iDENTIfyme Informative Campaign: Raising Forensic Dental Identification Awareness in the Community

The identification of human remains can be performed visually through families and next-of-kin, but it is not advisable to rely only on visual recognition; instead, it is preferable to conduct a forensic comparison of antemortem and postmortem data for primary identifiers (fingerprints, DNA, and dental data). A dental autopsy is particularly valuable in the identification process of skeletonized, carbonized, saponified, and fragmented human remains. The principal challenge in the identification process is the search and collection of antemortem data. To this end, all dental information held on a missing person can represent a precious source of individualizing information that families should share with the police or investigating agencies after reporting a disappearance.     

Maximum likelihood estimation and likelihood ratio test for square tables with missing data

Missing data complicate the analysis of paired categorical data. This paper considers with the use of the EM algorithm, the maximum likelihood estimation and likelihood ratio test for incomplete square tables with missing data. An example involving the susceptibility of micro-organisms to antimicrobial drugs illustrates the procedure.     

医院传染病报告信息化对疫情报告质量影响的评价分析

目的 评价传染病报告信息化对医院内部传染病报告质量的影响,探讨医院传染病报告信息系统的优势和存在问题.方法 比较医院传染病报告信息化前、后,传染病漏报、迟报、报告卡填写质量情况.结果 传染病报告信息化后,传染病漏报率、迟报率、报告卡完整率和准确率分别为0.6%、2.0%、99.3%和99.3%,漏报率比信息化前降低了15.9%(χ~2=436.997,P<0.001),迟报率比信息化前降低了9.3%(χ~2=185.984,P<0.001),报告卡完整率比信息化前升高了26.0%(χ~2=599.704,P<0.001),准确率比信息化前升高了46.7%(χ~2=1266.333,P<0.001).结论 医院传染病报告实行信息化,能有效控制医院传染病迟报、漏报,提高报告卡填写质量.     

移民城市农民房居民区儿童麻疹疫苗漏种情况与发病的关系

目的了解移民城市农民房居民区儿童麻疹疫苗（麻苗）漏种特征与发病的关系,为制定麻疹预防控制措施提供科学依据。方法采用现场抽样调查和对麻疹病例电话调查的方法,对深圳市19个社康中心辖区内的553名儿童的调查资料进行描述流行病学分析。结果553名儿童中麻苗漏种率高达22．78％。1针漏种率为20．61％,2针漏种率为2．17％。在深圳居住时间〈3个月外来儿童的漏种率高达30．99％,而深圳户籍的常居儿童麻苗漏种率仅为6．67％,艘为4．65,P〈0．01。全部漏种儿童中的无证率为19．84％。其中,在深圳居住〈3个月儿童的无证率为50．00％。麻苗漏种率最高的大浪街道,其儿童麻疹发病率也显著地高于其他漏种率低的街道。〈8月龄未到麻苗初种年龄儿童,麻疹发病数占全部儿童病例数的36．36％。结论移民城市农民房居民区外来儿童是麻苗漏种的高危险人群;其漏种原因与其移居深圳时间短,未能及时获得预防接种证有关。因此认为,提高农民房居民区儿童,尤其是提高来深圳居住时间〈3个月外来儿童的预防接种证及时办证率和加大麻苗查漏补种的频率,同时对妊娠前妇女进行一针麻苗强化免疫是有效降低这一高危险人群麻疹发病率的关键措施。     

An Adaptive Test for the Analysis of Repeated Measurements Having Missing Data

This article describes an adaptive test which can be used to analyze repeated measures data that have some missing values. Several tests for parallelism and for group effect are compared. The multivariate adaptive test for parallelism is compared to the likelihood ratio test and to a test based on the mixed model approach. The simulation results show that all of these tests had significance levels that were at or below their nominal level of significance, but they also demonstrate that there are large differences in power between these tests. Unless the researcher knew that the errors were multivariate normal the adaptive test for parallelism is recommended, even if there are values that are missing at random or missing completely at random. A univariate adaptive test for group effect is recommended unless the random effects were known to be approximately normally distributed.     

含缺失值时间序列的ARMA模型拟合

目的 给出一种有效的处理含缺失值时间序列的方法，完成缺失值的内插及ＡＲＭＡ模型的参数估计。方法 用状态空间的Ｍａｒｋｏｖ表达描述时间序列，进而采用Ｋａｌｍａｎ滤波技术。结果 实例分析表明，不仅可以完成缺失值的有效内插，模型拟合效果及预测结虹也甚为柒满意。结论 用基于状态空间表达的Ｋａｌｍａｎ滤波技术，可以实现平稳可逆时间序列中缺失值的内插及ＡＲＭＡ模型拟合。     

Last Observation Carried Forward: A Crystal Ball?

In spite of widespread criticism and notwithstanding the availability of flexible, broadly valid, and conveniently implemented methods like direct-likelihood and direct-Bayesian analyses, last observation carried forward (LOCF), baseline observation carried forward (BOCF), and complete case analysis remain popular for handling incomplete clinical trial data. To the well-known criticisms toward LOCF and BOCF, namely, that they can be either conservative or liberal depending on the context, that they can violate the intention-to-treat principle, and so on, we add that, with the exception of certain degenerate and unrealistic special cases, these methods are incompatible with the sensible requirement that the mechanism governing dropout be independent of future, unobserved measurements, given covariates, past observed measurements, and the current possibly missing measurement.     

The use of missingness screens in clinical epidemiologic research has implications for regression modeling

OBJECTIVE: Properly handling missing data is a challenge, especially when working with older populations that have high levels of morbidity and mortality. We illustrate methods for understanding whether missing values are ignorable and describe implications of their use in regression modeling. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The use of missingness screens such as Little's missing completely at random "MCAR test" (1988) and the "Index of Sensitivity to Nonignorability (ISNI)" by Troxel and colleagues (2004)introduces complications for regression modeling, and, particularly, for risk factor selection. In a case study of older patients with simulated missing values for a delirium outcome set in a 14-bed medical intensive care unit, we outline a model fitting process that incorporates the use of missingness screens, controls for collinearity, and selects variables based on model fit. RESULTS: The proposed model fitting process identifies more actual risk factors for ICU delirium than does a complete case analysis. CONCLUSION: Use of imputation and other methods for handling missing data assist in the identification of risk factors. They do so accurately only when correct assumptions are made about the nature of missing data. Missingness screens enable researchers to investigate these assumptions.     

2010年乌鲁木齐市医疗机构传染病报告质量调查分析

目的通过现场督导检查,了解乌鲁木齐市医疗单位网络直报实际工作现状及存在问题,进一步明确网络直报工作重点,为预防控制传染病暴发、流行提供及时、准确的信息。方法采取查看现场、抽查资料、现场考核等方法,了解疫情管理情况并统计抽查病例数和抽查卡片数,计算传染病漏报率、报告及时率、完整率和准确率。结果共调查医疗机构57家,抽查传染病12种488例,漏报12例,总漏报率为2.46%,较2009年漏报率(5.91%)下降了58.38%。结论传染病疫情管理工作各项组织制度和管理措施的落实是提高传染病报告质量的重要保证。该市的传染病漏报率在逐渐降低,但还需加强和规范传染病疫情报告管理工作,提高疫情报告及时率,减少漏报,切实提高传染病报告质量。     

Reporting of missing data and methods used to accommodate them in recent analgesic clinical trials: ACTTION systematic review and recommendations

Missing data in clinical trials can bias estimates of treatment effects. Statisticians and government agencies recommend making every effort to minimize missing data. Although statistical methods are available to accommodate missing data, their validity depends on often untestable assumptions about why the data are missing. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency with which randomized clinical trials published in 3 major pain journals (ie, European Journal of Pain, Journal of Pain, and Pain) reported strategies to prevent missing data, the number of participants who completed the study (ie, completers), and statistical methods to accommodate missing data. A total of 161 randomized clinical trials investigating treatments for pain, published between 2006 and 2012, were included. Approximately two-thirds of the trials reported at least 1 method that could potentially minimize missing data, the most common being allowance of concomitant medications. Only 61% of the articles explicitly reported the number of patients who were randomized and completed the trial. Although only 14 articles reported that all randomized participants completed the study, fewer than 50% of the articles reported a statistical method to accommodate missing data. Last observation carried forward imputation was used most commonly (42%). Thirteen articles reported more than 1 method to accommodate missing data; however, the majority of methods, including last observation carried forward, were not methods currently recommended by statisticians. Authors, reviewers, and editors should prioritize proper reporting of missing data and appropriate use of methods to accommodate them so as to improve the deficiencies identified in this systematic review.