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Spearman's Test (spearman + test)
Selected AbstractsAbstracts of the 8th Meeting of the Italian Peripheral Nerve Study Group: 24JOURNAL OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, Issue 1 2003M Piatti The present study was performed with the aim to compare different clinically-based neurotoxicity scales with a more extended composite scale (Total Neuropathy Scale) already validated in diabetic patients, in order to improve the grading of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) severity. The features of CIPN were evaluated in a series of women affected by locally advanced squamous cervical carcinoma treated with cisplatin and paclitaxel, based chemotherapy by clinical examination, neurophysiology and quantitative sensory testing of vibration threshold (VDT); the ECOG, Ajani and NCIC-CTC grades were assessed by a neurologist after clinical examination and the TNS was calculated after additional instrumental examination. At the same time, the treating oncologist, who was blinded as regards the results of the neurological examination, assessed the NCIC-CTC sensory neurotoxicity grade. The correlation existing between the different evaluations was evaluated with the Spearman test on a total of 97 visits. Our results indicate for all the neurotoxicity scales commonly used by oncologists and evaluated in this study a significant correlation with TNS; the interexaminer agreement comparison evaluation evidenced that in several cases the neurologist attributed a higher grade in the NCIC-CTC scale than the oncologist, and this discrepancy was mainly due to a different evaluation of the sensory impairment. In conclusion, the TNS can be used to assess effectively the severity of CIPN and the results of this evaluation can be reliably correlated with the oncological grading of sensory peripheral neurotoxicity; the wider range of TNS values, however, can allow a more accurate grading of the sensory impairment, a feature which can improve the estimate of CIPN changes, particularly in clinical trials; finally, the use of standardized methods of examination of the sensory function (e.g. the semiquantitative measure of vibration sensibility using the 128 Hz tuning fork) may reduce the interexaminer disagreement. [source] Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme and frequency of severe hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes: does a relationship exist?DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007N. N. Zammitt Abstract Aims An association has been described between elevated serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and an increased risk of severe hypoglycaemia (SH). To ascertain whether this reported association could be replicated in a different country, it was re-examined in 300 individuals with Type 1 diabetes. Methods People with Type 1 diabetes, none of whom was taking renin,angiotensin system blocking drugs, were recruited. Participants recorded the frequency with which they had experienced SH. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum ACE were measured. The difference in the incidence of SH between different quartiles of ACE activity and the relationship between serum ACE and SH were examined using non-parametric statistical tests and a negative binomial model. Results Data were obtained from 300 patients [158 male; HbA1c median (range) 8.2% (5.2,12.8%), median age 36 years (16,88); duration of diabetes 14.5 years (2,49)]. The incidence of SH was 0.93 episodes per patient year. The mean incidence of SH in the top and bottom quartiles of ACE activity was 0.5 and 1.7 episodes per patient year, respectively, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.075). Spearman's test showed a very weak, although statistically significant, association between serum ACE level and SH incidence (r = 0.115, P = 0.047). The binomial model also showed a statistically significant (P = 0.002), but clinically weak, relationship between serum ACE and SH. Conclusions The present survey showed a weak relationship between serum ACE and the frequency of SH, the clinical relevance of which is unclear. This limits the proposed role for serum ACE as an index of risk for SH. [source] Diagnosis of melanoma aspirates on ThinPrep®: The University of Michigan experienceDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Güliz Akdas Barkan M.D. Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the cytologic features of melanoma fine-needle aspirates (FNAs) prepared by ThinPrep® (TP) with those in conventional smears (CS) and to identify any diagnostic pitfalls. Fifty-one aspirates diagnosed as melanoma were obtained, 36 of which were prepared by both TP and CS. The preparations were evaluated for cellularity, cell aggregates, cellular appearance, melanin pigment, cytoplasmic, and nuclear features. Categorical data were analyzed by the chi-square test and continuous data by the Wilcoxin-signed rank test. Correlation was determined by Spearman's test for bivariate correlations (rho). Good correlation between the two methods was identified for the following features: cellularity, cell type, bi/multinucleated cells, cytoplasmic features, NC ratio, and presence of macronucleoli. TP exhibits coarser chromatin compared to CS (P = 0.005). Six of 36 CS contained large cellular groups; none of the TP contained them (P = 0.018). Twenty-five of 36 CS contained intranuclear inclusions as opposed to 12/36 TP (P < 0.001). The number of inclusions was significantly reduced on TP. The amount of intracellular melanin was the same with both techniques. Background melanin was markedly reduced on TP except when either trapped by fibrin or attached to cellular clusters (P = 0.006). Background blood was also markedly reduced on TP (P < 0.005). In summary, the cytological features of TP and CS for FNA evaluation of melanoma correlate well; however, one needs to be aware of the cytologic alterations introduced by TP. TP is a sufficient preparation method in the diagnosis of melanoma FNA aspirates when performed by clinicians. It is also a useful adjunct in bloody or low-cellular aspirates, where it tends to reduce the background blood and concentrate the cells. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;26:334,339. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Gingival changes during pregnancy: I. Influence of hormonal variations on clinical and immunological parametersJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Elena Figuero Figuero E, Carrillo-de-Albornoz A, Herrera D, Bascones-Martínez A. Gingival changes during pregnancy: I. Influence of hormonal variations on clinical and immunological parameters. J Clin Periodontol 2009; 37: 220,229. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2009.01516.x. Abstract Aim: To test whether exacerbated gingival inflammation in pregnancy is associated with increased salivary hormone levels and changes in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) interleukin-1, (IL-1,) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) levels. Material and methods: In this cohort study, 48 pregnant women without periodontitis were evaluated in the first, second, and third trimesters and at 3 months postpartum. Twenty-eight non-periodontitis non-pregnant women were evaluated twice, with a 6-month interval. Plaque and gingival indices (PlI, GI), salivary progesterone and estradiol and GCF IL-1, and PGE2 levels were determined. anova for repeated measures or Friedman's test were used for intragroup analyses. Inter-group comparisons were analysed with t -test or Mann,Whitney U -test. Correlations were evaluated with Pearson's and Spearman's test. Results: Pregnant women showed an increase in GI (p<0.05) despite maintaining low PlI values. No changes in IL-1, and PGE2 levels were observed during pregnancy. No significant correlation was found between the GI increase and salivary hormone levels. GI (p<0.05) and IL-1, levels (p<0.001) were lower in non-pregnant than in pregnant women. Conclusions: This study confirms the presence of an exacerbated gingival inflammation during pregnancy, but this phenomenon could not be associated with an increase in progesterone or estradiol or with changes in PGE2 or IL-1,. [source] Predictive value of frozen-section analysis in the histological assessment of steatosis before liver transplantationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 12 2009Michelangelo Fiorentino Histological quality assessment of donated livers is a key factor for extending the cadaveric donor pool for liver transplantation. We retrospectively compared frozen-section analysis with routine histological permanent slides and the outcomes of grafts in liver biopsies from 294 candidate donors. The , concordance coefficient of agreement between frozen-section analysis and routine histological analysis was very good for macrosteatosis (, = 0.934), microsteatosis (, = 0.828), and total steatosis (, = 0.814). The correlation between the mean amounts of macrosteatosis, microsteatosis, and total steatosis in frozen and permanent sections was also significant (P < 0.001, Spearman's test). Macrosteatosis and microsteatosis were overestimated to >30% in 4 of 32 cases (12.5%) and in 23 of 62 cases (37.1%), respectively. The only 2 histological parameters of frozen sections able to predict graft dysfunction within 7 days of transplantation were macrosteatosis and total steatosis (P = 0.018 and P = 0.015, respectively, Mann-Whitney test). None of the other histopathological features evaluated in frozen sections, including portal inflammation, lobular necrosis, myointimal thickening, biliocyte regression, cholestasis, hepatocellular polymorphism, lipofuscin storage, and fibrous septa, were significantly correlated with the graft outcome. The frozen-section histological evaluation of biopsies from cadaveric liver donors is an accurate, time-effective, and predictive method for the assessment of graft suitability. Liver Transpl 15:1821,1825, 2009. © 2010 AASLD. [source] Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of estrogen receptor gene expression in laser microdissected prostate cancer tissueTHE PROSTATE, Issue 8 2009Thomas J. Walton Abstract BACKGROUND Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis of laser microdissected tissue is considered the most accurate technique for determining tissue gene expression. The discovery of estrogen receptor beta (ER,) has focussed renewed interest on the role of estrogen receptors in prostate cancer, yet few studies have utilized the technique to analyze estrogen receptor gene expression in prostate cancer. METHODS Fresh tissue was obtained from 11 radical prostatectomy specimens and from 6 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. Pure populations of benign and malignant prostate epithelium were laser microdissected, followed by RNA isolation and electrophoresis. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed using primers for androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor beta (ER,), estrogen receptor alpha (ER,), progesterone receptor (PGR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA), with normalization to two housekeeping genes. Differences in gene expression were analyzed using the Mann,Whitney U -test. Correlation coefficients were analyzed using Spearman's test. RESULTS Significant positive correlations were seen when AR and AR-dependent PSA, and ER, and ER,-dependent PGR were compared, indicating a representative population of RNA transcripts. ER, gene expression was significantly over-expressed in the cancer group compared with benign controls (P,<,0.01). In contrast, PGR expression was significantly down-regulated in the cancer group (P,<,0.05). There were no significant differences in AR, ER, or PSA expression between the groups. This study represents the first to show an upregulation of ER, gene expression in laser microdissected prostate cancer specimens. CONCLUSIONS In concert with recent studies the findings suggest differential production of ER, splice variants, which may play important roles in the genesis of prostate cancer. Prostate 69: 810,819, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||