9 research outputs found
Varying Vaccination Rates Among Patients Seeking Care for Acute Respiratory Illness:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Background: Complications following influenza infection are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends universal annual vaccination. However, vaccination rates have remained significantly lower than the Department of Health and Human Services goal. The aim of this work was to assess the vaccination rate among patients who present to health care providers with influenza-like illness and identify groups with lower vaccination rates. Methods: We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases with a time frame of January 1, 2010, to March 1, 2019 and focused on the vaccination rate among patients seeking care for acute respiratory illness in the United States. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled seasonal influenza vaccination rate, and we used a time trend analysis to identify differences in annual vaccination over time. Results: The overall pooled influenza vaccination rate was 48.61% (whites: 50.87%; blacks: 36.05%; Hispanics: 41.45%). There was no significant difference among gender groups (men: 46.43%; women: 50.11%). Interestingly, the vaccination rate varied by age group and was significantly higher among adults aged >65 (78.04%) and significantly lower among children 9-17 years old (36.45%). Finally, we found a significant upward time trend in the overall influenza vaccination rate among whites (coef. = .0107; Pâ
=â
.027). Conclusions: In conclusion, because of the significantly lower influenza vaccination rates in black and Hispanic communities, societal initiatives and community outreach programs should focus on these populations and on children and adolescents aged 9-17 years
Pre-operative Prediction of Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most common operation performed. Though LC have become safer and easier at times it can be difficult. Difficult cases can result in prolonged operative time, bleeding, bile spillage, conversion to open technique and bile duct injury resulting in unplanned prolonged hospital stay, increase in estimated cost to the patients and for the surgeon it leads to increased stress during operation and time pressure to complete the operative list. . Identification of difficult cases has potential advantages for surgeons, patients and their relatives. We aim to develop and validate a scoring system to predict difficult LC preoperatively.
Methods: Prospective study. History, physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and biochemical parameters were included to develop a scoring system. Hundred patients undergoing LC were included and preoperative scores were calculated preoperatively to predict difficult LC which was compared with operative assessment.
Results: Sensitivity and specificity of the preoperative scoring for difficult case was 53.8 % and 89.2 % respectively with PPV of 63.64 % and NPV of 84.62%. Only three parameters (history of acute cholecystitis, gall bladder wall thickness and contracted gall bladder) were statistically significant to predict difficult LC individually. Area under ROC curve was 0.779 (95 % CI, 0.657-0.883).
Conclusions: Preoperative scoring system can be used to predict difficult LC. Surgeons can plan operation based on predicted difficulty. Patients and relatives can be counselled preoperatively for the possibility of difficult operation, prolonged hospital stay and increased cost in predicted difficult case.
Keywords: difficult cholecystectomy; laparoscopic cholecystectomy; symptomatic cholelithiasis
Pre-operative Prediction of Difď cult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most common operation performed.Though LC have become safer and easier at times it can be difď cult. Difď cult cases can result in prolonged operative time, bleeding, bile spillage, conversion to open technique and bile duct injury resulting in unplanned prolonged hospital stay, increase in estimated cost to the patients and for the surgeon it leads to increased stress during operation and time pressure to complete the operative list. Identiďcation of difď cult cases has potential advantages for surgeons, patients and their relatives. We aim to develop and validate a scoring system to predict difď cult LC preoperatively.
Methods: Prospective study. History, physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and biochemical parameters were included to develop a scoring system. Hundred patients undergoing LC were included and preoperative scores were calculated preoperatively to predict difď cult LC which was
compared with operative assessment.
Results: Sensitivity and speciď city of the preoperative scoring for difď cult case was 53.8 % and 89.2 % respectively with PPV of 63.64 % and NPV of 84.62%. Only three parameters (history of acute cholecystitis, gall bladder wall thickness and contracted gall bladder) were statistically signiď cant to
predict difď cult LC individually. Area under ROC curve was 0.779 (95 % CI, 0.657-0.883).Â
Conclusions: Preoperative scoring system can be used to predict difď cult LC. Surgeons can plan operation based on predicted difďculty. Patients and relatives can be counselled preoperatively for the possibility of difď cult operation, prolonged hospital stay and increased cost in predicted difďcult case.
Keywords: Difď cult cholecystectomy; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Symptomatic cholelithiasi
Modelling CO2 and CH4 emissions from drained peatlands with grass cultivation by the BASGRA-BGC model
Cultivated peatlands under drainage practices contribute significant carbon losses from agricultural sector in the Nordic countries. In this research, we developed the BASGRA-BGC model coupled with hydrological, soil carbon decomposition and methane modules to simulate the dynamic of water table level (WTL), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions for cultivated peatlands. The field measurements from four experimental sites in Finland, Denmark and Norway were used to validate the predictive skills of this novel model under different WTL management practices, climatic conditions and soil properties. Compared with daily observations, the model performed well in terms of RMSE (Root Mean Square Error; 0.06â0.11 m, 1.22â2.43 gC/m2/day, and 0.002â0.330 kgC/ha/day for WTL, CO2 and CH4, respectively), NRMSE (Normalized Root Mean Square Error; 10.3â18.3%, 13.0â18.6%, 15.3â21.9%) and Pearson's r (Pearson correlation coefficient; 0.60â0.91, 0.76â0.88, 0.33â0.80). The daily/seasonal variabilities were therefore captured and the aggregated results corresponded well with annual estimations. We further provided an example on the model's potential use in improving the WTL management to mitigate CO2 and CH4 emissions while maintaining grass production. At all study sites, the simulated WTLs and carbon decomposition rates showed a significant negative correlation. Therefore, controlling WTL could effectively reduce carbon losses. However, given the highly diverse carbon decomposition rates within individual WTLs, adding indi-cators (e.g. soil moisture and peat quality) would improve our capacity to assess the effectiveness of specificmitigation practices such as WTL control and rewetting
Modelling COâ and CHâ emissions from drained peatlands with grass cultivation by the BASGRA-BGC model
Abstract
Cultivated peatlands under drainage practices contribute significant carbon losses from agricultural sector in the Nordic countries. In this research, we developed the BASGRA-BGC model coupled with hydrological, soil carbon decomposition and methane modules to simulate the dynamic of water table level (WTL), carbon dioxide (COâ) and methane (CHâ) emissions for cultivated peatlands. The field measurements from four experimental sites in Finland, Denmark and Norway were used to validate the predictive skills of this novel model under different WTL management practices, climatic conditions and soil properties. Compared with daily observations, the model performed well in terms of RMSE (Root Mean Square Error; 0.06â0.11 m, 1.22â2.43 gC/m²/day, and 0.002â0.330 kgC/ha/day for WTL, COâ and CHâ, respectively), NRMSE (Normalized Root Mean Square Error; 10.3â18.3%, 13.0â18.6%, 15.3â21.9%) and Pearson's r (Pearson correlation coefficient; 0.60â0.91, 0.76â0.88, 0.33â0.80). The daily/seasonal variabilities were therefore captured and the aggregated results corresponded well with annual estimations. We further provided an example on the model's potential use in improving the WTL management to mitigate COâ and CHâ emissions while maintaining grass production. At all study sites, the simulated WTLs and carbon decomposition rates showed a significant negative correlation. Therefore, controlling WTL could effectively reduce carbon losses. However, given the highly diverse carbon decomposition rates within individual WTLs, adding indicators (e.g. soil moisture and peat quality) would improve our capacity to assess the effectiveness of specific mitigation practices such as WTL control and rewetting