X2 Statistic Research Articles

Evaluation of ITS1 rDNA primers for the detection and identification of African trypanosomes in mammalian hosts and tsetse flies.

Although several primers targeted to the internal transcribed-spacer 1 (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) have been designed to improve the detection of African trypanosomes, no study tried to compare their agreement level and ability to amplify different trypanosome species in tsetse flies and mammals in various epidemiological settings. This study was designed to fill this gap, by targeting tsetse-infested areas of Cameroon. For this, archived DNA samples reporting at-least one trypanosome species with species-specific PCR primers were reviewed. Ten sets of primers targeting different ITS1 rDNA sequences of trypanosomes were selected for assessment using single-round and nested-PCR method. Amplification rates (sensitivity) and agreement level of different ITS1 assays were compared using Cohen's-Kappa and McNemar's x2 statistic. Little agreement level (k = 0.05–0.52) were observed between different ITS1-primers PCRs detection of African trypanosome species despite significant (X2=54.3, p = 0.0001) high amplification rate 91.6 % (339/370). This sensitivity varied from quite low for T. simiae (11.9 %) and T. vivax (27.3 %) to fairly good for T. congolence (51.9 %), Trypanozoon (32.4 %) and T. theileri (40.3 %). Primers set targeting ITS1-A sequence of trypanosome species recorded the highest sensitivity (50.5 %) with fairly good agreement compared to 39.2 % for ITS1-C (k = 0.52), 32.4 % for ITS1-R (k = 0.47), 29.7 % for ITS1-N (k = 0.48) and 23.0 % for ITS1-KIN (k = 0.43) respectively. This study revealed a diversity in the sensitivity of different trypanosome species with different sets of ITS-primers enhancing the need to use the same sets of primers in different bio-ecological settings. The use of nested-PCR instead of single-round PCR enabled improvement of trypanosome infections detection in both tsetse and mammals. Among the sets of ITS1-primers tested, those designed by to amplify ITS1-A can be considered as the most appropriate for the detection of trypanosome infections in mammals and tsetse flies.

Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products in Turkey: A Meta-Analysis

This study was aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to determine the seroprevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products in Turkey. A systematic literature search was conducted using the Medline/PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus databases to identify studies reporting the seroprevalence of L. monocytogenes in dairy products. The search was conducted using the following keywords: (“ice cream” or “curd” or “cream” or “cheese” or “butter” or “yoğurt” or “dairy” or “milk”) and (“Listeriosis” or “Listeria monocytogenes” or “Listeria”) and (“Turkiye” or “Turkey”) and (“seropositivity” or “seroprevalence” or “prevalence”). A comprehensive meta-analysis included a total of 4766 dairy products from the 27 studies. The overall molecular prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products in Turkey was estimated to be 7.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.7-10.7%). The I2 value of 93.5% (CI95%91.6–95.0) suggested high heterogeneity, with a τ2 of 3.4422 (CI95%-1.7091–8.5936), and an X2 statistic of 399.2 (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, this meta-analysis reveals a significant seroprevalence of L. monocytogenes in dairy products in Turkey. The findings highlight the need for improved control measures to minimize the risk of contamination and ensure consumer safety. By implementing rigorous hygiene practices, enhancing monitoring systems, and promoting collaborative efforts between industry and regulatory bodies, the dairy sector in Turkey can effectively mitigate the risks associated with L. monocytogenes and maintain high standards of food safety.

To establish a risk prediction model for the occurrence of hypoxemia during painless bronchoscopy.

The present study was focused on evaluating the clinical predictors of hypoxemia and establishing a multivariable, predictive model for hypoxemia in painless bronchoscopy. A total of 244 patients were enrolled in the study, and data were collected using a self-designed data collection. The retrospective data collected in this study included the relevant data of patients undergoing the painless bronchoscopy, and we used univariate analysis to deal with these influencing factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to establish the prediction equation, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was carried out. Receiver operating characteristic curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to evaluate the model performance. P < .05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.169; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.070-1.277), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) (OR: 4.279; 95% CI: 2.378-7.699), alcohol consumption (OR: 2.021; 95% CI: 1.063-3.840), and whether the bronchoscope operation time exceeds 30 minutes (OR: 2.486; 95% CI: 1.174-5.267) were closely related to the occurrence of hypoxemia. The prediction model developed by the logistic regression equation was -4.911 + 1.454 (PaO2) + 0.156 (BMI) + 0.703 (Alcohol consumption) + 0.911 (time > 30th minutes). The prediction model showed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.687. The predictive model was well calibrated with a Hosmer-Lemeshow x2 statistic of 4.869 (P = .772), indicating that our prediction model fit well. The accuracy (number of correct predictions divided by the number of total predictions) was 75%. The prediction model, consisting of BMI, PaO2, alcohol consumption, and whether the bronchoscope operation time exceeds 30 minutes. It is an effective predictor of hypoxemia during sedation for painless bronchoscopy.

Evaluation of Socio-Demographic Factors and Morbidity Pattern among Elderly Patients in a Teaching Hospital in South-South Nigeria

Aim: This study was to evaluate the sociodemographic factors and morbidity pattern among elderly patients in order to support the equitable distribution of the few healthcare resources.&#x0D; Study Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional analytical descriptive study.&#x0D; Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at the General Out-Patient Clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt. The duration of study was three months.&#x0D; Methodology: Three hundred and eighty-four (384) study participants were recruited by systematic random sampling. The data were collected using structured questionnaire which assessed health problems related to general signs and symptoms and classified patients’ problems into reason for encounter, problems/diagnosis managed and interventions. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Chi square (x2) statistics was used to assess association between categorical variables. The statistical significance was set at p&lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results: A total of 878 health problems were reported based on the ICPC-2. The reasons for encounter were related to musculoskeletal (18.8%), general body symptoms (14.8%), neurological problems (14.7%) and problems related to the ear (0.9%). None of the respondent reported blood related problems. A total of 799 morbidities were diagnosed with an average of 2.1 each (range 1-5), the most prevalent morbidities were related to the cardiovascular system (24.7%), musculoskeletal system (13.8%) and digestive system (13.0%) and the least number of morbidities were found in the female genitalia (0.3%). The relationship between general body symptoms (GBS), musculoskeletal, mental health and nutritional/endocrine conditions, and gender were statistically significant (GBS p-value = 0.034, musculoskeletal, p=0.000, mental health p=0.001, nutrition p=0.000). Women reported more health problems than men. The majority (70.1%) of the men were still married, while most (88.6%) of the women were widowed. Although the largest proportion (56.0%) of the respondents was from social class V with the female forming the bulk (67.9%), there was no statistically significant association except for blood related morbidity (p-value =0.005). Also, there was statistically significant relationship between morbidity pattern and age groups for blood related diseases (p-value =0.010), digestive system (p-value = 0.003), musculoskeletal system (p-value =0.000), and neurological problems (p-value = 0.001). Statistically significant association was found between marital status and morbidities related to ear (p-value =0.002), musculoskeletal (p-value = 0.000), endocrine/metabolic/nutrition (p-value = 0.023) and male genital (p-value = 0.000).&#x0D; Conclusion: The most prevalent morbidities of the elderly were chronic medical conditions related to the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, digestive, endocrine systems as well as nutritional and eye diseases. As the ageing population rises with attendant age – related multi morbidities, there is need to have geriatric care plan in our hospitals for a comprehensive continuing healthcare service.

Risk and Protective Factors in Ecuadorian Adolescent Survivors of Suicide.

Suicide is one of the main causes of death among the adolescent population, which is why it is considered an important mental-health problem. In addition to this situation, for each suicide, the group of people who survive it (known as suicide survivors) can present serious emotional affectations, becoming a population at risk for this problem. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of suicide-survivor status on risk factors and protective factors for suicide. A total of 440 adolescents with a mean age of 15.78 (SD = 1.74) participated, who were divided according to survivor status, identified as the SV group (79 cases), and non-survivors, identified as the NSV group-adolescents that did not have experience or contact with a suicide attempt (361 cases). A questionnaire of sociodemographic characterization and risk conditions, the Alexian Brother Urge to Self-Injure (ABUSI), the Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test (TECA) were applied. Descriptive statistics, mean difference for independent samples, contingency tables, X2 statistic, Fisher's exact statistic, and Cohen's d coefficient were used. The results show significant differences between SV and NSV participants in risk and protective factors regarding the presence of a greater adoption of perspective and emotional understanding. On the other hand, NSV adolescents presented higher scores of perceived social supports regarding risk factors, and there was a higher proportion of a history of suicide attempt, severity/hospitalization, impulse to self-harm, and level of suicidal risk in the SV group. The need to incorporate forms of suicide prevention with the survivor population is discussed, increasing the possibilities of postvention.

Effects of Medical Education Program Using Virtual Reality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several studies have examined the effect of virtual reality (VR) education. However, they are mostly systematic reviews or meta-analyses focusing on doctors and residents; they fail to consider VR medical education for a broader range of learners. We evaluated the effectiveness of VR education for health professionals and identified the essential features of education. Randomized controlled trials published from January 2000 to April 2020 were identified from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library (n = 299). The randomized studies' bias risk was evaluated using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool. Meta- and subgroup-analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1. The overall effect was measured using Hedges' g and determined using Z-statistics (p < 0.05). Heterogeneity was assessed using X2 and I2 statistics. Among the identified records, 25 studies were selected through systematic review, and 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. We identified a significant improvement in the VR group's skill and satisfaction levels, and that less immersive VR was more efficacious for knowledge outcomes than fully immersive VR. Maximizing the advantages of VR will increase learning opportunities and complement the limited clinical experience, thus improving medical services. A systematic and efficient VR medical education program will greatly enhance learners' core competencies.

Green Parapets Analysis and Environment of Port Harcourt Nigeria

The prostration of policy makersfor the compulsory inclusion and retaining of greens in neighbourhoods and urban hemisphere generallydeclines the mitigation ofdissimilar environmental calamities. This paper x-rayed urban green parapets and environmental appearance of Port Harcourt Nigeria through the adoption of inferential and non-inferential survey strategies. The primary data was acquired through5 likertpoints designed questionnaire that sampled 350 households while circulated materials acquired within the secondary research circumference emanated from text-books, undergraduate and post graduate research work, conference/seminar, working papers, official records and other academic reports. The analysis employed mean value (MV), spearman’s correlation coefficient and chi-square (x2) statistics test at 0.05 significant points. The finding shown thatmean score of (25.22) significant value for the low income,(29.21) medium income resident and high income population with a mean value of (24.22) for thevariation of green properties among residents of Port Harcourt.The result further reserved that urban greens,reductions of flood and improvement of environmental potentials had a strong relationship at (x2 = 499.87&gt; 0.005) and there was a positive relationship between environmental greening and education attainment at (r=-.285), weak relationship exist between greening and human population (r= - .053),occupational prestige and urban greening (r-.043). The work recommended thatphysical planning efforts are required for the provision and protection of green infrastructure through constituted taskforce on green infrastructure, civil defence and neighbourhood vigilantes or guard. The provision of such social security personnel will protect and improve urban and peri greens and areas perceived green infrastructure insecure will reduce and thus declining environmental calamities associated with alteration and non-inclusion of greens in urban development.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors are Linked to Venous Thromboebolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies

Background Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) has received increased attention in the past few years. At present, it is not clear whether the each cardiovascular risk factor is risk factor for venous thromboembolism. Features of cardiovascular risk factor have shown to be been individually associated with VTE. However, whether each of the factors additively increases the risk of VTE is uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the association between some major cardiovascular risk components and VTE. Methods Online Pub Med and Embase database were searched for case-control studies evaluating cardiovascular risk factors and incident Venous Thromboembolism in adults. Independent observers extracted data regarding annualized VTE incidence from studies meeting predetermined criteria, (Blood pressure: ≥ 140/90 mmHg. Dyslipidemia: triglycerides (TG): ≥ 1.695 mmol/L and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ≤ 0.9 mmol/L in male, ≤ 1.0 mmol/L in female, waist circumference ≥90cm for men, ≥80cm for women or body mass index &gt; 30 kg/m2. Data were analyzed weighted, random-effects meta-analysis. Results Thirty two case-control studies with a total of 30929 patients met the inclusion criteria. Odds ratios or weighted means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were then calculated and pooled using a random-effects model. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated through the use of X2 and I2 statistics. Compared with controls, the OR for VTE was 2.24 for obesity (95% CI, 1.83 to 2.75), 1.56 for hypertension (95% CI, 1.26 to 1.92) and 1.55 for diabetes mellitus (95% CI, 1.25 to 1.92). Weighted mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels were significantly lower in VTE patients with cardiovascular risk factor compared to controls with inverse correlation with risk of VTE, whereas no difference was observed for total cholesterol levels. Conclusion Cardiovascular risk factors are significantly associated with higher risk of VTE, which may imply that it may contribute to the multi factorial pathogenesis of VTE. Nevertheless, this report could not determine whether the combination of all three components is associated with a higher risk than each of the components in isolation.

Behavioral Influence on Halal Food Consumption of Millennial Consumers in BARMM, Philippines

Halal has caught the interest of customers worldwide, both Muslims and non-Muslims. The concepts and principles, however, were little understood, and the research was limited to Muslims. Hence, the study on the behavioral influence of halal food consumption was conducted considering two religions and the millennials. The validated and pre-tested survey instruments were distributed in selected cities and municipalities of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines with a total of 536 participants. Following the standards of analysis, IBM SPSS software version 22 of the University was used to analyze the 519 valid questionnaires. Six-stages of CB-SEM was employed providing TPB models that are in good fit considering the satisfaction of measures including x² statistic, root mean square error of estimate (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), normed x², comparative fit index (CFI) and parsimony normed fit index (PNFI). The measurement model was confirmed to be applicable in the local setting and the proposed structural model is significant and acceptable. The re-specification generates the knowledge, subjective norms, and attitude that are positively related and statistically significant to intention to buy. The findings revealed also that the intention to buy and all variables pertaining to it highly explained the halal food consumption of millennials. Government and schools are encouraged to collaborate to intensify the promotion on halal food products and sustain the appreciation of consumers.

OGC P24 The effect of the pandemic on the number of examined lymph nodes following major oesophophagogastric resection

Abstract Background Lymph node yield following oesophagogastric (OG) cancer resection remains a valuable prognosticator of overall patient survival. It is also a quality indicator of histopathological assessment and a surrogate marker of surgical technique. The Royal College of Pathologists’ state a minimum lymph node yield of 15 per specimen should obtained in 100% of cases where a radical OG resection has been undertaken. It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic placed immense strain on NHS services. This study aimed to evaluate its effect on lymph node yield reporting following major OG resection in a large volume tertiary unit. Methods Retrospective National OG Cancer Audit (NOGCA) metrics were collected. Histological data including total lymph node yield and positive node status were extracted from patient records. Patient data was categorised into two study periods; pre-pandemic (March 2018-Feb 2020) and pandemic (March 2020- Feb 2022) following the first UK national lockdown. Comparative analysis between the two study periods was performed and for lymph node yield &amp;gt;15 per specimen a X2 statistic calculated. Results In the pre COVID period a total of 280 (excluding GIST) resections were performed, 75% (210) oesophagectomies v. 25% (70) gastrectomies. The median age was 69 (range 25–90, males= 189 v. females =91). In the post pandemic period a total of 188 resections were performed, 72% (135) oesophagectomies v. 28% (53) gastrectomies. The median age was 69 (38–87, males = 142 v. female= 46). Lymph node yield was available for 275 resections in pre-pandemic study period, with a median nodal yield of 20 (5–61). In the pandemic study period lymph node yield data was available for 180 patients, median 19.5 (0–69). The minimum nodal yield (&amp;gt;15) was obtained in 80.7% of resection specimens pre-pandemic v. 68.9% in the pandemic study period (p= 0.00382). Conclusions Our study demonstrates a higher rate of inadequate nodes examined in the post pandemic study period. Despite staffing pressures, efforts should be made to improve number of nodes examined to provide robust prognostic data.

S114 Assessment of Corticosteroid Use as a Marker of Quality-of-Care in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: Despite the development of new therapeutic strategies, corticosteroids still play a role in the induction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) remission. However, often these drugs are misused. Methods: Descriptive, retrospective observational study of patients with IBD under follow-up in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program of Clínica Universidad de los Andes (Chile) during the period of January 2021-August 2022. The objectives were to assess the dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy, and the subsequent change in treatment in patients with IBD. The statistical analysis, descriptive and association statistics x2 with P< 0.05 were used. Results: Four hundred and thirty-two IBD patients were included, 63% of them women, with a median age of 42 years (14-94), 66% with ulcerative colitis (UC). Sixty-six percent of patients have received corticosteroids during the course of their disease (range 1-9 times) for a median of 12 weeks (2-48 weeks), prednisone being the most frequently used corticosteroid (53%). Seventy-seven percent of patients have received treatment for >3 months or in supratherapeutic doses (more than 1 mg/Kg, range 40-60 mg of prednisone). There was a change in treatment in 82% of these patients. During the Program’s follow-up, 10% have received corticosteroids (71% prednisone, 29% budesonide) with no differences according to IBD type, gender, age or type of treatment. No patient has received corticosteroids for >3 months or in supratherapeutic doses in our Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program. Two percent developed corticosteroid dependency and in 90% there was a change of treatment. Conclusion(s): This study validates the assessment of the use of corticosteroids as a marker of quality of care in IBD. The management of these patients through a specialized program could reduce the excessive use of corticosteroids.

IMPACT OF PRACTICAL EDUCATION ON HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATION

The study focused on the impact of practical education on human resource development of a nation. It was guided by one research question and one hypothesis. The survey research design was adopted with a population of 5,583 students. The simple random sampling techniques was used to arrive at 1,954 sample size. The questionnaire was used for data gathering and the split-half method was used for computing the reliability coefficient using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The reliability coefficient arrived at was 0.73. Percentage and Chi Square (x2) statistics were used for data analysis. The findings showed that there was a significant relationship between practical education and the enhancement of human resource development. KEYWORD: Practical education, Development, Human resource, Skills

In the Fire of Local community Conflicts: The Role of Religious Leaders in Conflict Resolution, Examples from Pashtun Culture Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Religious leaders are considered respected members of the community and they could bring an end to fighting because of their honesty and soft power resources. In this context, the present study deals with the role of religious leaders in conflict resolution. A sample size of 361 respondents was selected in the district Dir Lower Tahsil Maidan through Random Sampling Technique. Chi-square X2 statistics were used to determine the association between independent and dependent variables. Most respondents (52.1%) stated that religious leaders in Pashtun cultures symbolize peace. Similarly, more than two third of the respondents (70.9%) endorsed that religious leaders do resolve conflict by taking inputs from religious and cultural values. Most of the respondents (58.4%) opined that the participation of religious leaders is considered necessary in jirga/ culture base peacemaking. Moreover, Religious leaders among Pashtuns are considering customary leaders, having a strong influence over Pashtun costumes, and were found significant in conflict resolution respectively. The study concluded that religious leadership among Pashtun had always contributed positively to conflict resolution. The study also recommends that government should give more attention to involving religious leaders in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes. This needs to integrate all sorts of leadership at the community level, which would boost their level of understanding regarding each other.

Analyses of community stability and inter-specific associations between a plant species with extremely small populations (Hopea hainanensis) and its associated species

Hopea hainanensis is a large evergreen tree belonging to the family Dipterocarpaceae. It is currently listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It is found primarily on China’s Hainan Island and northern Vietnam. To protect the plant species with extremely small populations Hopea hainanensis and understand its community stability and the inter-specific associations between Hopea hainanensis and other occurring species, we set up 16 quadrats in the areas where wild Hopea hainanensis populations occurred on Hainan Island to investigate the composition of plant species in the quadrats. We used the M. Godron Community stability index to quantify community stability. Based on the two × two contingency tables, the statistic X2, association coefficient (AC), and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), percentage co-occurrence (PC), and OI index (OI) analyze the degree of association between Hopea hainanensis and the dominant species in each layer. The results showed that the relationship between Hopea hainanensis and the dominant species in the community was not significant. In addition, there were both positive and negative associations between Hopea hainanensis and other examined six tree species, positive associations with 13 shrub species, positive associations with two herbs, and negative associations with species of 7 species. The connection between Hopea hainanensis and herbs is more complex than that between trees, shrubs, and the dominant species. M. Godron’s stability analysis showed that the community where Hopea hainanensis occurred is relatively unstable (36.84/63.16). The ecology is somewhat fragile, indicating that the community is still at the early or middle stage of competing with other species for resource utilization. The stability of community structure and function is a suitable environment for Hopea hainanensis and finally achieve the purpose of adequate protection, we should choose species with strong positive associations for protecting and recovering Hopea hainanensis.

The Standardized S-X 2 Statistic for Assessing Item Fit.

The S-X 2 statistic (Orlando & Thissen, 2000) is popular among researchers and practitioners who are interested in the assessment of item fit. However, the statistic suffers from the Chernoff-Lehmann problem (Chernoff & Lehmann, 1954) and hence does not have a known asymptotic null distribution. This paper suggests a modified version of the S-X 2 statistic that is based on the modified Rao-Robson χ 2 statistic (Rao & Robson, 1974). A simulation study and a real data analyses demonstrate that the use of the modified statistic instead of the S-X 2 statistic would lead to fewer items being flagged for misfit.

Rehabilitation Measures Planning based on the Analysis of Functional Impairments and Disabilities due to Chronic Kidney Disease: a Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION. Quality of functional impairments analysis and the degree of disability associated with chronic kidney disease is a key factor of the effectiveness of the rehabilitation measures organization for persons with disabilities with the above pathology. AIM. To assess the degree of physical dysfunction of the disabled persons due to the chronic kidney disease on the basis of the clinical and functional disorders to determine the need for rehabilitation measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study was generated in the form of the Excel spreadsheet using the following methods: documentary, excerpting data in the volume of 265 units. For quantitative variables, statistical indicators were used: mean and median. To compare two independent groups, the reliability index was used, the X2 statistic and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were performed. The significance level for testing statistical hypotheses was assumed to be 0.05. Processing and analysis was performed in the R environment (environment for statistical data analysis. http://www-r-project.org). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. In these patients, the largest proportion in the structure of physical dysfunctions were limitations to self-care, first-degree movement, labor activity and second-degree self-care, and third-degree labor activity. Analysis of the degree of severity of disability depending on the stage of the disease, which determines the structure of social insufficiency and reduced quality of life, can be accepted as a basis for planning rehabilitation measures. At the same time, due to the predominance of general symptomatology, analysis of clinical signs of chronic kidney disease, taking into account the stage of the disease, can be recognized only as an auxiliary mechanism. CONLUSION. Expert-rehabilitation diagnostics among persons who have undergone primary and repeated examination allows us to get an idea of the rehabilitation measures amount required for them, taking into account the stage of the process in certain subgroups. When forming an individual rehabilitation program, the use of ICF is indispensable.

Visualising Departures from Symmetry and Bowker’s X2 Statistic

Sometimes, the same categorical variable is studied over different time periods or across different cohorts at the same time. One may consider, for example, a study of voting behaviour of different age groups across different elections, or the study of the same variable exposed to a child and a parent. For such studies, it is interesting to investigate how similar, or different, the variable is between the two time points or cohorts and so a study of the departure from symmetry of the variable is important. In this paper, we present a method of visualising any departures from symmetry using correspondence analysis. Typically, correspondence analysis uses Pearson’s chi-squared statistic as the foundation for all of its numerical and visual features. In the case of studying the symmetry of a variable, Bowker’s chi-squared statistic, presented in 1948, provides a simple numerical means of assessing symmetry. Therefore, this paper shall discuss how a correspondence analysis can be performed to study the symmetry (or lack thereof) of a categorical variable when Bowker’s statistic is considered. The technique presented here provides an extension to the approach developed by Michael Greenacre in 2000.

A little education goes a long way: Decreasing antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in COVID-19 patients

Background: Antibiotic use was common in patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection; however, data emerged demonstrating low rates of bacterial coinfection (6%–10%). Antimicrobial stewardship best practice was challenged during this time, requiring new strategies and education to limit the inappropriate use of antibiotics. At the Veterans’ Affairs Maryland Healthcare System, we evaluated the use of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) specific antibiotics in COVID-19–positive patients after successive interventions. Methods: We conducted a pre–post evaluation of common CAP antibiotics (ceftriaxone IV/IM, cefpodoxime PO, azithromycin PO/IV, ampicillin/sulbactam IV, amoxicillin-clavulanate PO, levofloxacin) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The preintervention period was April–October 2020 and the postintervention period was November 2020–April 2021. During the preintervention period, intervention A was carried out as follows: (1) inpatient weekly virtual interdisciplinary COVID-19 rounds were led by an antimicrobial stewardship champion, (2) χprocalcitonin was implemented in clinical decision making, and (3) inpatient audit and feedback of active antibiotics was conducted by the antimicrobial stewardship team. In the postintervention period, intervention B was added as follows: (1) weekly educational COVID-19 virtual seminars were conducted for providers, and (2) targeted education was provided to emergency department and hospitalist directors. Comparisons of the proportions of antibiotics prescribed were made between the pre- and postintervention periods using X2 statistic, and data were stratified by location. The rates of CAP antibiotic prescription per 100 COVID-19–positive patients were also compared using Poisson distribution. Results: During the study period, 814 unique patients had COVID-19 infection: 182 (22.4%) patients admitted to the acute-care center, 66 (8.1%) long-term care residents, and 566 (69.5%) were managed outside the hospital. Of these 814 patients, 211 (25%) were prescribed a CAP antibiotic. Of the antibiotics prescribed, 223 (61%) were ceftriaxone, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin-clavulanate, or ampicillin-sulbactam; 123 (34%) were azithromycin; and 16 (4.4%) were levofloxacin. We observed a decrease in the frequency of all antibiotic prescriptions after intervention B was added: 32% (86 of 273) vs 23% (125 of 541) (P = .01). Decreases in antibiotic prescriptions were observed in all locations: acute care (57% vs 44%), long-term care (53% vs 41%) and outpatient care (19% vs 15%). The rates of CAP antibiotic prescribing per 100 COVID-19–positive patients were 114 in the preintervention period and 45 in the postintervention period, a rate difference of −70 antibiotics per 100 COVID-19–positive patients (pConclusions: Curbing antibiotic use for CAP indication during the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge. A multifaceted approach focusing on education was an impactful intervention leading to significant decreases in antibiotic prescribing despite COVID-19 cases increasing.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

A significant minimization of Pearson’s X2 statistics in 2x2 contingency tables: preliminary results for small samples

&#x0D; &#x0D; The Pearson’s chi-square test or X2 test represents a nonparametric test more used in Medicine, Biology and Social Sciences, but it introduces some error for 2x2 contingency tables, therefore Yates introduces a continuity correction. This correction produces a very conservative result of X2 statistics with overestimation of p-value and consequently a type II error is very likely. The goal of this paper is to define, with a statistical approach, a significant minimization of Pearson’s X2 statistics for small data sample, based on concept of arithmetic mean, that could be a possible efficient statistic for reducing the type II error in the calculation of p-value.&#x0D;

An Ensemble Classification Algorithm of Micro-Blog Sentiment Based on Feature Selection and Differential Evolution

In the face of massive texts, dimensionality reduction algorithm and efficient classification model have become the key steps for sentiment classification of microblogs. X2 statistics and TF-IDF statistics are commonly used dimension reduction methods. When applied to micro-blog sentiment analysis, traditional X2 statistics do not consider the probability of a certain sentiment word in a micro-blog text. TF-IDF weight measure ignores the synonyms in the text of micro-blog. Therefore, this paper proposes a NewChi-TF-IDF feature selection method combining form and semantics. In the classification stage, the generalization performance of single classifier is low. To enhance the generalization performance of Weibo sentiment classification, based on the existing ensemble strategy, differential evolution algorithm is introduced to assign different excitation functions to multiple weak classifiers to train the optimal weight distribution. Thus, the problem that the weight of weak classifier is difficult to determine is solved. Experimental results show that NewChi-TF-IDF feature selection method reduces the dimension, and the generalization ability of the proposed algorithm is enhanced, and the average F-score of the proposed algorithm is improved to a higher degree than that of Ada-All and Vote-All classifiers.