2022 VIRTUAL POSTER HALL
Top 4 Abstract Presenters
#0017
Trends, Predictors and Outcomes of Cardiovascular Complications at Delivery Associated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus-A National Inpatient Sample Analysis (2004-2019)
#0066
Prognostic value of Triglyceride-Glucose index for the prediction of cardiovascular events: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
#0027
"OGTT-PLUS" - A Novel Web-App for Model Assessment of Cardio-Vascular Risk in Obesity, Dysmetabolism & Dysglycemia
#0071
NOX5 in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells: A Promising Biomarker for Unstable Diabetic Vascular Disease
All Accepted Abstracts
Abstracts will be published in the American Heart Journal
Editor-in-Chief: Daniel Mark, MD, MPH
#0002
The Impact of Obesity on Serum Atherogenicity and Cardiovascular Risk
Simona Opriş, Gianina-Ioana Constantin
#0005
Impact of diabetes mellitus on early clinical outcome and stent restenosis after carotid artery stenting
Alexandru Achim MD, Dávid Lackó, Artúr Hüttl MD, Csaba Csobay Novák MD PhD, Ádám Csavajda MD, Péter Sótonyi MD DsC, Béla Merkely MD DsC, Balázs Nemes MD PhD, Zoltán Ruzsa MD PhD
University of Szeged, Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Invasive Cardiology Division, Szeged, Hungary Semmelweis University, Cardiac, and Vascular Center, Budapest, Hungary
#0007
Benefits of Fiber-Rich Snack on Waist Circumference and Atergenic Index of Plasma in Obese
Fatma Syukrina, Sunarti, Ika Ratna Palupi
#0012
Efficacy of Liraglutide versus Gliclazide in Treatment of Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Manar Ahmed Kamal, Raneem Mahmoud Al-Arawi, Mohamed Ahmed Kamal
#0014
Weight Status and Cardiovascular Diseases in Nely Diagnosed Diabetes
Andreea Morosanu, Magdalena Morosanu
#0015
Association of Plaque Burden with Insulin Resistance represented by Triglyceride -High Density Protein Ratio
Luay Alalawi, April Kinninger, Venkat Sanjay Manubolu, Dhiran Verghese, Ahmed Shafter, Ahmed K. Ghanem, Omar AlTaweel, Khadije Ahmad, Ilana Golub, Zahra Al-chokhachi, George Boll, Orly Termeie, Lucia Schroeder, Stephanie Kristo, Sion Roy, Matthew J. Budoff,
#0019
Coagulation and Cognitive Function - Science Behind the Scenes
Edin Begic, Slobodan Jankovic, Mirsada Causevic
#0021
MiRNAs as Potential Diagnostic Tool for Diabetes-linked Myocardial Infarction
Sana Karim, Ayesha Ishtiaq, Iram Murtaza
#0025
Side Effect Synergism Between Metformin and GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
Cristiano, E and Miles, JM
#0028
Efficacy and Safety of Tirzepatide in Type 2 Diabetes: The SURPASS Clinical Trial Program
Mike Barros, Joshua A. Levine
#0030
Biomarkers in Determining the Risk of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Hypertension
Anastasiia Rozhdestvenska, MD, PhD student, Natalia Zhelezniakova, MD, Doctor of Medicine, Professor
#0032
Potential CYP3A4-Mediated Drug-Drug Interactions with Ritonavir-Containing Medications in U.S. Patients with Diabetes or Cardiovascular Diseases: An Analysis of NHANES Data
Ebuwa Igho-Osagie, Kaylen Brzozowski, Harry Jin, Jeff Brown, Amy Puenpatom
#0034
Relationship Between HbA1c, Non HDLc, Triglyceride/HDL Cholesterol Ratio and Triglyceride Glucose Index in Diabetes Patients
Sushil Baral, Amar Poudel, Ananta Bhakta Uprety, Rupesh Kshetri
#0036
Commorbidity Burden in Patients with Covid-19 Treated with Molnupiravir in the United States
Girish Prajapati; Amar Das; Yezhou Sun; Eileen Fonseca
#0038
Change in Galectin-3 (Marker of Fibrosis) during Empagliflozin Therapy.
K. Tchaava, N. Gegeshidze, M. Shavdia, N. Ninashvili, T. Shervashidze
#0040
Association of QT Markers of Arrhythmia and Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Meta-Analysis
Karam R.Motawea, JosephVarney, Omneya A.Kandil, Nancy Ibrahim, Merna Aboelenein1, Bishoy Zaki, Sarya Swed, Mohamed A. Shebl, Zakria Helmy, Ahmed Helmy, Ahmed Khalifa, Mohamed A. Elbahaie, Areeg A. Elbahaie, Arwa A. Elbahaie, Hani Aiash10,11
#0042
Lactate Dehydrogenase can be considered a Predictive Marker of Severity and Mortality of COVID-19 in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic patients. A Case Series
Karam R. Motawea, Joseph Varney, Nesreen E. Talat, Samah S. Rozan, Pensée Chébl, Sarraa M. Reyad
#0044
Periodontal Disease in Association with Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries and Microvascular Coronary Artery Disease
Danish Iltaf Satti, Jahanzeb Malik, Syed Muhammad Jawad Zaidi, Farwa Jaffar, Kanwal Latif, Ali Tahir Rana, Mamoona Zahoor, Waheed Akhtar
#0046
Exploring the Role of Micro RNAs as Key Regulators of Diabetic Nephropathy Indiced Cardiovascular Diseases
Javaria Nawaz, Iram Mushtaq, Iram Murtaza.
#0048
Correlation Between Oxidized Low Density Lipoproteins and Metabolic Syndrome in Older Patients
Gianina Ioana Constantin, Simona Opris, Catalina Monica Pena
#0050
Zofenopril Treatment Efficacy on Survival, Endostatin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 after Acute Myocardial Infarction
Valeriy Kapustnyk, Borys Shelest, Dmytro Martovytskyi, Yuliia Kovalova
#0052
Effect of Early Metoprolol before PCI in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction on Infarct Size and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Karam R.Motawea, Hamed Gaber1, Ravi B. Singh, Sarya Swed, Salem Elshenawy, Nesreen Elsayed Talat1, Nawal Elgabrty, Sheikh Shoib, Engy A. Wahsh, Sara Gebril, Mohamed Kishk, Omar A. Elkoumi, Mazen Attia, Ahmed Khalifa, Omar Khaled Habib, Ahmed Foad, Yousef Tanas, Yomna E. Dean, Walaa Hasan, Hani Aiash
#0054
Echocardiography Findings in a Cohort of Older Diabetic Patients with Diastolic Dysfunction: Do they Fall Under the Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Diagnosis?
Adrian Valverde, MD; Richard G. Vaca, MD; Silvia Caceres Vinueza, MD, PhD; Yan Carlos Duarte Vera, MD, PhD
#0056
Relationship Between Vaccines Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Myocarditis
Lorena Araujo Silva Dias, Nathalia Monerat Pinto Blazuti Barreto
#0058
Finerenone in Mild to Severe Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes: A Fidelity Subgroup Analysis in Patients with Heart Failure
Gerasimos Filippatos, Rajiv Agarwal, Stefan D. Anker, Peter Rossing, Amer Joseph, Peter Kolkhof, Marc Lambelet, Marco A. L. Viaud, Luis M. Ruilope, George L. Bakris, Bertram Pitt, on behalf of the FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD investigators
#0060
Clinical data and diagnostic findings in patients with ischemic heart disease undergoing coronary angiography: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital in Sudan, Africa
Elfatih A. Hasabo, Ghassan E. Mustafa, Anab M. Jabir, Mohammed H. Omer, Mohammed A. Abdalla, Wefag Hussein Mohammed, Ahmed A A Suliman, FACP, FESC
#0062
DNA-methylation Signature of MicroRNA Coding Genes Associated with Chronological Age in a High-Cardiovascular Risk Mediterranean Population. Sex-specific Analysis
Rebeca Fernández Carrión, José V. Sorlí Guerola, Eva C. Pascual Castelló, Carolina Ortega-Azorín, Rocío Barragán Arnal, Eva M. Asensio Márquez, Laura Viviana Villamil Penagos, Dolores Corella Piquer, Oscar Coltell Simón
#0064
IL-6 as a Surrogate Biomarker: The IL-6 Clinical Value for the Diagnosis of Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes
Rafik R, Andrew RR, Mark RR, Alaa I
#0068
Breastfeeding Impact on Kidney Functions : A Systematic Review
N. Boutrid, H. Rahmoune, B. Bioud, D. Abdelmalek, M. Amrane
#0070
Central Venous Access: Conventional Seldinger Versus Ultrasound-Guided Technique to Reduce Associated Complications in a School Hospital
Velasquez Jose, Pinto Jimena
#0073
10-year Follow-up of Neurodegeneration and Concomitant Cardiometabolic Diseases as Risk Factors for Seborrheic dermatitis
Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Irene Lee
#0075
Prediction of In-Hospital Mortality among Heart Failure patients: An Automated Machine Learning Analysis of MIMIC-III database
Aliya Ali, Saleha Yurf Asghar, Ali Danish Khan Yousafzai, Ali Haider Bangash*, Rabia Mohsin, Arshiya Fatima, Saiqa Zehra, Ayesha Khalid Khan, Ali Haider Shah, Syed Mohammad Mehmood Abbas, Syed Muhammad Qasim Shah, Hashir Fahim Khawaja, Ain ul Badar, Adil Baloch, Ambar Sattar Khan, Asjad Ullah Khan, Aymen Yunus, Farhan Faisal, Gulfam Jameel, Kashaf Mushtaq, Muhammad Awais Bilal, Maryam Naveed Abbasi, Mehwish Nawaz, Mishal Bilal, Muhammad Ashraf, Musa Kamil, Namira Khan Khakwani, Noor Ayesha, Oneeza Tariq Sadaf Khalid, Shafquat Rasool
#0077
The Effect of Avocado Drink (Persea Americana Mill) on the Incidence of Ballooning Hepatocyte in the Liver Organs of Rats (Rattus Novergicus) Induced by Hypercholesterolemia
Helga Febrina Kinayahnty, Miranti Dewi Pramaningtyas, Rokhima Lusiantari, Hanggoro Tri Rinonce
#0087
Bempedoic Acid for Management of Dyslipidemia from an Indian Perspective: An Expert Consensus Report
Srinivasa Rao Maddury1, JPS Sawhney 2, Prafulla G Kerkar 3, Piyush Jain 4, Praveen Chandra 5, T. Sashikant6, Jay Shah 7, Jitendra Singh Makkar8, Bino Benjamin9, Rachel Daniel10, Dharmesh Solanki 11, A B Chandorkar12 B Yugandhar13, Kamal Sharma14 (National study group)
#0091
Longitudinal Study of New Diabetes Cases at Seven Years in a Risk-Sample of Peruvian Subjects with Elevated 1-Hour OGTT
Juan Carlos Lizarzaburu-Robles, Alonso Garro-Mendiola, Flor Vento
#0004
End-Stage Renal Disease is Associated with Increased Inpatient Mortality in Patients Admitted for Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample
Richard Orji, MD (1, 2); Michael Fatuyi, MD (3); Jashan Gill, MD (1, 2); Adedoyin Olawoye, MD (4); Aman Dutta, MD (1, 2); Komal Malik, MD (1, 2); Kevin Nabhan, Ebehireme Ukpokolo
#0006
Prevalence of Dyslipidaemia, Obesity and Vitamin D Insufficiency among Patients Attending the Diabetic Clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi
Kondwani Katundu, Victoria Mukhula, Johnstone Kumwenda, Mwapatsa Mipando1, Adamson Muula, Tamara Phiri, Chimota Phiri, Fanuel Lampiao1, Henry Mwandumba
#0008
Dyslipidaemia Patterns and Risk Factors among Patients with Diabetes, Hypertension, and both Diabetes and Hypertension at a Tertiary Hospital in Malawi
Kondwani Katundu, Victoria Mukhula, Johnstone Kumwenda, Mwapatsa Mipando, Adamson Muula, Tamara Phiri, Chimota Phiri, Fanuel Lampiao, Henry Mwandumba
#0013
Variation in the RAC1 Gene is Linked to Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy and Distal Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Iuliia Azarova, Victor Makarenko, Elena Klyosova, Alexey Polonikov
#0016
Prevalence of Kidney and Hepatic Dysfunction, and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 Infection in SBA region (west of Algeria)
Demmouche Abbassia*, Abdallah Touati Djihène, Bouazza Sofiane ; Belmous Asmaa
#0018
Estimate Patient's 10-years Cardiovascular Risk using Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Tool a Cross-Sectional Study in Al-Harja, Asser, Saudi Arabia,2021.
Abdulrahman Saeed , Abdullah Saeed and Bahaa Abaalkhail
#0020
Investigating the MicroRNAs as Key Regulator in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Iqra Azhar, Ayesha Ishtiaq, Iram Murtaza
#0023
Influence of Body Mass Index and Glucose Metabolism on Results of CABG for High Risk Patients.
Olena Gogayeva, Anatolii Rudenko, Vasyl Lazoryshynets
#0026
Predictors of Major Adverse Limb Events After Infrainguinal Bypass in Patients with Diabetes
Dana Alameddine, Keyuree Satam, Martin Slade, He Wang, Carlos Mena-Hurtado, Jeffrey Turner, Silvio E Inzucchi, Cassius Iyad Ochoa Chaar
#0029
Micro RNAs as potential Biomarkers for Early-Stage Diagnosis of Hyperglycemia Induced Cardiac Autoimmunity
Rafia Gul, Iram Mushtaq, Iram Murtaza.
#0031
Telomere, Telomerase and The Aging Heart
Ahmed Saad Elsaeidy, Manar Ahmed Kamal, Mostafa Sameh, Ahmed Fady Fouad
#0033
Combination of Baicalin and Catechin Effectively Attenuates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity through Modulation of DKK1-Wnt/β-Catenin and TLR4/NF-κB Pathways
Salwa R. Abo El-Ela1, Randa A. Zaghloul1,*, Laila A. Eissa1, *
#0035
Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events Across the Sotagliflozin Clinical Development Program
Michael J. Davies, Franklin Sun, Phillip Banks, Deepak L. Bhatt, Bertram Pitt
#0037
In-Silico Profiling of MiRNAs Against Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Myocardial Infarction Associated Genes
Khadam Hussain, Muhammad Yousaf, Iram Murtaza
#0039
Results From a Randomized, Open-Label, Crossover Study Evaluating Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between the Aldosterone Synthase Inhibitor Baxdrostat and Metformin in Healthy Human Subjects
Mason W. Freeman, Mary Bond, Brian Murphy, James Hui, and Jonathan Isaacsohn
#0041
Coronary Embolism after Infection with COVID-19 in Non-Diabetic Non-Hypertensive Patient. A Case Report
Karam R. Motawea, Sarraa M. Reyad1, Pensée Chébl
#0043
Statin Therapy is Associated with Higher Risk of Diabetic Complications: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Danish Iltaf Satti, Teddy Tai Loy Lee, Oscar Hou In Chou, Chengsheng Ju, Evbayekha Endurance Osas, Gary Tse, Sharen Lee
#0045
Intranasal Co-Administration of Insulin and C-Peptide Restores Metabolic and Hormonal Indices in Rats with Normoinsulinemic, bur not with Hyperinsulinemic, Type 2 Diabetes
Stepochkina A.M., Derkach K.V., Bondareva V.M., Bakhtyukov A.A., Shpakov A.O.
#0047
Single Nucleotide Variants of the MCM6 Gene as a Risk Factor for Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity in Children
Aleksandr Abaturov, Anna Nikulina, Dmytro Nikulin
#0049
Relationship Between Vaccines Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Myocarditis
Lorena Araujo Silva Dias, Nathalia Monerat Pinto Blazuti Barreto
#0051
Efficacy of Anterior Lateral Electrode Compared with Anterior Posterior Electrode in External Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation. A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
Karam R. Motawea, Mostafa Reda Mostafa, Mohamed Magdi, Sarya Swed, Hager Fathy, Merna Aboelenein, Mohamed Mohamed Belal, Dina M. Awad, Nesreen Elsayed Talat, Samah S. Rozan, Sana Afreen Ansari, Rameen Shahid, Taher Sbitli, Ramy Eweis, Bdoor Bamousa, Muaaz Aslam, Yousef Tanas, Yomna E. Dean, Walaa Hasan, Hani Aiash
#0053
Association of Increased Fructose Comsumption with Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms
Mevlut Serdar Kuyumcu, Aliye Kuyumcu, Sebahat Ulusan
#0055
Selenium Metabolism and Systemic Inflammation in Hypertensive Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Iryna Tverezovska, Natalia Zhelezniakova
#0057
Finerenone and Cardiorenal Outcomes by History of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Fidelity Analyses
Gerasimos Filippatos, Stefan D. Anker, Bertram Pitt, Peter Rossing, Luis M. Ruilope, Darren K. McGuire, Ewa A. Jankowska, Erin D. Michos, Javed Butler, Alfredo E. Farjat, Peter Kolkhof, Andrea Scalise, Amer Joseph, Marco A. L. Viaud, George L. Bakris, Rajiv Agarwal, on behalf of the FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD Investigators
#0059
Prevalence of Infection and Effect of Diabetes on Clinical Presentations of Patients Diagnosed with Ischemic Heart Disease Admitted to Coronary Angiography
Elfatih A. Hasabo, Ghassan E. Mustafa, Alaa S. Ahmed, Walaa Elnaiem, Ahmed A A Suliman, FACP, FESC
#0061
Clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): an African experience from a tertiary hospital
Elfatih A. Hasabo, Ghassan E. Mustafa, Anab M. Jabir, Mohammed H. Omer, Mohammed A. Abdalla, Wefag Hussein Mohammed, Ahmed A A Suliman, FACP, FESC
#0063
Self-Medication Practices from the Perspective of Tunisian Cardiovascular Patients – A Community Pharmacy-Based Survey
Maria Suciu, Lavinia Vlaia, Eya Boujneh, Liana Suciu, Valentina Oana Buda, Vicențiu Vlaia, Carmen Cristescu
#0065
Kidney Dysfunction in Central Obesity Associated Metabolic Disorders
Katalin Csép*, Ágnes Bálint**
#0069
Risk Factors and Evidence Based Interventions for Cardiometabolic Disease in the South Asian Diaspora
Pranav Mellacheruvu BS*, Suhaas Bonkur, Neha J Pagidipati, MD, MPH
#0072
Heart Failure, Sepsis, and All-Cause Mortality Following Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Multi-Center Cohort Study
Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Irene Lee
#0074
Incorporating Ensembled stacked approach into Automated Machine Learning in an attempt to predict acute ischemic heart disease in patients with atypical chest pain: Secondary analysis of a single-center retrospective cohort study
Hashir Fahim Khawaja, Aliya Ali, Saleha Yurf Asghar, Rabia Mohsin, Ali Danish Khan Yousafzai, Ali Haider Bangash*, Arshiya Fatima, Saiqa Zehra, Ali Haider Shah, Syed Mohammad Mehmood Abbas, Syed Muhammad Qasim Shah, Ain ul Badar, Adil Baloch, Ambar Sattar Khan, Asjad Ullah Khan, Ayesha Khalid Khan, Aymen Yunus, Farhan Faisal, Gulfam Jameel, Kashaf Mushtaq, Muhammad Awais Bilal, Maryam Naveed Abbasi, Mehwish Nawaz, Mishal Bilal, Muhammad Ashraf, Musa Kamil, Noor Ayesha, Oneeza Tariq, Sadaf Khalid, Shafquat Rasool
#0076
Gold nanoparticles: A potential Therapeutic Target for Diabetic Nephropathy through Regulation of miR-192, miR-21, autophagy, apoptosis and fibrosis
Samar. M. Al-Tantawy*, Salma. M. Eraky , Laila. A. Eissa*
#0081
Q-wave Myocardial Infarction & Stroke in Patients Managed Interventionally for Left Main Coronary Artery Disease: Prediction by Incorporation of Ensemble approach into Automated Machine Learning
Ali Danish Khan Yousafzai(1)§, Saleha Yurf Asghar(1)§, Hashir Fahim Khawaja(1)§, Syed Mohammad Mehmood Abbas(1)§, Ali Haider Bangash(1)§*, Ain ul Badar¶, Adil Baloch(1)¶, Ali Haider Shah(1)¶, Aliya Ali(1)¶, Ambar Sattar Khan(1)¶, Arshiya Fatima(1)¶, Ayesha Khalid Khan(1)¶, Asjad Ullah Khan(1)¶, Aymen Yunus(1)¶, Farhan Faisal(1)¶, Gulfam Jameel(1)¶, Kashaf Mushtaq(1)¶, Muhammad Awais Bilal(1)¶, Maryam Naveed Abbasi(1)¶, Mehwish Nawaz(1)¶, Mishal Bilal(1)¶, Muhammad Ashraf(2)¶, Musa Kamil(1)¶, Namira Khan Khakwani(1)¶, Noor Ayesha(1)¶, Oneeza Tariq(1)¶, Osama Ahmed(1)¶, Rabia Mohsin(1)¶, Sadaf Khalid(1)¶, Saiqa Zehra(1)¶, Shafquat Rasool(1)¶, Syed Muhammad Qasim Shah(1)¶ § These authors contributed equally to data curation, development of methodology, statistical analyses and writing with subsequent reviewing and editing of the abstract draft. ¶ These authors, indicated alphabetically, contributed equally to statistical analyses and validation.
#0082
Yurf-Bangash-Yousafzai augur : Proposal of Carotid Plaque Formation predictor among general population by Exploration of State-of-the-Art for Automated Machine Learning
Saleha Yurf Asghar(1)§, Ali Haider Bangash(1)§*, Ali Danish Khan Yousafzai(1)§, Syed Mohammad Mehmood Abbas(1)§, Hashir Fahim Khawaja(1)§, Ain ul Badar¶, Adil Baloch(1)¶, Ali Haider Shah(1)¶, Aliya Ali(1)¶, Ambar Sattar Khan(1)¶, Arshiya Fatima(1)¶, Ayesha Khalid Khan(1)¶, Asjad Ullah Khan(1)¶, Aymen Yunus(1)¶, Farhan Faisal(1)¶, Gulfam Jameel(1)¶, Kashaf Mushtaq(1)¶, Muhammad Awais Bilal(1)¶, Maryam Naveed Abbasi(1)¶, Mehwish Nawaz(1)¶, Mishal Bilal(1)¶, Muhammad Ashraf(2)¶, Musa Kamil(1)¶, Namira Khan Khakwani(1)¶, Noor Ayesha(1)¶, Oneeza Tariq(1)¶, Osama Ahmed(1)¶, Rabia Mohsin(1)¶, Sadaf Khalid(1)¶, Saiqa Zehra(1)¶, Shafquat Rasool(1)¶, Syed Muhammad Qasim Shah(1)¶ § These authors contributed equally to data curation, development of methodology, statistical analyses and writing with subsequent reviewing and editing of the abstract draft. ¶ These authors, indicated alphabetically, contributed equally to statistical analyses and validation.