A comparative study of statistical protocols for external quality assessment of semen / 临床检验杂志

Objective To compare the effects of different statistical protocols on the results of external quality assessment(EQA)of se-men,and select appropriate statistical protocols for the promotion of EQA of semen.Methods Taking sperm concentration as an ex-ample,the semen EQA data of 20 laboratories in Hunan Province in 2022 were selected,and the advantages and disadvantages of the traditional statistical scheme(TSS),robust statistical scheme(RSS)and traditional statistical scheme after eliminating the"outliers"(TSEOS)combined with robust statistical technology were analyzed and compared.Results The"outliers"could not be excluded from the sperm concentration data of the four groups in the TSS,which led to the difference between TSS and RSS or TSEOS.The num-ber of qualified laboratories for TSS and RSS were 19 vs 16,19 vs 16,19 vs 19,and 19 vs 19,respectively.Conclusion The results of RSS are similar to those of TSEOS.Compared with TSS,RSS do not need to remove outlier data steps,and are more suitable for se-men EQA data analysis with small data volume.

Spatial Analysis Of Brain And Other CNS Cancers Incidence In Iraq During 2000-2015

@#Brain and other CNS cancers have evidenced increase in Iraq over the study period (2000-2015). Spatial variation of brain and CNS cancers in Iraq at the district level has not been explored. This study aimed to explore the spatial patterns of the Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASIRs) of brain and CNS cancers throughout Iraq (except Kurdish region) during 2000-2015 using spatial autocorrelation analyses. Data were obtained from the Iraqi Cancer Registry. The ASIRs were calculated according to geographical region (provinces and districts) for each period (2000-2004, 2005- 2009, and 2010-2015). spatial statistical tools were employed to evaluate hotspots, cold spots, spatial clustering and outliers for each period. Results showed a spatial correlation with hotspots, cold spots, and detecting spatial outliers. This study identified 7 districts as high-risk areas for brain and CNS cancers during 2010-2015, including Al-Sadir, Al-Kadhimiyah, Adhamia, Al-Karkh, Al-Rissafa, and Al-Madain districts in Baghdad province) and southern region (Abu-Al-Khaseeb district in Al-Basrah provinces, and we have evidenced an increase of brain and CNS cancers incidence rates during 2010-2015. The government efforts should focus on those regions, and the factors related to the spatial pattern of the brain and CNS cancers incidence in Iraq should be investigated.

Establishment of Elimination Method of Outliers Based on Grubbs Rule and MATLAB Language and Its Application in Ev- aluating Drug Bitterness / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To establish the elimination method of outliers based on Grubbs rule and MATLAB language， and to evaluate the effects of it on drug bitterness evaluation. METHODS： Referring to Grubbs rule， the automatic cyclic outliers elimination method based on MATLAB language was established. Totally 20 volunteers were included in single oral taste test （Tetrapanax papyrifer） and multiple oral taste test （10 kinds of medicinal material as T. papyrifer， Changium smyrnioides， Poria cocos， etc.）. Seven sensors were selected for electronic tongue test （Clematis armandii）. The data of bitterness evaluation in above tests （oral taste test as bitterness value， electronic tongue test as response value of sensors） were used as the data source. Five researchers were selected and adopted table-by-table elimination method based on Grubbs rule （method one）， Excel software elimination method based on Grubbs rule （method two） and automatic cyclic outliers elimination method based on Grubbs rule and MATLAB language （method three） to judge and eliminate the outliers. The effects of above three methods were evaluated with the removal time and error rate of outliers as indexes. RESULTS： There were two outliers in the data of bitterness evaluation in single oral taste test； the elimination time of the three methods were（745.400 0±25.904 4），（288.333 3±31.253 1）and（0.000 3±0.000 0）s， respectively； error rates were 20.0％， 0 and 0， respectively. There were six outliers in the data of bitterness evaluation in multiple oral taste test； the elimination time of three methods were （3 693.107 7±75.023 3）， （1 494.761 4±53.826 9）， （0.005 2±0.000 0）s， respectively； error rates were 10.0％， 4.0％， 0， respectively. There were three outliers in the data of bitterness evaluation in electronic tongue test； the elimination time of three methods were （2 992.673 3±84.117 6）， （1 276.367 1±55.024 5）， （0.002 3±0.000 0）s， respectively； error rates were 5.7％， 2.9％， 0， respectively. The elimination results of the three methods were consistent. The elimination time of method two was significantly shorter than that of method one （P＜0.01）； the elimination time of method three was significantly shorter than those of method one and method two （P＜0.01）. There was no significant difference in error rate of 3 methods （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： The automatic cyclic elimination method of outliers based on Grubbs rule and MATLAB language can significantly shorten the elimination time of outliers in data of drug bitterness evaluation， improve the efficiency of data processing， and is suitable for drug bitterness evaluation.

Is Immediate Postoperative Mechanical Axis Associated with the Revision Rate of Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? A 10-Year Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND: Achieving neutral limb alignment during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been considered an important determinant in the long-term prosthesis survival. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the immediate postoperative mechanical alignment of the lower limb and the rate of revision TKA by comparing an acceptable mechanical axis group (within ± 3° from neutral alignment) and an outlier group (> 3° deviation from neutral alignment). METHODS: Between 2000 and 2006, clinical and radiographic data of 334 primary TKAs were retrospectively reviewed to determine the 10-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate. Patients were divided into acceptable and outlier groups according to the mechanical axis checked postoperatively within a month. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Hospital for Special Surgery, Knee Society Score, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score preoperatively and at the final follow-up. Postoperative complications and revision rates were also evaluated. RESULTS: The mean change in mechanical axis between the immediate postoperative examination and the last follow-up was greater in the outlier group (1.6 ± 2.7) than in the acceptable group (0.8 ± 2.4). The revision rates were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.04). At the last follow-up, clinical scores were all improved in both groups compared to each preoperative condition. There were no significant differences in clinical scores between the two groups at the last follow-up. The 10-year Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a tendency towards better survival with restoration of neutral mechanical axis. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Restoration of neutral limb alignment is a factor that can result in a lower revision rate and higher longevity in TKA. However, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two groups.

Comparação de métodos para o tratamento das medidas antropométricas da POF 2008-2009 / Comparison of Methods for the Treatment of Anthropometric Measures of HBS 2008-2009 / Comparación de los Métodos para el Tratamiento de las Medidas Antropométricas de la EPF 2008-2009

A Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares 2008-2009, feita por amostragem em nível nacional, coletou informações antropométricas de peso e estatura dos indivíduos no Brasil. Numa pesquisa desse porte, o processo de coleta produz dados que estão sujeitos a contaminações por erros de medição e de não resposta. Tais erros podem afetar os cálculos de indicadores de prevalência de desnutrição, sobrepeso ou obesidade e impactar de forma distinta em diferentes segmentos populacionais. No presente artigo, comparou-se o desempenho do método CIDAQ, que foi empregado na POF 2008-2009, para tratar os dados antropométricos, ao de outros dois métodos: os algoritmos de detecção de outliers TRC e Bacon, ambos associados ao algoritmo de imputação Poem. Essa comparação é fundamental para assegurar que o melhor método seja utilizado em pesquisas futuras, buscando assegurar a confiabilidade dos dados para os estudos que subsidiam o planejamento de políticas públicas nas áreas de saúde, nutrição, assistência social e outras. Os métodos foram comparados via simulação, considerando o impacto sobre as estimativas de média, desvio padrão e correlação entre peso e estatura. O método CIDAQ apresentou uma pequena vantagem sobre os demais nos resultados da simulação paramétrica, enquanto para simulação não paramétrica destacou-se o método Bacon...

The Household Budget Survey 2008-2009 is a nationwide sample survey, conducted by IBGE, which collects anthropometric data on height and weight that are important to assess the nutritional status of individuals in Brazil. Due to the difficulties in collecting this type of information by a large and nationwide research as the HBS 2008-2009, which use of portable equipment for measuring, the collected data are subject to contamination by non-sampling errors and non-response. These errors may compromise analysis about the nutritional status of the population in order to support the planning and implementation of public policies in the areas of health, nutrition, social assistance and other. Particularly, such errors can affect the malnutrition, overweight and obese prevalence indicators and produce effects differently in different population segments. In this survey (HBS 2008-2009) the methodology employed to tackle these problems and preserve the quality of the data was the CIDAQ. In this study this approach was compared with two other approaches for multivariate quantitative data, namely the TRC algorithm and the BACON algorithm for editing, both coupled with the POEM imputation algorithm. These compare is essential to ensure which one is the best method to be used in future research to repeat the situation experienced in HBS 2008-2009. The three approaches were compared by simulation of the anthropometric variables weight and height of a HBS 2008-2009 data subset...

Resumen La Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2008-2009 es una encuesta por muestreo a nivel nacional, realizada por el IBGE, que contempla los datos antropométricos de peso y talla, importante para la evaluación del estado nutricional de las personas en Brasil. Debido a las dificultades para recoger este tipo de información de una extensa encuesta como el EPF 2008-2009, en particular la necesidad de que el uso de equipo portátil para el proceso de medición, los datos en las encuestas de este tipo están sometidas a la contaminación por los errores ajenos al muestreo y la falta de respuesta. Este tipo de errores pueden poner en peligro el análisis del estado nutricional de la población con la finalidad de subvencionar la planificación e implementación de políticas públicas en los âmbitos de la salud, la nutrición, la asistencia social y otra. En particular, este tipo de errores pueden afectar los indicadores de prevalencia de desnutrición, sobrepeso u obesidad y actuar de manera diferente en diferentes segmentos de la población . En el encuesta, se emplea el método de CIDAQ para tratar los datos antropométricos recolectados. Este estudio comparó el rendimiento de este método a los otros dos métodos aplicados a datos cuantitativos multivariante, el algoritmo TRC y el algoritmo BACON para detectar valores atípicos, ambos asociados con el algoritmo POEM de imputación. Esta comparación es esencial para asegurar que el mejor método puede ser utilizado en futuras investigaciones para repetir la situación que se vive en la EPF 2008-2009. Los métodos fueron comparados a través de la simulación de las variables antropométricas de peso y la altura de un subconjunto de datos de la Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2008-2009...

Identificação de outliers por alocação das observações através do modelo Poisson aplicado ao número de casos de Aids diagnosticados no Brasil / Outliers indentification by allocation of observations through the Poisson model applied to the number of Aids cases diagnosed in Brazil

O método da análise robusta de variância proposto por Bertaccini e Varriale (2006) permite monitorar o efeito de outliers no processo de modelagem estatística. Para isso, utiliza-se a formação de subconjuntos, nos quais as unidades amostrais são alocadas, baseando-se em apenas uma inspeção dos dados. Com o propósito de estender este método para o modelo Poisson, o presente trabalho propõe monitorar o efeito de outliers no número de casos de AIDS diagnosticados no Brasil no período de 2003 a 2006. A metodologia proposta foi viável e é recomendável para dados de contagem, sendo, portanto, uma importante técnica de análise de dados para identificação de outliers em amostras, podendo ser aplicado a outros modelos generalizados com as devidas modificações na obtenção dos resíduos. .

The robust analysis variance method proposed by Bertaccini and Varriale (2006) allows the monitoring of the outliers effect in the statistic modeling process. As for that, the formation of subsets is used, where the sample units are allocated, based only on data inspection. With the purpose of extending this method to the Poisson model, this work intends to monitor the effect of outliers in the number of AIDS cases diagnosed in Brazil, from 2003 to 2006. The methodology proposed was viable and is recommended for counting data, being, therefore, an important data analysis technique used to identify outliers in samples. It can also be applied to other generalized models with appropriate changes in obtaining residuals..