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Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common type of rhinitis, the treatment of which relies on relieving symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to assess the criteria that influence doctors' decision-making in the process of drug selection for the treatment of allergic rhinitis based on quantitative, qualitative, and cost analyses. Methods: We conducted a survey study with the participation of 300 allergologists. A self-developed questionnaire was presented during a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) according to standard procedures. The contingency table underwent statistical analysis using the chi-square test with Cramer's V. Results were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results: Our analyses showed that doctors most often prescribe intranasal glucocorticoids and oral antihistamines to treat allergic rhinitis in patients of all ages. The most common factor that affects the decision-making related to AR treatment was the efficiency of the drug. We found a significant relationship between factors and the main workplace (X-squared = 122.81, df = 90, p -value = 0.0123, Cramer's V = 0.1787216), as well as voivodeship of the main workplace (X-squared = 440.75, df = 270, p -value = 2.378e-10, Cramer's V = 0.1954731). In our study, respondents claimed that patients are willing to pay 31–50 PLN (∼€7- €11) monthly for the treatment of mild and moderate forms of AR, while they were willing to pay 51–100 PLN (∼€11–€22) for treatment of the severe AR form. Conclusion: Our study confirms that the management of AR should be focused on the patient. One of the most important factors in choosing a drug is its effectiveness. Moreover, an important factor in the effective treatment of AR is the financial issue; as shown in our analysis, AR treatment costs can be a significant burden, especially for less wealthy citizens in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in women, with 5-year survival rates of as high as 90% for patients with early-stage breast cancer without metastasis, falling to 10% once bone metastases (BM) occur. Currently, there is no cure for breast cancer with BM. However, appropriate treatment can extend survival and improve patients' quality of life. Therefore, it is important to accurately evaluate the presence of BM in patients with breast cancer. The present meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG and 18F-NaF as PET/CT tracers for breast cancer-associated BM. The present study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomographs (PET/CT) and 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) PET/CT in patients with breast cancer and BM. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for English literature on the diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT for breast cancer BM, and two authors independently extracted data. All included studies presented data that could be used to construct a 2x2 contingency table. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using QUADAS-2, and forest plots were generated based on the sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT in the diagnosis of BM associated with breast cancer. A total of 14 articles were identified, including eight on the analysis of 18F-FDG PET/CT, five on 18F-NaF PET/CT and one on both. The studies on 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT included 530 and 270 patients, respectively. The pooled sensitivities were 0.88 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.76-0.94] for 18F-FDG PET/CT and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.92-1.00) for 18F-NaF PET/CT, and the pooled specificities were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.76-0.97), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve for both 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-1.00). Lesion-based analysis using 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed for 909 lesions, with a sensitivity of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.67-1.00) and specificity of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.98-1.00). Compared with 18F-FDG PET/CT, 18F-NaF PET/CT showed higher sensitivity (98 vs. 88%) but lower specificity (91 vs. 99%), although the difference between methods was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that 18F-NaF PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT are both accurate methods for the detection of BM in patients with breast cancer, and have comparable diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing global concern in small animal veterinary practices. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in companion animals can contribute to the spread of AMR between animals and humans. This study aimed to assess small animal veterinarians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR in North Macedonia. A web-based questionnaire was developed, including questions addressing demographics, owner influence on antibiotic prescription and prescribing practices. The response rate of the small animal veterinarians was 47.50% (57/120), with most of them (84.20%) having 1-15 years of work experience. Pearson's chi-square test of independence was used for contingency tables that met the chi-square assumption, and Fisher's exact test was conducted for contingency tables that did not. Most veterinarians responded that they had perceived pressure and direct demands from pet owners to prescribe antimicrobials (35.09% frequently, 45.61% occasionally). In the survey, 50.77% of the veterinarians reported frequently administering antibiotics without conducting bacteriological or antimicrobial susceptibility testing. They typically resorted to these tests in cases with recurrent infections, such as skin infections (19.63%), or when empirical therapy is ineffective (14.72%). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that veterinarians play a crucial role in tackling the AMR in North Macedonia. The lack of stewardship programs or guidelines for responsible antimicrobial use in companion animals is a critical issue that requires urgent attention, emphasizing the vital role of veterinarians in combating AMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAsymptotic goodness-of-fit methods in contingency table analysis can struggle with sparse data, especially in multi-way tables where it can be infeasible to meet sample size requirements for a robust application of distributional assumptions. However, algebraic statistics provides exact alternatives to these classical asymptotic methods that remain viable even with sparse data. We apply these methods to a context in psychometrics and education research that leads naturally to multi-way contingency tables: the analysis of differential item functioning (DIF). We explain concretely how to apply the exact methods of algebraic statistics to DIF analysis using the R package algstat, and we compare their performance to that of classical asymptotic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, the increasing distribution of pollutants in the aquatic environment has been observed, causing integrative effects on fish. Likewise, due to anthropogenic activities, the southern gulf of Lake Tana is an impacted region, and the production of Nile tilapia fish is reduced. For this reason, the aim of this study was to conduct a histopathological-based study of 48 Nile tilapia fishes' health status at the southern gulf of Lake Tana and aquaculture using a cross-sectional study from February 2023 to May 2023. The study evaluated the histopathology of the gill, liver, gonads, and spleen organs using descriptive statistics accompanied by a 2 × 2 contingency table and t-test analysis. During the study, different histological alterations were detected, and the numbers of fish affected by a specific histological alteration were presented as percentage prevalence; hence, from the total fish examined, hyperplasia (54.15%), followed by pigment deposits (52%), hemorrhage (50%), and immune cell infiltration (50%), respectively, were the most frequently detected alterations. However, Nile tilapias from the southern gulf of Lake Tana were 1.4 (odds ratio) times more likely to show histopathological alterations than those from aquaculture, although statistically, was not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, the study found the mean value of the fish index (95.3) and regressive indices of the gill (13.6), liver (14.8), and gonad (12.3); moreover, the inflammatory indices of the spleen organ (11.3) and mean severity grade value of the gill (2.35) and gonad (1.7) organs, respectively, were obtained from the southern gulf of Lake Tana, and all those values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) from this site as compared to the aquaculture. In general, it has been found that tilapias from the southern gulf of Lake Tana showed higher pathological severity as compared with aquaculture. Among the four target organs evaluated, liver organs were observed to be the most damaged, while gonads were the least impacted organs. Therefore, it has been concluded that tilapia fish are living in abnormal conditions, so to ensure a sustainable fishery, water pollutant sources from Bahirdar city must receive proper attention, and future studies should consider age differences, seasonal variation, and the detection of specific pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks are vital components of city ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, climate resilience, air and water quality, health, socialization, and economic benefits for citizens in urban areas. This paper examines urban parks in Novi Sad by gathering opinions on their qualities and functions through a questionnaire. The respondents were students enrolled in the landscape architecture course at the University of Novi Sad. To analyze their responses, multivariate statistical analysis techniques, including ANOVA, MANOVA, and contingency tables, were applied. The results highlight the primary reasons for visiting urban parks in general, as well as specific parks in Novi Sad. The paper offers insights into visitor behavior, including the frequency and length of their stays, etc., and provides an assessment of the parks' educational functions, which were expected to be highly relevant for the respondent group. The results can be relevant for further urban park development and serve as a starting point for applying multi-criteria (MC) analysis. Specifically, the results can be used to define a set of criteria, goals, and other essential elements necessary for conducting Analytic Hierarchy Processes or similar MC analysis methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and caffeine-containing beverages are widely consumed but their impact on gastrointestinal (GI) health requires further investigation. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between NSAIDs use, caffeinated drink consumption, and the prevalence of self-reported GI symptoms in a Jordanian subpopulation. Methods: An online survey was administered to 400 Jordanian individuals aged 18–65 years. Data on sociodemographics, NSAIDs use, caffeine consumption, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) history, and GI symptoms were collected. Contingency tables were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between exposures and outcomes. Results: The prevalence of self-reported PUD-related GI symptoms was 6.0%. NSAID users had higher odds of PUD (OR = 2.431) and related GI symptoms, including abdominal pain (OR = 4.688, p < 0.001) and discomfort (OR = 8.068, p < 0.001). Caffeine consumption was associated with self-reported burning stomach pain (OR = 14.104, p < 0.001), fullness (OR = 8.304, p = 0.010), and bloating (OR = 8.304, p = 0.010). Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks were associated with increased odds of various GI symptoms (ORs 2.018-12.715, p < 0.05). Conclusions: NSAIDs use and caffeine consumption were independently associated with the increased prevalence of self-reported PUD and related GI symptoms. Despite the lack of adjustment for necessary confounders, our findings highlight the importance of considering the potential GI effects of NSAIDs and caffeine. Public health strategies promoting their safe use may help reduce the burden of GI disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is an aggravation of diabetes mellitus, which consists of ulcers and loss of sensitivity in the lower limbs. In its most severe stage, the person's limb may be amputated, which causes disability. This i s a disease with multiple causes and whose treatment requires several solutions, including drug treatment, physiotherapy, and reeducation of the person to change to a healthy lifestyle, if necessary, where the need for adequate nutritional habits appears. It is due to such complexity that we selected the Plithogenic n- SuperHyperGraph as a tool to represent the collected data, which were processed with the help of the multi-way log-linear model for contingency tables. For the first time, these three theories are combined to solve a real-life problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is an important cause of consultation in the emergency room and depending on the general condition of the person; it can become complicated and lifethreatening. The general objective of this study is to identify the immunoserology of acute respiratory infections in children under 15 years of age in the city of Riobamba, Ecuador in 2023; it consists of a statistical study in 85 children and adolescents. This research made it possible to identify the presence or absence of acute respiratory infections. The infections found are provoked by viruses, atypical bacteria, or a combination of both pathogens. These diseases may have an atypical origin due to previously unknown or little-known pathogens. Another indetermination is caused by the lack of knowledge of how the individuals studied were infected. That is why we use Refined Neutrosophic Statistics to study the collected data. This theory allows us to make the study more flexible, where the indeterminacy caused by ignorance is included, either about the biological origin of the diseases or about the immunological origin in the transmission of the disease. Specifically, we use the chi-square test for Contingency Tables for data processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationships of reading strategies among different English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs. Ninety-seven students in four ESP programs in Ecuador were surveyed regarding their reading strategies. The results found that there were not significant differences among the four strategies. These findings were discussed regarding whether differences in reading strategies could potentially influence teaching effectiveness, learning outcomes, and English language applications. The survey was administered to a random sample obtained from four Ecuadorian universities for 97 ESP students. For the survey, we applied an Indeterminate Likert Scale. Unlike the classic Likert Scale, the indeterminate variant asks the respondent to express a degree of measurement regarding their opinions for each of the elements of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and neutrality. This allows capturing the opinion of the interviewee in the most reliable way possible, obtaining more accuracy than in the crisp Likert Scale. These data were statistically processed with the help of a Chi-square test for contingency tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) has been challenging for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiles. Many existing algorithms have high false positive rates (FPRs) and often fail to identify weak biological signals. Results: We present a novel method for identifying DEGs in scRNA-seq data called RankCompV3. It is based on the comparison of relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs which are determined by comparing the expression levels of a pair of genes in a set of single-cell profiles. The numbers of genes with consistently higher or lower expression levels than the gene of interest are counted in two groups in comparison, respectively, and the result is tabulated in a 3 × 3 contingency table which is tested by McCullagh's method to determine if the gene is dysregulated. In both simulated and real scRNA-seq data, RankCompV3 tightly controlled the FPR and demonstrated high accuracy, outperforming 11 other common single-cell DEG detection algorithms. Analysis with either regular single-cell or synthetic pseudo-bulk profiles produced highly concordant DEGs with the ground-truth. In addition, RankCompV3 demonstrates higher sensitivity to weak biological signals than other methods. The algorithm was implemented using Julia and can be called in R. The source code is available at https://github.com/pathint/RankCompV3.jl. Conclusions: The REOs-based algorithm is a valuable tool for analyzing single-cell RNA profiles and identifying DEGs with high accuracy and sensitivity. Key points: RankCompV3 is a method for identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in either bulk or single-cell RNA transcriptomics. It is based on the counts of relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs in the two groups. The contingency tables are tested using McCullagh's method. RankCompV3 has comparable or better performance than that of other conventional methods. It has been shown to be effective in identifying DEGs in both single-cell and pseudo-bulk profiles. Pseudo-bulk method is implemented in RankCompV3, which allows the method to achieve higher computational efficiency and improves the concordance with the bulk ground-truth. RankCompV3 is effective in identifying functionally relevant DEGs in weak-signal datasets. The method is not biased towards highly expressed genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDistance covariance (Székely, Rizzo, and Bakirov) is a fascinating recent notion, which is popular as a test for dependence of any type between random variables X and Y. This approach deserves to be touched upon in modern courses on mathematical statistics. It makes use of distances of the type |X−X′| and |Y−Y′|, where (X′,Y′) is an independent copy of (X, Y). This raises natural questions about independence of variables like X−X′ and Y−Y′, about the connection between cov(|X−X′|,|Y−Y′|) and the covariance between doubly centered distances, and about necessary and sufficient conditions for independence. We show some basic results and present a new and nontechnical counterexample to a common fallacy, which provides more insight. We also show some motivating examples involving bivariate distributions and contingency tables, which can be used as didactic material for introducing distance correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhipicephalus microplus is the parasitic species that causes the most damage to Mexican and global livestock due to direct and indirect losses, such as the increase in multidrug resistance and cross-resistance. Currently, there are few studies on resistance to macrocyclic lactones in Mexico, most of them in the south. This study aimed to evaluate the status of ivermectin resistance in R. microplus in northeastern Mexico and its associated risk factors. A total of 20 populations of Rhipicephalus microplus were collected in the states of Veracruz, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí, and they were analyzed with the larval immersion test. Mortality data were subjected to a Probit analysis, estimating lethal concentrations (LC) of 50 % and 99 % and their respective 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI), and to determine possible risk factors, a multivariate analysis and 2 x 2 contingency tables were performed for the exposure variables, with a 95 % confidence interval, and a binomial logistic regression model for those variables with a P=0.05. Eighty (80) percent of the analyzed populations showed resistance with ranges of RR50= 2.07-11.14 and RR99= 3.03-47.93 (P=0.05), and through the binomial logistic regression, it was observed that the variable of frequency of treatments obtained a P=0.0134, a result that proved to be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Beh and Lombardo (2022, Symmetry, 14, 1103) showed how to perform a correspondence analysis on a two-way contingency table where Bowker's statistic lies at the numerical heart of this analysis. Thus, we showed how this statistic could be used to visually identify departures from perfect symmetry. Interestingly, Bowker's statistic is a special case of the symmetry version of the Cressie–Read family of divergence statistics. Therefore, this paper presents a new framework for visually assessing departures from perfect symmetry using a second-order Taylor series approximation of the Cressie–Read family of divergence statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interquartile range is a statistical measure well suited to describe the variability of the data at hand, both at the population level and for sample data. The interquartile range is particularly useful when the distribution of the data is asymmetric or irregularly shaped. Here, the use of the interquartile range is investigated when the main aim is to compare the variability of two distributions using two independent random samples, without the need to make any distributional assumptions. Several techniques are compared through numerical studies and real data examples, with a particular attention given to the use of sample quantiles based on the Harrel-Davis estimator or the quantile regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on creative accounting date back to the latter part of the 20th century. Creative accounting is still a big challenge in financial accounting. The problem of financial statement manipulation might be investigated, for instance, from an accounting, legal, ethical, or psychological perspective. This research aims to identify the main motives for the use of creative accounting and to find out whether corporate culture has an impact on the motives leading to the use of creative accounting. Data collection took place from 18 November 2023 to 18 December 2022. In the research, we used Pearson's χ2 test to determine the dependence of the studied variables in contingency tables. Subsequently, correspondence analysis was used. The type of corporate culture does not have an impact on the motives that lead to creative accounting. It was proven that the type of corporate culture has an impact on the performance of creative accounting actions based on the request of a senior employee. The uniqueness of the research lies in the investigation of creative accounting from a psychological and managerial point of view in the territory of the Slovak Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagonals–parameter symmetry (DPS) model is a proposed method for analyzing square contingency tables with ordinal categories. Previously, it was stated that the generalized DPS (DPS[f]) model was equivalent to the DPS model for any function f, but the proof was not provided. This paper presents the derivation of the DPS[f] model and the proof of the relationship between the two models. The findings offer various interpretations of the DPS model. Additionally, a new model is considered, and it is shown that the proposed model and the DPS[f] model are separable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partite, 3-uniform hypergraphs are 3-uniform hypergraphs in which each hyperedge contains exactly one point from each of the 3 disjoint vertex classes. We consider the degree sequence problem of partite, 3-uniform hypergraphs, that is, to decide if such a hypergraph with prescribed degree sequences exists. We prove that this decision problem is NP-complete in general, and give a polynomial running time algorithm for third almost-regular degree sequences, that is, when each degree in one of the vertex classes is k or k − 1 for some fixed k, and there is no restriction for the other two vertex classes. We also consider the sampling problem, that is, to uniformly sample partite, 3-uniform hypergraphs with prescribed degree sequences. We propose a Parallel Tempering method, where the hypothetical energy of the hypergraphs measures the deviation from the prescribed degree sequence. The method has been implemented and tested on synthetic and real data. It can also be applied for χ2 testing of contingency tables. We have shown that this hypergraph-based χ2 test is more sensitive than the standard χ2 test. The extra sensitivity is especially advantageous on small data sets, where the proposed Parallel Tempering method shows promising performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorical data analysis of 2 × 2 contingency tables is extremely common, not least because they provide risk difference, risk ratio, odds ratio, and log odds statistics in medical research. A χ 2 test analysis is most often used, although some researchers use likelihood ratio test (LRT) analysis. Does it matter which test is used? A review of the literature, examination of the theoretical foundations, and analyses of simulations and empirical data are used by this paper to argue that only the LRT should be used when we are interested in testing whether the binomial proportions are equal. This so-called test of independence is by far the most popular, meaning the χ 2 test is widely misused. By contrast, the χ 2 test should be reserved for where the data appear to match too closely a particular hypothesis (e.g., the null hypothesis), where the variance is of interest, and is less than expected. Low variance can be of interest in various scenarios, particularly in investigations of data integrity. Finally, it is argued that the evidential approach provides a consistent and coherent method that avoids the difficulties posed by significance testing. The approach facilitates the calculation of appropriate log likelihood ratios to suit our research aims, whether this is to test the proportions or to test the variance. The conclusions from this paper apply to larger contingency tables, including multi-way tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecologists and evolutionary biologists are regularly tasked with the comparison of binary data across groups. There is, however, some discussion in the biostatistics literature about the best methodology for the analysis of data comprising binary explanatory and response variables forming a 2 × 2 contingency table.We assess several methodologies for the analysis of 2 × 2 contingency tables using a simulation scheme of different sample sizes with outcomes evenly or unevenly distributed between groups. Specifically, we assess the commonly recommended logistic (generalised linear model [GLM]) regression analysis, the classical Pearson chi‐squared test and four conventional alternatives (Yates' correction, Fisher's exact, exact unconditional and mid‐p), as well as the widely discouraged linear model (LM) regression.We found that both LM and GLM analyses provided unbiased estimates of the difference in proportions between groups. LM and GLM analyses also provided accurate standard errors and confidence intervals when the experimental design was balanced. When the experimental design was unbalanced, sample size was small, and one of the two groups had a probability close to 1 or 0, LM analysis could substantially over‐ or under‐represent statistical uncertainty. For null hypothesis significance testing, the performance of the chi‐squared test and LM analysis were almost identical. Across all scenarios, both had high power to detect non‐null effects and reject false positives. By contrast, the GLM analysis was underpowered when using z‐based p‐values, in particular when one of the two groups had a probability near 1 or 0. The GLM using the LRT had better power to detect non‐null results.Our simulation results suggest that, wherever a chi‐squared test would be recommended, a linear regression is a suitable alternative for the analysis of 2 × 2 contingency table data. When researchers opt for more sophisticated procedures, we provide R functions to calculate the standard error of a difference between two probabilities from a Bernoulli GLM output using the delta method. We also explore approaches to compliment GLM analysis of 2 × 2 contingency tables with credible intervals on the probability scale. These additional operations should support researchers to make valid assessments of both statistical and practical significances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contingency tables, data represented as counts matrices, are ubiquitous across quantitative research and data-science applications. Existing statistical tests are insufficient however, as none are simultaneously computationally efficient and statistically valid for a finite number of observations. In this work, motivated by a recent application in reference-free genomic inference [K. Chaung et al., Cell 186, 5440-5456 (2023)], we develop Optimized Adaptive Statistic for Inferring Structure (OASIS), a family of statistical tests for contingency tables. OASIS constructs a test statistic which is linear in the normalized data matrix, providing closed-form P-value bounds through classical concentration inequalities. In the process, OASIS provides a decomposition of the table, lending interpretability to its rejection of the null. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the OASIS test statistic, showing that these finite-sample bounds correctly characterize the test statistic's P-value up to a variance term. Experiments on genomic sequencing data highlight the power and interpretability of OASIS. Using OASIS, we develop a method that can detect SARS-CoV-2 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains de novo, which existing approaches cannot achieve. We demonstrate in simulations that OASIS is robust to overdispersion, a common feature in genomic data like single-cell RNA sequencing, where under accepted noise models OASIS provides good control of the false discovery rate, while Pearson's X² consistently rejects the null. Additionally, we show in simulations that OASIS is more powerful than Pearson's X² in certain regimes, including for some important two group alternatives, which we corroborate with approximate power calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covariation judgment underlies a diversity of psychological theories and influences various everyday decisions. Information about covariation can be learned from either a summary description of frequencies (i.e., contingency tables) or trial‐by‐trial experience (i.e., sampling individual instances). Two studies were conducted to investigate the impact of information learning mode (i.e., description vs. self‐truncated sampling) on covariation judgment and related decision. In each trial under the description condition, participants were presented with a contingency table with explicit cell frequencies, whereas in each trial under the self‐truncated sampling condition, participants were allowed to determine when to stop sampling instances and thus the actual sample size. To eliminate sampling error, an other‐yoked (i.e., between‐subject) design was used in this research so that cell frequencies shown in a trial under the description condition were matched with those experienced in a trial under the self‐truncated sampling condition. Experiment 1 showed that the self‐truncated sampling condition led to more moderate covariation judgments than the description condition (i.e., a description–experience gap). Experiment 2 demonstrated further that the same gap extended to covariation‐related decisions in terms of relative contingent preference (RCP). Regressive frequency estimation under self‐truncated sampling appeared to underlie the consistent gaps found in the two studies, whereas the impact of regressive diagnosticity (i.e., the same sample of instances was viewed as less diagnostic under description than under self‐truncated sampling) or simultaneous overestimation and underweighting of rare instances under experience was not supported by the observed data. Future research might examine alternative accounts of the observed gaps, such as the impacts of belief updating and stopping rule under self‐truncated sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the selective exposure hypothesis, media consumption is determined by the ideological predispositions of individuals, who aim to confirm their opinions through media content. This research explores the role of the public state-owned radio and television corporation, Radio Televisión Española (RTVE), as a facilitator of transversal exposure, that is, consumption that is not aligned with individuals’ prior convictions. Through a quantitative methodology based on contingency tables and the calculation of corrected typed residuals, and through the CIS post-electoral studies, we analyse the relevance of ideology, partisan identification and interest in public issues as predictors of public television and radio consumption over a period of 11 years (2008-2019) in Spain. The results indicate that being a voter of the party in government and sharing its ideology are related to a higher likelihood of consuming RTVE television channels. In addition, the results show a higher transversal exposure of public radio, compared to television, which is more strongly influenced by the ideology and partisanship of the audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The addition of radiation therapy (RT) to surgery in retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) remains controversial. We examined practice patterns in the use of RT for patients with RPS over time in a large, national cohort. Methods: Patients in the National Cancer Database (2004–2017) who underwent resection of RPS were included. Trends over time for proportions were calculated using contingency tables with Cochran-Armitage Trend test. Results: Of 7,485 patients who underwent resection, 1,821 (24.3%) received RT (adjuvant: 59.9%, neoadjuvant: 40.1%). The use of RT decreased annually by < 1% (p = 0.0178). There was an average annual increase of neoadjuvant RT by 13% compared to an average annual decrease of adjuvant RT by 6% (p < 0.0001). Treatment at high-volume centers (OR 14.795, p < 0.0001) and tumor > 10 cm (OR 2.009, p = 0.001) were associated with neoadjuvant RT. In contrast liposarcomas (OR 0.574, p = 0.001) were associated with adjuvant RT. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between patients treated with surgery alone versus surgery and RT (p = 0.07). Conclusion: In the United States, the use of RT for RPS has decreased over time, with a shift towards neoadjuvant RT. However, a large percentage of patients are still receiving adjuvant RT and this mostly occurs at low-volume hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The aim of this study is to determine the atheromatous plaques' prevalence in orthopantomography and their relationship with periodontal disease and missing teeth. Material and Methods. Orthopantomographs of 1,254 patients over 18 years of age from Clínica Arlanza in Lerma, Burgos, were examined between 2017 and 2021. A Planmeca ProOne® orthopantomograph (68 kV, 7 mA, and 10 sg) was used. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS Statistics® version 25. The results of the categorical variables were described as frequencies (%). Contingency tables were made with the qualitative variables, and the chi-square test was applied to study the relationship among them. The measure of statistical power used was the relative risk (RR), which was described with its respective 95% confidence interval (CI). Student's t-test was applied to study the relationship between the qualitative variable "presence or absence of atheroma plaque" and the quantitative variable "number of teeth." Results. A 6.2% prevalence of atheroma plaques was obtained from 1,079 selected X-rays. The risk in patients with periodontal disease increased as periodontal disease worsened. The risk in patients with periodontal disease increased as periodontal disease worsened as follows: healthy patients vs. periodontal patients with less than 30% bone loss in radiography: RR 0.434, 95% CI 0.181–1.041, p = 0.053 healthy patients vs. patients with between 30%–60% bone loss: RR 0.177, 95% CI 0.075–0.418, p < 0.05 healthy patients vs. patients with more than 60% bone loss: RR 0.121, 95% CI 0.041–0.355, p < 0.05. Patients with calcifications on their orthopantomograms had a lower mean teeth number (20.9 teeth) compared to patients without calcifications (24 teeth), which was statistically significant, t (1077) = −3.125, p < 0.05. Conclusions. Orthopantomography can be considered a screening method to detect patients at increased cardiovascular risk who are referred for individualized study. It is important to continue research to know the real significance of these findings. Dentists should be aware of the importance of our work in our patients' systemic health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adapted KTK Test to older adults aims to detect motor coordination disorders in people at this stage of life. This is a test that is designed to be applied to children between 5 and 14 years old. The methodological process was developed with a systematic adaptation of the instrument according to the physical state and motor coordination of the elderly, reviewing scientific information. The adapted test was applied to 169 participants, who in turn were evaluated independently by 5 experts, who assessed them directly according to their degree of expertise. The results of the test and the test performed by the experts were placed in a contingency table and compared using Pearson's contingency coefficient. It is concluded that the adapted KTK test in older adults to detect motor coordination disorders corresponds to the results achieved by the experts and therefore the adapted KTK test can be used to measure motor coordination in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) as a chronic, irreversible complication and having a cardinal symptom that predominates such as pain contributes to causing changes and alterations in the emotional sphere and therefore in the mental health of the patient. The findings in relation to the perception of patients suffering from DPN reported that pain relief is associated with good levels of quality of life, which reduces stress, depression, insomnia and other factors that can threaten mental health. This paper has two fundamental purposes, the first one is to determine the correlation that exists between the prevalence of DPN and the patients who present psychological disorders. This problem is treated with the help of contingency tables and it is statistically processed with Pearson's chi-square coefficient. Secondly, the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) technique is applied to quantitatively evaluate, through the criteria of 3 experts, the possible strategies to be followed by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it would seem that we are currently in a more inclusive society, the reality is quite different, since discriminatory models continue to be perpetuated based on the level of functional performance of each person. In this sense, the purpose of this study is to find out the degree of discrimination that people with low functional performance have in relation to the rest of the population on the basis of sex and level of studies. To this end, through a thorough investigation based on the scientific method and articulated via statistical analysis (the modelling of categorical data), this study reveals the situations of inequality to which people with low functional performance are subjected in terms of higher education. This study used the survey on Employment of People with Disabilities (EPD), carried out by the National Statistics Institute (INE), and conducted annually with a sample size of 60,000 households, equivalent to some 200,000 people. The statistical analysis was carried out using R software and the main techniques used were contingency table modelling, log-linear models, and logistic models. Finally, some recommendations are offered to contribute to social awareness, for which the role of teachers is a crucial element for educational equity and their training is of vital importance, as teachers are a key element in adapting contents to different abilities, especially for people with lower functional performance. The quality of the initial training they receive will depend on their achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we introduce and develop the concept of interval-weighted networks (IWN), a novel approach in Social Network Analysis, where the edge weights are represented by closed intervals composed with precise information, comprehending intrinsic variability. We extend IWN for both Newman's modularity and modularity gain and the Louvain algorithm, considering a tabular representation of networks by contingency tables. We apply our methodology to two real-world IWN. The first is a commuter network in mainland Portugal, between the twenty three NUTS 3 Regions (IWCN). The second focuses on annual merchandise trade between 28 European countries, from 2003 to 2015 (IWTN). The optimal partition of geographic locations (regions or countries) is developed and compared using two new different approaches, designated as "Classic Louvain" and "Hybrid Louvain" , which allow taking into account the variability observed in the original network, thereby minimizing the loss of information present in the raw data. Our findings suggest the division of the twenty three Portuguese regions in three main communities for the IWCN and between two to three country communities for the IWTN. However, we find different geographical partitions according to the community detection methodology used. This analysis can be useful in many real-world applications, since it takes into account that the weights may vary within the ranges, rather than being constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is burdened by an unfavorable prognosis even with aggressive treatment. The aim of the present study is to investigate the risk factors affecting 30-day mortality in poor-grade aSAH patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of poor-grade aSAH patients (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, WFNS, grades IV and V) treated at our institution from December 2010 to December 2020. For all variables, percentages of frequency distributions were analyzed. Contingency tables (Chi-squared test) were used to assess the association between categorical variables and outcomes in the univariable analysis. Multivariable analysis was performed by using the multiple logistic regression method to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for 30-day mortality. Results: A total of 149 patients were included of which 32% had WFNS grade 4 and 68% had WFNS grade 5. The overall 1-month mortality rate was 21%. On univariable analysis, five variables were found to be associated with the likelihood of death, including intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH ≥ 50 mL, p = 0.005), the total amount of intraventricular and intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IVH + ICH ≥ 90 mL, p = 0.019), the IVH Ratio (IVH Ratio ≥ 40%, p = 0.003), posterior circulation aneurysms (p = 0.019), presence of spot sign on initial CT scan angiography (p = 0.015). Nonetheless, when the multivariable analysis was performed, only IVH Ratio (p = 0.005; OR 3.97), posterior circulation aneurysms (p = 0.008; OR 4.05) and spot sign (p = 0.022; OR 6.87) turned out to be independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Conclusion: The risk of mortality in poor-grade aSAH remains considerable despite maximal treatment. Notwithstanding the limitations of a retrospective study, our report highlights some neuroradiological features that in the emergency setting, combined with leading clinical and anamnestic parameters, may support the multidisciplinary team in the difficult decision-making process and communication with family members from the earliest stages of poorgrade aSAH. Further prospective studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the framework of Ideological Square Model, this paper carries out a corpus-based analysis of the ways in which group relations and the image of China are re-shaped in the English translation (ET) and the Chinese translation (CT) of Korean news discourse about China with intensifiers as an entry of inquiry. The results show that (1) There is a statistically significant difference regarding faithfulness between the ET and the CT of intensifiers (χ2 = 38.11>3.84, p<0.05), with the ET having more translation shifts. Additionally, the Chi-square test of a 3x3 contingency table (T = 49.77>5.99, P<0.05) indicates that there is a difference between the distribution of translation shifts at the 3 levels between ET and CT. (2) The ET of Korean news about China aligns more closely with van Dijk's ideological square model, while CT violates. It is argued that South Korean media have ideological factors to consider when it comes to Chinese readers accepting CT. (3) There is an alteration of the ideological square model in the target texts. The results indicate that in the translation of a target language, the translation propensity for relevant topics of the target country in which the language is spoken obeys the rules of "Us", the ingroup, but not "them", the outgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated the ECMWF model ability in forecasting lightning in Portugal during four fire seasons (2019–2022). The evaluation was made based on lightning data from the national lightning detector network, which was aggregated into resolutions of 0.5° and 1° over 3 h periods and analyzed from statistical indices using two contingency tables. The results showed that the model overestimates the lightning occurrence, with a BIAS greater than 1, with a success rate of 57.7% (49%) for a horizontal resolution of 1° (0.5°). The objective analysis was complemented by the spatial lightning distribution analysis, which indicated a time lag between the two data, i.e., the model started predicting lightning before its occurrence and finished the prediction earlier. Furthermore, such analysis revealed the lightning distribution being consistent with some weather patterns. The findings of this study provide insights into the applicability of the ECMWF lightning forecast data in the context of forecasting natural forest fires in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In forensic pathology, asphyxia presents a problem as frequently as it is thorny and challenging. Some knowledge in forensic pathology is still considered to be traditionally acquired and is not critically assessed with modern statistical or technical tools. In this study, we seek to examine the injuries that are considered to be typical of cases of hanging (neck lesions, haemorrhages, and pleural and epicardial petechiae). Methods: We evaluated whether there was, indeed, a statistically significant association between these injuries and deaths from hanging as compared to non-hanging deaths. We collected 399 cases (32 deaths by hanging and 367 cases of non-hangings), built contingency tables and performed chi-square tests for each variable (lesion) examined; we also analysed this association in various subgroups of the sample (according to sex, age and weight ranges). Results: Our results did not deviate from the expected outcome based on traditional knowledge, although they do provide a more detailed demonstration and clarification of traditional knowledge regarding this topic. Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights for future discussion, examination and deepening of knowledge that is traditionally accepted but often undersupported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haplotype-based association analysis has several advantages over single-SNP association analysis. However, to date all haplotype-disease associations have not excluded recombination interference among multiple loci and hence some results might be confounded by recombination interference. Association of sister haplotypes with a complex disease, based on recombination disequilibrium (RD) was presented. Sister haplotypes can be determined by translating notation of DNA base haplotypes to notation of genetic genotypes. Sister haplotypes provide haplotype pairs available for haplotype-disease association analysis. After performing RD tests in control and case cohorts, a two-by-two contingency table can be constructed using sister haplotype pair and case-control pair. With this standard two-by-two table, one can perform classical Chi-square test to find statistical haplotype-disease association. Applying this method to a haplotype dataset of Alzheimer disease (AD), association of sister haplotypes containing ApoE3/4 with risk for AD was identified under no RD. Haplotypes within gene IL-13 were not associated with risk for breast cancer in the case of no RD and no association of haplotypes in gene IL-17A with risk for coronary artery disease were detected without RD. The previously reported associations of haplotypes within these genes with risk for these diseases might be due to strong RD and/or inappropriate haplotype pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laparoscopic approach represents the standard of treatment for renal and adrenal diseases, and its use is increasing even outside referral centres. Although most procedures are routinely performed, intraoperative complications do not occur, and the rate and predictive factors of these complications have not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and type of intraoperative complications and to identify predictive factors in patients undergoing laparoscopic renal and adrenal surgery. This was a cohort, multicentre, international retrospective study. Patients who underwent laparoscopic renal and adrenal surgeries between April 2017 and March 2022 were included in the study. Bivariate analysis was performed using contingency tables and the χ2 test for independent samples to compare qualitative variables and the T test and Mood test for continuous variables. Multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model to obtain adjusted odds ratios. A total of 2374 patients were included in the study. Intraoperative complications were reported for 8.09% of patients who underwent renal surgery, with the most common complications reported being hollow viscus and vascular complications, and for 6.75% of patients who underwent adrenal surgery, with the most common complication reported being parenchymatous viscous complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that both adrenal and renal surgery radiological preoperative factors, such as invasive features during adrenalectomy and the RENAL score during nephrectomy, are predictive factors of intraoperative complications. In contrast to existing data, surgeon experience was not associated with a reduction in the incidence of perioperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on Global Value Chains (GVCs) using the Eurostat dataset, focusing on trade barriers and the difficulty of sourcing raw materials or intermediate goods from local and international suppliers. Using a contingency table grouped by country, we can see how raw material constraints and COVID-19's GVCs affect many countries. The study uses Chi-square test to determine if these factors have a significant association. The data imply that foreign sourcing presents less challenges for suppliers than domestic sourcing, stressing the need to examine consumer behaviour under uncertainties to develop GVCs resilience. The findings show a statistically significant link between barriers related to raw material and the effect level of COVID-19 in global value chains across all countries analysed. Suggesting that it is unlikely to have happened by random chance alone, highlighting the importance of addressing trade barriers and adapting to the impact of COVID-19 within global value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the initial and the updated versions of the front-of-pack label Nutri-Score (related to the nutritional content) with the NOVA classification (related to the degree of food processing) at the food level. Design: Using the OpenFoodFacts database – 129,950 food products – we assessed the complementarity between the Nutri-Score (initial and updated) with the NOVA classification through a correspondence analysis. Contingency tables between the two classification systems were used. Settings: The food offer in France. Participants: Not applicable. Results: With both versions (i.e. initial and updated) of the Nutri-Score, the majority of ultra-processed products received medium to poor Nutri-Score ratings (between 77·9 % and 87·5 % of ultra-processed products depending on the version of the algorithm). Overall, the update of the Nutri-Score algorithm led to a reduction in the number of products rated A and B and an increase in the number of products rated D or E for all NOVA categories, with unprocessed foods being the least impacted (–3·8 percentage points (–5·2 %) rated A or B and +1·3 percentage points (+12·9 %) rated D or E) and ultra-processed foods the most impacted (–9·8 percentage points (–43·4 %) rated A or B and +7·8 percentage points (+14·1 %) rated D or E). Among ultra-processed foods rated favourably with the initial Nutri-Score, artificially sweetened beverages, sweetened plant-based drinks and bread products were the most penalised categories by the revision of Nutri-Score while low-sugar flavoured waters, fruit and legume preparations were the least affected. Conclusion: These results indicate that the update of the Nutri-Score reinforces its coherence with the NOVA classification, even though both systems measure two distinct health dimensions at the food level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Facultad de Ciencias Economicas: Investigacion y Reflexion is the property of Revista Facultad de Ciencias Economicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales is the property of Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

COVID-19 has had serious consequences for world food security; lockdowns and social distancing have led to changes in global food value chains, primarily affecting the poorest of the planet. The aim of this research is to analyse the relationship between food insecurity and the structural risk factors for adverse impacts of COVID-19. To that end, 12 contingency tables are constructed to identify the association between the pillars of the food insecurity index and the INFORM COVID-19 Risk Index. We use the Gamma coefficient as a measure of association. In addition, this paper proposes a synthetic index produced by applying the TOPSIS method, using the pillars of the two aforementioned indices (criteria) to establish a ranking of 112 countries (alternatives) ordered from highest to lowest risk faced in the key year of the pandemic, 2020. The results show that the two problems are connected, indicating to international organizations that countries with worse food insecurity will suffer more serious consequences from extreme situations such as the one experienced during the pandemic. The ranking established directs international organizations' attention to countries such as Haiti, Zambia and Burundi, highlighting their greater need for an injection of financial aid than other emerging economies. Conversely, Switzerland is the country with the lowest combined risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge tracing models have gained prominence in educational data mining, with applications like the Self-Attention Knowledge Tracing model, which captures the exercise-knowledge relationship. However, conventional knowledge tracing models focus solely on static question-knowledge and knowledge-knowledge relationships, treating them with equal significance. This simplistic approach often succumbs to subjective labeling bias and lacks the depth to capture nuanced exercise-knowledge connections. In this study, we propose a novel knowledge tracing model called Knowledge Relation Rank Enhanced Heterogeneous Learning Interaction Modeling for Neural Graph Forgetting Knowledge Tracing. Our model mitigates the impact of subjective labeling by fine-tuning the skill relation matrix and Q-matrix. Additionally, we employ Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs) to capture intricate interactions between students, exercises, and skills. Specifically, the Knowledge Relation Importance Rank Calibration method is employed to generate the skill relation matrix and Q-matrix. These calibrated matrices, alongside heterogeneous interactions, serve as input for the GCN to compute exercise and skill embeddings. Subsequently, exercise embeddings, skill embeddings, item difficulty, and contingency tables collectively contribute to an exercise relation matrix, which is then fed into an attention mechanism for predictions. Experimental evaluations on two publicly available educational datasets demonstrate the superiority of our proposed model over baseline models, evidenced by enhanced performance across three evaluation metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When assessing multiple exposures in epidemiologic studies, epidemiologists often use multivariable regression models with main effects only to control for confounding. This method can mask the true effects of individual exposures, potentially leading to wrong conclusions. We revisited a simple, practical, and often overlooked approach to untangle effects of the exposures of interest, in which the combinations of all levels of the exposures of interest are recoded into a single, multicategory variable. One category, usually the absence of all exposures of interest, is selected as the common reference group (CRG). All other categories representing individual and joint exposures are then compared to the CRG using indicator variables in a regression model or in a 2×2 contingency table analysis. Using real data examples, we showed that using the CRG analysis results in estimates of individual and joint effects that are mutually comparable and free of each other's confounding effects, yielding a clear, accurate, intuitive, and simple summarization of epidemiologic study findings involving multiple exposures of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the association of large pressure fluctuations (LPFs) ≥ 0.2 hPa and runway wind shear (RWS) ≥ 12 kt at the Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan, during the event on 12 December 2019 with strong northeasterly winds are analyzed. The goal of the study is to demonstrate that the two phenomena exhibited close correspondence, and the former (LPFs) measured using a single barometer can be useful to detect the latter (RWS), which relies on the low-level wind-shear alert system (LLWAS) at the present time. Concentrated before 1200 UTC and especially during 0100-0800 UTC, both LPFs (52 times) and RWS (62 times) over the runway exhibited close association, and one rarely occurred more than 15–20 min apart in time from the other. Using the 2 × 2 contingency table and categorical scores, our results for LPFs and RWS to both occur at least once or five times within the same hour also suggest high accuracy rates of ≥80% and low miss rate and false alarm ratio of both < 10%, respectively. The two variables are also tested to be statistically dependent on each other to a high confidence level of 95–97.5%. Thus, using LPFs as an auxiliary or additional method to detect RWS at airports appears to be reasonable and feasible. At small and remote airports where the LLWAS is not yet available, this method also provides a good and less expensive alternative and can be helpful to the overall improvement of air traffic safety around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A unique and long-term analysis of severe and fatal accidence in forestry. • The occurrence of severe or fatal occupational accidents was significantly affected by the type of contract between the forest enterprise and the workers. • The frequency of severe occupational accidents decreased over time. • 93.7 % fatal OAs were caused by falling trees or tree parts (branches, treetops, or uprooted stumps). Introduction : Forestry is one of the most dangerous industries worldwide. Workers handle heavy loads and are exposed to numerous adverse factors of the work environment. This study was focused on analyzing severe and fatal occupational accidents over a long period. Methods : Data were gathered from occupational safety and health databases of the State Forests of the Slovak Republic, which manages 879,113 ha of forests in Slovakia. Between 2007 and 2021, 210 severe and 64 fatal accidents were recorded. The data analyses included contingency tables, Pearson χ2 test, and Cramer's V coefficient to analyze the relationships between studied variables. Results: The mean annual number of fatalities was 14, occurring to workers aged 42 on average. Almost 80% of all fatal accidents were suffered by contractors of harvesting operations, who were 5.23 times more likely to suffer a fatality than company employees. On average, 1.28 severe and 0.75 fatal accidents occurred per 1 million m3 of harvested timber. The outcomes of the correlation analysis showed a decreasing trend in incidence in the case of severe accidents. Workers ≤ 30 years or between 51 and 60 years of age were the most vulnerable in the case of fatal accidents. In the case of severe accidents, workers between 51 and 60 were the most vulnerable group. Most fatal accidents were suffered by tree fellers (72.2%) during felling (69.8%), who were in contact with falling trees and tree parts (93.7% share for this material agent). Conclusion and Practical Applications: The presented study identified the most vulnerable worker groups as well as the effects of factors on the occurrence of severe and fatal occupational accidents in forestry. The results will serve in development of occupational safety and health strategies in forest enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Paediatric hypernatraemia is a severe and life-threatening electrolyte abnormality that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Although intravenous (IV) fluid therapy is a crucial component of management, there are no management guidelines, and varying approaches to IV fluid therapy are commonplace in clinical practice. Objectives. To determine the variance in IV fluid therapy in the management of paediatric hypernatraemia among paediatric registrars and consultants in South Africa. Methods. A self-administered online survey was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey assessed paediatricians' management of three typical clinical scenarios of community-acquired hypernatraemia seen in South Africa. Descriptive results were presented as proportions, frequencies and medians with interquartile ranges. Comparisons were done using contingency tables. Results. Responses from 119 participants were analysed. Most respondents worked in the state sector (69.8%), and were based mainly in Gauteng (46.2%) or Western Cape (25.2%) province. Most (60.2%) respondents considered a serum sodium level ≥146 mmol/L indicative of hypernatraemia, and 43.6% (n=51/117) reported seeing >10 cases of paediatric hypernatraemia in 2019. For all three cases, at least eight different types of infusate (of varying sodium concentrations) were chosen as maintenance fluids. Fluid deficits were calculated using either the free water method or based on the perceived degree/percentage of clinical dehydration. Conclusion. There is considerable variability in the management of hypernatraemia among paediatricians in South Africa. There is an urgent need to develop a standardised guideline for the treatment of paediatric hypernatraemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Universum is the property of Instituto de Estudios Humanisticos Juan Ignacio Molina, Universidad de Talca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Conducting a systematic review is a time- and resource-intensive multi-step process. Enhancing efficiency without sacrificing accuracy and rigor during the screening phase of a systematic review is of interest among the scientific community. Methods This case study compares the screening performance of a title-only (Ti/O) screening approach to the more conventional title-plus-abstract (Ti + Ab) screening approach. Both Ti/O and Ti + Ab screening approaches were performed simultaneously during first-level screening of a systematic review investigating the relationship between dietary patterns and risk factors and incidence of sarcopenia. The qualitative and quantitative performance of each screening approach was compared against the final results of studies included in the systematic review, published elsewhere, which used the standard Ti + Ab approach. A statistical analysis was conducted, and contingency tables were used to compare each screening approach in terms of false inclusions and false exclusions and subsequent sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive power. Results Thirty-eight citations were included in the final analysis, published elsewhere. The current case study found that the Ti/O first-level screening approach correctly identified 22 citations and falsely excluded 16 citations, most often due to titles lacking a clear indicator of study design or outcomes relevant to the systematic review eligibility criteria. The Ti + Ab approach correctly identified 36 citations and falsely excluded 2 citations due to limited population and intervention descriptions in the abstract. Our analysis revealed that the performance of the Ti + Ab first-level screening was statistically different compared to the average performance of both approaches (Chi-squared: 5.21, p value 0.0225) while the Ti/O approach was not (chi-squared: 2.92, p value 0.0874). The predictive power of the first-level screening was 14.3% and 25.5% for the Ti/O and Ti + Ab approaches, respectively. In terms of sensitivity, 57.9% of studies were correctly identified at the first-level screening stage using the Ti/O approach versus 94.7% by the Ti + Ab approach. Conclusions In the current case study comparing two screening approaches, the Ti + Ab screening approach captured more relevant studies compared to the Ti/O approach by including a higher number of accurately eligible citations. Ti/O screening may increase the likelihood of missing evidence leading to evidence selection bias. Systematic review registration PROSPERO Protocol Number: CRD42020172655.

This article examines the changing geographical distribution of World Trade Organization (WTO) disputes between 1995 and 2023. The authors divided countries into four regions and analyzed the proportion of dispute cases in each region across three time periods. The study found that there was no pattern to the geographical distribution of disputes until July 2009. However, from July 2009 to September 2023, there was a disproportionate number of disputes originating in China and between neighboring countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), particularly Ukraine and the Russian Federation. The authors suggest that as long as these countries continue to challenge others and tighten their grip on their economies, the WTO can expect more disorder in world trade. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Conducting a systematic review is a time- and resource-intensive multi-step process. Enhancing efficiency without sacrificing accuracy and rigor during the screening phase of a systematic review is of interest among the scientific community. Methods: This case study compares the screening performance of a title-only (Ti/O) screening approach to the more conventional title-plus-abstract (Ti + Ab) screening approach. Both Ti/O and Ti + Ab screening approaches were performed simultaneously during first-level screening of a systematic review investigating the relationship between dietary patterns and risk factors and incidence of sarcopenia. The qualitative and quantitative performance of each screening approach was compared against the final results of studies included in the systematic review, published elsewhere, which used the standard Ti + Ab approach. A statistical analysis was conducted, and contingency tables were used to compare each screening approach in terms of false inclusions and false exclusions and subsequent sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive power. Results: Thirty-eight citations were included in the final analysis, published elsewhere. The current case study found that the Ti/O first-level screening approach correctly identified 22 citations and falsely excluded 16 citations, most often due to titles lacking a clear indicator of study design or outcomes relevant to the systematic review eligibility criteria. The Ti + Ab approach correctly identified 36 citations and falsely excluded 2 citations due to limited population and intervention descriptions in the abstract. Our analysis revealed that the performance of the Ti + Ab first-level screening was statistically different compared to the average performance of both approaches (Chi-squared: 5.21, p value 0.0225) while the Ti/O approach was not (chi-squared: 2.92, p value 0.0874). The predictive power of the first-level screening was 14.3% and 25.5% for the Ti/O and Ti + Ab approaches, respectively. In terms of sensitivity, 57.9% of studies were correctly identified at the first-level screening stage using the Ti/O approach versus 94.7% by the Ti + Ab approach. Conclusions: In the current case study comparing two screening approaches, the Ti + Ab screening approach captured more relevant studies compared to the Ti/O approach by including a higher number of accurately eligible citations. Ti/O screening may increase the likelihood of missing evidence leading to evidence selection bias. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO Protocol Number: CRD42020172655. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polysubstance use (PSU), the simultaneous use of 2 or more substances of abuse, is common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Preliminary studies suggest it may be associated with poor outcomes. This prospective study evaluated the impact of PSU on disease activity and healthcare resource utilization in IBD. Methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary IBD center between October 29, 2015, and December 31, 2019. Participants were assessed over 2 time points (index and follow-up outpatient appointments) separated by a minimum of 6 months. Demographics, endoscopic disease activity, and surveys assessing symptoms, healthcare resource utilization and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, opioid, or benzodiazepine) were abstracted. We identified PSU during the index appointment and computed descriptive statistics and contingency table analyses, and multivariate logistic regression models at follow up to evaluate outcomes. Results: 162 consecutively enrolled IBD patients were included. Seventy-five patients (46%) were polysubstance users at the index appointment. The most common cohorts were utilizing tobacco and alcohol (n=40) or tobacco and opioids (n=13). On bivariate and multivariate analyses, PSU during the index visit was positively associated with emergency department (ED) visits (odds ratio [OR] 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-5.07; P=0.01) and negatively associated with extraintestinal manifestations (OR 0.37, 95%CI 0.18-0.74; P=0.005). Age, sex, disease activity, disease subtype and IBD-related symptoms were not associated with PSU. Conclusions: IBD patients exhibiting PSU had increased risk of future ED visits. This study highlights the risks of PSU and reinforces the importance of appropriate substance use screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]