Category: Statistics

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25336. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-09707-3.

ABSTRACT

Our understanding of prognostic and predictive factors in the context of nivolumab combined with chemotherapy remains limited. In our multicenter study conducted across 16 centers, data from 153 patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and a PD-L1 CPS score ≥ 5, who received nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment, were retrospectively analyzed for the period between 2021 and 2024. The study aimed to investigate the prognostic and predictive significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), as well as various clinical parameters. The estimated median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.06 months while the estimated median overall survival (OS) was 16.03 months. Patients who were initially diagnosed with metastatic disease had a significantly worse prognosis, as was those with lung metastases. Lower NLR, PLR, and SII values were associated with longer PFS and OS in the univariate analysis; however, their statistical significance was not mantained in the multivariate analysis. SII and PD-L1 CPS score were determined as independent predictive factors for nivolumab plus chemotherapy treatment response. Our study is the only one to date that sheds light on prognostic and predictive factors in patients with metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma and a PD-L1 CPS score ≥ 5, who received nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy.

PMID:40653542 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-09707-3

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25329. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-08511-3.

ABSTRACT

Considering the importance of mammography in reducing breast cancer mortality, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the status of mammography and related factors based on the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) in women 40 years of age and older. In Iran, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with an age-standardized incidence rate of 43.02 per 100,000 in 2017. The descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 354 women aged 40 and older referred to comprehensive health service centers in Gonabad city (Eastern Iran) in 2023. To determine the stages of decision-making, a researcher-made questionnaire based on the PAPM was used, and people were classified in the stages of unaware, unengaged, deciding to act, decided not to act, decided to act, acting and maintenance. The data was collected by telephone interview and analyzed by statistical tests. The mean age of women was 53.55 ± 7.8 years. In terms of decision-making stages, 19.8%, 39.5%, 9.9%, 21.5%, 9.3% in the unaware stage, unengaged, decided not to act, decided to act, acting and maintenance of mammography screening behavior. Statistical tests showed that the variables of disease history (p < 0.0001), family history of disease (p < 0.0001), education level (p = 0.021) and BMI (p = 0.003) with the stages of intention to perform mammography had a significant relationship. The findings showed that most of the women were in the stage of unaware and deciding to act, and a small percentage were in the stage of decided to act acting and maintenance. Therefore, it seems necessary to carry out educational interventions based on decision-making processes in order to improve mammography screening behavior and early diagnosis of breast cancer.

PMID:40653525 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-08511-3

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25299. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-05459-2.

ABSTRACT

Volunteering has been associated with enhanced individual and societal well-being around the world. While some prior research has assessed cultural and sociodemographic differences in volunteering, we know little about how volunteering differs across sociodemographic indicators cross-nationally. Using data from the Global Flourishing Study, a diverse and international sample of 202,898 individuals across 22 countries, we examined the distribution of volunteering across demographic factors (age, gender, marital status, employment status, religious service attendance, education, and immigration status) and across countries. We found variation in volunteering across demographic groups and countries. Unadjusted proportions of volunteering varied between countries: Nigeria showed the highest proportion (0.51) followed by Indonesia (0.46) and Kenya (0.40), while Japan (0.09), Poland (0.08), and Egypt (0.04) showed the lowest proportions of volunteering. Random effects meta-analyses showed that the proportion of people who volunteered differed between demographic groups (e.g., volunteering was higher among those with more education and religious service attendance). Because of the growing evidence of substantial contributions of volunteering to individual as well as societal well-being, it is increasingly important for organizations, governments, and public health officials alike to consider ways to ensure accessibility for able and willing volunteers.

PMID:40653523 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-05459-2

Tech Coloproctol. 2025 Jul 13;29(1):140. doi: 10.1007/s10151-025-03186-4.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) and conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) in the treatment of rectal cancer, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of both surgical approaches.

METHODS: A propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to analyze 221 patients with rectal cancer treated at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Dezhou Hospital (Dezhou People’s Hospital) from January 2022 to January 2025. The NOSES group included 24 cases, while the CLS group included 197 cases. After 1:1 matching, 46 cases (23 in each group) were included. This study compared surgical time, blood loss, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analog scale (VAS) scores, time to passage of flatus, postoperative hospital stay, hospitalization costs, complications, and additional analgesia requirements between the two groups.

RESULTS: The NOSES group showed significant advantages in time to passage of flatus (1.78 ± 0.60 d versus 3.57 ± 1.08 d, P < 0.001), time to get out of bed (1.13 ± 0.34 d versus 1.70 ± 0.47 d, P < 0.001), and VAS scores on postoperative days 1 (1.70 ± 0.56 versus 3.30 ± 1.26, P < 0.001), 3 (1.48 ± 0.51 versus 2.91 ± 1.24, P < 0.001), and 7 (1.13 ± 0.55 versus 2.30 ± 1.36, P < 0.001) compared with the CLS group. The NOSES group also required no additional analgesia (χ² = 9.684, P = 0.002). No significant differences were observed in surgical time, blood loss, or complication rates (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: NOSES effectively alleviates postoperative pain, demonstrates significant minimally invasive advantages, and facilitates short-term patient recovery, highlighting its clinical value.

PMID:40653521 | DOI:10.1007/s10151-025-03186-4

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25322. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11205-5.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the morphological classification of the middle glenohumeral ligament (MGHL) and subscapularis tears and to evaluate whether surgical release of the MGHL is warranted in patients with subscapularis tears. A retrospective analysis was performed on the surgical videos of shoulder arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgeries conducted by the same surgeon from September 2020 to September 2021. The MGHL was classified morphologically into two types: overall classification and lateral insertion classification, and the occurrence of subscapularis tears was recorded for each type. The chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in the number of subscapularis tears among the classification groups. Out of 122 patients, 44 (36.07%) were male and 78 (63.93%) were female, with an average age of 55.03 ± 7.35 years. According to the overall classification of MGHL, there were 54 cases of Type I (44.26%), 32 cases of Type II (26.23%), 28 cases of Type III (22.95%), 2 cases of Type IV (1.64%), and 6 cases of Type V (4.92%). For the lateral insertion classification of MGHL, there were 53 cases of Type A (43.44%) and 69 cases of Type B (69%). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of subscapularis tears among the classification groups . This retrospective study found no correlation between the morphological classification of MGHL and subscapularis tears. For patients with rotator cuff tears who do not have frozen shoulder, caution should be exercised when performing release of the MGHL.

PMID:40653515 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-11205-5

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25307. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10998-9.

ABSTRACT

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), a common cause of chronic low back pain, strongly impacts daily life. Although previous studies have identified certain biomarkers indicating IDD, comprehensive analyses that integrate transcriptomic and proteomic data to elucidate age-related changes in IDD are lacking. We addressed this issue by integrating transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify key molecular signatures that may be potential therapeutic targets for improving the treatment of age-related IDD. We used transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify key regulatory genes associated with IDD. We performed RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry of 3 elderly patients with IDD and 3 younger patients with intervertebral disc lesions. Statistical analysis and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were employed to interpret the transcriptomic and proteomic data. Validation was performed with external datasets and RT‒qPCR. Gene regulatory network and ceRNA network analyses revealed the factors associated with characteristic genes. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed 45 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 34 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with IDD. We identified CXCL14 as the sole molecule significantly upregulated in IDD at both the transcriptome (4.2-fold, p < 0.001) and proteome levels (3.8-fold, p = 0.003). RT‒qPCR confirmed CXCL14 overexpression in elderly IDD patients (|log2-fold change| =4.1, p < 0.001), consistent with external dataset analysis (GSE147383: |log2-fold change| =1.3, p = 0.008). Gene regulatory networks revealed that CXCL14 interacts with inflammatory mediators (IL-1β and TNF-α) and activates the NF-κB pathway, a key driver of extracellular matrix degradation and inflammation. ceRNA network analysis further identified hsa-miR-582-3p and hsa-miR-150-5p as potential upstream regulators of CXCL14. We analysed the expression profiles of elderly IDD patients and younger patients through transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, identifying unique molecular features associated with IDD. These findings lay a foundation for developing targeted treatments for elderly IDD patients and provide broader insights into potential therapeutic strategies for managing ageing-related IDD across different patient populations. CXCL14 is a potential therapeutic target for pain associated with age-related IDD and could inform the development of novel drug therapies and diagnostic tools, potentially improving clinical outcomes and providing a basis for personalized treatment approaches in managing chronic low back pain and IDD.

PMID:40653514 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-10998-9

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 13;15(1):25311. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11193-6.

ABSTRACT

The Dusit Model, a prototype area in Bangkok, Thailand, integrates telemedicine into primary and tertiary care to reduce overcrowding and promote equitable access. This study aimed to identify factors influencing telemedicine acceptance using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 389 participants using Vajira@Home. Variables included demographics, the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and telemedicine acceptance. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate binary logistic regression were employed. Telemedicine acceptance was significantly correlated with generation, perceived ease of use (adjusted OR = 3.95, p = 0.047), and facilitating conditions (adjusted OR = 5.78, p = 0.013). Compared to Generation Z, Baby Boomers and Generation X had lower odds of acceptance (OR = 0.01 and 0.22, respectively). Model fit was confirmed (AUC = 0.79; Hosmer-Lemeshow p > 0.05). Generation, usability perceptions, and infrastructure support critically influence telemedicine acceptance. Policy should prioritize digital literacy for older adults, improve user experience, and invest in infrastructure to enhance equitable adoption.

PMID:40653511 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-11193-6

Transl Psychiatry. 2025 Jul 14;15(1):216. doi: 10.1038/s41398-025-03387-3.

ABSTRACT

Many epidemiological studies have shown an association between infectious agents, particularly viruses, and psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. However, evidence of a viral infection in the brain that associates with schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BPD), and major depression (MDD) has not been found. A potential reason for this discrepancy may be that viruses are more likely to infect the neuroepithelium than neural tissue. To test this hypothesis, we used viral sequence enrichment technology and performed RNA sequencing in postmortem choroid plexus (CP) isolated from 84 SCZ, 73 BPD, 23 MDD cases and 76 unaffected controls (CNT) from the Stanley Medical Research Institute brain collection. This approach enabled us to identify the presence of 13 viral species in the CP of 46 subjects. We discovered that CP samples collected from subjects with SCZ and BPD are more likely to contain viral sequences. In terms of individual viruses, the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) was the only viral species that reached the threshold of statistical significance for an association with SCZ and BPD. Therefore, we focused on HCV to characterize the association between psychiatric disorders and viruses. Analysis of the TriNetX electronic health record database with data on 285 million patients revealed that the prevalence of chronic HCV was 3.6 and 3.9 percent in the SCZ and BPD populations respectively. The prevalence of chronic HCV in these populations was almost double that observed for MDD (1.8%) and approximately 7-fold higher than the control population (0.5%). These findings confirm previous studies that report higher HCV prevalence in SCZ and BPD and suggest that HCV infection may be associated with disease pathology rather than behaviors such as intravenous drug injection, since these behaviors are present in all three disorders. We analyzed hippocampus RNA sequencing data from the subjects identified to be HCV positive via sequence capture. We found that although the virus was absent in this tissue, HCV RNA in the CP was associated with consistent host transcriptional changes in the hippocampus that were potentially related to the innate immune response. Our results are consistent with previous studies and provide clues regarding the contribution of viruses to the pathology of psychiatric disorders.

PMID:40653495 | DOI:10.1038/s41398-025-03387-3

Malar J. 2025 Jul 13;24(1):230. doi: 10.1186/s12936-025-05421-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The performance of two piperonyl butoxide (PBO-synergist) insecticide-treated net (ITN) brands, PermaNet^® 3.0 and Olyset^® Plus, were evaluated under field conditions in two neighboring districts in Sierra Leone over 36 months to estimate median ITN survival, understand insecticidal efficacy, and identify factors influencing ITN durability. This assessment can help guide future PBO-synergist ITN procurement and replacement strategies.

METHODS: This prospective study tracked 370 households and 652 campaign-distributed ITNs from 2020, followed annually for 36 months. Districts were purposefully selected based on shared characteristics. Household surveys were conducted, and 30 ITNs per round were tested for bioefficacy and chemical residue. Key indicators included ITN survival, 24-h mosquito mortality, and chemical content reduction compared to manufacturer targets doses. Cox proportional hazard models identified factors influencing ITN survival.

RESULTS: Median useful life was 3.0 (95% CI 2.7-3.5) years for PermaNet^® 3.0 ITNs in Bo and 2.2 (95% CI 2.0-2.4) years for Olyset^® Plus ITNs in Moyamba. PermaNet^® 3.0 ITNs displayed 13% 24-h mortality against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes on roof panels, with a 46% reduction in PBO content 34 months post-distribution. Olyset^® Plus ITNs had 3% f24-hour mortality against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes, with a 77% reduction in PBO content. Several factors were associated with improved ITN survival, including cohort ITNs from Bo (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.33, p < 0.001), households without children under five (CU5) (aHR = 0.64, p = 0.003), highest socio-economic status tertile (aHR = 0.63, p = 0.016), exposure to social and behaviour change (SBC) messages combined with positive net attitudes (aHR = 0.63, p = 0.008), lack of food storage in sleeping spaces (aHR = 0.56, p = 0.006), exclusive adult use of ITNs (aHR = 0.72, p = 0.048), net folding when not in use (aHR = 0.67, p = 0.015), and drying nets outside (aHR = 0.44, p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION: ITNs in Bo outperformed those in Moyamba in both physical and insecticidal performance. However, ITN survival is highly context specific, and further investigation into field performance of new ITN types is necessary across diverse epidemiological settings.

PMID:40653493 | DOI:10.1186/s12936-025-05421-7

Isr J Health Policy Res. 2025 Jul 14;14(1):43. doi: 10.1186/s13584-025-00702-7.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40653492 | DOI:10.1186/s13584-025-00702-7