Category: Statistics

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42413. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26687-6.

ABSTRACT

We implement a framed field experiment to understand and rationalize previous contradictory calorie labeling findings showing mostly decreasing or null effects, but also some evidence of increasing calorie intake. Our study suggests that the numeric value of calorie information alone is not sufficient to explain the impact of information on food choice, but it is the gap between an individual calorie reference point expectation and the realized actual amount that influences food choices. We manipulate this gap in a carefully controlled experiment creating meals that look nearly identical but substantially differ in their calorie content. There is a sharp contrast in the literature with a large body of research only examining the effect of providing the calorie content for a meal while ignoring individual consumers’ expectations. Understanding the underlying mechanism driving calorie information response is crucial for designing and implementing effective calorie interventions and policies.

PMID:41310375 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26687-6

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42430. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26493-0.

ABSTRACT

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is time-consuming, costly, hazardous, and prone to technician-dependent quality variations. This calls for fast, low-cost, and standardized computational alternatives. Lately, generative adversarial networks (GANs) have shown promising results by generating virtual stains from unstained tissue sections. However, no prior study has systematically benchmarked GANs for optimizing skin histology. Moreover, prior evaluations have focused mostly on the perceptual quality of virtual stains rather than their diagnostic utility. In this paper, we introduce VISGAB, a virtual staining-driven GAN benchmark. To our knowledge, it is the first to systematically evaluate and compare common GAN architectures for skin histology. We have also introduced a novel histology-specific fidelity index (HSFI), which focuses on diagnostic accuracy. VISGAB has been systematically applied to Cycle Consistent GAN (CycleGAN), Contrastive Unpaired Translation GAN (CUTGAN), and Dual Contrastive Learning GAN (DCLGAN) using the E-Staining DermaRepo skin histology dataset. The dataset contains 87 whole-slide images (WSIs) of normal, carcinoma, and inflammatory dermatoses tissues. VISGAB findings identify CycleGAN with superior structural fidelity (SSIM: 0.93, HSFI: 0.81), diagnostic sufficiency (75% nuclear atypia detection), and Turing test success (81%), despite higher mean inference time (~ 1.96 min) and mode collapse risk (~ 25%). Although CUTGAN and DCLGAN offer faster training, artifacts (blurring, overstaining, hallucinations) limit their diagnostic utility. Qualitative evaluations by experts and statistical rigor further substantiate our findings in favor of CycleGAN. This work supports AI-driven histopathology by addressing critical gaps in the literature.

PMID:41310372 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26493-0

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-30141-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Modeling mineral and ore bodies from gravity anomalies remains challenging in geophysical exploration due to the ill-posed and non-unique nature of the inverse problem, particularly under conditions of noisy or sparse data. Established inversion methods, including local optimization and metaheuristic algorithms, often require extensive parameter tuning and may yield unstable or poorly constrained solutions. This study proposes a regularized ensemble Kalman inversion (EKI) framework enhanced by Tikhonov regularization to improve numerical stability and mitigate sensitivity to ensemble degeneracy, thereby enabling efficient uncertainty quantification through ensemble statistics. Controlled numerical experiments show that the ensemble size is larger than [Formula: see text] with moderate regularization, we can achieve an optimal balance between convergence stability and model resolution. Benchmarking against established metaheuristic algorithms (PSO, VFSA, and BA) suggests superior computational efficiency and stable convergence. Synthetic and real gravity data inversion (chromite, Pb-Zn, sulphide, and Cu-Au deposits) suggests that the regularized EKI yields stable, geologically consistent results with prior interpretations and drilling data. These results highlight the regularized EKI framework as a robust and efficient tool for mitigating mining risks and supporting strategic decision-making in mineral exploration.

PMID:41310348 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-30141-y

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42449. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26503-1.

ABSTRACT

Reminiscence therapy and exercise therapy have both proven beneficial for individuals with dementia. However, there is limited information on the effects of combining these two approaches in older adults with dementia. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of combined group reminiscence therapy (GRT) and group exercise therapy (GET) on psychological well-being and functional fitness in this population. A total of 32 older adults with mild to moderate dementia living in care homes were randomly assigned into either intervention or usual care groups. The study was conducted from January to June 2021. Intervention: Participants in intervention group received weekly an hour session of GRT and biweekly 1.25-hour session of GET. Reminiscence therapy was based on Remembering Yesterday and Caring Today module, adapted and modified according to participants’ cultural background. GET consisted of stretching, strengthening, aerobic and multicomponent exercises. Outcome measures include the Quality of Life – Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD), Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Functional Fitness MOT (FFMOT). Independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test show that the participants from the GRT + GET group reported statistically significant higher quality of life and satisfaction with life, with a medium to large effect size. There are no other statistically significant results found for other psychosocial measures. FFMOT was found to deteriorate in both groups with a lesser amount in the intervention group. This study suggests that combined GRT and GET may induce some psychosocial benefits, in particular quality of life and some positive trend in deceleration of functional fitness deterioration among older adults with mild to moderate dementia. Preserving psychological and physical wellbeing is essential for older adults with dementia to maintain their functional independence for as long as possible.

PMID:41310327 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26503-1

Int J Legal Med. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1007/s00414-025-03681-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI), semi-quantitative methods have been proposed to overcome the challenges associated with determining the time of death. Among these, the Total Decomposition Score (TDS) method, developed by Gelderman et al., offers a systematic and semi-quantitative approach for estimating PMI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the TDS by assessing its interoperator variability and comparing the results obtained with known reference data. A TDS-based questionnaire was administered to 100 participants – including forensic pathologists, residents in forensic medicine and professionals in forensic thanatology – using a dataset of six outdoor cadavers representing different decomposition stages. Data were analyzed using Fleiss’ Kappa (K) to assess inter-rater agreement and Spearman’s rank correlation to evaluate consistency. The results showed moderate overall agreement, with inter-rater reliability decreasing in cases with PMI exceeding 30 days. Linear regression analyses between estimated and actual post-mortem intervals yielded low coefficients of determination, with R² = 34.1% for the TDS-based model and R² = 20.5% for the ADD-based model, indicating that both methods explain only a limited portion of the variance in the actual PMI (PMIa). No statistically significant differences were observed among the professional categories, supporting the method’s applicability across different levels of expertise. While TDS shows promise as a practical tool for PMI estimation in field conditions, inter-operator variability remains a limiting factor in advanced decomposition stages.

PMID:41310302 | DOI:10.1007/s00414-025-03681-1

Pharmacotherapy. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1002/phar.70087. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Falls and related injuries (FRI) pose a large burden among older adults with depression. Proactively identifying individuals at high FRI risk enables timely and tailored interventions, reducing unnecessary health care resource utilization. However, prior prediction models relied on fixed time intervals and failed to capture dynamic changes in health status over time.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate machine-learning algorithms (i.e., elastic net, random forest, and gradient boosting machine) for predicting 3-month FRI risk among older adults with depression.

METHODS: This prognostic modeling study included fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with a depression diagnosis in 2017. Beneficiaries were followed in 3-month episodes from the first depression diagnosis until the earliest of death, hospice services or nursing facility utilization, switching to Medicare Advantage plans, or the end of the study period (i.e., December 31, 2019). A total of 261 time-varying predictors, spanning patient-, provider-, health system- and region-related factors, were updated every 3 months to predict incident FRI risk in the subsequent 3 months. We assessed prediction performance using c-statistics and stratified patients into different risk subgroups using the best-performing model.

RESULTS: Among 274,268 eligible beneficiaries, the mean age was 74.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 7.2) years, 32.0% were male, 85.2% were White, and 15.1% experienced at least one FRI event throughout the study period. Using the random forest model (c-statistics = 0.68), 68.9% of the actual FRI cases were captured in the top three deciles of predicted risk. Individuals in the bottom seven deciles had a minimal FRI incidence (< 1.7%). Key predictors included frailty, age, prior FRI history, and daily dose of antidepressants.

CONCLUSION: Using a nationally representative cohort and time-varying predictors, our model offers a practical approach for efficiently identifying older adults at high FRI risk, which can be updated over time. This approach can inform clinical decision-making and optimize the allocation of fall prevention resources.

PMID:41310296 | DOI:10.1002/phar.70087

Neotrop Entomol. 2025 Nov 27;54(1):121. doi: 10.1007/s13744-025-01341-y.

ABSTRACT

Baculoviruses are important bioinsecticides in integrated pest management, with in vivo production systems still predominant due to cost-effectiveness and scalability. However, inconsistencies in quality, such as viral infectivity and contamination, and polyhedra yield restrict their wider adoption. This study evaluated the infection dynamics of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus – Alphabaculovirus spofrugiperdae isolate 6 (SfMNPV6) in Spodoptera frugiperda larvae to determine the optimal harvest time for maximizing occlusion body (OB) yield. Larvae were exposed to three inoculum concentrations (1 × 10⁵, 1 × 10⁶, and 1 × 10⁷ OB/mL) and monitored daily from the third to the tenth day post-infection. We assessed larval survival, tegument color as an indicator of infection symptoms, and polyhedra yield. Results indicated dose-dependent variations in disease progression, with the infection peak occurring on days seven, eight, and ten for the highest to lowest inoculum concentrations, respectively. Pinkish tegument symptom was strongly correlated with maximum OB yield, making it a reliable visual indicator for harvest timing. Statistical modeling confirmed the relationship between tegument color and OB concentration, with pinkish larvae (symptomatic) significantly outperforming green (early infection stage) and gray (post-mortem period) larvae in virus production. This symptom-based monitoring provides a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to enhance timing in baculovirus harvest protocols. These findings suggest that optimizing harvest based on larval symptoms and dose-dependent infection dynamics can improve virus yield and product quality. This approach enhances the reliability of baculovirus-based bioinsecticides, providing a more effective production strategy to meet the increasing demand for biological control agents in sustainable agriculture, particularly as global pest pressures are intensified by climate change.

PMID:41310286 | DOI:10.1007/s13744-025-01341-y

Sports Med Open. 2025 Nov 27;11(1):150. doi: 10.1186/s40798-025-00947-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In baseball, batting performance can be measured using game and advanced statistics as well as hitting metrics. To date, the core set of individual characteristics or skills associated with superior batting performance remains to be identified. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and classify the individual characteristics or skills associated with baseball batting performance indicators and describe the methods used to assess these individual characteristics or skills and batting performance indicators.

METHODS: A scoping review design was chosen to conduct a systematic literature search. Electronic searches of MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO databases were undertaken from inception to August 2024. Cross-sectional studies that investigated the relationship between batting performance indicators and individual characteristics or skills in male or female baseball batters were selected.

RESULTS: Twenty-two cross-sectional studies investigating potential individual characteristics or skills of baseball batting performance met the inclusion criteria. The primary baseball batting performance indicators were grouped into three categories: game statistics, advanced statistics and hitting metrics. Anthropometric measures (height, weight), physical fitness tests (1-RM bench and squat, grip strength, jumps, medicine ball throws, sprint, trunk flexibility, etc.), visual skills (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, etc.), perceptual skills (anticipation, visual recognition, etc.) and visuomotor skills (eye-hand coordination, reaction time, etc.) were the individual characteristics or skills associated with either game statistics, advanced statistics or hitting metrics.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on the studies included in this scoping review, the results show that several anthropometrics, physical, perceptual-cognitive, and visual skills were associated with superior game statistics, advanced statistics or hitting metrics. Greater height, weight, upper- and lower-body muscle strength, power, and speed, as well as oculomotor skills, visual system characteristics, anticipation, visual recognition, and visuomotor skills corresponded to better batting performance.

PMID:41310274 | DOI:10.1186/s40798-025-00947-1

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41594-025-01707-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is an integral step in eukaryotic gene expression. The speed of Pol II is controlled by a multitude of elongation factors, but the exact regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood, especially for higher eukaryotes. Here we develop a single-molecule platform to visualize the dynamics of individual mammalian transcription elongation complexes (ECs) reconstituted from purified proteins. This platform allows us to follow the elongation and pausing behavior of EC in real time and unambiguously determine the role of each elongation factor in the kinetic control of Pol II. We find that the mammalian EC harbors multiple speed gears dictated by its associated factors and phosphorylation status. Moreover, the elongation factors are not functionally redundant but act hierarchically and synergistically to achieve optimal elongation activity. We propose that such elaborate kinetic regulation underlies the major speed-changing events during the transcription cycle and enables cells to adapt to a changing environment.

PMID:41310264 | DOI:10.1038/s41594-025-01707-1

Int J Obes (Lond). 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41366-025-01943-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obesity is an already identified risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases. Berberine is an alkaloid that has manifested a significant effect in the treatment of obesity and its complications. The aim of this systematic review and meta analysis is to evaluate the effect of berberine on obesity indices.

METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating berberine’s impact on obesity indices in adults. Eligible studies included human trials with quantitative outcomes for weight, BMI, WC, or WHR. Animal studies, reviews, and non-RCTs were excluded. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to calculate mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was evaluated using I² statistics.

RESULTS: A total of 23 articles were included. Berberine significantly reduced body weight (MD of -0.88 kg, 95% CI: -1.36 to -0.39, p = 0.0003), BMI (MD of -0.48 kg/m², 95% CI: -0.89 to -0.07, p < 0.0216), and WC (MD of -1.32 kg/m², 95% CI: -2.24 to -0.41, p < 0.0046). However, berberine did not significantly reduce WHR compared to control groups (MD of -0.01, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.01). Meta-regression revealed no association between berberine use and age.

CONCLUSION: Berberine use significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and WC but does not significantly reduce WHR. Future trials should focus on improving reporting standards for biochemical characterization (such as purity, potency and gram amounts) and address common biases such as lack of blinding and randomization to enhance the reliability of the evidence.

PMID:41310257 | DOI:10.1038/s41366-025-01943-x