[Trial evaluation of secondary statistical material as a basis for conclusions on the physical development and state of health of school children in Warsaw].
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Child↗
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Results for “statistical physics”
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HAND DEFORMITIES IN PARKINSONISM.
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Hand Deformities↗
Effects of measurement strategy and statistical analysis on dose-response relations between physical workload and low back pain.
BACKGROUND: In epidemiological studies on physical workloads and back complaints, among the important features in modelling dose-response relations are the measurement strategy of the exposure and the nature of the dose-response relation that is assumed. AIM: To evaluate the effect of these two features on the strength of the dose-response relation between physical load and severe low back pain. METHODS: The study population consisted of 769 workers in nursing homes and homes for the elderly. Observations at the workplace were made of 212 subjects. These observations were analysed to determine exposure to physical load according to two measurement strategies: the individual approach and the group approach. The nature of the dose-response relation was evaluated with nested logistic regression models. RESULTS: The group approach resulted in higher odds ratios for the associations between physical load and low back pain than the individual approach. Spline logistic regression models appeared to describe the dose-response relation between physical load and low back pain best. The corresponding curve showed small changes in risk for small changes in exposure, whereas the categorical model only showed sudden large changes in risk at predefined exposure values. CONCLUSION: The choice for a particular measurement strategy of physical load influences the strength of the associations between physical load and severe low back pain. Spline models allow changes in risk over the whole exposure range and are therefore a promising approach to identify quantitative dose-response patterns between physical load and low back pain.
Health Surveys↗
Work hardening: evidence for success of a program.
The effectiveness of a work hardening program in facilitating gains in physical strength and return to work in 40 chronic low back-pain clients was assessed. Statistically significant gains in physical strength were found. Also, 27 of the 32 clients reached by follow-up telephone calls returned to work full time.
Adult↗
Intradiscal electrothermal treatment for chronic discogenic low back pain: prospective outcome study with a minimum 2-year follow-up.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study with a minimum 2-year follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term outcome of a group of patients with chronic discogenic low back pain who had failed to improve with comprehensive nonoperative care and who were subsequently treated with intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Previous reports of patient outcomes at 1 year after IDET have demonstrated statistically significant improvement. METHODS: The study group comprised 58 patients with chronic symptoms of more than 6 months who failed to improve with nonoperative care and subsequently underwent IDET. VAS pain scores, SF-36 scores, and sitting tolerance times were collected pretreatment and at 6, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: Mean duration of pre-IDET symptoms was 60.7 months. The minimum follow-up at data collection was 24 months. The study group (n = 58) demonstrated a significant improvement in pain as demonstrated by statistically significant improvement in VAS scores and bodily pain SF-36 scores. The IDET-treated group demonstrated a significant improvement in physical function as noted by statistically significant improvement in sitting tolerance times and physical function SF-36 scores. Bodily pain and physical function scores demonstrated significant improvement between the 1- and 2-year observation points. Additionally, quality of life improvement was demonstrated by a statistically significant improvement in all the SF-36 subscales. CONCLUSIONS: A cohort of patients with chronic discogenic low back pain who had failed to improve with comprehensive nonoperative care demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in pain, physical function, and quality of life at 2 years after IDET.
Adult↗
MR imaging of the temporomandibular joint: a validation experiment in vitro.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors compared magnetic resonance (MR) image quality obtained from 3- and 1-mm-thick sections in the depiction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its adjacent structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight TMJ specimens from four adult cadaver heads were depicted with MR imaging. Both 3- and 1-mm-thick sections were generated. One oral and maxillofacial radiologist, who was blinded to section thickness, evaluated the anatomic details of the images. Subsequently, the joints were surgically explored by two oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and the physical findings were recorded. RESULTS: Some statistically significant differences were found between the physical findings and the 3-mm-thick section images, while no significant differences were found with the 1-mm-thick sections. CONCLUSION: The TMJ and its adjacent structures were better depicted by thinner MR images.
Aged↗
Marginal and mindful: deviants in social interactions.
Master status people's behavior, physical appearance, or life circumstance is statistically unusual and centrally defining (e.g., the physically attractive, the obese, the intellectually gifted, the facially scarred, the talented, the athletic, Blacks, gays, the wealthy, rape and incest victims). These individuals were paired with people without such conditions. Each pair was left alone on a pretext and covertly videotaped. Pairs were then separated; each member spontaneously recalled information about her partner and the experimental room and provided a record of her thoughts and feelings during the interaction. As hypothesized, all master status Ss were particularly likely to be mindful in social interactions; they recalled detailed information about the situation and often took their partner's perspective during the interaction. The positive or negative connotations of the master status conditions were irrelevant in predicting Ss cognitions (mindfulness) but were critical in determining Ss behaviors (interaction strategies).
Acne Vulgaris↗
The physical fitness and work performance of agricultural workers infected with Schistosoma mansoni in Zimbabwe.
Stool specimens were collected from 1995 sugarcane cutters on the Hippo Valley and Triangle sugar estates, Zimbabwe, in order to determine the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Pathological changes normally ascribed to S. mansoni infection were assessed in the infected cutters, by ultrasonography before treatment. The height, weight, age, haemoglobin levels, blood pressure and body fat of the infected and uninfected control study subjects, standardized by age, were determined. Those with elevated blood pressure were excluded from the study. Physical fitness and work performances were assessed in 287 infected and 210 uninfected cane cutters aged (mean +/- S.D.) 36.5 +/- 7.5 years. Despite the finding that all the subjects were of good nutritional status and generally physically fit, a t-test showed a significant improvement (P < 0.01) in the performance of the infected cutters following treatment; age-related physical performance, measured by the Harvard Step Test, increased by 4.3% and work output, measured as the amount of cane cut in a given time, rose by 16.6%. Although the physical and work performances of the uninfected control subjects also increased over the same period, this trend, attributed to occupational physical exercise, was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Significant correlations were found between both infection intensity-related pre-treatment physical fitness (P < 0.05) and work performance (P < 0.01) and prevalence of Symmers' peri-portal fibrosis.
Adult↗
Changes in cognitive measures in a randomized controlled trial of a health promotion program for couples targeting diet and physical activity.
PURPOSE: To examine cognitive responses to a 4-month health promotion program targeting diet and physical activity in recently cohabiting couples. DESIGN: A three-group randomized controlled trial: no intervention (Controls), interactive group sessions and mail-outs (Interactive), and one group session followed by mail-outs (Mail). SETTING: Australian research studies unit. SUBJECTS: Seventy-eight of 137 couples cohabiting for < 2 years, recruited by advertising, completed the study. MEASURES: Stages of change; health beliefs; self-efficacy; and perceived barriers to change evaluated by questionnaires at baseline, postintervention, and 1-year follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed models, factor analysis, and linear regression. RESULTS: In the Mail group, the perceived importance of barriers to dietary change decreased by 19% at postintervention and 16% at 1-year follow-up; dietary self-efficacy increased by 9% and 3%, respectively. In the Interactive group, the perceived importance of barriers to dietary change decreased by 26% and 20%, and dietary self-efficacy increased by 14% and 12%, respectively. Similar trends for physical activity were not statistically significant. However, changes in self-efficacy and perceived barriers to change significantly predicted dietary and physical activity behaviors. A preponderance of higher socio-economic groups and the proportion of drop-out may have biased results. CONCLUSIONS: Health promotion using partners' support and targeting diet and physical activity improves associated cognitive variables in couples. Most improvements were greater and more sustained with interactive group sessions.
Adult↗
ON THE NONEXISTENCE OF ADAPTIVE TOPOGRAPHIES.
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Genetics, Medical↗
Effects of pyridoxine and riboflavin supplementation on physical fitness in young adolescents.
The effects of pyridoxine and riboflavin supplementation on physical fitness was studied in a group of children with higher prevalence of subclinical, biochemically defined pyridoxine and riboflavin deficiencies. One hundred and thirteen children aged 12-14 years were allocated to three groups to receive daily (except Sundays) for two months either a placebo or a supplement of pyridoxine or riboflavin. The supplementation resulted in marked improvement of pyridoxine and riboflavin nutrition status and was followed by disappearance of respective biochemical deficiencies. The improvement in pyridoxine biochemical status was also accompanied by a slight and statistically significant increase in physical fitness (p less than 0.05) assessed by bicycle ergometer technique. The increase in physical fitness in the riboflavin supplemented group was statistically non-significant (p greater than 0.05). In both supplemented groups there was a significant increase in physical fitness in subjects with initially deficient biochemical vitamin status whereas supplementation had no effect on physical fitness in subjects with initially high biochemical values.
Adolescent↗
Covariation of cigarette smoking and other health-risk behaviors among Japanese high school students: a preliminary study.
This study aims to determine if cigarette smoking is associated with engaging in other health-risk behaviors among high school students in Japan. Self-administered anonymous questionnaires were conducted in 1999 using a sample of 1,466 students (male: 50.5%, female: 49.5%) in grades 10 through 12 at seven public senior high schools in urban areas of Okinawa, Japan. Health-risk behaviors studiedal included cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, thinner use, sexual intercourse, suicidal ideation, nonuse of seat belts, physical inactivity, and weight loss practices. In the logistic regression models, controlled for sociodemographic variables, smoking was significantly associated with all health-risk behaviors except physical inactivity. In particular, associations of alcohol drinking and sexual intercourse with smoking were strong. Among male students, statistically significant odds ratios existed for alcohol drinking, sexual intercourse, and nonuse of seat belts. Among female students, all of the odds ratios for health-risk behaviors were statistically significant, except for physical inactivity. Generally, the odds ratios of female students were higher than those of male students. In conclusion, high school students who smoked cigarettes in this study may be at higher risk for engaging in other health-risk behaviors. Particularly, alcohol drinking and sexual intercourse are more likely to co-occur with smoking. These findings suggest that smoking prevention programs should be integrated with other health-risk behaviors.
Adolescent↗
Evaluation of uncertainty of the comprehensive interpretation of borehole logs by the multiple re-run statistical method.
Measurements of various physical quantities in a borehole by geophysical well logging tools are designed to determine these quantities for underground geological formations. Then, the raw data (logs) are combined in a comprehensive interpretation to obtain values of geological parameters. Estimating the uncertainty of calculated geological parameters, interpreted in such a way, is difficult, often impossible, when classical statistical methods are used. The method presented here permits an estimate of the uncertainty of a quantity to be obtained. The discussion of the dependence between the uncertainty of nuclear and acoustic tool responses, and the estimated uncertainty of the interpreted geological parameters (among others: porosity, water saturation, clay content) is presented.
Journal Article↗
[Biochemical measures in cardiac patients: an analysis of change during rehabilitation (author's transl)].
210 male patients hospitalized for cardiac rehabilitation have been studied. As a result of age matching the sample was reduced to 190 patients: 72 patients with myocardial infarction, 90 patients with functional cardiovascular diseases, and 28 patients with angina pectoris. At the beginning and at the end of the 4 to 6 week rehabilitation program total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphatides, GOT, GPT, LDH, HBDH, cholinesterase, aldolase, blood sugar, creatinine, electrolytes, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukozytes, and catecholamines were measured. In addition to the statistical comparison of the three groups and their specific change patterns, effects of body weight reduction and improvement of physical fitness were analyzed. The decrease of lipids is especially associated with weight reduction, whereas the decrease of enzyme activity and electrolyte concentration is accompanied as well with weight reduction as with the improvement of physical fitness.
Adult↗
Partner abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder as risk factors for suicide attempts in a sample of low-income, inner-city women.
This study examined partner abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as risk factors for suicidal behavior among women, and whether or not PTSD mediated the partner abuse-suicidal behavior association. Attempters (n = 119) were approximately three times more likely to be above clinical cut-points for physical partner abuse, nonphysical abuse, and PTSD than nonattempters (n = 85). Physical partner abuse, but not nonphysical partner abuse, was associated with an increased risk for PTSD. Further, PTSD mediated the link between physical partner abuse and suicidality, such that when PTSD was statistically controlled, the association between physical partner abuse and suicide attempt status was reduced to nonsignificance. Implications of findings for interventions for female victims of partner abuse, and women who make nonfatal suicide attempts are discussed.
Adult↗
The relationship of the intensity of lens opacity with physical activity.
OBJECTIVE: To study the character and the intensity of lens opacity and the visual acuity in cataract patients and controls and to determine the association of these indices with the subjects' physical activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The lens opacity in 110 eyes of patients (n=110) aged 60.3+/-0.4 (mean+/-SEM) years admitted to the Clinic of Eye Diseases of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital for cataract surgery and the lens opacity of 100 eyes of controls (n=50) aged 59.8+/-0.4 (mean+/-SEM) (p>0.05) years hospitalized in the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases was evaluated according to the Lens Opacity Classification System, version III. Visual acuity was investigated using the Snellen chart. Physical activity in metabolic equivalent minutes per week (MET-minutes/week) was evaluated according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS: The means of the intensity of lens opacity of patients with cataract were significantly higher, and the means of visual acuity and physical activity were significantly lower, compared to controls (p<0.01-0.001). For less active patients (<5900 MET-minutes/week) with the right eye examined, the odds ratio of cataract was by 7.00 (95% confidence interval 2.93-16.74, p<0.001) and for those with the left eye studied by 4.43 (95% confidence interval 1.97-9.98, p<0.001) times higher, compared to physically active (>5900 MET-minutes/week) patients. Physical activity was inversely correlated (r=-0.452, p<0.05) with the lens opacity in the cortex in physically active (>5900 MET-minutes/week) subjects with cataract who underwent the examination of the left eye. CONCLUSION: The intensity of lens opacity and cataract are statistically significantly related to physical activity.
Cataract↗
Primary total knee replacement: short-term outcomes in an Australian population.
This study evaluated the short-term outcome of primary total knee replacement, using standard and reliable outcome measures, for osteoarthritis in an Australian population. This study also compared the pre-operative health status of the patient population with population norms using a quality of life questionnaire. Using the medical outcome study (MOS) 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), there was a statistically significant improvement in physical functioning and bodily pain in males and bodily pain, vitality, role-emotional and mental health in females (P < 0.05). A statistically significant improvement was also seen in Knee Society Scores following surgery for both males and females (P < 0.05). Comparison of pre-operative SF-36 data to age-matched Australian normative values demonstrate that female patients requiring total knee replacement were significantly below the norms in virtually all health dimensions while males were significantly below the norms in mainly physical health dimensions (P < 0.01).
Activities of Daily Living↗
Health measures: differentiating associations with gender and socio-economic status.
BACKGROUND: In a cohort survey on health-related lifestyles, four different measures of health were analysed with regard to their associations with gender, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. METHODS: The survey was carried out in Berne, Switzerland. Response rate was 64% in the initial interview and 83% in the second interview, from which the data presented were derived, resulting in 923 participants aged 56 to 66 years. Along with socio-economic and psychosocial parameters, four self-report health measures were obtained, namely self-rated health, physical fitness, number of medical conditions and restrictions caused by medical conditions. Regression analysis was used to investigate and compare their associations with gender, socio-economic and psychosocial factors and relevant interaction terms. RESULTS: Gender was statistically significantly associated with physical fitness, number of medical conditions and subsequent restrictions. Education and income showed statistically significant associations with self-rated health and fitness. Psychological factors were statistically significantly associated with all health measures. Gender showed to interact with education, income interacted with internal health locus of control. Analyses with separated genders showed that the association of socio-economic status with self-rated health and fitness was statistically significant in women only. CONCLUSION: The different health measures showed considerable variation in strengths of association with health-related factors, most noticeably so with gender and socio-economic status. The choice of health measures in population studies should comply with the intention to analyse its associations with any of those related factors, or, in reverse, with the wish to prevent their confounding properties.
Activities of Daily Living↗