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Psychiatric disorders in individuals with co-occurring autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are common, but diagnosis presents many challenges. The Psychopathology in Autism checklist (PAC) is among the very few instruments specifically developed for this group of individuals. The psychometric properties of the PAC (i.e. criterion validity, specificity, sensitivity and predictive values) were explored by comparing scores with assessments on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and examining how well assessment by the PAC at referral predicts final clinical diagnoses. Results indicated a significant correlation with the ABC, further supporting the validity of the PAC. Sensitivity and Specificity for specific diagnoses were variable, although positive predictive value for "any diagnosis' was relatively high. The study confirms the potential value of the PAC as a screening checklist but highlights the need for clinical diagnosis to be based on a multimodal, multidisciplinary assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Foundations of Statistics for Data Scientists: With R and Python" by Alan Agresti and Maria Kateri is a timely and important book that caters to the expanding field of data science. While statisticians typically take a traditional two-semester sequence of courses, the authors argue that data science students should have a more broad and less in-depth statistical training. The book covers topics such as probability distributions, sampling distributions, statistical inference, linear models, classification, and clustering. It also includes appendices on using R and Python in statistical science, as well as solutions to exercises. The book is well-written, with clear explanations and up-to-date examples, making it suitable for classroom use. However, it may lack the depth required for graduate-level study in statistics. Overall, this book fills an important void in the field of statistical science and is a valuable resource for data science students. [Extracted from the article]

Participation in meaningful occupations is central to health, well-being, and adjustment during the transition from military service. The aim of the present study was to identify what occupations transitioning Australian Defence Force members participate in for the purpose of improving their health and well-being. A secondary aim was to identify if participation in various occupations was associated with better self-reported health and/or adjustment outcomes. One hundred and ninetyeight former Australian Defence Force members discharged on or after January 1, 2004 responded to a cross-sectional survey measuring adjustment, physical and mental health, and participation in occupations. Occupations were coded using the Time Use Classification system developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. An easier adjustment was reported by former service members who participated in employment-related activities, domestic activities, voluntary work and care activities, and social and community interaction (MD = -0.63 to -0.45, d = .37 to .52). Participation in employment-related activities, social and community interaction, and sport and outdoor activity was associated with better physical health (MD = 3.20 to 3.73, d = .34 to .40). Participation in employment-related activities was also associated with better mental health (MD = -3.75, d = .54). This research indicates that participation in occupation is a factor that may be utilized with former service members to positively influence health and adjustment during military transitions. Given differences in participation and outcomes among different sub-groups, it is recommended that occupation-based programs be tailored to individual preferences and transition needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chicago Hardship Index is a proposed starting point for introducing students to structural urban inequities. ASA's mission statement to use statistics to enhance human welfare serves as a motivation for social justice projects. This article contains an application of ASA's ethical guidelines to such projects, background information about the history and landscape of Chicago community areas, and practical ideas for how to combine hardship index data with learning statistical and data science tools. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a glimpse into the professional learning, beliefs, and practices of high school teachers of Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics. Data are from a survey of 445 AP Statistics teachers in late 2018. Results indicate many AP Statistics teachers have taken several statistics courses and engage in professional development related to statistics sponsored by the College Board (summer institutes, exam readings, and online community). They generally do not engage with resources developed by the American Statistical Association and the statistics education community. While AP statistics teachers structure class time with student-student interaction and use student-centered activities, they generally do not use statistics-specific technology tools and rarely engage students with datasets larger than 100 cases or withmultiple variables. Teachers' beliefs about teaching statistics do not always reflect their teaching practices. Personal time to improve, time with students (especially those on a blocked semester schedule), structure of curriculum and exam schedule, and lack of access to technology often prevent teachers from making changes to their practices. Findings call for targeted efforts to reach high school statistics teachers, engage them more in the statistics education community, and encourage curriculum and instructional approaches that more closely align with recommendations and trends in college-level introductory statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a suite of student-created Shiny apps for teaching statistics and a field test of their short-term effectiveness. To date, more than 50 Shiny apps and a growing collection of associated lesson plans, designed to enrich the teaching of both introductory and upper division statistics courses, have been developed. The apps are available for free use and their open source code can be adapted as desired. We report on the experimental testing of four of these Shiny apps to examine short-term learning outcomes in an introductory statistical concepts course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we discuss our attempt to teach applied statistics techniques typically taught in advanced courses, such as clustering and principal component analysis, to a non-mathematical educated audience. Considering the negative attitude and inclination toward mathematical disciplines of our students we introduce them to our topics using four different games. The four games are all user-centric, score-based arcade experiences intended to be played under the supervision of an instructor. They are developed using the Shiny web-based application framework for R. In every activity students have to follow the instructions and to interact with plots to minimize a score with a statistical meaning. No other knowledge than elementary geometry and Euclidean distance is required to complete the tasks. Results froma student questionnaire give us some confidence that the experience has benefited students, not only in terms of their ability to understand and use the explained methods but also regarding their confidence and overall satisfaction with the course. This fact suggests that these or similar activities could greatly improve the diffusion of statistical thinking at different levels of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to examine the association between primary care consultations and a Care Need Index (CNI) used to compensate Swedish primary care practices for the extra workload associated with patients with low socioeconomic status. Observational study combining graphical analysis with linear regressions of cross-sectional administrative practice-level data. Three Swedish regions, Västra Götaland, Skåne and Östergötland (3.5 million residents). Outcomes were measured in February 2018 and the CNI was computed based on data for 31 December 2017. The unit of analysis was the primary care practice (n = 390). i) Number of GP visits per registered patient; ii) Number of nurse visits per registered patient; iii) Number of morbidity-weighted GP visits per registered patient; iv) Number of morbidity-weighted nurse visits per registered patient. The linear associations between the CNI and GP visits per patient were positive and statistically significant (p<0.01) for both the unweighted and weighted measure in two regions, but the associations were mainly due to 10 practices with very high CNI values. The results for nurse visits varied across regions. For most levels of the CNI, there was no association with the number of consultations provided. This result may indicate insufficient compensation, weak incentives to spend the money, decisions to spend the money on other things than consultations, or stronger competition for patients among low-CNI practices. The result of this observational study should not be taken as evidence against the possibility that the CNI adjustment of capitation may have affected the socioeconomic equity in GP and nurse visits. Swedish primary care practices receive extra compensation for socioeconomically deprived patients but it is unknown how this affects service provision. Practice-level data from three regions years 2017-2018 indicate weak or no relation between the socioeconomic burden and the number of physical consultations per patient. Results are similar when adjusting for patients' morbidity levels, suggesting that the weak gradient was not explained by longer consultations. The exception is that a small number of practices with very high burdens provide more consultations per patient. The results may reflect insufficient compensation, lack of incentives, or funds being spent on other things than consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the inter-rater reliability of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT)-trained Diplomats in classifying adolescents and young adults with lumbar pain. Forty-three participants (mean age 15 ± 2 years) with lumbar pain, with or without lower extremity symptoms, were assessed simultaneously by three MDT Diploma holders and classified into one of three groups: 1) Derangement, 2) Dysfunction, 3) Postural/OTHER. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the Fleiss kappa statistics with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analyses were repeated with the younger (11 to 15 years old) and older (16 to 21 years old) age groups. There was moderate reliability (Fleiss kappa = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.45 to 0.54) for the entire sample, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was good reliability in older participants (Fleiss kappa = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.57 to 0.70), but poor reliability in younger participants (Fleiss kappa = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.39). There was 100% agreement in classifications among assessors for 70% of participants. The MDT system has moderate reliability when classifying lumbar pain in adolescents and young adults. Future reliability studies may include a balanced group for classifications or a second session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various treatments aimed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been developed for Veterans, but many are not formatted for use in groups, do not address common psychiatric comorbidities, and include inherent barriers (e.g., substantial time commitment). This program evaluation study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a five-session treatment, a Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)- Informed Group focused on changing irrational beliefs to address comorbid depression and anxiety (as well as anger and guilt) among post-9/11 Veterans with PTSD. Participants (n = 47) completing the REBTInformed Group demonstrated significant reductions at posttreatment in depression and PTSD symptoms. Compared to Veterans in a ten-session treatment-as-usual group (n = 47), there was no significant difference in PTSD symptom improvement despite the reduction in number of sessions. The study demonstrates that a five-week group treatment for PTSD comorbid with depression or anxiety in post-9/11 Veterans -- a therapy that may be uniquely suited to a military or Veteran population, but potentially generalizable to civilians as well -- can lead to significant reductions in depression and PTSD symptoms. Future directions include development of a manual for dissemination and replication of findings of the REBT-Informed Group to other military or Veterans Affairs medical centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a statistical analysis of the actual mean material properties for typical grades of concrete and reinforcement available in Australia. The analysis was performed using a database of 3,447 concrete cylinder test results and 15,201 reinforcement tensile test results. The test results were taken over a period from 2009 to 2021. The paper provides a summary of the mean values and respective coefficient of variation values for the different grades of concrete and reinforcement that make up the database. Distinctive manufacturing trends and variability between suppliers were observed for reinforcement samples and appropriate recommendations have been proposed. Researchers or designers can adopt these values to undertake probabilistic assessments of RC structures. The paper also provides recommendations for mean material properties for the purpose of undertaking non-linear analysis of RC structures. The database of test results also includes early age strength data for concrete, which have been used to provide recommendations for predicting the early age strength of various standard grades of concrete available in Australia. The paper also presents an assessment of the theoretical characteristic values from the database for the various grades of reinforcement and concrete and how they compare to respective specified code requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are good indicators of ecosystem health. Monitoring populations can provide useful information to inform conservation action. Kaipatiki, Auckland, contains approximately 450 ha of indigenous forest, scrub and wetland ecosystems. Pest-controlled reserves are important for supporting avian biodiversity, however, this has not been measured extensively over time across Kaipatiki. An established method to measure changes in avian biodiversity and numbers over time is using stationary point-counts. Using this method, bird counts were conducted in 19 reserves during three consecutive breeding season periods (2016–2018). We also conducted correlative analyses on mammalian predator and bird abundance within Kaipatiki to examine these relationships. Mixed modelling statistical analyses suggested significantly higher numbers of individual birds of all detected species in 2018 than both 2016 and 2017. Tūī, silvereye, grey warbler and fantail were the most common native species observed. Further, rat relative abundance had a significant negative relationship with bird abundance. Ongoing bird counts across Kaipatiki will help provide robust long-term data allowing reliable analyses of population trends and avian species dynamics. These data should be subjected to correlative analyses alongside mammalian predator control data in each reserve. This will enable us to gauge predator control effectiveness in terms of native bird number changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forward head posture is the most frequently observed postural deviations and is said to be associated with shortening of posterior cervical extensors and weakening of the anterior deep cervical flexors. Manual therapy has the potential to achieve reflexogenic changes in muscle and enhance the motor activity and strength. To evaluate the immediate effect of grade IV cervicothoracic Maitland mobilization on deep neck flexors strength in individuals with forward head posture. A Single-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial. Sixty individuals were randomly divided into two groups. Placebo-controlled (PBO) group (n = 30) received the grade I and experimental (EXP) group (n = 30) received grade IV posteroanterior central and unilateral Maitland mobilization from the upper cervical to the upper thoracic spine. Outcome measure: Clinical Cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT) was used to measure the motor activity and the strength of deep neck flexors. The strength of deep neck flexors effectively increased (p = <0.0001) after advocating grade IV mobilization. This study concluded that grade IV central and unilateral posteroanterior Maitland mobilization demonstrated significant increase in the deep neck flexors strength in individuals with forward head posture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One example is of course Graph HT ht . I want to first reemphasize that there is nothing special about the original population (Graph HT ht ) with regard to curvature: it may better, it may be worse. There appears to be no method that adapts to each setting except for the oracle Graph HT ht method, which is of course not implementable. The flat-value-surface example that LLL pose at the end of their Section 2.2 can happen for I w i = I w i SB 0 sb just as much as it can happen for Graph HT ht . [Extracted from the article]

Introducing some notation, let us define an empirical distribution with values Graph HT ht as Graph HT ht , where we let I SB a sb i denote point mass at a value I a i . Suppose one wishes to obtain predictions now based on Graph HT ht . Then we begin by splitting treated individuals (of size Graph HT ht ) into training and test samples of size I n SB a sb i and I n SB b sb i , respectively, where Graph HT ht . [Extracted from the article]

Magnesium oxide nanocubes are compressed along the [001] direction in situ in the transmission electron microscope. Incipient plasticity in the smaller samples is characterized by the nucleation of few 1 / 2 < 110 > { 110 } dislocations while a larger number of line defects is observed in larger nanocubes. Yield and flow stresses scattered stochastically above a minimum value varying as the inverse of the sample size. The upper bound is given by the reduced number of dislocation sources. Such size-dependent behaviour is justified by a detailed statistical analysis and is fully explained by the deformation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously published statistical analyses of NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament ("March Madness") game outcomes since the 64-team format for its main draw began in 1985 have uncovered some apparent anomalies, such as 12-seeds upsetting 5-seeds more often than might be expected, and seeds 10 through 12 advancing to the Sweet Sixteen much more often than 8-seeds and 9-seeds—the so-called middle-seed anomaly. In this article, we address the questions of whether these perceived anomalies truly are anomalous and if so, what is responsible for them. We find that, in contrast to conclusions drawn from previous analyses, the statistical evidence for a 12-5 upset anomaly actually is very weak, while that for the middle-seed anomaly is quite strong. We dispel some (but not all) theories for the former and offer an explanation for the latter that is based primarily on the combined effects of a nonlinear relationship between team strength and seed, the lack of reseeding between rounds, and a strong quasi-home advantage accorded to 1-seeds. We also investigate the effects that hypothetical modifications to the tournament would have on the anomalies and explore whether similar anomalies exist in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental results show that the edge detection method of the crater proposed in this paper is better than other edge detection methods; compared with other crater detection methods, the proposed method has higher detection accuracy and more correct detection rate. In the paper entitled 'A novel color image encryption based on fractional order Lorenz system' by S. Li et al., we have a novel colour image encryption algorithm is proposed based on the fractional order Lorenz system. Since the node information of a complex network is always not fully available, state estimation technique becomes an important tool to estimate the desired node information through the received measurement outputs. The high precision mechanical sensors are used to install on the rotating shaft in the traditional methods, occupied the space and increased system cost and the mechanical sensors are easily affected by the environment, reduced the measurement accuracy and system stability. [Extracted from the article]

This study compared the modification of musculoarticular stiffness (MAS) and clinical outcomes after mobilization with movement (MWM) on the inferior tibiofibular joint and a placebo MWM. Moreover, injured and non-injured ankle MAS were compared after MWM therapy. A single-blinded randomized trial was conducted on 75 participants (mean age: 22.3 ± 2.17 years) with chronic self-reported asymmetric perception of ankle dorsiflexion stiffness. Participants were allocated to one of three groups: inferior tibiofibular MWM (ITFMWM), placebo and non-injured. Sinusoidal oscillation methods were used for experimental quantification of the MAS and clinical outcomes were assessed using the weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT), pain and stiffness perception. Three assessments were made: one pre-treatment (T0), one after the manual technique (T1) and one after taping (T2). Two-way ANOVA showed no significant differences between the groups and no interaction effect for the outcome measures. However, a significant difference for the time effect (T0-T1-T2) was found in the three groups for WBLT dorsiflexion range of motion (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.21) and stiffness perception (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.54) but the minimal clinically important differences were not reached for either value. The results could not support that a single session of ITFMWM modifies MAS or the clinical outcomes compared to placebo treatment. Furthermore, injured MAS does not differ from non-injured MAS in chronic ankle dorsiflexion stiffness. Further studies should assess subjects' responsiveness concerning the Mulligan concept and focus on a medium- to long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of the Associate Editors who played a crucial role in the success of the 2023 volume year. The list includes individuals from various universities and institutions, such as Bowling Green State University, University of Toronto, Grand Valley State University, and many others. Their expertise and dedication have greatly contributed to the journal's achievements. [Extracted from the article]

Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide opportunities for developing genetic risk prediction models that have the potential to improve disease prevention, intervention or treatment. The key step is to develop polygenic risk score (PRS) models with high predictive performance for a given disease, which typically requires a large training dataset for selecting truly associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and estimating effect sizes accurately. Here, we develop a comprehensive penalized regression for fitting l1 regularized regression models to GWAS summary statistics. We propose incorporating pleiotropy and annotation information into PRS (PANPRS) development through suitable formulation of penalty functions and associated tuning parameters. Extensive simulations show that PANPRS performs equally well or better than existing PRS methods when no functional annotation or pleiotropy is incorporated. When functional annotation data and pleiotropy are informative, PANPRS substantially outperforms existing PRS methods in simulations. Finally, we applied our methods to build PRS for type 2 diabetes and melanoma and found that incorporating relevant functional annotations and GWAS of genetically related traits improved prediction of these two complex diseases. for this article, including a standardized description of the materials available for reproducing the work, are available as an online supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of 1 November 2020, estimated case-fatality rates associated with coronavirus disease 2019 are not uniformly patterned across the world and differ substantially in magnitude. Given the global spatial heterogeneity in case-fatality rates, we applied the Blinder-Oaxaca regression decomposition technique to identify how putative sociodemographic, structural, and environmental sources influence variation in case-fatality rates. We show that compositional and associational differences in country-level risk factors explain a substantial proportion of the coronavirus disease 2019-related case-fatality rate gap across nations. Asian countries fair better vis-à-vis case-fatality rate differences mainly due to variation in returns to sociodemographic, structural, and environmental sources among their citizens, relative to those who share similar attributes but live in Europe or North America. The variation in case-fatality rate is driven by Asian populations being better able to buffer the harmful effects of the very risk factors purported to exacerbate the risk of coronavirus disease 2019-related death. The dire circumstances in which we find ourselves demand better understanding of how preexisting conditions across countries contribute to observed disparities in case-fatality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of the examination process (history taking and physical examination) on pain and function. Methods: An observational cohort trial of patients presenting to outpatient physical therapy clinics for the first time with low back pain (n = 34, 57.7 ± 18.7 years, 53% female). A blinded investigator measured participants prior to the beginning of the initial evaluation and after each component of evaluation (history taking and physical examination). Another physical therapist provided normal history taking and physical examination as the patient case presented itself. Primary outcome measure was numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) for the low back and leg. Secondary outcomes and time during examination process and connection between PT and patient were also measured as potential confounders. Results: Participants showed a significant reduction in pain through just the history taking and physical exam for both the back with an NPRS reduction of 1.23 and the leg showing a 0.95 NPRS reduction. The most significant reduction occurs after history taking. Discussion: The evaluation process produced small, but significant, therapeutic effects related to pain, fear-avoidance, pain catastrophization, and functional measures of mobility and sensitivity. The therapist's report of connection with the patient did not alter the patient outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the implementation of several national-level interventions, institutional delivery coverage remains unsatisfactory in India's low performing states (LPS), leading to a high burden of maternal mortality. This study investigates the levels, differentials, and determinants of institutional deliveries in LPS of India. The study also delineates a holistic understanding of barriers to delivery at health facilities and the utilization of the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) specifically designed to improve maternal and child health of disadvantaged communities. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4, 2015–16. The study was carried out over India's nine LPS utilizing 112,518 women who had a living child in the past five years preceding the survey. Bivariate and multivariate regression analysis techniques were used to yield findings. Of the study sample, nearly three-quarters (74%) of women delivered in a health institution in the study area, with the majority delivered in public health facilities. The multivariate analysis indicates that women who lived in rural areas, belonged to disadvantaged social groups (e.g. Scheduled caste/tribes and Muslims), and those who married early (before 18 years) were less likely to utilize institutional delivery services. On the other hand, women's education, household wealth, and exposure to mass media were found to be strong facilitators of delivering in a health facility. Meeting with a community health worker (CHW) during pregnancy emerged as an important predictor of institutional delivery in our study. Further, interaction analysis shows that women who reported the distance was a 'big problem' in accessing medical care had significantly lower odds of delivering at a health facility. The study suggests emphasizing the quality of in-facility maternal care and awareness about the importance of reproductive health. Furthermore, strengthening sub-national policies specifically in underperforming states is imperative to improve institutional delivery coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate Partner Violence against women (IPV) is a major public health problem. However, mainstream indicators used in public health are not designed to fully capture the pervasive and enduring impact of IPV. We propose a new indicator that considers the burden of IPV in women during their middle life years, estimating the number of years that women are expected to live under IPV, and provide estimates for 151 countries. Prevalence rates of physical and sexual IPV for a given year are taken from the Global Database on the Prevalence of Violence Against Women. Annual period life tables are constructed using data from the World Population Prospects. We use Sullivan's method to estimate partial life expectancy between the ages of 15 and 49 lived suffering from physical and sexual IPV in each country. The final indicator measures the number of years 15 to 49-year-old women are expected to live with IPV (YLIPV) in a given year. Based on data from surveys representative of 92.0% of the global female population aged between 15 to 49, we find that ever-partnered women aged between 15 to 49 are expected to live 4.1 years (Low Bound: 2.3; Upper Bound: 7.1) suffering from violence during this age range. By regions, women are expected to suffer from IPV during 6.0 years (3.7–9.2) in Africa; 4.3 years (2.4–7.8) in Asia; 3.4 years (2.1–5.6) in Oceania; 2.6 years (1.5–4.2) in the Americas; and 1.7 years (0.9–3.1) in Europe. YLIPV is a useful indicator to display the burden of IPV. Similarly to the mainstream public health indicators rationale, YLIPV accounts for the time women are exposed to IPV during their lifespan and it is standardized by age exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of maternal deaths occur during delivery and the immediate postnatal period as a result of delays in seeking care, failure to reach health institutions, and receiving inappropriate health care. In developing countries, delayed access to timely healthcare contributes to high maternal mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to assess the delays during emergency obstetric care and associated factors with delays during emergency obstetric care. A cross-sectional study design was conducted. We chose five hospitals at random in the South Gondar zone, Ethiopia. Face-to-face Interviews were conducted with 459 participants using a systematic sampling technique. For this analysis, bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models were used. The Adjusted Odds Ratio was used to determine the statistical association with delays during emergency obstetric care at p-value <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. The proportion of delays during emergency obstetric care were found to be 59.7% in this study. The respondents' mean age was 27.23 years old, with a standard error of 5.67. Pregnant mothers living in the rural areas (AOR: 4.1, 95%, CI: 2.36 to 6.25), no ANC visit (AOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.18), uneducated women (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.45 to 8.59) and referral to a higher level of care (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.60 to 4.44), were all significantly associated with delay. Delay during emergency obstetric care was found to be 59.7 percent. Rural residency, absence of ANC visit, uneducated mothers, and referred mothers from one level to the next level of care were factors that contributed to delays in emergency obstetric care in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing neonatal mortality rates (NMR) in developing countries is a key global health goal, but weak registration systems in the region stifle public health efforts. To calculate NMRs, investigate modifiable risk factors, and explore neonatal deaths by place of birth and death, and cause of death in two administrative areas in Ghana. Data on livebirths were extracted from the health and demographic surveillance systems in Navrongo (2004–2012) and Kintampo (2005–2010). Cause of death was determined from neonatal verbal autopsy forms. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyse factors associated with neonatal death. Multiple imputations were used to address missing data. The overall NMR was 18.8 in Navrongo (17,016 live births, 320 deaths) and 12.5 in Kintampo (11,207 live births, 140 deaths). The annual NMR declined in both areas. 54.7% of the births occurred in health facilities. 70.9% of deaths occurred in the first week. The main causes of death were infection (NMR 4.3), asphyxia (NMR 3.7) and prematurity (NMR 2.2). The risk of death was higher among hospital births than home births: Navrongo (adjusted OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03–1.25, p = 0.01); Kintampo (adjusted OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.55–2.00, p < 0.01). However, a majority of deaths occurred at home (Navrongo 61.3%; Kintampo 50.7%). Among hospital births dying in hospital, the leading cause of death was asphyxia; among hospital and home births dying at home, it was infection. The NMR in these two areas of Ghana reduced over time. Preventing deaths by asphyxia and infection should be prioritised, centred respectively on improving post-delivery care in health facilities and subsequent post-natal care at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months because it protects against deadly childhood illness, including respiratory tract infections and diarrhea. We hypothesized that exclusive breastfeeding would decrease the risk of active tuberculosis (TB) in children. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 279 children in Lima, Peru aged 6 to 59 months with TB symptoms and a close adult contact with TB. Mothers self-reported breastfeeding, and children were evaluated for TB per national guidelines. To quantify the association between exclusive breastfeeding and TB, we estimated prevalence ratios using a generalized linear model with a log link, binomial distribution, and robust variance. Twenty-two percent of children were diagnosed with TB and 72% were exclusively breastfed for six months. We found no evidence that six months of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with TB disease in either bivariate analyses (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.5; 95%CI = 0.8–2.5) or multivariable analyses adjusting for sex and socioeconomic status (adjusted PR = 1.6; 95%[CI] = 0.9–2.7). In post hoc analyses among children whose close TB contact was their mother, we found evidence of a weak positive association between breastfeeding and TB (aPR = 2.1; 95%[CI] = 0.9–4.9). This association was not apparent among children whose close contact was not the mother (aPR = 1.2; 95%[CI] = 0.6–2.4). Our results raise the possibility that children who are breastfed by mothers with TB may be at increased risk for TB, given the close contact. Due to the cross-sectional study design, these results should be interpreted with caution. If these findings are confirmed in longitudinal analyses, future interventions could aim to minimize TB transmission from mothers with TB to breastfeeding infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledgeable in child development, primary school teachers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have the potential to identify their students needing mental health care. Objective: We evaluated whether teachers in Darjeeling, India can accurately nominate school-aged children for mental health services after training and aided by a novel tool. Methods: In 2018, 19 primary school teachers from five low-cost private (LCP) schools in rural Darjeeling were trained to nominate children needing care. Teachers evaluated all of their students aided by a novel tool, 'Behavior Type and Severity Tool' (BTST), completed the Achenbach Teacher Report Form (TRF) as a mental health status reference standard, and nominated two students for care. Sensitivity and specificity of being nominated compared to TRF overall and subdomain scores were calculated. BTST performance was determined by comparing BTST and TRF scores and creating Receiver Operating Characteristic curves to determine optimal cutoffs. Multivariable regression models were used to identify demographic predictors of teacher accuracy using the BTST. Results: For students demonstrating a clinical or borderline score in at least one TRF subdomain, the sensitivity (72%) and specificity (62%) of teacher nomination were moderately high. BTST overall scores and TRF Total Problem scores were correlated (Spearman's ρ = 0.34, p < 0.0001), as were all subdomains. For the TRF Total Problem score, a maximum Youden's J of 0.39 occurred at BTST cutoff >4 for borderline struggles and 0.54 at the BTST cutoff >6 for clinical struggles. Younger teacher age, less education, less formal education training, and more years of experience were positively associated with teacher accuracy. Conclusions: With training and a simple decision support tool, primary school teachers in an LMIC nominated students for mental health services with moderate accuracy. With the BTST being weakly accurate, teachers' judgment largely accounted for the moderate accuracy of nominations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past decade, the political movement called 'Revolución Ciudadana' implemented a variety of policies and interventions (P&I) in Ecuador to improve higher education and strengthen local research capacity. We refer specifically to the 'Mandato 14' and the Higher Education Law (LOES, Spanish acronym) launched in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Objective: To assess the impact of these P&I (Mandato 14/LOES) on the production of health sciences-related articles (HSRA), and the relationship of these HSRA with the country's health priorities. Methods: A Scopus search was performed to retrieve HSRA published from 1999 to 2017. Bivariate analysis was used to assess variation between the period I (1999–2008) and period II (2009–2017). Further, we examined the association between the top 10 causes of mortality and the total HSRA output. Results: The final study sample consisted of 2784 articles. After 2008, Ecuadorian production of HSRA increased steadily from 671 to 2133 publications (p<.001). Overall (1999–2017), the most common study design was cross-sectional (32.3%), the primary research focus was in the clinical-surgical area (49.3%), and the academic institutions were the primary drivers of scientific production during period II (56.9% vs. 29.5%, p<.001). Further, we found a decrease in the production of randomized controlled trials (6.7% vs. 1.8%, p<.001). Only 9% of research production involved the primary causes of mortality, and the proportion has remained unchanged over time (8.2% vs. 9.3%, p>.05). Conclusions: Ecuadorian HSRA output increased significantly after 2008. This larger volume of scientific output could be the result to the Mandato 14/LOES implemented in the last decade. However, a low percentage of HSRA are dedicated to addressing the country's health priorities. Proper planning, execution and monitoring of national health research agendas would reduce the mismatch between health burden and the HSRA output in Ecuador and other low-and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of transgenic Bt rice containing bacteria-derived mCry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was assessed by conducting field trials at two locations for two consecutive years in South Korea, using the near-isogenic line comparator rice cultivar ('Ilmi', non-Bt rice) and four commercial cultivars as references. Compositional analyses included measurement of proximates, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and antinutrients. Significant differences between Bt rice and non-Bt rice were detected; however, all differences were within the reference range. The statistical analyses, including analysis of % variability, analysis of similarities (ANOISM), similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis, and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) were performed to study factors contributing to compositional variability. The multivariate analyses revealed that environmental factors more influenced rice components' variability than by genetic factors. This approach was shown to be a powerful method to provide meaningful evaluations between Bt rice and its comparators. In this study, Bt rice was proved to be compositionally equivalent to conventional rice varieties through multiple statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide a computational exercise suitable for early introduction in an undergraduate statistics or data science course that allows students to "play the whole game" of data science: performing both data collection and data analysis. While many teaching resources exist for data analysis, such resources are not as abundant for data collection given the inherent difficulty of the task. Our proposed exercise centers around student use of Google Calendar to collect data with the goal of answering the question "How do I spend my time?" On the one hand, the exercise involves answering a question with near universal appeal, but on the other hand, the data collection mechanism is not beyond the reach of a typical undergraduate student. A further benefit of the exercise is that it provides an opportunity for discussions on ethical questions and considerations that data providers and data analysts face in today's age of large-scale internet-based data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A version control system records changes to a file or set of files over time so that changes can be tracked and specific versions of a file can be recalled later. As such, it is an essential element of a reproducible workflow that deserves due consideration among the learning objectives of statistics courses. This article describes experiences and implementation decisions of four contributing faculty who are teaching different courses at a variety of institutions. Each of these faculty has set version control as a learning objective and successfully integrated one such system(Git) into one or more statistics courses. The various approaches described in the article span different implementation strategies to suit student background, course type, software choices, and assessment practices. By presenting a wide range of approaches to teaching Git, the article aims to serve as a resource for statistics and data science instructors teaching courses at any level within an undergraduate or graduate curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the publishing of Nolan and Temple Lang's "Computing in the Statistics Curriculum" in 2010, the American Statistical Association issued new recommendations in the revised GAISE college report. To reflect modern practice and technologies, they emphasize giving students experience with multivariable thinking. Students develop multivariable thinking when they analyze real data in the context of investigating research questions of interest, which typically involve complex relationships between many variables. Proficiency in a statistical programming language facilitates the development of multivariable thinking by giving students tools to investigate complex data on their own. However, learning a programming language in an introductory course is difficult for many students. In this article, we recommend a set of computational skills for introductory courses, demonstrate them using R tidyverse, and describe a classroom activity to develop computational skills and multivariable thinking. We provide a tidyverse tutorial for introductory students, our course guide, and classroom activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we present and discuss the importance and relevance of the inclusion of spatial data analysis as part of the undergraduate statistics curriculum. Given its usefulness and applicability across a range of disciplines, spatial data are a topic that should receive more emphasis within undergraduate statistics curricula. There exist many topical and intriguing spatial datasets from different areas of research that can bring fruitful discussions into the classroom including the environment, medicine, and political science. Spatial data can be incorporated at any level of study, from lower to upper division courses, as well as graduate-level courses in Mathematics and Statistics. This article will focus on its role in undergraduate statistics curricula, and present topics that can be included in an introductory course, a mathematical course in statistics, and an elective course in spatial data analysis. Supplemental materials for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students learn many concepts in the introductory statistics course, but even our most successful students end up with rigid, ritualized knowledge that does not transfer easily to new situations. In this article we describe our attempt to apply theories and findings from learning science to the design of a statistics course that aims to help students build a coherent and interconnected representation of the domain. The resulting practicing connections approach provides students with repeated opportunities to practice connections between core concepts (especially the concepts of statistical model, distribution, and randomness), key representations (R programming language and computational techniques such as simulation and bootstrapping), and real-world situations statisticians face as they explore variation, model variation, and evaluate and compare statistical models. We provide a guided tour through our curriculum implemented in an interactive online textbook (CourseKata.org) and then provide some evidence that students who complete the course are able to transfer what they have learned to the learning of new statistical techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although statistical literacy has become a key competence in today's data-driven society, it is usually not a part of statistics education. To address this issue, we propose an innovative concept for a conference-like seminar on the topic of statistical literacy. This seminar draws attention to the relevance and importance of statistical literacy, and moreover, students are made aware of the process of science communication and are introduced to the peer review process for the assessment of scientific papers. In the summer term 2020, the seminar was conducted as a joint project by the University of Hamburg, the University of Muenster, and the Joachim Herz Foundation. In this article, we present the concept of the seminar and our experience with this concept in the summer term 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical relationships between surface ozone (O3) concentration, precursor species and meteorological conditions in continental South Africa were examined from data obtained from measurement stations in north-eastern South Africa. Three multivariate statistical methods were applied in the investigation, i.e. multiple linear regression (MLR), principal component analysis (PCA) and –regression (PCR), and generalised additive model (GAM) analysis. The daily maximum 8-h moving average O3 concentrations were considered in these statistical models (dependent variable). MLR models indicated that meteorology and precursor species concentrations are able to explain ~50% of the variability in daily maximum O3 levels. MLR analysis revealed that atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO), temperature and relative humidity were the strongest factors affecting the daily O3 variability. In summer, daily O3 variances were mostly associated with relative humidity, while winter O3 levels were mostly linked to temperature and CO. PCA indicated that CO, temperature and relative humidity were not strongly collinear. GAM also identified CO, temperature and relative humidity as the strongest factors affecting the daily variation of O3. Partial residual plots found that temperature, radiation and nitrogen oxides most likely have a non-linear relationship with O3,while the relationship with relative humidity and CO is probably linear. An inter-comparison between O3 levels modelled with the three statistical models compared to measured O3 concentrations showed that the GAM model offered a slight improvement over the MLR model. These findings emphasise the critical role of regional-scale O3 precursors coupled with meteorological conditions in daily variances of O3 levels in continental South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article aims to explore counsellor experiences using an idiographic assessment procedure implemented in adolescent mental health services. The procedure, Assert, is based on asking the adolescents the question "What matters to you?" to define important topics to address in treatment. Methods: Focus groups and interviews were conducted with counsellors who used Assert (N = 27), and the data were analysed with thematic analysis. Results: Five themes were identified: (a) "What Matters to You?" (b) "Professional Responsibility," (c) "Empowering the Adolescent," (d) "Practical Utility of Assert in Treatment," and (e) "The Implementation of Assert." Each theme had a number of associated sub-themes. Conclusions: Assert was perceived by the counsellors as enhancing collaboration and conveying to the adolescents that the counsellors took their concerns seriously. It also provided structure by giving the sessions a concrete focus. However, some counsellors found it difficult to surrender control to the adolescents, and finding a balance between helping and directing the adolescents to define topics could be challenging at times. Assert was generally considered a useful and simple way to assess adolescents' concerns, and it was accepted by the counsellors as a positive contribution to their existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stacking fault energy (SFE) is of the most critical microstructure attribute for controlling the deformation mechanism and optimizing mechanical properties of austenitic steels, while there are no accurate and straightforward computational tools for modeling it. In this work, we applied both thermodynamic modeling and machine learning to predict the stacking fault energy (SFE) for more than 300 austenitic steels. The comparison indicates a high need of improving low-temperature CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) databases and interfacial energy prediction to enhance thermodynamic model reliability. The ensembled machine learning algorithms provide a more reliable prediction compared with thermodynamic and empirical models. Based on the statistical analysis of experimental results, only Ni and Fe have a moderate monotonic influence on SFE, while many other elements exhibit a complex effect that their influence on SFE may change with the alloy composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reference feedback tuning is one of data-driven control method, as only input–output data are used to design two degrees of freedom controller directly, i.e. feed-forward and feedback controller. Given two desired closed-loop transfer functions, virtual input and virtual disturbance are constructed, respectively to obtain one cost function, whose decision variables correspond to the two unknown controller parameters. Then after formulating the cost function as a linear regression form, the classical least squares algorithm is applied to identify the unknown parameter estimators. To quantify the quality or approximation error of the parameter estimators, statistical accuracy analysis is studied for virtual reference feedback tuning control. The detailed computational process about the asymptotic variance matrix is given by using some knowledge from probability theory and matrix theory. Based on our obtained asymptotic variance matrix, two applications of optimal input design and model structure validation are used to illustrate how to use the obtained asymptotic variance matrix. Finally, one simulation example has been performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theories proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional fixed-angle softened truss model (FASTM) procedure to compute the shear capacity of RC beams requires multiple iterations. The present paper analyzes the mechanical behaviours under the critical state of shear capacity of 367 RC simply supported beams with rectangular sections. Some significant regressions have been captured in the statistical analysis of these 367 beams. A straightforward method to calculate the shear capacity of RC beams with rectangular section is proposed by introducing an additional regression relation into FASTM. The calculation results corresponding to this explicit calculation method are in good agreement with the test values and traditional FASTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: N-of-1 observational studies can be used to describe natural intra-individual changes in health-related behaviours or symptoms over time, to test behavioural theories and to develop highly personalised health interventions. To date, N-of-1 observational methods have been under-used in health psychology and behavioural medicine. One reason for this may be the perceived complexity of statistical analysis of N-of-1 data. Objective: This tutorial paper describes a 10-step procedure for the analysis of N-of-1 observational data using dynamic regression modelling in SPSS for researchers, students and clinicians who are new to this area. The 10-step procedure is illustrated using real data from an N-of-1 observational study exploring the relationship between pain and physical activity. Conclusion: The availability of a user-friendly and robust statistical technique for the analysis of N-of-1 data using SPSS may foster increased awareness, knowledge and skills and establish N-of-1 designs as a useful methodological tool in health psychology and behavioural medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion indexes with respect to the Poisson and binomial distributions are widely used to assess the conformity of the underlying distribution from an observed sample of the count with one or the other of these theoretical distributions. Recently, the exponential variation index has been proposed as an extension to nonnegative continuous data. This paper aims to gather to study the unified definition of these indexes with respect to the relative variability of a nonnegative natural exponential family of distributions through its variance function. We establish the strong consistency of the plug-in estimators of the indexes as well as their asymptotic normalities. Since the exact distributions of the estimators are not available in closed form, we consider the test of hypothesis relying on these estimators as test statistics with their asymptotic distributions. Simulation studies globally suggest good behaviours of these tests of hypothesis procedures. Applicable examples are analysed, including the lesser-known references such as negative binomial and inverse Gaussian, and improving the very usual case of the Poisson dispersion index. Concluding remarks are made with suggestions of possible extensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of the exact statistical inference frequently leads to non-standard probability distributions of the considered estimators or test statistics. The exact distributions of many estimators and test statistics can be specified by their characteristic functions, as is the case for the null distribution of the Bartlett's test statistic. However, analytical inversion of the characteristic function, if possible, frequently leads to complicated expressions for computing the distribution function and the corresponding quantiles. An efficient alternative is the well-known method based on numerical inversion of the characteristic functions, which is, however, ignored in popular statistical software packages. In this paper, we present the explicit characteristic function of the corrected Bartlett's test statistic together with the computationally fast and efficient implementation of the approach based on numerical inversion of this characteristic function, suggested for evaluating the exact null distribution used for testing homogeneity of variances in several normal populations, with possibly unequal sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imparities of shear avalanches dynamic evolution under nanoindentation originating from the soft regions and the stiff matrix were explored in a metallic glass by statistical and dynamic analysis. Upon the continuous indentation process, the dynamic state of the stiff matrix exhibits a transition from a chaotic behavior to a self-organized critical (SOC) behavior, whereas the soft regions are dominated by the SOC behavior throughout the indentation process. The mechanism was clarified by the evolution of the cut-off size of shear avalanches. These findings might advance our fundamental understanding of inhomogeneous deformation on microscale. The shear avalanches dynamic evolution controlled by the atomic-scale rearrangement mechanism in metallic glasses strongly relies on the structural state and the history of deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iodine is a micronutrient required by the body in small amounts to prevent iodine deficiency disorder (IDD), which is a global public health concern. There were no specific data at household level of adequately iodised salt in the study area. Thus this study aimed to assess availability of adequately iodised salt and its associated factors at household level in Bale-Robe, South East Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Robe town, Bale Zone, South East Ethiopia in April 2015. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires from a total of 367 households, which were identified through systematic random sampling. Salt iodine content was estimated using rapid testing kits at the household level. Descriptive statistics was used to determine the prevalence, and association between dependent and independent variables was computed by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. A p-value of < 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Results: Of 374 samples, 370 respondents were interviewed yielding a response rate of 99%. One-third (32.7%) of the household levels used adequately iodised salt. Respondents' educational status, exposure to information on how to handle iodised salt and type of salt used by the respondents were independent factors for availability of adequately iodised salt at the household level. Salt that had been stored in a dry place was twice as likely to have an adequate iodine content compared with salt stored in a high-moisture area or near a fire (AOR = 2.13, CI = 1.19–3.72). Conclusion: Availability of adequately iodised salt at the household level was very low. Factors that were associated with household levels' access to adequately iodised salt included educational level, age of the respondents and place where salt is stored, and had an effect on whether households iodise salt adequately. Strategies to educate residents regarding the appropriate storage conditions to minimise iodine losses in iodised salt are required in Bale-Robe district of South East Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract–In functional data analysis, data are commonly assumed to be smooth functions on a fixed interval of the real line. In this work, we introduce a comprehensive framework for the analysis of functional data, whose domain is a two-dimensional manifold and the domain itself is subject to variability from sample to sample. We formulate a statistical model for such data, here called functions on surfaces, which enables a joint representation of the geometric and functional aspects, and propose an associated estimation framework. We assess the validity of the framework by performing a simulation study and we finally apply it to the analysis of neuroimaging data of cortical thickness, acquired from the brains of different subjects, and thus lying on domains with different geometries. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The era of big data has witnessed an increasing availability of multiple data sources for statistical analyses. We consider estimation of causal effects combining big main data with unmeasured confounders and smaller validation data with on these confounders. Under the unconfoundedness assumption with completely observed confounders, the smaller validation data allow for constructing consistent estimators for causal effects, but the big main data can only give error-prone estimators in general. However, by leveraging the information in the big main data in a principled way, we can improve the estimation efficiencies yet preserve the consistencies of the initial estimators based solely on the validation data. Our framework applies to asymptotically normal estimators, including the commonly used regression imputation, weighting, and matching estimators, and does not require a correct specification of the model relating the unmeasured confounders to the observed variables. We also propose appropriate bootstrap procedures, which makes our method straightforward to implement using software routines for existing estimators. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially explicit, evidence-based and regionally contextualized data on biophysical landscape characteristics is an essential basis for regionally sustainable landscape management schemes. In many regions of the Global South, the availability of such information is poor, especially at the subnational level, and the spatial management is often based on generic and outdated information, leading to severe threats for land sustainability. We have developed a biophysical regionalization of the Southern Highlands area of Tanzania. The map is based on open-source global datasets depicting climate, soil, topography and vegetation. Through replicable statistical and geospatial analyses, we have identified 7 regions and 18 subsections with biophysically similar and spatially distinctive environmental conditions. The regions provide spatially contextualized support for understanding and managing the landscapes of the Southern Highlands. The applications for such data sets are numerous, from screening suitability areas for e.g. afforestation schemes to evaluating the distinctiveness and vulnerability of landscapes to degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]