Examining Multiple Comparison Procedures According to Error Rate, Power Type and False Discovery Rate

Examining pairwise differences between means is a common practice of applied researchers, and the selection of an appropriate multiple comparison procedure (MCP) is important for analyzing pairwise comparisons. This study examines the performance of MCPs under the assumption of homogeneity of variances for various numbers of groups with equal and unequal sample sizes via a simulation study. MCPs are compared according to type I error rate, power type and false discovery rate (FDR). Results show that the LSD and Duncan procedures have high error rates and Scheffe’s procedure has low power; no remarkable differences between the other procedures considered were identified

Co-Plot Method: A Research on Tobacco Control in the European Region

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to introduce the uncommonly used Co-Plot method which is called the multivariate graphical analysis and to apply this method to a data set including tobacco control in European region.METHODS: This study uses the data from the World Health Organization database according to Human Development Index of European countries. It takes into account variables such as smoking prevalence in young people and adults, the proportion of smoking-related deaths and domestic legislations casespertaining to tobacco products and analyses the data using the Co-Plot method.RESULTS: Results of the study demonstrated that smoking prevalence and restrictions on advertising of tobacco products were highly negatively correlated. The proportion of deaths associated with smoking-related diseases increased parallel to the increase in the smoking prevalence in young people and adults. Norway, France and Finland have enforced legal limitations on direct and indirect advertising, and thus there has been a decline in smoking prevalence among young people andadults. In some countries, including Ireland, Italy and Serbia, the prevalence of smoking among the young has decreased due to the new or increased legal restrictions on the sale distribution of tobacco products. The governments in the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Croatia, the Netherlands,Belgium, and Poland have placed restrictions on direct and indirect advertising. The distribution of other causes-related deaths and lung cancer-related deaths are high.CONCLUSION: The restrictions on tobacco products were tightened in time with the increased prevalence of smoking and proportion of smoking-related deaths. It can be said that the significantrelationships identified in this study have even more pertinence in developed countries. Consequently, Co-Plot method has enabled deeper data interpretations of the relationships between the countries and the variables in this study

The costs of hospitalization in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Sevket Ozkaya1, Serhat Findik2, Atilla Guven Atici21Rize University, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Rize, Turkey; 2Ondokuz Mayis University, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Atakum, Samsun, TurkeyIntroduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. It imparts a substantial economic burden on individuals and society. Acute exacerbations are the main cause of hospital admissions and hospitalizations in patients with COPD in Turkey.Objectives: We aimed to determine the costs of hospitalization in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).Results: A total of 7832 (1556 women, 6276 men) patients were hospitalized due to acute exacerbations of COPD between 2005–2009 in the Samsun Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Hospital, northern Turkey. The mean age was 64.6 ± 19.8 years old and median length of hospital stay was 14.8 ± 9.5 days. The mean cost per admission was US$718 ± 364. Drug costs accounted for the largest portion (53.5%) of the mean cost, followed by bed cost (19.6%). One hundred seventy-four (2.2%) of the total hospitalized patients with AECOPD died in hospital.Conclusion: AECOPD continues to have both significant economic burden and high mortality rate.Keywords: COPD, acute exacerbation, hospitalization, cost

Assessment of oral manifestations in pediatric patients with celiac disease in relation to marsh types

To investigate the presence of molar-incisor hypoplasia and recurrent aphthous ulcers, the level of caries experience, and oral hygiene status, and to measure salivary flow rate, salivary buffer capacity, and salivary cariogenic microflora with Marsh types. A single-blind, prospective clinical study with 62 pediatric patients diagnosed with celiac disease with 64 controls. Clinical identification of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) was followed according to the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry criteria. DMFS and dfs index were used for the caries experience of each child. The clinical diagnosis of RAU was present or not. Oral hygiene was surveyed by recording the OHI-S and the CRT® Bacteria and Buffer Test was used to examine the cariogenic microflora of each child. The prevalence of MIH was 61% and the number of recurrent aphthous ulcers were significantly higher in children with celiac disease. There was no statistically significant difference in the CD group, when DMFS, dfs, and MIH parameters were investigated according to dietary compliance. Higher dietary compliance resulted in better oral hygiene status. There was an inverse relationship between the duration of celiac diagnosis and the presence of MIH. A positive relation was found between the duration of the disease and the severity of MIH. In addition to the higher S. mutans counts, the salivary flow rate was very low in children with celiac disease, indicating a positive correlation between poor dietary compliance and poorer oral hygiene. In children, enamel defects and recurrent mucosal lesions may be a sign of celiac disease. Higher numbers of dental caries in permanent teeth of children with celiac disease may be related to Marsh 2 type. The pediatricians and/or pediatric gastroenterologists should refer the chin with celiac disease to the pediatric dentist for the accurate treatment of intraoral manifestations of the disease itself

Comparison of Vinorelbine-Cisplatin with Gemcitabine-Cisplatin in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose The objective of this trial was to compare cisplatin-plus-vinorelbine regimen with cisplatin-plus-gemcitabine regimen in patients with stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods Chemonaive patients with stage IIIB-IV NSCLC received either vinoelbine 30 mg/m 2 (days 1 and 8) plus cisplatin 80 mg/m 2 (day 1) every 21 days (VC arm) or gemcitabine 1250 mg/m 2 (days 1 and 8) plus cisplatin 80 mg/m 2 (day 1) every 21 days (GC arm). Results One hundred thirtyfour patients (67 VC and 67 GC) were included to the study. Overall response rates for the VC arm (31.2%) were not significantly different from that of the GC arm (34.3%). There were no differences in overall survival and one-year survival rates. Median survival and one-year survival rates for the VC and GC groups were 10.6 and 11.5 months, 45% and 46.8%, respectively. Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was significantly higher on the GC arm (VC 1.4% v GC 8.9%, p < 0.05), as was febrile neutropenia on the VC arm (VC 8.9% v GC 1.4%, p < 0.05). Conclusion VC and GC demonstrated similar efficacy but there were differences in toxicity profiles

Geometric Morphometric Study and Cluster Analysis of Late Byzantine and Modern Human Crania

Inter-population variation of cranial morphology, which plays an important role in human evolution studies and biological research, can be studied morphologically and metrically. Geometric morphometry compares body forms using specific landmarks determined by anatomical prominences. The aim of this study was to identify cranial shape differences between the crania of Byzantium period humans and modern humans. Variability in cranial shape was examined using the geometric morphometric technique based on landmark coordinates. Landmark coordinate data were collected from two-dimensional digital photogrammetry and were analyzed using generalized Procrustes analysis, hierarchical clustering and thin-plate spline analysis

Geometric Morphometric Study and Cluster Analysis of Late Byzantine and Modern Human Crania

Inter-population variation of cranial morphology, which plays an important role in human evolution studies and biological research, can be studied morphologically and metrically. Geometric morphometry compares body forms using specific landmarks determined by anatomical prominences. The aim of this study was to identify cranial shape differences between the crania of Byzantium period humans and modern humans. Variability in cranial shape was examined using the geometric morphometric technique based on landmark coordinates. Landmark coordinate data were collected from two-dimensional digital photogrammetry and were analyzed using generalized Procrustes analysis, hierarchical clustering and thin-plate spline analysis

Co-Plot Method: A Research on Tobacco Control in the European Region

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to introduce the uncommonly used Co-Plot method which is called the multivariate graphical analysis and to apply this method to a data set including tobacco control in European region.<br />METHODS: This study uses the data from the World Health Organization database according to Human Development Index of European countries. It takes into account variables such as smoking prevalence in young people and adults, the proportion of smoking-related deaths and domestic legislations cases<br />pertaining to tobacco products and analyses the data using the Co-Plot method.<br />RESULTS: Results of the study demonstrated that smoking prevalence and restrictions on advertising of tobacco products were highly negatively correlated. The proportion of deaths associated with smoking-related diseases increased parallel to the increase in the smoking prevalence in young people and adults. Norway, France and Finland have enforced legal limitations on direct and indirect advertising, and thus there has been a decline in smoking prevalence among young people and<br />adults. In some countries, including Ireland, Italy and Serbia, the prevalence of smoking among the young has decreased due to the new or increased legal restrictions on the sale distribution of tobacco products. The governments in the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Croatia, the Netherlands,<br />Belgium, and Poland have placed restrictions on direct and indirect advertising. The distribution of other causes-related deaths and lung cancer-related deaths are high.<br />CONCLUSION: The restrictions on tobacco products were tightened in time with the increased prevalence of smoking and proportion of smoking-related deaths. It can be said that the significant<br />relationships identified in this study have even more pertinence in developed countries. Consequently, Co-Plot method has enabled deeper data interpretations of the relationships between the countries and the variables in this study

Comparing the Hearts of German Shepherd and Mongrel Dogs Using Statistical Shape Analysis

The aim of this study was to conduct a statistical shape analysis of the heart of dogs and to compare this data between German Shepherd and Mongrel dogs. An effective way to examine these shapes is to record the locations of certain points on the object. In this study, 10 hearts were collected from each breed. EDMA and TPS techniques were used to examine genus-based changes in the shape of the heart. The shape deformations were expressed using expansion and compression grids. There was no statistically significant difference with respect to the general shape of the heart between the genera. However, there were local shape differences between the genera in some of the inter-landmark distances: 6% of the inter-landmark distances were greater in German Shepherd dogs, and 11% were greater in Mongrels. There are no heart shape differences between genera, although significant differences were found between the upper part of the left ventricle and the lower part of the right ventricle. The upper part of the left ventricle in Mongrels showed more enlargement than in German Shepherds. The lower part of the right ventricle in Mongrels had more enlargement than in German Shepherds; however, the middle part of the right ventricle of German Shepherds had more enlargement than in Mongrels. Although there were some local significant shape differences between the upper part of the left ventricle and the lower part of the right ventricle, however, there were no general heart shape differences between German Shepherd and Mongrel dogs