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This article introduces a collection of four datasets, similar to Anscombe's quartet, that aim to highlight the challenges involved when estimating causal effects. Each of the four datasets is generated based on a distinct causal mechanism: the first involves a collider, the second involves a confounder, the third involves a mediator, and the fourth involves the induction of M-Bias by an included factor. The article includes a mathematical summary of each dataset, as well as directed acyclic graphs that depict the relationships between the variables. Despite the fact that the statistical summaries and visualizations for each dataset are identical, the true causal effect differs, and estimating it correctly requires knowledge of the data-generating mechanism. These example datasets can help practitioners gain a better understanding of the assumptions underlying causal inference methods and emphasize the importance of gathering more information beyond what can be obtained from statistical tools alone. The article also includes R code for reproducing all figures and provides access to the datasets themselves through an R package named "quartets." for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) in the food and beverage industry has become a global trend. A study was undertaken to assess the level of awareness of South Africans of NNSs and to create a scientific product database of NNSs in a sample of packaged products in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was chosen. The study was carried out online in South Africa. The study participants were South African adults (n = 388). A consumer awareness survey on NNSs and a scientific product database were created to identify products formulated with NNSs. A large proportion of participants were unfamiliar with most NNSs by name; however, a significant 61% (n = 238) (p < 0.001) of participants were most aware of xylitol, and 45% (n = 174) were aware of aspartame. Despite this, a significant number of participants consumed products labelled 'sugar-free' and/or 'diet' (p < 0.001). Participants were aware of health concerns and health benefits associated with the consumption of NNSs. A scientific product database consisting of 419 products containing NNSs was created during the study. A combination of NNSs was used in the formulations of 65% (n = 273) of the products, while 35% (n = 146) of the products were formulated with a single NNS. The outcome of this research highlights key consumer insights into NNSs and their widespread use in product formulations in South Africa. The outcome of this study shows the need for continuous monitoring of the effects of the increasing use of NNSs in product formulation and their impact on health and diet. Consumer education would advance consumer awareness of NNSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal nutritional support in childhood cancer relies on the adequate provision of energy. This study investigated the impact of chemotherapy on resting energy expenditure (REE) during the first six months of treatment and the accuracy of predictive equations in calculating said requirements of newly diagnosed children with cancer. REE was measured at diagnosis utilising a validated bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) mobile unit and compared with three predictive equations (Schofield 1985, World Health Organization [WHO] 1985 and the Recommended Dietary Allowance [RDA] 1989). Agreement and accuracy of these equations were tested by determining bias and agreement rates and displayed using the Bland–Altman plot. Baseline values were plotted against monthly follow-up measurements over time. Statistical significance was 5% and a priori limits of agreement set between 90% and 110% of measured REE. Forty-three newly diagnosed children with median age 4 years (IQR 2.0–7.6) were measured prior to chemotherapy initiation. Compared with measured REE (mean ± SD) 719.53 ± 206.29 kcal/day, all predictive equations significantly overestimated REE: WHO 1985 (889.75 ± 323.31 kcal/day; 23% overestimation), Schofield 1985 (899.62 ± 336.10 kcal/day; 25% overestimation) and RDA (1647.67 ± 481.06 kcal/day; 129% overestimation) (p < 0.001). Despite significant proportionate bias in all three equations (p < 0.001), the intra-class consistency coefficient showed good reliability for the Schofield 1985 (0.864) and WHO 1985 (0.849) equations. Though statistically significant (chi-square = 23.11, p < 0.003), the overall 1 kcal/kg (1.3%) increase for all cancer types at six months may not be clinically significant. Existing predictive equations are unable to calculate REE accurately at childhood cancer diagnosis, highlighting the need for future investigations into the development of cancer-specific equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The floor apparatus is associated with the highest rate of injury for male and female gymnasts in training and competition. This study aims to determine the magnitude of the upper and lower body impact loading when performing foundation floor tumbling skills and sequences. Fourteen sub‐elite artistic gymnasts (male, n = 9; female, n = 5) performed eight tumbling skills and sequences while wearing four inertial measurement units (IMU; upper back, lower back, forearm, and tibia). The peak resultant acceleration (PRA) during all ground contacts was calculated. The forearm and upper back PRA were analyzed for hand contacts, while the lower back and tibia PRA were analyzed for foot contacts. Descriptive statistics (median and inter‐quartile range), Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests and Friedman's ANOVA were calculated between IMU positions and gymnastics skills. Distal IMUs (forearm and tibia) recorded significantly higher loading than proximal IMUs (upper and lower back) for all ground contacts. Proximal IMUs experienced dampening due to shock attenuation properties of the human body, as these positions are located further away from the impact site. Additionally, some foundation skills exposed gymnasts to higher loading when the skill was performed separately, while other skills exposed gymnasts to higher loading when the skill was performed in a tumbling sequence. Training foundation skills separately and as a part of a tumbling sequence exposes the upper and lower body structures to high levels of impact loading. These results can be used by coaches to help in the design of safe training programs. Highlights: Distal segments (forearm and tibia) experienced significantly higher magnitudes of impact loading than the proximal areas (upper and lower back) during foundation gymnastics skills, most likely due to the shock attenuation properties of the human body when absorbing ground impacts.During the round‐off skill, gymnasts experienced greater lower back impact loading upon landing when performing the skill separately, but experienced greater upper back loading during the hand contact phase when performing the skill as part of a sequence (i.e., round‐off to backwards handspring, and round‐off, backwards handspring to backwards somersault).Impact loading differed between skills performed separately and skills that were performed within a tumbling sequence. Therefore, the loading experienced on the body was different due to the context in which the skill was performed (i.e., having to connect another skill afterward).Skill sequences should be considered as distinct or individual skills, rather than a combination of foundation skills, to better address the observed differences when prescribing and monitoring training loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to analyze the acute effect of mental fatigue on the maximum number of repetitions in a resistance exercise session with different intensities in resistance‐trained adults. Eighteen young men aged between 18 and 25 years old (age, 22.1 ± 2.0 years; body weight, 82.5 ± 6.6 kg; height, 177.4 ± 5.2 cm; half‐back squat 1‐RM, 106.7 ± 21.9 kg) were recruited for the study. Each participant performed two trials (i.e., control and mental fatigue) in a random and balanced order for 30‐min. The participants performed three sets of half back‐squat exercise to failure, with intensities of 50%, 70%, and 90% of 1RM with a passive recovery interval of 5‐min between sets. The intensity was randomized and counterbalanced, and the order was maintained in both conditions for the same subject. We assessed resistance training using the number of repetitions to failure and perceived effort and checked the mental fatigue subjectively and objectively. The participants in the mental fatigue condition presented a significantly increased perception of mental fatigue (p < 0.05) and reduced pupil diameter (p < 0.05). The number of repetitions were significantly lower for the 50 (p < 0.05) and 75% 1RM (p < 0.05) in the mental fatigue condition, but the 90% 1RM remained similar (p > 0.05). Also, the perceived effort showed significantly higher results for the 50 (p < 0.05) and 75% 1RM (p < 0.05) in the mental fatigue condition, but the 90% 1RM remained similar (p > 0.05). Then, this study showed that mental fatigue reduced resistance exercise performance for low‐ and mid‐intensity but not for high‐intensity. Highlights: Mental fatigue reduces the number of repetitions to failure during low‐ and moderate‐intensity resistance exercise.Mentally fatigued individuals experience a higher‐than‐normal perception of effort during low‐ and moderate‐intensity resistance exercise.Measuring mental fatigue immediately before a resistance exercise session might be a rapid and valuable tool to autoregulate the exercise intensity and/or volume of resistance training sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the patients' view on continuity of care (CoC), including preference for a certain general practitioner (GP) and importance and access to a regular general practitioner (RGP). Cross-sectional study. Primary care center in Halland County, in the western part of Sweden. Patients ≥18 years old and having at least one appointment at the primary care center during October–December 2022. Preference for a certain GP and importance of and accessibility for an RGP. The study included 404 patients. Importance of having an RGP was considered by 86% of the patients. Preference for a certain GP was thought by 73% of the patients, and when asked as a bivariate question, 69% considered having an RGP. Both the importance of an RGP and preference for a certain GP were more often considered by patients ≥65 years (p <.0001). Regarding accessibility, 67% of the patients reported having access to their RGP 'always/most of the time or a lot of the time' and 62% reported seeing their RGP at last visit. In conclusion, this study showed that the majority of patients value CoC in terms of importance of having an RGP. Older patients were more likely to have a preference for a certain GP. Two-third of the patients succeeded in seeing their RGP always or a lot of the time. The results in this study provide evidence that CoC is important for most patients, regardless of age and gender. Previous studies have showed that continuity of care (CoC) is important regarding mortality and morbidity. In primary care, there is a current debate regarding CoC, accessibility and the strive for CoC. This study showed that the majority of patients, regardless of age and gender, value CoC and consider it being important. However, there was a statistically significant difference regarding age, where patients above 65 years old thought it was more important to have a regular general practitioner and more often had a preference for a certain GP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the cultural competence (CC) of GP trainees and GP trainers. Design and setting: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted at the GP Training Institute of Amsterdam UMC. We included 92 GP trainees and 186 GP trainers. We measured the three domains of cultural competency: 1) knowledge, 2) culturally competent attitudes and 3) culturally competent skills. Regression models were used to identify factors associated with levels of CC. Participants rated their self-perceived CC at the beginning and end of the survey, and the correlation between self-perceived and measured CC was assessed. Approximately 94% of the GP trainees and 81% of the GP trainers scored low on knowledge; 45% and 42%, respectively, scored low on culturally competent attitudes. The level of culturally competent skills was moderate (54.3%) or low (48.4%) for most GP trainees and GP trainers. The year of residency and the GP training institute were significantly associated with one or more (sub-)domains of CC in GP trainees. Having >10% migrant patients and experience as a GP trainer were positively associated with one or more (sub-) domains of cultural competence in GP trainers. The correlation between measured and self-perceived CC was positive overall but very weak (Spearman correlation coefficient ranging from −0.1–0.3). The level of cultural competence was low in both groups, especially in the knowledge scores. Cultural competence increased with experience and exposure to an ethnically diverse patient population. Our study highlights the need for cultural competence training in the GP training curricula. General practitioner (GP) trainees find cross-cultural consultations stressful due to a self-perceived lack of cultural competence (CC). The level of CC in general practice is as yet unknown. On average, the level of CC was low for the majority of GP trainees and GP trainers, especially for the scores on knowledge. CC increased with experience and exposure to an ethnically diverse patient population. GP trainees and trainers perceived a lack of covered education on various topics related to the care of migrants. Our study highlights the need for cultural competence training in the GP training curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate mouth rinsing has been reported to enhance exercise performance although individual variation exists. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of habitual dietary carbohydrate intake on the efficacy of rinsing a 6% carbohydrate solution on the number of bench press repetitions to failure at 60% of 1‐RM. Twenty‐one recreationally active male participants (Mean ± SD) (age: 24 ± 4 years, height: 177.8 ± 7.8 cm, body mass: 78.6 ± 8.1 kg; bench press 1‐RM: 73.3 ± 20.5 kg) performed bench press repetitions to failure at 60% 1‐RM following rinsing with 25 mL of a 6% carbohydrate (CHO), an artificially sweetened solution (PLA) and a non‐rising control condition (CON) in a randomised cross‐over design. A 7‐day dietary record was completed prior to the first session and subsequently analysed for daily carbohydrate consumption. The number of repetitions performed during CHO (24 ± 4) was higher than CON [21 ± 4; p < 0.001; 95% CI: 1, 4; d = 0.64], as was PLA [23 ± 4; p = 0.002; 95% CI: 1, 3; d = 0.48]. However, there was a large, negative relationship [r = −0.68 (95% CI: −0.86, −0.36), p < 0.001] between daily relative carbohydrate intake (g kg−1) and the difference in the number of repetitions between CHO and PLA. The present study suggests the existence of an inverse relationship between daily carbohydrate ingestion and the efficacy of carbohydrate mouth rinsing; participants who consumed the most daily carbohydrate were generally less likely to see an increase in performance with carbohydrate rinsing. Highlights: The use of either carbohydrate or artificially sweetened mouth‐rinses are possible strategies to improve resistance exercise performance without the ingestion of energy, which can be helpful when trying to create a caloric deficit.Those who regularly consume larger amounts of carbohydrate in their diet may not report the same positive effects compared with those who generally consume less.Rinsing with an artificially sweetened solution reduces the exposure of teeth to sugar and potentially be beneficial for those with a history of dental problems such as sensitive teeth and/or enamel erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac function is a major determinant of cardiopulmonary fitness. This study aimed to determine if novel echocardiographic myocardial function and efficiency parameters at rest can predict exercise performance during different types of prolonged high‐intensity endurance exercise. Echocardiography was performed before exercise in 40 healthy (75% males) 50.3 ± 9.1‐year‐old recreational athletes. Echocardiographic parameters at rest were compared with exercise performance assessed by power output during two different exercises: A lactate threshold and cardiopulmonary exercise test (La‐CPET) and a 91‐km mountain bike sport cycling race. The La‐CPET had a median duration of 43 (40, 45) minutes and a mean power output of 2.9 ± 0.5 W/kg. The race had a median duration of 236 (214, 268) minutes and a mean power output of 2.1 ± 0.5 W/kg. There was moderate left ventricular (LV) dilatation in individuals with the highest performance. The myocardial efficiency parameter, global wasted work (GWW), was positively correlated with race duration (rho = 0.42, p = 0.008) and negatively correlated with mean power output during both the La‐CPET (rho = −0.43, p = 0.007) and the race (rho = −0.44, p = 0.005). In multivariable models, including LV volumes, left GWW remained an independent predictor of race duration (beta = 0.40, p = 0.007) and of mean power output during the La‐CPET (beta = −0.40, p = 0.006) and the race (beta = −0.43, p = 0.003). The novel echocardiographic myocardial efficiency parameter, GWW, measured at rest, is an independent predictor of prolonged high‐intensity endurance exercise performance in healthy middle‐aged athletes. These findings suggest that resting myocardial efficiency parameters may aid the identification of exercise‐induced LV dilatation. Highlights: What is new? The novel echocardiographic parameter global wasted work represents a measure of myocardial efficiencyThis is the first study to demonstrate that global wasted work at rest is a marker of exercise‐induced cardiac remodeling and a predictor of exercise performance What are the clinical implications? Global wasted work at rest may be used to predict exercise performance levelGWW may aid in separating exercise‐induced from pathological left ventricular dilatation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing large covariance matrices is of fundamental importance in statistical analysis with high-dimensional data. In the past decade, three types of test statistics have been studied in the literature: quadratic form statistics, maximum form statistics, and their weighted combination. It is known that quadratic form statistics would suffer from low power against sparse alternatives and maximum form statistics would suffer from low power against dense alternatives. The weighted combination methods were introduced to enhance the power of quadratic form statistics or maximum form statistics when the weights are appropriately chosen. In this article, we provide a new perspective to exploit the full potential of quadratic form statistics and maximum form statistics for testing high-dimensional covariance matrices. We propose a scale-invariant power-enhanced test based on Fisher's method to combine the p-values of quadratic form statistics and maximum form statistics. After carefully studying the asymptotic joint distribution of quadratic form statistics and maximum form statistics, we first prove that the proposed combination method retains the correct asymptotic size under the Gaussian assumption, and we also derive a new Lyapunov-type bound for the joint distribution and prove the correct asymptotic size of the proposed method without requiring the Gaussian assumption. Moreover, we show that the proposed method boosts the asymptotic power against more general alternatives. Finally, we demonstrate the finite-sample performance in simulation studies and a real application. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel statistical method is proposed and investigated for estimating a heavy tailed density under mild smoothness assumptions. Statistical analyses of heavy-tailed distributions are susceptible to the problem of sparse information in the tail of the distribution getting washed away by unrelated features of a hefty bulk. The proposed Bayesian method avoids this problem by incorporating smoothness and tail regularization through a carefully specified semiparametric prior distribution, and is able to consistently estimate both the density function and its tail index at near minimax optimal rates of contraction. A joint, likelihood driven estimation of the bulk and the tail is shown to help improve uncertainty assessment in estimating the tail index parameter and offer more accurate and reliable estimates of the high tail quantiles compared to thresholding methods. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notational analysis investigations of several sports have suggested that the performance characteristics associated with success differ by match closeness. It is not known whether this is the case in tennis. Therefore, this study aimed to first develop operational definitions for closely contested and one‐sided tennis matches, then establish whether the important performance characteristics in elite grass court tennis differ by match closeness. Data from 365 men and 374 women's Wimbledon single matches played between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed. Irrespective of match closeness, points won of 0–4 shot rally length, first serve points won and baseline points won were associated with winning matches, and forced errors and unforced errors were associated with losing matches, for both sexes. Spearman's rank‐order correlations demonstrated excellent agreement between the importance of the performance characteristics in closely contested and one‐sided men (rs = 0.89, p < 0.001) and women's matches (rs = 0.90, p < 0.001), respectively. Findings suggest that expected match closeness (of an upcoming match) should not necessarily influence decision‐making around practice design and match‐play strategy. Additionally, the operational definitions developed for closely contested and one‐sided matches developed here could be used in future studies to investigate different competitive contexts. Highlights: This is the first study to develop clear operational definitions for closely contested and one‐sided tennis matches; these can be utilized in future research.In contrast to previous investigations of team sports, the most important performance characteristics for winning matches at Wimbledon did not differ between closely contested and one‐sided matches.Irrespective of match closeness, winning short points, first serve points and baseline points were most closely associated with winning elite, grass court tennis matches for men and women.Findings suggest that expected match closeness should not necessarily influence coaches and players' decision‐making around practice design or match strategy planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma that people with HIV who inject drugs experience negatively impacts HIV and substance use care, but stigma’s association with sharing injection equipment is not known. This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from two studies of people with HIV reporting drug injection (N = 319) in St. Petersburg, Russia (September 2018-December 2020). We used logistic regression to examine associations between HIV stigma and substance use stigma scores (categorised into quartiles) and past 30-day equipment sharing, adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. Secondary analyses examined associations of arrest history and social support with sharing equipment. Almost half (48.6%) of participants reported sharing injection equipment. Among groups who did and did not share, mean HIV stigma (2.3 vs 2.2) and substance use stigma (32 vs 31) scores were similar. Adjusted analyses detected no significant associations between HIV stigma quartiles (global p-value = 0.85) or substance use stigma quartiles (global p-value = 0.51) and sharing equipment. Neither arrest history nor social support were significantly associated with sharing equipment. In this cohort, sharing injection equipment was common and did not vary based on stigma, arrest history, or social support. To reduce equipment sharing, investments in sterile injection equipment access in Russia should be prioritised over interventions to address stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study is the first to describe the prevalence of violence and poly-victimisation among 310 female sex workers (FSWs) who were cisgender in Haiphong, Viet Nam. An adapted version of the WHO-Multi-Country Study on Violence against Women Survey Instrument was administered to assess physical, sexual, economic and emotional forms of violence perpetrated by an intimate partner, paying partner/client, and/or others (e.g. relatives, police, strangers and other FSWs) during adulthood. The ACE-Q scale was administered to assess adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) before age 18 years. Our findings showed that FSWs are exposed to high rates of multiple forms of violence by multiple perpetrators. For any male client-perpetrated violence (CPV), lifetime prevalence was 70.0%, with 12-month prevalence 61.3%. Lifetime prevalence of male intimate partner violence (IPV) was 62.1%, and the 12-month prevalence was 58.2%. Lifetime and prior 12-month prevalence of physical and/or sexual violence by other perpetrators (OPV) was 18.1% and 14.2%, respectively. Sixty-five percent of FSWs reported at least one type of ACE. Overall, 21.6 percent of FSWs reported having experienced all three forms of violence (IPV, CPV and OPV) in their lifetime. Policy and programme recommendations for screening and prevention of violence are needed in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that health literacy (HL) is critical in preventing and managing health problems. However, over half of adults in Mexico report having inadequate health literacy. Research suggests the parent– child relationship can be a key predictor of developmental competencies; however, little research has examined how dyadic family interactions relate to HL. This study examined whether parent–child relationship conflict was associated with adolescent health literacy among families living in Mexico. Data from a parent–child dyads in Mexico were gathered using online surveys (N = 746, 373 parent–child dyads). Our findings suggested that child-reported family conflict–but not parent-reported family conflict – was associated with lower adolescent health literacy. Researchers and practitioners should consider how parent–child conflict may impact adolescent health outcomes, and prioritise child reports in data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal depression remains under characterised in many low- and middle-income countries, especially in rural settings. We aimed to describe maternal depression and anxiety symptoms in rural and urban communities in northern Ecuador and to identify socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with these symptoms. Data from 508 mothers participating in a longitudinal cohort study were included. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25), and maternal psychological functioning was assessed using a checklist of daily activities. Tobit regression models were used to examine associations with sociodemographic variables and urbanicity. The median HSCL-25 score was 1.2 (IQR: 0.4) and 14% of women scored above the threshold for clinically relevant symptoms. Rural women reported similar food insecurity, less education, younger age of first pregnancy, and lower socio-economic status compared to their urban counterparts. After adjusting for these factors, rural women reported lower HSCL-25 scores compared to women lin urban areas (β = −0.48, 95%CI:0.65, −0.31). Rural residence was also associated with lower depression and anxiety HSCL-25 sub-scale scores, and similar levels of maternal functioning, compared to urban residence. Our results suggest that both household and community-level factors are risk factors for maternal depression and anxiety in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the discipline of statistics has begun reckoning with its difficult history. Institutions are reconsidering names that have honored key historical figures in statistics who have deep ties to eugenics movements and racial and class prejudice. These names, however, continue to appear in our classrooms, where we teach the methods created by these individuals, raising the question of how instructors should address their legacies. Three examples of famous statisticians and their work—Francis Galton's use of conditional probabilities to demonstrate "hereditary talent," Karl Pearson's attempt to quantify the intelligence of Jewish immigrant students, and Ronald A. Fisher's creation of the analysis of variance to de-emphasize environment in human development—highlight the intimate ties between statistics and eugenics. These examples, along with a discussion of the context of these men, eugenics movements, and the statisticians and scientists who opposed their eugenic programs, can humanize the field for students, teach them about the challenges in accurate and unbiased data collection and analysis, and connect historical mistakes to contemporary ethical issues. Confronting this history in the classroom can both improve the teaching of the statistical methodologies themselves and begin a broader conversation about the role of statistics in the world. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore the drivers of students' success in a first-year university statistics course. Using a unique sample from Westminster International University in Tashkent, we discover that student engagement with their studies is reflected in their class attendance and in the use of online resources, which continue to play an important role in their academic performance. Moreover, we discovered that socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, employment, and language of instruction of prior schooling are significant in explaining student academic outcomes. These factors have important policy implications for both the university and the broader national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anonymous survey was given to n = 73 students in an asynchronous online statistical literacy course at a mid-sized Hispanic Serving Institution. Informed by teaching experience, literature on lexical ambiguity, and everyday usage of statistics words and phrases, the first author designed the survey to yield insight into how students view phrases such as "average person," "random person," and "outlier person," and to explore possible connections or patterns with such phrases. Findings suggest that students view phrases such as "random person" in a way much further from standard usage than they do phrases such as "anonymous person." Considerations such as diversity, agency, and variable identification are identified as possibly affecting usage and meriting further investigation. Recommendations for teaching and future research are provided. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In data analyses, pairing participant responses is often thought to yield the purest results. However, ensuring all participants answer all questions can be challenging. Concerns exist that pooling all responses together may diminish the robustness of a statistical analysis, but the practical insights may still exist. Data from a live, in-person, continuing education series for health professionals was analysed. For each topic, identical questions were asked prior to the educational content (pre), immediately following the content (post), and on a rolling 4 to 6 week follow-up survey (follow-up). For each educational topic, responses were matched by participant for a paired analysis and aggregated for a pooled analysis. A paired analysis was done for matched responses on pre vs post and pre vs follow-up questions. A pooled analysis was done for the aggregate responses on pre vs post and pre vs follow-up questions. Responses from 55 questions were included in the analysis. In both the paired and pooled pre vs post analyses, all questions yielded a statistically significant improvement in correct responses. In the paired pre vs follow-up analysis, 59% (n = 33) of questions demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in correct responses, compared to 62% (n = 35) in the pooled pre vs follow-up analysis. Paired and pooled data yielded similar results at the immediate post-content and follow-up time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a response to a discussion about an article on the representativeness and generalizability of inference for samples of networks. The authors address feedback and agree with some suggestions, such as using simulation-based residuals and user-friendly score testing. They also suggest collecting information on family roles as predictors of contacts in future surveys. The document includes graphs and equations that analyze relationships and patterns between different age groups. It provides statistical data on age-related interactions and relationships, which can be useful for researchers. The text also discusses the challenges of using Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) and provides guidance for researchers on choosing statistical models and software packages. [Extracted from the article]

The last two decades have seen considerable progress in foundational aspects of statistical network analysis, but the path from theory to application is not straightforward. Two large, heterogeneous samples of small networks of within-household contacts in Belgium were collected using two different but complementary sampling designs: one smaller but with all contacts in each household observed, the other larger and more representative but recording contacts of only one person per household. We wish to combine their strengths to learn the social forces that shape household contact formation and facilitate simulation for prediction of disease spread, while generalising to the population of households in the region. To accomplish this, we describe a flexible framework for specifying multi-network models in the exponential family class and identify the requirements for inference and prediction under this framework to be consistent, identifiable, and generalisable, even when data are incomplete; explore how these requirements may be violated in practice; and develop a suite of quantitative and graphical diagnostics for detecting violations and suggesting improvements to candidate models. We report on the effects of network size, geography, and household roles on household contact patterns (activity, heterogeneity in activity, and triadic closure). for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive sized survival datasets become increasingly prevalent with the development of the healthcare industry, and pose computational challenges unprecedented in traditional survival analysis use cases. In this work we analyze the UK-biobank colorectal cancer data with genetic and environmental risk factors, including a time-dependent coefficient, which transforms the dataset into "pseudo-observation" form, thus, critically inflating its size. A popular way for coping with massive datasets is downsampling them, such that the computational resources can be afforded by the researcher. Cox regression has remained one of the most popular statistical models for the analysis of survival data to-date. This work addresses the settings of right censored and possibly left-truncated data with rare events, such that the observed failure times constitute only a small portion of the overall sample. We propose Cox regression subsampling-based estimators that approximate their full-data partial-likelihood-based counterparts, by assigning optimal sampling probabilities to censored observations, and including all observed failures in the analysis. The suggested methodology is applied on the UK-biobank for building a colorectal cancer risk-prediction model, while reducing the computation time and memory requirements. Asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators are established under suitable regularity conditions, and simulation studies are carried out to evaluate their finite sample performance. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In statistical analysis, researchers often perform coordinatewise Gaussianization such that each variable is marginally normal. The normal score transformation is a method for coordinatewise Gaussianization and is widely used in statistics, econometrics, genetics and other areas. However, few studies exist on the theoretical properties of the normal score transformation, especially in high-dimensional problems where the dimension p diverges with the sample size n. In this article, we show that the normal score transformation uniformly converges to its population counterpart even when log p = o (n / log n) . Our result can justify the normal score transformation prior to any downstream statistical method to which the theoretical normal transformation is beneficial. The same results are established for the Winsorized normal transformation, another popular choice for coordinatewise Gaussianization. We demonstrate the benefits of coordinatewise Gaussianization by studying its applications to the Gaussian copula model, the nearest shrunken centroids classifier and distance correlation. The benefits are clearly shown in theory and supported by numerical studies. Moreover, we also point out scenarios where coordinatewise Gaussinization does not help and even causes damages. We offer a general recommendation on how to use coordinatewise Gaussianization in applications. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A frequent problem in statistical science is how to properly handle missing data in matched paired observations. There is a large body of literature coping with the univariate case. Yet, the ongoing technological progress in measuring biological systems raises the need for addressing more complex data, for example, graphs, strings, and probability distributions. To fill this gap, this article proposes new estimators of the maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) to handle complex matched pairs with missing data. These estimators can detect differences in data distributions under different missingness assumptions. The validity of this approach is proven and further studied in an extensive simulation study, and statistical consistency results are provided. Data obtained from continuous glucose monitoring in a longitudinal population-based diabetes study are used to illustrate the application of this approach. By employing new distributional representations along with cluster analysis, new clinical criteria on how glucose changes vary at the distributional level over 5 years can be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A study was undertaken to explore the differences in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices and their correlations among adults in both urban and rural communities in the Free State province of South Africa. Design: This study forms part of the cross-sectional Assuring Health for All in the Free-State (AHA-FS) study. Setting: The AHA-FS study is conducted in urban and rural parts of the Free State province of South Africa. The rural and urban stages of the study were conducted in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Subjects: The sample included 846 adult household members, aged between 25 and 65 years, from both rural and urban areas of the Free State province. Outcome measures: Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices were measured. Results: The sample included predominantly females (78.2%). Rural adults had significantly better nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), positive attitudes (p < 0.001) and positive beliefs (p < 0.001) and their nutrition knowledge and attitudes (r = 0.27, p < 0.001), nutrition knowledge and beliefs (r = 0.16, p < 0.001), and nutrition attitudes and beliefs (r = 0.38, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with each other. However, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and beliefs were not correlated with nutrition practices among our sample in either the urban or rural setting. Conclusion and implication: The results of the current study confirm that relevant and culturally acceptable nutrition education interventions for translating nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and beliefs into practices are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article develops an incremental learning algorithm based on quadratic inference function (QIF) to analyze streaming datasets with correlated outcomes such as longitudinal data and clustered data. We propose a renewable QIF (RenewQIF) method within a paradigm of renewable estimation and incremental inference, in which parameter estimates are recursively renewed with current data and summary statistics of historical data, but with no use of any historical subject-level raw data. We compare our renewable estimation method with both offline QIF and offline generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach that process the entire cumulative subject-level data all together, and show theoretically and numerically that our renewable procedure enjoys statistical and computational efficiency. We also propose an approach to diagnose the homogeneity assumption of regression coefficients via a sequential goodness-of-fit test as a screening procedure on occurrences of abnormal data batches. We implement the proposed methodology by expanding existing Spark's Lambda architecture for the operation of statistical inference and data quality diagnosis. We illustrate the proposed methodology by extensive simulation studies and an analysis of streaming car crash datasets from the National Automotive Sampling System-Crashworthiness Data System (NASS CDS). for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider a finite sample from an unknown distribution over a countable alphabet. The missing mass refers to the probability of symbols that do not appear in the sample. Estimating the missing mass is a basic problem in statistics and related fields, which dates back to the early work of Laplace, and the more recent seminal contribution of Good and Turing. In this article, we introduce a generalized Good-Turing (GT) framework for missing mass estimation. We derive an upper-bound for the risk (in terms of mean squared error) and minimize it over the parameters of our framework. Our analysis distinguishes between two setups, depending on the (unknown) alphabet size. When the alphabet size is bounded from above, our risk-bound demonstrates a significant improvement compared to currently known results (which are typically oblivious to the alphabet size). Based on this bound, we introduce a numerically obtained estimator that improves upon GT. When the alphabet size holds no restrictions, we apply our suggested risk-bound and introduce a closed-form estimator that again improves GT performance guarantees. Our suggested framework is easy to apply and does not require additional modeling assumptions. This makes it a favorable choice for practical applications. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many collegiate level statistics courses, the focus of the learning outcomes is often on the analysis of data after it has been collected. Students are provided with clean data sets from previous studies to practice statistical analysis, but receive little to no application as to the amount of time and effort that goes in to collecting good data. To account for these deficits at the author's institution, a design of experiments course was created that provided students with a more hands-on learning experience to the statistical process, especially as pertains to data collection. This paper focuses on five of the experiments that students designed and implemented during the course, and some suggestions to instructors that may wish to use these experiments in their own courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific journals may counter the misuse, misreporting, and misinterpretation of statistics by providing guidance to authors. We described the nature and prevalence of statistical guidance at 15 journals (top-ranked by Impact Factor) in each of 22 scientific disciplines across five high-level domains (N = 330 journals). The frequency of statistical guidance varied across domains (Health & Life Sciences: 122/165 journals, 74%; Multidisciplinary: 9/15 journals, 60%; Social Sciences: 8/30 journals, 27%; Physical Sciences: 21/90 journals, 23%; Formal Sciences: 0/30 journals, 0%). In one discipline (Clinical Medicine), statistical guidance was provided by all examined journals and in two disciplines (Mathematics and Computer Science) no examined journals provided statistical guidance. Of the 160 journals providing statistical guidance, 93 had a dedicated statistics section in their author instructions. The most frequently mentioned topics were confidence intervals (90 journals) and p-values (88 journals). For six "hotly debated" topics (statistical significance, p-values, Bayesian statistics, effect sizes, confidence intervals, and sample size planning/justification) journals typically offered implicit or explicit endorsement and rarely provided opposition. The heterogeneity of statistical guidance provided by top-ranked journals within and between disciplines highlights a need for further research and debate about the role journals can play in improving statistical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An evolving problem in the field of spatial and ecological statistics is that of preferential sampling, where biases may be present due to a relationship between sample data locations and a response of interest. This field of research bears a striking resemblance to the longstanding problem of informative sampling within survey methodology, although with some important distinctions. With the goal of promoting collaborative effort within and between these two problem domains, we make comparisons and contrasts between the two problem statements. Specifically, we review many of the solutions available to address each of these problems, noting the important differences in modeling techniques. Additionally, we construct a series of simulation studies to examine some of the methods available for preferential sampling, as well as a comparison analyzing heavy metal biomonitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares and correlates young and elderly people's pinch force and endurance, and proposes inventive solutions contextualised from these statistical evaluations using TRIZ techniques. An experiment was performed with 64 young and old adults who were required to pinch an apparatus while wearing a glove with pressure sensors. Participants held their pinch until they could no longer sustain it. Pinch force and endurance time were measured and analysed using Pearson's correlation and T-Tests. The analyses confirmed that pinch force decreases with lower endurance and vice versa. Apart from the significant difference in elderly and young people's pinch force and endurance, researchers found that young people sustained pinches longer and at a higher force than elderly people. TRIZ strategies suggested that it is better for objects to 'grasp' the elderly's fingers in pinch activities rather than the usual way. Elderly people could attempt pinching periodically to conserve endurance and reduce injury risks from highly sustained exertions. This study provides an explicit pathway in developing innovative solutions that help prevent finger-related musculoskeletal risks among elderly people. These solutions have the potential in contributing to advances in ergonomics, mechanical design and biomechanics in the form of hand prosthetics and hand exoskeletons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests for structural breaks in time series should ideally be sensitive to breaks in the parameter of interest, while being robust to nuisance changes. Statistical analysis thus needs to allow for some form of nonstationarity under the null hypothesis of no change. In this article, estimators for integrated parameters of locally stationary time series are constructed and a corresponding functional central limit theorem is established, enabling change-point inference for a broad class of parameters under mild assumptions. The proposed framework covers all parameters which may be expressed as nonlinear functions of moments, for example kurtosis, autocorrelation, and coefficients in a linear regression model. To perform feasible inference based on the derived limit distribution, a bootstrap variant is proposed and its consistency is established. The methodology is illustrated by means of a simulation study and by an application to high-frequency asset prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and pressure algometry with sham ultrasound (control group) on the clinical measures of headache, pressure pain threshold (PPT) of upper trapezius and suboccipital muscles and cervical alignment in patients with tension type headache (TTH). Seventy-two patients with TTH of both genders were randomly allocated to 3 experimental groups: a) the IASTM group (n=24), b) pressure algometry group (n=24), and c) sham ultrasound control group (n=24). Headache frequency and disability, pressure pain threshold of upper trapezius and suboccipital muscles, cervical lordosis angle (CA) and anterior head translation (AHT) were measured four weeks before and after intervention. Moreover, headache frequency was followed up for two more weeks after intervention. Statistically significant improvements (P <0.05; effect size ranges 1.1-1.9) were observed in all outcome measures following IASTM compared to the other two intervention methods. In the IASTM group, the headache frequency decreased from 15 to 2 days/month. Also, headache disability decreased from 19 to 10. Further, CA increased from 17.5° to 31.4° and AHT decreased from 24.1 to 15.5 mm. The pressure algometry group showed significantly lower headache frequency at the follow-up (P < 0.01) than the sham ultrasound control group. However, Similar findings in the other evaluated outcomes were found between the pressure algometry and sham ultrasound control groups (P ˃ 0.05). The results of the present study indicate the effectiveness of IASTM in improving headache symptoms and cervical alignment in patients with TTH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproducibility, the ability to reproduce the results of published papers or studies using their computer code and data, is a cornerstone of reliable scientific methodology. Studies where results cannot be reproduced by the scientific community should be treated with caution. Over the past decade, the importance of reproducible research has been frequently stressed in a wide range of scientific journals such as Nature and Science and international magazines such as The Economist. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that scientific results are often not reproducible across research areas such as psychology and medicine. Statistics, the science concerned with developing and studying methods for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting empirical data, prides itself on its openness when it comes to sharing both computer code and data. In this article, we examine reproducibility in the field of statistics by attempting to reproduce the results in 93 published papers in prominent journals using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data during the 2010–2021 period. Overall, from both the computer code and the data perspective, among all the 93 examined papers, we could only reproduce the results in 14 (15.1%) papers, that is, the papers provide both executable computer code (or software) with the real fMRI data, and our results matched the results in the paper. Finally, we conclude with some author-specific and journal-specific recommendations to improve the research reproducibility in statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine sexual orientation-based disparities in six self-reported health outcomes among millennial aged military veterans. We collected data using The Millennial Veteran Health Study, a cross-sectional internet-based survey with extensive quality control measures. The survey was fielded April through December 2020 and targeted millennial aged veterans across the United States. A total of 680 eligible respondents completed the survey. We assessed six binary health outcomes: alcohol use, marijuana use, frequent chronic pain, opioid misuse, high psychological distress, and fair or poor health status. Using logistic regression adjusted for a range of demographic, socioeconomic, and military-based covariates, we find that bisexual veterans consistently report worse health than straight veterans for all six health outcomes tested. Results for gay or lesbian, compared to straight veterans, were less consistent. Sensitivity models with continuous outcomes, and stratified by gender, found similar results. These results have implications for improving the health of bisexual individuals, including addressing discrimination, belonging, and social identity, particularly in institutional settings that have traditionally heteronormative and masculine cultures such as the military. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to decades of research in educational psychology, learning is a social process that is enhanced when it happens in contexts that are familiar and relevant. But because of the skyrocketing popularity of data science, today we often work with students coming from an abundance of academic concentrations, professional, and personal backgrounds. How can our teaching account for the existing multiplicity of interests and be inclusive of diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds? Music is a convenient medium that can engage and include. Enter Playmeans, a novel web application ("app") that enables students to perform unsupervised learning while exploring music. The flexible user interface lets a student select their favorite artist and acquire, in real time, the corresponding discography in a matter of seconds. The student then interacts with the acquired data by means of visualizing, clustering, and, most importantly, listening to music—all of which are happening within the novel Playmeans app. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can a "nudge" toward engaging, fun, and useful material improve student attitudes toward statistics? We report on the results of a randomized study to assess the effect of a "nudge" delivered via a weekly E-mail digest on the attitudes of students enrolled in a large introductory statistics course taught in both flipped and fully online formats. Students were randomized to receive either a personalized weekly E-mail digest with course information and a "nudge" to read and explore interesting applications of statistics relevant to the weekly course material, or a generic course E-mail digest with the same course information, and no "nudge." Our study found no evidence that "nudging" students to read and explore interesting applications of statistics resulted in better attitudes toward statistics. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a teacher or a student in a class with a large enrollment can be intimidating. Often, teachers view comforts that are common to small classes as unattainable in a larger class, including knowing students' names, using active learning, employing group work, and creating group discussion. Students in large classes may find that the class size leads to isolation. At Utah State University, we offer introductory statistics classes for various audiences using a large lecture format. The authors have collectively led these large lectures dozens of times and found that, despite its shortcomings, the large lecture format can be an asset when teaching statistics. With an active learning approach such as recommended by the revised GAISE College report, large class sizes permit realistic sampling, facilitate student-driven simulation, and provide bountiful opportunities for experimentation. In this article, we discuss the benefits of large classes for statistics teaching and present examples of using large class sizes to create an engaging environment that where students are involved in active learning and collecting real data to foster statistical thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In K–12 statistics education, there is a call to integrate statistics content standards throughout a mathematics curriculum and to teach these standards from a data analytic perspective. Annotated lesson notes within a lesson plan are a freely available resource to provide teachers support when navigating potentially unfamiliar statistics content and teaching practices. We identified several types of annotated lesson notes, created two statistics lesson plans that contained various annotated lesson notes, and observed secondary mathematics teachers implement the lesson plans in their intermediate algebra courses. For this study, we qualitatively investigated how two teachers' instructional actions compared to what was prescribed in the annotated lesson notes. We found ways in which the teachers' instructional actions, across their differing contexts, aligned with, varied from, or adapted to the annotated lesson notes. From these results, we highlight affordances and limitations of annotated lesson notes for statistics instruction and offer recommendations for those who create statistics curricula with annotated lesson notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender clinics are experiencing an increase in non-binary and/or genderqueer (NBGQ) individuals applying for gender affirming medical treatment (GAMT). GAMT is a well-established approach in reducing body dissatisfaction in binary transgender (BT) people, but knowledge on GAMT in NBGQ people is limited. Previous research shows that NBGQ individuals report different treatment needs compared to BT individuals. In attempting to address this difference, the current study examines the association between identifying as NBGQ, body dissatisfaction and their underlying motives for GAMT. The main research objectives were to describe the desires and motives for GAMT in NBGQ people and to examine how body dissatisfaction and gender identity relate to one's request for GAMT. Methods: Online self-report questionnaires were administered on 850 adults referred to a gender identity clinic (Mdn age = 23.9 years). Gender identity and desires for GAMT were surveyed at clinical entry. Body satisfaction was assessed with the Body Image Scale (BIS). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine whether BIS scores differed between NBGQ and BT individuals. Chi-square post hoc analyses were used to identify differences in treatment desires and motives between BT and NBGQ individuals. Logistic regressions were conducted to study the association between body image, gender identity and treatment desire. Results: Compared to BT persons (n = 729), NBGQ persons (n = 121) reported less body dissatisfaction, primarily with the genital area. NBGQ persons also preferred fewer GAMT interventions. If a procedure was not desired, NBGQ individuals more often motivated this on the basis of their gender identity, while BT individuals more often cited the risks of the procedure as their primary reason. The study confirms the need for more NBGQ specialized care, as they have a distinct experience of their gender incongruence, physical distress and express specific needs in GAMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This laboratory cross-sectional study aimed at explore the muscle response (MR) of the upper trapezius, infraspinatus, biceps brachii and extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) during the radial nerve-biased upper limb neurodynamic test (RN-ULNT) in healthy participants. Myoelectric activity was stage-by-stage recorded during two sequencing variants of the RN-ULNT: S1, in which elbow extension was the last movement; and S2, in which wrist flexion was the last movement. Final elbow and wrist joint angle and sensory response (SR) in five zones (Z1-Z5) were also registered. MR was qualitatively categorized as 'absent' (No-MR), 'true' (TMR) or 'uneven' (UMR). In both sequences, significant increases in muscle activity occurred mostly during shoulder abduction and elbow extension (p ≤ 0.009). Also, elbow extension but not wrist flexion increased the activity of the ECRB muscle (p ≤ 0.009). S2 showed significantly higher upper trapezius (p = 0.04) and biceps brachii (p = 0.036) muscle activity during wrist flexion, and higher report of SR in Z1 and Z4 (p < 0.001) compared to S1. Only the ECRB muscle showed significant differences in the MR type between S1 and S2 (TMR, p = 0.016; UMR, = 0,012). Our results may be useful in the assessment of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of mobilization with movement (MWM) on pulmonary functions in subjects with thoracic hyperkyphosis. This randomized single-blinded controlled trial included a sample of 50 subjects (age 18 − 25 years old) with thoracic hyperkyphosis. Subjects were randomly allocated into two groups; the Real MWM group (n = 25) which received thoracic MWM plus standard postural correction exercises, and the Sham MWM group (n = 25) which received sham MWM plus standard postural correction exercises. Digital X-ray and handheld spirometer were used to measure selected pulmonary function tests (FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, MVV) respectively. Within-group comparisons demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in all outcome measures in both groups. The between-group comparisons demonstrated significant improvement in the MWM compared to the Sham group regarding the value of FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, and MVV (P <.05). In young adults with thoracic hyperkyphosis, MWM plus postural exercise produces better improvements in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and MVV compared to sham MWM plus postural exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As it is known that the hybrid Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite laminate is a recently evolved class of structural material. Hence, the present work deals with secondary processing ability like hole drilling on hard to machine FRP laminate. The influence of drilling attributes on the delamination factor and surface roughness contours are studied for a high thickness hybrid (carbon/glass FRP) laminates. Here, the experimentation was performed utilising Taguchi's L27 design of experiments array. Later, on post-drilling, the predominant and optimum variables were studied through taguchi and variance analysis to highlight their contribution on the response functions. Taguchi results indicate that the combination of the 90՞tungsten carbide tool, speed of 800 rpm, and rate of feed 50 mm/min gives the best performance concerning the delamination. Also, it was observed that the combination of the 118՞tungsten carbide tool, cutting speed of 900 rpm and the rate of feed 60 mm/min give the best performance concerning surface roughness. Whereas, as per ANOVA, the highest percentage contribution factor was concerned to a tool material followed by other factors and analysed data lie with the confidence level of 95%. The work also indicates that tungsten carbide tool yield better results compared to high-speed steel tool. Further, fibre morphology has been studied, which indicates optimal structure with minimal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an ongoing controversy about women's sexuality and the existence of different orgasms. The debate is tilted toward anatomical and physiological evidence, which often leaves subjective experiences out of the picture. The aim of the current mixed-methods study was to capture women's accounts of their experiences of orgasmic states. As part of a larger online survey, 513 women (M = 25.89 years, SD = 5.60) from a community sample filled in open-ended questions on their experience of different kinds of orgasms. Additionally, women rated semantic differentials with bipolar adjectives characterizing vaginal and clitoral orgasms. A sub-sample of n = 257 women (50%) had experienced both, vaginal and clitoral orgasms and rated both separately on the semantic differential. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed significant differences in that clitoral orgasms were, amongst others, rated as sharper, easier, and more controllable, while vaginal orgasms were rated as wilder, deeper, more pulsating, and extending. In open-ended questions, women talked about various other orgasmic experiences, such as mixed clitoral/vaginal orgasms, whole body, cervical, anal, or mental orgasms. Some women were uncertain about their orgasmic experiences. It is time to integrate anatomical, psychophysiological, and experiential data and conclude that either "all clitoral" or "clitoral and vaginal" falls short to do justice to the complexity of women's orgasms. Understanding and defining these various types of orgasms and allowing for the apparent diversity to have its place in research and in social discourse is a task for future research and pleasure-positive sex education to increase pleasure literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present article, Dai et al. ([5]) studies FDR control of the GM and DS methods for generalized linear models (GLMs) under a unified framework. Specifically, Xing, Zhao, and Liu ([16]) develops the Gaussian Mirror (GM) method for controlling FDR in high-dimensional linear regressions. Wang and Ramdas ([15]) uses e-value and develops the e-BH procedure to control FDR. With the maturity of data collection techniques, the analysis of data with high-dimensional input is now routinely conducted. [Extracted from the article]

Preeclampsia (PE) presence could lead to hemodynamic changes. Previous research suggested that morphological parameters based on photoplethysmographic pulse waves (PPGW) could help diagnose PE. To investigate the performance of a novel PPGPW-based parameter, falling scaled slope (FSS), in distinguishing PE. To investigate the advantages of the machine learning algorithm over the conventional statistical methods in the analysis. Eighty-one pieces of PPGPW data were acquired for the study (PE, n = 44; normotensive, n = 37). The FSS values were calculated and used to construct a PE classifier using the K-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm. A predicted PE state varying from 0 to 1 was also calculated. The classifier's performance in distinguishing PE was evaluated using the ROC and AUC. A comparison was conducted with previously published PPGPW-based models. Compared to the previous PPGPW-based parameters, FSS showed a better performance in distinguishing PE with an AUC value of 0.924, the best threshold of 0.498 could predict PE with a sensitivity of 84.1% and a specificity of 89.2%. As for the analysis method, training a classifier using the KNN algorithm had an advantage over the conventional statistical methods with the AUC values of 0.878 and 0.749, respectively. The result indicated that FSS might be an effective tool for identifying PE. Moreover, the machine learning algorithm could further help the data analysis and improve performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence supports the inclusion of directional preference exercises for a subgroup of patients with low back (LBP) and leg pain. Recent pain neuroscience strategies have suggested that cortical restructuring associated with movement activating the body map representation in the brain might account for the observed improvement with the directional preference approach. To explore whether or not a motor imagery directional preference approach would result in any changes in patients with LBP and leg pain. A consecutive convenience sample of patients with LBP and leg pain were recruited at two outpatient physical therapy clinics. Measurements of LBP, leg pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (FABQ), pain catastrophizing (PCS), active lumbar flexion, and straight leg raise (SLR) were compared before and immediately after a virtual (motor imagery) directional preference exercise. Statistically significant differences for LBP, FABQ, PCS, active lumbar flexion, and SLR were observed, but only SLR changes met or exceeded the minimally clinically important difference (MCID). A brief virtual motor imagery extension treatment yielded some immediate positive shifts in patients presenting to physical therapy with LBP and leg pain. Our results indicate that randomized comparison trials are needed to determine the effect of this intervention on the short- and longer-term outcomes in patients with LBP and leg pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual joint mobilization and manipulation are recommended therapeutic interventions for people with neck pain. High-velocity thrust and sustained techniques have an uncertain association with serious arterial trauma. The validity of pre-manipulative tests of the cervical spine is often questioned, and the understanding of the effect of head/neck position on blood flow is still incomplete. Most of the evidence concerning hemodynamics in this area relates to extracranial flow (vertebral and carotid artery). Less is understood about the effects on intracranial flow while performing pre-manipulative tests and sustained positions like end of range cervical rotation mobilization. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of commonly used evaluation and treatment positions on intracranial hemodynamic parameters. A randomized, cross-over observational study using ultrasonography on healthy subjects (n = 19) was conducted to measure hemodynamic parameters (peak systolic velocity and end diastolic maximum) of intracranial arterial systems. Two test positions (sustained pre-manipulative thrust C0-1 and sustained cervical end of range rotation) were compared with a sham position for each test position. :Neither the sequence of tests performed nor an independent variable (the two positions) had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on peak systolic velocity (PSV) or end diastolic maximum (EDM). No effects from commonly used assessment and treatment of neck positions on hemodynamic parameters were found. This is consistent with previous studies. Further study is indicated on people with symptoms and known pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probability distribution functions (PDFs) of atmospheric reentry latitude predictions are shown to be bimodal for spacecraft in low-eccentricity, prograde low Earth orbits at altitudes of 300 km and lower. Using two-line element (TLE) data for initial orbit conditions, coupled with coarse estimates for spacecraft aerodynamic characteristics, parametric simulations produce bimodal distributions that suggest a greater likelihood of reentry near the latitudinal maxima of a given spacecraft's ground track. Various computational measures are used to test for and quantify bimodality in the reentry latitude data sets. Also, a method for approximating bandwidth is introduced for the kernel estimation of reentry latitude probability density. Overall, statistical analysis indicates that actual reentry latitudes are generally within 1-σ of observed hemisphere means as demonstrated by six historical reentry cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]