, and 2 achieved PASI90. After 54-week treatment, the PASI score was 8 (3.5, 8.9) , the PASI improvement rate was 64.23% ± 17.32%, and the number of patients achieving PASI50, PASI75 and PASI90 was 8, 4 and 1 respectively. Bonferroni method showed that the PASI score significantly increased at week 54 compared with that at week 30 (t = 3.269, P = 0.0048) , but significantly decreased at weeks 30 and 54 compared with that before the treatment (week 30: t = 18.49, P < 0.0001; week 54: t = 5.81, P = 0.0004) . Conclusion Infliximab is remarkably effective for moderate and severe psoriasis vulgaris in the 54- week treatment. Key words: Psoriasis; Biological agents; Treatment outcome; Infliximab; Long-term treatment

Brain magnetic resonance elastography on healthy volunteers: A safety study

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a recently developed imaging technique that can directly visualize and quantitatively measure tissue elasticity. To evaluate the safety of brain MRE on human subjects. The study included 20 healthy volunteers. MRE sequence scan (drive signal not applied to external force actuator) and MRE study were separately performed on each volunteer at an interval of more than 24 hours. The heart rate and blood pressure of each volunteer were measured immediately before and after MRE sequence scan and MRE study. Electroencephalography (EEG) was also performed within 2 hours after each scan. The volunteers were asked about their experience of the two scans. Randomized-block analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data of blood pressure and heart rate. Paired t test was used to analyze the data of the two EEG examinations. The volunteers were followed up 1 week after the examination. All procedures were performed on each volunteer, and no one complained of obvious discomfort. No related adverse events were reported during follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in heart rate or blood pressure. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in EEG results in the right temporoparietal region. Increased power was found in the theta, delta, alpha, and beta2 bands. No brain injury was detected by the EEG examinations. Based on the study results, brain MRE examinations are safe to perform on human subjects.

MR diffusion weighted imaging with background signal suppression in breast cancer

Objective To explore the feasibility of echo planar imaging with short time inversion recovery(STIR-EPI)diffusion weighted imaging with background signal(DWIBS)suppression in breast cancer.Methods The diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)with background suppression(b=800 mm2/s)was performed in 26 patients with breast cancer.Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)of all lesions,vere measured and compared.3D maximum intensity projection(3D-MIP)and reverse black and white technique were used to show the lesions.DWI and DWIBS were performed and compared for the detection of breast cancer. Randomized blocks analysis of variance was used for the ADC values in different breast tissues.the ADC values in breast cancer and benign lesion were compared using t test.The paired chi square tes:was used for the detection rate of breast cancer in two different imaging methods.Results Most of the breast cancers were hyperintense on DWI(b:800 mm2/s).,rhe ADC value of caneer tissue was(0.93±0.25)×10-3mm2/s,tumor necrosis was(2.06±0.17)×10-3 mm2/s,normal breast tissue was (1.92±0.23)×10-3 mm2/s and metastatic lymph node was(1.10±0.14)× 10-3mm2/s and the differenees were statistically significant between two structures(P＜0.01).The signal of the tissue8 around the breast cancer was decreased on DWIBS with 3 D-MIP and reverse black and white technique and similar to positron emission tomography(PET).DWIBS sequence detected more breast cancers(92.3/)and metastatic lymph nodes(88.4/)than DWI sequence did(57.6/and 42.3/,respectively,X2:8.307,P＜0.05;X2=12.235,P＜0.05).The ADC values in breast cancer(1.09±0.17)×10-3mm2/s and benign lesion (2.15±0.53)×10-3 mm2/s had significant statistical differences(t=8.626,P＜0.05).conclusion Diffusion weighted MRI with background suppression can detect more lesions than DWI and can be potentially applied for the detection of the breast cancer eombining the ADC value. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Magnetic resonance imaging

Comparison of the Effects of Latanoprost, Travoprost, and Bimatoprost on Circadian Intraocular Pressure in Patients with Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension

To compare 24-hour reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) by latanoprost 0.005%, travoprost 0.004%, and bimatoprost 0.03% in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). Randomized, double-masked, crossover study. Twenty-four patients with POAG and 20 with OH. Patients were treated with latanoprost, travoprost, and bimatoprost for 1 month. The treatment sequence was randomized, and washout lasted 30 days for each trial drug. Four 24-hour tonometric curves were recorded for each patient: 1 at baseline and 1 after each treatment period. Intraocular pressure was measured at 3, 6, and 9 am; noon; 3, 6, and 9 pm; and midnight by 2 treatment-masked well-trained evaluators using a handheld electronic tonometer with the patient in supine and sitting positions and a Goldmann applanation tonometer with the patient sitting at the slit lamp. Supine systemic blood pressure was recorded at the same times. A randomized-blocks analysis of variance was used to analyze data. All 3 drugs were highly effective in reducing IOP when compared to baseline. Mean IOP reductions were similar after the 3 prostaglandin analogs, and none of the differences among treatments reached statistical significance. The drugs' effect was significantly greater during the daytime (9 am-9 pm) than during the nighttime (midnight-6 am) with all prostaglandin analogs. In 7 of 44 patients (16%), nocturnal IOP was significantly higher than diurnal IOP, both at baseline and under the 3 prostaglandin analogs. From a clinical point of view, the overall results seem to indicate that the 3 prostaglandin analogs are powerful agents in controlling round-the-clock IOP in POAG and OH patients.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Models in Emergency Medicine

Four basic analysis of variance (ANOVA) designs are reviewed in this paper. Hypothetical examples drawn from the literature to illustrate a single factor ANOVA design, two a repeated measures ANOVA designs, and a randomized block ANOVA design. ANOVA designs provide life beyond t-tests. These ANOVA designs are not by themselves a cure-all to all research problems. By carefully considering their treatment combination options, possible confounding factors, and subject availability, an efficient clinical trial may use one of these ANOVA designs.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Models in Lower Extremity Wounds

Consider a study in which 2 new treatments are being compared with a control group. One way to compare outcomes would simply be to compare the 2 treatments with the control and the 2 treatments against each using 3 Student t tests (t test). If we were to compare 4 treatment groups, then we would need to use 6 t tests. The difficulty with using multiple t tests is that as the number of groups increases, so will the likelihood of finding a difference between any pair of groups simply by change when no real difference exists by definition a Type I error. If we were to perform 3 separate t tests each at alpha = .05, the experimental error rate increases to .14. As the number of multiple t tests increases, the experiment-wise error rate increases rather rapidly. The solution to the experimental error rate problem is to use analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods. Three basic ANOVA designs are reviewed that give hypothetical examples drawn from the literature to illustrate single-factor ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, and randomized block ANOVA. "No frills" SPSS or SAS code for each of these designs and examples used are available from the author on request.

Brackish-water phytoplankton response to temperature elevation

An experiment was carried out to determine the effects of a temperature increase on the composition of brackish-water phytoplankton populations. Treatments were partitioned in duplicate and results were tested at the 95% confidence level with a randomized-block analysis of variance. The studies were made between 9 February and 18 April 1970 in four 14-m 3 plastic pools located adjacent to the Pamlico River estuary, North Carolina, U.S.A. Temperatures in the two control pools ranged from 5 to 19 °C and in heated pools from 10 to 27 °C during the study. Heated pools averaged 5·5 °C warmer than unheated. The only statistically significant effect noted on phytoplankton class composition was an increase in the dinoflagellate cell concentrations in the heated pools. Phytoplankton populations in the heated pools were more diverse and were composed of larger cells (cells averaged 5·2 times larger in volume) than in controls. It appeared that the warming tended to accelerate the succession of the late winter-early spring population and produced a more mature successional stage. Thus the warming of brackish water, possibly by heated effluents from electric generating plants, can alter the composition of phytoplankton populations.

Comments on "A power comparison of the F and L tests--I".

Boersma, Dejonge, and Stellwagen (1964) fail to consider any sitution except that where the specific ordered alternative of the L test is true. They thus fail to consider the general statistical inference consequences of using ordered-hypothesis tests vs. omnibus tests. The power comparison provides little useful information on the parametric vs. nonparametric choice of tests in either the ordered-hypothesis or omnibus test situations. The conclusion of consistently superior power of the L test is somewhat dubious in that the authors failed to demonstrate equal risks of Type I error in the 2 tests and used computer simulation of data that was inappropriate for either the randomizedblocks analysis of variance or the L test.