Risk Factors For Use Research Articles

Test anxiety as a risk factor for use of psychoactive compounds in medical students

<p><strong>Introduction. </strong>Test anxiety implies an intense pathological fear in situations of preparing and taking exams which is a significant problem for 15–70% of medical students. The frequent use of psychoactive substances is recognized as a problem for young people. The aim was to determine the frequency and degree of test anxiety and the association with misuse of psychoactive substances in medical students of the Faculty of Medicine in Foča.<br /><strong>Methods.</strong> The research was conducted according to the principle of a cross-sectional study at the Faculty of Medicine in Foča. Students were offered a custom-made questionnaire containing general and specific questions for test anxiety and use and dependence of psychoactive compounds and social networks. Test anxiety was evaluated by Westside anxiety scale. <br /><strong>Results.</strong> The sample included 145 respondents, 69.7% females and 30.3% males. The results indicate that the degree of test anxiety does not differ in male and female students, but test anxiety is less pronounced in younger students and students with medium academic success. The level of test anxiety was correlated with the rate of psychoactive compound use. Psychoactive substances were used by 50.3% of students, primary for anti-anxiety, than for psychostimulation and for hypnotic effects. The most commonly used classes of psychoactive substances were plant anxiolytics, followed by benzodiazepines, marijuana, alcohol and narcotics/cocaine (18.6%, 12.4%, 12.4%, 8.3%, and 4.8%, respectively).<br /><strong>Conclusion.</strong> A significant number of students reach for anxiolytics and other drugs that can create addiction. Elevated levels of test anxiety are positively correlated with increased consumption of psychoactive compounds. However, the frequency of use of psychoactive compounds surpasses the frequency of altogether moderate, high and extreme test anxiety.</p>

IJCM_415A: “Swipe, Match, Risk: A study about Dating applications amongst the youth of a metropolitan city.

Background: One of the primary goals of young adulthood is to establish a committed romantic relationship. During the last decade, the Internet has become an important platform to initiate contact with potential romantic or sexual partners. The Statista Market Forecast estimated that by the end of 2019, there were more than 200 million active users of dating apps worldwide. The current study is an attempt to understand the usage of the dating apps among young adults, the target users of these apps. Objective: 1. To estimate the prevalence of use of internet-based dating applications in the youth. 2. To study the pattern of social and sexual encounters through these apps. 3. To understand the reasons for the usage of the apps. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done amongst 18-25 years college students from a metropolitan city of India. Minimum sample size required for the study was 1012. Ethical approval was obtained from local ethics committee & data was collected via a Google form amongst students from colleges in particular area of city. Results: 1641 respondents participated in the study. Majority of the participants were females, belonging to the age group of 18-21 years. Dating applications were used by 208 participants. The most common reason for use was finding love/partner, casual sex & exploring/experimenting. Association between use of dating applications was statistically significant with gender, duration of stay in Mumbai, relationship status, sexual orientation and habits. Conclusion: The use of dating apps was 12.7% in this study. The risk factors associated with dating apps were male gender, residing in Mumbai since more than an year, habits like smoking, alcohol etc. Sexual orientation & relationship status were also significant risk factors for use of dating applications.

Coexistence of IgG4-related disease and tubercular lymphadenopathy in a rheumatoid arthritis patient

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is a very common cause of generalised lymphadenopathy especially in tuberculosis endemic regions like India. A 33-year-old lady who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 5 years back and had received treatment with biologicals including adalimumab presented with a 3 week history of persistent fever associated with significant weight loss and abdominal fullness. Investigations pointed towards a picture of tubercular aetiology although, a definite microbiological diagnosis was not possible at this stage. Patient also had an underlying subacute thyroiditis with diffusely increased uptake in Tc99 scan. Considering the background risk factor of use of biologicals and typical clinical presentation resembling tuberculosis, a decision to start antitubercular therapy was taken. The fever resolved but it recurred after 2 weeks and then after an extensive workup, the diagnosis of coexistent IgG4-related disease along with microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis was established. This case highlights the importance of an active search for coexistent pathologies in cases of lymphadenopathy with insufficient response to standard therapy.

Opinion: The optimal use of risk factors to guide palivizumab prophylaxis against severe respiratory syncytial virus infection in moderate-to-late preterm infants.

Opinion: The optimal use of risk factors to guide palivizumab prophylaxis against severe respiratory syncytial virus infection in moderate-to-late preterm infants.

Current problems and prospects of improving anti–crisis management

An important part of effective crisis management, along with early diagnosis, crisis prevention and bringing the organization out of a crisis state, is the use of risk factors for subsequent development, that is, the improvement of crisis management. Competent crisis management takes into account the characteristics of past crises, thanks to which strategies and approaches to management are gradually improved. It is important to continually analyze crisis management issues to help identify areas for potential process improvement. This is especially true for organizations seeking long–term sustainability and success in complex and constantly changing market conditions.The subject of research in the article is the problems and prospects for improving crisis management. The study examines current problems and challenges faced by modern crisis management, and highlights prospects for its improvement. The author analyzed the issues and factors influencing the effectiveness of crisis management, systematized current problems of crisis management, noted prospects for its development, most of which are aimed at integrating new technologies, transition to flexible mechanisms for responding to changes in the external environment, in–depth understanding of global risks and special attention to proactive measures to prevent crises.

Impact of Perceived Convenience on Intention to Use Mobile Payments in Mediating Perceived Risk

This study analyzes the ease of use of consumer m-payment systems, besides that the risk factors for use are also studied related to the ease of use factor on the intention to use m-payment Gen Z to make payment transactions. The sample in this study was FEB Unmus management students with an average age of 22 years, totaling 165 respondents based on the returned questionnaire. The data were obtained using a research questionnaire adjusted to the variable construct. OLS regression was used to explain the influence of each factor. Given the increasingly advanced mobile technology and online payment instrument competition that continues to grow. The dominant consumer response to PEU2 items provides a clear picture, that privacy data security risks greatly interfere with the intention to use m-payment. Implicitly, mobile-based technology financial services are more compatible with the social behavior of Generation Z consumers, because for them using a mobile platform is a spontaneous solution. This study is certainly not perfect in explaining the role of the TAM model, further implications need to examine other factors such as subjective norms or lifestyle factors, and convenience factors because they use mobile devices anytime to make payments and m-payments quickly and easily. This means that Generation Z will use mobile payments more if they think that m-payment suits their lifestyle.

Seasonal Variation of Use of Common Psychedelics and Party Drugs Among Nightclub/Festival Attendees in New York City

ABSTRACT Few epidemiological studies have focused on seasonal variation in the use of common psychedelics and party drugs among nightclub and festival attendees, typically those who attend electronic dance music (EDM) events. We sought to determine whether the use of different drug types varies seasonally within this population. Across 15 seasons from summer 2017 through fall 2022, we surveyed 3,935 adults entering randomly selected nightclubs and festivals in New York City regarding their past-month use of cocaine, MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as ecstasy), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (shrooms), and ketamine. Multivariable models were used to compare adjusted odds ratios for drug use within each season with the grand mean of combined seasons. Summer was associated with higher odds for use of LSD (aOR 2.72; 95% CI, 1.88–3.93) and psilocybin (aOR 1.65; CI, 1.12–2.43), independent of increases in psilocybin use over time (p < .001). A significant increase in use of ketamine (p = .014) and significant decreases in use of cocaine (p = .002) and ecstasy (p = .002) were found across time, but multivariable models did not detect seasonal variations. Summer is a risk factor for use of common psychedelics among people who attend EDM events. Therefore, the summer months may be the best time to disseminate information about harm reduction for psychedelic drug users.

Surveys on androgen abuse: a review of recent research.

To summarize recent survey research on androgen abuse [i.e., anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS)], including prevalence among international samples, risk factors for use, associated impairments of use, and treatment and interventions for abusers. Recent research has documented the prevalence of androgens abuse remains most common among boys and men compared to girls and women, which was stable across nations. However, fewer studies have focused on population-based samples and instead focused on convenience or high-risk samples (i.e., gym goers). Androgen abusers commonly report a history of violent victimization, including adverse childhood experiences. Research continues to document many adverse biological, psychological, and social effects related to androgen abuse, including more than 50% of abusers reporting at least one side effect. Mental health problems and polysubstance use continues to be highly prevalent among androgen abusers. Despite these adverse effects from use, there remains little survey research on treatment and interventions for androgen abusers, representing an important area of future investigation. Androgen abuse remains relatively common, particularly among boys and men, with adverse health effects regularly occurring. Healthcare professionals and systems can adapt their treatment approaches to focus on reducing harms associated with androgen abuse.

Comparison of Risk Factors Use Personal Protection Equipment and Exposure to Sulphate Content with Irritant Contact Dermatitis in Car Washing Officers in Malang City

Background: Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is an occupational disease that involves non-immunological inflammatory mechanisms of the skin, resulting from a response to exposure to irritants, physical, or biological. ICD disease often occurs in car wash employees who are exposed to laundry soap containing sulfate. Most of the factors that cause ICD are the length of exposure to chemicals or from the workers themselves such as knowledge, use of personal protective equipment, and personal hygiene. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using personal protective equipment (PPE) and exposure to sulfate content of car wash soap on the incidence of ICD in car wash employees in the city of Malang with and without a history of skin disease.&#x0D; Method: The research method uses an analytic observational research type with a cross sectional design. The samples studied were 84 respondents who were car wash employees in the city of Malang, both those who had a history of skin diseases (39 respondents) and those who did not have a history of skin diseases (45 respondents). Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate tests with SPSS application.&#x0D; Results: The results of the chi square test showed that there were significant differences in risk factors (p &lt; 0.05) on the incidence of ICD.&#x0D; Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is there is an effect of the use of PPE and exposure to sulfate content on the incidence of ICD in car wash employees in the city of Malang with and without a history of skin diseases.

The characteristics and risk factors of e-cigarette use among adolescents in Shanghai: A case-control study.

This study was conducted to explore the characteristics and risk factors of e-cigarette use in adolescents, aiming for tobacco control and reducing e-cigarette use in this population. Using 1:1 matching, 88 students from three vocational high schools in Shanghai were recruited to conduct a case (using e-cigarettes) - control (not using e-cigarettes) study. Group interviews and questionnaire surveys were used for this qualitative and quantitative mixed-methods study. The keywords were extracted from the interview data and analyzed by the Colaizzi seven-step method. The characteristics of adolescents' use of e-cigarettes include young age at first use, consumption of a large amount, as well as smoking in discrete locations in order to hide from adults. The reasons for using e-cigarettes include curiosity and wanting to replace traditional cigarettes. The risk factors of using e-cigarettes include insufficient understanding of the harm of e-cigarettes at the individual level (The positive outcome expectancy points: Z= -3.746, p<0.001; The negative outcome expectancy points: Z= -3.882, p<0.001), peer influence at the interpersonal level (χ2=6.510, p<0.01), and the influence of social and environmental factors such as e-cigarette sales in the stores and WeChat Moments (p<0.05 for all associations). Having friends who use e-cigarettes, curiosity and sales exposure about e-cigarettes are important factors affecting the use of e-cigarettes by adolescents. It is necessary to strengthen the publicity of the potential hazards of e-cigarettes and to reduce overall usage by improving relevant laws and regulations.

Risk Factors for Adolescent Cannabis Use in a State With Legal Recreational Cannabis: The Role of Parents, Siblings, and Friends

PurposeCannabis use during adolescence can have harmful consequences, including poor educational outcomes, neurocognitive defects, and an increased risk of addiction to other drugs, such as tobacco, alcohol, and opioids. Perceived family and social network cannabis use is a risk factor for use among adolescents. It is not currently known whether there is an association between perceived family/social network cannabis use and adolescent cannabis use in the context of legalization. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between adolescent perceptions of parent, sibling, and best friend medical and/or recreational cannabis use and adolescents’ own use and whether the association changed pre-legalization and post-legalization in Massachusetts. MethodsWe analyzed responses from surveys administered to students at 2 high schools in Massachusetts before legalization in 2016 (wave 1) and after legalization but before the start of regulated retail cannabis sales in 2018 (wave 2). We used χ2 tests and multiple logistic regression to examine associations between adolescent perception of parent, sibling, and best friend use and adolescent past 30-day cannabis use before and after legalization. FindingsIn this sample, no statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of past 30-day cannabis use before and after legalization among adolescents. There was an increase in the proportion of adolescents who reported any perceived parent cannabis use from before to after legalization (18% before legalization to 24% after legalization; P = 0.018). Perceived parent, sibling, and best friend medical and recreational cannabis use were all associated with an increased odds of adolescent use, with the highest increase in odds found for perceived best friend use (adjusted odds ratio, 17.2; 95% CI, 12.4–24.0). ImplicationsAdolescent perceptions of their parents as cannabis users increased after legalization, even before state-regulated retails sales began. Parent, sibling, and best friend cannabis use is each independently associated with increased odds of adolescent's own use. These findings from 1 Massachusetts district should be explored in larger and more representative populations and motivate additional attention to interventions that consider family and friend influences when seeking to address adolescent cannabis use.

Tooth-level predictors of tooth loss and exposed bone after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to identify tooth-level risk factors for use during preradiation dental care management to predict risk of tooth failure (tooth lost or declared hopeless) and exposed bone after radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). MethodsThe authors conducted a prospective observational multicenter cohort study of 572 patients receiving RT for HNC. Participants were examined by calibrated examiners before RT and then every 6 months until 2 years after RT. Analyses considered time to tooth failure and chance of exposed bone at a tooth location. ResultsThe following pre-RT characteristics predicted tooth failure within 2 years after RT: hopeless teeth not extracted pre-RT (hazard ratio [HR], 17.1; P < .0001), untreated caries (HR, 5.0; P < .0001), periodontal pocket 6 mm or greater (HR, 3.4; P = .001) or equaling 5 mm (HR, 2.2; P = .006), recession over 2 mm (HR, 2.8; P = .002), furcation score of 2 (HR, 3.3; P = .003), and any mobility (HR, 2.2; P = .008). The following pre-RT characteristics predicted occurrence of exposed bone at a tooth location: hopeless teeth not extracted before RT (risk ratio [RR], 18.7; P = .0002) and pocket depth 6 mm or greater (RR, 5.4; P = .003) or equaling 5 mm (RR, 4.7; P = .016). Participants with exposed bone at the site of a pre-RT dental extraction averaged 19.6 days between extraction and start of RT compared with 26.2 days for participants without exposed bone (P = .21). ConclusionsIndividual teeth with the risk factors identified in this study should be considered for extraction before RT for HNC, with adequate healing time before start of RT. Practical ImplicationsThe findings of this trial will facilitate evidence-based dental management of the care of patients receiving RT for HNC. This clinical trial was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov. The registration number is NCT02057510.

A cross-sectional study on the need for and utilization of assistive walking devices by people age 55 and older in Shanghai.

We conducted a study to analyze the unmet needs of and risk factors for use of assistive walking devices by the elderly based on sample survey data from Shanghai, China from July to October 2019. Among a total sample size of 11,193 people age 55 and older, 1,947 people (17.39%) needed assistive walking devices, 829 (42.58%) of whom needed but did not use those devices. Multivariate analysis indicated that residence, living alone or cohabitating, indoor handrails, the number of diseases, and IADL were factors influencing the unmet need for assistive walking devices (p < 0.05, respectively). People who lived in community health centers (p = 0.0104, OR = 1.956, 95% CI: 1.171-3.267) and those who lived only with their spouse (p = 0.0002, OR = 2.901, 95% CI: 1.641-5.126) were more likely to have an unmet need for assistive walking devices. People without indoor handrails (p = 0.0481, OR = 0.718, 95% CI: 0.517-0.997), those with 3 or more diseases (p = 0.0008, OR = 0.577, 95% CI: 0.418-0.796), and those with severely impaired IADL (p = 0.0002, OR = 0.139, 95% CI: 0.05-0.386) were less likely to have an unmet need for assistive walking devices. Self-perceived needs of the elderly, the diversity and performance of assistive devices, and the accessibility and affordability of assistive walking devices may lead to unmet needs.

National Trends in Past-Year Marijuana Use among Veterans in the United States, 2013–2019

Background: The legal landscape surrounding marijuana use in the United States (US) is ever changing. Although substantial research has investigated risk factors of use among different populations, much is to be gleaned among veteran populations, who are at heightened risk for mental and physical health problems, which may be precipitated or relieved by marijuana use. The present study investigated correlates and trends of recreational and medical marijuana use among a large national sample of US Veterans. Methods: Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2013–2019) comprised of 16,350 veterans 18 years or older were analyzed. We tested for weighted linear and quadratic trends in past-year use. Results: Weighted analyses revealed a significant increase (56%) in overall marijuana use from 2013–2019, with nearly one in 10 veterans (9.79%) reporting past-year marijuana use. Compared to 18 to 25-year-old veterans, veterans who were aged 35-49 years (aPR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.05, 1.97), 50-64 years (aPR: 1.68, 95% CI 1.11, 2.55), and 65 years or older (aPR: 1.90, 95% CI 1.24, 2.90) were more likely to report using medical marijuana in the past year. Conclusions: This increase, in the context of federal VA provider restrictions, has implications for issues of care coordination and safe supply for veterans. Given the rapidly changing and heterogenous landscape of recreational and medical marijuana policy in the US, the present study may inform harm reduction efforts and behavioral interventions.

A comparison of different selective ultrasound screening strategies for developmental dysplasia of the hip.

To analyze whether the addition of risk-based criteria to clinical examination-based selective ultrasound screening would increase the rates of early detected cases of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and decrease the rate of late detected cases. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed. The initial search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in November 2021. The following search terms were used: (hip) AND (ultrasound) AND (luxation or dysplasia) AND (newborn or neonate or congenital). A total of 25 studies were included. In 19 studies, newborns were selected for ultrasound based on both risk factors and clinical examination. In six studies, newborns were selected for ultrasound based on only clinical examination. We did not find evidence indicating that there are differences in the incidence of early- and late-detected DDH, or in the incidence of nonoperatively treated DDH between the risk-based and clinical examination-based groups. The pooled incidence of operatively treated DDH was slightly lower in the risk-based group (0.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3 to 0.7)) compared with the clinical examination group (0.9 per 1,000 newborns, (95% CI 0.7 to 1.0)). The use of risk factors in conjunction with clinical examination in the selective ultrasound screening of DDH might lead to fewer operatively treated cases of DDH. However, more studies are needed before stronger conclusions can be drawn.

Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and risk factors of crystal meth use in Baghdad/Iraq

Major amphetamines include dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine, a combined dextroamphetamine amphetamine salt, and methylphenidate. The narcotics are called crystal or crystal meth. Amphetamines are used to boost performance and produce euphoria by students preparing for exams, long-distance truck drivers on travels, businesspeople with significant deadlines, athletes in competition, and troops in combat. Little is known regarding Iraqi crystal usage. The aim of study is to find out the sociodemographic and clinical characteristic of patient crystal meth use in Iraq and the risk factors of this use. Method: A cross sectional study conducted among 100 patients who were attending Ibn Rushid Psychiatric Training Hospital and addiction clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital. The Arabic version of ASSIST questionnaire that screens for all levels of problem or risky substance use in adult was used. 95% of the research participants were male, 51% were under 25 years old, 80% lived in metropolitan areas, and 50% were unmarried. 81% of participants had a primary or intermediate education, and 43% were jobless. 90% of participants started as children or teenagers. 99% smoke and 77% drink 99% experienced sleep problems, 87% were violent. 72% exhibited persecutory hallucination, 81% had jaw spasms. Half the sample had irregular heartbeats and auditory hallucinations. Low education, a history of violence, negative friends, and peer usage all increased amphetamine risk. Inconclusion, most Iraqi meth users were male, unmarried, jobless, and low-educated. Most of them smoked and drank as kids and adolescents. Crystal meth usage in Iraq related to inadequate education, aggression, terrible buddies, and good peer relationships.

Accuracy of papillary thyroid cancer prognostic nomograms: a systematic review.

Current staging and risk-stratification systems for predicting survival or recurrence of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma may be ineffective at predicting outcomes in individual patients. In recent years, nomograms have been proposed as an alternative to conventional systems for predicting personalized clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the predictive performance of available nomograms for thyroid cancer patients. PROSPERO registration (CRD42022327028). A systematic search was conducted without time and language restrictions. PICOT questions: population, patients with papillary thyroid cancer; comparator prognostic factor, single-arm studies; outcomes, overall survival, disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, recurrence, central lymph node metastases, or lateral lymph node metastases; timing, all periods; setting, hospital setting. Risk of bias was assessed through PROBAST tool. Eighteen studies with a total of 20 prognostic models were included in the systematic review (90,969 papillary thyroid carcinoma patients). Fourteen models were at high risk of bias and four were at unclear risk of bias. The greatest concerns arose in the analysis domain. The accuracy of nomograms for overall survival was assessed in only one study and appeared limited (0.77, 95% CI: 0.75-0.79). The accuracy of nomograms for disease-free survival ranged from 0.65 (95% CI: 0.55-0.75) to 0.92 (95% CI: 0.91-0.95). The C-index for predicting lateral lymph node metastasis ranged from 0.72 to 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86-0.97). For central lymph node metastasis, the C-index of externally validated studies ranged from 0.706 (95% CI: 0.685-0.727) to 0.923 (95% CI: 0.893-0.946). Our work highlights the extremely high heterogeneity among nomograms and the critical lack of external validation studies that limit the applicability of nomograms in clinical practice. Further studies ideally using commonly adopted risk factors as the backbone to develop nomograms are required. Nomograms may be appropriate tools to plan treatments and predict personalized clinical outcomes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer. However, the nomograms developed to date are very heterogeneous, and their results seem to be closely related to the specific samples studied to generate the same nomograms. The lack of rigorous external validation procedures and the use of risk factors that sometimes appear to be far from those commonly used in clinical practice, as well as the great heterogeneity of the risk factors considered, limit the ability of nomograms to predict patient outcomes and thus their current introduction in clinical practice.

CT Radiomic Features and Clinical Biomarkers for Predicting Coronary Artery Disease

This study was aimed to investigate the predictive value of the radiomics features extracted from pericoronaric adipose tissue — around the anterior interventricular artery (IVA) — to assess the condition of coronary arteries compared with the use of clinical characteristics alone (i.e., risk factors). Clinical and radiomic data of 118 patients were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 93 radiomics features were extracted for each ROI around the IVA, and 13 clinical features were used to build different machine learning models finalized to predict the impairment (or otherwise) of coronary arteries. Pericoronaric radiomic features improved prediction above the use of risk factors alone. In fact, with the best model (Random Forest + Mutual Information) the AUROC reached 0.820 pm 0.076. As a matter of fact, the combined use of both types of features (i.e., radiomic and clinical) allows for improved performance regardless of the feature selection method used. Experimental findings demonstrated that the use of radiomic features alone achieves better performance than the use of clinical features alone, while the combined use of both clinical and radiomic biomarkers further improves the predictive ability of the models. The main contribution of this work concerns: (i) the implementation of multimodal predictive models, based on both clinical and radiomic features, and (ii) a trusted system to support clinical decision-making processes by means of explainable classifiers and interpretable features.

Explainable ensemble learning model improves identification of candidates for oral cancer screening

ObjectivesArtificial intelligence could enhance the use of disparate risk factors (crude method) for better stratification of patients to be screened for oral cancer. This study aims to construct a meta-classifier that considers diverse risk factors to identify patients at risk of oral cancer and other suspicious oral diseases for targeted screening. Materials and MethodsA retrospective dataset from a community oral cancer screening program was used to construct and train the novel voting meta-classifier. Comprehensive risk factor information from this dataset was used as input features for eleven supervised learning algorithms which served as base learners and provided predicted probabilities that are weighted and aggregated by the meta-classifier. Training dataset was augmented using SMOTE-ENN. Additionally, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) values were generated to implement the explainability of the model and display the important risk factors. ResultsOur meta-classifier had an internal validation recall, specificity, and AUROC of 0.83, 0.86, and 0.85 for identifying the risk of oral cancer and 0.92, 0.60, and 0.76 for identifying suspicious oral mucosal disease respectively. Upon external validation, the meta-classifier had a significantly higher AUROC than the crude/current method used for identifying the risk of oral cancer (0.78 vs 0.46; p = 0.001) Also, the meta-classifier had better recall than the crude method for predicting the risk of suspicious oral mucosal diseases (0.78 vs 0.47). ConclusionOverall, these findings showcase that our approach optimizes the use of risk factors in identifying patients for oral screening which suggests potential clinical application.

Establishment of a cell senescence related prognostic model for predicting prognosis in glioblastoma.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is highly malignant and has a worse prognosis with age, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides us with a huge amount of information about GBM. Materials and Methods: Through the enrichment scores of cell senescence-related pathways, we constructed a consensus matrix and mined molecular subtypes and explored the differences in pathological, immune/pathway and prognostic. Also we identified key genes related to cell senescence characteristics using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression and univariate COX regression analysis models. The use of risk factor formats to construct clinical prognostic models also explored the differences in immunotherapy/chemotherapy within the senescence-related signatures score (SRS.score) subgroups. Decision trees built with machine learning to identify the main factors affecting prognosis have further improved the prognosis model and survival prediction. Results: We obtained seven prognostic-related pathways related to cell senescence. We constructed four different molecular subtypes and found patients with subtype C1 had the worst prognosis. C4 had the highest proportion of patients with IDH mutations. 1005 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed, and finally 194 Risk genes and 38 Protective genes were obtained. Eight key genes responsible for cell senescence were finally identified. The clinical prognosis model was established based on SRS.score, and the prognosis of patients with high SRS.score was worse. SRS.score and age were the vital risk factors for GBM patients through decision tree model mining. Conclusion: We constructed a clinical prognosis model that could provide high prediction accuracy and survival prediction ability for adjuvant treatment of patients with GBM.