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Zammarchi G, Mola F, Conversano C. Correction to: Using sentiment analysis to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Italy's country reputation and stock market performance. STAT METHOD APPL-GER 2023; 32:1-4. [PMID: 37360256 PMCID: PMC10186309 DOI: 10.1007/s10260-023-00701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s10260-023-00690-5.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Zammarchi
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Claudio Conversano
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Zammarchi G, Mola F, Conversano C. Using sentiment analysis to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Italy's country reputation and stock market performance. STAT METHOD APPL-GER 2023; 32:1-22. [PMID: 37360253 PMCID: PMC10068702 DOI: 10.1007/s10260-023-00690-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
During the recent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the microblogging service Twitter has been widely used to share opinions and reactions to events. Italy was one of the first European countries to be severely affected by the outbreak and to establish lockdown and stay-at-home orders, potentially leading to country reputation damage. We resort to sentiment analysis to investigate changes in opinions about Italy reported on Twitter before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Using different lexicons-based methods, we find a breakpoint corresponding to the date of the first established case of COVID-19 in Italy that causes a relevant change in sentiment scores used as a proxy of the country's reputation. Next, we demonstrate that sentiment scores about Italy are associated with the values of the FTSE-MIB index, the Italian Stock Exchange main index, as they serve as early detection signals of changes in the values of FTSE-MIB. Lastly, we evaluate whether different machine learning classifiers were able to determine the polarity of tweets posted before and after the outbreak with a different level of accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Zammarchi
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Claudio Conversano
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Romano M, Contu G, Mola F, Conversano C. Threshold-based Naïve Bayes classifier. ADV DATA ANAL CLASSI 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11634-023-00536-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe Threshold-based Naïve Bayes (Tb-NB) classifier is introduced as a (simple) improved version of the original Naïve Bayes classifier. Tb-NB extracts the sentiment from a Natural Language text corpus and allows the user not only to predict how much a sentence is positive (negative) but also to quantify a sentiment with a numeric value. It is based on the estimation of a single threshold value that concurs to define a decision rule that classifies a text into a positive (negative) opinion based on its content. One of the main advantage deriving from Tb-NB is the possibility to utilize its results as the input of post-hoc analysis aimed at observing how the quality associated to the different dimensions of a product or a service or, in a mirrored fashion, the different dimensions of customer satisfaction evolve in time or change with respect to different locations. The effectiveness of Tb-NB is evaluated analyzing data concerning the tourism industry and, specifically, hotel guests’ reviews from all hotels located in the Sardinian region and available on Booking.com. Moreover, Tb-NB is compared with other popular classifiers used in sentiment analysis in terms of model accuracy, resistance to noise and computational efficiency.
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Carta A, Del Zompo M, Meloni A, Mola F, Paribello P, Pinna F, Pinna M, Pisanu C, Manchia M, Squassina A, Carpiniello B, Conversano C. Cost-Utility Analysis of Pharmacogenetic Testing Based on CYP2C19 or CYP2D6 in Major Depressive Disorder: Assessing the Drivers of Different Cost-Effectiveness Levels from an Italian Societal Perspective. Clin Drug Investig 2022; 42:733-746. [PMID: 35930170 PMCID: PMC9427916 DOI: 10.1007/s40261-022-01182-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and severe psychiatric disorder that has enormous economical and societal costs. As pharmacogenetics is one of the key tools of precision psychiatry, we analyze the cost–utility of test screening of CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 for patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and try to understand the main drivers that influence the cost–utility. Methods We developed two pharmacoeconomic nonhomogeneous Markov models to test the cost–utility, from an Italian societal perspective, of pharmacogenetic testing genetic to characterize the metabolizing profiles of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 and CYP2D6 in a hypothetical case study of patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). The model considers different scenarios of adjustment of antidepressant treatment according to the patient’s metabolizing profile or treatment over a period of 18 weeks. The uncertainty of model parameters is tested through both a probabilistic sensitivity analysis and a one-way deterministic sensitivity analysis, and these results are used in a post-hoc analysis to understand the main drivers of three alternative cost-effectiveness levels (“poor,” “standard,” and “high”). These drivers are first evaluated from an exploratory multidimensional perspective and next from a predictive perspective as the probability that a patient belongs to a specific cost-effectiveness level is estimated on the basis of a restricted set of parameters used in the original pharmacoeconomic model. Results The models for CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 indicate that screening has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 60,000€ and 47,000€ per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), respectively. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis shows that the treatments are cost-effective for a 75,000€ willingness to pay (WTP) threshold in 58% and 63% of the Monte Carlo replications, respectively. The post-hoc analysis highlights the factors that allow us to clearly discriminates poor cost-effectiveness from high cost-effectiveness scenarios and demonstrates that it is possible to predict with reasonable accuracy the cost-effectiveness of a genetic test and the associated therapeutic pattern. Conclusions Our findings suggest that screenings for both CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 enzymes for patients with MDD are cost-effective for a WTP threshold of 75,000€ per QALY, and provide relevant suggestions about the most important aspects to be further explored in clinical studies aimed at addressing the cost-effectiveness of genetic testing for patients diagnosed with MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Carta
- Department of Business and Economics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Del Zompo
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Anna Meloni
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Business and Economics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Paribello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Claudia Pisanu
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Alessio Squassina
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Bernardo Carpiniello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Claudio Conversano
- Department of Business and Economics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
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Pinna M, Manchia M, Pisanu C, Pinna F, Paribello P, Carta A, Meloni A, Conversano C, Del Zompo M, Mola F, Squassina A, Carpiniello B. Protocol for a pharmacogenetic study of antidepressants: characterization of drug-metabolizing profiles of cytochromes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 in a Sardinian population of patients with major depressive disorder. Psychiatr Genet 2021; 31:186-193. [PMID: 34282075 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The effectiveness of antidepressants shows high interindividual variability ranging from full symptomatologic remission to treatment-resistant depression. Many factors can determine the variation in the clinical response, but a fundamental role is played by genetic variation within the genes encoding for the enzymes most involved in the metabolism of antidepressant drugs: the CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 isoforms of the cytochrome P450 system. This study is poised to clarify whether the different metabolizing phenotypes related to CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 could have an impact on the clinical efficacy of antidepressants and whether the frequency of these phenotypes of metabolization shows differences in the population of Sardinian patients compared to other Caucasian populations. The sample is being recruited from patients followed-up and treated at the Psychiatric Unit of the Department of Medical Science and Public Health, University of Cagliari and the University Hospital Agency of Cagliari (Italy). The study design includes three approaches: (1) a pharmacogenetic analysis of 80 patients diagnosed with MDD resistant to antidepressant treatment compared to 80 clinically responsive or remitted patients; (2) a prospective arm (N = 30) of the study where we will test the impact of genetic variation within the CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 genes on clinical response to antidepressants and on their serum levels and (3) the assessment of the socio-economic impact of antidepressant therapies, and estimation of the cost-effectiveness of the pharmacogenetic test based on CYP genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Claudia Pisanu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari
| | - Federica Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Paribello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Andrea Carta
- Department of Business and Economics, University of Cagliari
| | - Anna Meloni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari
| | | | - Maria Del Zompo
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Business and Economics, University of Cagliari
| | - Alessio Squassina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari
| | - Bernardo Carpiniello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Zammarchi
- Department of Economics and Business Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - Luca Frigau
- Department of Economics and Business Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Economics and Business Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
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Monticone M, Frigau L, Vernon H, Rocca B, Giordano A, Simone Vullo S, Mola F, Franchignoni F. Reliability, responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference of the two Fear Avoidance and Beliefs Questionnaire scales in Italian subjects with chronic low back pain undergoing multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2020; 56:600-606. [DOI: 10.23736/s1973-9087.20.06158-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Marongiu G, Leinardi L, Congia S, Frigau L, Mola F, Capone A. Reliability and reproducibility of the new AO/OTA 2018 classification system for proximal humeral fractures: a comparison of three different classification systems. J Orthop Traumatol 2020; 21:4. [PMID: 32166457 PMCID: PMC7067934 DOI: 10.1186/s10195-020-0543-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The classification systems for proximal humeral fractures routinely used in clinical practice include the Neer and Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) 2007 systems. Currently used systems have low inter- and intraobserver reliability. In 2018, AO/OTA introduced a new classification system with the aim of simplifying the coding process, in which the Neer four-part classification was integrated into the fracture description. The aim of the present work is to assess the inter- and intraobserver agreement of the new AO/OTA 2018 compared with the Neer and AO/OTA 2007 classifications. Materials and methods A total of 116 radiographs of consecutive patients with proximal humeral fracture were selected and classified by three observers with different levels of experience. All three observers independently reviewed and classified the images according to the Neer, AO/OTA 2007, and new AO/OTA 2018 systems. To determine the intraobserver agreement, the observers reviewed the same set of radiographs after an interval of 8 weeks. The inter- and intraobserver agreement were determined through Cohen’s kappa coefficient analysis. Results The new AO/OTA 2018 classification showed substantial mean inter- (k = 0.67) and intraobserver (k = 0.75) agreement. These results are similar to the reliability observed for the Neer classification (interobserver, k = 0.67; intraobserver, k = 0.85) but better than those found for the AO/OTA 2007 system, which showed only moderate inter- (k = 0.57) and intraobserver (k = 0.58) agreement. The two more experienced observers showed better overall agreement, but no statistically significant difference was found. No differences were found between surgical experience and agreement regarding specific fracture types or groups. Conclusions The results showed that the Neer system still represents the more reliable and reproducible classification. However, the new AO/OTA 2018 classification improved the agreement among observers compared with the AO/OTA 2007 system, while still maintaining substantial descriptive power and simplifying the coding process. The universal modifiers and qualifications, despite their possible complexity, allowed a more comprehensive fracture definition without negatively affecting the reliability or reproducibility of the classification system. Level of evidence: Level III, diagnostic studies
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Marongiu
- Orthopaedic Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, Cagliari State University, Lungomare Poetto 12, 09126, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Leinardi
- Orthopaedic Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, Cagliari State University, Lungomare Poetto 12, 09126, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Stefano Congia
- Orthopaedic Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, Cagliari State University, Lungomare Poetto 12, 09126, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luca Frigau
- Department Economics and Business Science, Cagliari State University, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department Economics and Business Science, Cagliari State University, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Antonio Capone
- Orthopaedic Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, Cagliari State University, Lungomare Poetto 12, 09126, Cagliari, Italy
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Monticone M, Frigau L, Mola F, Rocca B, Giordano A, Foti C, Franchignoni F. Italian versions of the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7: translation and validation in women with urinary incontinence. Disabil Rehabil 2020; 43:2930-2936. [DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1720319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Monticone
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Neurorehabilitation Unit, G. Brotzu Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luca Frigau
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Barbara Rocca
- ICS Maugeri, IRCCS, Institute of Lissone, Lissone, Italy
| | - Andrea Giordano
- Bioengineering Unit, ICS Maugeri IRCCS, Institute of Veruno, Veruno, Italy
| | - Calogero Foti
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Ferrari S, Vanti C, Frigau L, Guccione AA, Mola F, Ruggeri M, Pillastrini P, Monticone M. Sexual disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain-a multicenter retrospective analysis. J Phys Ther Sci 2019; 31:360-365. [PMID: 31037010 PMCID: PMC6451955 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.31.360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] Oswestry Disability Index includes an item (Oswestry Disability Index-8) aiming to assess sexual disability associated to low back pain. The aim of this study is to investigate the percentage of participants who answered the Oswestry Disability Index-8, and the relevance and characteristics of sexual disability due to low back pain in Italian patients. [Participants and Methods] Design: multicenter retrospective analysis. Population: six hundred and ninety-seven outpatients with non-specific low back pain. Variables: pain characteristics (amount, localization, and duration of perceived pain), disability, and psychological variables (anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, pain acceptance, and pain vigilance and awareness). [Results] Seventy-seven participants (11.05%) did not answer the Oswestry Disability Index-8. The odds of being not responding to the Oswestry Disability Index-8 item appeared related to age (odds=7.50 for over 60), gender (odds=2.65 for females), and marital status (odds=2.33 for not married). Concerning the psychological variables, Activity Avoidance (coefficient=0.071), Depression (coefficient=0.068), and Rumination (coefficient=0.031) showed a positive impact on sexual disability. [Conclusion] In Italian patients, the percentage of not-responding to Oswestry Disability Index-8 was relatively low. In addition, sexual disability was related to depression, activity avoidance, and rumination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvano Ferrari
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna: Bologna, Italy
| | - Carla Vanti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna: Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Frigau
- Department of Economics and Business Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Andrew Anthony Guccione
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna: Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department of Economics and Business Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Martina Ruggeri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna: Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Pillastrini
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna: Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Monticone
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy
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Conversano C, Cannas M, Mola F, Sironi E. Random effects clustering in multilevel modeling: choosing a proper partition. ADV DATA ANAL CLASSI 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11634-018-0347-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Monticone M, Capone A, Frigau L, Marongiu G, Abelli P, Mola F, Maffulli N, Foti C. Development of the Italian version of the High-Activity Arthroplasty Score (HAAS-I) following hip and knee total arthroplasty: cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, validity and sensitivity to change. J Orthop Surg Res 2018; 13:81. [PMID: 29642914 PMCID: PMC5896034 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-018-0782-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of physically active individuals who develop knee and hip arthritis and who undergo arthroplasties of these joints ie ever increasing. It has become necessary to develop evaluation scales which address the specific issues raised by such individuals. The High Activity Arthroplasty Score is one such scales, originally developed in English. METHODS The HAAS-I was developed by means of forward-backward translation, a final review by an expert committee and a test of the pre-final version to establish its correspondence with the original English version. The psychometric testing included reliability by means of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients) and construct validity by Pearson's correlations with a pain intensity numerical rating scale (NRS), the Western Ontario and McMaster University index (WOMAC, for THA subjects), the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scale (KOOS; for TKA subjects) and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS The questionnaire was administered to 67 subjects with THA and 61 with TKA and proved to be acceptable. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency (0.85 for THA and 0.91 for TKA) and a high level of test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97 with 95% CI 0.95-0.98 for THA; ICC = 0.95 with 95% CI 0.92-0.98 for TKA). There was a moderate correlation between the HAAS-I and NRS (r = - 0.40), there was a high correlation between the HAAS-I and WOMAC (r = - 0.68) and there were moderate to high correlations between the HAAS-I and SF-36 subscales (r = 0.34 to 0.63) for THA. There was a moderate correlation between the HAAS-I and NRS (r = - 0.77); there was a high correlation between the HAAS-I and KOOS subscales (r = - 0.79 to r = - 0.91); and there were low correlations between the HAAS-I and SF-36 subscales (r = 0.01 to 0.29) for TKA. CONCLUSIONS The HAAS-I was successfully translated into Italian and proved to have good psychometric properties that replicated the results of existing versions. Its use is recommended for clinical and research purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Monticone
- Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Antonio Capone
- Orthopaedic Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luca Frigau
- Department Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marongiu
- Orthopaedic Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Paola Abelli
- Scientific Institute of Montescano, Clinical and Scientific Institutes Maugeri, Institute of Care and Research, Montescano, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Mola
- Department Economics and Business Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicola Maffulli
- Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Salerno School of Medicine and Surgery, Salerno, Italy. .,Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, 275 Bancroft Road, London, UK.
| | - Calogero Foti
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
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Cannas M, Conversano C, Mola F, Sironi E. Variation in caesarean delivery rates across hospitals: a Bayesian semi-parametric approach. J Appl Stat 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/02664763.2016.1247785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Cannas
- Department of Business and Economics Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - C. Conversano
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - F. Mola
- Department of Business and Economics Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - E. Sironi
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Catholic University, Milan, Italy
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Quaglino P, Comessatti A, Ponti R, Peroni A, Mola F, Fierro MT, Savoia P, Novelli M, Bernengo MG. Reciprocal modulation of circulating CD4+CD25+bright T cells induced by extracorporeal photochemotherapy in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and chronic graft-versus-host-disease patients. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2009; 22:353-62. [PMID: 19505389 DOI: 10.1177/039463200902200212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms of action of extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) are poorly understood. Recently, ECP has been shown to induce an increase in regulatory T cell (Treg) expression and functional activities in Graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD), whereas no data are available in CTCL patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether ECP is able to modulate the expression levels of the circulating CD4+CD25+bright subset in CTCL patients and whether these modifications are related to the disease course. The patient population included 43 CTCL and 15 chronic GvHD patients treated by ECP at our institutions since 1992. The expression of the circulating CD4+CD25+bright subset was analysed at baseline and sequentially during treatment by flow-cytometry. Fifty healthy donors were used as controls. The baseline circulating CD4+CD25+bright percentage values in CTCL (median: 4.3 percent) were similar to those of healthy donors, whereas GvHD showed significantly lower values (median: 1.5 percent; p<0.001). During treatment, CTCL patients were characterised by an early decrease (from 4.3 percent to 2.4 percent median after 6 months). The CD4+CD25+bright decrease was associated to the disease course, as it occurred in 91.3 percent of responding but in only 25 percent of PD patients (p=0.0001). On the other hand, a significant increase of CD4+CD25+bright cells was observed in GvHD. ECP induces a reciprocal modulation of the circulating CD4+CD25+bright cells in CTCL and GvHD, with a downregulation in CTCL potentially associated with the response mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Quaglino
- Department of Medical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Dermato-Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
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Menderes A, Mola F, Vayvada H, Yilmaz M, Baytekin C. Dermal suspension flaps for McKissock's vertical bipedicle flap vs. classical McKissock's technique: comparison of aesthetic results and patient satisfaction. Br J Plast Surg 2005; 58:209-15. [PMID: 15710116 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2004.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2003] [Accepted: 10/15/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
McKissock's vertical bipedicle flaps technique is a common technique used in reduction mammaplasty. This technique includes a well-vascularised dermal-parenchymal pedicle for safe nipple-areola transposition, but it has been criticised as resulting in a flat breast with inadequate projection after long-term follow-up. Various techniques in which dermal suspension flaps are used have demonstrated decreased secondary ptosis. We used a dermal suspension flap technique for the vertical bipedicled flap of the McKissock's breast reduction and compared it with classical McKissock's technique by review of the patient charts, photographic analysis and patient-satisfaction questionnaire. Evaluations and measurements with postoperative photographs for the dermal brassiere group compared with the classical McKissock breasts were found to be statistically different. There were no differences in complication rates and patient satisfaction between the groups. McKissock's technique with dermal suspension flap is an easy and uncomplicated modification that provides additional advantages for prevention of the secondary ptosis of the reduced breasts in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Menderes
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, 35340 Inciralti Izmir, Turkey.
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Sengor A, Aydin O, Mola F, Gürbüz Y. Evaluation of alloderm and autologous skin in quadriceps muscles of rats for injection laryngoplasty. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2004; 262:107-12. [PMID: 14986023 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-004-0756-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2003] [Accepted: 01/15/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
There are three surgical methods utilized in treating glottic insufficiency: laryngeal framework surgery, reinnervation procedures and injection medialization. The trend towards the use of less invasive procedures led us to focus on injection medialization in this study. The advantages of vocal fold injection are that the procedure requires no external incisions, is easily applicable and can be applied in an office setting. Furthermore, injection medialization is applicable in cases of atrophic vocal fold and vocal fold scarring. In developing injection medialization, laryngologists are in search of an "ideal material" that should be biocompatible and resistant to resorption. In the initial applications of this method, synthetic materials were used. In the past 2 decades, however, researchers have become more and more interested in the advantages of biological materials. In our animal study, we investigated the behavior of AlloDerm and autologous skin injected in the quadriceps muscles of rats. The materials were easily injected. Histopathological and volumetric analyses were done; the rats were sacrificed the 1st day post-injection and subsequently in the 1st, 3rd and 6th months. AlloDerm's absorption levels were generally high, and its inflammation and fibrosis levels were low and medium. In the 6th month, histiocytic foreign body reaction was observed. The mean graft yield was 4.5%. Autologous skin results for inflammation and fibrosis levels were similar to those of AlloDerm. However, no foreign body reaction was observed in AS injected muscle. The graft yield was 74.6%. The growth of keratin cysts had an effect on the results of the graft yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sengor
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Haseki Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
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