Credit achievement ability during distance learning era: the case of Statistics in Medicine course

AIM In this study, the effects of the DL on academic career were investigated. BACKGROUND Distance Learning (DL) became mandatory in Italy from March 2020, due to COVID19 emergency. DESIGN The performances of students in Medical Statistics course of the Nursing degree in three campus of the University of Turin (Aosta, Beinasco and Cuneo) in the Academic Years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 were considered. METHODS The study is based on 308 students, 48% of whom both attended the lessons and took the exams in DL. The effect of DL on student’s performance was evaluated using Logistic regression models and the results are showed in terms of odds ratios adjusted for gender, age and campus. RESULTS The results show that DL did not bring particular limitations to the students, highlighting on the contrary evident benefits in terms of organization and management of lessons and exams. Moreover, the level of students’ satisfaction at the end of the course increased in DL. CONCLUSION DL seems to do not affect the student’s ability on achieve credits, at least in mathematical subjects. More investigations are needed considering all courses’ types

A new numerical method for processing longitudinal data: clinical applications

Background: Processing longitudinal data is a computational issue that arises in many applications, such as in aircraft design, medicine, optimal control and weather forecasting. Given some longitudinal data, i.e. scattered measurements, the aim consists in approximating the parameters involved in the dynamics of the considered process. For this problem, a large variety of well-known methods have already been developed. Results: Here, we propose an alternative approach to be used as effective and accurate tool for the parameters fitting and prediction of individual trajectories from sparse longitudinal data. In particular, our mixed model, that uses Radial Basis Functions (RBFs) combined with Stochastic Optimization Algorithms (SOMs), is here presented and tested on clinical data. Further, we also carry out comparisons with other methods that are widely used in this framework. Conclusions: The main advantages of the proposed method are the flexibility with respect to the datasets, meaning that it is effective also for truly irregularly distributed data, and its ability to extract reliable information on the evolution of the dynamics

Raggiungimento dei crediti formativi nell’era della DaD: il caso del corso di Statistica Medica

La Didattica a Distanza (DaD) è diventata obbligatoria in Italia da marzo 2020, a causa dell’emergenza COVID19. In questo studio desideravamo quindi analizzare gli effetti della DaD sulle carriere accademiche degli studenti, in particolare sulla loro capacità di superare gli esami. In questo studio pilota, sono state analizzate le performance degli studenti del corso di Statistica Medica del Corso di Laurea in Infermieristica in tre sedi dell'Università degli Studi di Torino (Cuneo, Aosta e Beinasco) negli Anni Accademici 2019-2020 e 2020-2021. Lo studio si basa su 308 studenti, il 48% dei quali ha frequentato sia le lezioni che gli esami in DaD. L'effetto del DaD sulle prestazioni degli studenti è stato valutato utilizzando la regressione logistica modelli; i risultati sono mostrati in termini di Odds Ratio (OR) aggiustati per sesso, età e sede. I risultati mostrano che la DaD non ha portato particolari limitazioni agli studenti, evidenziando al contrario evidenti benefici in termini di organizzazione e gestione di lezioni ed esami. Inoltre, il livello di soddisfazione degli studenti alla fine del corso è aumentato in DaD. La DaD sembra non intaccare la capacità dello studente di conseguire crediti, almeno in materie matematiche. Sono necessarie ulteriori indagini considerando tutti i tipi di corsi

Development and validation of the Premorbid Childhood Traits Questionnaire (PCT-Q) in eating disorders

PurposeSome features of eating disorders (EDs) are often present in childhood before the onset of the ED. We developed a novel questionnaire to retrospectively capture such childhood traits.MethodsFocus groups were conducted at the University of California-San Diego, USA, and at the University of Turin, Italy. Three focus groups were conducted at each site, interviewing patients and parents to identify those traits that most commonly characterize childhood of patients with EDs. A preliminary version of the Premorbid Childhood Traits Questionnaire (PCT-Q) derived from these focus groups was then administered to 94 consecutive inpatients with an ED and to 286 healthy controls (HCs) at the Turin site. Also, 208 participants' parents were enrolled as well; in fact, the PCT-Q was developed with both a proband and an informant version.ResultsA 37-item final version of the PCT-Q was generated. Reliability analyses suggested acceptability for harm avoidance (HA), social phobia, alexithymia, interoceptive awareness (IA), and food obsessions. Inter-rater reliability ranged from fair to moderate. ED sufferers scored significantly higher than HCs on HA, social phobia, alexithymia, IA, and food obsessions.ConclusionsThese findings support the possibility that premorbid traits contribute to a risk to develop an ED in some individuals.Level of evidenceIII: case-control analytic study

Manual push technique, an alternative route of subcutaneous immunoglobulin administration in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: A proof-of-concept study

Abstract Objective Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) administered through infusion pump has been reported as effective in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) patients. In this study we evaluate an alternative technique of SCIg administration, based on the delivery of lower volumes administered daily using manual push technique (MPT) in 10 CIDP patients. Methods In this randomized, controlled, two-arm, crossover clinical trial, CIDP patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive SCIg either by MPT or pumps for 4 consecutive months with crossover to the other. The primary objective was to assess whether MPT had the same effectiveness as pumps. The secondary objectives were to assess whether MPT resulted in greater plasma IgG levels and improved quality of life (QoL). Results Ten patients (mean age = 48.3) were enrolled. No significant changes were observed in the efficacy parameters (INCAT, MRC, R-ODS, and GS scales). A positive mean variation of 5.4 % in plasma IgG levels in the group treated with MPT was observed at the end of MPT periods. Treatment interference, which is one of the dimensions of the Life Quality Index, showed a significant improvement in the MPT periods. Conclusion In CIDP patients, the MPT technique was as effective as pump infusion, allowed comparable, slightly increases plasma IgG levels, and also improved the QoL

Laparoscopic conservative management of ureteral endometriosis: a survey of eighty patients submitted to ureterolysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of laparoscopic conservative management of ureteral endometriosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty cases of histologically confirmed endometriosis affecting the ureter, 10 of which with bladder involvement were prospectively studied. In detail, patients were 13 women with ureteral stenosis (7 with hydronephrosis), 32 with circular lesions totally encasing the ureter, and 35 with endometriotic foci on the ureteral wall, but not completely encasing it. They were submitted to laparoscopic ureterolysis with or without partial cystectomy, ureteroneocistostomy. The rate of surgical complications, the recurrence rate, the patients' satisfaction rate was assessed during 22 months (median) follow-up.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Laparoscopic ureterolysis was employed for all patients and set free the ureter from the disease in 95% of cases, whereas ureteroneocystostomy was necessary for 4 patients showing severe stenosis with hydronephrosis, among which 2 had intrinsic endometriosis of the ureteral muscularis. Three post-surgery ureteral fistulae occurred in cases with ureteral involvement longer than 4 cm: two cases were successfully treated placing double J catheter, the third needed ureteroneocistostomy. During follow-up, ureteral endometriosis recurred in 2 patients who consequently underwent ureteroneocystostomy. Most patients expressed high satisfaction rate throughout the whole follow-up period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>laparoscopic ureterolysis is effective and well tolerated in most cases of ureteral endometriosis. Ureteroneocystostomy is a better strategy for patients with extended (more than 4 cm) ureteral involvement or with severe stenosis with or without hydronephrosis.</p