1,037 research outputs found
Psychological stress in nurses assisting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients: a statistical analysis based on Non-Parametric Combination test
No full textWe aimed to evaluate the psychological, emotional and relational burden of nurses who provide
assistance to patients affected by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A survey was conducted by
administering a questionnaire, the “Health Professions Stress and Coping Scale”, which proposes
some potentially stressful work situations. The questionnaire was administered to 105 nurses working
in hospitals where there is a ward for patients suffering from ALS. We used the "Non-Parametric
Combination Test", a multivariate methodology based on permutation solution, widely applicable in
various research contexts. Firstly, we investigated the areas of stress; then, the attention was focused
on the different coping strategies adopted by respondent nurses within each stress area. The analyses
were stratified according to different confounding factors, in order to control their potential effect.
The results show the presence of an average level of stress, regardless of gender and educational status.
Furthermore, there are significant differences in stress levels in subjects classified according to the
ward in which they operate and a positive correlation between higher stress levels and the number of
service years was found. In the future this study could also be of interest to nurses working in wards
with potentially stressful situations
Non-Motherhood between Obligation and Choice: Statistical Analysis Based on Permutation Tests of Spontaneous and Induced Abortion Rates in the Italian Context
No full text(1) Background: This paper aims to examine two relevant phenomena in the context of public health: spontaneous abortion (SA) and induced abortion (IA). SA is one of the most common complications of pregnancies; IA is a conscious choice that is made by the mother/couple. (2) Methods: Permutation tests were applied to SA and IA standardized rates detected by ISTAT (2016–2020). The NPC test, chosen for its optimal properties, was applied to compare different Italian territorial divisions (stratifying for year and age classes of women) and analyze the trend of years by stochastic ordering. (3) Results: Only for SA, there are significant differences among the three territorial divisions: the South records higher SA standardized rates than the North and the Center; the rates of IA are similar. Relating to distinct women age classes, the SA standardized rates do not show significant differences among the three analyzed geographical areas; different results are highlighted for IA. Stochastic ordering shows that only the IA standardized rates are characterized by a significant monotonous decreasing trend over the years. (4) Conclusion: The SA phenomenon has shown a decreasing trend that could be justified by the progress of science. For IA, we can certainly say that the general decrease in the phenomenon is due to the greater use of contraceptive methods that help to prevent unwanted pregnancies
A Cumulative Proportional Odds Model to Analyze the Influence of Mass Media on Teenagers in Messina
No full textThe media are constantly evolving at a breakneck pace and mainly young people, with their flexibility of mind and their continuous curiosity, can better understand the characteristics and potential of such advances. The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between teenagers and media, in order to try to better understand the habits and to conduct analysis on social interactions with young people. In order to evaluate the influence of mass media in the life of the young people, the Statisticians of Messina University decided to perform a statistical survey to evaluate the influence of the media in the life of Messina’s teenagers. A questionnaire entitled "Perceptions of the influence exerted by mass media" was administered in some schools. From the methodological point of view, three statistical models were estimated in order to formalize the dependence of the mass media influence by the kind of TV programs, the time spent on TV viewing and computer use and the kind of most used social networks. Since the mass media influence is an ordinal variable expressed by four ordered categories (1 = nothing; 2 = low; 3 = average; 4 = high) we used the Cumulative Proportional Odds Model to formalize the dependence by the potential predictors
Bonferroni-Holm and Permutation tests to compare medical data: methodological and applicative issues
No full textBACKGROUND
Statistical methodology is a powerful tool in the health research; however, there is wide accord that statistical methodologies are not usually used properly. In particular when multiple comparisons are needed, it is necessary to check the rate of false positive results and the potential inflation of type I errors. In this case, permutation testing methods are useful to check the simultaneous significance level and identify the most significant factors.
METHODS
In this paper an application of permutation tests, in the medical context of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, is performed. The main goal is to assess the existence of significant differences between Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). The Sequentially Rejective Multiple Test (Bonferroni-Holm procedure) is used to find which of the partial tests are effectively significant and solve the problem of the multiplicity control.
RESULTS
Applying Non-Parametric Combination (NPC) Test for partial and combined tests we conclude that Crohn's Disease patients and Ulcerative Colitis patients differ between them for most examined variables. UC patients compared with the CD patients, have a higher diagnosis age, not show smoking status, proportion of patients treated with immunosuppressants or with biological drugs is lower than the CD patients, even if the duration of such therapies is longer. CD patients have a higher rate of re-hospitalization. Diabetes is more present in the sub-population of UC patients. Analyzing the Charlson score we can highlight that UC patients have a more severe clinical situation than CD patients. Finally, CD patients are more frequently subject to surgery compared to UC. Appling of the Bonferroni Holm procedure, which provided adjusted p-values, we note that only nine of the examined variables are statistically significant: Smoking habit, Immunosuppressive therapy, Surgery, Biological Drug, Diabetes, Adverse Events, Re-hospitalization, Gender and Duration of Immunosoppressive Therapy. Therefore, we can conclude that these are the specific variables that can discriminate effectively the Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis groups.
CONCLUSIONS
We identified significant variables that discriminate the two groups, satisfying the multiplicity problem, in fact we can affirm that Smoking habit, Immunosuppressive therapy, Surgery, Biological Drug, Diabetes, Adverse Events, Hospitalization, Gender and Duration of Immunosoppressive Therapy are the effectively significant variables
Physics opportunities with the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array: AGATA
No full text© 2020, The Author(s). New physics opportunities are opening up by the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array, AGATA, as it evolves to the full 4π instrument. AGATA is a high-resolution γ-ray spectrometer, solely built from highly segmented high-purity Ge detectors, capable of measuring γ rays from a few tens of keV to beyond 10 MeV, with unprecedented efficiency, excellent position resolution for individual γ-ray interactions, and very high count-rate capability. As a travelling detector AGATA will be employed at all major current and near-future European research facilities delivering stable and radioactive ion beams
Canine Euthanasia’s Trend Analysis during Thirty Years (1990–2020) in Italy: A Veterinary Hospital as Case Study
No full textThis study aimed to investigate changes in the number of, and reasons for, requests for dogs’ euthanasia over the last thirty years. Data (breed, age, gender, neuter status, manner, and cause of death) from dogs’ euthanasia registered between 1990 and 2020 in a small animals’ veterinary hospital were analyzed. The overall period examined has been split into two terms (T1 = 1990–2004 and T2 = 2005–2020) considering the introduction and enforcement of Law 189/2004. During the whole period examined, a significant increasing trend in euthanasia cases has been recorded (p = 0.027). Comparing the two terms, we observed significant differences regarding variables such as age, breed, reproductive status, and ownership. The number of euthanized dogs was significantly higher in T1 than in T2. Dogs euthanized in T2 were older than dogs in T1. A high percentage of the euthanized dogs were crossbred and stray dogs. Additionally, the number of neutered/spayed dogs was significantly higher. Regarding the cause of death, a significantly higher percentage of neoplastic processes was detected in T2. The data here reported suggest a potential influence of Law 189/2004. This law in Italy has proven to be a legal milestone that has influenced the decision-making process between euthanasia and natural death
Nathan Filer and Agata Vitale
No full textWhat can writers and teachers of Creative Writing learn from psychiatry, neuroscience, and other medical disciplines about the links between creativity and mental illness?
Nathan Filer, author of 'The Shock of the Fall', and Agata Vitale, Senior Lecturer in Abnormal/Clinical Psychology at Bath Spa University, will be in conversation with Richard Hamblyn of Birkbeck College
To be able to give someone an oxygen mask, you first must be wearing one yourself. On the need to support art creators and artivists dealing with engaging art processes of a performative nature
No full textThe author of the article, Agata Siwiak, proposes the implementation of a professional support system for artists working with processes of engaging art, with particular emphasis on practices in areas of social crises. As an inspiration, the author presents the forms of support that have been developed on the basis of social work, activism and theatre pedagogy. The article is based on in-depth interviews with practitioners of engaging theatre who represent various theatre environments and professions, and on the knowledge Siwiak gained through her own theatre practices as part of the research-based practice methodology (the author is also a performance arts curator)
Entwicklung einer schnellen Pulsformanalyse für asymmetrische AGATA-Germanium-Detektoren
No full textOnTEAM metadata: GDSID: DOC-2007-May-32; Attribute ID: LIBRARY-thesis_diss-2007-005; Title: [GSI Diss 2007-05] Entwicklung einer schnellen Pulsformanalyse für asymmetrische AGATA-Germanium-Detektoren; Author(s): Beck, Torsten; Corporate author(s): ; Publication date: 20070501; Creator: manton; Creation date: 15.05.2007 16:02:12; Change date: 29.10.2008 16:29:34; Access: nur berechtigte Gruppen; Attribute type: Text.Thesis.Diss; Directory path: ['GSI Publications', 'GSI as Publisher']; Attribute path: ['Infrastructure', 'Library and Documentation', 'thesis_diss', 'Added in 2007']; File name(s): ['DOC-2007-May-32-1.pdf']; File title(s): ['']; File access: ['nur berechtigte Gruppen'
Contaminazione, Coinvolgimento, Impegno. Riflessioni su una ricerca di antropologia medica in contesti urbani affetti da disastri ambientali e sociali provocati dalla lavorazione del cemento-amianto in Italia
No full textThe author reflects on theoretical dilemmas and on her subjective experiences in doing a medical anthropological study that aims to be scientifically valid, practically applied, and socio-politically engaged.
To this purpose, the article discusses data collected in two Italian cities: Bari (southern Italy) in 2009, and Casale Monferrato (northern Italy), in 2012. Both the contexts have been affected by social and environmental disasters related to the presence of two asbestos-cement plants, active until the end of the 1980s: the Fibronit and the Eternit factories, respectively.
First, historical and social contextualization of legislation and epidemiological data about asbestos manufacturing are briefly provided, both for the national and the international settings, in order to better situate the actions of socio-political engagement undertaken by the victims organised into local anti-asbestos social movements whose goals and practices have national and international resonance.
Second, the author offers a general overview of asbestos’ characteristics as a raw material, and of the political-economic dynamics promoting its massive industrial use, despite the fact that biomedical studies have recognised asbestos fibres as cancer causing factors as far back as the 1960s.
Third, the author refers to anthropological and sociological literatures on risk perception and on the disaster’s processes in order to better understand the peculiarities of the asbestos-related disasters.
Lastly, the anthropologist’s engagement with the investigated issues is discussed, and a parallelism between contamination and engagement is offered by looking at a process in which the scientist and the research partners collaborate to promote new knowledge and socio-political changes
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