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Rao VNV, Bye JK, Varma S. The psychological reality of the learned "p < .05" boundary. Cogn Res Princ Implic 2024; 9:27. [PMID: 38700660 PMCID: PMC11068716 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-024-00553-x] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The .05 boundary within Null Hypothesis Statistical Testing (NHST) "has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move" (to quote Douglas Adams). Here, we move past meta-scientific arguments and ask an empirical question: What is the psychological standing of the .05 boundary for statistical significance? We find that graduate students in the psychological sciences show a boundary effect when relating p-values across .05. We propose this psychological boundary is learned through statistical training in NHST and reading a scientific literature replete with "statistical significance". Consistent with this proposal, undergraduates do not show the same sensitivity to the .05 boundary. Additionally, the size of a graduate student's boundary effect is not associated with their explicit endorsement of questionable research practices. These findings suggest that training creates distortions in initial processing of p-values, but these might be dampened through scientific processes operating over longer timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- V N Vimal Rao
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, 56 E River Road Room 250, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Jeffrey K Bye
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, 56 E River Road Room 250, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Sashank Varma
- School of Interactive Computing and School of Psychology, Technology Square Research Building, Georgia Institute of Technology, 85 5Th St NW, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
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2
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Rosenberg-Lee M, Varma S, Cole MW, Abreu-Mendoza RA. Competing numerical magnitude codes in decimal comparison: Whole number and rational number distance both impact performance. Cognition 2023; 241:105608. [PMID: 37804574 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105608] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
A critical difference between decimal and whole numbers is that among whole numbers the number of digits provides reliable information about the size of the number, e.g., double-digit numbers are larger than single-digit numbers. However, for decimals, fewer digits can sometimes denote a larger number (i.e., 0.8 > 0.27). Accordingly, children and adults perform worse when comparing such Inconsistent decimal pairs relative to Consistent pairs, where the larger number also has more digits (i.e., 0.87 > 0.2). Two explanations have been posited for this effect. The string length congruity account proposes that participants compare each position in the place value system, and they additionally compare the number of digits. The semantic interference account suggests that participants additionally activate the whole number referents of numbers - the numbers unadorned with decimal points (e.g., 8 < 27) - and compare these. The semantic interference account uniquely predicts that for Inconsistent problems with the same actual rational distance, those with larger whole number distances should be harder, e.g., 0.9 vs. 0.81 should be harder than 0.3 vs. 0.21 because 9 < < 81 whereas 3 < 21. Here we test this prediction in two experiments with college students (Study 1: n = 58 participants, Study 2: n = 78). Across both, we find a main effect of consistency, demonstrating string length effects, and also that whole number distance interferes with processing conflicting decimals, demonstrating semantic interference effects. Evidence for both effects supports the semantic interference account, highlighting that decimal comparison difficulties arise from multiple competing numerical codes. Finally, for accuracy we found no relationship between whole number distance sensitivity and math achievement, indicating that whole number magnitude interference affects participants similarly across the spectrum of math achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sashank Varma
- School of Interactive Computing and School of Psychology, Georgia Tech, USA
| | - Michael W Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, USA
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Park J, Varma K, Varma S. The role of executive function abilities in interleaved vs. blocked learning of science concepts. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1199682. [PMID: 38022929 PMCID: PMC10658001 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1199682] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the relative efficacy of interleaved versus blocked instruction and the role of executive function in governing learning from these instructional sequences. Eighth grade students learned about three rock concepts (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and their attributes (origin, texture, composition). Consistent with prior studies and as predicted by current theoretical accounts, students who received interleaved instruction showed better memory (i.e., accuracy on true-false questions) when tested 2 weeks later, whereas those who received blocked instruction showed better memory when tested on the same day as instruction. Also consistent with prior studies and theoretical accounts, the blocked group showed greater transfer when tested after a retention interval, although this advantage was not significant. Critically, and as predicted, the shifting and inhibition executive function abilities were more predictive of learning from interleaved vs. blocked instruction. These findings lay the groundwork for future studies investigating the role of executive function in learning from different forms of instruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Park
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Keisha Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sashank Varma
- School of Interactive Computing and School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Park J, Im SH, Varma S. A language compatibility effect in fraction processing. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2023; 76:596-605. [PMID: 35400219 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221095747] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A language compatibility effect occurs when there is a match between what a language provides and what a mathematical task demands. Here, we investigated whether such an effect exists for fraction processing in English, which names the numerator first, versus Korean, which names the denominator first. We developed two new tasks: a fraction span task where participants view and then recall four fractions and a fraction identification task where they view one fraction and then another and judge whether the two fractions are the same or not. We generally found that English speakers were advantaged when the numerator drove task performance and Korean speakers were advantaged when the denominator was critical. These findings, particularly from the fraction identification task, were inconsistent with the attentional focus hypothesis, which proposes that the serialisation bias of a language guides which fraction component is attended to first. Rather, they were better explained by the verbal encoding hypothesis, which states that a necessary condition for observing language compatibility effects may be that the fraction components must be encoded in verbal working memory and rehearsed there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Park
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Soo-Hyun Im
- Department of Education, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sashank Varma
- Schools of Interactive Computing and Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Marupudi V, Varma S. Graded human sensitivity to geometric and topological concepts. Cognition 2023; 232:105331. [PMID: 36495709 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105331] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In a seminal study, Dehaene et al. (2006) found evidence that adults and children are sensitive to geometric and topological (GT) concepts using a novel odd-one-out task. However, performance on this task could reflect more general cognitive abilities than intuitive knowledge of GT concepts. Here, we developed a new 2-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) version of the original task where chance represents a higher bar to clear (50% vs. 16.67%) and where the role of general cognitive abilities is minimized. Replicating the original finding, American adult participants showed above-chance sensitivity to 41 of the 43 GT concepts tested. Moreover, their performance was not strongly driven by two general cognitive abilities, fluid intelligence and mental rotation, nor was it strongly associated with mathematical achievement as measured by ACT/SAT scores. The performance profile across the 43 concepts as measured by the new 2-AFC task was found to be highly correlated with the profiles as measured using the original odd-one-out task, as an analysis of data sets spanning populations and ages revealed. Most significantly, an aggregation of the 43 concepts into seven classes of GT concepts found evidence for graded sensitivity. Some classes, such as Euclidean geometry and Topology, were found to be more domain-specific: they "popped out" for participants and were judged very quickly and highly accurately. Others, notably Symmetry and Geometric transformations, were found to be more domain-general: better predicted by participants' general cognitive abilities and mathematical achievement. These results shed light on the graded nature of GT concepts in humans and challenge computational models that emphasize the role of induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Marupudi
- Georgia Institute of Technology, United States of America.
| | - Sashank Varma
- Georgia Institute of Technology, United States of America
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Malik P, Hashim T, Varma S, Diaz L, Chowdhary A, Bapat P, Alkhatib L, Centeno L, Poursina O, Pan H, Patil A. BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) and risk of cancer - a study from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Clin Pathol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqac126.216] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction/Objective
BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) is well know for its toxicity via through environmental, occupational and recreational exposures. However, there is limited literature about the carcinogenic effect of BTEX. Hence, we aim to study the prevalence and association of cancer amongst individuals with exposure of BTEX.
Methods/Case Report
A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed between 2013 and 2018 utilizing the NHANES database. Adult individuals having data on socio-demographic questionnaires and lab findings on exposure to BTEX were included. Prevalence of cancer was identified amongst exposure to BTEX (vs no-BTEX). Univariate (chi-squre test and Mann–Whitney U test) and Multivariate (survey logistic regression) analysis was performed to evaluate the epidemiologic characteristics of individuals exposred to BTEX and association of cancer with BTEX exposure in comparison to no BTEX exposure.The p value of <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results (if a Case Study enter NA)
124,162 participants were identified with BTEX exposure. Individuals with BTEX exposure were young (40 vs 51 year old), male (91% vs female: 87%), and Mexican American (92% vs Non-Hispanic Black: 89% vs Non-Hispanic White: 89% vs other Hispanic: 87%). Univariate analysis showed higher total prevalence of cancer in BTEX (9.3% vs. 1.3%; p<0.0001) compared to no BTEX. Individuals with BTEX exposure had higher prevalnece of blood cancer (0.47% vs 0.00; p<0.0001), leukemia (0.56% vs 0.00; p<0.001), and lymphoma (1.72% vs 0.39%; p<0.0001) in comparison with no exposure. Multivaritate analysis showed participants with BTEX exposure had 10% higher risk of cancer (aOR: 1.10; 95%CI: 1.10-1.10; p<0.0001) compared to no BTEX exposure. Additionally, exposure to individual components of benzene (aOR: 1.24; 95%CI: 1.24; p<0.0001), ethylbenzene (aOR: 1.08; 95%CI: 1.08-1.08; p<0.0001), and o-xylene (aOR: 1.19; 95%CI: 1.19-1.19; p<0.0001) had higher risk of cancer compared to no exposure participants.
Conclusion
Our study conclude higher risk of cancer among participants with exposure to benzene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the association of various types of cancers in BTEX exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Malik
- Montefiore Medical Center , Bronx, New York , United States
| | - T Hashim
- Batterjee Medical College , Jeddah , Saudi arabia
| | - S Varma
- Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital , Madurai , India
| | - L Diaz
- Universidad de Guayaquil , Guayaquil , Ecuador
| | - A Chowdhary
- Smt Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital , Pune , India
| | - P Bapat
- Smt Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital , Pune , India
| | | | - L Centeno
- University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery , Manila , Philippines
| | - O Poursina
- Houston Methodist Hospital , Houston, Texas , United States
| | - H Pan
- Tianjin University of Chinese Medicine , Tianjin, Tianjin , CHINA
| | - A Patil
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine , Miami, Florida , United States
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Nugent C, Verlander NQ, Varma S, Bradley DT, Patterson L. Examining the association between socio-demographic factors, catheter use and antibiotic prescribing in Northern Ireland primary care: a cross-sectional multilevel analysis. Epidemiol Infect 2022; 150:1-36. [PMID: 35443905 PMCID: PMC9102062 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268822000644] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate use of antibiotics is among the key drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antibiotic use in Northern Ireland (NI) is the highest in the UK and approximately 80% is prescribed in primary care. Little information however exists about the patient and prescriber factors driving this. We described the trend in NI primary care total antibiotic prescribing 2010–2019 and conducted a cross-sectional study using a random sample of individuals registered with an NI GP on 1st January 2019. We used multilevel logistic regression to examine how sociodemographic factors and urinary catheter use was associated with the likelihood of being prescribed an antibiotic during 2019, adjusting for clustering at GP practice and GP federation levels. Finite mixture modelling (FMM) was conducted to determine the association between the aforementioned risk factors and quantity of antibiotic prescribed (defined daily doses). The association between age and antibiotic prescription differed by gender. Compared to males 41–50 years, adjusted odds of prescription were higher for males aged 0–10, 11–20 and 51 + years, and females of any age. Catheter use was strongly associated with antibiotic prescription (aOR = 6.82, 95% CI 2.50–18.64). Socioeconomic deprivation and urban/rural settlement were not associated in the multilevel logistic analysis. GP practices and federations accounted for 1.24% and 0.12% of the variation in antibiotic prescribing respectively. FMM showed associations between larger quantities of antibiotics and being older, male and having a catheter. This work described the profile of individuals most likely to receive an antibiotic prescription in NI primary care and identified GP practice as a source of variation; suggesting an opportunity for reduction from effective interventions targeted at both individuals and general practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Nugent
- UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- Health Protection Department, Public Health Agency, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | | | - S. Varma
- Health and Social Care Board, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - D. T. Bradley
- Health Protection Department, Public Health Agency, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - L. Patterson
- Health Protection Department, Public Health Agency, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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Varma S, Patil M, Patel D. Assessing the relationship between malnutrition and length of stay in the hospital in patients with COVID 19. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2022. [PMCID: PMC8937559 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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Hudson MAJ, Atkin J, Lumley G, Singh S, Varma S, Shenoy D, Morgan C, Peck G, Fertleman M, Koizia L. 694 IMPROVING OPIATE PRESCRIBING IN OLDER ADULTS WITH HIP FRACTURES TO COMBAT THE IATROGENIC FALLOUT. Age Ageing 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac034.694] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The number of opioid prescriptions in older patients has increased dramatically and it is recognised that opioids are the fourth most likely drug to cause preventable hospital admissions. The adverse effects of opioids occur more frequently in the geriatric population. Little is known about the impact of postoperative pain in older adults. NICE recommends paracetamol with additional opioids if there is insufficient postoperative pain relief. Multidisciplinary management with early and then daily physiotherapy is critical. We have assessed pre-morbid, immediate and prolonged use of opioids in patients following hip fracture. Local problem Pre-intervention analysis identified 79% (57/72) of all patients being discharged on opiates. At 4-months, 37% (17/46) of those were still using them. This represents 28% (17/61) of all patients.
Methods
Analysis of all patients (excluding poly-trauma) with hip fractures over the age of 60 years admitted to St Mary’s Hospital. Interventions Development of local guideline on analgesia prescribing; particularly focusing senior geriatrician led decision making. Prescribing oxycodone for first 72-hours and initially using nerve block. Avoidance of transdermal preparations and withdrawing stronger opioids prior to discharge. Clear instructions for GP’s on a stop date and need for community review. Patient information leaflet dispensed with all discharge opioid prescriptions.
Results
Post-intervention cycle; 17% (11/63) of patients were taking prescribed opioids prior to admission (similar to the pre-cohort). 52% (33/63) were discharged on opiates, down from 79%. At 4-months, of those discharged on opioids, 30% (9/30) were still using them; lower than in the first cycle (37%). Overall reduction from 28% to 16% of patients on opioids at 4-months.
Conclusion
The use of specific hip fracture analgesia guideline, senior geriatrician decision-making and support to community colleagues can reduce in-patient and community opiate prescribing, and stem the growing problem of opioid addiction, misuse and iatrogenic re-admission.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A J Hudson
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - J Atkin
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - G Lumley
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - S Singh
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - S Varma
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - D Shenoy
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - C Morgan
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - G Peck
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - M Fertleman
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
| | - L Koizia
- Orthogeriatric and Surgical Liaison Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London
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Alsaegh M, Al Shayeb M, Varma S, Altaie A, Zhu S. The correlated expression of COX-2 and keratin 15 in radicular cysts. J Clin Exp Dent 2022; 14:e334-e340. [PMID: 35419179 PMCID: PMC9000384 DOI: 10.4317/jced.59443] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Keratin-15 (K15) in radicular cysts (RCs) is poorly understood. Identifying the expression of these two markers may modify the current treatment of RC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of COX-2 and its relationship to K15 expression in the odontogenic epithelial cells of the RC.
Material and Methods A total of 18 RCs were immunohistochemically analyzed for COX-2 and K15 expression. The cellular inflammatory reaction in the cyst wall was also assessed by measuring the percentage of inflammatory cells to the total number of cells.
Results COX-2 expression in the odontogenic epithelium of RC was absent in 11.1 % (n=2), mild in 27.8 % (n=5), moderate in 22.2% (n=4) and strong in 38.9% (n=7). Meanwhile, K15 expression was absent in 27.8% (n=5), mild in 16.7% (n=3), moderate in 44.4% (n=8), and strong in 11.1% (n=2) of the cases. The inflammatory infiltrate was mild in 2 cases (11.1%), moderate in 6 cases (33.3%), and high in 10 cases (55.6%). Spearman’s correlation test revealed significant correlation (rho= .533; p= .023) between COX-2 and K15 expression in the odontogenic epithelium of RC. However, no correlation was noted between inflammation and expression of COX-2 (rho= 0.248, p=.321) or K15 (rho= -0.162, p= .520).
Conclusions There is high and correlated expression of COX-2 and K15 in the odontogenic epithelium of RC. COX-2 could therefore be involved in epithelial cell differentiation of the cyst. Additionally, the expression of K15 in RC may be an indicator of epithelial cell differentiation. Key words:Cyclooxygenase, COX-2, Keratin-15, K15, Radicular cyst.
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Abstract
Traditional statistics instruction emphasizes a .05 significance level for hypothesis tests. Here, we investigate the consequences of this training for researchers' mental representations of probabilities - whether .05 becomes a boundary, that is, a discontinuity of the mental number line, and alters their reasoning about p-values. Graduate students with statistical training (n = 25) viewed pairs of p-values and judged whether they were "similar" or "different." After controlling for several covariates, participants were more likely and faster to judge p-values as "different" when they crossed the .05 boundary (e.g., .046 vs. .052) compared to when they did not (e.g., .026 vs. .032). This result suggests a categorical perception-like effect for the processing of p-values. It may be a consequence of traditional statistical instruction creating a psychologically real divide between so-called statistical "significance" and "nonsignificance." Such a distortion is undesirable given modern approaches to statistical reasoning that de-emphasize dichotomizing the p-value continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- V N Vimal Rao
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Jeffrey K Bye
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Sashank Varma
- School of Interactive Computing, School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology
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12
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Bommannan KB, Naseem S, Binota J, Varma N, Malhotra P, Varma S. Tyrosine kinase domain mutations in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients: A single center experience. J Postgrad Med 2021; 68:93-97. [PMID: 34747876 PMCID: PMC9196293 DOI: 10.4103/jpgm.jpgm_781_20] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the impressive responses achieved with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, treatment resistance develops in 16–33% of patients of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Of the BCR-ABL1 dependent mechanisms, mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) are the commonest cause of resistance. Material and Methods: Allele specific oligonucleotide - polymerase chain reaction (ASO-PCR) was done for testing the six common TKD mutations, T315I, G250E, E255K, M244V, M351T, and Y253F. Results and Conclusion: TKD mutation study was done on 83 patients. Of these 44 (53%) were positive for one or more mutations. On analyzing specific mutations, E255K was the commonest mutation seen in 24 (29%) cases, followed by T315I in 23(28%) cases. Y253F mutation was not seen in the present study sample. In the present cohort of 83 patients, 29 (35%) cases were positive for single mutation, 12 (14%) had two mutations and 3 (4%) had three mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- K B Bommannan
- Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - S Naseem
- Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - J Binota
- Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - N Varma
- Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - P Malhotra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - S Varma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Varma S, Palmieri A, Aikman N, ElSahwi K. Robot Debulking of Right Pelvic Lymph Nodes 360-Degree Approach. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2021.09.016] [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: 11/25/2022]
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Abstract
Researchers are increasingly applying neuroscience technologies that probe or manipulate the brain to improve educational outcomes. However, their use remains fraught with ethical controversies. Here, we investigate the acceptability of neuroscience applications to educational practice in two groups of young adults: those studying bioscience who will be driving future basic neuroscience research and technology transfer, and those studying education who will be choosing among neuroscience-derived applications for their students. Respondents rated the acceptability of six scenarios describing neuroscience applications to education spanning multiple methodologies, from neuroimaging to neuroactive drugs to brain stimulation. They did so from two perspectives (student, teacher) and for three recipient populations (low-achieving, high-achieving students, students with learning disabilities). Overall, the biosciences students were more favorable to all neuroscience applications than the education students. Scenarios that measured brain activity (i.e., EEG or fMRI) to assess or predict intellectual abilities were deemed more acceptable than manipulations of mental activity by drug use or stimulation techniques, which may violate body integrity. Enhancement up to the norm for low-achieving students and especially students with learning disabilities was more favorably viewed than enhancement beyond the norm for high-achieving students. Finally, respondents rated neuroscientific applications to be less acceptable when adopting the perspective of a teacher than that of a student. Future studies should go beyond the acceptability ratings collected here to delineate the role that concepts of access, equity, authenticity, agency and personal choice play in guiding respondents' reasoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Schmied
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - S Varma
- School of Interactive Computing, College of Computing & School of Psychology, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J M Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 6-145 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Coulanges L, Abreu-Mendoza RA, Varma S, Uncapher MR, Gazzaley A, Anguera J, Rosenberg-Lee M. Linking inhibitory control to math achievement via comparison of conflicting decimal numbers. Cognition 2021; 214:104767. [PMID: 34120094 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between executive functions (EF) and academic achievement is well-established, but leveraging this insight to improve educational outcomes remains elusive. Here, we propose a framework for relating the role of specific EF on specific precursor skills that support later academic learning. Starting from the premise that executive functions contribute to general math skills both directly - supporting the execution of problem solving strategies - and indirectly - supporting the acquisition of precursor mathematical content, we hypothesize that the contribution of domain-general EF capacities to precursor skills that support later learning can help explain relations between EF and overall math skills. We test this hypothesis by examining whether the contribution of inhibitory control on general math knowledge can be explained by inhibition's contribution to processing rational number pairs that conflict with individual's prior whole number knowledge. In 97 college students (79 female, age = 20.58 years), we collected three measures of EF: working memory (backwards spatial span), inhibition (color-word Stroop) and cognitive flexibility (task switching), and timed and untimed standardized measures of math achievement. Our target precursor skill was a decimals comparison task where correct responses were inconsistent with prior whole number knowledge (e.g., 0.27 vs. 0.9). Participants performed worse on these trials relative to the consistent decimals pairs (e.g., 0.2 vs. 0.87). Individual differences in the Stroop task predicted performance on inconsistent decimal comparisons, which in turn predicted general math achievement. With respect to relating inhibitory control to math achievement, Stroop performance was an independent predictor of achievement after accounting for age, working memory and cognitive flexibility, but decimal performance mediated this relationship. Finally, we found inconsistent decimals performance mediated the relationship of inhibition with rational number performance, but not other advanced mathematical concepts. These results pinpoint the specific contribution of inhibitory control to rational number understanding, and more broadly are consistent with the hypothesis that acquisition of foundational mathematical content can explain the relationships between executive functions and academic outcomes, making them promising targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sashank Varma
- School of Interactive Computing and School of Psychology, Georgia Tech, USA
| | - Melina R Uncapher
- Neuroscape, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for the Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Adam Gazzaley
- Neuroscape, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for the Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Joaquin Anguera
- Neuroscape, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for the Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Miriam Rosenberg-Lee
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, USA; Behavioral Neural Sciences Graduate Program, Rutgers University, Newark, USA.
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Varma S, Alston D, Shah B, Long S. 115 Multi-Disciplinary Simulation Training on Delirium. Age Ageing 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afab030.76] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
Delirium is still perceived as a “geriatric medicine competency”, despite its high prevalence across most specialties. Collective multi-disciplinary team performance in implementation of multi-component interventions is key. Simulation training incorporates the complex interplay of non-technical factors, specifically, role recognition and empowerment, inter-personal skills and teamwork that are pivotal in delivering effective delirium care.
Methods
Funding was approved by Health Education England. 2 pilot teaching sessions were arranged in the simulation ward. 3 scenarios were developed, each requiring a facilitator, an actor and three participants- a foundation-year doctor, a nurse/healthcare assistant and a therapist. Scenario 1 dealt with a patient with hypoactive delirium with focus on identification and multidisciplinary optimisation. Scenario 2 challenged participants with management of an agitated patient. Scenario 3 involved discharging a patient with resolving delirium and a reluctant relative, with emphasis on mental capacity assessment. Communication, patient risk assessment and challenging perceived role barriers were global themes. Participant feedback was captured using unstructured interviews and pre- and post-session 5-point Likert confidence scale in various learning outcomes.
Results
16 participants were included- 4 foundation year doctors, 3 therapists, 2 healthcare assistants and 7 nurses. There was an average improvement in Likert confidence scales in all measured learning outcomes. All participants would recommend the course to their colleagues (average Likert scale 4.9). Qualitative feedback appraised the course for demonstration of de-escalation communication strategies, the application of mental capacity and recognition of early discharge planning.
Conclusion
Simulation training targeted at multi-disciplinary groups is an effective way to deliver teaching on delirium. It contextualises synergistic operation of different skills and personal accountability in influencing patient management. The challenge to its potential remains its adoption as mandatory training for various disciplines involved in care of older adults and its implementation at a wider-scale, to assure cost effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Varma
- St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
| | - D Alston
- St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
| | - B Shah
- St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
| | - S Long
- St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
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Mann J, Wernham A, Kulkarni K, Varma S. An unexpected lesion on the scalp. Clin Exp Dermatol 2020; 45:922-924. [PMID: 32449175 DOI: 10.1111/ced.14268] [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] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J Mann
- Departments of Dermatology, Nottingham Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - A Wernham
- Departments of Dermatology, Nottingham Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - K Kulkarni
- Department of Histopathology, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - S Varma
- Departments of Dermatology, Nottingham Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
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Veitch D, Smith H, Olabi B, Lam M, Patel A, Varma S. Response to ‘Long‐term outcomes of imiquimod‐treated lentigo maligna’. Clin Exp Dermatol 2020; 45:274. [DOI: 10.1111/ced.14090] [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] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Veitch
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
| | - H. Smith
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
| | - B. Olabi
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
| | - M. Lam
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
| | - A. Patel
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
| | - S. Varma
- Department of Dermatology NHS Treatment Centre Nottingham UK
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Wernham AGH, Veitch D, Wood GV, Varma S. A prospective comparative study to identify the optimal skin marker and marking protocol for skin surgery. Clin Exp Dermatol 2020; 45:623-624. [PMID: 32086960 DOI: 10.1111/ced.14204] [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] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A G H Wernham
- Department of Dermatology, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Walsall, West Midlands, UK
| | - D Veitch
- Department of Dermatology, Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, UK
| | - G V Wood
- Department of Research Development, University of Coventry, Coventry, UK
| | - S Varma
- Department of Dermatology, Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, UK
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Barbour A, Walpole E, Mai G, Barnes E, Watson D, Ackland S, Martin J, Burge M, Finch R, Karapetis C, Shannon J, Nott L, Varma S, Marx G, Falk G, Gebski V, Oostendorp M, Wilson K, Thomas J, Lampe G, Zalcberg J, Simes J, Smithers B, Barbour A, Simes J, Walpole E, Mai T, Watson D, Karapetis C, Gebski V, Barnes L, Oostendorp M, Wilson K. Preoperative cisplatin, fluorouracil, and docetaxel with or without radiotherapy after poor early response to cisplatin and fluorouracil for resectable oesophageal adenocarcinoma (AGITG DOCTOR): results from a multicentre, randomised controlled phase II trial. Ann Oncol 2020; 31:236-245. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2019.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Affiliation(s)
- Sashank Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
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Wernham AGH, Oliphant T, Veitch D, Naysmith L, Varma S. National survey of UK Dermatologists demonstrates significant variation in how to obtain consent for dermatological procedures. Clin Exp Dermatol 2019; 45:576-579. [PMID: 31872451 DOI: 10.1111/ced.14164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Consent must be undertaken prior to any dermatological procedure; however, in doing this, the clinician needs to ensure consent is valid and satisfies the principles of determining material risk. We aimed to assess variations in obtaining consent in the UK and understanding of material risk through a nationally distributed survey to members of the British Society for Dermatological Surgery and British Association of Dermatologists. Of 165 responses, we found that written consent was being obtained for all procedures in 73.9% of cases and typically at the time of procedure in the operating room/theatre (78.8%). Fifty-seven per cent of respondents were not familiar with the term 'material risk' and almost one-third were not aware of the Montgomery vs. Lanarkshire ruling, which replaced the Bolam test in 2015. We would encourage readers to be aware of these changes to consent law in the UK and how it might affect their approach to obtaining consent.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G H Wernham
- Department of Dermatology, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Walsall, West Midlands, UK.,Department of Dermatology, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcester, UK
| | - T Oliphant
- Department of Dermatology, The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - D Veitch
- Department of Dermatology, Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, QMC Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - L Naysmith
- Department of Dermatology, Lauriston Building, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S Varma
- Department of Dermatology, Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, QMC Campus, Nottingham, UK
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Thambisetty M, Varma V, An Y, Mahajan U, Oommen A, Varma S, Troncoso J, Pletnikova O, Legido-Quigley C. The new neurobiology of dementia. J Neurol Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.10.101] [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: 11/15/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- H Smith
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K
| | - B Olabi
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K.,Department of Dermatology, Lauriston Buildings, Edinburgh, U.K
| | - M Lam
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K
| | - A Patel
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K
| | - S Varma
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K
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Calderon C, Carmona-Bayonas A, Hernandez R, Castelo B, Varma S, Donnay O, Gomez D, Jimenez-Fonseca P. Incidence of sleep problems and their mediating role on depression and anxious preoccupation in patients with resected, non-advanced cancer: data from NEOcoping study. Clin Transl Oncol 2019; 21:1104-1107. [PMID: 30712235 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-018-02018-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our study analyzes the incidence of sleep problems and their mediating role on depression and anxious preoccupation in patients with resected, non-advanced cancer. METHODS A multi-institutional, prospective, observational study was conducted with 750 participants of 14 hospitals in Spain. Participants' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected using a standardized self-report form and using EORTC QoL-QLQ-C30, BSI, Mini-MAC questionnaires. RESULTS In women, sleep problems, depression and anxious preoccupation were observed in 65, 41 and 21%, respectively. In men, sleep problems, depression and anxious preoccupation were reported in 51, 29 and 61%, respectively. More sleep problems, depression and anxious preoccupation were found among women than males. Depression was a significant predictor of anxious preoccupation. In males, sleep problems partially mediated this association. This was not confirmed in women. CONCLUSION Our findings point toward the importance of developing interventions that decrease depression and sleep problems in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Calderon
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Carmona-Bayonas
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, UMU, IMIB, Murcia, Spain
| | - R Hernandez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
| | - B Castelo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Varma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
| | - O Donnay
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - D Gomez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central of Asturias, Avenida Roma, sn, 33011, Oviedo, Spain
| | - P Jimenez-Fonseca
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central of Asturias, Avenida Roma, sn, 33011, Oviedo, Spain.
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Howell S, Hoeks S, West R, Wheatcroft S, Hoeft A, Leva B, Plichon B, Damster S, Momeni M, Watremez C, Kahn D, Dincq AS, Danila A, Wittmann M, Struck R, Rüddel T, Kessler F, Rasche S, Matsota P, Hasani A, Gudaityte J, Karbonskiene A, Ferreira R, Carvalho S, Tomescu D, Martac C, Grintescu I, Mirea L, Serrano L, Serrano L, Sierra P, Sabaté S, Hernando D, Matute P, Trashorras M, Suñé M, Sarmiento L, Hervias A, González O, Hermina A, González O, Hermina A, Navarro Perez R, Orts M, Fernandez-Garcia R, Sanchez Pérez D, Sepulveda Gil I, Monedero P, Hidalgo F, Mbongo C, Pont A, Reyes H, Bartolo C, Galera S, Valentijn T, Stolker R, Tugrul M, Emre Demirel E, Hough M, Griffiths K, Birch S, Beardow Z, Elliot S, Thompson J, Bowrey S, Northey M, Melson H, Telford R, Nadolski M, Potter A, Fuller D, Rose A, Varma S, Simeson K, Pettit J, Smith N, Martinson V, Sleight L, Naylor C, Watt P, Raymode P, Dunk N, Twohey L, Hollos L, Davies S, Gibson A, Coleman Z, Tamm T, Joscak J, Zsisku L, Zuleika M, Carvalho P, Collyer T, Ryan J, Colling K, Dharmarajah S, Krishnan A, Paddle J, Fouracres A, Arnell K, Muhammad K. Prospective observational cohort study of the association between antiplatelet therapy, bleeding and thrombosis in patients with coronary stents undergoing noncardiac surgery. Br J Anaesth 2019; 122:170-179. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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Patel P, Varma S. How the Abstract Becomes Concrete: Irrational Numbers Are Understood Relative to Natural Numbers and Perfect Squares. Cogn Sci 2018; 42:1642-1676. [PMID: 29900573 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.12619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mathematical cognition research has largely emphasized concepts that can be directly perceived or grounded in visuospatial referents. These include concrete number systems like natural numbers, integers, and rational numbers. Here, we investigate how a more abstract number system, the irrationals denoted by radical expressions like 2, is understood across three tasks. Performance on a magnitude comparison task suggests that people interpret irrational numbers (specifically, the radicands of radical expressions) as natural numbers. Strategy self-reports during a number line estimation task reveal that the spatial locations of irrationals are determined by referencing neighboring perfect squares. Finally, perfect squares facilitate the evaluation of arithmetic expressions. These converging results align with a constellation of related phenomena spanning tasks and number systems of varying complexity. Accordingly, we propose that the task-specific recruitment of more concrete representations to make sense of more abstract concepts (referential processing) is an important mechanism for teaching and learning mathematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purav Patel
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Sashank Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
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O'Toole S, Pennington M, Varma S, Bartlett DW. The treatment need and associated cost of erosive tooth wear rehabilitation - a service evaluation within an NHS dental hospital. Br Dent J 2018; 224:957-961. [PMID: 29880974 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S O'Toole
- King's College London Dental Institute, Department of Prosthodontics, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - S Varma
- Guys Hospital, Prosthodontics, London, United Kingdom
| | - D W Bartlett
- Kings College London Dental Institute, Prosthodontics, London, United Kingdom
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Sharma A, Veitch D, Elsheikh S, Bamford M, McKenna DJ, Varma S. Intravascular basal cell carcinoma: what to do next? Clin Exp Dermatol 2018; 43:934-935. [PMID: 29851109 DOI: 10.1111/ced.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A Sharma
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - D Veitch
- Department of Dermatology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK
| | - S Elsheikh
- Department of Histopathology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK
| | - M Bamford
- Department of Histopathology, Queens Medical Centre, Lakin Road, Nottingham, NG7 2FT, UK
| | - D J McKenna
- Department of Dermatology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK
| | - S Varma
- Department of Dermatology, NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, UK
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Varma S. Reply to: Frequency of squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) and SCC in re-excisions of biopsy-proven cutaneous SCCIS. Br J Dermatol 2018; 179:223-224. [PMID: 29660825 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16674] [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: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S Varma
- University of Nottingham, School of Medicine, Nottingham, U.K.,Department of Dermatology, Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, Nottingham, U.K
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Zhang X, Varma S, Yee D. Abstract P3-07-01: IRS1 expression is required for estrogen stimulated growth in breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs17-p3-07-01] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins are adaptor proteins phosphorylated by activated type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor (IR). In addition to their roles in normal cell physiology, we have shown IRS expression is required for breast cancer cell growth and motility. IRS1 plays a more important role in mitogenesis and survival while IRS2 in cancer cell metastasis. Moreover, this family of adaptor proteins is also involved in the signal transduction of many other transmembrane receptors. Thus, IRS proteins could be potential cancer therapeutic targets. We have previously shown that reduced IRS1 impairs IGF and insuliln stimulated cancer cell growth and tumorigenicity even when signaling is not affected due to possible compensation of IRS2 and other adaptor proteins. To further study the role of IRS-1 function in breast cancer, we created doxycycline inducible IRS-1 shRNA cells. We also found that IRS1 knockdown significantly reduced estradiol stimulated growth. To investigate if reduced IRS1 regulated E2 stimulated binding of ERa ChIP assay was performed using the pS2 promoter. Compared to parental MCF-7L cells, inducible IRS1 knock down clone 3G5 demonstrated significantly reduced promoter binding. Degradation of IRS-1 with a pharmacologic antagonist (NT-157) also diminished ERa binding to pS2 promoter. Further qRT-PCR analysis for mRNA levels of estrogen regulated genes, such as PGR, TFF1, etc. showed those genes were significantly down regulated. To evaluate effects of IRS-1 levels on estrogen stimulated growth, we evaluated 3G5-B12 (a subclone of 3G5) cell growth in a xenograft model. 3G5-B12 cells have similar levels of IGFIR and ERa expression compared to their parent cells. Estrogen dependent xenograft growth was similar to those of parent MCF-7L cells. After doxycycline was administered in the diet, 3G5-B12 tumor growth was significantly inhibited compared to those fed with normal mouse diet, and this inhibition was prolonged at least 2 and a half months. Parental MCF-7L tumor growth was not affected by the doxycycline diet. Doxycycline inducible IRS1 knock down significantly prolonged the time before tumors reached 1000mm3 compared with those tumors on a normal diet. In conclusion, IRS-1 is required for optimal estrogen receptor function as measured by promoter binding and xenograft growth. Our data suggested suppression of IRS-1 function may target several growth pathways in breast cancer cells and represents a new drug target.
Citation Format: Zhang X, Varma S, Yee D. IRS1 expression is required for estrogen stimulated growth in breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-01.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Zhang
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - S Varma
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - D Yee
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
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Im SH, Cho JY, Dubinsky JM, Varma S. Taking an educational psychology course improves neuroscience literacy but does not reduce belief in neuromyths. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192163. [PMID: 29401508 PMCID: PMC5798820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Educators are increasingly interested in applying neuroscience findings to improve educational practice. However, their understanding of the brain often lags behind their enthusiasm for the brain. We propose that educational psychology can serve as a bridge between basic research in neuroscience and psychology on one hand and educational practice on the other. We evaluated whether taking an educational psychology course is associated with increased neuroscience literacy and reduced belief in neuromyths in a sample of South Korean pre-service teachers. The results showed that taking an educational psychology course was associated with the increased neuroscience literacy, but there was no impact on belief in neuromyths. We consider the implications of these and other findings of the study for redesigning educational psychology courses and textbooks for improving neuroscience literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-hyun Im
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Joo-Yun Cho
- Department of Elementary Education, Seoul National University of Education, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Janet M. Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Sashank Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Pannu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - V Suri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - M Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Y R Rao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - S Kumari
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - S Varma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Howard-Jones PA, Varma S, Ansari D, Butterworth B, De Smedt B, Goswami U, Laurillard D, Thomas MSC. The principles and practices of educational neuroscience: Comment on Bowers (2016). Psychol Rev 2017; 123:620-7. [PMID: 27657441 DOI: 10.1037/rev0000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In his recent critique of Educational Neuroscience, Bowers argues that neuroscience has no role to play in informing education, which he equates with classroom teaching. Neuroscience, he suggests, adds nothing to what we can learn from psychology. In this commentary, we argue that Bowers' assertions misrepresent the nature and aims of the work in this new field. We suggest that, by contrast, psychological and neural levels of explanation complement rather than compete with each other. Bowers' analysis also fails to include a role for educational expertise-a guiding principle of our new field. On this basis, we conclude that his critique is potentially misleading. We set out the well-documented goals of research in Educational Neuroscience, and show how, in collaboration with educators, significant progress has already been achieved, with the prospect of even greater progress in the future. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sashank Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Daniel Ansari
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario
| | | | - Bert De Smedt
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven
| | - Usha Goswami
- Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge
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Sachdeva M, Sharma P, Bose P, Varma N, Malhotra P, Varma S. MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASE ASSESSMENT IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA: UTILITY AND FEASIBILITY IN RESOURCE CONSTRAINT SETTINGS OF INDIA. Hematol Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/hon.2439_150] [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: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M.S. Sachdeva
- Hematology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research; Chandigarh India
| | - P. Sharma
- Hematology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research; Chandigarh India
| | - P. Bose
- Hematology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research; Chandigarh India
| | - N. Varma
- Hematology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research; Chandigarh India
| | - P. Malhotra
- Internal Medicine; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - S. Varma
- Internal Medicine; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
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Im SH, Varma K, Varma S. Extending the seductive allure of neuroscience explanations effect to popular articles about educational topics. Br J Educ Psychol 2017; 87:518-534. [DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Soo-hyun Im
- Department of Educational Psychology; University of Minnesota; Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Keisha Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology; University of Minnesota; Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Sashank Varma
- Department of Educational Psychology; University of Minnesota; Minneapolis Minnesota USA
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Hussain W, Affleck A, Al-Niaimi F, Cooper A, Craythorne E, Fleming C, Ghura V, Langtry J, Lawrence C, Loghdey S, Naysmith L, Oliphant T, Rahim R, Rice S, Sivaramkrishan M, Stables G, Varma S, Mallipeddi R. Safety, complications and patients' acceptance of Mohs micrographic surgery under local anaesthesia: results from the U.K. MAPS (Mohs Acceptance and Patient Safety) Collaboration Group. Br J Dermatol 2017; 176:806-808. [PMID: 27377192 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.14843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W Hussain
- Dermatology Surgical & Laser Unit (C4), Leeds Centre for Dermatology, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, LS7 4SA, U.K
| | - A Affleck
- Department of Dermatology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, U.K
| | - F Al-Niaimi
- Dermatological Surgery & Laser Unit, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, U.K
| | - A Cooper
- Dermatology Department, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Canterbury, CT1 3NG, U.K
| | - E Craythorne
- Dermatological Surgery & Laser Unit, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, U.K
| | - C Fleming
- Department of Dermatology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, U.K
| | - V Ghura
- Department of Dermatology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Stott Lane, Salford, M6 8HD, U.K
| | - J Langtry
- Dermatology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, U.K
| | - C Lawrence
- Dermatology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, U.K
| | - S Loghdey
- Department of Dermatology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, U.K
| | - L Naysmith
- Department of Dermatology, Lauriston Building, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, U.K
| | - T Oliphant
- Dermatology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, U.K
| | - R Rahim
- Dermatology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, U.K
| | - S Rice
- Dermatology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, U.K
| | - M Sivaramkrishan
- Department of Dermatology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, U.K
| | - G Stables
- Dermatology Surgical & Laser Unit (C4), Leeds Centre for Dermatology, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, LS7 4SA, U.K
| | - S Varma
- Department of Dermatology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, U.K
| | - R Mallipeddi
- Dermatological Surgery & Laser Unit, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, U.K
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Sharma S, Nahar U, Das A, Radotra B, Joshi K, Varma S, Vasishta RK. Acute respiratory distress syndrome in disseminated tuberculosis: an uncommon association. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2017; 20:271-5. [PMID: 26792484 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.15.0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyse clinicopathological features of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in disseminated tuberculosis (TB) at autopsy. METHODS A retrospective analysis of an autopsy database of disseminated TB from 1990 to 2010 was conducted. ARDS cases were assessed for histological changes of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) and other pathological pulmonary features. RESULTS Disseminated TB was diagnosed in 196 cases. The clinical diagnosis of disseminated TB was made in 67% of cases. Of the 196 cases, 10 met the clinical criteria for ARDS, 60% of whom showed histological evidence of DAD. One case of DAD was diagnosed on histology alone. DAD was thus found in 7/196 cases of disseminated TB. Other pulmonary changes included necrotising granulomas (n = 10), tuberculous bronchopneumonia (n = 4), tuberculous vasculitis (n = 3), infarction (n = 1) and aspergilloma (n = 1). Histopathological diagnosis other than DAD was found in 4/10 cases and disseminated TB was presumed clinically in only 4/10 cases of ARDS. CONCLUSION Disseminated TB may be clinically missed and diagnosed only post mortem. Disseminated TB is a relatively uncommon cause of ARDS; however, it should always be presumed clinically as it is a potentially treatable cause. DAD is a rare histological feature of disseminated TB and there may not always be a clinicopathological correlation between ARDS and DAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sharma
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - U Nahar
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - A Das
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - B Radotra
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - K Joshi
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - S Varma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - R K Vasishta
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Varma VR, Varma S, An Y, Hohman TJ, Seddighi S, Casanova R, Beri A, Dammer EB, Seyfried NT, Pletnikova O, Moghekar A, Wilson MR, Lah JJ, O’Brien RJ, Levey AI, Troncoso JC, Albert MS, Thambisetty M. Alpha-2 macroglobulin in Alzheimer's disease: a marker of neuronal injury through the RCAN1 pathway. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:13-23. [PMID: 27872486 PMCID: PMC5726508 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical changes that precede the onset of symptoms and eventual diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are a target for potential preventive interventions. A large body of evidence suggests that inflammation is closely associated with AD pathogenesis and may be a promising target pathway for such interventions. However, little is known about the association between systemic inflammation and preclinical AD pathophysiology. We first examined whether the acute-phase protein, alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M), a major component of the innate immune system, was associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neuronal injury in preclinical AD and risk of incident AD in the predictors of cognitive decline among normal individuals (BIOCARD) cohort. We find that A2M concentration in blood is significantly associated with CSF concentrations of the neuronal injury markers, tau and phosphorylated tau, and that higher baseline serum A2M concentration is associated with an almost threefold greater risk of progression to clinical symptoms of AD in men. These findings were replicated in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging (ADNI) study. Then, utilizing a systems level approach combining large multi-tissue gene expression datasets with mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses of brain tissue, we identified an A2M gene network that includes regulator of calcineurin (RCAN1), an inhibitor of calcineurin, a well-characterized tau phosphatase. A2M gene and protein expression in the brain were significantly associated with gene and protein expression levels of calcineurin. Collectively these novel findings suggest that A2M is associated with preclinical AD, reflects early neuronal injury in the disease course and may be responsive to tau phosphorylation in the brain through the RCAN1-calcineurin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- VR Varma
- Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S Varma
- HiThru Analytics, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Y An
- Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - TJ Hohman
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - S Seddighi
- Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - R Casanova
- Department of Biostatistical Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - A Beri
- Laboratory of Informatics Development (BTRIS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - EB Dammer
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - NT Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - O Pletnikova
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Moghekar
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - MR Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - JJ Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - RJ O’Brien
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - AI Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - JC Troncoso
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - MS Albert
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M Thambisetty
- Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA
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Datta DP, Siva V, Varma S, Kanjilal D, Sahoo PK. Ion induced dewetting of Au-Si on a SiO 2 surface: composite nanodot evolution and wettability transition. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:29955-29960. [PMID: 27762417 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp06075g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A nanodot array morphology gradually develops on SiO2 surface when a thin bi-layer of Au and Si undergoes ion irradiation. An increasing amount of gold silicide is detected as islands on the insulator surface evolve into nanodots as a function of increasing ion fluence. Different stages of evolution from islands to nanodots are found to be driven by the localized melting of Au along the ion-track and dewetting of the metal film. Dewetting is accompanied by sputter-erosion and mixing of Au and Si at the bi-layer interface due to ion energy deposition. Interestingly, a gradual transition in wettability of the surface from the hydrophilic to the hydrophobic one is observed with the growth of nanodots, which is correlated with the compositional variation. The experimental results indicate a route towards the controlled growth of composite nanodots on an insulator surface having hydrophobic properties using ion irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D P Datta
- School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, HBNI, Jatni 752050, India.
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Mahadik PS, Jain D, Shirsat A, Manoj N, Varma S, Wani B, Bharadwaj S. Synthesis, stability and conductivity of SrCe0.8-xZrxY0.2O3-δ as electrolyte for proton conducting SOFC. Electrochim Acta 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2016.09.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- W S Cho
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust , UK
| | - N Ibrahim
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust , UK
| | - S Varma
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust , UK
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Affiliation(s)
- N Ibrahim
- Leicester Royal Infirmary , Leicester , UK
| | - I Chauhan
- Leicester Royal Infirmary , Leicester , UK
| | - S Varma
- Leicester Royal Infirmary , Leicester , UK
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Lohana MH, Suragimath G, Patange RP, Varma S, Zope SA. A Prospective Cohort Study to Assess and Correlate the Maternal Periodontal Status with Their Pregnancy Outcome. J Obstet Gynaecol India 2016; 67:27-32. [PMID: 28242964 DOI: 10.1007/s13224-016-0920-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is an overwhelming body of evidence strongly suggesting that periodontal infection may have a significant negative impact on pregnancy outcome in some women. The aim of this study was to determine the association between periodontal disease and preterm low birth weight of babies. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 300 pregnant women, between 20 and 24 weeks of gestation i.e., second trimester, were considered for the study. The periodontal status was recorded using the following parameters: probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, oral hygiene index and plaque index. After initial examination in the second trimester, the pregnant women were followed till delivery of the baby. Postpartum data i.e., weight of baby, gestational age of pregnancy and type of delivery, were recorded. RESULTS Out of 300 pregnant women, 248 women had full-term delivery (12 low birth weight and 236 normal birth weight) while 52 had preterm delivery (6 normal birth weight and 46 low birth weight). There was significant association between body mass index and level of periodontal disease severity of pregnant women with birth weight of babies, gestational age of pregnant women and mode of delivery, respectively. As the level of periodontal disease severity increased, the proportion of delivering preterm and low birth weight babies also increased. CONCLUSION The conclusions obtained revealed that Periodontal disease is a potential risk factor for preterm low birth weight babies of pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Lohana
- Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India
| | - G Suragimath
- Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India
| | - R P Patange
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India
| | - S Varma
- Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India
| | - S A Zope
- Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India
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Abstract
The study included 57 patients with visceral leishmaniasis. The average duration of symptoms was 3.8 ± 3.55 months and pancytopenia was the commonest haematological abnormality. The parasite load directly correlated with the degree of anaemia at presentation (P=0.03). Splenic regression took 9.58 ±4.5 days and haematological parameters recovered in 14.5±9.07 days. There were five deaths over the five-year study duration. Leishmaniasis was not the first diagnosis in 14 patients, of whom eight were residents of non-endemic regions. Diagnosis was achieved in 13.5 days in these patients, compared to 4.5 days in patients where leishmaniasis was suspected at the outset.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sud
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
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Varma S, Ambroise J, Komuta M, Latinne D, Baldin P, Reding R, Smets F, Stephenne X, Sokal EM. Progressive Fibrosis Is Driven by Genetic Predisposition, Allo-immunity, and Inflammation in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients. EBioMedicine 2016; 9:346-355. [PMID: 27333038 PMCID: PMC4972529 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To determine predisposing factors of idiopathic allograft fibrosis among pediatric liver transplant recipients. Background Protocol biopsies (PB) from stable liver transplant (LT) recipient children frequently exhibit idiopathic fibrosis. The relation between allograft inflammation, humoral immune response and fibrosis is uncertain. Also the role of HLA-DRB1 genotype has not been evaluated, though it's associated with fibrosis in autoimmune hepatitis. Patients and Methods This observational study, included 89 stable LT recipient transplanted between 2004–2012 with mean follow-up of 4.3 years, 281 serial PBs (3.1 biopsy/child) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody data. PBs were taken 1–2, 2–3, 3–5, 5–7, and 7–10 years post-LT, and evaluated for inflammation and fibrosis using liver allograft fibrosis score (LAFSc). The evolution of fibrosis, inflammation and related predisposing factors were analysed. Findings HLA-DRB1*03/04 allele and Class II DSA were significantly associated with portal fibrosis (p = 0.03; p = 0.03, respectively). Portal inflammation was predisposed by Class II DSA (p = 0.02) and non-HLA antibody presence (p = 0.01). Non-portal fibrosis wasn't predisposed by inflammation. Lobular inflammation was associated with non-HLA antibodies. Interpretation We conclusively demonstrated that allograft inflammation results in fibrosis and is associated with post-LT Class II DSA and non-HLA antibodies. The HLA-DRB1*03/04 allele caused genetic predisposition for fibrosis. Funding None. There is a link between genetic predisposition, alloimmune antibodies, allograft inflammation and fibrosis Description of allograft natural history by assessing evolution of inflammation, fibrosis in different histological zones Allograft inflammation results in allograft fibrosis and is associated with post-LT Class II DSA and non-HLA antibodies The HLA-DRB1*03/04 allele causes genetic predisposition for fibrosis
Among pediatric liver transplant recipients, the graft longevity is expected to parallel the life expectancy of the recipient. A major impediment in this is progressive allograft fibrosis, the cause of which is not well understood. If this pathogenesis could be found, then interventions to arrest the progressive fibrosis could be explored. In our 89 patients for whom we did periodic surveillance liver biopsies, inflammation was found to precede the fibrosis and associated with presence of specific antibodies. Certain genetic predisposition for higher fibrogenesis was also found, thus establishing a link between genetic predisposition, alloimmune response, inflammation, and allograft fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Varma
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Department of Pediatrics, Service of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - J Ambroise
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Centre for applied molecular technologies (CTMA), Institute of experimental and clinical research (IREC), Brussels, Belgium.
| | - M Komuta
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Service of anatomical pathology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - D Latinne
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Department of clinical biology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - P Baldin
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Service of anatomical pathology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - R Reding
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Service of pediatric surgery and transplantation, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - F Smets
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Department of Pediatrics, Service of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - X Stephenne
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Department of Pediatrics, Service of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - E M Sokal
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Department of Pediatrics, Service of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, Brussels, Belgium.
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Modi M, Sharma K, Sharma M, Sharma A, Sharma N, Sharma S, Ray P, Varma S. Multitargeted loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2016; 20:625-30. [DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.15.0741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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