Tag: statistics

Comb Chem High Throughput Screen. 2026 Mar 27. doi: 10.2174/0113862073445368260131002109. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority of cases. Alterations in metabolic activities play important roles in NSCLC development, wherein related genes and metabolites interact with each other, involving multiple forms.

METHODS: To comprehensively understand the pathogenic mechanisms and improve the performance of clinical early, precise diagnosis, this study proposed a data-driven approach for biomarker discovery based on U-centered distance correlation network (DCN) to investigate NSCLC metabolism-related reactions. In DCN, changes in molecular relationships during NSCLC initiation and progression are measured using the t-statistics of U-centered distance correlation for network construction, in which prospective warning signals representing NSCLC onset can be identified without human intervention. Additionally, the network construction criterion in DCN can precisely and effectively capture both linear and nonlinear molecular relationships in simple and biologically relevant manners.

RESULTS: DCN was successfully employed to analyze NSCLC metabolism-related metabolomics and genomics datasets. Statistical analyses confirmed that compared with other algorithms, the gene and metabolite biomarker panels identified by DCN provided more reliable diagnostic capabilities for clinical NSCLC detection. Biological analyses revealed that disturbed energy metabolism and lipid metabolism occurred during tumor cell proliferation and growth in NSCLC patients.

DISCUSSION: The gene ASPA and metabolite aspartic acid were significantly decreased in NSCLC samples, suggesting that the corresponding amino acid metabolic activities were intricately linked to NSCLC progression.

CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that DCN can further facilitate NSCLC studies to improve clinical outcomes in patients.

PMID:41937706 | DOI:10.2174/0113862073445368260131002109

Anim Genet. 2026 Apr;57(2):e70092. doi: 10.1002/age.70092.

ABSTRACT

Oyster pompano (Trachinotus anak) is a commercially valuable marine species widely farmed in Southeast Asia, yet growth heterogeneity remains a persistent challenge in cage aquaculture. To investigate whether body weight influences the intestinal microbiota of this species, we compared the gut microbial communities of small and large T. anak using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The intestinal microbiota was dominated by Pseudomonadota (Proteobacteria) and Mycoplasmatota, together accounting for nearly 80% of total sequences, with additional contributions from minor phyla such as Spirochaetota, Thermodesulfo bacteriota, and Bacteroidota. While alpha- and beta-diversity analyses revealed no significant differences between groups, community composition and structure varied. Smaller fish harbored a more heterogeneous assemblage at the class level and a broader suite of core taxa, including Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Bdellovibrio, and Comamonas. In contrast, larger fish were dominated by fewer classes, with Photobacterium and Brevinema emerging as distinctive core members. LEfSe analysis identified discriminant taxa between groups, although these trends were not statistically significant after multiple-testing correction. Network analysis highlighted striking differences in microbial interactions: smaller fish exhibited highly modular, densely connected networks with potential keystone taxa such as Paracidovorax and Ensifer, whereas larger fish displayed simpler, less structured networks indicative of reduced ecological stability. Together, these findings demonstrate that body weight is associated with subtle but ecologically meaningful shifts in microbiota composition, core membership, and interaction networks in cage-cultured T. anak. This work underscores the potential of microbiome-informed management strategies to mitigate growth variability and enhance the sustainability of marine aquaculture.

PMID:41937700 | DOI:10.1002/age.70092

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2026 Apr 6:34894261435254. doi: 10.1177/00034894261435254. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of local anesthesia in reducing pain associated with fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules, examine the side effects of local anesthesia, and identify factors that influence pain during FNA of thyroid nodules.

METHOD: We conducted a randomized clinical trial in the Department of Otolaryngology at Ramathibodi Hospital. Patients scheduled to undergo FNA of thyroid nodules were divided into four groups and subsequently administered four types of local anesthesia: Group A (Placebo cream), Group B (Cold placebo cream), Group C (Topical anesthetic cream), and Group D (Cold topical anesthetic cream). The primary outcome was the mean difference in pain levels (measured using a visual analog scale [VAS] and a numeric rating scale [NRS]) between the treatment and control groups.

RESULTS: Initially, 72 participants were enrolled in this study, and data from 62 participants were analyzed. The VAS scores were measured at 0, 10, and 30 minutes post-procedure, with mean scores of 25.85 ± 4.65 (Group A), 21.26 ± 4.81 (Group B), 18.05 ± 4.51 (Group C), and 16 ± 4.97 (Group D). Although Group D showed the lowest pain scores, statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between groups (all P > .05).

CONCLUSION: Local anesthesia and cooling can decrease the level of pain. However, in this study, topical anesthetic did not significantly reduce pain compared to non-anesthetic treatments.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

PMID:41937677 | DOI:10.1177/00034894261435254

Vopr Virusol. 2026 Feb 28;71(1):62-72. doi: 10.36233/0507-4088-359.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a widespread gamma-herpesvirus associated with a number of malignancies, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric cancer (GC/EBV+). The primary oncogenic protein of EBV is latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). Genetic variability of the LMP1 protein affects its oncogenic activity and clinical manifestations.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal threshold value for EBV viral load, determine the correlation between high viral load and the detection of the LMP1 gene in the blood of patients with GC/EBV+, and to identify mutations in the C-terminal domains of the LMP1 gene that may affect protein function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total DNA was extracted from 227 blood samples of GC patients. The LMP1 gene was amplified using nested PCR. EBV DNA viral load in blood samples was analyzed by qPCR, followed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and interquartile range (IQR) assessment. A selection criterion for positive DNA samples (EBV+) was established based on the mean viral load and ROC threshold.

RESULTS: ROC curve analysis and descriptive statistics identified 23 EBV-positive (EBV+) DNA samples, with the following results: AUC (area under the curve) = 0.83, optimal threshold 526.92 copies/reaction, sensitivity 0.69, specificity 0.87, and mean viral load: 513.5 copies/reaction. A statistically significant association was found between detection of the LMP1 gene in the blood and viral load level (χ² test p = 0.018; Mann-Whitney U test p < 0.0001). Additionally, synonymous and nonsynonymous mutations were identified in regions of LMP1 gene coding the C-terminal activating domains (CTAR1 and CTAR2).

CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the heterogeneous molecular nature of EBV-associated gastric cancer, including genetic mutations in the LMP1 gene.

PMID:41937671 | DOI:10.36233/0507-4088-359

Vopr Virusol. 2026 Feb 28;71(1):32-41. doi: 10.36233/0507-4088-327.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the level of humoral immunity to the West Nile virus (WNV) in the Moscow region population after the end of the outbreak in October 2021, as well as to confirm the specificity of antibodies to WNV by comparatively testing patient sera for antibodies to the antigenically related endemic tick-borne encephalitis orthoflavivirus (TBEV) using ELISA-IgM, ELISA-IgG, and 50% plaque reduction neutralization test.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 1,594 sera from outpatients-residents of Moscow and the surrounding region-who underwent outpatient examination in the winter of 2021 at Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Moscow (IKB No. 1) and medical institutions of the Moscow Regional Research Institute named after M.F. Vladimirsky Regional Research Institute (MONIKI) conducted a study without any connection to WNV infection in the summer-autumn of 2021.

RESULTS: All samples were negative in ELISA-IgM test with WNV and TBEV antigens. In an ELISA-IgG test with the WNV antigen, antibodies were detected in 64 samples (4.0%). All samples were tested for IgG antibodies to TBEV in an ELISA and neutralizing antibodies to WNV and TBEV in a 50% plaque reduction neutralization test. Specific antibodies to WNV were detected in 44 samples (68.8%), to TBEV in eleven (17.2%), and group-specific antibodies in nine (14.0%). According to the total data from the test of 1,594 sera from residents of the Moscow region, specific antibodies to WNV were detected in 2.8% of cases, to TBEV in 0.7%, and group-specific antibodies in 0.6%. Ten of the 11 individuals with specific IgG antibodies to TBEV were undergoing outpatient examination at Moscow’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital No. 1 for a history of tick-borne encephalitis or for post-vaccination immunity testing following vaccination against this infection. The detection rate of specific antibodies to WNV in similar studies conducted in the same region in 2013 was 0.2%, while in 2021 it was 2.8%. The difference between these rates is statistically significant (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Based on these data, it can be concluded that sporadic undiagnosed cases of WNV infection occurred in Moscow and the surrounding region between 2013 and 2021.

PMID:41937668 | DOI:10.36233/0507-4088-327

Womens Health (Lond). 2026 Jan-Dec;22:17455057261424102. doi: 10.1177/17455057261424102. Epub 2026 Apr 6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Postnatal care (PNC) is recommended as a means of preventing maternal mortality during the postpartum period, but many women in low- and middle-income countries do not access care during this period.

OBJECTIVE: We set out to examine sociocultural preferences that have been portrayed as barriers to care.

DESIGN: We designed a qualitative study using the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF).

METHODS: We performed an abductive analysis of 63 semi-structured interviews with women who had recently given birth in three regions of Ethiopia using the HEIF and an inductive-deductive codebook to understand why women in Ethiopia do not use recommended PNC.

RESULTS: We found that, in many cases, health providers do not consider women’s cultural safety a primary need, but rather as a barrier to care. However, women’s perceived refusal to participate in postnatal visits was, for many, an expression of agency and assertion of their needs for cultural safety.

CONCLUSION: We propose adding cultural safety to HEIF as a process outcome so that implementers consider cultural needs in a dynamic manner that does not ask patients to choose between meeting their cultural needs and receiving necessary health care during the postnatal period.

PMID:41937658 | DOI:10.1177/17455057261424102

Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2026;20(1):23-35. doi: 10.1353/cpr.2026.a987070.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In King County, Washington, the new HIV diagnosis rate is 10 times higher among African immigrants than the general population. Many African immigrants report never testing for HIV due to various reasons, including inaccessible testing, stigma around HIV and testing, and concerns over jeopardizing their immigration status.

OBJECTIVES: We partnered with the Ethiopian Community in Seattle, the Eritrean Health Board, and the Congolese United Foundation to deliver community-based HIV testing via health fairs at faith-based organizations in King County. We also worked to address community-level HIV-related stigma HIV through pilot implementation of an existing workshop intervention.

METHODS: We held four health fairs from September 2023 to April 2024 at three faith-based organizations, including free point-of-care HIV and other health screenings. Participants completed questionnaires related to sociodemographics and HIV testing history and stigma. Additionally, we adapted and piloted a faith-based HIV stigma reduction intervention called Project FAITHH.

RESULTS: There were 105 health fair attendees and 11 Project FAITHH workshop participants across the three communities. Sixty (52%) were women, 62 (54%) were from Ethiopia and Eritrea, and 85 (74%) had health insurance at the time. Seventy-two (69%) participants underwent HIV testing at the health fairs. Commonly perceived barriers to accessing HIV testing include fear of discovering their results, concerns about privacy and confidentiality, and anxiety about HIV-related stigma.

CONCLUSIONS: Building relationships between academic researchers, community organizations, and faith-based organizations can improve the acceptability of and access to HIV testing among African immigrant communities by addressing perceived barriers to HIV testing.

PMID:41937644 | DOI:10.1353/cpr.2026.a987070

Int J Dev Neurosci. 2026 Apr;86(2):e70121. doi: 10.1002/jdn.70121.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pharmacotherapy plays an essential role in managing neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in children, although most psychotropic medications are prescribed off-label. Caregivers’ hesitation toward medication remains an important issue in child psychiatry practice. This study aimed to investigate caregivers’ concerns and expectations regarding pharmacotherapy for their children and identify factors associated with their willingness to medicate.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between August and December 2023 at the Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Department, University Hospital, Japan. Primary caregivers of children aged 2-15 years attending follow-up outpatient visits completed structured questionnaires assessing their concerns, expectations, and perceived treatment purposes. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of caregivers’ willingness to medicate.

RESULTS: A total of 212 caregivers (92.5% mothers) participated. The most frequent diagnosis reported was autism spectrum disorder (47.6%), followed by attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (25.5%). The leading concerns regarding pharmacotherapy were long-term medication use (56.1%), side effects (43.4%) and dependence (41.0%). Over 90% of caregivers expected child psychiatrists to provide supportive opportunities for both children and caregivers. Logistic regression analysis revealed that concern about long-term medication use was significantly associated with a positive attitude toward pharmacotherapy (p < 0.001). Caregivers’ perceived distress regarding their children’s problems, measured using a visual analogue scale, significantly decreased from 7.9 ± 2.0 at the initial visit to 5.3 ± 2.2 at present under medical care (paired t-test, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Long-term pharmacotherapy remains a major concern among caregivers in child psychiatry, indicating the need for clinicians to address it earnestly.

PMID:41937632 | DOI:10.1002/jdn.70121

Alzheimers Dement. 2026 Apr;22(4):e71333. doi: 10.1002/alz.71333.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The trajectories of cognitive decline before and after new-onset dual sensory impairment (DSI) remain largely unknown.

METHODS: Participants were included without DSI at baseline and with at least two recorded cognitive measures. A linear mixed-effects model was used to analyze the trend of cognitive function changes over time before and after DSI.

RESULTS: The annual rate of cognitive decline was similar at baseline between individuals who experienced DSI onset and individuals with non-DSI. After the DSI onset, the slope of global cognitive decline in the DSI group was statistically different from that in the non-DSI group (in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, β: -0.098 standard deviation [SD]/year; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.145 to -0.050. In the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, β: -0.085 SD/year; 95% CI: -0.165 to -0.006).

DISCUSSION: Participants experienced accelerated cognitive decline upon developing new-onset DSI. Incident DSI is associated with accelerated cognitive decline after, but not before, the event.

PMID:41937619 | DOI:10.1002/alz.71333

Phytother Res. 2026 Apr 6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.70321. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Most Germans consider herbal medicinal products (HMPs) to be an important supplement to conventional medicine. Despite existing clinical evidence for safety and efficacy, they are still not sufficiently integrated into drug therapy of gynaecological complaints in everyday practice. By analysing patient-reported outcomes (PROs), this gap in medical care can be closed. Real-world data was extracted from the pharmaco-epidemiological database PhytoVIS. We analysed a sample (n = 1658) containing PROs from women who utilised HMPs to treat their gynaecological complaints applying descriptive and non-parametric bivariate statistical tests. Perceived effectiveness and tolerability of HMPs was rated as very good. For the treatment of menstrual complaints, Vitex agnus-castus L. was primarily used, and Actaea racemosa L. for menopausal complaints. Various herbal drugs were applied for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs), but mainly Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. Regarding the pharmaceutical form, herbal teas were preferred for the treatment of uUTIs or by very young or elderly women. All other pharmaceutical forms were favoured for menstrual and menopausal complaints or middle-aged women. The pharmaceutical form did not impact the perceived therapeutic effectiveness. Our results provide valuable insights into patient preferences and show options for their integration into existing treatment strategies. By identifying the most popular and efficacious plants for certain gynaecological ailments, we support healthcare providers to better address the growing demand for complementary treatment options. This knowledge helps in tailoring healthcare to meet patient needs and to ensure the safety and efficacy of HMPs.

PMID:41937616 | DOI:10.1002/ptr.70321