Category: Statistics

Sci Data. 2026 May 12. doi: 10.1038/s41597-026-07347-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Significant improvements in sequencing technologies have allowed the development of more contiguous genome assemblies in many plant species. The pea genome is characterized by its richness in repeated elements and its long and complex centromeres. This makes its assembly challenging. In this paper, we present an improved version of the genome sequence of the French cultivar ‘Caméor’. This sequence was obtained by combining Nanopore and PacBio long-read sequencing, Hi-C contact maps and Bionano maps. The assembly of centromeres was refined using a combination of FISH and ultra-long Nanopore read analyses. Overall, the new Cameor_v2 genome assembly is a highly continuous pea genome assembly with small total gap size and a large contig N50. In this version, the orientation of chromosomes was revised according to internationally accepted karyotype rules. Gene annotation statistics indicated a high completeness of gene sequences, with most gene sequences with 3′ and 5′ UTR. This genome assembly with its associated data constitute a useful resource for pea genetics, comparative mapping and functional genomics.

PMID:42120873 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-026-07347-4

Eur J Epidemiol. 2026 May 13. doi: 10.1007/s10654-026-01396-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The poor performance of the UK in reducing mortality compared to many other high-income countries following the 2008 financial crisis have been extensively studied, with particular attention to deaths of despair at working ages. However, longer-term trends in the differences in working-age mortality between the UK and peer countries have not been systematically investigated.

METHODS: We compared trends (1990-2019) in age-standardised mortality rates at age 25-49 years in the UK and its constituent parts (England and its 9 standard regions, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) with those of 21 peer countries.

FINDINGS: Between 1990 and 2019 the UK went from having relatively low mortality rates at age 25-49 years compared to its peers to having one of the highest. This reflects both the better progress made by many other countries in reducing mortality rates as well as an absolute increase in the UK from 2013. Against the counter-factual that rates in the UK followed the median of the comparator countries (2001-2019) this resulted in 3.1 million excess years of life lost. The divergence in mortality of the UK with its peers was apparent from 1990 and was observed for all constituent parts of the UK and English regions. External cause mortality accounted for much of the divergence in rates between 2001 and 2019 (69% women; 78% men), as did the overlapping categories of drug-related deaths (42%; 28%) and suicides (17%; 20%). Alcohol-related deaths made only a small contribution.

INTERPRETATION: The divergence in mortality rates at ages 25-49 years in the UK from peer countries was already apparent from 1990, pre-dating the austerity policies two decades later. Nevertheless, austerity may well have exacerbated this longer-term deterioration in the UKs position. The fact that all areas of the UK showed deterioration relative to peer countries indicates that this is a national problem.

PMID:42120865 | DOI:10.1007/s10654-026-01396-0

Discov Oncol. 2026 May 12. doi: 10.1007/s12672-026-05174-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which allicin, a bioactive compound from garlic, exerts antitumor effects, specifically focusing on its role in regulating the long non-coding RNA UCA1 via the induction of autophagy.

METHODS: Experiments were conducted using human colorectal cancer cell lines HCT-116 and HT-29. Cell proliferation was measured with a CCK-8 kit, apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, cell invasion was assessed using Transwell chambers, and migration was evaluated via a scratch wound assay. Autophagic structures were examined under a transmission electron microscope. The expression level of lncRNA UCA1 was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and the expression of proteins associated with autophagy was detected by western blot analysis.

RESULTS: Compared with the control group, allicin treatment significantly inhibited cancer cell proliferation, increased the rate of apoptosis, and reduced capabilities for invasion and migration. Furthermore, allicin downregulated the expression of lncRNA UCA1 in a concentration-dependent manner and simultaneously increased the number of autophagosomes. All these effects were statistically significant (P < 0.05). However, when cells were co-treated with an mTOR activator, the antitumor effects of allicin and the increase in autophagosomes were significantly counteracted (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Allicin inhibited colon cancer cell activities through the induction of cellular autophagy and the subsequent regulation of lncRNA UCA1 expression.

PMID:42120819 | DOI:10.1007/s12672-026-05174-y

Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2026 May 13. doi: 10.1007/s40368-026-01211-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association among anxiety, symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, and awake bruxism in children.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 274 children aged between 7 and 12 years. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, applied by interview and clinical assessment. Statistical analysis involved descriptive and inferential analysis using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. A binary logistic regression model was applied to identify independent predictors of anxiety.

RESULTS: Age ranged from 7 to 12 years and was equally distributed between the sexes. 23.3% of the sample presented anxiety; 4.3% presented TMD symptoms; 18.2% presented bruxism. Anxiety was associated with sex (p = 0.005), TMD symptoms (p = 0.008), and tooth wear (p = 0.005). In the logistic regression model, tooth wear, TMD symptoms, and male sex remained independent predictors of anxiety, whereas awake bruxism and age were not. The model explained a limited proportion of the variance in anxiety.

CONCLUSION: Anxiety was observed in nearly one-quarter of the study sample and was associated with sex, TMD symptoms, and tooth wear. Awake bruxism, however, was not an independent predictor of anxiety. Given the cross-sectional design and the limited variance, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory and do not support causal inferences.

PMID:42120810 | DOI:10.1007/s40368-026-01211-0

Behav Res Methods. 2026 May 12;58(6):164. doi: 10.3758/s13428-026-03037-6.

ABSTRACT

Generalizing the familiar two-correlation comparison, this paper presents a dependence-robust omnibus test to evaluate whether an outcome is equally correlated with multiple predictors. By accounting for shared sampling variation, the test simultaneously avoids false alarms and missed discoveries. The test also nests the pairwise test as a special case. Monte Carlo studies show near-nominal size ( $\approx 5\%$ at $\alpha =0.05$ ) for $n\ge 50$ across diverse dependence structures and under moderate non-normality (e.g., $t_5$ errors) together with high power for moderate departures from equality. We illustrate the method on publicly available educational data and provide an interactive web app (size/power simulator and point-and-click analysis) to facilitate adoption. Collectively, the results support the omnibus test as a practical default when assessing equality of outcome-predictor correlations to be augmented by pairwise contrasts for succinct context rather than primary inference.

PMID:42120809 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-026-03037-6

Oral Radiol. 2026 May 12. doi: 10.1007/s11282-026-00922-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of different spatial scanning resolutions of photostimulable phosphor (PSP) plates on digital radiographic images using texture analysis (TA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Digital radiographs of an aluminum step wedge with five steps (0.5 mm increments) were acquired at two radiographic exposure times (0.10 and 0.20 s). Each image was scanned at four different spatial resolutions (10, 20, 25, and 40 lp/mm), with 10 repetitions per condition. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed on the steps with thicknesses of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mm. Texture features based on the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) were extracted using MaZda 4.6 software. Exploratory data analysis was performed, and spatial resolutions were compared within each combination of exposure time and object thickness using ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: At 0.10 s exposure, eight texture parameters exhibited statistically significant differences among spatial resolutions, independent of object thickness, with higher values observed at 10 and 20 lp/mm. For an exposure of 0.20 s, two parameters also showed significant differences across resolutions, with higher values at lower resolutions.

CONCLUSIONS: TA revealed that, in the tested PSP system, lower scanning resolutions resulted in images with reduced homogeneity and uniformity, regardless of object thickness.

PMID:42120804 | DOI:10.1007/s11282-026-00922-w

Behav Res Methods. 2026 May 12;58(6):165. doi: 10.3758/s13428-026-03023-y.

ABSTRACT

Meta-analyses often include multiple dependent effect sizes, yet current methods typically neglect the resulting within-study dependencies or fail to address model uncertainty and publication bias adequately. We extend robust Bayesian meta-analysis (RoBMA) to a multilevel framework, simultaneously handling within-study dependencies, model uncertainty, heterogeneity, moderators, and publication bias. Specifically, the three-level RoBMA integrates approximate Bayesian selection models with PET-PEESE adjustments within a hierarchical Bayesian setting. We illustrate the methodology through empirical examples and demonstrate its performance via simulations. The approach is implemented in the RoBMA R package and JASP.

PMID:42120801 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-026-03023-y

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2026 May 13;30(1):85. doi: 10.1007/s10006-026-01567-z.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Orthognathic surgery involves repositioning the skeletal bases to correct dentoskeletal deformities and malocclusions. While its impact on occlusion is well documented, its effects on masticatory muscle activity remain under investigation. This pilot study evaluates changes in static electromyographic (sEMG) patterns of masseter and temporal muscles, and explores correlations with TMJ-related muscular symptoms before and after surgery.

METHODS: A surface electromyography (sEMG), by employing TeethanTM, based on occlusal contacts, was performed recording the activation patterns of masseter and temporal muscles, in ten patients with dentoskeletal malocclusions, undergoing orthognathic surgery. The registration assessed the muscles patterns sEMG preoperatively (T0), postoperatively at one month (T1), and at six months (T2) after surgery.

RESULTS: Across the cohort, temporal POC increased by 6.76 ± 8.36 from T0 to T1 and by 5.68 ± 5.33 from T1 to T2. Masseter POC rose by 8.74 ± 7.38 (T0-T1) and 8.12 ± 7.42 (T1-T2). Barycentre values shifted by 7.36 ± 4.13 (T0-T1) and 10.65 ± 9.17 (T1-T2), indicating progressive rebalancing of occlusal force distribution. Patients with Class III malocclusion showed greater masseter activation post-surgery, while Class II patients exhibited increased temporal muscle activity. Three patients with preoperative muscular discomfort reported complete symptom resolution at T2, while one patient experienced mild residual symptoms.

CONCLUSION: Data obtained from this preliminary study seem to confirm that skeletal bases repositioning modifies the occlusal contacts and, consequently, the neuromuscular proprioceptive stimuli and the activation of the masticatory muscles. sEMG may provide useful complementary information on neuromuscular adaptation following orthognathic surgery. However, larger controlled studies with standardized outcomes and statistical analyses are required before drawing definitive conclusions or recommending its routine clinical use.

PMID:42120795 | DOI:10.1007/s10006-026-01567-z

Neurosurg Rev. 2026 May 13;49(1):403. doi: 10.1007/s10143-026-04321-x.

ABSTRACT

Endoscopic techniques have enabled minimally invasive approaches in neurosurgery, providing shorter recovery times and favorable outcomes. Among these, the endoscopic transorbital approach (ETOA) has emerged as a versatile surgical modality. Despite the growing body of evidence, complication rates associated with ETOA have not yet been systematically evaluated. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to March 2026. We included studies enrolling ≥ 5 patients who underwent ETOA as the sole surgical modality to treat both skull base and orbital lesions, providing data on early or long-term complications. A single-group meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic and further explored through Baujat plots and sensitivity analyses. A total of 11 observational studies, comprising 269 patients, were included. Overall, 21 different pathologies were reported. Meningioma represented the most frequent lesion (60.6% of cases), followed by schwannoma (12.0%), cavernous hemangioma (4.6%), and glioma (2.7%). Mean follow-up was 27.6 ± 15.1 months. CSF leak was observed in 1% (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.04, I² = 46.5%), and wound infection was observed in 3% (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.07, I²=0%). Ptosis occurred in 4% (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.14, I²=79.4%) and diplopia occurred in 6% (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.14, I²=68.9%). Medial gaze palsy occurred in 9% (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.18, I²=8.8%). Improvement in visual function was seen in 47% (95% CI: 0.22 to 0.73, I²=88.7%). Visual dysfunction occurred in 1% (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.04, I²=48.6%). Transient facial numbness occurred in 16% (95% CI: 0.09 to 0.25, I²=35.0%). Mortality was 0% (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.02, I²=28.7%). ETOA is a safe and promising technique for managing a wide range of skull base and orbital lesions. Future prospective and comparative studies are needed to refine indications and validate its long-term efficacy.

PMID:42120790 | DOI:10.1007/s10143-026-04321-x

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2026 May 13;30(1):84. doi: 10.1007/s10006-026-01571-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Supportive therapeutic interventions aimed at improving outcome quality in oncological patients are key components of perioperative medicine. The present study aims to analyze the use of supportive therapeutic interventions in the pre-, peri-, and postoperative phases in patients with oral cavity carcinomas, as well as the corresponding temporal development of patient-specific resilience and satisfaction.

METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study included patients with oral cavity carcinomas who underwent surgery at a university-based oncology center between 2022 and 2025. Patient-specific resilience (RS-11 questionnaire), utilization of supportive therapies (yes/no/irregular), and satisfaction with nine domains of life were assessed. A final survey was conducted four months after surgery (T3) and compared with results from the preoperative (T1) and postoperative inpatient (T2) phases.

RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. The average time from diagnosis to treatment was 21 days (max: 35d; min: 9d). The average RS-11 score was 5.7 (T1: 5.3; T2: 4.6). Compared to the preoperative baseline, there was a statistically significant decrease in satisfaction in the domains of physical activity (T1: p = 0.01; T2: p = 0.53) and enjoyment of food (T1: p = 0.01; T2: p < 0.001). Three patients received regular psycho-oncological support (T1: n = 0; T2: n = 23). Seven patients reported regular participation in sports programs (T1: n = 2; T2: n = 21). Three patients received speech therapy (T1: n = 1; T2: n = 17).

DISCUSSION: The present results indicate that only a small proportion of patients continue to regularly utilize the supportive therapies initiated in the immediate postoperative period four months after surgery. At the same time, there is a significant decline in satisfaction with physical activity and the ability to enjoy eating when compared to preoperative assessments. Although the greatest needs for supportive therapies were identified during hospitalization, persistent postoperative impairments should be addressed through more consistent use of supportive care in the early outpatient follow-up phase. The structural framework conditions for the use of innovative therapy methods such as perioperative immunotherapy must also be taken into account.

PMID:42120760 | DOI:10.1007/s10006-026-01571-3