Category: Statistics

J Therm Biol. 2026 Jun 13;139:104507. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2026.104507. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the automatic identification of stress and relaxation has gained attention due to the substantial impact these states have on physical and mental well-being. While incorporating physiological responses that accurately reflect emotional behavior improves the efficiency of classification models, identifying this relationship is challenging. This often leads to the use of black-box approaches that complicate physiological interpretation. This study aims to characterize the thermal behavior of fingertips in female and male participants during psychological stress and relaxation using statistical features, and to classify these states based on the most significant features. The study also evaluates virtual reality as a relaxation tool by comparing it with mindfulness-based relaxation. To this end, a virtual reality environment was developed based on scientific recommendations to support relaxation processes. The results show that automatic feature selection through linear discriminant analysis can highlight thermographic correlates of peripheral thermoregulation associated with emotional states. Findings indicate that a reduced subset of highly relevant features is sufficient for high performance, achieving high classification accuracy with the 45, 19, and 55 most relevant features for the female, male, and global datasets, respectively. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited sample size and the exploratory nature of the study. Additionally, the study demonstrates that virtual reality is associated with relaxation-like thermal responses, supporting its potential as a complementary tool in psychological interventions. Overall, the results may contribute to improving classification performance, furthering our understanding of psychophysiological mechanisms and aiding in the development of effective systems for identifying emotional states automatically.

PMID:42320157 | DOI:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2026.104507

Eur J Radiol. 2026 Jun 17;203:113026. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2026.113026. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pediatric cardiomyopathies represent a heterogeneous group of myocardial diseases with significant morbidity and mortality. Conventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques provide functional and tissue characterization but offer limited insight into myocardial microstructural organization. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables non-invasive assessment of myocardial microstructure through quantitative metrics such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA). This study aims to evaluate the utility of DTI in differentiating dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies in pediatric patients through quantitative analysis of ADC and FA, hypothesizing that these metrics provide distinct microstructural biomarkers that correlate with ventricular function.

METHODS: This study employed a mixed retrospective-prospective design and included 21 pediatric patients (0-18 years) with confirmed cardiomyopathies (12 dilated, 9 hypertrophic) and 11 healthy volunteers. Cardiac DTI was performed on a 3 T MRI system using a free-breathing, motion-compensated protocol. Quantitative analysis of ADC and FA was conducted in the interventricular septum. Group comparisons were performed using non-parametric statistical tests, correlations with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed using Spearman analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate discriminatory performance.

RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in ADC (H = 24.50, p < 0.001) and FA (H = 15.31, p < 0.001) among groups. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) demonstrated the highest ADC values (0.068 ± 0.013 mm²/s) and the lowest FA (0.413 ± 0.058), whereas hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) showed moderately elevated ADC (0.044 ± 0.005 mm²/s) with preserved FA (0.527 ± 0.029), not significantly different from healthy volunteers. ADC correlated inversely with LVEF (ρ = – 0.409, p < 0.001), while FA showed a positive correlation (ρ = +0.443, p < 0.001), assessed in patients with complete LVEF data (n = 18). ROC analysis demonstrated excellent discriminatory performance for ADC in DCM identification (AUC = 1.000) and good performance for FA in both DCM (AUC = 0.912) and HCM identification (AUC = 0.813).

CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac DTI-derived metrics reveal distinct microstructural patterns in pediatric cardiomyopathies and show significant associations with ventricular function. These findings suggest that DTI may provide complementary quantitative biomarkers for myocardial characterization in pediatric populations, warranting further validation in prospective and multicenter studies.

PMID:42320145 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejrad.2026.113026

Anim Reprod Sci. 2026 Jun 10;292:108271. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2026.108271. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Captive breeding plays an important role in the conservation of large carnivores. Yet, factors influencing offspring survival remain poorly quantified. Using long-term reproductive records from the Jaguar Conservation Fund, Brazil, we examined sources of variation in cub survival within a highly productive jaguar (Panthera onca) population. We analysed 34 litters (66 cubs) produced by 10 females and 11 males between 2014 and 2025. Data were evaluated using both litter-level binomial mixed-effects models and individual-level survival analyses. Overall cub survival was high (86.4%), but varied predictably with maternal parity and management context. Litters from multiparous females showed near-complete survival, whereas primiparous litters experienced significantly lower survival probabilities. Paternal presence at birth was associated with reduced cub survival and elevated early mortality risk. In contrast, a history of maternal hand-feeding was associated with improved survival. Proximity to humans showed no statistically supported effect after accounting for other variables. Survival analyses restricted to the first 90 days post-birth confirmed that these factors influenced early-life mortality risk rather than cumulative losses over time. Random effects for dam and sire identity explained little additional variation, indicating that observed differences in survival were largely attributable to identifiable life-history and management factors rather than persistent individual effects. Together, these results demonstrate that high reproductive success in captive jaguars is compatible with structured human intervention, and that early postnatal survival is shaped primarily by maternal experience and social context. By identifying specific, actionable risk factors, this study provides evidence-based guidance for refining captive management strategies for large felids.

PMID:42320123 | DOI:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2026.108271

Urol Oncol. 2026 Jun 19;44(9):211-222. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2026.05.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While several environmental carcinogens are well-established in the development of bladder and kidney cancer, the role of microplastic exposure remains poorly understood. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), often released during plastics manufacturing and recycling, are emerging pollutants that may carry carcinogenic additives or act as chemical vectors in air and water. Ohio-a major hub for plastics production-has experienced rising rates of bladder and kidney cancer, prompting an investigation into the spatial relationship between cancer incidence and exposure to plastics-processing waste.

METHODS: We conducted a geospatial epidemiological study using data from the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System (OCISS) from 2013 to 2021, alongside environmental exposure estimates derived from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model. Chemicals were categorized into adjusted plastics-processing waste (APPW), known bladder and kidney carcinogens, and combined exposures. Incidence and exposure data were analyzed at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level using spatial statistics (Moran’s I, bivariate Moran’s I, and Mantel tests), local cluster detection, and spatial regression.

RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2021, both bladder and kidney cancer incidence increased across Ohio, with notable geographic clustering of cases. Spatial analysis demonstrated that regions with higher environmental exposure to chemicals used in plastics-processing, particularly via air, had significantly higher rates of both cancers. Airborne bladder carcinogens showed the strongest spatial association with cancer incidence (bivariate Moran’s I = 0.0510, P = 0.004; Mantel P < 0.001), followed by airborne microplastics (bivariate Moran’s I = 0.0589, P = 0.007). Waterborne microplastics, while not spatially clustered on their own, were significantly associated with higher bladder and kidney cancer rates (kidney: bivariate Moran’s I = 0.0940, P = 0.001). When combining all plastics-related exposures, spatial relationships remained robust, suggesting a cumulative effect. These patterns were most prominent in industrial ZIP codes, particularly in northern and southwestern Ohio.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal significant spatial associations between plastics-related industrial emissions and both bladder and kidney cancer incidence in Ohio. These patterns suggest an environmental component to urologic cancer risk, with airborne exposures showing the strongest spatial alignment. The results warrant deeper mechanistic studies and targeted epidemiological investigations in high-exposure communities to further assess causality and inform public health interventions.

PMID:42320109 | DOI:10.1016/j.urolonc.2026.05.014

Int J Med Inform. 2026 Jun 19;219:106549. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2026.106549. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: While manual coding or rule-based software are approaches used by most countries for cause of death classification, the application of advanced deep learning tools is likely to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of national mortality statistics. To systematically review the current implementation of automated coding or categorising tools for cause of death classification, summarising the methodologies applied, performance achieved, and the progress and obstacles for application.

METHODS: PubMed and Scopus were systematically searched from 2018 to 2024 to identify studies that used automated tools to code or categorise the causes of death. Two researchers independently selected the papers with disagreement adjudicated by a third supervisor. For each study, the general profile, detailed methodology, and performance of the tools were extracted with progress and potential obstacles for implementation assessed qualitatively. An adapted version of QUADAS-2 was used to assess the risk of bias.

RESULTS: Among the 46 included studies, the training sample size ranged from 165 to 10,519,268 people. The most popular approaches used were deep learning (n = 22, of which 7 were recurrent neural network and 6 were transformer) and rule-based (n = 15) automation. Large disparities existed in the performance, with recall (sensitivity) ranging from 0.253 to 1.000 and precision (positive predictive value) ranging from 0.396 to 1.000. Precision was often higher than recall and could vary substantially for different settings within the same study. Quality of text was the major obstacle to implementation of older automated tools, while for deep learning models, target task and materials were required for pre-training. The performance of deep learning was unsatisfactory for infrequent causes of death and head-to-head comparisons of performance with rule-based tools were limited.

CONCLUSION: Despite deep learning applications gaining popularity over rule-based tools, their performance is inconsistent and evidence of head-to-head comparisons is insufficient. All approaches are influenced by the quality of the training data.

PMID:42320083 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2026.106549

J Surg Res. 2026 Jun 18;325:96-101. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2026.05.033. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Hydrocephalus treatment via shunting to the peritoneum, atrium, or pleural space may be contraindicated in pediatric patients with complex surgical history or small size. We aim to describe experience and outcomes of ventriculogallbladder shunt (VGBS) placement.

METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients (<18 y) who underwent VGBS placement at a single quaternary children’s hospital (January 1, 2014-October 31, 2025). Patients were identified by Current Procedural Terminology code and operative records. Demographics, past medical history, prior shunt history, indication for VGBS, subsequent revisions, and duration were collected. Descriptive statistics were utilized.

RESULTS: Five male patients were identified with a median age at VGBS placement of 6.9 mo (interquartile range [IQR] 5.9, 9.0). Four patients developed hydrocephalus secondary to neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage and one from obstructive intracranial malignancy. All patients had intra-abdominal pathology: three necrotizing enterocolitis, one omphalocele and intestinal atresia, and one dysfunctional peritoneum. One patient had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, ventriculoatrial shunt, and ventriculopleural shunt prior to VGBS, three patients had prior ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and one patient had no prior shunts. Of the four patients with prior shunt placement, the median age at first drainage procedure was 4.1 mo (IQR 3.0, 4.8) with a median of 4.5 revisions (IQR 3.5, 7.5) prior to VGBS. Three of the five VGBS remain functional after 2.4, 4.8, and 7.2 y with two patients undergoing conversion to ventriculopleural shunts (1.4 and 6.8 y postplacement).

CONCLUSIONS: The gallbladder is a feasible and vital consideration for distal ventricular shunt placement in children of small size and/or intra-abdominal pathology which prohibit traditional locations.

PMID:42320073 | DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2026.05.033

J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Jun 19:1-6. doi: 10.3171/2026.1.SPINE251110. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether patient-specific precontoured rod (PCR) instrumentation is associated with lower rates of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) compared with manually contoured conventional rods (CRs) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

METHODS: The data of ASD patients (age ≥ 18 years) undergoing posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion of a minimum of 5 levels were consecutively reviewed from 2016 to 2021. A propensity score-matching algorithm was used to match patients undergoing instrumentation with PCRs (n = 80) to those treated with CRs (n = 210). The primary outcome was the rate of radiographic PJK at a minimum follow-up of 1 year. PJK was defined by two criteria: a postoperative proximal junctional sagittal angle (PJA) 1) ≥ 10° and 2) at least 10° greater than the preoperative measurement.

RESULTS: Following propensity score matching, 160 patients were included in the study (80 per group). Patients demonstrated similar preoperative baseline characteristics and preoperative radiographic alignment. Preoperatively, the mean PJAs measured 9.24° ± 6.8° and 8.8° ± 7.3° for the PCR and CR groups, respectively (p = 0.751). At the most recent follow-up, the PCR and CR groups demonstrated mean PJAs of 11.6° ± 9.1° and 10.8° ± 8.3°, respectively (p = 0.545). Ten (12.5%) patients experienced PJK in the PCR group compared to 16 (20%) patients in the CR group (p = 0.199). In patients with upper instrumented vertebrae in the lower thoracic region, 5 (11.1%) patients in the PCR group experienced PJK versus 12 (26.7%) patients in the CR group (p = 0.059). Furthermore, 7 (10.9%) patients in the PCR group experienced PJK compared to 14 (21.5%) patients in the CR group after including patients with fusion to the sacrum/pelvis (p = 0.103).

CONCLUSIONS: Lower rates of PJK were observed in the PCR group when compared to the CR cohort. However, this relationship was not statistically significant. Future studies with longer-term follow-up and larger sample sizes are warranted to investigate the relationship between PCR instrumentation and PJK prophylaxis. While PCR technology alone is likely not a definitive solution for preventing PJK, its strength lies in enabling rigorous preoperative planning and thoughtful deformity correction strategies. When integrated into a comprehensive approach to patient optimization, alignment, and junctional control, PCRs may serve as a useful adjunct in mitigating PJK risk.

PMID:42320061 | DOI:10.3171/2026.1.SPINE251110

J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2026 Jun 19:1-10. doi: 10.3171/2026.1.PEDS25486. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and surgical complication rates of preterm infants with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) who underwent CSF diversion, comparing early intervention (EI) and late intervention (LI).

METHODS: This was a retrospective international multicenter study of infants born at ≤ 34 weeks’ gestational age (GA) and treated between 2018 and 2022 for grade III or IV germinal matrix hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage, who required intervention for PHVD. The primary outcome of interest was the rate of postoperative surgical complications. Secondary outcomes were rate of temporizing neurosurgical procedures (TNPs) after initial lumbar puncture (LP) if performed, rate of conversion from TNP to a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS), and overall rate of VPS insertion. Summary statistics and univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to determine variables predictive of complications.

RESULTS: One hundred seventy infants from 6 centers in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands were included. Infants at LI centers were more premature (GA 26.7 ± 2.8 vs 29.3 ± 2.4 weeks, p < 0.001) with lower birth weights (BWs; 1004 ± 448 vs 1438 ± 462 g, p < 0.001) compared to those at EI centers. The first neurosurgical intervention occurred at a median day of life after birth (DOL) of 31.5 (IQR 24-45) days at LI centers versus 18 (IQR 13-21) days at EI centers (p < 0.001). Ventricular index (> 97th percentile) at the first neurosurgical intervention (TNP and/or VPS placement) was lower at EI centers (5.05 ± 2.32 vs 12.88 ± 5.70 mm, p < 0.001). Infant weight at the first neurosurgical intervention did not differ between site types (p = 0.466). EI centers had a larger proportion of patients who underwent LP (97% vs 58%, p < 0.001) and smaller proportion who required a VPS after TNP (42% vs 70%, p = 0.002). The overall VPS insertion rate was higher at LI centers (62% vs 30%, p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference in the complication rate between EI and LI centers (11% vs 24%, respectively, OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.12-1.24, p = 0.115). On univariable analysis, lower GA (p = 0.002), lower BW (p = 0.003), later DOL at first neurosurgical intervention (p = 0.035), diagnosis of meningitis before neurosurgical intervention (p = 0.047), and of necrotizing enterocolitis (p = 0.017) during the neonatal intensive care unit admission were predictive of complications. However, only lower GA (p = 0.029) and BW (p = 0.031) remained significant on multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: The neurosurgical complication rate did not differ between EI and LI centers. On multivariable analysis, neurosurgical complications were associated with younger GA and lower BW but not with variables regarding the timing of intervention. These observations support cautious early CSF diversion in more preterm infants with lower BWs.

PMID:42320053 | DOI:10.3171/2026.1.PEDS25486

Am J Clin Pathol. 2026 Jun 4;165(6):aqag040. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/aqag040.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Rhino-sino-orbital mucormycosis (RSOM) is a life-threatening, emergent medical and surgical condition with high mortality. Although direct intraorbital delivery methods of amphotericin B have been explored, clear guidelines for its administration and dosing are lacking. We conducted this prospective study to determine the role of intraorbital amphotericin B (IOAB) in the management of advanced RSOM and assessed histologic changes in response to IOAB administration.

METHODS: Patients with advanced orbital disease were offered treatment with IOAB before exenteration. Individuals who refused IOAB and underwent orbital exenteration made up a control group. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained slides of orbital exenterations were reviewed and representative whole slide images were captured. Areas of necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltrate, and fibrosis were annotated as indicators of tissue inflammatory response, quantified and estimated as a percentage of the total area of the tissue. A semiquantitative assessment of fungal load was conducted.

RESULTS: The control group (n = 9) showed statistically significantly greater mean area (P = .004) and percentage area (P = .002) of tissue destruction, angioinvasion (P = .02), and optic nerve invasion (57% vs 33%; P = .31) compared with the intervention group (n = 9). Fungal load was low in test cases but high in most of the control group (P = .15). Inflammation of ocular structures was absent in 5 test cases but present in all control group cases (P = .008).

CONCLUSIONS: The considerably lower tissue destruction, fungal load, angioinvasion, and invasion of the optic nerve in orbital exenteration specimens following administration of IOAB indicates a promising role in the treatment of patients with RSOM and advanced involvement of the orbit.

PMID:42320051 | DOI:10.1093/ajcp/aqag040

J Econ Entomol. 2026 Jun 19:toag154. doi: 10.1093/jee/toag154. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) vector bacteria (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) that cause huanglongbing, an economically devastating disease of citrus. Management of D. citri infestations is primarily through insecticides, but alternative control methods remain under consideration including the co-opting and disruption of D. citri mating-duet vibrational communication signals. This study applies generative adversarial network and convolutional neural network methods to distinguish among female and male duetting signals when the sex of the signaler is not visually verifiable or when multiple male-female pairs are duetting. Up to 99% accuracy was achieved in identifying D. citri female and male signalers in experiments where standard statistical analyses fail to distinguish them at P < 0.05 statistical significance. Such knowledge has potential to increase mating disruption effectiveness by identifying signals to which females have greater preference. Although these studies were conducted only with D. citri, there is future opportunity to consider interference from communication signals produced when vibrational signals of multiple pest species are present and, combined with Internet of Things (IoT) technological capabilities, to further improve the capability for early detection and management of insect pests.

PMID:42320042 | DOI:10.1093/jee/toag154