Tag: statistics

Anim Microbiome. 2026 Feb 3;8(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s42523-026-00520-5.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Heat stress (HS) adversely affects poultry health and productivity. Recently, it has been suggested that the gut microbiota may play a role in host resilience to HS, although the details of its mechanism remain unclear. Here, the heat tolerance-related effects of dietary supplementation of compost fermented by the thermophile Bacillaceae were explored using a laying hen model (601,474 hens in total).

RESULTS: In a field study conducted during the summer (maximum temperatures of approximately 35 °C) in eleven hen houses, oral administration of the compost extract resulted in a statistically significant reduction in mortality. Difference-in-differences analysis revealed that the abundances of the genera Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group, Enterococcus, Ruminococcus 2, Blautia, Lactobacillus, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, and Tyzzerella 4 were significantly increased by compost administration, whereas those of the Prevotellaceae NK3B31 group, Prevotella 9, Romboutsia, Turicibacter, and Escherichia-Shigella were significantly reduced. In addition, to evaluate the relationship between short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) metabolic profiles and the gut bacterial population, factor analysis combined with feature selection based on multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms was performed. The resulting optimal structural equation model suggested that compost administration led to increases in the levels of the SCFAs acetate and butyrate, as well as decreases in the levels of the genera Romboutsia and Turicibacter.

CONCLUSION: Oral administration of thermophile-fermented compost to laying hens alleviated HS-induced mortality. Integrative computational evaluations further revealed that the reduction in mortality was linked to structural changes in the gut microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations.

PMID:41634863 | DOI:10.1186/s42523-026-00520-5

Cancer Imaging. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s40644-026-00996-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accurate differentiation between luminal A and B subtypes of breast cancer is critical for selecting therapeutic strategies. However, current approaches rely predominantly on invasive biopsy and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Therefore, the development of non-invasive imaging-based methods capable of reliably classifying tumor subtypes remains an urgent task.

METHODS: To develop and validate a hybrid classification model combining radiomic and deep learning features extracted from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to differentiate between luminal A and B subtypes of invasive breast cancer. The study included 312 women from China, Russia and Bulgaria with confirmed luminal subtypes of breast cancer. All patients underwent standardized pre-treatment DCE-MRI, and subtypes were determined using IHC. Tumors were semi-automatically segmented, and radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics. Additionally, deep features were extracted from DCE-MRI using a 3D ResNet-50 convolutional neural network. Three models were constructed: a radiomics-based model, a deep learning-based model, and a hybrid model that integrated both approaches using a stacking ensemble method. Model performance was evaluated using AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and other metrics on a test dataset and an independent external validation cohort (n = 148). SHAP and Grad-CAM techniques were applied for model interpretability.

RESULTS: The hybrid model significantly outperformed the individual approaches, achieving an AUC of 0.921, sensitivity of 88.6%, and specificity of 89.7% on the test dataset. Performance remained robust in the external validation cohort (AUC = 0.903). Statistical tests (DeLong and bootstrapping) confirmed the significance of these differences. The most important contributors were radiomic features related to shape and texture (e.g., entropy, sphericity) and high-level deep features. Visualizations highlighted clinically relevant model attention areas.

CONCLUSION: The proposed hybrid approach represents a clinically applicable, non-invasive method for classifying breast cancer subtypes, potentially complementing or partially replacing biopsy in selected cases. It enhances diagnostic accuracy while maintaining interpretability. Future work will focus on prospective validation and integration with genomic and clinical data within the framework of precision oncology.

PMID:41634854 | DOI:10.1186/s40644-026-00996-z

J Eat Disord. 2026 Feb 3;13(Suppl 1):297. doi: 10.1186/s40337-026-01529-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The ANZAED (Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders) Eating Disorder Credential is the first national, cross-disciplinary program to recognise minimum standards qualifications, knowledge, training, and ongoing professional development for health professionals to provide safe and effective treatment. While timely access to safe and effective treatment is known to improve quality of life and increase the likelihood of optimal treatment outcomes, there is currently no empirical evidence on the Credential’s impact for people with an eating disorder (ED). To address this gap, this study explored the perceptions and treatment experiences of individuals with an ED who received care from a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician.

METHODS: Participants were 16 people with lived experience of an ED, who had received treatment from a credentialed clinician. Participants engaged in a semi-structured interview and an online self-report survey, both exploring their ED treatment experiences. Analysis included descriptive statistics from survey data and an inductive reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts.

RESULTS: The first theme generated by the thematic analysis was treatment experiences with credentialed vs. non-credentialed clinicians, with (1) trust and safety, (2) seeing the whole person, and (3) teamwork identified as subthemes. The second theme was attitudes towards the Credential, with (1) the perception of the Credential as a source of hope and (2) the potential for improved access to appropriate treatment as subthemes.

CONCLUSIONS: Participants consistently perceived treatment with credentialed clinicians positively and felt that additional training and supervision facilitated trust in credentialed clinicians. Some participants reported their treatment team consisted of credentialed clinicians working together to coordinate treatment, which was also perceived to facilitate trust. However, some participants felt uncertain about whether the Credential met their needs and instead emphasised the importance of treatment access in regional locations and an understanding of individual presentations including comorbid conditions.

PMID:41634850 | DOI:10.1186/s40337-026-01529-6

Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s12991-025-00622-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine if individuals diagnosed with dissociative disorder (DD) are at a higher risk of suicidal acts compared to individuals without DD.

METHODS: We conducted a matched cohort study by examining electronic health records of patients admitted to Hong Kong public hospitals between January 1, 1993, through December 31, 2022. The study included 716 patients with DD and a matched comparison cohort of 716 individuals. Participants were tracked until they either received a diagnosis of suicidal acts, died from other causes, or until the end of 2023, whichever happened first. Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to determine the risk of suicidal acts following DD onset.

RESULTS: During the 30-year study period, 87 individuals (12.2%) in the DD cohort and 29 individuals (4.1%) in the comparison cohort exhibited suicidal acts, with the difference being statistically significant (χ² = 25.21, p = 0.0001). The incidence rates of suicidal acts were 86.7 and 27.3 per 10,000 person-years for the DD and comparison cohorts, respectively. After adjustment, the hazard ratio for suicidal acts in the DD cohort compared with the comparison cohort was 1.89 (95% confidence interval, 1.17-3.06).

CONCLUSIONS: DD is linked to a heightened risk of suicidal acts. Future research is required to replicate these findings and to more comprehensively identify the specific risk factors contributing to suicidal acts in this patient population.

PMID:41634844 | DOI:10.1186/s12991-025-00622-5

Popul Health Metr. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s12963-026-00456-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Public health surveillance systems require high-quality data to represent the population. In the absence of comprehensive or random testing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have developed a proxy method for synthetic random sampling to estimate the actual community-level viral incidence, based on viral testing of patients who are asymptomatic and present for elective procedures within a hospital system.

METHODS: The approach collects routine testing data on SARS-CoV-2 exposure among outpatients and performs statistical adjustments of sample representation using multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP), a procedure that adjusts for nonrepresentativeness of the sample and yields stable small group estimates. We extend MRP to accommodate time-varying data and granular geography.

RESULTS: We have developed an open-source, user-friendly MRP interface for public implementation of the Bayesian analysis workflow. We illustrate the MRP interface with an application to track community-level COVID-19 viral transmission in Michigan. We present the estimated infection rate over time for the targeted population and across demographic and geographic subpopulations.

CONCLUSION: The interface provides timely, substantive insights into population health trends and serves as a valuable surveillance tool for future epidemic preparedness. Beyond monitoring COVID-19, the MRP interface can analyze a wide range of health and social science data, making it broadly applicable to diverse research areas with reproducibility and scientific rigor.

PMID:41634841 | DOI:10.1186/s12963-026-00456-7

Parasit Vectors. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s13071-025-07232-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Broad-spectrum combination products with efficacy against endo- and ectoparasites offer the potential to optimize owner adherence to expert recommendations for canine antiparasitic treatments. In the development program for a chewable tablet containing fluralaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel, a non-terminal study design was implemented to determine anthelminthic efficacy. Four laboratory studies assessed the efficacy of this investigational veterinary product (IVP) against adult hookworms and adult Toxascaris leonina.

METHODS: In four single-site, non-terminal dose confirmation studies, dogs were inoculated with third-stage larvae of Uncinaria stenocephala (Studies 1 and 2), Ancylostoma caninum (Study 3), or larvated eggs of T. leonina (Study 4). Using fecal egg counts (FECs) from those infections, dogs were ranked and randomized to groups (Studies 1, 3, and 4, 10 per group; Study 2, 8 per group and treated once orally, on day 0, with the minimum recommended IVP dose (fluralaner 10 mg/kg, moxidectin 0.025 mg/kg, pyrantel 5 mg/kg) (BRAVECTO^® TriUNO, MSD), or left untreated. Approximately 2 weeks later, both groups in all studies were treated orally with a diagnostic dewormer (DDW) containing emodepside-praziquantel (Profender^® modified-release Tablets for Dogs, Vetoquinol). The primary efficacy objective was determined by counts of expelled worms recovered after DDW treatment. Copro-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and FECs were completed at key time points.

RESULTS: Adequacy of infection was shown in all studies. Relative to the control groups, statistically significant reductions in mean worm counts were found in IVP-treated groups in Studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 (99.8%, P < 0.0001; 100%, P = 0.0002; 100%, P < 0.0001; and 99.4%, P < 0.0001, respectively). All control dogs had positive FECs until the DDW treatment, while no eggs were detected after day 0 in 36 of the 38 IVP-treated dogs. Findings from copro-PCR and antigen-ELISA were consistent with and confirmatory of the conclusions from worm counts and FECs.

CONCLUSIONS: A single, orally administered dose of this chewable tablet formulation is effective in treating canine infections with adult hookworms (U. stenocephala, A. caninum) and T. leonina. Non-terminal studies present a valid means of determining the efficacy of anthelmintic treatments for these canine intestinal parasites.

PMID:41634831 | DOI:10.1186/s13071-025-07232-w

J Orthop Surg Res. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s13018-026-06690-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of skin staplers for wound closure following extended L-shaped incisions in the treatment of calcaneal fractures.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was performed on 82 calcaneal fracture cases (Sanders types III-IV) that underwent extended L-shaped incisions at the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from June 2022 to March 2025. Out of these, 60 cases met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A non-blinded, open, randomized controlled trial was conducted, assigning patients to either the stapler group (n = 28) or the Allgower-Donati group (n = 32). The key parameters assessed included wound closure time, the area of postoperative inflammatory reaction, changes in skin temperature at the incision corners, and wound healing grades. These parameters were then compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: At the 2-week postoperative follow-up, when sutures were removed, no significant differences were found in terms of inflammatory reaction area, skin temperature changes, or wound healing grades between the two groups. However, the stapler group demonstrated a notably shorter wound closure time (10.89 ± 2.87 min) compared to the Allgower-Donati group (20.44 ± 2.01 min).

CONCLUSION: The use of skin staplers for wound closure resulted in healing outcomes that showed no statistically significant differences from those achieved with the Allgower-Donati suturing technique in extended L-shaped incisions for calcaneal fractures. Importantly, the skin stapler method significantly reduces wound closure time (P < 0.05), which can lead to shorter overall surgical durations and a decreased risk of wound infections.

PMID:41634804 | DOI:10.1186/s13018-026-06690-x

Breast Cancer Res. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1186/s13058-026-02222-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reproductive factors are key breast cancer risk factors, yet contemporary generational patterns remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate trends in reproductive factors among US women born between 1910 and 2000.

METHODS: We conducted a serial, cross-sectional analysis of reproductive factors using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 1999 and 2020. Female participants were grouped by birth cohorts (1910-1930, then by 10-year to 2000). Self-reported data were used to derive age at menarche, prevalence of age at menarche < 12 years, age at natural menopausal, prevalence of first live birth after age 30, and lifetime number of live births.

RESULTS: Data on 28,481 US women were analyzed. From birth cohort 1910-1930 to 1990-2000, the mean age at menarche declined from 13.0 (95%CI 12.9 to 13.1) to 12.4 (95%CI 12.3 to 12.5) years (difference = – 0.6, 95%CI – 0.7 to – 0.5, p for trend < 0.001). This decline was observed in both US (12.9 [95%CI 12.9 to 13.0] to 12.4 [95%CI 12.3 to 12.5]) and non-US born (13.3 [95%CI 13.1 to 13.6] to 12.3 [95%CI 12.1 to 12.5]) women. From birth cohort 1910-1930 to 1990-2000, the prevalence of age at menarche < 12 years increased from 14.2% (95%CI 12.4 to 16.1) to 26.5% (95%CI 24.3 to 28.9%). The prevalence of first live birth after age 30 increased from 4.7% (95%CI 3.1 to 6.9%) to 10.6% (95%CI 7.3 to 15.0%) from birth cohort 1910-1930 to 1980-1990. Among women who attained menopause (up to birth cohort 1950-1960), no significant changes were observed for age at natural menopausal. However, the average lifetime number of live births declined from 3.5 to 2.4 with a significant decline in the proportion of grand multiparous women.

CONCLUSIONS: Over the past century, women in the US are attaining menarche earlier, more likely to have their first birth after age 30 and having fewer births. Parsing the extent to which changes in reproductive factors are contributing to the rising incidence of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, especially in premenopausal women, is necessary to devise long-lasting and sustainable preventive strategies.

PMID:41634775 | DOI:10.1186/s13058-026-02222-x

BioData Min. 2026 Feb 4. doi: 10.1186/s13040-025-00508-y. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41634772 | DOI:10.1186/s13040-025-00508-y

Patient Saf Surg. 2026 Feb 3;20(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s13037-025-00467-7.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41634770 | DOI:10.1186/s13037-025-00467-7