Tag: statistics

Indian J Orthop. 2025 Apr 15;59(4):549-557. doi: 10.1007/s43465-025-01365-x. eCollection 2025 Apr.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the gender differences in clinical severity, physical function, and radiographic parameters in patients with knee osteoarthritis at presentation to a tertiary care center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional observational study on patients with knee osteoarthritis aged more than 50 years who presented to a tertiary care center. Clinical assessment was done by modified WOMAC score. Physical function assessment was done by five performance-based tests: a thirty-second chair stand test, 40 m (4 × 10 m) fast-paced walk test, stair climb test, timed up-and-go test, and six-minute walk test. Radiographic assessment was done by plain radiographs using the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading and measuring the femorotibial angle.

RESULTS: A total of 111 patients (50 males and 61 females) were included. Females had significantly more pain and stiffness than males as assessed by modified WOMAC score at the time of presentation (pain: males 5.28 ± 3.0, females 7.45 ± 3.93, p-value 0.002) (stiffness: males 1.16 ± .81, females 1.63 ± .94, p-value 0.006). There was a statistically significant difference in all five performance-based physical function tests between the male and female patients (p-value < .05) with females showing poorer scores at the time of presentation. There was no statistically significant difference in the KL grading between males and females.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights significant gender differences in the clinical presentation of knee OA, with females experiencing greater pain, stiffness, and reduced physical functions but similar radiological grading at presentation. These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive clinical assessment that must include both radiographic and physical function evaluation to ensure optimal management and improved outcomes for patients with knee OA.

PMID:40276792 | PMC:PMC12014990 | DOI:10.1007/s43465-025-01365-x

J Nematol. 2025 Apr 24;57(1):20250012. doi: 10.2478/jofnem-2025-0012. eCollection 2025 Feb.

ABSTRACT

Helicoverpa zea is a major agricultural pest, particularly in cotton, and poses significant challenges due to its ability to develop resistance to chemical insecticides. This study evaluates the efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematode (Steinernema adamsi) and its mutualistic bacteria (Xenorhabdus) as biological control agents against H. zea larvae in both laboratory and field settings. In laboratory assays, mortality rates for 1^st to 4^th instars were high, ranging from 74.2% to 100%, while 5^th instars exhibited significantly lower susceptibility (<37% mortality). Pupae were completely resistant to nematode infection. The impact of UV radiation on nematode efficacy was assessed, with mortality decreasing from 100% in control conditions (0 hours of UV exposure) to 71.8% after 5 hours of UV exposure, highlighting the vulnerability of S. adamsi to UV degradation. In addition, Xenorhabdus caused 100% mortality in H. zea larvae when injected directly into the hemocoel, but oral toxicity was significantly lower, with 36% mortality in 7 days post-exposure. Field experiments demonstrated that the combination of S. adamsi with 0.05% sodium alginate (hygroscopic agent) and 0.02% Congo red (UV protectant) resulted in a significant increase in larval mortality. In field test A, where S. adamsi was applied in water, mortality averaged 56% with 82% EPN infection. In field test B, the combined treatment of sodium alginate and Congo red led to 98% larval mortality, although infection rates were lower and statistically non-significant. The addition of these protective agents likely enhanced the environmental stability and efficacy of the nematodes under field conditions. These findings suggest that S. adamsi can be an effective biological control agent for H. zea, particularly when combined with formulations that protect against UV radiation and desiccation. Future research should focus on optimizing nematode delivery systems to improve field efficacy under diverse environmental conditions.

PMID:40276782 | PMC:PMC12020467 | DOI:10.2478/jofnem-2025-0012

One Health. 2025 Apr 11;20:101036. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101036. eCollection 2025 Jun.

ABSTRACT

West Nile Virus (WNV) lineage 2, primarily endemic to parts of Africa and Europe, has recently emerged as a public health concern in new geographic regions. In 2024, the first autochthonous human case of neuroinvasive disease caused by WNV lineage 2 was identified in Andalusia, Southern Spain. Molecular testing and whole-genome sequencing confirmed WNV lineage 2 as the causative agent. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship with strains circulating in Central Europe, distinct from previous WNV lineage 2 detections in Spain. Concurrently, WNV lineage 2 RNA was detected in an imperial eagle near the case location, suggesting local viral circulation. This case marks a significant shift in WNV epidemiology in Spain, where lineage 1 has historically been dominant. The findings underscore the expanding range of WNV lineage 2 and the necessity for enhanced vector surveillance, genomic monitoring, and strengthened One Health strategies to mitigate future outbreaks and protect public health.

PMID:40276693 | PMC:PMC12018207 | DOI:10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101036

Front Oral Health. 2025 Apr 10;6:1568252. doi: 10.3389/froh.2025.1568252. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the impact of different telephone follow-up frequencies on periodontal clinical parameters after non-surgical periodontal therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with Stage II-IV periodontitis were enrolled and randomly assigned to high-frequency (once every 2 weeks), medium-frequency (once a month), and low-frequency (once in 3 months) follow-up groups. All patients received standard non-surgical periodontal treatment. The full mouth probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PI) were evaluated at baseline, after treatment (T1) and post treatment 3 months (T2).

RESULTS: From T1 to T2, the high-frequency follow-up group had significant reduced in PD (p = 0.03), improved in GI (p = 0.04) and PI (p = 0.03) compared with the medium and low-frequency groups. There was no significant difference in PD, GI, and PI between the medium-frequency group and the low-frequency group. No statistical difference was found in CAL among the three groups.

CONCLUSION: More frequent telephone follow-up helps maintain and enhance non-surgical periodontal therapy effects.

PMID:40276684 | PMC:PMC12018391 | DOI:10.3389/froh.2025.1568252

Clin Kidney J. 2025 Feb 20;18(4):sfaf059. doi: 10.1093/ckj/sfaf059. eCollection 2025 Apr.

ABSTRACT

An artificial intelligence boom is currently ongoing, mainly due to large language models, leading to significant interest in artificial intelligence and subsequently also in machine learning (ML). One area where ML is often applied, prediction modelling, has also long been a focus of conventional statistics. As a result, multiple studies have aimed to prove superiority of one of the two scientific disciplines over the other. However, we argue that ML and conventional statistics should not be competing fields. Instead, both fields are intertwined and complementary to each other. To illustrate this, we discuss some essentials of prediction modelling, elaborate on prediction modelling using techniques from conventional statistics, and explain prediction modelling using common ML techniques such as support vector machines, random forests, and artificial neural networks. We then showcase that conventional statistics and ML are in fact similar in many aspects, including underlying statistical concepts and methods used in model development and validation. Finally, we argue that conventional statistics and ML can and should be seen as a single integrated field. This integration can further improve prediction modelling for both disciplines (e.g. regarding fairness and reporting standards) and will support the ultimate goal: developing the best performing prediction models for the patient and healthcare provider.

PMID:40276681 | PMC:PMC12019231 | DOI:10.1093/ckj/sfaf059

Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 10;16:1468949. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1468949. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered various sectors, with education being one of the most impacted. In Peru, the shift from in-person to virtual education was imperative due to the pandemic’s constraints. This study investigates the perception of virtual education and clinical practice among final-year dentistry students at a Peruvian institution during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

METHODS: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 97 students via a survey assessing their experiences and expectations related to virtual learning and clinical skills. Instruments with dichotomous response scales measured students’ experiences with virtual education and their expectations regarding clinical practice.

RESULTS: Results indicated that most students reported a moderate experience with virtual education, with similar moderate expectations for clinical practice. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences among experience levels and practice expectations, highlighting a disparity between students’ perceived skills and their confidence in applying these skills (p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION: The study’s findings suggest that while virtual education has provided continuity, there remains considerable room for improvement in both the quality of online instruction and practical training. Enhancements in virtual teaching methods and additional support for clinical practice could better meet the needs of dental students. This study emphasizes the importance of ongoing evaluation and adaptation of virtual education strategies to address the evolving challenges and improve educational outcomes for future dental professionals.

PMID:40276670 | PMC:PMC12018325 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1468949

Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 10;16:1571447. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1571447. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Application of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) within performance environments is increasing, however measures that assess irrational beliefs in specific populations are encouraged. A population that may benefit from REBT is sports officials. This paper reports the development, validation and reliability of the Irrational Beliefs Scale for Sports Officials (IBSSO). Item development was drawn from original items of the Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI), then refined over three stages using an expert panel, novice panel and industry panel. Officials (N = 402; 349 male, 50 female, 3 undisclosed) from 11 sports (M years’ experience = 13.02; SD = 10.24) completed the inventory, with exploratory factor analysis suggesting a 3, 4, and 5-factor model from 22 remaining items. A new sample of 154 officials (140 male, 12 female, 2 undisclosed) representing 9 sports (M years’ experience = 14.61, SD = 11.96) completed the IBSSO, along with 6 other related measures (e.g., Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, Affective Reactivity Index) to assess criterion validity. A four-factor model showed acceptable fit, with self-depreciation, peer rejection demands, emotional control demands, and approval identified as subscales, as well as a three-factor model. The IBSSO was positively correlated with the additional measures and negatively correlated with age, demonstrating concurrent validity. To assess convergent validity, 94 new officials (83 male, 10 female, 1 undisclosed; M _age = 36.74 years, SD = 15.03) completed the IBSSO and iPBI simultaneously. The IBSSO was positively correlated with the iPBI, indicating convergent validity. Furthermore, 29 officials (25 male, 4 female, M years’ experience = 14.57, SD = 12.44) completed the IBSSO over three-time points, with a repeated-measures MANCOVA and Intra-Class Coefficients confirming test-retest reliability. The 16-item four-factor model was accepted based on statistical and theoretical fit. The paper presents a measure of irrational beliefs in sports officials, with investigation into the effectiveness of REBT with this population recommended.

PMID:40276669 | PMC:PMC12018365 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1571447

Appl Netw Sci. 2025;10(1):13. doi: 10.1007/s41109-025-00694-y. Epub 2025 Apr 22.

ABSTRACT

In models of infectious disease dynamics, the incorporation of contact network information allows for the capture of the non-randomness and heterogeneity of realistic contact patterns. Oftentimes, it is assumed that this underlying network is known with perfect certainty. However, in realistic settings, the observed data usually serves as an imperfect proxy of the actual contact patterns in the population. Furthermore, event times in observed epidemics are not perfectly recorded; individual infection and recovery times are often missing. In order to conduct accurate inferences on parameters of contagion spread, it is crucial to incorporate these sources of uncertainty. In this paper, we propose the use of Network-augmented Mixture Density Network-compressed ABC (NA-MDN-ABC) to learn informative summary statistics for the available data. This method will allow for Bayesian inference on the parameters of a contagious process, while accounting for imperfect observations on the epidemic and the contact network. We will demonstrate the use of this method on simulated epidemics and networks, and extend this framework to analyze the spread of Tattoo Skin Disease (TSD) among bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia.

PMID:40276656 | PMC:PMC12014783 | DOI:10.1007/s41109-025-00694-y

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2025 Apr 10;13:1543636. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1543636. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent known for its efficacy against various cancers, but its clinical application is often limited by its cardiotoxic effects. The exact mechanisms of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remain unclear, requiring further investigation. Early diagnosis is essential to enhance the quality of life and prognosis for patients with malignancies. This study aims to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DOX cardiotoxicity.

METHODS: Heart tissue samples from 20 DOX-treated cardiotoxic mice and 19 normal controls were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Multivariate statistical analysis identified differential metabolites. Key metabolites were assessed using a random forest algorithm, and ROC curves evaluated diagnostic value. H9C2 rat cardiomyoblast cells were cultured to investigate the protective effects of these metabolites.

RESULTS: Among 291 metabolites, significant differences emerged between cardiotoxic and normal mice. Five metabolites-4-hydroxy-valeric acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, traumatic acid, PI (18:2 (9Z, 12Z)/0:0), and MIPC (t18:0/24:0 (2OH))-showed diagnostic potential. ROC analysis indicated excellent value for 4-hydroxy-valeric acid and PI (18:2 (9Z, 12Z)/0:0) and high discriminatory power for 2-methylbutanoic acid (AUC = 0. 99). Pathway analysis highlighted glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor biosynthesis, unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis, pantothenate and CoA pathways, among others, associated with DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In addition, we found that the differential metabolite Cer (d18:0/12:0) can improve DOX-induced myocardial cell damage and inhibit apoptosis-related protein expression at the cellular level.

CONCLUSION: Heart tissue metabolomics with LC-MS identified critical metabolites and pathways associated with DOX cardiotoxicity, suggesting biomarkers for early diagnosis and potential therapeutic targets to mitigate DOX-related cardiotoxicity and improve clinical outcomes.

PMID:40276655 | PMC:PMC12018317 | DOI:10.3389/fcell.2025.1543636

Front Health Serv. 2025 Apr 10;5:1383292. doi: 10.3389/frhs.2025.1383292. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The health and wellbeing of small and sick newborns and their families can be enhanced through family systems care (FSC) along the care continuum. FSC encompasses a broader approach than family-centered care. FSC identifies individual and family strengths while acknowledging illness-related suffering and providing expertise to help soften it through relational family systemic interventions. Contextual factors of the targeted healthcare setting need to be understood to implement FSC. This study aims to assess healthcare professionals’ perceptions of health system features that may influence the successful context-adapted implementation of FSC into the care continuum for small and sick newborns and their families in the Ghanaian healthcare setting.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from 143 healthcare professionals, comprising nurses, midwives, and physicians who provide maternal and newborn care at a secondary facility and 13 primary health facilities in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana. The Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) instrument, employing Likert scales ranging from 1 to 5 and including questions on training history, was used to collect data on FSC through self-administered interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with STATA.

RESULTS: While 48.9% of healthcare professionals reported never receiving any didactic or school-based training, the majority (96.5%) indicated a need for in-service training in FSC. From the highest score of 5, the COACH dimension for organizational resources had the lowest score (2.8). Community engagement, commitment to work, monitoring services for action, and informal payment reported scores between 3.7 and 3.9. The highest scores were reported for the leadership and work culture dimensions, at 4.1 and 4.2, respectively. Among the different units of the care continuum, the largest variations were observed in the subdimensions of organizational resources (2.5-3.4) and informal payment (3.6-4.4).

CONCLUSION: The COACH tool provided contextual guidance for developing training strategies to implement a contextually appropriate FSC program in Ghana, which is likely to be adaptable and relevant in other low- and middle-income countries. Healthcare professionals perceive themselves as committed, with a favorable work culture and a positive perception toward their leaders, but they report limited resources and challenges in accessing knowledge sources. These findings indicate a readiness for FSC training along the continuum of care in the perinatal period.

PMID:40276641 | PMC:PMC12018503 | DOI:10.3389/frhs.2025.1383292