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Computers in Biology and Medicine Jul 2021This study aimed to implement and evaluate machine learning based-models to predict COVID-19' diagnosis and disease severity.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to implement and evaluate machine learning based-models to predict COVID-19' diagnosis and disease severity.
METHODS
COVID-19 test samples (positive or negative results) from patients who attended a single hospital were evaluated. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were categorised according to the severity of the disease. Data were submitted to exploratory analysis (principal component analysis, PCA) to detect outlier samples, recognise patterns, and identify important variables. Based on patients' laboratory tests results, machine learning models were implemented to predict disease positivity and severity. Artificial neural networks (ANN), decision trees (DT), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and K nearest neighbour algorithm (KNN) models were used. The four models were validated based on the accuracy (area under the ROC curve).
RESULTS
The first subset of data had 5,643 patient samples (5,086 negatives and 557 positives for COVID-19). The second subset included 557 COVID-19 positive patients. The ANN, DT, PLS-DA, and KNN models allowed the classification of negative and positive samples with >84% accuracy. It was also possible to classify patients with severe and non-severe disease with an accuracy >86%. The following were associated with the prediction of COVID-19 diagnosis and severity: hyperferritinaemia, hypocalcaemia, pulmonary hypoxia, hypoxemia, metabolic and respiratory acidosis, low urinary pH, and high levels of lactate dehydrogenase.
CONCLUSION
Our analysis shows that all the models could assist in the diagnosis and prediction of COVID-19 severity.
Topics: COVID-19; COVID-19 Testing; Humans; Machine Learning; Prognosis; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34091385
DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104531 -
Oral Diseases Nov 2022To evaluate the proportion of COVID-19 infections among a population of Italian Dental workers across different geographical area of Italy and to analyze the impact of...
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the proportion of COVID-19 infections among a population of Italian Dental workers across different geographical area of Italy and to analyze the impact of both the preventive measures/strategies adopted and the psychological influences.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The current cross-sectional survey was administered with a web-based form. To be eligible for the study, participants had to be 18 years and being dentists or dental hygienists members of the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology (SIdP). A 23-item questionnaire concerning positiveness to COVID-19, clinical strategies and psychological attitude within the pandemic was administered. Sub-group analysis was conducted according to geographical macro-area.
RESULTS
A total of 790 dentists and dental hygienists were included. A total of 4.7% participants developed a positive diagnosis to COVID-19. The Northwest of Italy experienced almost double of COVID-19-positive participants (p < 0.05). Preoperatory mouthwashes together with natural air change/ventilation were the most frequent approaches used to prevent COVID-19 outbreak. Positive and proactive attitudes were predominant among participants. Only a reduced proportion feels some concerns for the future.
CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of positive COVID-19 among dental workers in Italy was double in Northwest area in comparison with the whole country proportion. Preventive strategies comprise mainly ultrasound reduction and preoperative mouthwashes.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Cross-Sectional Studies; Mouthwashes; Surveys and Questionnaires; Italy
PubMed: 34553812
DOI: 10.1111/odi.14027 -
Quality & Quantity 2021Sentiment research is dominated by studies that assign texts to positive and negative categories. This classification is often based on a bag-of-words approach that...
Sentiment research is dominated by studies that assign texts to positive and negative categories. This classification is often based on a bag-of-words approach that counts the frequencies of sentiment terms from a predefined vocabulary, ignoring the contexts for these words. We test an aspect-based network analysis model that computes sentiment about an entity from the shortest paths between the sentiment words and the target word across a corpus. Two ground-truth datasets in which human annotators judged whether tweets were positive or negative enabled testing the internal and external validity of the automated network-based method, evaluating the extent to which this approach's scoring corresponds to the annotations. We found that tweets annotated as negative had an automated negativity score that was nearly twice as strong than positivity, while positively annotated tweets were six times stronger in positivity than negativity. To assess the predictive validity of the approach, we analyzed sentiment associated with coronavirus coverage in television news from January 1 to March 25, 2020. Support was found for the four hypotheses tested, demonstrating the utility of the approach. H1: broadcast news expresses less sentiment about coronavirus, panic, and social distancing than non-broadcast news outlets. H2: there is a negative bias in the news across channels. H3: sentiment increases are associated with an increased volume of news stories. H4: sentiment is associated with uncertainty in news coverage of coronavirus over time. We also found that as the type of channel moved from broadcast network news to 24-h business, general, and foreign news sentiment increased for coronavirus, panic, and social distancing.
PubMed: 32836468
DOI: 10.1007/s11135-020-01000-x -
Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority... Oct 2020Simpatía, a term that captures the tendency to prefer and create social interactions characterized by warmth and emotional positivity while also avoiding conflict...
OBJECTIVE
Simpatía, a term that captures the tendency to prefer and create social interactions characterized by warmth and emotional positivity while also avoiding conflict and/or overt negativity, is a cultural factor relevant to Latinos. The goal of this article was to develop a scale that measures this cultural value.
METHOD
A self-report scale measure of simpatía was developed and administered to a combined sample of Latinos ( = 296) drawn from 3 larger studies. The scale's factor structure was explored, and its internal consistency and validity were tested.
RESULTS
Exploratory factor analysis supported an 18-item scale and indicated 2 factors: simpatía-related positivity/warmth and simpatía-related negativity/conflict avoidance. Cronbach's alphas for the overall scale and subscales showed internal consistency. Validity analyses revealed that across subscales, simpatía was positively associated with positive emotion expressivity and dispositional positive emotion. The simpatía-related positivity/warmth subscale was also positively associated with an orientation toward Latino culture.
CONCLUSIONS
The Simpatía Scale, which captures dual aspects of simpatía that emphasize the positive and avoid the negative, provides a new tool for advancing the study of Latino culture. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Factor Analysis, Statistical; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Motivation; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 32105107
DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000324 -
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders... 2023The population prevalence of functional alterations and thyroid autoimmunity is high, and numerous genetic and environmental aspects have been described as triggering...
BACKGROUND
The population prevalence of functional alterations and thyroid autoimmunity is high, and numerous genetic and environmental aspects have been described as triggering factors.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of functional alterations and thyroid autoimmunity in an urban population of Colombia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
It is a cross-sectional, population-based study (n = 9,638) conducted on an urban population of Popayán-Cauca-Colombia between February 5th, 2018, to December 11th, 2021. The variables evaluated were thyrotropin (TSH), free T4 (FT4), and anti-thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase antibodies: TPOAb, and thyroglobulin antibodies: TgAb).
RESULTS
TSH in men was significantly higher than in women. No differences were observed in the values of FT4, TPOAb, and TgAb (according to sex). The prevalence of normal thyroid function and subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly higher in men. The positivity of TPOAb and TgAb was 22.3% and 19.2%, respectively. TSH levels increased with age (both in men and in women). In participants with normal FT4 and negative TPOAb, the TSH was significantly higher. TSH was significantly higher in TPOAb-positive individuals and among those with TPOAb and TgAb positives, as well as in women with positive TPOAb and men with positive TPOAb and TgAb.
CONCLUSION
In an urban population of Colombia, TSH was found to be higher than in populations of other geographical areas, especially in older individuals and in the presence of positive anti-thyroid antibodies, a high prevalence of functional alterations and thyroid autoimmunity was also found. These findings can be explained by excess iodine consumption and some environmental factors.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Aged; Autoimmunity; Urban Population; Prevalence; Cross-Sectional Studies; Colombia; Autoantibodies; Thyrotropin
PubMed: 36443975
DOI: 10.2174/1871530323666221128114423 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... May 2023This study examines how age and cognitive ability predict use of different emotion regulation strategies in a laboratory task eliciting emotions varying in valence and...
OBJECTIVES
This study examines how age and cognitive ability predict use of different emotion regulation strategies in a laboratory task eliciting emotions varying in valence and arousal.
METHODS
Participants (N = 287) aged 25-85 completed the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery and an emotion regulation task in a laboratory setting. They watched a series of emotional clips (disgust, sadness, amusement, and contentment) under instructions to increase positive emotions or decrease negative emotions. After each clip, they rated the extent to which they used emotion regulation strategies that involve different types of engagement with emotional stimuli and disengagement from emotional stimuli.
RESULTS
Older age was predictive of greater use of immersive-engagement strategies (e.g., perspective taking) and less use of disengagement strategies (e.g., distraction). Fluid cognitive ability was positively associated with immersive-engagement strategy use, particularly for high-arousal clips. For older adults, fluid cognitive ability was also associated with using positive-engagement strategies (e.g., positive reappraisal) to a greater extent to regulate negative emotions.
DISCUSSION
Patterns of emotion regulation strategy use varied by age, even when accounting for differences in reactivity. Findings suggest that older adults may not necessarily prefer strategies that are lower in cognitive demands or that focus on enhancing positivity. Results support the idea that strategy preferences are driven by a combination of characteristics of the regulator and the regulation context. The relevance of cognitive resources likely varies across situations, perhaps being most consequential for deeper processing of high-arousal stimuli and for older adults' engagement with positive aspects of an otherwise negative situation.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Emotional Regulation; Emotions; Cognition; Arousal; Sadness
PubMed: 36744761
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad021 -
The Journal of Psychology 2023Research has shown that Instagram imagery can affect women's body image. However, it remains unclear how Instagram images are perceived, and which type of images can...
Research has shown that Instagram imagery can affect women's body image. However, it remains unclear how Instagram images are perceived, and which type of images can have a positive impact on body image. In this study ( = 170), we examined whether exposure to body positive and humorous parody (vs. body ideal) imagery would be perceived as critiques of thin body ideals, would elicit photo-based activity in the form of "likes", and would positively affect women's body image. Results showed that both body positivity and humorous parody images elicited more "likes" and were perceived as critiquing thin body standards more than body ideal images. Moreover, women's body satisfaction and positive mood were higher after exposure to body positivity and humorous parody compared to exposure to body ideal images. Women exposed to humorous parody also reported a lower drive for thinness. These findings demonstrate that both body positivity and humorous parody can be considered critiques that improve body image.
Topics: Female; Humans; Body Image; Social Media; Emotions; Affect; Personal Satisfaction; Thinness
PubMed: 37067529
DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2023.2198686 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Mar 2024Whether antibodies against leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1-Abs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are partially transferred from serum and the impact of CSF-LGI1-Ab...
BACKGROUND
Whether antibodies against leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1-Abs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are partially transferred from serum and the impact of CSF-LGI1-Ab positivity on clinical features and prognosis are unclear. Therefore, we aim to investigate the differences in serum titers, clinical features, and outcomes between LGI1-Ab CSF-positive and LGI1-Ab CSF-negative patients.
METHODS
Retrospective analysis of serum titers and clinical features according to CSF LGI1-Ab status. In addition, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify predictors of worse outcomes.
RESULTS
A total of 60 patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis and positive serum LGI1-Abs were identified, of whom 8 (13.3%) patients were excluded due to the absence of CSF LGI1-Ab testing. Among the remaining 52 patients, 33 (63.5%) were positive for LGI1-Abs in CSF. CSF-positive patients were more likely to have high serum titers (≥ 1:100) than CSF-negative patients (p = 0.003), and Spearman's correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between CSF and serum titers in CSF-positive patients (r = 0.405, p = 0.019). Psychiatric symptoms and hyponatremia were more frequent in CSF-positive patients (p < 0.05). Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that CSF LGI1-Ab positivity and delayed immunotherapy are independent risk factors for incomplete recovery (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) > 0 at last follow-up).
CONCLUSIONS
LGI1-Ab CSF-positive patients have higher serum titers, and their CSF titers are positively correlated with serum titers, indicating a possible peripheral origin of CSF LGI1-Abs. CSF-positive patients more often present with psychiatric symptoms, hyponatremia, and worse outcomes, suggesting more severe neuronal damage.
PubMed: 38551680
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07489-6 -
False Positivity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Patients with Acute Tropical Diseases in Thailand.Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Jul 2022Serology remains a useful indirect method of diagnosing tropical diseases, especially in dengue infection. However, the current literature regarding cross-reactivity...
Serology remains a useful indirect method of diagnosing tropical diseases, especially in dengue infection. However, the current literature regarding cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 and dengue serology is limited and revealed conflicting results. As a means to uncover relevant serological insight involving antibody classes against SARS-CoV-2 and cross-reactivity, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgM, and IgG ELISA, based on spike and nucleocapsid proteins, were selected for a fever-presenting tropical disease patient investigation. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Tropical Medicine during March to December 2021. The study data source comprised (i) 170 non-COVID-19 sera from 140 adults and children presenting with acute undifferentiated febrile illness and 30 healthy volunteers, and (ii) 31 COVID-19 sera from 17 RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Among 170 non-COVID-19 samples, 27 were false positives (15.9%), of which IgA, IgM, and IgG cross-reactive antibody classes were detected in 18 (10.6%), 9 (5.3%), and 3 (1.8%) cases, respectively. Interestingly, one case exhibited both IgA and IgM false positivity, while two cases exhibited both IgA and IgG false positivity. The false positivity rate in anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgM was reported in adults with dengue infection (11.3% and 5%) and adults with other tropical diseases (16.7% and 13.3%). The urea dissociation method applied to mitigate false positivity resulted in significantly decreased ELISA-based false and true positives. In conclusion, the analysis of antibody against SARS-CoV-2 in sera of patients with different tropical diseases showed that high IgA and IgM false positivity thus potentially limits serological assay utility in fever-presenting patients in tropical areas.
PubMed: 35878144
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7070132 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2021HCV screening depends mainly on a one-assay anti-HCV testing strategy that is subject to an increased false-positive rate in low-prevalence populations. In this study, a...
HCV screening depends mainly on a one-assay anti-HCV testing strategy that is subject to an increased false-positive rate in low-prevalence populations. In this study, a two-assay anti-HCV testing strategy was applied to screen HCV infection in two groups, labelled group one (76,442 people) and group two (18,415 people), using Elecsys electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and an Architect chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), respectively. Each anti-HCV-reactive serum was retested with the other assay. A recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) and HCV RNA testing were performed to confirm anti-HCV positivity or active HCV infection. In group one, 516 specimens were reactive in the ECL screening, of which CMIA retesting showed that 363 (70.3%) were anti-HCV reactive (327 positive, 30 indeterminate, 6 negative by RIBA; 191 HCV RNA positive), but 153 (29.7%) were not anti-HCV reactive (4 positive, 29 indeterminate, 120 negative by RIBA; none HCV RNA positive). The two-assay strategy significantly improved the positive predictive value (PPV, 64.1% & 90.1%, P < 0.05). In group two, 87 serum specimens were reactive according to CMIA screening. ECL showed that 56 (70.3%) were anti-HCV reactive (47 positive, 8 indeterminate, 1 negative by RIBA; 29 HCV RNA positive) and 31 (29.7%) were anti-HCV non-reactive (25 negative, 5 indeterminate, 1 positive by RIBA; none HCV RNA positive). Again, the PPV was significantly increased (55.2% & 83.9%, P < 0.05). Compared with a one-assay testing strategy, the two-assay testing strategy may significantly reduce false positives in anti-HCV testing and identify inactive HCV infection in low-seroprevalence populations.
Topics: Algorithms; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Humans; Prevalence
PubMed: 33888806
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88138-2