Category: Statistics

Plant Biotechnol J. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/pbi.70495. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Stomata are microscopic pores that regulate the exchange of CO₂ and water vapour, making them a major target for engineering plants with improved intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE). Proof-of-concept studies have demonstrated the potential to increase iWUE by reducing stomatal density (SD) and stomatal conductance (g_sw) by ubiquitously expressing EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR (EPF) family genes. However, unwanted effects on leaf, stem and reproductive traits are often observed when EPFs are misexpressed in this fashion. We sought to test if these effects result from pleiotropy and to identify a targeted promoter that can circumvent the side effects while retaining the desired reduction in SD. A previously reported synthetic EPF (EPF_syn) was expressed in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) using two putatively tissue-specific promoters from Brachypodium distachyon (BdCESA7p and BdSPCH2p) and a ubiquitous control from Zea mays (ZmUBI4p). BdSPCH2p control reduced SD to statistically equivalent levels as ZmUBI4p on the abaxial (23%) and adaxial (23%) leaf surfaces. ZmUB4p and BdCESA7p induce expression in four tissue types often associated with pleiotropic effects in EPF-expressing low SD plants. Transgenic plants carrying either the BdCESA7p or ZmUBI4p EPF_syn cassettes displayed leaf chlorosis, reduced leaf nitrogen and chlorophyll content, and altered stem architecture. However, transgenic events harboring the BdSPCH2p EPF_syn cassette restricted EPF_syn expression to the stomatal development zone and leaf nodal tissues and produced transgenic plants without the associated pleiotropic effects. These results represent an important step toward engineering low-SD crops since they show that targeted gene expression can engineer stomatal patterning without impairing agronomically important traits.

PMID:41388687 | DOI:10.1111/pbi.70495

Mol Ther. 2025 Dec 11:S1525-0016(25)01046-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.12.023. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is marked by synaptic failure, with actin cytoskeleton alterations playing a key role in its pathogenesis. Cofilin, a regulator of actin dynamics in dendritic spines, forms cofilin-actin rods upon exposure to Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers, contributing to synaptic loss. Cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) is crucial for regulating cofilin activity. During long-term potentiation, CAP2 dimerization is relevant for cofilin translocation to spines required for spine remodeling. In AD, CAP2 is downregulated, thus disrupting synaptic CAP2/cofilin complexes. To investigate the neuroprotective potential of CAP2 overexpression in preventing Aβ-induced synaptic dysfunction, we used adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV) gene delivery to elevate CAP2 levels in APP/PS1 mice-a model of amyloid pathology-starting from the asymptomatic stage. APP/PS1 animals received bilateral stereotaxic injection of either AAV expressing CAP2 or a control AAV. This approach preserved synaptic CAP2/cofilin interaction, maintained synaptic plasticity pathways, and sustained cognitive function. CAP2 overexpression reduced cofilin-actin rod formation and mitigated tau abnormalities. Notably, CAP2 is present in cofilin-actin rods, and its dimerization is required to prevent Aβ-driven synaptic loss but not to protect neurons from rod formation. These findings highlight CAP2 upregulation as a promising strategy to enhance neuronal resilience and counteract Aβ synaptic toxicity in AD.

PMID:41388626 | DOI:10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.12.023

J Rural Health. 2025 Sep;41(4):e70099. doi: 10.1111/jrh.70099.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To identify and analyze facility-level strategies that support the sustainability of rural maternity and delivery care programs in the United States.

METHODS: This qualitative, cross-case study draws from data collected during the March 2024 Rural Maternity Innovation Summit in Clifton, Texas. Six rural health care organizations from diverse geographic regions shared their approaches to sustaining maternity and delivery services. Data include transcripts and presentation materials from summit sessions involving clinical, financial, and operational representatives of 6 rural hospitals. Thematic analysis was applied to identify cross-site strategies.

FINDINGS: Three core themes emerged: financial sustainability, workforce development, and community engagement. Strategies included maximizing payment mechanisms, forming partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers, employing family physicians with obstetric training, establishing rural residency pipelines, and implementing culturally responsive community outreach. These practices were adapted to local contexts but shared a focus on aligning maternity and delivery services with broader organizational and community goals.

CONCLUSION: Sustaining rural maternity and delivery care requires an integrated approach that combines financial acumen, strategic workforce development, and strong patient and community engagement. Facility-level innovations offer replicable strategies for improving maternal health access and outcomes in rural settings.

PMID:41388613 | DOI:10.1111/jrh.70099

Anaesthesia. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/anae.70100. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pre-operative anaemia is an established risk factor for mortality after cardiac surgery. The extent to which this risk is mediated by complications related to red blood cell transfusion remains uncertain, particularly across different age groups.

METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included adult cardiac surgery patients from the Netherlands Heart Registration. Pre-operative anaemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria and red blood cell transfusion as any red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay. The main study endpoint was 120-day mortality. We used multivariable logistic regression to quantify the associations between pre-operative anaemia, red blood cell transfusion and 120-day mortality. Subsequently, a mediation analysis was conducted to quantify how much of the effect of pre-operative anaemia on postoperative mortality is because of red blood cell transfusion.

RESULTS: Of 71,053 patients, 14,452 (20.3%) had pre-operative anaemia. Of these, 7621 (52.7%) received red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay, compared with 9930 (17.5%) of patients without anaemia (p < 0.001). Observed 120-day mortality was 612 (4.2%) and 901 (1.6%), respectively. In multivariable regression analysis, pre-operative anaemia remained independently associated with postoperative mortality (adjusted odds ratio 1.66, 95%CI 1.47-1.87), with consistent effects across age groups. Mediation analysis showed that red blood cell transfusion accounted for 58.9% (95%CI 41.3-76.5%) of the association between pre-operative anaemia and 120-day mortality. The proportion mediated was larger in patients aged ≥ 70 years (77.3%, 95%CI 43.1-100%) compared with younger patients (39.3%, 95%CI 21.4-57.2%).

DISCUSSION: A substantial part of the association between pre-operative anaemia and mortality after cardiac surgery is mediated by red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay. The mediating role of red blood cell transfusion was more pronounced in older patients.

PMID:41388606 | DOI:10.1111/anae.70100

Stress Health. 2025 Dec;41(6):e70130. doi: 10.1002/smi.70130.

ABSTRACT

Childhood adversity is an important determinant of undergraduates’ drinking and smoking behaviours; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Self-schemas are one possible pathway that may help explain this relationship. The vulnerability of self-schemas and behaviours resulting from childhood adversity may vary according to the level of childhood poly-adversity. This study examined the differential effects of low and high childhood poly-adversity on drinking- and smoking-related self-schemas and behaviours among undergraduates over time. Whether self-schemas mediate the relationship between childhood poly-adversity and behaviours was also examined. A prospective study was conducted among 275 first- and second-year Taiwanese undergraduates who reported any adverse childhood experiences in Wave I. An anonymous digital survey was administered at five-time points (6 months apart). Results showed that undergraduates with high poly-adversity had higher drinker and smoker self-schema scores and more drinking and smoking behaviours than those with no or low childhood poly-adversity. Childhood poly-adversity had significant indirect effects on drinking and smoking behaviours through drinker and smoker self-schemas. Findings suggest that low and high childhood poly-adversity have differential effects on self-schemas and behaviours. Self-schemas may be an underlying mechanism linking childhood poly-adversity to undergraduate drinking and smoking behaviours. Early identification of childhood poly-adversity experiences and interventions to promote positive self-conception may mitigate undergraduate drinking and smoking behaviours.

PMID:41388574 | DOI:10.1002/smi.70130

Med Sci Monit. 2025 Dec 13;31:e950470. doi: 10.12659/MSM.950470.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND The timing of growth plays a crucial role in effective orthodontic treatment planning. This is also true for cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), which does not always align with chronological age (CA). This study evaluated the correlation between indices of CVM and CA in 240 lateral cephalometric radiographs (LCRs) of male and female Yemeni children and adolescents, 8 to 19 years of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective study of 240 LCRs of 120 males and 120 females aged 8 to 19 years, was conducted from December 2022 to October 2023 using Baccetti’s method, with some modifications to CVM. The superior, inferior, posterior, and anterior borders of second, third, and fourth cervical vertebrae were traced to identify the inferior concavity depth and shape of the vertebrae. CVM stages were assessed at 6 different growing times. Pearson correlation coefficient was used, and a P value of <0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS Spearman correlation revealed a statistically significant association between CVM stage and CA (r=0.887; P<0.000). Significant differences between males and females were found in cervical stage (CS) 4 and CS5 (P<0.05). Mean CA at CS4 was 13.18±1.58 years for males and 12.15±1.10 years for females, and the mean CA at CS5 was 16.33±1.29 years for males and 15.23±1.62 years for females. CONCLUSIONS Pubertal growth spurts occurred at 10.25-13.18 years in males and 10.04-12.15 years in females, indicating females achieve maturation earlier than males. This research provides a reliable framework for orthodontic treatment planning.

PMID:41388571 | DOI:10.12659/MSM.950470

Syst Rev. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1186/s13643-025-03015-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a significant reduction in muscle mass and strength, typically associated with the ageing process. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that sarcopenia not only affects functional health in the elderly but may also be closely associated with the onset of cardiovascular diseases, particularly atrial fibrillation. However, the association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation has not yet been adequately systematically evaluated. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS: The study will adhere to the PRISMA-P guidelines to ensure a transparent and rigorous methodology and will conduct a comprehensive literature search using databases PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, with the search period spanning from the establishment of the databases to 15 May 2025. Included will be clinical observational studies that meet the criteria, including prospective cohort studies, and case-control studies. The included studies must explicitly assess the association between sarcopenia and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. We will assess the risk of bias of all included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the AHRQ quality assessment tool. The data for this study will be analyzed using Stata 15. We will employ random-effects models for statistical analysis, along with subgroup analysis, to further explore the potential influence of factors such as age, gender, and disease status on the results.

DISCUSSION: The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of sarcopenia on atrial fibrillation and to analyze their potential association. This study is expected to reveal the potential association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation and provide evidence-based support for clinical prevention and treatment. The study results will help promote early identification and intervention for sarcopenia, thereby reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation and improving health outcomes for the elderly population.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Prospero CRD420251054023.

PMID:41388557 | DOI:10.1186/s13643-025-03015-7

Vet Res. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1186/s13567-025-01686-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Goats represent a significant reservoir for tuberculosis (TB) in animals, contributing notably to public and animal health challenges, causing economic repercussions. Ante mortem diagnosis of TB is hindered by the limited sensitivity of available techniques and false-positive results from other mycobacterial infections, such as paratuberculosis (PTB). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics provides unique fingerprinting of the disease’s metabolic status, making it a promising diagnostic tool. However, conventional high-resolution NMR has limitations in veterinary practice, where high costs and large equipment size are major constraints. Benchtop NMR spectrometer is proposed as a compact, cost-effective alternative for livestock farms. The study aimed to evaluate NMR-based metabolomics as a diagnostic tool and transfer it from high-resolution to benchtop NMR spectrometers in an animal setting. Serum samples from TB-infected, PTB-infected (n = 16), and healthy control goats (HC) were analyzed by both high-resolution and benchtop NMR spectroscopy. Multivariate statistical analysis successfully differentiated groups on the basis of their metabolic profiles with both spectrometers. We identified that betaine, glucose, glycerol, and lactate are significantly capable of distinguishing between the three groups. Additionally, 3-hydroxybutyrate, creatine, glutamate, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tyrosine further differentiate TB from HC. Acetate, creatine, glutamate, isoleucine, leucine, and lysine distinguish TB from PTB, while 3-hydroxybutyrate and phenylalanine serve to differentiate PTB from HC. Analyses with both high-resolution and benchtop spectrometers demonstrated high sensitivity and accuracy and reliable metabolite identification. These findings highlight NMR’s spectroscopy potential to identify biomarkers associated with TB and PTB infection, improving health management in livestock.

PMID:41388555 | DOI:10.1186/s13567-025-01686-7

BMC Med Ethics. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1186/s12910-025-01344-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Lately, the misconduct in research among scientist has been escalating. The use of artificial intelligence has been converted in a double ace card, on one side it has simplificated the way of obtaining valious data for researchers in an easy way, but in the other hand, has promoted that researchers became careless about the scientific method. This situation has become a problem among university teachers since the students are tempt to obtain results in an easy way, leaving ethics aside. The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge and practices regarding scientific integrity among university students in Peru.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted, applying a validated survey on knowledge and practices regarding scientific integrity to 1,420 university students in the Southern Region of Peru, with 60.85% being women. The questionnaire consisted of 21 questions, and data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Robust statistics were applied, and comparisons were made based on gender, age, and region. Ages ranged from 17 to 29 years (M = 21.14, SD = 2.72).

RESULTS: The majority demonstrated high levels of knowledge and regular levels of practices regarding scientific integrity. Statistically significant differences were found based on gender (women > men), age (older than 23 years > younger than 22 years), and region. Inappropriate practices were identified in the use of artificial intelligence in academic work.

CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that university students have high levels of knowledge regarding scientific integrity; however, they exhibit regular and low levels of application in research projects.

PMID:41388540 | DOI:10.1186/s12910-025-01344-9

Endocr Regul. 2025 Dec 12;59(1):217-226. doi: 10.2478/enr-2025-0025. Print 2025 Jan 1.

ABSTRACT

Objective. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that substantially impairs quality of life. This study aimed to assess the relationship between metabolic parameters and DPN severity in T2DM patients. Methods. A prospective observational study was conducted at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Peelamedu, Coimbatore, India) from August 2023 to August 2024, enrolling 90 adults with T2DM on oral hypoglycemic agents after ethical approval and informed consent. Blood samples were analyzed for fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, and plasma insulin. The LDL/HDL ratio and HOMA-IR were calculated to evaluate metabolic status. DPN severity was measured using a biothesiometer. Results. The higher HbA1c levels significantly correlated with increased neuropathy severity (severe: 12.1±1.3% vs. mild: 8.4±2.0%; p=0.002). LDL/HDL ratio was elevated in patients with severe DPN (3.6±1.8) compared to mild DPN cases (2.5±1.0), but this difference was not significant (p=0.12). Severe DPN cases also showed higher HOMA-IR (10.2±2.8) suggesting a possible link to insulin resistance though not statistically significant (p=0.23). Conclusion. HbA1c strongly associates with DPN severity, while LDL/HDL ratio and HOMAIR showed no significant correlation. Further research is needed to clarify these metabolic relationships and their clinical relevance.

PMID:41388536 | DOI:10.2478/enr-2025-0025