Category: Statistics

Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2025 May;39(5):413-418;424. doi: 10.13201/j.issn.2096-7993.2025.05.004.

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the perioperative safety and long-term complications of simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation（BCI） in young infants, providing reference data for clinical BCI in young children. Methods:Seventy-four infants aged 6-23 months with congenital severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who were candidates for cochlear implantation at the Department of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital between August 2018 and August 2019 were consecutively enrolled. Parents made the decision to implant either unilaterally or bilaterally. Participants were divided into unilateral cochlear implantation（UCI） group（before and after 12 months of age） and simultaneous BCI group（before and after 12 months of age）. Safety indicators, including perioperative risk variables, complications, and other postoperative adverse events were monitored, with complications followed up for 5-6 years. Comparisons were made between the BCI and UCI, as well as between implantation before and after 12 months of age regarding perioperative safety and long-term complications. Results:A total of 40 BCI patients（23 before 12 months, 17 after 12 months） and 34 UCI patients（20 before 12 months, 14 after 12 months） were included in the study. Regarding perioperative risk variables, the BCI group showed significantly longer anesthesia duration, operative time, and greater blood loss compared to the UCI group, though less than twice that of the UCI group; no anesthetic complications occurred in either group; and there was no significant difference in postoperative hospital stay between the groups. Regarding surgical complications during the 5-year follow-up period, the BCI group experienced 7 complications（2 major, 5 minor）, while the UCI group had 7 complications（1 major, 6 minor）, with no statistical differences between groups. Regarding other postoperative adverse events, the BCI group demonstrated significantly higher total adverse event rates than the UCI group（80.0% vs 38.2%）, with higher rates of moderate to severe anemia（60.0% vs 20.6%） and lower mean hemoglobin levels[（92.35±12.14） g/L vs（102.39±13.09） g/L]. No significant differences were found in postoperative fever rates（50.0% vs 52.9%） or C-reactive protein levels between groups. Within the BCI group, patients implanted before 12 months indicated notably higher rates of total adverse events（91.3% vs 64.7%）, high fever（26.1% vs 0）, and moderate to severe anemia（78.3% vs 35.3%） compared to those implanted after 12 months. Conclusion:Simultaneous BCI in young children under 2 years of age demonstrates controllable overall risks. Compared to UCI, while it shows no increase in anesthetic or surgical complications, it presents higher perioperative risks and adverse event rates, especially in patients implanted before 12 months of age, warranting special attention from medical staff.

PMID:40263649 | DOI:10.13201/j.issn.2096-7993.2025.05.004

Psychooncology. 2025 Apr;34(4):e70159. doi: 10.1002/pon.70159.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: With the aging population, family caregivers, including young adults, play an increasingly important role in supporting patients with cancer. This study compares the caregiving burden and psychological vulnerability faced by individuals caring for parents with terminal cancer during end-of-life (EOL) care and bereavement among three age groups: young adult caregivers (YACs), adult caregivers, and older caregivers.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study entailed a secondary analysis of Japanese national bereavement survey data. Data from bereaved family members who had cared for parents with cancer were used, and YACs (18-25 years) were compared with adult (26-39 years) and older (≥ 40 years) caregivers regarding caregiving burden, mental health, and depressive or grief symptoms. Statistical analyses included descriptive summaries and logistic regression to identify group differences.

RESULTS: From the original dataset, 18,145 parent-caring participants were analyzed, including 43 YACs. Compared to older caregivers, YACs reported higher psychological vulnerability, with significantly poorer mental health during the final week of caregiving (64.3% vs. 36.3%, OR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.70-6.08) and higher depressive symptoms 1-2 years post-bereavement (29.3% vs. 11.9%, OR: 3.06; 95% CI: 1.50-5.86). Moreover, YACs showed a lower mean score for personal growth than older caregivers (4.5 vs. 5.0 difference: -0.5, 95% CI: -1.0 to -0.1) despite a similar caregiving burden across groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Notably, YACs face distinct challenges during EOL care, including increased psychological vulnerability and limited recognition of personal growth. Tailored interventions, including early mental health screening and resiliency-building strategies, are critical for effectively supporting this population.

PMID:40263638 | DOI:10.1002/pon.70159

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2025 Apr 22. doi: 10.1038/s41409-025-02592-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (p-HLH) can be cured with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). It remains unclear whether HSCT outcomes are affected by the presence of different genetic mutations. We used data obtained from children who underwent allo-HSCT for HLH to examine the effects of genetic mutations on HSCT outcomes. Data from 153 paediatric patients in 18 paediatric stem cell centres were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into four groups: 1) with PRF1 mutation (n = 46), 2) with UNC13D mutation (n = 38), 3) with STX11/STXBP2 mutation (n = 25) and 4) with Griscelli syndrome type 2/ Chediak-Higashi syndrome (GS2/CHS) diagnosis (n = 44). Statistical analysis showed no difference between the subgroups in terms of engraftment, VOD, acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, TRM, OS and EFS rates. The most important factor affecting OS and EFS in all genetic subgroups was remission status before HSCT. The 5-year EFS values for children with mutations in PRF1, UNC13D, STX11/STXBP2 and GS2/CHS were 71%, 66.6%, 74% and 66.7, respectively (log-rank >0.05). However, with prospective studies covering more patients, and creating different genetic subgroups by performing more detailed genetic analyses, special approaches for different genetic subgroups can be revealed in the future.

PMID:40263637 | DOI:10.1038/s41409-025-02592-4

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13902. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98943-8.

ABSTRACT

Jugular venous pulse (JVP) waveform contour is directly linked to right atrial hemodynamics and is a potential tool for diagnosing various cardiovascular diseases. The reference standard, central venous line catheterization, while precise, is restricted to critical care units owing to the necessity for surgical procedures and specialized operator skills. Conventional ultrasound imaging systems can reliably measure jugular venous vessel dynamics but are hindered by low operational frame rates, large form factors, and the requirement for trained operators. In this study, we propose a portable system using single-element ultrasound technology for reliable JVP waveform acquisition and methods for quantifying the JVP contour features. The performance of the system and method was validated against a reference ultrasound imaging system in a preclinical study on 65 asymptomatic volunteers (27 female). Operating at an acquisition rate of 250 Hz, the system reliably captures JVP waveforms with a temporal resolution of 4 ms. The maximum and minimum jugular venous diameter measurements showed a statistically significant and strong correlation with the reference measurements (r = 0.93 and r = 0.86, respectively, p < 0.001). The devised algorithms effectively segmented JVP cycles and analyzed their contour features with a sensitivity and specificity of 92%. These results provide preliminary evidence for the potential use of the developed system for high-fidelity JVP waveform acquisition and pulse contour feature assessment. The ability to accurately evaluate the JVP contour characteristics can provide insights into right atrial hemodynamics, potentially facilitating the early detection and monitoring of vascular anomalies.

PMID:40263608 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98943-8

Genes Immun. 2025 Apr 22. doi: 10.1038/s41435-025-00325-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Hemophilia-A (HA) is the X-linked bleeding disorder caused by heterogeneous factor (F)VIII gene (F8)-mutations and deficiencies in plasma-FVIII-activity that prevent intrinsic-pathway mediated coagulation-amplification. Severe-HA patients (HAPs) require life-long infusions of therapeutic-FVIII-proteins (tFVIIIs) but ~30% develop neutralizing-tFVIII-antibodies called “FVIII-inhibitors (FEIs)”. We investigated the genetics underlying the variable risk of FEI-development in 450 North American HAPs (206 and 244 respectively self-reporting black-African- or white-European-ancestry) by analyzing the genotypes of single-nucleotide-variations (SNVs) in candidate immune-mediated-disease (IMD)-genes using a binary linear-mixed model of genetic association with baseline-FEI-status, the dependent variable, while simultaneously accounting for their genetic relationships and heterogeneous-F8-mutations to prevent the statistical problem of non-independence. We a priori selected gene-centric-association-scans of pleiotropic-IMD-genes implicated in the development of either ≥2 autoimmune-/autoinflammatory-disorders (AADs) or FEIs and ≥1 AAD. We found that baseline-FEI-status was significantly associated with NOS2A (rs117382854; p = 3.2 × 10^-6) and B3GNT2 (rs10176009; p = 5.1 × 10^-6)-pleiotropic-IMD-genes known previously to function in anti-microbial-/-tumoral-immunity but not in the development of FEIs-and confirmed associations with CTLA4 (rs231780; p = 2.2 × 10^-5). We also found that baseline-FEI-status has a substantial heritability (~55%) that involves (i) a F8-mutation-specific component of ~8%, (ii) an additive-genetic contribution from SNVs in IMD-genes of ~47%, and (iii) race, which is a significant determinant independent of F8-mutation-types and non-F8-genetics.

PMID:40263602 | DOI:10.1038/s41435-025-00325-7

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13863. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98707-4.

ABSTRACT

Inconsistent findings and limited research from various countries highlight the need for further investigation of the relationship between Satisfaction with Green Space Attributes (SGSA) and Perceived Stress (PS) levels, which is crucial for informing urban planning strategists to improve residents’ mental health using green areas. Presented study explored these relationships and differences in greenery usage and preferences in connection with self-perceived stress levels in the study area of post-socialist cities and other settlements units in Poland-the country belonging to the former block of Socialist Countries of People’s Democracy (specific type of urbanism and influence on mentality of residents). Data collected in 2022 via Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) covered demographics, green space utilization, SGSA, and PS levels using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Statistical analyses, including Kruskal-Wallis rank ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U-test and multiple regression, revealed that lower PS levels were correlated with higher SGSA across various greenery elements. Individuals with low stress levels spent more time in green spaces for leisure activities, mainly walking. However, satisfaction with greenery decreased with increasing stress levels, especially regarding the decrease of cleanliness, aesthetics and greenery amount. Multiple regression identified significant predictors of stress levels, such as health, greenery aesthetics satisfaction, income, and green area accessibility for children. The study underscores the importance of well-designed, diversified green infrastructure to enhance residents’ mental well-being. Accessible, well-maintained green spaces creating a network within urban environments are crucial for stress reduction. It is a guideline for policymakers and urban planners to create continuous green infrastructure consisting of various size and character green areas/elements and this green network should be as dense as possible, occupying every possible place.

PMID:40263565 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98707-4

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13897. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98643-3.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify the recovery predictors for patients with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) and diabetes who are undergoing antibiotic therapy, and to develop an effective nomogram for predicting the antibiotic treatment duration (ORT). This retrospective study included consecutive PLA patients with diabetes who received antibiotic treatment, with ORT defined as the time from the initiation of antibiotic therapy to its cessation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the main predictors of ORT. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and a nomogram were subsequently constructed to predict ORT, and the accuracy of the nomogram was assessed using Harrell’s C-statistic and calibration curves. A total of 139 PLA patients with diabetes were included, with a median ORT of 17 days (interquartile range: 13-22 days). The study found that fever (P < 0.01), pre-treatment septic shock (P < 0.01), abscess diameter greater than 5 cm (P < 0.01), and elevated white blood cell count (P = 0.04) were independent risk factors for prolonged ORT, suggesting that patients with these factors had a significantly longer ORT compared to those without them. Prognostic analysis showed that patients exhibiting more predictive factors (e.g., high fever, shock, larger abscess, elevated white blood cell count) had a significantly extended ORT. Based on these factors, we developed a nomogram to predict ORT, with a Harrell’s C-statistic of 0.75, indicating good predictive accuracy. The calibration curve for predicting ORT demonstrated good consistency between the expected and actual results. This nomogram provides clinicians with a simple and practical tool to assess patient prognosis and guide the appropriate cessation of antibiotic treatment.

PMID:40263551 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98643-3

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13852. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98378-1.

ABSTRACT

Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown remarkable promise in communicating with humans. Their potential use as artificial partners with humans in sociological experiments involving conversation is an exciting prospect. But how viable is it? Here, we rigorously test the limits of agents that debate using LLMs in a preregistered study that runs multiple debate-based opinion consensus games. Each game starts with six humans, six agents, or three humans and three agents. We found that agents can blend in and concentrate on a debate’s topic better than humans, improving the productivity of all players. Yet, humans perceive agents as less convincing and confident than other humans, and several behavioral metrics of humans and agents we collected deviate measurably from each other. We observed that agents are already decent debaters, but their behavior generates a pattern distinctly different from the human-generated data.

PMID:40263531 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98378-1

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13893. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98515-w.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to assess the levels of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers two years post COVID-19 infection and to validate the reliability and validity of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales in this population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2024 using a simple random sampling approach to survey healthcare institution workers. A total of 1038 valid samples were collected, and anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. Participants included healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and students. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, univariate, and multivariate analyses to explore the effects of variables such as occupation and gender on anxiety and depression. Long COVID was reported in 50.8% of participants. Occupational categories significantly influenced anxiety and depression levels: compared to students (reference group), doctors, nurses, and administrative staff exhibited significantly lower scores. Non-long COVID participants showed significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than those with long COVID. Additionally, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales demonstrated high reliability and validity among COVID-19 population. Two years after COVID-19 infection, anxiety and depression levels among healthcare institution workers remain significantly influenced by occupational category and long COVID status. For healthcare workers, particularly those with long COVID and student groups, policymakers and healthcare administrators should consider optimizing mental health support systems. This includes implementing regular mental health screenings, providing personalized psychological interventions, offering counseling services, reducing work-related stress, and promoting the use of mental health assessment tools to improve the psychological well-being of this population.

PMID:40263530 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98515-w

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13997. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98681-x.

ABSTRACT

Approximately 70-75% of the costs of raising chickens are due to feeding expenses. Proteins, and energy account 95% of these costs. Soybean meal is primary protein source in chicken diets; however, it is expensive and not widely available in feed formulations. Therefore, exploring alternative protein sources like sweet lupines could be a promising option. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of substituting soybean meal with sweet lupine (lupinus angustifolius) on the performance of Sasso T₄₄ dual purpose chicken. In the experimental treatments, soybean meal was replaced by sweet lupine at 0% (control), 15%, 25%, 30%, and 50% for T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively. A total of 180-day-old chickens with similar body weights (± 0.4 g SD) were used. A completely randomized design was employed, and the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with SAS software (version 9.1). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in DM intake, body weight, body weight gain, and the characteristics of carcass and offal as the level of partial replacement increased from T1 to T5. Based on the findings of this study, broiler chickens can be fed sweet vitabor lupine as an alternative protein source in place of soybean meal.

PMID:40263525 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98681-x