Category: Statistics

J Med Internet Res. 2025 May 30;27:e62696. doi: 10.2196/62696.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The 21st Century Cures Act mandated instant digital access for patients to see their test results and clinical notes (eg, via patient portals). Entirely using and understanding such health information requires some degree of personal health literacy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the associations between ease of understanding online health information and various factors, including sociodemographics, health-related variables, numeracy, and technology-related factors.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Cancer Institute’s 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a nationally representative survey of US adults that tracks individuals’ access and use of their health information. Data was collected from March to December 2022. The survey was conducted across various US settings using a stratified multistage sampling technique to ensure national representation. Our analysis included 3016 respondents with data for all variables of interest. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses to assess the odds of finding health information in online medical records or patient portals as “very easy” to understand compared with “not very easy.”

RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis, age group (with the 35-49 years group being 1.9 times more likely compared to the ≥75 years group; P=.03), female birth sex (1.4 times more likely; P=.04), ease of understanding medical statistics (8.5 times more likely for those finding it “very easy”; P<.001), patient-provider communication score (increase of 1.1 odds per 1 unit increase; P<.001), and mode of accessing online records (1.8 times more likely via an app and 1.4 times more likely via both an app and website, P=.01 and P=.003, respectively, versus using a website alone) were significant predictors for finding health information “very easy” to understand.

CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic factors, numeracy, patient-provider communication, and method of accessing online records were associated with ease of understanding health information in online medical records or patient portals. Findings from this study may inform interventions to make patient portals and online medical records more patient-centered and easier to navigate.

PMID:40446288 | DOI:10.2196/62696

Phys Rev Lett. 2025 May 16;134(19):191901. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.191901.

ABSTRACT

Using (2712.4±14.3)×10^{6} ψ(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector at BEPCII, a partial wave analysis of the decay ψ(3686)→ϕηη^{‘} is performed with the covariant tensor approach. In addition to the established states h_{1}(1900) and ϕ(2170), an axial-vector state with a mass near 2.3 GeV/c^{2} is observed for the first time. Its mass and width are measured to be 2316±9_{stat}±30_{syst} MeV/c^{2} and 89±15_{stat}±26_{syst} MeV, respectively. The product branching fractions of B[ψ(3686)→X(2300)η^{‘}]B[X(2300)→ϕη] and B[ψ(3686)→X(2300)η]B[X(2300)→ϕη^{‘}] are determined to be (4.8±1.3_{stat}±0.7_{syst})×10^{-6} and (2.2±0.7_{stat}±0.7_{syst})×10^{-6}, respectively. The branching fraction B[ψ(3686)→ϕηη^{‘}] is measured for the first time to be (3.14±0.17_{stat}±0.24_{syst})×10^{-5}. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.

PMID:40446269 | DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.191901

Phys Rev Lett. 2025 May 16;134(19):196302. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.196302.

ABSTRACT

A novel localization phenomenon, termed erratic non-Hermitian skin localization, has been identified in disordered globally reciprocal non-Hermitian lattices. Unlike conventional non-Hermitian skin effect and Anderson localization, it features macroscopic eigenstate localization at irregular, disorder-dependent positions with subexponential decay. Using the Hatano-Nelson model with disordered imaginary gauge fields as a case study, this effect is linked to stochastic interfaces governed by the universal order statistics of random walks. Finite-size scaling analysis confirms the localized nature of the eigenstates. This discovery challenges conventional wave localization paradigms, offering new avenues for understanding and controlling localization phenomena in non-Hermitian physics.

PMID:40446237 | DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.196302

Phys Rev Lett. 2025 May 16;134(19):190602. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.190602.

ABSTRACT

This Letter augments the recently introduced stabilizer tensor network (STN) protocol with magic state injection, reporting a new framework with significantly enhanced ability to simulate circuits with an extensive number of non-Clifford operations. Specifically, for random T-doped N-qubit Clifford circuits the computational cost of circuits prepared with magic state injection scales as O[poly(N)] when the circuit has t≲N T gates compared to an exponential scaling for the STN approach, which is demonstrated in systems of up to 200 qubits. In the case of the hidden bit shift circuit, a paradigmatic benchmarking system for extended stabilizer methods with a tunable amount of magic, we report that our magic state injected STN framework can efficiently simulate 4000 qubits and 320T gates. These findings provide a promising outlook for the use of this protocol in the classical modeling of quantum circuits that are conventionally difficult to simulate efficiently.

PMID:40446235 | DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.190602

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2025 May 30;13:e58703. doi: 10.2196/58703.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing major surgery are at risk of complications and delayed recovery. Prehabilitation has shown promise in improving postoperative outcomes. Offering prehabilitation by means of mHealth can help overcome barriers to participating in prehabilitation and empower patients prior to major surgery. We developed the Be Prepared mHealth app, which has shown potential in an earlier pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Be Prepared app on postoperative recovery of physical functioning (PF) in patients undergoing major elective surgery.

METHODS: This study was a multicenter randomized controlled trial with 2 arms. Adults scheduled for major elective surgery were randomly assigned to the control (usual care) or intervention group (Be Prepared app in addition to usual care). The Be Prepared app is a smartphone app with pre- and postoperative information and instructions on changing risk behavior for patients undergoing major elective surgery. The primary outcome was recovery of postoperative PF up to 12 weeks after hospital discharge measured with the Computer Adaptive Test Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-PF. Secondary outcomes included social participation, self-reported recovery, health-related quality of life, postoperative outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Measurements were performed at 5 time points: before random assignment and 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks after hospital discharge.

RESULTS: A total of 369 patients were analyzed, 181 in the control group and 188 in the intervention group. The result of the linear mixed effects model showed a mean slope difference in recovery of PF over 12 weeks of 2.97 (95% CI 0.90-5.02) in favor of the intervention group. However, this effect was not clinically relevant and was negated by the significantly lower PF score 1 week after hospital discharge in the intervention group (mean difference -1.72, 95% CI -3.38 to -0.07). Most secondary outcome measures did not show significantly greater improvements in the intervention group compared to the control group. Patient satisfaction with overall perioperative care was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group and satisfaction with the Be Prepared app was high.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of the Be Prepared app as a stand-alone intervention does not seem beneficial for improving postoperative recovery in patients undergoing major surgery. However, satisfaction with perioperative care was higher in patients using the app. Given the advantages of digital technology in health care, it can be considered a basis for prehabilitation care pathways, complemented by guidance from health care professionals as needed.

PMID:40446217 | DOI:10.2196/58703

Neurology. 2025 Jun 24;104(12):e213782. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000213782. Epub 2025 May 30.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Stroke remains a major global public health concern, particularly in China, where particulate matter (PM_2.5) pollution is a significant contributor to stroke mortality. This study systematically analyzes changes in stroke and subtype-specific mortality attributable to PM_2.5 in China from 1990 to 2021 and projects trends up to 2030.

METHODS: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease database. The mortality and standardized data of stroke and its subtypes attributable to PM_2.5 in China were collected. Long-term trends were assessed using the joinpoint regression model. The age-period-cohort (a-p-c) model was applied to evaluate the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on stroke mortality. In addition, the Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to forecast age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) trends through 2030.

RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, the ASMR of stroke attributable to PM_2.5 in China showed a declining trend and was projected to decrease to 32.0 per 100,000 by 2030. However, significant differences were observed across stroke subtypes, age groups, and sexes. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) exhibited the largest decline while ischemic stroke (IS) had the smallest reduction. Local drift analysis showed that IS and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) declined fastest in those aged 45-60 years while SAH declined most in those aged 75-80 years. a-p-c model analysis demonstrated that stroke mortality increased with age, with IS mortality surpassing that of ICH in individuals aged 75 years and older and the gap widening with age. Stroke mortality risk declined over time, with younger cohorts showing greater reductions. The stroke burden remained higher in men than in women.

DISCUSSION: China has made significant progress in stroke prevention and air pollution control; however, disparities remain in the effectiveness of prevention across stroke subtypes and population groups. Further efforts should focus on strengthening pollution control, optimizing prevention strategies for each stroke subtype, enhancing hypertension management in middle-aged populations, improving metabolic risk control in older adults, and ensuring efficient health care resource allocation. Priority should be given to high-risk populations, particularly older individuals and men, to address the challenges posed by aging and the increasing burden of chronic diseases.

PMID:40446199 | DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000213782

PLoS One. 2025 May 30;20(5):e0323135. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323135. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of the maternal postnatal six-week check (SWC) in women with epilepsy compared to a sample of the postnatal population without epilepsy, and assess whether the SWC is associated with health outcomes in the first year postpartum.

METHODS: Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum and Hospital Episode Statistics data were used to identify births between January1998-March2020 to women with epilepsy (n = 23,533) and a random sample of births to women without epilepsy (n = 317,369). The adjusted risk ratio (aRR) for not having a SWC in women with compared to without epilepsy was estimated using modified Poisson regression. The association between receiving a SWC and postpartum health outcomes was assessed using Cox regression.

RESULTS: The likelihood of not having a SWC did not differ between those with and without epilepsy (42.7% vs 43.4%, aRR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.99-1.03). Among all women, not having a SWC was associated with a lower subsequent likelihood of being prescribed prophylactic (aHR = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.58-0.60) and emergency (aHR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.91-0.99) contraception and having urinary and/or faecal incontinence (aHR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.61-0.73) or dyspareunia, perineal and/or pelvic pain (aHR = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.65-0.75) recorded in the year postpartum, with no evidence these associations differed according to whether a woman had epilepsy. Not having a SWC was also associated with a lower likelihood of having depression and/or anxiety recorded in the first year postpartum among those without (aHR = 0.86, 95%CI = 0.84-0.89) but not with epilepsy (aHR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.93-1.09). The SWC was not associated with epilepsy relevant outcomes (Accident and emergency visits or unplanned hospital admission for epilepsy, mortality).

CONCLUSIONS: Around 2 in every 5 women had no evidence of a maternal SWC, with no evidence epileptic women had a different prevalence to the general postnatal population. The maternal SWC may play a role in increasing the use of contraception and the detection or treatment of adverse health outcomes in the first year postpartum.

PMID:40446192 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0323135

PLoS One. 2025 May 30;20(5):e0324460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324460. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria that adversely affects both maternal and fetal health. This study aimed to investigate hematological and biochemical alterations in cord blood associated with preeclampsia, with a focus on hemoglobin variants and blood gas parameters.

METHODS: A case‒control study involving 54 participants, including 24 women diagnosed with preeclampsia and 30 normotensive controls, was conducted. Cord blood samples were analyzed for total hemoglobin (Hb), blood gas, and complete blood count (CBC) indices. Statistical analyses included independent t tests for parametric data and Mann‒Whitney U tests for nonparametric data, with significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences in hemoglobin concentrations, with cord blood collected from preeclamptic women exhibiting lower levels of adult hemoglobin (HbA) (64.0% ± 32.0% vs. 76.2% ± 25.7%, p = 0.004) and higher fetal hemoglobin (HbF) concentrations (35.9% ± 32.1% vs. 23.7% ± 25.6%, p = 0.004) than controls. Blood gas parameters, including pH and bicarbonate and carbon dioxide levels, were not significantly different between the groups. However, CBC results revealed a lower platelet count in the cord blood of the preeclamptic group than in the cord blood of the preeclampsia group, (213.7*103/µL ± 112*103/µL vs. 314.6*103/µL ± 70.8*103/µL, p = 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS: While our study reveals significant alterations in fetal hemoglobin variants and CBC indices in the cord blood of preeclamptic pregnancies, the clinical applicability of these markers for early detection is currently limited by the inaccessibility of fetal blood before delivery. Nevertheless, these findings offer important insights into the hematological changes linked to preeclampsia. Future studies should explore the potential of detecting similar alterations in maternal blood as a more feasible and non-invasive approach for early diagnosis and risk assessment of preeclampsia.

PMID:40446190 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0324460

Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2025 May 30;0(0):1-28. doi: 10.11607/jomi.11043. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This case series aimed to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients receiving two different healing strategies for their guided bone regeneration (GBR) procedures using a novel collagen membrane to support the implant placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients (27 implants) were included. They either received transmucosal (n = 10; 11 teeth) or submerged (n = 10; 16 teeth) GBR procedures. A standardized cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan protocol was performed immediately post-surgery and in a follow-up visit at 4-6 months post-surgery. The distance from the implant shoulder to the first bone-to-implant contact on the sides of the implant (DIB), the horizontal dimension of the buccal alveolar crests, complication rate, pain score, and quality of newly formed bone in the submerged group, were reported.

RESULTS: Healing at all implant sites was uneventful, with mild swelling and inflammation within normal post-surgical limits. Between-group quantitative analysis of CBCT images obtained immediately post-surgery (CBCT1) and at 4-6 months later (CBCT2) showed no statistical difference in any parameter. Facial bone wall thickness at 1, 3 & 5mm below the implant shoulder significantly decreased in both submerged and trans-mucosal procedure participants in CBCT2 compared to CBCT1.

CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes of GBR treatment are consistent with established clinical and preclinical evidence for the safety and performance of collagen barrier membranes in either submerged or trans-mucosal GBR procedures and these two different healing strategies exhibited similar clinical and radiographic outcomes.

PMID:40446155 | DOI:10.11607/jomi.11043

JMIR Form Res. 2025 May 30;9:e56057. doi: 10.2196/56057.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Conventional approaches for major depressive disorder (MDD) screening rely on two effective but subjective paradigms: self-rated scales and clinical interviews. Artificial intelligence (AI) can potentially contribute to psychiatry, especially through the use of objective data such as objective audiovisual signals.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different paradigms using AI analysis on audiovisual signals.

METHODS: We recruited 89 participants (mean age, 37.1 years; male: 30/89, 33.7%; female: 59/89, 66.3%), including 41 patients with MDD and 48 asymptomatic participants. We developed AI models using facial movement, acoustic, and text features extracted from videos obtained via a tool, incorporating four paradigms: conventional scale (CS), question and answering (Q&A), mental imagery description (MID), and video watching (VW). Ablation experiments and 5-fold cross-validation were performed using two AI methods to ascertain the efficacy of paradigm combinations. Attention scores from the deep learning model were calculated and compared with correlation results to assess comprehensibility.

RESULTS: In video clip-based analyses, Q&A outperformed MID with a mean binary sensitivity of 79.06% (95%CI 77.06%-83.35%; P=.03) and an effect size of 1.0. Among individuals, the combination of Q&A and MID outperformed MID alone with a mean extent accuracy of 80.00% (95%CI 65.88%-88.24%; P= .01), with an effect size 0.61. The mean binary accuracy exceeded 76.25% for video clip predictions and 74.12% for individual-level predictions across the two AI methods, with top individual binary accuracy of 94.12%. The features exhibiting high attention scores demonstrated a significant overlap with those that were statistically correlated, including 18 features (all Ps<.05), while also aligning with established nonverbal markers.

CONCLUSIONS: The Q&A paradigm demonstrated higher efficacy than MID, both individually and in combination. Using AI to analyze audiovisual signals across multiple paradigms has the potential to be an effective tool for MDD screening.

PMID:40446148 | DOI:10.2196/56057