Tag: statistics

Arkh Patol. 2026;88(2):52-58. doi: 10.17116/patol20268802152.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To establish the mechanisms of pathomorphism of grafted C6 glioma (glioblastoma, GB) under the influence of 1267 nm laser therapy using in vivo experiments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiment was performed on 40 Wistar rats with transplanted GB. In the experimental groups, 1 week after tumor transplantation, rats underwent daily laser therapy for 3 weeks. One therapy session lasted 51 minutes (3 laser irradiations for 17 minutes with 5-minute breaks between irradiations), at a dose of 12.6 kJ/cm² laser with a wavelength of 1267 nm. The comparison groups consisted of animals without a tumor and with a tumor, but without LT. Immunohistochemical markers of apoptosis (p53, Bax, Fas receptor), proliferation (Ki67), and autophagolysosome formation (LC3B, clathrin, and caveolin) were used. In statistical analysis, the Shapiro-Wilk test for the normality of the distribution was performed. The averages were compared using the Welch t-test.

RESULTS: The survival rate in the group with transplanted GB after laser therapy compared with the experimental group of animals without LT was 1.8 times higher after a course of LT with a dose of 12.6 kJ/cm² (64% and 34%, respectively). It was found that LT reduces the proliferation of GB cells (Ki67), activates the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis (Bax and p53) in GB cells, and blocks the formation of autophagolysosomes (LC3B, clathrin, caveolin). Conclusion. Under the action of a laser (1267 nm), pronounced pathomorphosis of transplanted C6 glioma develops, its growth rate decreases, and animal survival increases from 34% to 64%. Thus, GB therapy with a laser with a wavelength of 1267 nm may become a promising therapeutic approach in the development of additional non-invasive GB treatment method.

PMID:41989546 | DOI:10.17116/patol20268802152

Inform Health Soc Care. 2026 Apr 16:1-11. doi: 10.1080/17538157.2026.2654150. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study conducted an informatics system evaluation of two LLMs (GPT-4o and DeepSeek-V3) for patient education, combining clinician-rated quality with patient-perceived usability across thematically stratified queries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a blinded, within-subject design, 16 frequently asked questions about biologic therapies were categorized into three domains: treatment/drug selection, safety/adverse effects, and special conditions/daily life. Responses were standardized, generated without external retrieval, anonymized as A/B pairs. Thirty physicians assessed clinical appropriateness, scientific accuracy, comprehensiveness, while 60 patients rated readability, understandability, actionability, perceived adequacy, decision support, and trust on 5-point Likert scales. Analyses included paired t-tests, Holm/FDR corrections and two one-sided tests (TOST) to distinguish statistical non-difference from practical equivalence.

RESULTS: Physicians rated GPT higher across all domains (p < .002), with largest gaps in safety/side effects and treatment/drug selection. Patients favored GPT for understandability, actionability, and decision support (p < .001), while readability, adequacy, trust, and reading time were statistically and clinically equivalent.

CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the need for topic-aware governance: guideline-dense queries suited to retrieval-augmented generation and checklist compliance, and context-sensitive queries requiring uncertainty signaling and human oversight. This layered approach advances health informatics by defining where LLMs may substitute versus where they require verification, supporting safe and auditable integration into patient education.

PMID:41989204 | DOI:10.1080/17538157.2026.2654150

J Med Food. 2026 Apr 16:1096620X261421081. doi: 10.1177/1096620X261421081. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine the effects of fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) inulin on anxiety symptoms in college students. Forty million adults in the United States suffer from anxiety. Previous studies have viewed gut microbiota and its potential link to anxiety in both humans and mice. However, no previous studies focused on the effect of FOS inulin on college students. Fourteen subjects received 4.9 g per day of FOS inulin as the treatment (TX) or no supplement as the control (CON) for 28 days. Both the TX and CON groups were given the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) on days 1 and 28. Both groups were also given a 3-day food log at the beginning of the experiment and otherwise maintained their regular diet. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in median GAD-7 scores in both groups (P = .017, r = .637 and P = .042, r = .587 for the TX and CON groups, respectively). However, when comparing the GAD-7 scores between groups, no statistically significant results were found. FOS inulin supplementation did not alleviate anxiety symptoms in college students participating in this study.

PMID:41989194 | DOI:10.1177/1096620X261421081

mSystems. 2026 Apr 16:e0178125. doi: 10.1128/msystems.01781-25. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Enterobacter genus contains 23 species that include common nosocomial pathogens capable of causing a wide variety of infections. We obtained all available Enterobacter genomes and retained 4,805 high-quality genomes after quality control. Genome sequencing analysis of Enterobacter species revealed the presence of type VI secretion systems (T6SS) in these bacteria, but systematic analysis and comparison of these systems among different species are limited. We found that these bacteria code for three distinct types of T6SS, each with a unique set of diverse predicted effectors. Whereas at least 14 effectors are found in each strain, the number of immunity proteins is considerably fewer. By demonstrating a correlation between the abundance of known T6SS-associated proteins and the presence of T6SS, we proposed a comparative genomics model to evaluate the correlation between unknown T6SS-associated ortholog proteins and T6SSs. Among the homologous groups most strongly associated with T6SS, we potentially identified several effectors. It is conceivable that our methodology could be scaled to survey additional bacterial genera for novel T6SS effectors, thereby providing fresh perspectives and directions for subsequent biological experiments.IMPORTANCEEnterobacter species are important human pathogens that can cause severe conditions like pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. As Gram-negative bacteria, they frequently carry diverse T6SS loci, which are often associated with bacterial virulence and are also one of the important causes of bacterial infection. T6SS effectors play a critical role in interbacterial competition and virulence during infection. VgrG proteins are essential T6SS components that form the spike structure and mediate effector delivery, making them critical for bacterial competition and virulence. However, systematic studies on their distribution and function remain limited. Here, we analyzed all available high-quality Enterobacter genomes and revealed that T6SS diversity is shaped by both species’ evolution and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We proved that it is feasible to measure the biological relevance of unknown functional proteins to the T6SS through statistical analyses. This high-throughput approach provides a new perspective for future research on T6SS functionality, especially in Enterobacter.

PMID:41989184 | DOI:10.1128/msystems.01781-25

J Holist Nurs. 2026 Apr 16:8980101261439580. doi: 10.1177/08980101261439580. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Purpose of StudyThis study aimed to determine the effect of a holistic intervention, integrating painting, and music activities, on the perceived stress and burnout levels of nurses working in frontline conditions during extraordinary crises.Design of StudyA quasi-experimental pretest/post-test control group design was utilized, grounded in holistic nursing principles.Methods UsedThe intervention consisted of three online art-based sessions designed to facilitate emotional expression and cognitive relief. Data were collected from nursing staff via an introductory form, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Burnout Scale (BS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, including nonparametric tests and effect size calculations.FindingsFor the intervention group, the BS median values showed a significant improvement following the sessions (p < .05), moving from a pretest median of 3.00 to 4.00 (indicating lower burnout). While PSS scores decreased from 33.00 to 31.50, this change did not reach statistical significance (p > .05). Participants in both groups reported a high baseline interest in music.ConclusionsNurses experience dangerously high levels of burnout during prolonged extraordinary circumstances. Short-term, holistic art-based interventions can significantly reduce perceived burnout. Integrating creative arts into the workplace serves as a vital holistic strategy to enhance psychological resilience and work-life quality.

PMID:41989161 | DOI:10.1177/08980101261439580

Dent Med Probl. 2026 Mar-Apr;63(2):311-322. doi: 10.17219/dmp/202962.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The current treatment for patients with myalgia comprises splint therapy (ST), cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT), psychological treatment, and education.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of relax-psycho-breathing therapy (RPB) and ST in women with myalgia, and to evaluate the efficacy of occlusal splint and/or behavioral therapy in the management of muscle pain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study, designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT), involved 105 women aged 25-55 years with pain in the masticatory muscles during the 30 days prior to examination. Myalgia was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) Axis I. The clinical examination assessed muscle and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain intensity, TMJ sounds, maximum mouth opening (MMO), and deviation in mouth opening and mandibular movement. After an initial assessment, at the 2nd visit (V2), the 25 patients from the 1st group were introduced to RPB: relaxation techniques; breathing patterns; psychological-behavioral instruction; muscle exercise therapy; puffing therapy; and self-massage. The 2nd group of patients received a custom-made, thermoplastic, flatplane relaxation splint placed on the mandible. The efficacy of treatment in all subjects was evaluated at 2 follow-up visits (V3 and V4).

RESULTS: In cases of muscle pain, pain during function, TMJ and muscle tenderness, and headache attributed to TMD, a statistically significant difference between the RPB and ST groups was observed only at the final follow-up visit. No significant differences between the 2 groups were found for MMO.

CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in myalgia following treatment suggests that both RPB exercises and ST are equally effective. However, considering the cost and duration of myalgia therapy, comprehensive care incorporating relaxation techniques may be a preferable first-line approach rather than ST alone.

PMID:41989134 | DOI:10.17219/dmp/202962

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2026 Apr 16:11206721261440985. doi: 10.1177/11206721261440985. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundPediatric Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) is a rare autoimmune condition primarily associated with Graves’ disease. Although usually milder than adult TED, it can still cause functional and psychological morbidity. Pediatric management remains unclear due to the absence of specific guidelines and concerns about treatment-related risks such as growth suppression.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines, searching MEDLINE, Embase, and Emcare from inception to March 2024. Studies included interventional and observational reports involving patients ≤18 years with TED. Data were synthesized narratively and quantitatively. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models, with heterogeneity assessed via I² statistics and meta-regression. Primary outcomes included visual acuity (VA), proptosis, Clinical Activity Score (CAS), and adverse events.ResultsThirty-two studies comprising 810 pediatric patients (mean age 11.7 years, 64.8% female) were included. The most common symptoms were exophthalmos (99.5%), eyelid retraction (73.1%), and dry eye (66.3%). Treatments ranged from antithyroid drugs and corticosteroids, to orbital decompression and biologics. Meta-analysis showed mean exophthalmos reductions of 4.69 mm for decompression, 4.25 mm for steroids, and 1.75 mm for biologics. Substantial heterogeneity and low certainty of evidence limited interpretability. Interventions were performed earlier than recommended, with no significant adverse effects reported.ConclusionsDespite most pediatric TED cases being mild, a subset of patients requires more intensive management. This review, comprising predominantly of case reports and case series with very low certainty evidence, reveals gaps between practice and recommendations, highlighting the need for pediatric-specific guidelines informed by systematic evidence.

PMID:41989129 | DOI:10.1177/11206721261440985

Psychol Rep. 2026 Apr 16:332941261441834. doi: 10.1177/00332941261441834. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Childhood maltreatment (CM), particularly emotional neglect and abuse, has been associated with an increased risk of anxiety and less favorable psychotherapy outcomes in adulthood. Impairments in personality functioning are a significant mechanism mediating this relation. This naturalistic cross-sectional study examined the mediating role of personality functioning in the relation between CM and anxiety symptoms in a clinical adult sample. A total of 335 adult patients starting individual psychotherapy completed intake self-report questionnaires about CM experiences, personality functioning, and anxiety symptoms. We assessed the two dimensions of personality functioning described in Section III of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), specifically, self-functioning and interpersonal functioning. Bootstrapped mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the mediating role of personality functioning in the association between each CM type and anxiety symptoms. 64.2% of the sample reported at least one type of CM. Personality functioning explained 73% of the total effect of CM on anxiety symptoms. Only emotional abuse and emotional neglect showed significant total effects. Emotional abuse retained a direct effect, while emotional neglect was fully mediated by personality functioning. Both personality functioning dimensions were significant mediators, yet self-functioning had a larger impact. Psychotherapeutic interventions targeting impairments in personality functioning are essential for treating anxiety symptoms in adults with CM. Findings emphasize the importance of trauma-informed, personalized interventions, and CM prevention strategies.

PMID:41989126 | DOI:10.1177/00332941261441834

J Chem Phys. 2026 Apr 21;164(15):154703. doi: 10.1063/5.0319735.

ABSTRACT

Graphene oxide (GO) exhibits rich chemical heterogeneity that strongly influences its structural, thermal, and mechanical properties, yet quantitatively linking reduction chemistry to heat transport remains challenging. In this study, we develop a machine-learned neuroevolution potential (NEP) trained on an existing density functional theory dataset [El-Machachi et al., Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 63, e202410088 (2024)], achieving reasonable accuracy at a computational cost much lower than the existing machine-learned and empirical potentials. Leveraging this potential, we perform large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to model the thermal reduction of GO across realistic structural domains. Using the homogeneous nonequilibrium MD method with a proper quantum-statistical correction scheme, we find that reduced GO exhibits strongly suppressed thermal conductivities, ranging from a few to tens of Wm-1 K-1, substantially lower than pristine GO without defects and far below graphene. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of reduced GO increases moderately with increasing OH/O ratio, except at the highest oxidation level (O/C = 0.5), where this trend inverts, while decreasing significantly with increasing O/C ratio, a trend strongly correlated with the fraction of recovered graphene-like structures. Our study provides a computationally tractable and predictive atomistic machine learning framework for exploring how chemical structure governs heat transport in heterogeneous carbon materials.

PMID:41989114 | DOI:10.1063/5.0319735

Anal Chem. 2026 Apr 16. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6c00512. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this response, we address key points by commentators on our previous article, “Unsupervised Machine Learning for Differential Analysis in Proteomics” (DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c03117), concerning the choice and characteristics of statistical testing and machine learning (ML) in differential proteomics. We clarify that while certain ML methods are statistically grounded, many operate on distinct nonparametric principles, offering an alternative approach when data violate standard distributional assumptions or exhibit complex multivariate structures. We also want to clarify our position that ML is proposed not as a replacement for established statistical frameworks but as a valuable expansion of the analytical toolbox, particularly useful in exploratory analysis or with heterogeneous data. We emphasize methodological pluralism, advocating for the combined use of ML and statistical methods across different stages of research, from hypothesis generation to confirmatory testing, to better address the diverse challenges in precision proteomics and to enrich biological discovery.

PMID:41989104 | DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.6c00512