Category: Statistics

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55603-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To investigate the air disinfection efficacy of a novel high-oxygen membrane air sterilizer in hospital ward environments. Natural bacteria were used as indicator microorganisms, and air disinfection experiments were conducted under both unoccupied and occupied ward conditions to compare the actual disinfection performance between a high-oxygen membrane air sterilizer and a plasma air sterilizer. The relationship between disinfection efficacy and factors such as ward volume, temperature, humidity, initial bacterial load, and personnel movement was analyzed. Under unoccupied conditions, the natural bacterial extinction rate of the high-oxygen membrane air disinfecting machine was 88.4%, significantly higher than the 82.5% of the plasma air disinfecting machine (P = 0.019). However, under occupied conditions, there was no statistically significant difference in extinction rates between the two devices (80.0% vs. 78.7%, P = 0.165). Additionally, the disinfection efficacy of the high-oxygen membrane air disinfecting machine was not statistically affected by ward volume, temperature, humidity, initial bacterial concentration, or personnel activity (all P > 0.05) within the present experimental settings. Although high-oxygen membrane air disinfection technology demonstrates statistically superior disinfection performance in unoccupied environments, the observed efficacy does not currently support its use as a standalone intervention for reducing the airborne infection transmission. Further research in diverse clinical environments is needed to fully assess its potential.

PMID:42236873 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55603-9

Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1007/s00266-026-05966-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Post-operative pain after breast augmentation remains unpredictable, and regional anesthesia alone is seldom described. We evaluated an opioid-free protocol combining pectoral nerves (PECS I-II) and parasternal blocks with intravenous sedation.

METHODS: Between January 2020 and December 2024, 627 women (mean age 35 y) underwent bilateral primary augmentation under ultrasound-guided fascial-plane blocks plus sedation. VAS pain scores were recorded at predefined intervals up to 72 h. Descriptive statistics, cubic modelling of pain trajectories and Kruskal-Wallis tests compared implant planes; cumulative pain was expressed as the 0-72 h area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS: Mean VAS was < 2 in all groups by 72 h. Pain peaked at 16 h, highest with dual-plane placement (mean 7.0) and lower with submuscular and pre-pectoral placements (both ≈ 5.5; p < 0.001). Inter-group differences persisted to 48 h but disappeared by 72 h (p = 0.115). AUC confirmed the greatest pain burden for dual-plane (292 VAS·h) versus submuscular (238) and pre-pectoral (200). Implant volume showed only a weak overall correlation with pain (ρ = 0.20) and none within individual planes. No patient required rescue opioids; most resumed normal activities within four days, and no major complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided PECS I-II and parasternal blocks with sedation provide safe, effective, opioid-free analgesia for aesthetic breast augmentation. Early pain is determined mainly by the implant plane, not by implant size, and should be considered in surgical planning and postoperative care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID:42236868 | DOI:10.1007/s00266-026-05966-1

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55879-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We investigated whether inflammatory markers would be significant prognostic factors for survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This was a retrospective cohort study including 748 consecutive Chinese NSCLC patients. The relationships of inflammatory markers with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis were analyzed by chi-squared test and Cox regression. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) with 4 knots were used to flexibly model non-linear relationships between markers and overall survival (OS). Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves. In multivariate analysis, the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) were independently associated with OS (HR: 1.506, 95% CI: 1.224-1.852; HR: 0.749, 95% CI: 0.608-0.923). RCS showed a non-linear association for SIRI (P for non-linear = 0.004) and a linear association for AGR (P for non-linear = 0.258). We constructed a 3-tier SIRI-AGR score: Score 1 (low risk: SIRI ≤ 0.91 and AGR > 1.19), Score 2 (intermediate: either SIRI > 0.91 or AGR ≤ 1.19, but not both), Score 3 (high risk: SIRI > 0.91 and AGR ≤ 1.19). Patients with Score 3 had significantly shorter OS (HR: 1.974; 95% CI: 1.486-2.622). Time-dependent ROC showed stable predictive performance with AUC ≈ 0.70 throughout follow-up. The SIRI-AGR score is an independent, convenient, and low-cost prognostic factor for NSCLC. It can serve as a useful indicator for risk stratification and clinical decision-making.

PMID:42236852 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55879-x

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55290-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Electrolyte abnormalities commonly complicate heart failure management, yet their prognostic significance and optimal monitoring strategies remain incompletely characterized. We examined the prevalence, temporal patterns, and clinical outcomes associated with electrolyte abnormalities in hospitalized heart failure patients. Retrospective cohort study of 30,678 heart failure patients (80,408 admissions) from the MIMIC-IV database (2008-2022). Clinically significant electrolyte abnormalities (CSEA) were defined as patients whose potassium remained consistently < 3.5 or > 5.0 mEq/L, or whose sodium remained consistently < 135 or > 145 mEq/L throughout all measurements during hospitalization. Primary outcomes were 30-day all-cause readmission and mortality. We developed a clinical risk score incorporating electrolyte abnormalities and examined temporal electrolyte patterns. CSEA occurred in 950 patients (3.1%) in the full cohort, of whom 713 (2.3%) survived to discharge and constituted the primary analysis cohort for post-discharge outcomes. Patients with abnormalities had paradoxically lower 30-day readmission (3.9% vs 15.3%; adjusted HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.21-0.40) but substantially higher mortality (15.4% vs 7.0%; adjusted HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.57-2.38), reflecting competing mortality risk. Individual electrolyte abnormalities were independently associated with mortality: hypokalemia HR 1.45 (1.28-1.65), hyperkalemia HR 1.67 (1.48-1.89), hyponatremia HR 1.34 (1.19-1.51). Temporal analysis revealed biphasic patterns-initial correction followed by recurrence-identified the highest-risk subset (composite event rates 27.6% for potassium, 28.5% for sodium). A five-variable risk score (electrolyte abnormality, age ≥ 75, chronic kidney disease, multiple admissions, coronary artery disease) achieved C-statistic 0.593. CSEA are independently associated with mortality in heart failure patients despite paradoxically lower readmission rates due to competing risks. Biphasic electrolyte patterns identify particularly high-risk patients. Simple risk stratification using routinely collected electrolyte data may enhance post-discharge risk prediction and inform targeted monitoring strategies.

PMID:42236834 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55290-6

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55779-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is a globally recognized invasive species and a significant vector for arboviruses such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. While reported in various Northern provinces of Iran, evidence of its detection in Qazvin Province, remained unconfirmed prior to this study. The objective of this research was to conduct early detection and community-based surveillance for invasive Aedes species within this high-risk area. A comprehensive entomological surveillance system was implemented across Qazvin Province (2022-2024), integrating monitoring at Points of Entry, community‑based reporting, and targeted investigations around confirmed dengue cases. Field activities were conducted from April to November each year. Data collection included ovitrap monitoring, larval habitat inspections, and adult mosquito sampling using standardized WHO‑recommended procedures, followed by morphological identification under laboratory conditions. All surveillance information was systematically recorded, validated, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The presence of Ae. albopictus was confirmed in Razmian. A total of 1,602 mosquito specimens representing eight species from four genera were collected, including 561 eggs, 15 larvae, and 3 adult Ae. albopictus detected across four locations. All positive detections originated from community‑triggered investigations, while ovitraps and routine surveillance at Points of Entry yielded no Aedes specimens. This demonstrates the high sensitivity of community‑based reporting for early detection of low‑density invasive mosquito populations. This study reports the first confirmed detection of Ae. albopictus in Qazvin Province. The findings highlight the essential contribution of community reporting in complementing traditional entomological surveillance and emphasize the need for sustained, people‑centered surveillance strategies to mitigate the risk of future arboviral transmission.

PMID:42236832 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55779-0

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3;16(1):17165. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55422-y.

ABSTRACT

On 15 March 2022 an intense, but partially cloud-obscured, Saharan dust plume was transported towards Europe by an atmospheric river. Ten-year statistics of dust plumes co-occurring with cloud cover over Europe highlights that regionally up to 100% of dust plumes are obscured by clouds, which poses challenges for reconstructing dust plumes from satellite images. The European dust case on 15 March 2022 is used to investigate whether data-driven machine-learning techniques for restoring the spatial extent of dust plumes in SEVIRI satellite images can be alleviated by exploiting the rich ground-based data sets in Europe. Satellite images were paired with different combinations of ground-based observation data, stemming from ground-based remote sensing, weather reports and measurements of particulate matter, using a k-nearest neighbours approach. Combining ceilometer and photometer data with satellite images added the most value for restoring the dust plume extent and are recommended for future reconstructions of cloud-obscured dust plumes.

PMID:42236821 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55422-y

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-55331-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Animal social behavior, such as agonistic behavior, has been extensively studied for a long time since it is one of the key factors that influence the survivability and reproductive success in many animals, including crickets. Gryllus bimaculatus, a field cricket, and Acheta domesticus, a house cricket, are two cricket species whose social behaviors have been extensively studied. However, the interspecific behaviors of these crickets had not been assessed and comprehensively compared to their behaviors when encountering their conspecifics. Moreover, most of the behavior studies in crickets still rely on traditional observational methods, which are labor-intensive and prone to observer bias. Fortunately, due to the advancement in machine learning, a markerless pose estimation method has revolutionized behavioral analysis in animal studies by enabling precise, automated tracking of body parts without the need for physical markers, reducing stress and allowing for naturalistic behavior in animals. Therefore, the study aimed to demonstrate a comprehensive methodology in analyzing the intra- and interspecies social behaviors of G. bimaculatus and A. domesticus by DeepLabCut (DLC), a deep learning-based pose estimation tool. Based on the results, the trained model that was used in the current study showed a relatively high accuracy after undergoing several rounds of training, as indicated by the relatively high value of average likelihood (0.94) and low value of average low likelihood percentage (3.85%) of each detected body part in every tested cricket. Meanwhile, GLMM analysis revealed no significant differences between the proposed method and manual scoring in both calculated aggressive-related behavior endpoints. Moreover, the system achieved high sensitivity with an average of 0.8, with acceptable precision with an average of 0.7 for both behaviors, demonstrating that the automated approach provides accurate and reliable quantification of aggressive interactions in paired crickets. Next, in terms of the cricket’s social behaviors, males of G. bimaculatus displayed aggressive behaviors as indicated by statistically high overt physical combat count, which were followed by high locomotion and movement complexity, while a slightly higher posterior-oriented interaction count was observed in the male × female group of this species. Meanwhile, although overt physical combat behaviors still could be observed in males of A. domesticus, this cricket in other gender combinations did not display noticeable aggressive behaviors compared to G. bimaculatus. On the other hand, aggressive behaviors were still shown by both males and females during interspecific tests, though in a relatively lesser magnitude compared to intraspecific G. bimaculatus. Taken together, the present study highlighted the effectiveness of DLC for markerless pose estimation of crickets, emphasizing the potential of this methodology as an alternative to provide novel quantitative insights into the dynamics of their social interactions, and thus, paving the way for large-scale, reproducible research on animal social interactions that could advance our understanding of animal behaviors.

PMID:42236810 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-55331-0

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2026 May 12;36(7):104755. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgc.2026.104755. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of ultrasound in identifying residual cervical tumors following conization, using histology as the gold standard.

METHODS: This retrospective, single-center study included patients with early-stage cervical cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics IA1-IB1 and early IB2) who underwent conization followed by secondary surgical treatment (re-conization, hysterectomy, or trachelectomy). Patients with locally advanced disease were excluded. All patients underwent trans-vaginal or trans-rectal ultrasound after conization and before definitive surgery between January 2015 and May 2025. Ultrasound findings were classified as follows: a) absence of residual tumor, b) presence of residual tumor, or c) uncertain (suggestive of either residual disease or post-conization artifacts). For statistical analysis, uncertain cases were conservatively considered positive for residual disease. Additionally, a secondary analysis was performed in which “uncertain” cases were classified as negative. Ultrasound results were compared with final histopathology, and diagnostic performance metrics with 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

RESULTS: A total of 166 patients were included (mean age, 44.4 ± 9.2 years). Residual tumor was found at final histology in 75 patients (45.2%), while 91 (54.8%) had no residual disease. The median tumor diameter at conization was 9.8 ± 6.2 mm, and the mean interval between conization and ultrasound was 61.2 ± 45.5 days. Ultrasound correctly identified residual tumor in 40/75 cases (53.3%), while false-positive findings occurred in 16/91 patients (17.6%). Uncertain ultrasound findings were reported in 43 cases (25.9%), of which 16 (37.2%) had residual disease at histology. Residual tumors were predominantly hypoechoic and showed moderate (45.0%) or rich (35.0%) vascularization on color Doppler imaging. Ultrasound demonstrated a sensitivity of 74.7% (95% confidence interval 64.8 to 84.5), specificity of 52.7% (95% confidence interval 42.5 to 63.0), and overall accuracy of 62.7% (95% confidence interval 53.1 to 72.2).

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that ultrasound has sub-optimal performance in detecting residual tumor after conization for cervical cancer, indicating that optimal timing and accurate assessment of residual disease remain clinically relevant challenges.

PMID:42235121 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijgc.2026.104755

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2026 Jun 1;1281:125167. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2026.125167. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is increasingly recognized for its role in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases by disturbing fatty acid metabolism. Concurrently, the acylcarnitine profile serves as a critical indicator of associated mitochondrial dysfunction. However, present ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) methodologies often focus on a few targets such as betaine, choline, TMAO, and trimethylamine and lack the integrated capability to monitor simultaneous changes in the acylcarnitine profile. This analytical gap restricts the depth of toxicological investigations into the effects of environmental pollutants as well as the thorough assessment of metabolic homeostasis. In this study, an optimized UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous measurement of TMAO and its 15 related metabolites in human serum. Serum samples underwent pretreatment through targeted ethyl bromoacetate-derivatization and protein precipitation. Using 4% bovine serum albumin as a surrogate matrix, matrix-matched calibration was performed to reduce matrix effects and ensure analytical accuracy. Using 10 mmol/L ammonium formate (pH 4.0) and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid as mobile phases, chromatographic separation was achieved on a HILIC column within a 5.5 min runtime. Positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode were used to monitor the target analytes. The assay demonstrated good linearity (R² > 0.992) with limits of detection ranging from 0.012 to 5.2 μg/L. Spike recoveries in real samples were 84.5%-114.9%, with relative standard deviations below 10%. In conclusion, this study presents a rapid and validated UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous profiling of a targeted panel of TMAO, its precursors, and functionally related acylcarnitines in human serum. It may support studies investigating their associations with cardiometabolic disorders, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic dysfunction linked to gut microbial metabolism.

PMID:42235119 | DOI:10.1016/j.jchromb.2026.125167

Neurotherapeutics. 2026 Jun 3;23(4):e00936. doi: 10.1016/j.neurot.2026.e00936. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the spread of muscle weakness across body regions. ROCK-ALS was a multicenter, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial assessing the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil in ALS patients. A key exploratory objective was to evaluate fasudil’s effect on the spread of muscle weakness using the Motor Unit Number Index (MUNIX), an established, quantitative electrophysiological biomarker of lower motor neuron integrity. MUNIX was assessed in 10 muscles at baseline, day 26, day 90, and day 180. In the present post-hoc analysis, correlations were assessed between baseline serum biomarkers-neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-and baseline clinical measures (ALSFRS-R, slow vital capacity, and MUNIX-10 sum scores) as well as their monthly rates of change, to explore potential prognostic relationships. For the analysis of disease spreading, muscles were classified as newly affected based on MUNIX decline relative to contralateral values or prior measurements, using thresholds of ≥10%, ≥20%, or ≥30%. Out of 118 participants included in the intention-to-treat population, 78 had full MUNIX datasets at baseline, and 67 had at least one follow-up. Baseline MUNIX-10 sum scores correlated with subsequent ALSFRS-R decline, suggesting prognostic value. Additionally, at day 90, fasudil significantly reduced the number of newly affected muscles compared to placebo in a dose-dependent manner over different thresholds. This supports MUNIX as a sensitive biomarker for monitoring disease spreading and demonstrates that fasudil may attenuate the progression of lower motor neuron involvement in ALS. Trial registration number: NCT03792490 (ClinicalTrials.gov); 2017-003676-31 (Eudra-CT).

PMID:42235092 | DOI:10.1016/j.neurot.2026.e00936