Category: Statistics

Breast Cancer Res. 2025 Oct 7;27(1):172. doi: 10.1186/s13058-025-02133-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The global rise in breast cancer (BC) incidence is mirrored in the Sultanate of Oman, where the median age of diagnosis is strikingly young at 47 years. This pilot study represents the first in the region to examine the genetic alterations of Omani BC biopsies and resected tumors and their correlations with patient characteristics using a targeted pan-cancer panel.

METHODS: Utilizing the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay Plus, we profiled 40 BC biopsies alongside 22 matched post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy samples, identifying single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) and copy number variations (CNVs). Chi-Square and Fisher’s Exact tests were used for categorical variables. In contrast, the Independent T-test and Levene test were used for continuous variables. Comparative analyses were conducted using the METABRIC and TCGA datasets to place these findings in a global context.

RESULTS: The data revealed molecular patterns between early-onset (under 50 years) and late-onset (50 years and older) cases. Notably, SNVs were predominant in late-onset tumors, while CNVs were more frequent in early-onset cases. PIK3CA SNVs emerged as a hallmark of late-onset BC, which persists across pre- and post-treatment stages. NTRK1 mutations were linked to late-onset cases at pre-treatment, while OR6F1 CNV was exclusive to early-onset tumors. The five genes with the highest CNV prevalence in the cohort were CDK12, ERBB2, BRIP1, and BLM, and they closely mirrored those found in global datasets. Correlations with clinical features identified CHEK2 alterations associated with high-grade tumors and luminal and HER2 type, while TP53 mutations were predominantly found in TNBC cases. Mutations in CBFB and GATA3 were predominantly enriched in luminal subtypes, and TSC1 mutations corresponded with smaller tumors, whereas FGFR4 SNVs were linked to nodal (N) status. Additionally, we identified 19 new SNV variants distributed across seven genes that were not recorded in the public databases.

CONCLUSION: This study sheds light on the genetic landscape of BC driver genes in Oman and the shared molecular traits with Western populations while uncovering unique regional alterations in NTRK1, OR6F1, and FGFR4. These findings highlight the need for region-specific insights to inform targeted therapies and personalized care, advancing the global understanding of BC biology.

PMID:41057920 | DOI:10.1186/s13058-025-02133-3

BMC Psychol. 2025 Oct 7;13(1):1113. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03448-8.

ABSTRACT

This study explores how gender and year of study influence academic motivation among undergraduate students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, an understudied non-Western, gender-segregated context in the motivation literature. By situating the research within this unique population, the study responds to calls for expanding motivational research beyond Western samples and contributes culturally grounded insights to the field. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected from 267 students (51.3% female, 48.7% male) via the Academic Motivation Scale, alongside qualitative insights from nine semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics showed that female students consistently scored higher in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, while male students reported significantly greater levels of amotivation. Motivation peaked in the first year of university and declined steadily in later years. Two-way ANOVA results revealed significant main effects of both gender and year of study across all seven academic motivation subscales (p < .05), though no significant interaction effects were found, suggesting stable gender-based differences across academic progression. Regression analysis further identified gender (β = 0.50, p = 0.013) and year of study (β = -0.75, p < 0.001) as significant predictors of motivation, particularly for intrinsic motivation to know. Thematic analysis reinforced the quantitative findings, highlighting external pressures, career concerns, and sociocultural expectations as key factors shaping students’ motivational experiences. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing targeted, gender-sensitive interventions, such as academic mentoring, psychological support, and flexible curricular pathways, to sustain motivation, particularly in later academic years. By contextualizing academic motivation within the Saudi higher education system, this study contributes novel empirical insights and practical implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance student engagement and persistence in culturally specific settings.

PMID:41057916 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-03448-8

Chin Med. 2025 Oct 7;20(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s13020-025-01145-7.

ABSTRACT

Polyherbal formulations (PHFs) serve as a cornerstone of traditional medical systems worldwide and remain integral to diverse therapeutic practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinvigorated scientific interest in PHFs, driving extensive investigations into their composition and pharmacological potential. In this study, we systematically analyzed PHFs across major traditional medical systems, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Kampo, Ayurveda, and Unani. To facilitate comprehensive analysis, we developed the Global Polyherbal Formulation Database (GPFD), a repository documenting formulation names, sources, historical evolution, ingredient composition, dosages, medicinal origins, and therapeutic applications. Leveraging this extensive dataset, we conducted a cross-system comparative analysis of PHFs using statistical analysis and data integration approaches. Our investigation focused on plant usage frequency and co-occurrence patterns to uncover underlying principles of formulation design. This study establishes a research framework for PHFs, explores the relationship between species selection, and ecological distributions, and identifies key taxonomic differences in plant utilization across systems. Additionally, we reveal distinct preferences in herbal combinations within each system, highlighting both shared and unique formulation patterns. These findings provide critical insights into the cross-cultural utilization of PHFs and offer a data-driven foundation for integrating traditional botanical knowledge into modern pharmacological research and drug development.

PMID:41057911 | DOI:10.1186/s13020-025-01145-7

Hum Genomics. 2025 Oct 7;19(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40246-025-00828-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Gitelman syndrome (GS) is a rare tubulopathy with clinical and genetic heterogeneity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of Chinese GS patients.

METHODS: The diagnosis of GS was established by combining clinical phenotypes with genetic testing, after which the clinical, biochemical, and genetic data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: We reported 95 Chinese GS patients aged 2-52 years. The younger group (≤ 16 years) had more frequent febrile episodes (20.4% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.028) and nausea/vomiting (12.2% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.027) but fewer paresthesia/numbness (20.4% vs. 43.5%, P = 0.026) and palpitations (8.2% vs. 37.0%, P = 0.001), along with higher serum potassium and magnesium levels (2.86 ± 0.45 mmol/L vs. 2.67 ± 0.38 mmol/L, P = 0.034; 0.65 ± 0.14 mmol/L vs. 0.58 ± 0.16 mmol/L, P = 0.031) than the older group (> 16 years). Moreover, serum potassium and magnesium levels were positively correlated and both were negatively correlated with age. Additionally, Among 170 detected SLC12A3 variants, 73 distinct variants were identified, including six novel ones. The compound heterozygous group exhibited higher serum magnesium levels compared to the heterozygous and homozygous groups (0.65 ± 0.17 mmol/L vs. 0.56 ± 0.09 mmol/L, P = 0.015; 0.65 ± 0.17 mmol/L vs. 0.51 ± 0.07 mmol/L, P < 0.001). Age at diagnosis was associated with variant types.

CONCLUSION: The study characterized the phenotypic and genotypic features of Chinese GS patients, highlighting age and mutation genotype as key factors influencing phenotype, underscoring the importance of standardized potassium and magnesium supplementation, and expanding the known mutation spectrum with novel variants.

PMID:41057907 | DOI:10.1186/s40246-025-00828-4

Vet Res. 2025 Oct 7;56(1):190. doi: 10.1186/s13567-025-01618-5.

ABSTRACT

Marek’s disease (MD), caused by Marek’s disease virus (MDV), poses a significant threat to the poultry industry worldwide by inducing neurological disorders and malignant lymphoma in infected chickens. The underlying mechanisms of the host response to MDV infection and tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. To gain insight into the host response, we analysed the transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles of the heart tissue of Wenchang chickens, an indigenous Chinese breed, using RNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. A total of 2470 and 2666 genes were significantly up- and down-regulated, respectively, between infected and uninfected chickens. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed distinct transcriptional patterns in response to MDV infection: upregulated genes were enriched primarily in immunity-related pathways, whereas downregulated genes were associated with metabolic pathways. Among the 433 differentially expressed metabolites identified, only the caffeine metabolism pathway approached statistical significance (p = 0.067). Integrative mapping of genes and metabolites to the KEGG enzyme database highlighted L-tryptophan interactions, with KYNU, KMO, KYAT3, and AADAT as the most representative relationships. These results provide a quantitative overview of MDV-induced transcriptional and metabolic perturbations, suggesting that hosts may counteract viral infection and tumor progression by suppressing cellular metabolism to potentiate immune responses.

PMID:41057891 | DOI:10.1186/s13567-025-01618-5

BMC Nurs. 2025 Oct 7;24(1):1243. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03862-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mentors play a crucial role in clinical nursing education, particularly in assessing student nurses. However, if students cannot perceive their mentors’ assessment-literate practices (referred to as mentors’ assessment-literate practices hereafter), students may not effectively utilize assessment information for learning. Despite its significance, mentors’ assessment-literate practices and the antecedent factors are not well studied. This study aims to explore the mediating role of nursing students’ self-efficacy in the relationship between their competence and their perception of mentors’ assessment-literate practices, while also examining potential gender bias in mentors’ assessment-literate practices.

METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design. Participants included 854 final-year nursing students (61 males, 793 females) from 10 colleges/universities in southern China. After eight months of clinical training, students reported on mentors’ assessment-literate practices, self-efficacy, internship grades, and gender. Path analysis was conducted using Mplus 8.10 to test the mediating model, and gender bias was assessed through differential item functioning analysis with Winsteps^® (Version 5.6.0.0).

RESULTS: The study found a full mediation effect of self-efficacy between competence and students’ perception of their mentors’ assessment-literate practices, with a statistically significant indirect association of 0.10. The path coefficient between competence and self-efficacy is 0.12, and between self-efficacy and perceived mentors’ assessment-literate practices is 0.86. Gender bias and gender difference were statistically not supported; however, three items showed large effect size regarding gender bias.

CONCLUSIONS: This study introduces assessment-literate practices as a key concept in nursing education, highlighting its antecedent factors and potential gender biases for better assessment practices. The findings suggest that self-efficacy plays a full mediating role; hence, stakeholders should prioritize developing students’ self-efficacy while improving their competence. Also, mentorship practices should be adjusted to ensure equal opportunities for both male and female students; specifically, they may need to be aware of potential gender bias, offering male students more practice opportunities and female students more chances to explain.

PMID:41057885 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-03862-8

BMC Med Educ. 2025 Oct 8;25(1):1371. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-08038-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Peer education (PE) refers to the process of individuals being educated by their peers, that is, people with similar experiences or statuses. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PE on the psychomotor skills and self-efficacy of nursing students.

METHODS: This single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with 63 undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected using the “Individual Descriptive Information Form”, “Intramuscular Injection Knowledge Level Assessment Form”, “Intramuscular Injection Psychomotor Skills Assessment Form”, and the “General Self-Efficacy Scale”. Descriptive statistics (numbers, percentages, means, standard deviations, and min-max values) were used. The independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze differences between groups.

RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 21.22 ± 0.85 years (range: 20 – 23), and 52.4% were female. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in pretest, posttest, or self-efficacy scores (p > 0.05). However, the psychomotor skill levels differed significantly between the groups (p < 0.001), with the intervention group scoring higher than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students who received PE demonstrated significantly better psychomotor skills than those taught using traditional methods. It is recommended to integrate interactive learning strategies such as PE, where students can express themselves more freely and actively engage in the learning process, especially in nursing education areas requiring the development of psychomotor skills.

PMID:41057851 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-025-08038-1

Nutr J. 2025 Oct 7;24(1):152. doi: 10.1186/s12937-025-01169-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Beverage Intake Questionnaire (BEVQ-15) to the Turkish population and to assess its validity and reproducibillity.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included adults and older residing in Ankara, Turkey. The study process involved the translation of the BEVQ-15 from English into Turkish and its adaptation to the Turkish community. Adaptations to the original BEVQ-15 included separating the black tea and coffee category into distict categories, as well as herbal tea. Additionally, plain mineral water, flavored mineral water, kefir, and turnip juice were presented as individual categories. The adaptation of BEVQ-15 to Turkish preferences resulted in the BEVQ-21. Participants come to three visits, each two weeks apart. The BEVQ-21 was administered at visits 1 and 3, and a three day dietary record was returned during visit 2.. The BEVQ-21 was conducted at visit one (BEVQ-1) and visit three (BEVQ-2). Validity and reproducability statistical analyses were conducted using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Bland-Altman plots, and Spearman correlations.

RESULTS: Fifty-one participants completed all study visits. Minimal yet significant differences were identified between the two assessment tools (BEVQ-2 and DR) across various beverage categories, with mean differences ranging from 3 to 82 mL and 0 to 16 kcal. According to Bland-Altman plots between BEVQ-21 and dietary records, differences for water (mL), regular mineral water (mL), whole and flavored milk (mL and kcal), soft drinks (mL and kcal), black tea (mL), herbal teas (mL), and total beverage intake (mL) were found to be approximately consistent within the boundaries (p < 0.05). For reproducibility, sugary beverage and total beverage consumption were significantly associated between the first and second administration of the BEVQ-21 (r = 0.44-0.65, p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The adapted BEVQ-21 for the Turkish population demonstrated validity and reproducibility for most types of beverage intake among adults in Turkey.

PMID:41057844 | DOI:10.1186/s12937-025-01169-7

BMC Palliat Care. 2025 Oct 7;24(1):245. doi: 10.1186/s12904-025-01883-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Optimising hospital care to align with what matters most for people living with advanced serious illness is a global priority area for improvement. Collection and feedback of patient reported experience measures (PREMs) is one potential method to inform improvements. This study used the integrated Promoting Action on Research implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework to inform the implementation of a complex intervention that included collection and feedback of PREM data and facilitation to empower ward-based quality improvements for inpatients with advanced serious illness.

METHODS: A single-site pre-post quality improvement study within a large Australian hospital. The intervention titled Listen, Empower and Act to improve Palliative care (‘LEAP’ bundle’) included three phases: ‘Listen’ – collecting and analysing patient (PREM) and clinician perspectives to understand current care experience and local context; ‘Empower’ – collating PREM feedback and facilitating local stakeholder engagement to identify and prioritise areas for improvement; and ‘Act’ – facilitating clinician led innovation development and implementation informed and monitored by continuing PREM collection and feedback. Intervention fidelity was summarised descriptively from field notes and meeting records. The primary effectiveness outcome was change in ‘very good’ experiences over time, reported from an eight-question validated PREM designed for inpatients with serious illness (consideRATE). Analysis used mixed binary logistic regression with time period as fixed effect and ward as random effect.

RESULTS: The three participating wards completed the intervention with some adaptations, and each implemented different innovations. The proportion of ‘very good’ responses showed a statistically significant increase for all consideRATE questions in intervention periods 1-4 compared to period 0 (baseline). All questions except ‘attention to feelings’ (Q2) were significantly improved by the first measurement period, and all except ‘attention to affairs’ (Q6) remained significantly higher than baseline during the final measurement period.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the LEAP bundle led to improved palliative care experience within three wards in one large tertiary hospital setting. Listening to patients and empowering clinical teams to collectively reflect on data and lead change was crucial to study success and required skilled facilitation. Testing the sustainability, transferability and scalability of the intervention will be important next steps.

PMID:41057840 | DOI:10.1186/s12904-025-01883-3

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025 Oct 7;26(1):925. doi: 10.1186/s12891-025-09197-4.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between spinal-pelvic parameters in the coronal and sagittal planes and preoperative coronal imbalance (CIB) in degenerative scoliosis, aiming to prevent preoperative CIB and restore coronal balance(CB) for improved surgical outcomes.

METHODS: From May 2018 to May 2024, adult patients who underwent full-length spine imaging, were analyzed at the Southwest Medical University Affiliated Hospital. The inclusion criteria were: (1) availability of clear full-length spinal images in the coronal and sagittal planes that allowed for measurement of relevant parameters; (2) complete demographic information; (3) a major curve angle greater than 10°; and (4) skeletal maturity. Exclusion criteria were as follows : (1) history of previous spinal surgery; (2) pre-existing spinal or pelvic deformities; (3) history of trauma to the spine or pelvis; and (4) history of spinal infectious disease.A total of 162 cases were collected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.The general and imaging data of 162 patients were collected. These included the major curve (MC), fractional curve (FC), L5 tilt angle (L5TA), coronal pelvic inclination (CPI), apical vertebra translation (AVT), the number of vertebrae in the primary curve, apical vertebral rotation (AVR), sacral slope (SS), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA). Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression were employed to assess the relationship of each parameter with preoperative coronal balance distance (CBD). CBD was then converted to a binary variable (Patients with a CBD less than 3.0 cm were categorized into the CB group, while those with a CBD of 3.0 cm or greater were placed in the CIB group.). Univariate screening, multivariate logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were conducted to identify associations between preoperative CIB and the specified parameters.A total of 162 patients were classified into three groups based on the classification criteria of the Gulou Hospital: Type A (120 cases), Type B (25 cases), and Type C (17 cases). The differences in imaging data among the three groups were compared.

RESULTS: Pearson analysis demonstrated that L5TA, CPI, number of vertebrae in the primary curve, LL, SS, and SVA were correlated with preoperative CBD (p < 0.05). Moreover, further linear regression indicated that merely L5TA (R² = 0.204, p < 0.05), CPI (R² = 0.128, p < 0.05), and SVA (R² = 0.172, p < 0.05) were substantially associated with preoperative CBD, despite the fact that the relationship was not strictly linear. Multivariate logistic regression and ROC curve analysis revealed that age < 60.5 years was a protective factor against preoperative CIB, while preoperative L5TA > 5.75°, CPI > 3.55°, and SVA > 5.305 cm were risk factors for preoperative CIB. Among the 162 patients, 120 were classified as Type A, 25 as Type B, and 17 as Type C. Significant differences in age and L5TA were observed between the A and C groups. CBD, CPI, and SVA exhibited statistically significant differences between the A group and both the B and C groups, whereas no significant difference was found between the B and C groups.

CONCLUSION: Preoperative L5TA is an independent risk factor for preoperative CIB. When the preoperative C7PL is located on the convex side of the major curve, L5 tilt becomes more pronounced. In the surgical treatment of DS, leveling the L5 vertebra can help reduce the incidence of postoperative CIB. Patients with degenerative scoliosis (DS) under 60.5 years of age might reduce CIB incidence through enhanced paraspinal muscle strength. Additionally, imbalances in CPI and SVA may contribute to preoperative CIB, and pelvic and sagittal alignment maintenance may offer spinal support essential for preserving coronal balance.

PMID:41057829 | DOI:10.1186/s12891-025-09197-4