A statistical method for removing unbalanced trials with multiple covariates in meta-analysis.

In meta-analysis literature, there are several checklists describing the procedures necessary to evaluate studies from a qualitative point of view, whereas preliminary quantitative and statistical investigations on the "combinability" of trials have been neglected. Covariate balance is an important prerequisite to conduct meta-analysis. We propose a method to identify unbalanced trials with respect to a set of covariates, in presence of covariate imbalance, namely when the randomized controlled trials generate a meta-sample that cannot satisfy the requisite of randomization/combinability in meta-analysis.

Modern tools in congenital heart disease imaging and procedure planning: a European survey.

Aims: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) often show a complex 3D anatomy that must be well understood to assess the pathophysiological consequences and to guide therapy. Three-dimensional imaging technologies have the potential to enhance the physician's comprehension of such spatially complex anatomies. Unfortunately, due to the new introduction in clinical practice, there is no evidence on the current applications.

A new measure for the attitude to mobility of Italian students and graduates: a topological data analysis approach.

Students' and graduates' mobility is an interesting topic of discussion especially for the Italian education system and universities. The main reasons for migration and for the so called brain drain, can be found in the socio-economic context and in the famous North-South divide. Measuring mobility and understanding its dynamic over time and space are not trivial tasks.

Single-center experience in percutaneous closure of arterial duct with Amplatzer duct Occluder II additional sizes.

Objectives: This study aimed to report a large, single-center experience of percutaneous arterial duct (AD) closure using Amplatzer Duct Occluder II Additional Sizes device (ADO II-AS)(St. Jude Medical Corp, St. Paul, MN, USA).

Offensive strategies in the European Football Championship 2012.

The aim of this study was to identify the independent and interactive effects of possession strategy, pitch location, and game period on the offensive actions performed by the winning teams in the 2012 European Football Championship. The non-clinical magnitude-based inferences method was used to interpret the true effect of the performance indicators on the response variable. The offensive team possessions were grouped into winning (n = 2035) and losing (n = 2071).

Early Detection of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Long-Term Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated with Low Cumulative Dose.

We investigated the left ventricular (LV) function, using for the first time strain (S) and strain rate (SR) imaging, in long-term survivors affected by acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with a low cumulative dose of anthracyclines, and in presence of a normal global LV systolic and diastolic function. A total of 21 were enrolled in the study. The mean cumulative dose of anthracylines was 180 mg/m (range: 120-210 mg/m).

Impact of the Amplatzer atrial septal occluder device on left ventricular function in pediatric patients.

Percutaneous closure currently is widely considered to be the first-choice therapeutic option in the treatment of ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD). The Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) device is the most used prosthesis, although its influence on cardiac function still is under active investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the ASO device size on left ventricular (LV) function in pediatric patients using the speckle-tracking strain imaging technology.

Assessing covariate imbalance in meta-analysis studies.

The main goal of meta-analysis is to combine data across studies or data sets to obtain summary estimates. In this paper, the novelty is to propose a statistical tool to assess a possible covariate imbalance in baseline variables to investigate similarity of trials. We conducted the detection of the covariate imbalance, first, through some graphical comparison of the empirical cumulative distribution functions or ECDFs, which are built by putting together arms or trials according to some risk factor, and second, through some non-parametric tests such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and the Anderson-Darling tests.

A population-based survey of cognitive performance in a Sicilian elderly community.

Background: The global burden of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing. Previous studies reported differences related to age, gender and socioeconomic status. We calculated the cognitive performances of a Sicilian population aged 65 years or older, by means of a door-to-door population-based survey in Bagheria city, Sicily.

Predictive value of serologic markers of degree of histologic damage in acute uncomplicated colonic diverticulitis.

Background: Acute uncomplicated diverticulitis (AUD) may show histologic and serologic signs of inflammation.

Goals: To assess whether serologic markers of inflammation may be predictive of abnormal histology in AUD.

Study: Twenty-one consecutive patients affected by AUD were studied (15 Males, 6 Females, mean age 66.

Complications in celiac disease under gluten-free diet.

We assessed the onset of malignant and nonmalignant complications in a cohort of celiac disease (CD) patients under gluten-free diet (GFD). Five hundred and forty-nine CD patients were retrospectively assessed. Two hundred and fifty-one (45.

Faecal calprotectin in colonic diverticular disease: a case-control study.

Background And Aims: Information about faecal calprotectin (FC) in colonic diverticular disease (DD) are lacking. We assessed FC in colonic DD, comparing it with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy controls. Moreover, we compared FC levels in different degrees of DD and assessed FC in symptomatic DD before and after treatment.

Assessment and grading of mucosal inflammation in colonic diverticular disease.

Goal: The aim of this study was to assess and grade the mucosal inflammatory infiltrate in different degrees of diverticular disease (DD) and to compare them with healthy matched controls.

Background: Mucosal inflammation in colonic DD has never been investigated. In particular, it is unknown whether inflammation may be found in every degree of DD.

The clinical picture of uncomplicated versus complicated diverticulitis of the colon.

Purpose: There is no consensus about the correct definition of uncomplicated diverticulitis (UD) in clinical practice. We evaluated therefore whether clinical picture of UD differs from complicated diverticulitis (CD). Fifty consecutive eligible patients (21 males, 29 females, mean age 63.

Height as a potential indicator of early life events predicting Parkinson's disease: a case-control study.

Aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between height in young adult age and Parkinson's disease (PD) risk. We included 266 persons affected by idiopathic PD. Patients were matched by age and sex to 266 controls by a random selection from the municipality of residence.

Effect of lactoferrin supplementation on the effectiveness and tolerability of a 7-day quadruple therapy after failure of a first attempt to cure Helicobacter pylori infection.

Background: Up to 35% of H. pylori-positive patients remain infected after a first eradication attempt. Lactoferrin, a natural anti-bacterial glycoprotein, seems a promising tool in treating H.

Balsalazide and/or high-potency probiotic mixture (VSL#3) in maintaining remission after attack of acute, uncomplicated diverticulitis of the colon.

Background And Aims: The role of probiotics in the treatment of diverticulitis is still not known. The aim of our study was to investigate whether balsalazide and/or VSL#3 is effective in preventing diverticulitis recurrence.

Materials And Methods: In this pilot study, 30 consecutive patients (19 males, 11 females, mean age 60.

Beclomethasone dipropionate for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease: an open-label, budesonide-controlled, randomized study.

Background: Budesonide is a steroid with low systemic effect and high effectiveness in the treatment of Crohn's Disease (CD). Beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) is also a steroid with the same systemic effects, but it has been never investigated in CD.

Material/methods: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of BDP versus budesonide in treating CD, we enrolled 30 consecutive patients affected by mild-to-moderate non-fistulizing, non-obstructive Crohn's disease (CDAI < or = 250) (13 M and 17 F, mean age: 33.

Epithelial cell proliferation of the colonic mucosa in different degrees of colonic diverticular disease.

Goal: This study assesses the epithelial cell proliferation in different degrees of diverticular disease and compares this with two different control groups.

Background: Hyperproliferation of the colonic mucosa has been recently described in diverticular disease (DD), but it is unknown whether this finding is present in every degree of DD.

Patients And Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of DD (10 with asymptomatic diverticulosis, 10 with symptomatic uncomplicated DD, and 10 with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis) were enrolled.