Category: Statistics

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 11;16:1507198. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1507198. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Moderate Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) is recognized as an effective intervention for improving negative affect. However, research on its effects across varying levels of negative mood states in sedentary female college students remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a 12-week MICT intervention on different levels of negative mood in sedentary female college students.

METHODS: A total of 144 participants were randomly assigned to two groups, each consisting of 72 individuals. The participants were further categorized into three negative mood groups: depression, anxiety, and stress, with 24 participants in each group. Within each mood group, participants were divided into three subgroups based on the severity of their mood (mild, moderate, and severe), with 8 participants in each subgroup. The experiment spanned 12 weeks, with two 45-min training sessions per week. Intensity was monitored throughout the experiment using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and heart rate was measured immediately following each session. The training intensity was maintained at 60-69% of HRmax throughout the 12 weeks.

RESULTS: After 12 weeks of MICT, MICT had a positive effect on mild and severe depressive mood, moderate anxiety, and mild stressful mood in sedentary female college students (p < 0.05), but MICT did not have statistically significant effects on moderate depressive mood, mild and severe anxiety, and moderate and severe stressful mood in sedentary female college students (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: MICT may have a beneficial effect on sedentary female college students, particularly those with lower levels of emotional distress. However, due to the absence of a positive control group, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions about its specific impact. Future studies should employ more rigorous control designs to better assess the role of MICT in improving both the physical and mental health of sedentary female college students.

PMID:40008338 | PMC:PMC11850354 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1507198

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 11;16:1490022. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1490022. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cyberbullying is a pervasive issue in the digital age, closely linked to social media usage. However, existing research has largely overlooked the role of tie strength on social media platforms in shaping cyberbullying dynamics. This study, grounded in tie strength theory and medium theory, investigates the association between social media usage and cyberbullying, focusing on how tie strength moderates this relationship.

METHODS: A sample of 813 healthy adults (M_age = 20.06 ± 2.30 years, 498 females) completed an online survey, including the Chinese version of the Social Network Site Intensity Scale and the Cyberbullying Inventory for College Students (CICS).

RESULTS: (1) Tie strength varies from platform to platform. The order of tie strength between users and the four platforms is as follows: WeChat > Bilibili > Weibo > Douyin. (2) Strong-tie social media platforms exhibited higher levels of users’social media engagement compared to those with weak ties. (3) Weak ties significantly moderated the relationship between social media usage and cyberbullying, whereas strong ties did not. Increased social media usage was associated with a higher likelihood of both engaging in and being a victim of cyberbullying on weak-tie platforms, while strong-tie platforms showed a lower likelihood of both engaging in or being a victim of cyberbullying with increased usage.

CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the interplay between tie strength theory and medium theory in explaining cyberbullying dynamics and underscore the need for platform-specific interventions to address this pervasive issue.

PMID:40008336 | PMC:PMC11850326 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1490022

Resusc Plus. 2025 Jan 28;22:100882. doi: 10.1016/j.resplu.2025.100882. eCollection 2025 Mar.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a significant global public health issue, few studies describe characteristics and trends in China. This study examines OHCA features and trends in Shenzhen, one of the fastest-growing cities.

METHODS: This retrospective study analysed data from the Shenzhen Emergency Center database (2011-2018), including ambulance dispatch and pre-hospital medical records. Descriptive statistics and temporal trends were used to examine the incidence, patients characteristics, pre-hospital treatment, and outcome.

RESULTS: Among 18,772 medical cause OHCA cases, the crude incidence rate was 17.4 per 100,000 population, with an age-standardised rate of 38.4. Incidence increased over time. Resuscitation was attempted in 43.8% of cases, with a median patient age of 56 years and 73.5% being male. Most arrest (69.0%) occurred at home, and 82% were presumed to be cardiac cause.The median response time was 11.2 min. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates increased from 4.6% in 2011 to 14.5% in 2018, while bystander automated external defibrillator (AED) use remained low (0.2%). Pre-hospital electrocardiogram (ECG) recording improved from 40.6% to 91.9%, with shockable rhythms 2.2%. Intravenous access was established in 69.7% of patients, 51.9% received epinephrine, 19.29% received pre-hospital defibrillation, and 16.4% underwent advanced airway management. The pre-hospital Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) rate increased from 2.7% to 5.8%, with a total ROSC rate of 3.11%.

CONCLUSIONS: OHCA incidence in Shenzhen is lower than both domestic and international levels but increasing. Low bystander intervention rated and prolonged response times contribute to poor outcome, underscoring the need for system improvements.

PMID:40008323 | PMC:PMC11851179 | DOI:10.1016/j.resplu.2025.100882

Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 11;12:1530624. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1530624. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a ubiquitous sexually transmitted infection globally, frequently associated with sexual behaviors characterized by increased frequency and multiple partnerships. The relationship between varying levels of dietary iron intake and the occurrence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains an unresolved question in the scientific community. The objective of our study was to investigate the potential relationship between the consumption of dietary iron and HPV infection.

METHODS: Our investigation drew upon comprehensive datasets from 7,819 participants enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2016. Employing a cross-sectional analytical framework, we delved into the potential correlation between dietary iron consumption and Human Papillomavirus infection. To statistically assess this relationship, we utilized weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Additionally, we implemented smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis, to delineate the complex, nonlinear association between iron intake and HPV infection. Furthermore, we conducted subgroup analyses.

RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple confounding variables, our results demonstrated a statistically significant inverse association between iron intake and HPV infection (OR = 0.988, 95% CI: 0.979-0.998, p = 0.018). It’s worth noting that, in comparison to individuals in the quartile with the lowest iron intake, those in the highest quartile exhibited a 23.2% reduction in the odds of HPV infection for each incremental unit of iron intake (OR = 0.768, 95% CI: 0.634 to 0.930, p = 0.009). A refined analysis employing smoothing curve fitting techniques unveiled an L-shaped correlation, delineating a specific relationship between dietary iron intake and the incidence rate of Human Papillomavirus infection. When iron intake was <16.99 mg, a higher incidence of HPV infection was associated with lower levels of iron intake. (OR = 0.968, 95% CI: 0.956-0.980, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The presence of an L-shaped association between iron intake and HPV infection underscores and emphasizes the possible beneficial effect of sufficient iron intake in reducing the likelihood of HPV infection.

PMID:40008312 | PMC:PMC11850268 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1530624

Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 11;12:1532313. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1532313. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) reflects dietary patterns that support gut microbial health and may influence kidney stone (KS) risk. The role of DI-GM and its mediation by diabetes in KS pathogenesis remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between DI-GM and KS prevalence, assess the mediation effect of diabetes, and explore subgroup-specific effects and underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES (2007-2018) data was conducted using a stratified, multistage probability sampling design. A total of 19,841 participants were included in the final analysis. Data entry and statistical analysis were performed using Empower version 4.2 (X&Y Solutions, Inc., Boston, MA, United States) and R version 3.4.3 (R Foundation). Multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess the association between DI-GM and KS prevalence, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Mediation analysis evaluated diabetes’s contribution to this relationship, and subgroup analyses were conducted based on sex, race/ethnicity, and alcohol consumption.

RESULTS: Higher DI-GM scores were associated with lower KS prevalence (adjusted OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.92 per SD increase). Diabetes mediated 9.27% of this relationship. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger protective effects among females, non-Hispanic Black individuals, and heavy drinkers. Mechanistically, DI-GM may reduce KS risk through gut microbial modulation of oxalate metabolism, urinary citrate excretion, and systemic inflammation.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Higher DI-GM scores are associated with reduced KS prevalence, partially mediated by diabetes. These findings highlight the role of dietary interventions targeting gut microbiota in KS prevention and call for longitudinal studies to confirm these results and develop tailored dietary strategies.

PMID:40008311 | PMC:PMC11852834 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1532313

Infect Prev Pract. 2025 Jan 28;7(1):100445. doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2025.100445. eCollection 2025 Mar.

ABSTRACT

Evaluating the effectiveness of different brush types used during the cleaning and reprocessing of flexible endoscopes is challenging. This study compared the yield of microbial growth from endoscopes that had been used clinically before and after cleaning with different brush types (bristle, squeegee, and hybrid). Endoscopes used to perform a total of 91 medical procedures on 82 patients were included. Quantitative bacterial cultures yielded no statistical differences between the different brushes used. Colonoscopes and gastroscopes surveyed after rigorous cleaning steps resulted in a drop in colony counts between pre- and post-cleaning from 1.45E+8 (±5.21E+07) to 2.5 (±0.13) individual colonies suggesting that the overall cleaning process was effective regardless of the brush type used.

PMID:40008272 | PMC:PMC11851223 | DOI:10.1016/j.infpip.2025.100445

Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2025 Feb 3;57:101687. doi: 10.1016/j.gore.2025.101687. eCollection 2025 Feb.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV (WLWH) are at increased risk of persistent HPV infection and HPV-related cancers than persons without HIV. We aimed to describe the utilization of primary and secondary prevention strategies for HPV-related cancers among women by HIV status in Puerto Rico (PR).

METHODS: We performed a secondary data analysis of women aged 21+ years (n = 469) evaluated at the Anal Neoplasia Clinic (ANC) of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center between 2014 and 2023. The outcomes were history of HPV vaccination, anal Pap screening, and cervical Pap screening in the past 3 years. Descriptive statistics were employed to characterize the study population and comparisons were made by HIV status.

RESULTS: Women’s mean age in our study was 50.2 ± 12.1 years; 75.7 % were living with HIV. Among women who were age-eligible for HPV vaccination, 21.7 % reported receiving the HPV vaccine; WLWH were less likely vaccinated than women without HIV (14.7 % vs. 38.7 %, p < 0.01). Prevalence of cervical and anal Pap screening were significantly higher among WLWH (98.6 % and 89.9 %, respectively) than in women without HIV (94.4 % and 47.7 %, respectively). Several risk factors for HPV-related disease were more common among WLWH, such as age at first sexual encounter (≤ 16 years) (54.7 %), more than six lifetime sexual partners (43.1 %), and being a current smoker (23.6 %).

CONCLUSIONS: Although we observed high uptake of cervical and anal Pap screening in this clinic-based sample, HPV vaccination was deficient. Future studies should involve developing tailored cancer prevention strategies for WLWH to increase HPV vaccination uptake.

PMID:40008257 | PMC:PMC11851177 | DOI:10.1016/j.gore.2025.101687

BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Feb 25;25(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06598-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In university students with depressive symptoms, inhibitory control dysfunctions strongly contribute to functional impairments, yet they are not adequately addressed in current therapies. This study aims to investigate the intervention effect of an 8-week Taekwondo exercise program on inhibitory control in individuals with depressive symptoms.

METHODS: A total of 41 university students with depressive symptoms were randomly divided into a Taekwondo group and a control group. The Taekwondo group participated in an 8-week intervention. Behavioral and ERP measures were collected before and after the intervention during a response inhibition task.

RESULTS: 1.The 8-week Taekwondo exercise intervention significantly improved depressive symptoms in the exercise group (P < 0.05), while depressive symptoms in the control group worsened, although the difference was not statistically significant;2.The results from the behavioral task showed a statistically significant difference in accuracy between the Taekwondo group and the control group in the Go condition during the post-test stage (P < 0.05). In the Nogo condition, there was also a significant difference in accuracy between the two groups (P < 0.05). Notably, only the Taekwondo group exhibited a significant improvement in Nogo condition accuracy from pre-test to post-test (P < 0.001);3.The event-related potential (ERP) results revealed a significant time × group interaction effect for N2 amplitude, F(1, 39) = 4.821, P = 0.034, ƞ_p²=0.110. Additionally, there was a significant condition × electrode interaction effect, F(3, 117) = 18.368, P < 0.001, ƞ_p²= 0.320. For N2 latency, the time × group interaction effect was significant, F(1, 39) = 13.028, P < 0.001, ƞ_p²=0.250, and a significant time × condition × electrode interaction effect was also observed, F(3, 117) = 3.199, P = 0.026, ƞ_p² = 0.076.

CONCLUSION: Regular moderate-intensity Taekwondo exercise can effectively improve response inhibition in university students with depressive symptoms, along with improvements in depressive symptoms. The changes in N2 amplitude and latency at the Fz, Cz, and Pz electrode sites under task conditions may represent the cognitive neural processing mechanism through which Taekwondo enhances response inhibition in students with depressive symptoms.

PMID:40001105 | DOI:10.1186/s12888-025-06598-6

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2025 Feb 25;22(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12966-025-01720-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In a stepped wedge design, schools are randomised to a sequence of measurements, with each sequence transitioning to intervention status at a different time. There are several advantages to such designs, including increased statistical power, logistical benefits and the ability to explore change over time. However, stepped wedge designs have not previously been used to evaluate school-based physical activity interventions in children. This paper aimed to explore the feasibility of this design, by identifying school constraints, balancing these with statistical considerations and exploring the power of this chosen design under different scenarios.

METHODS: We conducted three interlinked studies, with the results from one informing the next. Study 1 was a qualitative study to identify school constraints that inform the choice of stepped wedge configuration. Study 2 used simulation to choose a configuration that balanced these school constraints and statistical properties. Study 3 explored the statistical power for the chosen design for different school and pupil sample sizes, using an open cohort design (a mixture of new and repeated pupils).

RESULTS: School staff considered the proposed data collection feasible, and supported a maximum of 3-4 measurements per year and an implementation period of one school term. Study 2 therefore considered incomplete stepped wedge designs with five steps. Statistically, the best designs had a mix of control and intervention measurements in terms 2-4 and a spread of measurements across the whole study duration. Power depended on a combination of the overall recruitment rate and the retention rate. For 20 schools with an eligible class size of 30 pupils, we would be able to detect a 6 min difference in average weekday moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with 80% power, provided there were > 50% of pupils measured per school at each time. A similarly powered cluster randomised controlled trial would require 42 schools.

CONCLUSION: Stepped wedge trials are a viable design for evaluating school-based physical activity interventions. Incomplete designs, where not all schools are measured at each point, offer the flexibility to work around practical constraints.

PMID:40001100 | DOI:10.1186/s12966-025-01720-z

BMC Ophthalmol. 2025 Feb 25;25(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s12886-025-03928-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We examined the relationship between contrast sensitivity (CS) and visual field stage/severity in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG), and correlated CS with Quality of Vision (QOV) scores.

METHODS: CS was measured under photopic (100 cd) and mesopic (10 cd) conditions in 218 eyes of 109 patients with OAG aged < 60 years. The glaucoma stages were divided into four groups according to the mean deviation (MD) of the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 24 – 2 or 10 – 2 Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm (SITA) standard, and their relationship with CS was examined.

RESULTS: The results of the Japanese version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) in 79 patients were converted into Rasch scores and correlated with CS. Both HFA24-2 and 10 – 2 showed statistically significant improvements in all items except 10.2 cycles per degree (cpd) under mesopic conditions where CS decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Correlations between CS and NEI VFQ-25 Rasch scores were stronger in the worse eye (WE) at HFA24-2, 10 – 2, and foveal sensitivity thresholds. The measurement results strongly correlated under photopic conditions. Comparing the correlations at HFA24-2, 10 – 2, and foveal sensitivity thresholds, the correlation was strongest at the foveal sensitivity threshold.

CONCLUSIONS: CS declines with progression in the visual field stage or severity. QOV score tends to decreases with a decline in CS.

PMID:40001099 | DOI:10.1186/s12886-025-03928-w