Category: Statistics

Infect Dis Rep. 2025 Feb 26;17(2):18. doi: 10.3390/idr17020018.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, vaccination rates for preventable diseases, including influenza, have significantly dropped among racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) individuals in the United States. This study explored the effects of a community-based educational intervention designed to improve influenza vaccine literacy and acceptance among vulnerable REM individuals.

METHODS: The intervention included four 45 min interactive educational sessions on the influenza vaccine. The session attendees (18+) were invited to participate in a pre-/post-intervention study where an anonymous survey measured their post-COVID-19 pandemic attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding the influenza virus and vaccine. To assess the effect of the intervention on vaccine literacy, we used a Mann-Whitney U test to test for differences between the pre-/post-intervention survey responses to seven knowledge-based questions. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess the impact of intervention on vaccine acceptance.

RESULTS: A total of 116 participants completed the pre-intervention survey, and 90 (78%) completed the post-intervention survey. All (100%) identified as REM, and 99% lived in highly vulnerable areas. Only 43% believed they were at risk for viral infection before the intervention, but 60% said the intervention helped them reassess their risk. We found significant differences in vaccine literacy when comparing the pre-/post-intervention survey responses, particularly regarding guideline-based vaccine recommendations (p < 0.05). Before the intervention, 65% of the participants indicated a high likelihood of receiving the influenza vaccine. In contrast, after the intervention, 81% of respondents indicated a high likelihood of being vaccinated, and 72% indicated that they were “extremely likely” to receive the immunization.

CONCLUSIONS: Community-based educational interventions can have a positive impact on influenza vaccine literacy and acceptance among vulnerable REM populations in the post-COVID-19 era.

PMID:40126324 | DOI:10.3390/idr17020018

Struct Dyn. 2025 Mar 20;12(2):024302. doi: 10.1063/4.0000288. eCollection 2025 Mar.

ABSTRACT

Pump-probe methods are a ubiquitous tool in the field of ultrafast dynamic measurements. In recent years, x-ray free-electron laser experiments have gained importance due to their ability to probe with high chemical selectivity and at atomic length scales. Measurements are typically repeated many thousands of times to collect sufficient statistics and vary parameters like delay or fluence, necessitating that initial conditions are restored each time. An alternative is presented by experiments which measure the relevant parameters in a single shot. Here, we present a time-to-space mapping imaging scheme that enables us to record a range of delays and laser fluences in any single shot of the x-ray probe. We demonstrate the use of this scheme by mapping the ultrafast dynamics of the optically induced insulator-to-metal Verwey transition in a magnetite thin film, probed by soft x-ray resonant diffraction. By extrapolating our results toward the conditions found at x-ray free-electron lasers with higher photon energy, we demonstrate that the presented data could be recorded in a single shot.

PMID:40124102 | PMC:PMC11928099 | DOI:10.1063/4.0000288

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2025 Mar 18;18:795-803. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S502475. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) on individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by comparing self-management behaviors, anxiety, and sleep quality in T2DM patients.

METHODS: This is a single-center prospective study. During the patients’ hospitalization, we collected their clinical data, and three months after discharge, we conducted follow-up by phone to record weight changes, blood glucose levels, self-management behaviors, anxiety levels, and sleep quality.

RESULTS: A total of 271 patients were included in this study. Among them, 177 (65.31%) were classified into the oral drug combined with long-acting insulin group, and 94 (34.69%) were classified into the oral drug combined with GLP-1RAs group. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in age, duration of diabetes, comorbidities, complications, or types of oral medications (P> 0.05). However, significant differences were observed between the groups in postprandial blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, dietary control, medication adherence, actual anxiety, and sleep time (P<0.05). Notably, the oral medication combined with GLP-1RAs group demonstrated improved dietary control, medication adherence, anxiety and actual sleep time compared to the oral medication combined with long-acting insulin group.

CONCLUSION: In this 3-month study, there were statistically significant differences in HbA1c, post-prandial glucose, weight, for self-management behaviors, for dietary control, medication adherence, anxiety, and actual sleep time in T2DM patients. The findings suggest that GLP-1 RA may contribute to the improvement of dietary behaviors, medication adherence, anxiety, and sleep quality in addition to weight and glycemic control in T2DM patients.

PMID:40124098 | PMC:PMC11929419 | DOI:10.2147/DMSO.S502475

Occup Ther Int. 2025 Mar 14;2025:5812871. doi: 10.1155/oti/5812871. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Occupational therapy (OT) is an emerging healthcare profession in Vietnam, with limited awareness and understanding among local healthcare professionals (HCPs). This study is aimed at assessing the impact of an educational intervention designed to improve HCPs’ knowledge and attitudes toward OT in Vietnamese healthcare settings. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study involved 13 participants from Da Nang Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital and Da Nang Psychiatric Hospital, representing various healthcare disciplines. The intervention included a series of journal club sessions focused on the principles, scope, and culturally relevant applications of OT. Quantitative data from pre- and postintervention assessments revealed significant improvements in HCPs’ general knowledge of OT, its practice areas, and goals, with statistical significance observed in multiple domains. Qualitative data collected through field notes and reflective journals provided additional insights into HCPs’ evolving perceptions of OT’s role in holistic and mental healthcare. Notably, the study highlighted cultural factors, such as family involvement in patient care, which align with OT’s client-centered approach but may also pose challenges in the integration of OT services. Barriers to OT adoption, including resource limitations and institutional support, were identified, underscoring the need for ongoing advocacy and resource allocation to sustain the progress achieved through the intervention. The findings suggest that culturally tailored educational programs are essential for the effective integration of OT in Vietnam and similar contexts. This research contributes to the global understanding of OT’s role in diverse healthcare environments, providing a framework for expanding OT services in emerging regions.

PMID:40124088 | PMC:PMC11928214 | DOI:10.1155/oti/5812871

ACS Omega. 2025 Mar 4;10(10):10480-10492. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c10809. eCollection 2025 Mar 18.

ABSTRACT

The toxins of the Bufonid toads have been used formerly as ethnomedicine to treat different diseases, including chronic hepatitis, hypertension, and multiple cancers. Thus, toads’ venom has a great impact on traditional health care. However, the main emphasis of this study is to identify natural components present in toad parotoid gland secretion and evaluate their antiangiogenic effects. Sterol-rich extracts of parotoid gland secretions were isolated in an ethyl acetate medium from a natural population of Indian common toads (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) from the coastal region (Purba Medinipur, West Bengal) of the Indian subcontinent. The antiangiogenic activity was assessed using a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was conducted to determine the chemical composition. In silico molecular docking was subsequently employed to detect putative biologically active substances with antiangiogenic potential. The majority of the sterol components were identified and mainly cholesterol was found at the greatest concentration (31.10%). According to the quantitative analysis Campesterol (15.73%), γ-sitosterol (10.09%), lathosterol (2.79%), stigmasterol (0.933%), and brassicasterol (0.466%) were also present. According to the outcome of the CAM assay, there was 51.62% suppression of blood vessel formation when compared to the untreated. Bonferroni’s posthoc test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference at p < 0.001. Using GraphPad Prism software 8.1.2, nonlinear regression analysis yielded EC₅₀ values of 24.27 μg/mL. Following identification, the primary bioactive chemicals in the extract under investigation showed a more robust interaction with vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) in silico molecular docking experiments. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-hand report on the ethyl acetate extract (sterol-rich) of parotid gland secretion from the Indian common toad showing antiangiogenic activity by targeting VEGFRs. However, the findings of this study suggest that the bioactive compound from the investigated extract can be considered for the development of antiangiogenic medicine.

PMID:40124047 | PMC:PMC11923696 | DOI:10.1021/acsomega.4c10809

ACS Omega. 2025 Mar 6;10(10):10327-10339. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c10160. eCollection 2025 Mar 18.

ABSTRACT

The chemodiversity of plants is a valuable resource for drug discovery, and its combination with modern approaches can reduce the time consumption for bioactive metabolite discovery. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical constituents from 18 plant species of different families against leukemia cancer cells and the application of statistical analysis from metabolomic data and molecular networking for the prediction of bioactive metabolites. The samples, extracted by an accelerated solvent extractor using ethanol and water 7:3 (v/v), were analyzed by LC-DAD-MS and evaluated against leukemia cancer cells (Kasumi-1, KG-1, and K-562). Chemical data were aligned, analyzed by statistics, and applied to create the molecular network. Sesbania virgata, Aeschynomene denticulata, Erythroxylum angiufugum, Psidium guineense, Astronium fraxinifolium, Coccoloba ochreolata, Solanum glaucophyllum (S. glaucophyllum), and Paullinia pinnata inhibited K-562 leukemia cancer cell viability by approximately 70% at 100 μg/mL, while Ocotea diospyrifolia showed 35% inhibition for the KG-1 lineage. Alkaloid fractions from S. glaucophyllum and O. diospyrifolia revealed EC₅₀ values ranging from 13.9 to 6.4 μg/mL for K-562 and KG-1 cell lines, effectively inducing cell death with apoptotic characteristics, membrane integrity loss, and signs of late apoptosis. The molecular networking was essential and crucial to complement the statistical analysis, which was performed from 430 features and targeted steroidal and aporphine alkaloids. Boldine revealed EC₅₀ values of 46, 116, and 145 μM for Kasumi, KG-1, and K-562 cancer cell lines, respectively. The findings marked the relevance of a broader chemical data analysis to predict bioactive compounds, emphasizing potential benefits in the search for metabolites against leukemia cancer cells, particularly steroidal and aporphine alkaloids.

PMID:40124017 | PMC:PMC11923848 | DOI:10.1021/acsomega.4c10160

ACS Omega. 2025 Mar 7;10(10):10261-10271. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c09684. eCollection 2025 Mar 18.

ABSTRACT

The distribution of mobile water during slug flows in coalbed methane (CBM) wells directly affects the water pressure propagation path. In this article, the distribution characteristics of gas and water in fractures during slug flow are characterized by gas-liquid microscopic flow experiments. Fluid-structure interaction was adopted to analyze the fracture morphology after deformation under stress. A mathematical model of the critical fracture size for migration of mobile water during slug flows was established through nuclear magnetic resonance tests, contact-angle tests, and the theory of the gas-water migration equilibrium. The results show that the flow rate of the gas and liquid affects the length and period of the gas plug and slug. The gas-liquid-solid three-phase properties affect the shape of the gas-liquid boundary. When the mobile water during slug flows is transformed into bound water, the fractures are deformed to an hourglass shape. The fracture size for migration of mobile water is negatively correlated with the reservoir pressure and contact angle with a power exponent while linearly positively correlated with the surface tension. Using fracturing fluids with low surface tension and high liquid-solid contact angles can promote the expulsion of liquids from reservoir fractures, thereby achieving higher resource productivity. Mathematical statistical methods have been employed to establish a rapid calculation model for the movable water transport fracture size. In summary, the research provides an effective and accurate quantitative method of evaluation for the critical fracture size for the migration of mobile water.

PMID:40124008 | PMC:PMC11923645 | DOI:10.1021/acsomega.4c09684

J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2025 Mar 20;24(1):86. doi: 10.1007/s40200-025-01602-y. eCollection 2025 Jun.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes management often requires insulin therapy, yet adherence to daily injections can be challenging due to complexity, injection pain, and fear of hypoglycemia. Basal Insulin Fc (BIF) is a novel once-weekly insulin analog designed to simplify regimens, improve adherence, and enhance glycemic control. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy and safety of BIF compared to once-daily insulin degludec.

METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library, along with ClinicalTrials.gov, was conducted up to November 2024 to identify RCTs comparing BIF with insulin degludec. The search employed MeSH terms like “type 1 diabetes mellitus,” “type 2 diabetes mellitus,” “once weekly basal insulin Fc,” and “insulin degludec.” Studies were screened in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, and data on glycemic outcomes, safety, and patient demographics were extracted. Statistical analysis included pooled mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic, and sensitivity analyses were conducted for cases of high heterogeneity. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses assessed moderators such as diabetes type, insulin status, follow-up duration, and heterogeneity.

RESULTS: Five RCTs with 2,562 participants (Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes) were included. BIF showed non-inferiority to degludec in HbA1c reduction (MD 0.03, p = 0.37) and percentage time in range (MD 0.56, p = 0.27). No significant differences were observed in self-monitored fasting blood glucose (MD 2.73, p = 0.40) or clinically significant hypoglycemia (RR 1.00, p = 0.95). However, BIF increased time spent below range (MD 0.30, p = 0.0004) and was associated with higher treatment-emergent adverse events (RR 1.12, p = 0.006). The subgroup analysis highlighted differences in hypoglycemia risks between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSION: BIF offers comparable glycemic control to insulin degludec while reducing injection frequency, potentially enhancing adherence. However, increased hypoglycemia risks in certain subgroups and higher adverse event rates warrant further evaluation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-025-01602-y.

PMID:40123989 | PMC:PMC11923323 | DOI:10.1007/s40200-025-01602-y

J Open Source Softw. 2025 Mar 13;10(107):7601. doi: 10.21105/joss.07601.

ABSTRACT

Light plays an important role in human health and well-being, which necessitates the study of the effects of personal light exposure in real-world settings, measured by means of wearable devices. A growing number of studies incorporate these kinds of data to assess associations between light and health outcomes. Yet with few or missing standards, guidelines, and frameworks, it is challenging setting up measurements, analysing the data, and comparing outcomes between studies. Overall, time series data from wearable light loggers are significantly more complex compared to controlled stimuli used in laboratory studies. In this paper, we introduce LightLogR, a novel resource to facilitate these research efforts. The package for R statistical software is open-source and permissively MIT-licenced. As part of a developing software ecosystem, LightLogR is built with common challenges of current and future datasets in mind. The package standardises many tasks for importing and processing personal light exposure data. It allows for quick as well as detailed insights into the datasets through summary and visualisation tools. Furthermore, LightLogR incorporates major metrics commonly used in the field (61 metrics across 17 metric families), all while embracing an inherently hierarchical, participant-based data structure.

PMID:40123959 | PMC:PMC7617517 | DOI:10.21105/joss.07601

Front Nutr. 2025 Mar 7;12:1426485. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1426485. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Increasing research has focused on the influence of diet on mental health and well-being. This study aimed to investigate dietary habits status and their associations with emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) in pre-teen children, as well as explore the mediating effect of child self-concept in the associations between healthy dietary habits and EBPs.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey using stratified random sampling was conducted to recruit third-grade children and their caregivers. Dietary habits and self-concept were assessed with self-administrated questionnaires in children. Information on children’s EBPs was collected through questionnaires completed by their caregivers. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between dietary habits and self-concept and EBPs, respectively. The mediation analysis was employed to test the mediating role of self-concept in the association between dietary habits and EBPs.

RESULTS: Of 1,126 caregiver-child dyads (Mean age of children: 9.53, 52.8% boys) included, only 37.4 and 54.2% of children met the healthy standard of milk/soy milk and fruit, respectively. Healthy fresh fruit (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.40-0.78) and vegetables intake (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.76) were associated with a higher self-concept while frequent consumption of sweet foods (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.05-2.36) and street foods (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.14-2.28) were associated with a lower self-concept. Children who had unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages intake were at an elevated risk of EBPs (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.03-1.95). Moreover, the relationship between healthy dietary habits and EBPs was mediated by self-concept (indirect effect β = -0.09, p < 0.001, total effect β = -0.13, p < 0.001), the proportion of mediation was 29%.

CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the dietary habits of pre-adolescents need improvement, and dietary habits of certain foods, such as fresh fruits and sugar-sweetened beverages, were significantly associated with child mental health. Furthermore, dietary practices were related to the reduced EBPs through an enhanced self-concept. The findings provide an evidence base for developing dietary improvement strategies for pre-adolescent children in families, schools, and other health service settings, thereby contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to zero hunger and good health and well-being.

PMID:40123936 | PMC:PMC11925766 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1426485