Tag: statistics

Biodegradation. 2025 May 17;36(3):46. doi: 10.1007/s10532-025-10143-3.

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the ultimate biodegradation degree of two resins, polyhydroxybutyrate and polylactic acid (PHB and PLA), and three commercial biobased bags (BMAT, BGREEN, and BBEIGE) through the measurement of oxygen consumption in closed respirometers. Activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was used as the inoculum, cellulose was used as the reference material, and five trials were conducted with two different devices under identical conditions, with a 28-day incubation period. The results revealed statistically significant differences in the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measurements for cellulose, PHB, and PLA between the two devices and within the same devices across different trials. The degree of biodegradation (D_t), calculated as the percentage of theoretical oxygen demand (ThOD), varied depending on the device and trial. For cellulose, D_t ranged from 61 to 93%; for PLA, the maximum Dt was 6%; and for PHB, D_t oscillated between 16 and 72%. These findings highlight the critical importance of carefully selecting the testing equipment, as it significantly influences biodegradation results, in addition to the already known interlaboratory variability caused by the inoculum.

PMID:40381126 | DOI:10.1007/s10532-025-10143-3

Int Ophthalmol. 2025 May 17;45(1):199. doi: 10.1007/s10792-025-03566-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The necessity of a specialized ophthalmological assessment following fractures of the zygomaticoorbital (ZMO) complex in an emergency setting is still debated in resource-limited health systems. The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence and types of ocular and periocular injuries (OPIs) associated with different fracture patterns of the ZMO complex. The secondary aim was to investigate the association between patient- and trauma-specific variables with the different types of OPI and identify high-risk patients for severe OPI.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with ZMO complex fractures over a seven-year period. All patients underwent a specialized ophthalmic assessment in the ophthalmology clinic within 24 h of initial admission. Visual acuity, extraocular eye movements, and pupillary reaction were examined to determine the type of OPI that occurred. Demographic and medical history data, clinical and radiological findings and specific OPIs were recorded. Demographics, fracture patterns and ophthalmological findings were presented using descriptive statistical analysis. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify associations between predictor factors (etiology of injury, fracture pattern, pre-traumatic ophthalmological conditions, antithrombotic therapy) and OPI severity.

RESULTS: 489 patients with a mean age of 50.88 years and a total of 540 examined eyes met the inclusion criteria. Ground-level fall was the most common etiology of injury. Periocular hematomas (28.99%), subconjunctival hemorrhage (18.65%) and periorbital swelling (15.13%) were the most common ophthalmologic findings. Eye motility disorders (p = 0.0003) and diplopia (p = 0.0019) were significantly more common in isolated orbital wall fractures than in other midface fracture patterns. Chemosis was significantly more common in fractures of the zygomaticoorbital complex (p = 0.0199), while lid tears (p = 0.0470) and open globe injuries (p = 0.0002) were more common in Le Fort fractures. Optic disc hemorrhage occurred significantly more frequently in patients under single antithrombotic therapy (p = 0.0171). Blow from blunt objects and Le Fort fractures were associated with higher rates of severe OPI, while pre-traumatic ophthalmologic conditions and antithrombotic therapy were not.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the study, patients who experienced blows from blunt objects and those with Le Fort fractures are at a higher risk for severe OPIs. Early specialized ophthalmological consultation is recommended for patients with zygomatic fractures and orbital involvement, especially for those with visual alterations such as motility disorders and diplopia as well as those taking antithrombotic medication.

PMID:40381119 | DOI:10.1007/s10792-025-03566-7

J Relig Health. 2025 May 17. doi: 10.1007/s10943-025-02338-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The nurses often face moral challenges and conflicts as their duties are performed. In these situations, professional values and religious well-being support their performance within a specific framework and according to defined ethical principles. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of ethics-based program on Iranian nurses’ professional values and religious well-being. This was an experimental study conducted in Hajar and Ayatollah Kashani hospitals in Shahrekord (Iran) in 2019-2020. The participants included 130 nurses who were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The outcome variables were professional values and religious well-being of nurses which measured at the beginning of the study, immediately, and two months after the intervention. Data collection occurred at baseline, immediately and 2 months after the intervention by using The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised (NPVS-R) and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). The study’s findings revealed a statistically significant difference in mean changes scores related to professional values and religious well-being between the intervention and control groups following the implementation of the intervention. In conclusion, implementation of the ethics-based program can improve the professional values and religious well-being of nurses.

PMID:40381118 | DOI:10.1007/s10943-025-02338-y

Environ Geochem Health. 2025 May 17;47(6):212. doi: 10.1007/s10653-025-02500-1.

ABSTRACT

The chromite-asbestos mining leaves behind tonnes of toxic waste, contaminating nearby agricultural fields with potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Over time, wind and water erosion spread these pollutants, severely impacting the ecosystem, food chain, and human health. This study evaluates the bioaccessible (stomach and intestinal phases) and leachable forms of PTEs, emphasizing the health and dietary risks associated with PTE pollution in this region. The study result indicates that the leachable and bio-accessible PTEs concentrations in agricultural soil, mainly Cr and Ni, were higher in zone 1 (mine tailings dumping area) and zone 2 (tailings contaminated soil) than zone 3 (uncontaminated soil). PTEs content in rice parts, mainly in boiled rice, showed moderate risk in the SAMOE model from Cr (0.011) and Ni (0.013) while in rice (without husk), it indicated high (class 5) dietary risk. The Fuzzy-TOPSIS, artificial neural network, and Monte-Carlo simulation models all demonstrated that Cr was the major contributor to anthropogenic risk. Compared to adults (5.08E-05), children (1.88E-03) were more vulnerable to total carcinogenic risk via ingestion pathway. Machine learning methods have been implemented to forecast the effects of leachable PTEs on soil-rice systems and possible health hazards associated with consuming food from the chromite-asbestos waste-contaminated zone. The survey-based Fuzzy-DEMATEL technique also showed that consumption of starch and cooked rice were the most crucial factors influencing the population’s health risk. Overall, the implications of the statistical model may aid in assessing potential health hazards and enhancing regulations for ecosystem preservation.

PMID:40381117 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-025-02500-1

Acta Parasitol. 2025 May 17;70(3):110. doi: 10.1007/s11686-025-01043-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism remains a critical challenge in livestock health management, particularly in tropical regions where environmental conditions favor parasite proliferation. This study conducted an 8-year retrospective analysis (2017-2024) of GI parasites in dairy cattle across 11 districts in Bangladesh.

METHODS: Data were sourced from a private veterinary diagnostic laboratory, with a focus on the prevalence, types, and trends of GI parasites as well as associated risk factors. GI parasites were identified using different coproscopic methods including direct smear, flotation, and sedimentation. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive analysis, followed by Poisson regression.

RESULTS: The most prevalent parasites identified were Schistosoma spp. (57.3%) and Paramphistomum spp. (22.6%), with notable peaks in prevalence during the years 2019 (65%) and 2021 (62%) for Schistosoma spp. and in 2017 (32%) for Paramphistomum spp. Other parasites, such as Balantidium (B.) coli, presented a lower but consistent prevalence (9.8%), whereas Fasciola spp. and Haemonchus spp. were identified less frequently. The analysis revealed that various factors significantly influenced parasite incidence, including seasonal variations, district-specific ecological conditions, and animal-related factors. Statistical analyses, particularly Poisson regression, demonstrated that male cattle (RR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.230-0.401) had a lower risk of infection with Schistosoma spp. than females, whereas regions with abundant water bodies, such as Manikganj (RR: 11.9, 95% CI: 6.801-20.648, p < 0.001), Mymensingh (RR:7.9, 95% CI: 2.243-27.78, p < 0.01), and Narayanganj (RR: 6.6, 95% CI: 3.867-11.177, p < 0.001), presented higher prevalence rates. Seasonal trends revealed increased prevalence rates during the winter (Schistosoma spp.: RR: 1.5, CI: 1.090-1.919, p < 0.05; Paramphistomum spp.: RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.322-3.299; B. coli: RR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.672-2.151; and Fasciola spp. RR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.322-4.555), which aligns with periods of more significant water usage and potential exposure to contaminated sources.

CONCLUSION: This study underscores the need for targeted parasite control programs, particularly in high-risk areas, and advocates for improved livestock management practices and regular veterinary interventions to mitigate the economic and health impacts of GI parasites. These findings provide valuable insights for developing tailored parasite management strategies to increase the productivity and well-being of dairy cattle in Bangladesh.

PMID:40381115 | DOI:10.1007/s11686-025-01043-w

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 May 17;197(6):659. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14061-y.

ABSTRACT

The problem of human-elephant conflict (HEC) now appears to be one of the greatest challenges in the forest-based mouzas of West Bengal as well as in India. As per the field survey from 2018-2019 to 2020-2021, a total of 277 (16.55%) and 920 (4.21%) mouzas were identified as HEC-affected out of 1674 and 21,832 recognized mouzas in Northern and Southern parts of West Bengal, respectively. Here, the destruction of crops, huts, death and injury of human, livestocks, and even elephants have been increased year after year. Crop-raiding incident is the most common problem among all that occurs during the milky stage and harvesting stage of paddy. Numerous studies have been carried out showing the pattern of HEC incident in some areas of West Bengal, but none of them have tried to identify the HEC risk depending upon crop-raiding incident in this state. Here, it has been tried to examine the mouza-wise HEC risk based on crop-raiding incident in the stated two parts of West Bengal. Two important parameters, the number of crop fields raided and the total number of crop fields present but not raided, were taken into consideration to measure the HEC risk. The result shows that the Jhargram (0.75-0.98), Medinipur (0.68-0.89), and Rupnarayan (0.68-0.89) forest divisions are the highest HEC risk areas in West Bengal. The most dominant factor as determined from the principal component analysis is the lack of fodder and other biological requirements that are one of the basic needs for survival of the elephants within the forest (0.864). The total risk for raiding crop is 3.21 and 2.93 in the two parts of West Bengal. Here, the paddy and vegetables fields are more prone to be raided. Moreover, descriptive statistics were also used to explain the patterns of crop-raiding incidents. The findings may provide a way out for the sustainable management of HEC risk like establishment of micro-habitat, creation of elephant proof trench/electric fences, and rapid plantation of indigenous plant species in the vacant forest areas, thereby helping the policymakers in wildlife conservation.

PMID:40381103 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-14061-y

Sleep Breath. 2025 May 17;29(3):187. doi: 10.1007/s11325-025-03339-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a brief instrument to identify sleep propensity. However, little is known about the psychometric performance of the Spanish version in university students. The study aimed to study the validity and reliability of the ESS in Colombian university students.

METHODS: A psychometric study was designed with 465 students of health-related careers between 18 and 29 years old (M = 20.48, SD = 2.27); 66.67% of the students were women. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, comparisons of scores between men and women, correlations with insomnia (Athens Insomnia Scale, AIS), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and sleep hygiene (SHI-10) and sex differential item functioning as indicators of validity and Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega were calculated as estimators of internal consistency.

RESULTS: The ESS showed a unidimensional structure, similar scores in men and women, statistically significant correlations with AIS, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and SHI-10, without sex differential item functioning, and high internal consistency (Cronabch’s alpha and McDonald’s omega of 0.82).

CONCLUSION: The Spanish version of the ESS presents acceptable validity and reliability indicators in Colombian university students. However, these findings must be corroborated in other samples of Spanish-speaking participants.

PMID:40381086 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-025-03339-7

Lasers Med Sci. 2025 May 17;40(1):227. doi: 10.1007/s10103-025-04488-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive research, there is still no consensus on the optimal treatment for Striae distensae (SD).

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of ablative (short pulse (SP) mode) versus combined ablative and non-ablative (short pulse + smooth (SP + SM) mode) modality of Er: YAG laser for the treatment of SD.

METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on 29 female participants with SD referred to Razi Hospital in 2021. The body areas were divided into left and right side areas. The right side of body areas with SD was treated with SP + SM mode. The left side of body areas with SD was only treated with SP mode. Three months after treatment, clinical improvement was assessed based on dermatologist assessment and patients’ opinion.

RESULTS: The participants were middle-aged women with SD on the chest, abdomen, thighs, knees, or arms. SD in both study groups (SP + SM mode versus SP mode alone) showed improvement after treatment. Nonetheless, there was no statistically significant difference between the two study groups regarding the clinical improvement based on dermatologist assessment (p = 0.279) and improvement of striae based on patient opinion (p = 0.208).

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we demonstrated that both ablative (SP mode) and combined ablative and non-ablative (SP + SM mode) strategies of Er: YAG laser are efficient for the treatment of SD. However, we failed to show any superiority for combined ablative and non-ablative (SP + SM mode) compared to ablative (SP mode) modality.

PMID:40381084 | DOI:10.1007/s10103-025-04488-7

Discov Oncol. 2025 May 17;16(1):794. doi: 10.1007/s12672-025-02636-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinogenesis involves dynamic interactions between genetic susceptibility and cellular heterogeneity, yet current studies rarely disentangle causal genes from passive associations. While GWAS have mapped numerous risk loci, only a minority colocalize with eQTL/pQTL. A multi-omics framework combining single-cell transcriptomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and MR is urgently needed to resolve cell-type-specific drivers of colorectal cancer pathogenesis.

METHODS: We integrated GWAS data, eQTL data, pQTL data, and single-cell RNA sequencing differential gene expression profiles from public databases. Subsequent batch Two-sample Mendelian randomization and further SMR analysis aimed to identify key genes in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified 4909 DEGs across various cell types. We discovered that 428 DEGs had a causal association with colorectal cancer through eQTL, of which 38 genes met the FDR statistical standards, and four of these genes (CTSF, PCSK7, LYZ, LMAN2L) also had causal associations through pQTL. SMR analysis confirmed the reliability of PCSK7 as a disease target.

CONCLUSION: By integrating single-cell data, transcriptomic data, proteomic data and GWAS data for MR analysis, we identified CTSF, PCSK7, LYZ, LMAN2L as potential targets for colorectal cancer.

PMID:40381082 | DOI:10.1007/s12672-025-02636-7

J Community Health. 2025 May 17. doi: 10.1007/s10900-025-01476-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine diet, physical activities, and the frequency and risk factors for body weight problems in children aged between 5 and 13 who attend public primary schools in Constantine, Algeria. A total of 811 children (403 girls and 408 boys) enrolled in three random primary schools in Constantine took anthropometric measurements to calculate body mass index (BMI = weight/size). A questionnaire was created to collect information about the children’s lifestyles, which was completed online by their parents. Obesity and overweight were determined according to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). A statistical analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for overweight and obesity. The results showed that overweight affects 1.726% of children (57.15% boys and 42.85% girls). The results also showed a 0.616% prevalence of obesity (60% boys, 40% girls). In addition to that, the results of this study revealed that 72.133% of the children are underweight (51.96% boys, 48.04% girls), and 25.524% of them have normal weight (44.92% boys, 55.08% girls). In risk factor analysis, the results show that body weight problems are associated with different factors like sex, age group (8-10 years old), number and composition of meals, and lack of physical activity. Body weight problems are a severe condition that deserves significant healthcare expenses, and for that, urgent protective measures are required. The promotion of a healthy diet and regular physical activity is a top priority in body weight problem prevention, especially for children.

PMID:40381075 | DOI:10.1007/s10900-025-01476-4