Category: Statistics

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 16. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-31435-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon, associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. While global studies have explored this link, region-specific microbial profiles remain underreported. This pilot study aimed to characterize and compare, for the first time, the gut microbiota of Lebanese UC patients and healthy controls using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing (V3-V4 region). Fecal samples from 11 UC patients and 11 healthy individuals were analyzed. Alpha and beta diversity metrics were computed, and gut microbial composition was assessed across taxonomic levels. Statistical comparisons used Mann-Whitney and Fisher’s exact tests. UC patients showed significantly reduced microbial diversity based on Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity and Shannon index (p < 0.05), though evenness was unaffected. Beta diversity also revealed significant group-level dissimilarities (p < 0.05). At the phylum level, Bacteroidota was elevated in UC, while Bacillota and Actinomycetota were reduced. Genera such as Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, and Coprococcus were depleted in UC. Faecalibacterium, commonly reduced in UC, showed no significant difference. This first analysis of gut microbiota in Lebanese UC patients reveals a distinct microbial signature that partially diverges from global trends, supporting the need for region-specific microbiome studies and personalized microbiota-targeted therapies.

PMID:41398357 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-31435-x

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 15. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-29387-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Individual recognition is fundamental to the social behaviour of many animals. In the context of territorial behaviour, animals in high-density populations encounter conspecific rivals and potential mates more frequently, which should enhance the individuality of territorial signals to facilitate recognition among conspecifics. We investigated vocal individuality in male territorial calls of two populations of little owls (Athene noctua) with different densities. Further, to explore the potential influence of local population distribution on individuality, we also examined isolated males without neighbours and clumped males with neighbours. Our findings indicate higher individuality at higher densities across both scenarios, measured using two individuality metrics: Beecher’s information statistic and Discrimination score. Clumped males exhibited significantly lower acoustic niche overlaps (i.e. higher vocal individuality) compared to isolated males. However, only a non-significant trend for lower acoustic niche overlaps (i.e. higher vocal individuality) was found for males from high density compared to low density populations. This suggests that the immediate social environment might be more influential than larger-scale population density patterns. This study suggests that vocal individuality in a territorial species is influenced by conspecific density, similar to findings in group-living and colonial species.

PMID:41398350 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-29387-3

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 15. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-31836-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Childhood obesity is a major public health problem, affecting one in 5 youths. We aimed to characterize biomarkers for pediatric obesity among circulating proteins using Mendelian randomization (MR). We utilized genome-wide significant cis-protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) from three large adult proteomic GWAS (N total>58,000) and a small childhood proteomic GWAS (N=2,147) as genetic instruments for circulating protein levels. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization, we estimated causal effects of the circulating proteins on childhood body mass index (BMI) in a European GWAS of 39,620 children. MR Wald ratios were calculated to estimate the causal effect of each protein on childhood BMI. Sensitivity analyses testing the MR assumptions included colocalization and phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS). Replication was conducted using independent GWAS datasets, complemented by reverse MR and tissue enrichment analyses. Among 535 tested proteins, three colocalized and demonstrated decreasing effects on BMI per standard deviation increase in their level: endoglin (ENG; MR beta: -0.07, 95% CI [-0.10, -0.04], P=4.4×10⁻⁵), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4; MR beta: -0.33, 95% CI [-0.50, -0.16], P=1.3×10⁻⁴), and cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADMI1; MR beta: -0.26, 95% CI [-0.37, -0.15], P=5.45×10⁻⁵). All three proteins showed evidence of colocalization (posterior probability >75%) and were identified using adult proteomic GWAS, given a limited statistical power using the pediatric proteomic GWAS data. Reverse causation was identified for FABP4, suggesting a compensatory mechanism. In conclusion, we identified three circulating proteins as potential blood biomarkers or drug targets for pediatric obesity, warranting further functional validation to elucidate biological mechanisms and assess therapeutic potential.

PMID:41398348 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-31836-y

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 15;15(1):43856. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-28433-4.

ABSTRACT

Students’ mental health in the context of emotional learning is essential to their academic and personal development. Emotional learning affects students’ emotional intelligence, social support, psychological capital, and educational environment. Emotions significantly impact learning, academic achievement, and overall well-being. Thus, students’ emotional needs must be met, and supportive learning environments must be created. This study examined the impact of emotional learning on student outcomes at the nexus of behavior, technological acceptance, mental well-being, cognitive engagement, and psychological resilience. This research was conducted using a convenience sampling technique across 10 major cities in nine provinces of China. A total of 5,313 students, comprising 2,633 males and 2,680 females, participated, and the data were analyzed using SmartPLS 3.2.9 to assess the relationships between key constructs. Out of the 11 direct correlations, 10 were confirmed with statistical significance (H1: t > 26.769, p < 0.000; H2: t > 25.226, p < 0.000; H3: t > 15.656, p < 0.000; H5: t > 11.334, p < 0.000; H6: t > 231.784 p < 0.000; H7: t > 34.375, p < 0.000; H8: t > 17.719 p < 0.000; H9: t > 19.060, p < 0.000; H10: t > 9.235, p < 0.000; H11: t > 10.307 p < 0.000), while the correlation for the 4th hypothesis was not statistically significant (H4: t > 0.248, p < 0.804). Students’ cognitive engagement is multifaceted and influenced by their prior knowledge, cognitive load, perceived value of the learning system, and instructional practices. Establishing effective learning environments that support students’ academic success and cognitive development requires understanding and fostering cognitive engagement.

PMID:41398346 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-28433-4

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 15;15(1):43742. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-28070-x.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a very common neurodegenerative disorders and early detection using electroencephalography (EEG) can enable timely intervention, however, existing computational models often lack robustness, interpretability, and clinical scalability. This study proposes NeuroFusionNet, a hybrid deep learning framework for accurate, explainable, and efficient EEG-based classification of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. The model fuses handcrafted spectral, statistical, wavelet, and entropy features with latent temporal embeddings extracted from a customized one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN). Feature selection is performed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Principal Component Analysis (PCA)-based dimensionality reduction, and SMOTE-based class balancing has been performed to enhance discriminative learning. Comprehensive preprocessing including bandpass filtering, Artifact Subspace Reconstruction (ASR), and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) improves signal quality prior to classification through a five-layer deep neural network optimized via adaptive learning rate scheduling. Proposed method has been validated on three public EEG datasets including OpenNeuro ds004504 (eyes-closed), ds006036 (eyes-open), and the independent OSF dataset. Our method demonstrates state-of-the-art accuracy and macro F-1 score of 94.27% and 0.94 respectively. Cross-validation yielded minimal variance (SD <0.3%) that confirms the robustness and reproducibility. Model interpretability was ensured using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM), which revealed physiologically consistent biomarkers such as posterior alpha attenuation and frontal-theta enhancement patterns well aligned with established AD pathophysiology. Demographic fairness analysis showed negligible bias (<0.6% difference) across gender and age subgroups. Despite its high accuracy, NeuroFusionNet remains lightweight (0.94M parameters, 4.1 MB footprint) and computationally efficient (6.5 ms inference per sample), enabling real-time deployment on standard clinical CPUs without GPU support.

PMID:41398345 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-28070-x

Gerontol Geriatr Educ. 2025 Dec 15:1-15. doi: 10.1080/02701960.2025.2603237. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate high school students’ attitudes toward ageism within the context of intergenerational conflict and to examine the sociodemographic factors associated with these attitudes and experiences. A total of 406 high school students from five different school types in Turkey participated in the study. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Assessment of Conflict with Elderly People (ACE), and the Fraboni Ageism Scale (FSA). Group comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between key variables, including school type, family structure, maternal education level, co-residence with older adults, and willingness to live with parents in the future. Participants generally exhibited positive attitudes toward older adults. A significant negative correlation was found between levels of intergenerational conflict and levels of ageism (r = -0.398, p < .001), suggesting that students who reported lower levels of conflict with older adults also held more positive attitudes toward them. Levels of ageism differed significantly based on school type, family structure, maternal education, prior co-residence with older adults, and intentions for future cohabitation with parents. In contrast, none of these variables had a statistically significant impact on levels of intergenerational conflict. The findings suggest that while adolescents’ attitudes toward older adults are shaped by sociodemographic and familial variables, their perceived intergenerational conflict may arise from other contextual or relational dynamics. This discrepancy highlights the need for targeted interventions to foster intergenerational empathy and communication. The study provides original insights into age-related attitudes among adolescents in a non-Western context and contributes to the broader literature on ageism and intergenerational relations.

PMID:41398341 | DOI:10.1080/02701960.2025.2603237

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 15;15(1):43743. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-28695-y.

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a novel multiplicative logistic map derived from the rule of multiplicative calculus and introduces an additional parametric freedom that fundamentally extends its dynamical capabilities. The theoretical and numerical analysis confirm that this map undergoes a period-doubling bifurcation cascade into chaos as rigorously validated by stability analysis, bifurcation diagrams, transversality conditions and stability conditions. Crucially, compared to the classical logistic map, it exhibits a significantly broader chaotic region and an expanded output range beyond [0,1]. Cobweb and time-series plots visually confirm these enhanced and complex behaviors. Moreover, owing to its greater parametric flexibility and wider chaotic dynamics, the multiplicative logistic map is a highly suitable candidate for advanced encryption applications. Experimental results and comparative analysis demonstrate that the image encryption algorithm based on the proposed map exhibits strong resistance to statistical attacks and superior parameter robustness in practical implementations.

PMID:41398336 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-28695-y

Health Promot Int. 2025 Oct 30;40(6):daaf217. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaf217.

ABSTRACT

Despite their conceptual similarities and importance for effective health management, the relationship between health literacy and eHealth literacy remains poorly understood. This systematic review investigated the statistical association between health literacy and eHealth literacy in adults, along with study-level moderators and biopsychosocial correlates. CINAHL, Embase, Emcare, PubMed, ProQuest, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched until January 2025. Methodological reporting quality (QualSyst Checklist) was assessed and between-study heterogeneity explored using random and mixed-effects modeling. Twenty-three observational studies (N = 25 505 participants), all characterized by high methodological quality, were included. A weak positive relationship between overall health literacy and eHealth literacy was identified [r = 0.29, CI (0.21, 0.37)], with Category 2/comprehensive measures of health literacy correlating more strongly with eHealth literacy than Category 1/functional measures. Individual-level factors, including higher educational attainment, economic advantage, positive health behaviors, strong self-efficacy, and the ability to use digital resources were consistently linked to higher health literacy and eHealth literacy. The findings suggest that health literacy and eHealth literacy should continue to be researched in tandem to understand their impact on health outcomes in the digital age. Further research is also needed to understand how the surrounding environment, together with individual factors such as age and cultural background, influences the development of health literacy and eHealth literacy. Such studies are crucial for addressing disparities and enhancing access to health information and services.

PMID:41398315 | DOI:10.1093/heapro/daaf217

Glob Health Res Policy. 2025 Dec 15;10(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s41256-025-00454-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific region has stalled in recent years, partially due to disrupted access to antimalarial drugs during public health emergencies. This study aims to explore the access to antimalarial drugs and its contextual factors in health emergencies based on investigation into six Asia-Pacific countries during the COVID-19, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam.

METHODS: We extracted the quarterly data for 37 antimalarial drugs using the IQVIA database from the first quarter in 2020 to the second quarter in 2022. We used standard units (SU) sold per 1000 incident cases and US dollars per 1000 incident cases to evaluate consumption (accessibility). Changes in consumption were estimated using compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Associations between consumption and country’s socioeconomic, health performance and product supplier indicators were measured using least squares (pooled) panel data regression model.

RESULTS: Available antimalarial drugs ranged from 31 in India, and 6 in Bangladesh and Viet Nam. The predominant medicine category in all six countries was quinine and other quinoline derivatives. The highest level of average consumption per 1000 incident cases was observed in Viet Nam (2004141.9 SU per 1000 incident cases). The country presenting the lowest level of accessibility was Indonesia (3668 SU per 1000 incident cases). Between 2020 and 2022, all countries except Viet Nam presented a decreased consumption per 1000 incident cases, with CAGRs being respectively – 15.11% in Bangladesh, – 3.66% in India, – 23.56% in Indonesia, – 13.28% in Pakistan and – 12.07% in Thailand. Increased Log consumption per 1000 incident cases was associated with higher proportion of health expenditure out of total government expenditure (coefficient 1.84, 95% confidence interval 0.47-3.21) and higher proportion of local supply (coefficient 0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.80).

CONCLUSIONS: There has been a disruption in the access to antimalarial drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asia-Pacific region, and the predominant available medicines were those with documented resistance. Greater priority should be given to drug innovation aimed at improving availability, along with strengthening health systems and local production to maintain accessibility to these drugs, especially during health emergencies.

PMID:41398305 | DOI:10.1186/s41256-025-00454-6

J Anesth Analg Crit Care. 2025 Dec 15. doi: 10.1186/s44158-025-00305-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To characterize current clinical practices and outcomes associated with the use of the extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) device Oxiris® in critically ill patients.

METHODS: This was a prospective clinical registry database that analyzed patients treated with Oxiris®. Three different clusters of critically ill patients were identified: Group A-patients with chronic kidney disease and systemic inflammation who required postoperative support of renal function; Group B-patients requiring immunomodulation without definitive indications for renal support; Group C-patients with abdominal septic shock necessitating both postoperative renal support and immunomodulation. The primary endpoint was the comparison between mortality rates predicted by the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and observed mortality rates 4 days after EBP initiation.

RESULTS: Observed 4-day mortality rates were markedly lower than SAPS II-predicted rates: 16.7% vs. 41% in Group A, 30.8% vs. 77% in Group B, and 21.3% vs. 83% [66;89] in Group C. Early mortality was significantly associated with baseline hemodynamic instability (vasopressor requirement, OR = 3.62 [1.59-9.80], p = 0.005) and a lower PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (OR = 0.99 [0.98-0.99], p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The removal of inflammatory mediators and microbial components is an emerging therapeutic target for Oxiris® use. Oxiris® may offer therapeutic benefit through the removal of inflammatory mediators in critically ill patients with severe systemic inflammation and renal failure. Although observed mortality was lower than historical estimates, these findings must be interpreted cautiously given the lack of a control group and the limitations of SAPS II. Controlled trials are needed to confirm its clinical impact.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03807414; Registration Date: June 28, 2019).

PMID:41398301 | DOI:10.1186/s44158-025-00305-3