Category: Statistics

J Forensic Sci. 2025 Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.70123. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Forensic anthropologists commonly estimate osteological sex using separate metric and morphological analyses, without integrating both data types into a single statistical model. Combining data types into one classification model has the potential to increase sex classification accuracies for the skull. Therefore, the present study seeks to improve sex classification accuracies for the skull by combining morphological and metric variables using decision trees. The main objectives are to (1) generate multiple decision trees that combine metric and morphological variables, (2) compare the classification accuracies of the generated trees to current standard osteological sex estimation methods, and (3) compare the results of the combined data trees to separate morphological and metric trees. The sample included 212 European Americans (males = 106, females = 106) and 191 African Americans (males = 114, females = 77). Decision trees were trained on 80% of the sample and tested using a 20% holdout sample. Multiple trees were generated using 12 morphological and 14 metric variables. The skull (87.9%-100%) and cranium (90.9%-100%) models achieved higher accuracies compared to the mandible models (72.7%-92%). Additionally, the pooled, population-inclusive models performed as well as or better than the separate population models. Overall, the combined-data models attained higher classification accuracies than previous studies that integrated skull measurements and morphological traits, as well as compared to separate decision trees for both data types. Future research should continue to explore implementing decision trees for osteological sex estimation, including models combining metric and morphological variables from multiple skeletal regions.

PMID:40616150 | DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.70123

BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 4;13(1):729. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03058-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To explore the relationship between virtuous personality and bystander defending behavior among college students, and to examine the roles of moral identity and friendship quality, a survey was conducted with 643 college students.

METHODS: The survey used the Chinese Virtuous Personality Scale, the Bystander Defending Behavior Scale, the Moral Identity Scale, and the Friendship Quality Inventory. To test the hypotheses, descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS 22.0. Additionally, mediation and moderation effects were tested using the SPSS macro program PROCESS, specifically Models 4, 7, and 59.

RESULTS: The results revealed the following: (1) a significant positive correlation was found between virtuous personality, bystander defending behavior, moral identity, and friendship quality; (2) virtuous personality not only directly and positively predicted bystander defending behavior, but also influenced this behavior through the mediating role of moral identity; (3) the first part of the mediating effect- “virtuous personality → moral identity → bystander defending behavior”-was moderated by friendship quality. Specifically, the impact of virtuous personality on moral identity was stronger in individuals with higher friendship quality compared to those with lower friendship quality.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that virtuous personality can enhance bystander defending behavior among college students by fostering moral identity. However, lower levels of friendship quality can weaken the positive influence of virtuous personality on moral identity, thereby affecting bystander defending behavior.

PMID:40616135 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-03058-4

BMC Vet Res. 2025 Jul 5;21(1):440. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04908-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis in camels is an important zoonotic infection with considerable economic and public health impacts, particularly in the pastoral regions of Ethiopia.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected districts of the Borana zone, Southern Oromia of Ethiopia, to estimate the Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence infection and associated risk factors in camels. Accordingly, 352 camel blood samples were randomly collected. Then, the sera were separated from the blood and analyzed using a latex agglutination test.

RESULTS: According to this study, the seroprevalence of camel T. gondii in the study districts using the latex agglutination test was 7.9%. The current study revealed that the T. gondii seroprevalence was relatively higher in the Miyo (9.1%) district. The males (8.9%), the adult age group (5.8%), and the poor-condition camels (21.0%) had higher seroprevalence. There was a statistically significant association between the body condition and the seroprevalence of camel T. gondii (p = 0.016). However, no statistically significant difference was noted between the seroprevalence of camel T. gondii and the peasant association, districts, age, and sex.

CONCLUSION: This study revealed a significant prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in camels, posing a potential public health risk in the study area. To effectively control the disease and minimize its impact on both animal and human health, it is important to raise public awareness, implement practical biosecurity measures, and conduct further comprehensive studies.

PMID:40616134 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-025-04908-4

BMC Nurs. 2025 Jul 4;24(1):839. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03308-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Constructive works by nurse managers are thought to affect nurses’ profession, satisfaction with work, and engagement with the healthcare organization. instead, it has been shown that the negative behavior of nurse supervisors, such as narcissism, has impacted the psychological health of the nurses and caused them to engage in counterproductive behavior (CWB). Hence, this study aims to determine the influence of the mediating role of nurses’ vengeful behaviors in the link between nurse managers’ narcissism and nurses’ counterproductive work behaviors.

METHODS: A descriptive correlational study was conducted in an Egyptian hospital. A convenient sample of staff nurses (N = 400) who agreed to participate in the study answered the narcissistic admiration and rivalry questionnaire (NARQ), counterproductive work behaviors, and nurses’ counterproductive work behaviors questionnaires, which were proven to be valid and reliable study measures. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, and relationships were presented using a path model.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Ethics Committee approval, written informed consent, data privacy and confidentiality, and participants’ rights to voluntary participation and withdrawal were maintained.

RESULTS: Vengeful behaviors (B = 0.191, β = 0.137, t = 2.768, p < 0.001) and unproductive work behaviors (B = 0.099, β = 0.231, t = 4.654, p < 0.001) were substantially predicted by narcissistic adoration and rivalry. Of the variance in CWBs, 8.4% was explained by the model. Vengeful behaviors’ mediating role was validated by path analysis, and the model fit the data well (e.g., CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.04).

CONCLUSION: The narcissism of nurse supervisors fuels the retaliatory and ineffective actions of staff nurses. Reducing toxic leadership attributes may improve corporate outcomes and decrease workplace deviance.

NURSING IMPLICATIONS: Nurse supervisors should receive training in emotional intelligence and ethical leadership from healthcare institutions. The quality of patient treatment and worker satisfaction may both be improved by fostering a friendly and open work environment. Future studies should examine long-term effects and evaluate strategies to lessen negative leadership traits.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

PMID:40616132 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-03308-1

Malar J. 2025 Jul 4;24(1):218. doi: 10.1186/s12936-025-05464-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Zoonotic malaria is a growing public health concern in Southeast Asia, with Malaysia and Thailand accounting for 95.2% of the 3290 global cases reported in 2023. It is caused by Plasmodium species primarily adapted to long- and pig-tailed macaques, transmitted to humans via certain Anopheles mosquitoes. This meta-analysis quantifies its prevalence and risk factors in the Greater Mekong Subregion and Malaysia.

METHODS: This meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases (2000-2024) to identify studies on zoonotic malaria infection in humans and monkeys. Backward search was done using Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were defined using the CoCoPop (Condition, Context, and Population) framework. Two reviewers independently extracted data, and study quality was assessed using appropriate risk-of-bias tools. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using the metafor package in R programme, with heterogeneity assessed via I² statistics and subgroup analyses. Meta-regression using a linear mixed-effects models estimated unadjusted odds ratios for transmission determinants.

RESULTS: The overall pooled prevalence of malaria infection was 8.6% in humans and 35.0% in monkeys. The pooled prevalence was higher in Malaysia (22.8%) than GMS (1.2%). In GMS, Myanmar with a pooled prevalence of 4.9% contributes a higher burden of human zoonotic malaria than Thailand (1.8%). Significantly high heterogeneity between studies was recorded for both human (I² = 99.7%, P < 0.0001) and monkey (I² = 98.7%, P < 0.0001) infections. The major risk factors assessed were gender (males: OR = 4.3), age (adults 21-40 years: OR = 5.6), mobility, misdiagnosis, and Plasmodium knowlesi infection. Most cases (4773; 89.6%) were initially misdiagnosed by microscopy as non-zoonotic. Prevalence in monkeys was highest in Macaca nemestrina (63.3%) followed by Macaca fascicularis (31.4%) with Plasmodium inui and Plasmodium cynomolgi as the most frequent parasites.

CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the understanding of the transmission complexities of zoonotic malaria in the GMS countries and Malaysia, highlighting critical knowledge gaps and the need for a multidisciplinary approach to managing its further spread.

PMID:40616123 | DOI:10.1186/s12936-025-05464-w

Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2025 Jul 4;17(1):256. doi: 10.1186/s13098-025-01812-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The relationship between triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and long-term prognosis in individuals with heart failure (HF) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the TyG index and both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with HF.

METHODS: A total of 709 participants with HF were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2018). The primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Participants were classified into three groups (T1, T2, and T3) based on the tertiles of the TyG index, with T1 representing the group having the lowest values, T2 the middle-value group, and T3 the group with the highest values. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to investigate the associations between the TyG index and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to examine the non-linear associations between TyG index and the endpoint events, and a two-piecewise Cox hazards model was constructed.

RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 74 months, a total of 355 deaths were recorded, with 128 of them attributed to cardiovascular causes. Multivariate Cox regression models showed that compared to the T1 group, the T2 group exhibited a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular mortality (model 1 h: 0.51, 95%CI: 0.28-0.94; model 2 h: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.30-1.00). The RCS analysis revealed a nonlinear relationship between TyG index and all-cause mortality (p-non-linear: 0.014) as well as the cardiovascular mortality (p-non-linear: 0.049) among patients with HF. The inflection points were identified as 8.89 for all-cause mortality and 8.86 for cardiovascular mortality. The risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality demonstrated a significantly increase when the TyG index exceeded the corresponding inflection points.

CONCLUSIONS: J-shaped associations were observed between TyG index and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients with HF. TyG index exhibited significant predictive value in this population.

PMID:40616121 | DOI:10.1186/s13098-025-01812-7

Trials. 2025 Jul 4;26(1):239. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-08949-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pregnant people are often excluded from clinical trials, primarily due to safety concerns. However, exclusion causes population-level harms as well as sometimes providing individual protection. Harms caused to pregnant people by exclusion from clinical trials have been clearly evidenced and highlighted during the COVID pandemic. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has since provided guidance on improving inclusion of under-served groups, which includes pregnant people, in clinical research. Appropriate inclusion and active facilitation to participate are required to provide equitable evidence-based healthcare during pregnancy and to comply with ethical principles for research.

METHODS: We carried out an exploratory, online, cross-sectional survey of trialists to assess whether, why, and how pregnant people are included or excluded from clinical trials funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme, with awards starting in 2022-2023. Trialists were the respondents, with trials the primary focus of this survey. Invitations were sent to trialists between October 2023 and March 2024. Summary statistics were calculated to describe the characteristics of the trials and respondents, to describe eligibility of pregnant people, reasons for this, and how this eligibility is documented and implemented.

RESULTS: We identified 120 trials of which 88 were eligible for this survey. Responses were received for 81 trials. Pregnant people are excluded from 34 of these 81 trials. Pregnant people are eligible for inclusion in 40 of the 81 trials, including four which partially exclude people during pregnancy. Eligibility is unclear for seven trials. Exclusions are mostly for safety reasons. Sponsors and regulatory authorities are unnecessary barriers to inclusion in some trials. Eight trials of 40 trials make explicit or deliberate attempts to include people during pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS: A minority of the 120 trials include people during pregnancy. Most trials for which pregnant people are eligible do not report explicitly including people during pregnancy or facilitating their inclusion. A small number of trials, different in setting, clinical area, and intervention type, are intentionally designed and conducted in a way that include people during pregnancy. There are clear opportunities to improve the inclusion of pregnant people in clinical trials in the NIHR HTA Programme.

PMID:40616110 | DOI:10.1186/s13063-025-08949-w

Respir Res. 2025 Jul 4;26(1):236. doi: 10.1186/s12931-025-03312-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary emphysema occurs frequently in older adults, often without airflow limitation. Its presence predicts symptoms, respiratory hospitalizations and deaths, and all-cause mortality. Proteomics may provide further insights into emphysema pathogenesis and inform therapeutic targets.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a proteomic discovery analysis of percent emphysema on computed tomography (CT) in a population-based, multiethnic sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Lung Study. Replication was performed in two chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-based studies, the SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) and the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) Study.

METHODS: MESA recruited participants from the general population in 2000-02. The MESA Lung Study performed full-lung CT scans in 2010-12. Percent emphysema was defined as the percentage of lung voxels < -950 Hounsfield units. Over 7,200 plasma aptamers were measured via SomaScan. Cross-sectional linear and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models were adjusted for demographics, anthropometrics, smoking, renal function, and scanner parameters. Statistical significance was defined as a false discovery rate p-value < 0.05. Gene Ontology (GO)/Reactome enrichment analyses were performed. LASSO-selected proteins’ predictive performance was evaluated.

RESULTS: Among 2,504 participants in the MESA Lung Study, mean age was 69.4 years, 1,291 had ever smoked, and median percent emphysema-like lung was 1.4%. In total, 1,234 aptamers were significantly associated with percent emphysema in the MESA Lung Study, and 35 replicated in the SPIROMICS and COPDGene Studies. Novel associations included protein family with sequence similarity (FAM) 177A1, syntenin-2, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 25, and uncharacterized protein C20orf173. Previously identified emphysema-associated proteins included soluble advanced glycosylation end product-specific receptor (sRAGE), protein S100-A12, high mobility group protein B1, and roundabout homolog 2. Enrichment analyses identified 40 GO biological processes, including chemokine production and regulation and cell-cell adhesion and regulation, and two Reactome pathways, including RAGE signaling. In tenfold cross-validation, novel proteins were largely retained by LASSO (R² = 5.4%), improved overall model performance (R² = 24.8%), and uniquely explained greater variance in percent emphysema.

CONCLUSIONS: This analysis in a general population sample identified novel and previously characterized proteins whose functional roles were validated by GO/Reactome enriched pathways, offering new insights into emphysema pathophysiology and therapeutics.

PMID:40616090 | DOI:10.1186/s12931-025-03312-8

BMC Vet Res. 2025 Jul 4;21(1):436. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04906-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Myiasis is the infestation of tissues and organs in vertebrates, including humans and animals, by the larvae of dipteran flies that occurs in subtropical and tropical areas.

METHODS: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of livestock farmers across 12 counties in Ardabil province regarding myiasis in 2024, employing ANOVA and T-tests to analyze the relationships with various variables.

RESULTS: The study found a statistically significant difference in knowledge, attitude, and practice mean scores among individuals influenced by education level, residency, livestock contact, disease history, and animal interactions. In this study, a significant direct correlation was found between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.12, p < 0.001), knowledge and practice (r = 0.08, p < 0.001), as well as attitude and practice (r = 0.34, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Research in Ardabil province shows that increasing awareness and training for youth on disease prevention and control can significantly enhance livestock disease management. The county health network should develop a strong educational initiative for livestock farmers and their families to raise awareness about myiasis and encourage proactive measures over time.

PMID:40616085 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-025-04906-6

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025 Jul 4;26(1):650. doi: 10.1186/s12891-025-08897-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although glucocorticoid therapy has been used in patients with lumbar radiculopathy for many years, the results of studies in literature are inconsistent. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of intramuscular betamethasone injection on pain, disability, quality of life and electroneuromyography (ENMG) findings in patients with lumbar radicular pain (LRP).

METHODS: Patients with LRP (n = 98) were evaluated between July 2022 and June 2023. Sixty patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into two groups. Glucocorticoid group (GC) received intramuscular injection of betamethasone and Placebo group (PB) received isotonic sodium chloride. Visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Nottingham health profile (NHP) and ENMG were applied to both groups. Patients were evaluated before treatment and after first week, first month and third month of treatment.

RESULTS: Significant improvements were seen in all clinical parameters in GC group. At the end of third month, VAS and NHP-Pain subscale scores improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001) but the change of these values over time was statistically significant in favor of GC group (p = 0.03 and p = 0.044, respectively). The significant improvements observed in ODI, Energy and Physical Mobility subscales and Total scores of NHP in both groups (p < 0.05) revealed no significant difference between the groups over time. The ENMG data revealed no significant difference within the groups except the fibrillation potentials, which disappeared in both groups.

CONCLUSION: Intramuscular glucocorticoid administration provided improvements on pain, disability and quality of life of patients with LRP. Especially the effects on pain scores were superior to placebo. No superiority over placebo on ENMG findings has been demonstrated and further studies are needed in this regard.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was registered to Clinicaltrials.gov with the number NCT05571046 (retrospectively registered on 30/09/2022).

PMID:40616084 | DOI:10.1186/s12891-025-08897-1