Category: Statistics

J Anim Sci Technol. 2022 Jul;64(4):792-799. doi: 10.5187/jast.2022.e44. Epub 2022 Jul 31.

ABSTRACT

Dopamine (DA) is known to be a key modulator of animal behaviors. Thus, the plasma concentration of DA might be used as a biomarker for the behavioral characteristics of horses. The behavioral characteristics of horses vary depending on the breed, age, and sex. Moreover, the DA receptor genotypes are also related to horse behaviors. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the DA concentration variations of horse plasma by breed, age, sex, or genotype of its receptor. The horses were divided by breed into Thoroughbred (n = 13), Pony (n = 9), Warmblood (n = 4), and Haflinger (n = 5). The age variable was divided into three different groups: post-pubertal (2-5 years, n = 6), adult (6-13 years, n = 19), and aged horses (15-24 years, n = 6). The sex variable was divided into geldings (n = 8) and mares (n = 23). Approximately 10 mL of blood was collected, and an ELISA kit was used to measure the plasma concentration of DA. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to identify the genetic variation in the DA D4 receptor gene (DRD4). SPSS statistical software was used for statistical analysis. The DA concentrations in geldings were significantly lower than those in mares. There was no significant difference in DA concentrations among breed and age groups. Horses with the GG and GA genotypes had significantly higher plasma concentrations of DA compared to horses with the AA genotype for the G292A gene. Briefly, the plasma concentration of DA varied depending on the sex and genotype of G292A. These factors should be considered when the concentration of DA is used as a biomarker for the behavioral characteristics of horses. In conclusion, the DA concentration or DRD4 genotype of horse plasma has the potential to be used as a biomarker that can predict the behavioral characteristics of horses.

PMID:35969706 | PMC:PMC9353348 | DOI:10.5187/jast.2022.e44

J Anim Sci Technol. 2022 Jul;64(4):727-739. doi: 10.5187/jast.2022.e54. Epub 2022 Jul 31.

ABSTRACT

Mycotoxin contamination in pig feeds has a negative impact on growth performance, the immune system, and major body organs. Arginine (Arg) plays an important role in animals’ body biochemistry and physiology. This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary Arg supplementation on mitigating the negative effects of mycotoxins in growing pigs. A total of 72 growing pigs (Landrace × Large white) with initial mean body weight (BW) = 55 ± 2.5 kg were allotted to four treatment groups with three replicates per group of six pigs per replicate in a completely randomized design. The treatments included a non-toxin diet with 1.2% Arg (NT1.2) and mycotoxin-challenged treatments supplemented with 1.2% Arg (TX1.2), 1.3% Arg (TX1.3), and 1.4% Arg (TX1.4). Statistical analysis of data included the effects of dietary level of Arg. The results indicated a significantly higher BW (p < 0.05), average daily gain (p < 0.05), and gain-to-feed ratio (p < 0.05) in the NT1.2 group than in the TX1.2, TX1.3, and TX1.4 groups. The relative weight of the liver was higher (p < 0.05) in the TX1.2 compared to that of the NT1.2 group, although it was not different from that of TX1.3 and TX1.4. The level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) in the liver tissue of the TX1.2 group compared to that of the other treatments. Overall, dietary Arg supplementation remedied liver injury and alleviated the compromised immune system caused by mycotoxin toxicity.

PMID:35969699 | PMC:PMC9353345 | DOI:10.5187/jast.2022.e54

J Athl Train. 2022 Jun 1;57(6):564-570. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-733-20.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) present with alterations in the compositional structure of their talar articular cartilage. These alterations likely influence how the talar cartilage responds to the loading associated with activities of daily living, such as walking. Ultrasonography has emerged as an alternative imaging modality for assessing the amount of cartilage deformation in response to loading because it is clinically accessible and cost effective for routine measurements.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) compare talar-cartilage deformation in response to a standardized exercise protocol between those with and those without CAI and (2) examine the association between spatiotemporal walking gait parameters and cartilage deformation.

DESIGN: Case-control study.

SETTING: Research laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A volunteer sample of 24 participants with self-reported CAI (age = 23.2 ± 3.9 years, body mass index [BMI] = 25.1 ± 3.7 kg/m2) and 24 uninjured controls (age = 24.3 ± 2.9 years, BMI = 22.9 ± 2.8 kg/m2).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Spatiotemporal walking gait was first assessed from 5 self-selected trials using an electronic walkway with data sampled at 120 Hz. An 8- to 13-MHz linear-array ultrasound transducer placed transversely in line with the medial and lateral malleoli captured 3 images before and after a standardized loading protocol consisting of 30 single- and double-limb squats, 2-minute single-limb balance, and 10 single-legged drops from a 40-cm-height box.

RESULTS: After controlling for BMI, we found that the participants with CAI had greater deformation than the uninjured control participants (P = .034). No other between-groups differences were observed (P values > .05). No significant partial correlations were noted between talar-cartilage deformation and spatiotemporal gait parameters when controlling for BMI (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with CAI had greater talar-cartilage deformation in response to a standardized exercise protocol than control individuals. The amount of talar-cartilage deformation was not associated with the spatiotemporal walking gait.

PMID:35969663 | DOI:10.4085/1062-6050-733-20

Global Spine J. 2022 Aug 15:21925682221117139. doi: 10.1177/21925682221117139. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the most concise risk stratification system to date, the 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5), and compare its effectiveness with the established 11-item modified frailty index (mFI-11) in the elderly population undergoing posterior instrumented spine surgery.

METHODS: A single centre retrospective review of posterior instrumented spine surgeries in patients aged 65 years and older was conducted. The primary outcome was rate of post-operative major complications (Clavien-Dindo Classification ≥ 4). Secondary outcome measures included rate of all complications, 6-month mortality and surgical site infection. Multi-variate analysis was performed and adjusted receiver operating characteristic curves were generated and compared by DeLong’s test. The indices were correlated with Spearman’s rho.

RESULTS: 272 cases were identified. The risk of major complications was independently associated with both the mFI-5 (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.01-3.55, P = .047) and mFI-11 (OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.90-7.30, P = .000). Both the mFI-5 and mFI-11 were statistically significant predictors of risk of all complications (P = .007 and P = .003), surgical site infection (P = .011 and P = .003) and 6-month mortality (P = .031 and P = .000). Adjusted ROC curves determined statistically similar c-statistics for major complications (.68 vs .68, P = .64), all complications (.66 vs .64, P = .10), surgical site infection (.75 vs .75, P = .76) and 6-month mortality (.83 vs .81, P = .21). The 2 indices correlated very well with a Spearman’s rho of .944.

CONCLUSIONS: The mFI-5 and mFI-11 are equally effective predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality in this population. The brevity of the mFI-5 is advantageous in facilitating its daily clinical use.

PMID:35969642 | DOI:10.1177/21925682221117139

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 15;17(8):e0273069. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273069. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eritrea has achieved the global target (90%) for tuberculosis (TB) treatment success rate. Though, events of unsuccessful TB treatment outcomes (death, treatment failure, lost to follow up and not evaluated) could lead to further TB transmission and the development of resistant strains. Hence, factors related to these events should be explored and addressed. This study aims to fill the gap in evidence by identifying the determinants of unsuccessful TB treatment outcomes in Eritrea’s Northern Red Sea region.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Eritrea’s Northern Red Sea region. Data collected using a data extraction tool was analyzed using Stata version 13. Frequencies, proportions, median and standard deviations were used to describe the data. Furthermore, univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the risk factors for unsuccessful TB treatment outcomes. Crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) presented and p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Among 1227 TB patients included in this study, 9.6% had unsuccessful TB treatment outcomes. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, TB cases 55-64 years old (AOR: 2.75[CI: 1.21-6.32], p = 0.016) and those ≥ 65 years old (AOR: 4.02[CI: 1.72-9.45], p = 0.001) had 2.7 and 4 times higher likelihood of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome respectively. In addition, HIV positive TB patients (AOR: 5.13[CI: 1.87-14.06], p = 0.002) were 5 times more likely to have unsuccessful TB treatment outcome. TB treatment in Ghindae Regional Referral Hospital (AOR: 5.01[2.61-9.61], p < 0.001), Massawa Hospital (AOR: 4.35[2.28-8.30], p< 0.001) and Nakfa Hospital (AOR: 2.53[1.15-5.53], p = 0.021) was associated with 5, 4 and 2.5 higher odds of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome respectively.

CONCLUSION: In this setting, old age, HIV co-infection and health facility were the independent predictors of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome.

PMID:35969629 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0273069

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 15;17(8):e0268339. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268339. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) motor execution ability of the lower limb was measured using the rebound jump index (RJ-index) in RJ test; this performance is influenced by the interaction of the forces exerted by the three joints of the lower limb.We aimed to determine RJ performance variables and identify the lower limb kinetic variables that affect them. One hundred two female university students (age, 20.1±1.0 years; height, 164.6±7.2 cm; mass, 58.9±7.3 kg) for whom RJ performance variables (RJ-index, jump height, and contact time) and joint kinetics (torque, power, and work) were measured. Statistical analysis showed a strong correlation between the RJ-index and jump height or contact time (r = 0.920, -0.726, p < 0.05) but a weak correlation between the jump height and contact time (r = -0.384, p < 0.05). Furthermore, positive ankle power was the most influential factor for RJ performance variables; additionally, positive knee power and hip work and eccentric knee torque significantly influenced jump height, and positive ankle power, negative work and power, and concentric torque significantly influenced the contact time. The acquisition of the jump height and a shorter contact time requires different kinetic variables. Furthermore, the characteristics of the force exerted by the three joints of the lower limb that compose the RJ-index may be different even if the RJ-index has the same value. Therefore, by assessing not only the RJ-index but also the jump height, contact time, and characteristics of lower limb joint kinetics in the RJ test, it is possible to conduct effective training to improve lower limb SSC motor execution performance according to individual characteristics.

PMID:35969620 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0268339

PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Aug 15;18(8):e1010392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010392. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Inside the nucleus, chromosomes are subjected to direct physical interaction between different components, active forces, and thermal noise, leading to the formation of an ensemble of three-dimensional structures. However, it is still not well understood to what extent and how the structural ensemble varies from one chromosome region or cell-type to another. We designed a statistical analysis technique and applied it to single-cell chromosome imaging data to reveal the heterogeneity of individual chromosome structures. By analyzing the resulting structural landscape, we find that the largest dynamic variation is the overall radius of gyration of the chromatin region, followed by domain reorganization within the region. By comparing different human cell-lines and experimental perturbation data using this statistical analysis technique and a network-based similarity quantification approach, we identify both cell-type and condition-specific features of the structural landscapes. We identify a relationship between epigenetic state and the properties of chromosome structure fluctuation and validate this relationship through polymer simulations. Overall, our study suggests that the types of variation in a chromosome structure ensemble are cell-type as well as region-specific and can be attributed to constraints placed on the structure by factors such as variation in epigenetic state.

PMID:35969616 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010392

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 15;17(8):e0272225. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272225. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

We present a database that classifies all patent applications filed at either the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the European Patent Office (EPO) as being either product patents, process patents or ‘mixed patents’. We use the share of claims that refer to either product or process inventions which allows to classify all patent applications along a continuum of pure process patents and pure product patents. We find that process-oriented patents draw more on previous knowledge, are more original and more radical than product patents. Lower breadth of protection is positively associated with pure process patenting, whereas product and mixed variants can be protected more broadly. This characterisation uncovers heterogeneity of patented inventions that allows for a more sophisticated use of patent statistics. It can improve the accuracy of analyses, but also reveal new aspects related to property rights.

PMID:35969608 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0272225

J Med Internet Res. 2022 Aug 12;24(8):e37973. doi: 10.2196/37973.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mental illness stigma has been a global concern, owing to its adverse effects on the recovery of people with mental illness, and may delay help-seeking for mental health because of the concern of being stigmatized. With technological advancement, internet-based interventions for the reduction of mental illness stigma have been developed, and these effects have been promising.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the differential effects of internet-based storytelling programs, which varied in the levels of interactivity and stigma content, in reducing mental illness stigma.

METHODS: Using an experimental design, this study compared the effects of 4 storytelling websites that varied in the levels of interactivity and stigma content. Specifically, the conditions included an interactive website with stigma-related content (combo condition), a noninteractive website with stigma-related content (stigma condition), an interactive website without stigma-related content (interact condition), and a noninteractive website without stigma-related content (control condition). Participants were recruited via mass emails to all students and staff of a public university and via social networking sites. Eligible participants were randomized into the following four conditions: combo (n=67), stigma (n=65), interact (n=64), or control (n=67). The participants of each group viewed the respective web pages at their own pace. Public stigma, microaggression, and social distance were measured on the web before the experiment, after the experiment, and at the 1-week follow-up. Perceived autonomy and immersiveness, as mediators, were assessed after the experiment.

RESULTS: Both the combo (n=66) and stigma (n=65) conditions were effective in reducing public stigma and microaggression toward people with mental illness after the experiment and at the 1-week follow-up. However, none of the conditions had significant time×condition effects in reducing the social distance from people with mental illness. The interact condition (n=64) significantly reduced public stigma after the experiment (P=.02) but not at the 1-week follow-up (P=.22). The control condition (n=67) did not significantly reduce all outcomes associated with mental illness stigma. Perceived autonomy was found to mediate the effect of public stigma (P=.56), and immersiveness mediated the effect of microaggression (P=.99).

CONCLUSIONS: Internet-based storytelling programs with stigma-related content and interactivity elicited the largest effects in stigma reduction, including reductions in public stigma and microaggression, although only its difference with internet-based storytelling programs with stigma-related content was not statistically significant. In other words, although interactivity could strengthen the stigma reduction effect, stigma-related content was more critical than interactivity in reducing stigma. Future stigma reduction efforts should prioritize the production of effective stigma content on their web pages, followed by considering the value of incorporating interactivity in future internet-based storytelling programs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05333848; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05333848.

PMID:35969460 | DOI:10.2196/37973

JMIR Ment Health. 2022 Aug 15;9(8):e39807. doi: 10.2196/39807.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence has the potential to innovate current practices used to detect the imminent risk of suicide and to address shortcomings in traditional assessment methods.

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we sought to automatically classify short segments (40 milliseconds) of speech according to low versus imminent risk of suicide in a large number (n=281) of telephone calls made to 2 telehealth counselling services in Australia.

METHODS: A total of 281 help line telephone call recordings sourced from On The Line, Australia (n=266, 94.7%) and 000 Emergency services, Canberra (n=15, 5.3%) were included in this study. Imminent risk of suicide was coded for when callers affirmed intent, plan, and the availability of means; level of risk was assessed by the responding counsellor and reassessed by a team of clinical researchers using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (=5/6). Low risk of suicide was coded for in an absence of intent, plan, and means and via Columbia suicide Severity Scale Ratings (=1/2). Preprocessing involved normalization and pre-emphasis of voice signals, while voice biometrics were extracted using the statistical language r. Candidate predictors were identified using Lasso regression. Each voice biomarker was assessed as a predictor of suicide risk using a generalized additive mixed effects model with splines to account for nonlinearity. Finally, a component-wise gradient boosting model was used to classify each call recording based on precoded suicide risk ratings.

RESULTS: A total of 77 imminent-risk calls were compared with 204 low-risk calls. Moreover, 36 voice biomarkers were extracted from each speech frame. Caller sex was a significant moderating factor (β=-.84, 95% CI -0.85, -0.84; t=6.59, P<.001). Candidate biomarkers were reduced to 11 primary markers, with distinct models developed for men and women. Using leave-one-out cross-validation, ensuring that the speech frames of no single caller featured in both training and test data sets simultaneously, an area under the precision or recall curve of 0.985 was achieved (95% CI 0.97, 1.0). The gamboost classification model correctly classified 469,332/470,032 (99.85%) speech frames.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates an objective, efficient, and economical assessment of imminent suicide risk in an ecologically valid setting with potential applications to real-time assessment and response.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12622000486729; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12622000486729.aspx.

PMID:35969444 | DOI:10.2196/39807