Category: Statistics

Phys Rev Lett. 2025 May 23;134(20):207102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.207102.

ABSTRACT

We study the directed transport of bosons along a one dimensional lattice in a dissipative setting, where the hopping is only facilitated by coupling to a Markovian reservoir. By combining numerical simulations with a field-theoretic analysis, we investigate the current fluctuations for this process and determine its asymptotic behavior. These findings demonstrate that dissipative bosonic transport belongs to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class and therefore, in spite of the drastic difference in the underlying particle statistics, it features the same coarse-grained behavior as the corresponding asymmetric simple exclusion process for fermions. However, crucial differences between the two processes emerge when focusing on the full counting statistics of current fluctuations. By mapping both models to the physics of fluctuating interfaces, we find that dissipative transport of bosons and fermions can be understood as surface growth and erosion processes, respectively. Within this unified description, both the similarities and discrepancies between the full counting statistics of the transport are reconciled. Beyond purely theoretical interest, these findings are relevant for experiments with cold atoms or long-lived quasiparticles in nanophotonic lattices, where such transport scenarios can be realized.

PMID:40479655 | DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.207102

JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 Jun;11:e2500050. doi: 10.1200/GO-25-00050. Epub 2025 Jun 6.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Thermal ablation (TA) is now a widely used treatment for cervical precancer in low- and middle-income countries. Over the past decade, TA devices have been redesigned to be more portable, user-friendly, and affordable. This analysis combines data from three large randomized clinical trials comparing the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of TA with those of the previous standard, gas-based cryotherapy.

METHODS: This analysis used Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test results at 1-year post-treatment as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included side effects and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS: Of the 2,948 participants treated with either TA or gas-based cryotherapy, 80.9% and 81.8% completed HPV testing at 1 year, respectively. Overall, 60.7% tested negative for HPV at follow-up, with slightly higher rates in the TA group (62.5%) compared with cryotherapy (58.7%), although the difference was not statistically significant (P value = .14). Side effects were minimal for both treatments. Severe pain was slightly more common with TA (7.6% v 3.9% for cryotherapy), but vasovagal responses were less frequent (2.3% v 7.6%). Satisfaction with treatment was high (approximately 98%) across both groups.

CONCLUSION: Our findings support the efficacy of TA in treating cervical precancer, offering an effective and practical alternative in low-resource settings. However, future research is urgently needed to address critical questions, including the standardization of treatment protocols and tailored approaches for women living with HIV.

PMID:40479636 | DOI:10.1200/GO-25-00050

JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 Jun;11:e2400554. doi: 10.1200/GO-24-00554. Epub 2025 Jun 6.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Women represent a growing force in oncology but remain underrepresented in high-level positions. Gender-related challenges affect academic progression, research, and clinical practice. This manuscript aims to describes gender-based professional development challenges faced by women in oncology in Latin America (LATAM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional study among LATAM oncologists using a 27-item questionnaire on the basis of the European Society for Medical Oncology Women for Oncology Survey. Our analysis focused on male-female disparities, excluding other gender identities. Logistic regression models were used to calculated odds ratios (ORs) for gender inequity, wage disparity, workplace and sexual harassment, and family development. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26, with the significance set at P < .05.

RESULTS: We analyzed 254 participants from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Peru, mostly females (88%) and based in Mexico (55%). Most were attending physicians (68%), 51.5% worked 41-60 hours, and 33.4% reported gender equity initiatives. Gender inequity was significantly higher among women (83%) than among men (37%), with the female gender identified as a risk factor (OR, 15.67; P < .001). Workplace harassment was reported by 60% of women and 19% of men, whereas sexual harassment was experienced by 34% of women and 16% of men (OR, 2.78; P < .05). Sixty-five percent reported that men had the highest salaries. Logistic regression indicated that working 20-40 hours per week was associated with the likelihood of women having children (OR, 3.0; P < .01), as was working 41-60 hours (OR, 1.97; P < .01). However, holding an attending or resident position was associated with significantly lower childbearing rates.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that Women oncologists in LATAM report experiencing higher rates of gender-based inequity and harassment and remain underrepresented in leadership and high-earning roles.

PMID:40479635 | DOI:10.1200/GO-24-00554

JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 Jun;11:e2500048. doi: 10.1200/GO-25-00048. Epub 2025 Jun 6.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the usage patterns, barriers, and facilitators of cancer treatment guidelines among oncologists in Latin America and the Caribbean.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in March 2023 among physicians in Latin America and the Caribbean who care for patients with cancer. Respondents were recruited via the ASCO member database. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire that assessed demographics, guideline usage, and barriers to implementation. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: Of the 1,265 invited physicians, 140 responded (11% response rate). Most respondents reported frequent use of guidelines, with 47.9% using them often and 40.7% always. The guidelines that were used the most were from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (88.5%), European Society for Medical Oncology (76.3%), and ASCO (70.5%). The top barriers to guideline use included lack of diagnostic tools and access to medications (47.7%), and institutional restrictions (19.7%). Facilitators included access to necessary resources (79.8%) and country-specific guidelines (61.2%).

CONCLUSION: Although oncologists in Latin America and the Caribbean frequently rely on international guidelines, significant barriers, particularly resource limitations, impede full implementation. Addressing these barriers through improved infrastructure and adapted guidelines is essential for enhancing cancer care in the region.

PMID:40479634 | DOI:10.1200/GO-25-00048

JCO Precis Oncol. 2025 Jun;9:e2500062. doi: 10.1200/PO-25-00062. Epub 2025 Jun 6.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) recommends screening for four common DPYD variants to prevent severe toxicity in patients with cancer treated with fluoropyrimidines. A 50% starting dose followed by toxicity-based dose titration is advised for patients heterozygous for these variants. In this study, the appropriateness of the CPIC-recommended 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) starting dose was evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were grouped into four variant categories (DPYD*2A [c.1905+1G>A], DPYD*13 [c.1679T>G], c.2846A>T [p.D949V], c.1236G>A/HapB3 [p.E412E]) and a DPYD wild-type control group. Uracil loading tests were used for phenotyping. Variant patients started on a 50% reduced 5-FU dose. On the basis of steady-state 5-FU plasma concentrations, dose adjustments were made during cycles 2-4 until an 5-FU target AUC_0-46h of 20-30 mg × h/L was achieved, if tolerated.

RESULTS: Twenty-six wild-type controls and 34 DPYD variant patients were included: 16 with c.1236G>A/HapB3, eight with c.1905+1G>A, eight with p.D949V, and two with c.1679T>G. Heterozygous carriers of c.1905+1G>A (DPYD*2A) and c.1679T>G (DPYD*13) displayed significant reduced uracil metabolism. The impact on uracil clearance was highly variable in p.D949V but only minor in c.1236G>A/HapB3 variants. In all, 65% of wild-type controls had 5-FU exposure within target range on a 100% dose (mean, 23.2; IQR, 6.6). In 97% of all variant patients, the 50% reduced dose resulted in 5-FU underexposure, with a median AUC of 10.6 mg × h/L (IQR, 3.2). Dose escalation to 70% or higher was tolerated in most patients, reaching the target AUC in 68% of patients.

CONCLUSION: The current CPIC guidelines are overly conservative for c.1236G>A/HapB3 and most p.D949V variants. A 75% starting dose is more appropriate for most c.1236G>A/HapB3 carriers. We recommend 5-FU therapeutic drug monitoring in all patients with DPYD variants to achieve optimal 5-FU exposure.

PMID:40479625 | DOI:10.1200/PO-25-00062

Age Ageing. 2025 May 31;54(6):afaf156. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf156.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Machine learning (ML) models in healthcare are crucial for predicting clinical outcomes, and their effectiveness can be significantly enhanced through improvements in accuracy, generalisability, and interpretability. To achieve widespread adoption in clinical practice, risk factors identified by these models must be validated in diverse populations.

METHODS: In this cohort study, 86 870 community-dwelling older adults ≥65 years from the UK Biobank database were used to train and test three ML models to predict 30-day emergency hospitalisation. The three ML models, Random Forest (RF), XGBoost (XGB), and Logistic Regression (LR), utilised all extracted variables, consisting of demographic and geriatric syndromes, comorbidities, and the Drug Burden Index (DBI), a measure of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy, which quantifies exposure to medications with anticholinergic and sedative properties. 30-day emergency hospitalisation was defined as any hospitalisation related to any clinical event within 30 days of the index date. The model performance metrics included the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC-ROC) and the F1 score.

RESULTS: The AUC-ROC for the RF, XGB and LR models was 0.78, 0.86 and 0.61, respectively, signifying good discriminatory power. The DBI, mobility, fractures, falls, hazardous alcohol drinking and smoking were validated as important variables in predicting 30-day emergency hospitalisation.

CONCLUSIONS: This study validated important risk factors for predicting 30-day emergency hospitalisation. The validation of important risk factors will inform the development of future ML studies in geriatrics. Future research should prioritise the development of targeted interventions to address the risk factors validated in this study, ultimately improving patient outcomes and alleviating healthcare burdens.

PMID:40479613 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf156

Age Ageing. 2025 May 31;54(6):afaf157. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf157.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Falls have long been recognised as a frequent problem among older adults and have been cited in literature since the 1950s. Given extensive research on risk factors, prevention, and implementation strategies, one might expect a decline in fallers prevalence. The aim of this review is to explore the epidemiology of falls in Europe, focusing on healthy, community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years or older.

METHODS: Articles for this systematic review and meta-analysis were sourced from PubMed and Web of Science in June 2023, with screening completed by August 2023 and an update in January 2024. Risk of bias assessment used the Standard quality assessment criteria and potential outliers were identified. Publication bias was assessed using Egger’s regression test. Data analysis was performed in R.

RESULTS: Thirty-eight articles were included, comprising a sample of 71 245 European, community-dwelling older adults. The average fallers prevalence among European older adults was 30% (95% CI 0.26-0.34). Meta-regression analysis showed no significant change in fallers prevalence over the years (P = .66), in contrast with meta-regression for average age (P < .01). In the subgroup analysis, differences in fallers prevalence were seen for gender (P < .01), country (P < .01), and length of follow-up (P = .02).

CONCLUSION: Despite decades of evidence supporting effective fall prevention, there is no significant change in the prevalence of fallers among community-dwelling older adults in Europe. Future research should focus on systematically identifying the factors contributing to the persistent fall rates. Additionally, efforts must be made to ensure effective implementation of existing knowledge on fall prevention.

PMID:40479612 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf157

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2025 Jun 2. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000003037. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The deregulation of WNT signaling has been shown to be important in the development of hematologic malignancies. The genetic variation of key WNT signaling pathway genes may affect the development of leukemia. In the present study, a total of 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 6 genes (CTNNB1, AXIN2, SFRP2, SFRP4, SFRP5, and DKK3) involved in the WNT signaling pathway were selected to investigate the influence of SNPs on the prognosis of 379 Chinese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Both χ2 test and Kaplan-Meier survival curve estimation showed that AXIN2 rs7591, rs3923086, and rs11867417 were associated with the risk of relapse with statistical significance. The multifactorial analyses showed that the 3 SNPs of rs7591, rs3923086, and rs11867417 in AXIN2 still had a significant effect on prognosis with statistical significance (P=0.004, 0.019, and 0.013, respectively). In addition, SFRP4 rs1802073 and rs1802074 were also significantly associated with the risk of relapse after excluding the effect of confounding variables. Taken together, our findings show that polymorphisms in AXIN2 and SFRP4 were independent prognostic predictors for pediatric ALL patients. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and clarify the underlying mechanism.

PMID:40479595 | DOI:10.1097/MPH.0000000000003037

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2025 Jun 6;13:e58597. doi: 10.2196/58597.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mobile phone apps powered by artificial intelligence (AI) have emerged as powerful tools to address mental health challenges faced by children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively review AI-driven apps for child mental health, focusing on their availability, quality, readability, characteristics, and functions.

METHODS: This study systematically analyzed AI-based mobile apps for child mental health. Quality was evaluated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale, which assessed various dimensions of app quality, including subjective quality, engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. An automatic readability index calculator was implemented to assess readability by using the count of words, syllables, and sentences to generate a score indicative of the reading difficulty level. Content analysis was conducted to examine the apps’ availability, characteristics, and functionality.

RESULTS: Out of 369 apps initially identified, 27 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. The quality of the apps was assessed using Mobile Application Rating Scale, with an average score of 3.45 out of 5 (SD 0.5), indicating a need for quality improvement. The readability analysis revealed suboptimal scores, with an average grade level of 6.62 (SD 2.2) for in-app content and 9.93 (SD 2.6) for app store descriptions. These results, combined with a monotonous user interface, suggest that many apps lack a child-friendly design, potentially hindering their usability and engagement for young users. Content analysis categorized the apps into 3 functional groups-chatbot-based apps (15 apps), journal logging apps (9 apps), and psychotherapeutic treatment apps (3 apps). While 20 out of 27 apps (74%) used clinically validated technologies, rigorous clinical tests of the apps were often missing, with only 2 apps undergoing clinical trials. Of the 27 apps analyzed, only 7 (26%) were free to use, while the majority, 20 apps, required a subscription or one-time payment. Among the paid apps, the average cost was US $20.16 per month, which may pose a financial barrier and limit accessibility for some users, particularly those from lower-income households.

CONCLUSIONS: AI-based mental health apps hold significant potential to address the unique challenges of child mental health but face critical limitations in design, accessibility, and validation. To fully realize their benefits, future research and development should focus on integrating child-centric design principles, ensuring affordability, and prioritizing rigorous clinical testing. These efforts are essential to harness the power of AI technologies in creating equitable, effective, and engaging solutions for improving child mental health outcomes.

PMID:40479582 | DOI:10.2196/58597

J Med Internet Res. 2025 Jun 6;27:e73336. doi: 10.2196/73336.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of health-related content on social media platforms has changed the way people access and interpret information about cosmetic medicine. TikTok (ByteDance) has become an important platform for sharing breast enhancement content, yet little is known about the quality, credibility, and impact of such information on user perceptions and decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to analyze the characteristics of breast enhancement videos, including uploader demographics, product details, promotional claims, and user engagements, to better understand the nature of the claims and products encountered by users.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional content analysis of the top 150 most-liked breast enhancement videos via TikTok’s web interface. The videos were coded according to the uploader’s traits (gender expression and account type), product details (type and scientific evidence), and promotional strategies (testimonials and sponsorship disclosures). Engagement metrics (likes and shares) were recorded, and nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test) were used to compare the engagement between licensed physicians and uncertified content creator uploaders. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all the variables.

RESULTS: Overall, 85 videos were included in the final analysis, with most uploaders presenting a feminine gender expression (59/85, 69.4%) and using uncertified content creator accounts (59/85, 69.4%). The most promoted product types were breast enhancement creams or oils (32/85, 37.6%) and breast implants (22/85, 25.9%). Most videos (71/85, 83.5%) depicted the products positively; however, most videos (78/85, 91.8%) provided no scientific evidence of the product’s efficacy. Engagement metrics revealed that videos by licensed physicians received significantly higher thumbs up (median 9761, IQR 4975-19,492) than uncertified content creator uploaders (median 701, IQR 280-2604; P=.002). Only one video (1.2%) of the 85 videos included a “before and after” visual component, and most videos (75/85, 88.2%) omitted product purchasing details. Sponsorship disclosures were absent in most of posts (79/85, 92.9%).

CONCLUSIONS: TikTok’s short video format fosters widespread and rapid dissemination of breast enhancement information, representing a key strength in democratizing health communication. Its user-friendly interface and visual appeal also offer a valuable avenue for medical professionals to engage audiences more dynamically. However, the lack of rigorous content checks can amplify misleading or unverified claims. To address these weaknesses, implementing dual-mode content review could be essential for maximizing TikTok’s capacity to support informed public health decision-making.

PMID:40479581 | DOI:10.2196/73336