A Novel Item-Allocation Procedure for the Three-Form Planned Missing Data Design

We propose a new method of constructing questionnaire forms in the three-form planned missing data design (PMDD). The random item allocation (RIA) procedure that we propose promises to dramatically simplify the process of implementing three-form PMDDs without compromising statistical performance. Our method is a stochastic approximation to the currently recommended approach of deterministically spreading a scale\u27s items across the X-, A-, B-, and C-blocks when allocating the items in a three-form design. Direct empirical support for the performance of our method is only available for scales containing at least 12 items, so we also propose a modified approach for use with scales containing fewer than 12 items. We also discuss the limitations of our procedure and several nuances for researchers to consider when implementing three-form PMDDs using our method. The RIA procedure allows researchers to implement statistically sound three-form planned missing data designs without the need for expert knowledge or results from prior statistical modeling. The RIA procedure can be used to construct both “paper-and-pencil” questionnaires and questionnaires administered through online survey software. The RIA procedure is a simple framework to aid in designing three-form PMDDs; implementing the RIA method does not require any specialized software or technical expertise

The financial burden of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A Nova Scotia experience

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood rheumatic illness. There is little published data on the financial burden of this illness. The primary objective of this study was to determine the annual costs borne by families of a child with JIA living in Nova Scotia (NS).Methods: All families in NS with a child followed in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) in 2009 were mailed a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated disease related costs, gross household income and perceived financial burden. Dillman\u27s method was used to optimize return rates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship of distance from the IWK and cost. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare median costs between groups.Results: Of 172 possible respondents, we received 54 completed questionnaires and 11 blank questionnaires (overall response rate 31.4%). Approximately one third (35.9%) of parents rated the financial burden as moderate or large and 36% rated financial resources available as poor. The median annual total cost per patient was $619.50 CAD (range 0,$5535) which was a median 0.7% (range 0, 37%) of gross household incomes. The largest expense for families was visit related costs. There was not a significant relationship between total annual costs and distance from the IWK (rs = 0.18, P = 0.2). Families of a child with oligoarthritis had significantly lower costs than the families of a child with another subtype of JIA ($359.00 CAD vs.$877.00 CAD, P = 0.02).Conclusions: The costs associated with having a child with JIA in NS are on average modest, but may be considerable for some families. Oligoarticular JIA is associated with smaller costs. Many families perceive the burden to be at least moderate and the availability of financial resources to be poor. Supports should be targeted to those families most in need. © 2013 Ens et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

The financial burden of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A Nova Scotia experience

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood rheumatic illness. There is little published data on the financial burden of this illness. The primary objective of this study was to determine the annual costs borne by families of a child with JIA living in Nova Scotia (NS).Methods: All families in NS with a child followed in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) in 2009 were mailed a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated disease related costs, gross household income and perceived financial burden. Dillman\u27s method was used to optimize return rates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship of distance from the IWK and cost. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare median costs between groups.Results: Of 172 possible respondents, we received 54 completed questionnaires and 11 blank questionnaires (overall response rate 31.4%). Approximately one third (35.9%) of parents rated the financial burden as moderate or large and 36% rated financial resources available as poor. The median annual total cost per patient was $619.50 CAD (range 0,$5535) which was a median 0.7% (range 0, 37%) of gross household incomes. The largest expense for families was visit related costs. There was not a significant relationship between total annual costs and distance from the IWK (rs = 0.18, P = 0.2). Families of a child with oligoarthritis had significantly lower costs than the families of a child with another subtype of JIA ($359.00 CAD vs.$877.00 CAD, P = 0.02).Conclusions: The costs associated with having a child with JIA in NS are on average modest, but may be considerable for some families. Oligoarticular JIA is associated with smaller costs. Many families perceive the burden to be at least moderate and the availability of financial resources to be poor. Supports should be targeted to those families most in need. © 2013 Ens et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

COVID-19-Associated Cardiovascular Complications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to cause cardiovascular complications such as myocardial injury, thromboembolic events, arrhythmia, and heart failure. Multiple mechanisms—some overlapping, notably the role of inflammation and IL-6—potentially underlie these complications. The reported cardiac injury may be a result of direct viral invasion of cardiomyocytes with consequent unopposed effects of angiotensin II, increased metabolic demand, immune activation, or microvascular dysfunction. Thromboembolic events have been widely reported in both the venous and arterial systems that have attracted intense interest in the underlying mechanisms. These could potentially be due to endothelial dysfunction secondary to direct viral invasion or inflammation. Additionally, thromboembolic events may also be a consequence of an attempt by the immune system to contain the infection through immunothrombosis and neutrophil extracellular traps. Cardiac arrhythmias have also been reported with a wide range of implicated contributory factors, ranging from direct viral myocardial injury, as well as other factors, including at-risk individuals with underlying inherited arrhythmia syndromes. Heart failure may also occur as a progression from cardiac injury, precipitation secondary to the initiation or withdrawal of certain drugs, or the accumulation of des-Arg9-bradykinin (DABK) with excessive induction of pro-inflammatory G protein coupled receptor B1 (BK1). The presenting cardiovascular symptoms include chest pain, dyspnoea, and palpitations. There is currently intense interest in vaccine-induced thrombosis and in the treatment of Long COVID since many patients who have survived COVID-19 describe persisting health problems. This review will summarise the proposed physiological mechanisms of COVID-19-associated cardiovascular complications

Candidate gene analysis of femoral neck trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density in older men.

In contrast to conventional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, quantitative computed tomography separately measures trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD). Little is known about the genetic variants associated with trabecular and cortical vBMD in humans, although both may be important for determining bone strength and osteoporotic risk. In the current analysis, we tested the hypothesis that there are genetic variants associated with trabecular and cortical vBMD at the femoral neck by genotyping 4608 tagging and potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 383 bone metabolism candidate genes in 822 Caucasian men aged 65 years or older from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS). Promising SNP associations then were tested for replication in an additional 1155 men from the same study. We identified SNPs in five genes (IFNAR2, NFATC1, SMAD1, HOXA, and KLF10) that were robustly associated with cortical vBMD and SNPs in nine genes (APC, ATF2, BMP3, BMP7, FGF18, FLT1, TGFB3, THRB, and RUNX1) that were robustly associated with trabecular vBMD. There was no overlap between genes associated with cortical vBMD and trabecular vBMD. These findings identify novel genetic variants for cortical and trabecular vBMD and raise the possibility that some genetic loci may be unique for each bone compartment

Steric hindrance in the upper 50 kDa domain of the motor Myo2p leads to cytokinesis defects in fission yeast

Cytokinesis in many eukaryotes requires a contractile actomyosin ring that is placed at the division site. In fission yeast, which is an attractive organism for the study of cytokinesis, actomyosin ring assembly and contraction requires the myosin II heavy chain Myo2p. Although myo2-E1, a temperature-sensitive mutant defective in the upper 50 kDa domain of Myo2p, has been studied extensively, the molecular basis of the cytokinesis defect is not understood. Here, we isolate myo2-E1-Sup2, an intragenic suppressor that contains the original mutation in myo2-E1 (G345R) and a second mutation in the upper 50 kDa domain (Y297C). Unlike myo2-E1-Sup1, a previously characterized myo2-E1 suppressor, myo2-E1-Sup2 reverses actomyosin ring contraction defects in vitro and in vivo. Structural analysis of available myosin motor domain conformations suggests that a steric clash in myo2-E1, which is caused by the replacement of a glycine with a bulky arginine, is relieved in myo2-E1-Sup2 by mutation of a tyrosine to a smaller cysteine. Our work provides insight into the function of the upper 50 kDa domain of Myo2p, informs a molecular basis for the cytokinesis defect in myo2-E1, and may be relevant to the understanding of certain cardiomyopathies

Patients With Generalized Joint Hypermobility Have Thinner Superior Hip Capsules and Greater Hip Internal Rotation on Physical Examination

PURPOSE: To compare preoperative hip range of motion (ROM), hip capsular thickness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bony morphology on radiographs and computed tomography (CT) between patients with and without joint hypermobility as measured by the Beighton Test score (BTS), with subanalysis based on sex and age. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome with or without dysplasia were retrospectively reviewed. Patient BTS, hip ROM, demographics, surgical data, morphologic measures on radiographs and CT, and MRI findings including hip capsule thickness at various locations were compiled. Multiple statistical tests were performed, including multivariable linear or logistic regression models, while controlling for BTS, age, and sex. RESULTS: In total, 99 patients were included with a mean age of 29 ± 9.9 years; 62 (62.6%), were female. Forty patients (40.4%) had a BTS ≥4. Female patients (P \u3c .001) and younger patients (26.7 vs 30.9 years, P = .030) were more likely to have a BTS ≥4. Male patients had significantly thicker superior capsules (3.4 mm vs. 2.8 mm, P = .034). BTS was not associated with capsular thickness when controlling for sex. On CT, femoral version (18.9° vs 11.4°, P \u3c .001), and McKibben index (37.8° vs. 28.2°, P \u3c .001) were significantly greater in those with a BTS ≥4. Patients with a BTS ≥4 had more hip internal rotation at 90° of flexion (15.0° vs 10.0°, P \u3c .001), when prone (30.0° vs 20.0°, P = .004), and in extension (10.0° vs. 5.0°, P \u3c .001). CONCLUSIONS: All female patients, regardless of Beighton score, and all patients with a BTS ≥4 indicated for primary hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome with or without dysplasia were more likely to have thinner superior hip capsules on MRI and greater hip internal rotation on exam. Bony morphologic differences exist between sexes and between patients with and without hypermobility, likely contributing to differences in ROM. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, retrospective cohort study