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Purpose: This study analyzed the effectiveness of net exchanges (ie, number of times the pairs exchange their zone on the court from the net zone to the back zone or vice versa) in men's and women's professional padel depending on the competition phase. Methods: Data were collected from 41 matches, comprising a total of 4829 points, from both the qualifying and the main draws of the World Padel Tour Finland Padel Open tournament. Descriptive analysis (frequency and percentage) and inferential tests (Pearson chi-square [χ2], Cramer V coefficient [Vc], corrected standardized residuals, and chi-squared automatic interaction detection) were carried out. Results: There were significant differences (P <.05) in net exchanges between the main and qualifying draws, both in men's (79.6% vs 72.1% for no exchanges) and women's (62.2% vs 57.6% for no exchanges) padel. Additionally, differences in the likelihood of winning points based on whether the serving pair or the returning pair finished the rally at the net were highlighted. Indeed, finishing rallies at the net for the serving pairs increased the probability of scoring a winning shot (ie, in even-numbered net exchanges), while finishing rallies away from the net (ie, in odd-numbered net exchanges) was more likely to result in errors, for both male and female players and main and qualifying draws. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the strategic behavior of professional padel matches, highlighting the importance of net dominance and its impact on match outcomes, particularly in relation to gender differences and phase of competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Diode laser represents a practical clinical strategy for treating gingival hyperpigmentation. However, its effectiveness remains controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the quantitative effects of diode laser therapy on gingival hyperpigmentation. Method and materials: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for the use of diode laser in gingival hyperpigmenta-tion. The primary outcomes assessed were the Dummett-Gupta Oral Pigmentation Index (DOPI), visual analog scale pain scores, and the Wound Healing Index (WHI) for overall evaluation. The I2 index was calculated to identify heterogeneity, and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify sources of heterogeneity. Funnel plots and the Egger test were utilized to evaluate publication bias. Results: Thirteen randomized controlled trials involving a total of 233 participants were included in the study. The analysis demonstrated that diode laser had a significant effect on DOPI (standard mean difference [SMD] = -0.245, 95% CI -0.451 to -0.040, P= .019) and pain (SMD = -0.809, 95% CI -1.332 to -0.285, P= .002), with no significant effect on WHI (SMD = -0.224, 95% CI -1.100 to 0.653, P= .617). Despite the significant heterogeneity in VAS and WHI indicated by the I2 index statistic, the sensitivity analyses' results demonstrated the main findings' reliability. While no significant publication bias was detected for DOPI and WHI, the pain results exhibited notable publication bias. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that diode laser prolongs gingival repigmentation time and reduces pain compared to other treatments. However, efficacy in wound healing was not significantly affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether genetic variations in cytokine genes involved in the pathogenesis of peri-implantitis are associated with the occurrence of peri-implantitis, an issue that remains controversial and may vary according to the population evaluated. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out on 102 Caucasian Portuguese individuals who were divided into two groups: (1) 43 individuals with peri-implantitis and (2) 59 individuals with good peri-implant health. Samples from the buccal mucosa were obtained, and genetic analysis was performed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for IL-1A and IL-1B and PCR for IL-1RN. Results: The IL-1A-889 C/T polymorphism presented with a higher prevalence of the less common allele (T allele) in patients with peri-implantitis (27.9%) than in healthy patients (16.9%), but without statistical significance (P = .060). For the IL-1B+3954 C/T and IL-1RN (variable number of tandem repeats [VNTR]) polymorphisms, analysis revealed that the allele and genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between groups. There was a significant association between a history of periodontitis and peri-implantitis (P = .020). Conclusions: The evaluated genetic polymorphisms had no influence on the occurrence of peri-implantitis in the study population. Further research into genetic variations in different populations is needed to elucidate the role of genetic factors in the onset and progression of peri-implant disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driving posture can lead to musculoskeletal pain. Most work focuses on the lower back; therefore, we know little about automobile seat design and neck posture. This study evaluated an automobile driver seat that individualized upper back support to improve head and neck posture. Specifically, we examined the system's impact on anterior head translation with secondary outcomes of spine posture and perceptions of comfort/well-being compared with a control. Forty participants were block randomized to experience either the activated or deactivated version of the same seating system first. Participants completed two 30-minute simulated driving trials, separated by washout, with continuous measures of anterior head translation, spine posture, and pelvis orientation. Perceptions of comfort/well-being were assessed by survey and open-ended questions immediately following each condition. Small, but statistically significant decreases in anterior head translation and posterior pelvic tilt occurred with the activated seat system. Participants reported lower satisfaction with the activated seat system. Order of the 2 seat conditions affected differences in pelvis orientation and participant perceptions of comfort/well-being. An anthropometric-based seat system targeting upper back support can significantly affect head and pelvic posture but not satisfaction during simulated driving. Future work should examine long-term impacts of these posture changes on health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an orthogonality-projection-based estimation method is first employed to study an extended non linear model, which can separately estimate the linear and non linear parts without losing some efficiency and increasing computation burden. To overcome the non robustness of classical least squares methods, we further propose a robust and efficient estimation procedure based on the exponential squares loss function, which is robust against outliers or heavy-tailed errors while asymptotically efficient as the non linear least squares estimation under the normal error case. Under some regularity conditions, the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators are established. In addition, simulation studies are conducted to examine the finite sample performance of the proposed estimation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full parametric and linear specification may be insufficient to capture complicated patterns in studies exploring complex features, such as those investigating age-related changes in brain functional abilities. Alternatively, a partially linear model (PLM) consisting of both parametric and nonparametric elements may have a better fit. This model has been widely applied in economics, environmental science, and biomedical studies. In this article, we introduce a novel statistical inference framework that equips PLM with high estimation efficiency by effectively synthesizing summary information from external data into the main analysis. Such an integrative scheme is versatile in assimilating various types of reduced models from the external study. The proposed method is shown to be theoretically valid and numerically convenient, and it ensures a high-efficiency gain compared to classic methods in PLM. Our method is further validated using two data applications by evaluating the risk factors of brain imaging measures and blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to shed light on an overlooked but essential aspect of informal reasoning and its radical implication to mathematics education research: Decentralising mathematics. We start to problematise that previous studies on informal reasoning implicitly overfocus on what students infer. Based on Walton's distinction between reasoning and argument, and Ernest's concept of intrapersonal dialogue, we propose two theoretical perspectives for understanding the roles of informal reasoning in argumentation: the semi-formal, and the negotiation perspectives. From the latter perspective, we can say that informal reasoning involves creating alternatives, eschewing the relatively unpromising ones, and choosing the most promising one. To illustrate the advantage of the negotiation perspective over the semi-formal perspective, we present two examples of students' statistical written reports from a previous study. These examples illustrate that spontaneous concepts influenced the students' creation of multiple alternatives, and choice of the most promising one, in informal reasoning. Therefore, to better understand the development of mathematical concepts, we need to recognise the role of spontaneous concepts through decentralising mathematics. Finally, we introduce inferentialism as an additional theoretical perspective for investigating both the mathematical development of spontaneous concepts, and the spontaneous development of mathematical concepts. The inferentialist idea of the game of giving and asking for reasons indicates how to empirically investigate the mutual development of spontaneous and mathematical concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown many instances where nonprobability surveys were not as accurate as probability surveys. However, because of their cost advantages, nonprobability surveys are widely used, and there is much debate over the appropriate settings for their use. To contribute to this debate, we evaluate the accuracy of nonprobability surveys by investigating the common claim that estimates of relationships are more robust to sample bias than means or proportions. We compare demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral variables across eight German probability and nonprobability surveys with demographic and political benchmarks from the microcensus and a high-quality, face-to-face survey. In the analyses, we compare three types of statistical inference: univariate estimates, bivariate Pearson's r coefficients, and 24 different multiple regression models. The results indicate that in univariate comparisons, nonprobability surveys were clearly less accurate than probability surveys when compared with the population benchmarks. These differences in accuracy were smaller in the bivariate and the multivariate comparisons across surveys. In addition, the outcome of those comparisons largely depended on the variables included in the estimation. The observed sample differences are remarkable when considering that three nonprobability surveys were drawn from the same online panel. Adjusting the nonprobability surveys somewhat improved their accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are now a popular tool to inform causal inferences. We discuss how DAGs can also be used to encode theoretical assumptions about nonprobability samples and survey nonresponse and to determine whether population quantities including conditional distributions and regressions can be identified. We describe sources of bias and assumptions for eliminating it in various selection scenarios. We then introduce and analyze graphical representations of multiple selection stages in the data collection process, and highlight the strong assumptions implicit in using only design weights. Furthermore, we show that the common practice of selecting adjustment variables based on correlations with sample selection and outcome variables of interest is ill-justified and that nonresponse weighting when the interest is in causal inference may come at severe costs. Finally, we identify further areas for survey methodology research that can benefit from advances in causal graph theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This single-system design evaluation study assessed whether 18 Beams to Bridges (BTB) program participants would experience increased mental health literacy (MHL). It was hypothesized that MHL scores would increase significantly between the pre-intervention and intermediate assessments, but there would be no significant difference in scores between the intermediate and post-intervention assessments. Method: The MHL scale was used to assess MHL at the three timepoints. Differences in assessment scores were evaluated using paired samples t-tests. Results: Supporting the hypotheses, BTB participants had higher MHL scores on intermediate assessments compared to pre-intervention. There was also no difference between intermediate and post-intervention scores. Conclusion: MHL among Black adults increased during participation in BTB. Despite some limitations, this work is one of the first studies on MHL interventions specifically created for the Black community and should be used to further efforts to address MHL-related contributors to mental health treatment disparities impacting this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The testing problem for the homogeneity of a location-scale mixture model is fundamental for subsequent statistical inference. In this paper, we employ the EM-test method to test the homogeneity of two commonly encountered location-scale mixture models with a structural scale, and we also establish the theoretical properties of test statistics. Further, to enhance the reliability of the test, based on the computer experiments approach, we develop a Bartlett-corrected approximate distribution for the proposed test statistics. Through Monte Carlo studies and real data example, the effectiveness of the proposed testing procedure is compared with that of the classical one, especially for small or moderate sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical inference for high-dimensional parameters (HDPs) can leverage their intrinsic correlations, as spatially or temporally close parameters tend to have similar values. This is why nonlinear mixed-effects models (NMMs) are commonly used for HDPs. Conversely, in many practical applications, the random effects (REs) in NMMs are correlated HDPs that should remain constant during repeated sampling for frequentist inference. In both scenarios, the inference should be conditional on REs, instead of marginal inference by integrating out REs. We summarize recent theory of conditional inference for NMM, and then propose a bias-corrected RE predictor and confidence interval (CI). We also extend this methodology to accommodate the case where some REs are not associated with data. Simulation studies indicate our new approach leads to substantial improvement in the conditional coverage rate of RE CIs, including CIs for smooth functions in generalized additive models, compared to the existing method based on marginal inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multivariate Regression model (MRM) is one of the most widely used models for multivariate statistical inference. In this paper, a closed-form and fully objective Bayes factor for comparing two MRMs is introduced. We also introduce a Bayes factor-based method for comparing several MRMs. It is well known that the arithmetic intrinsic Bayes factor (AIBF) does not satisfy the pairwise and multiple coherency conditions. So, the AIBF cannot be used in multiple hypotheses testing and model selection. Even in the case of only two competing hypothesis or models, lack of pairwise coherency leads to the embarrassing position of two Bayes factors for comparing two models instead of just one. In this paper, we have made a simple modification to the original definition and introduced the modified intrinsic Bayes factor (ModIBF) which satisfies the pairwise and the multiple coherency conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's overarching goal was to look into the factors that contribute to school dropout among primary school students in Fagita Lekoma District. To this end, this study used a convergent parallel research design. The participants of the study comprised District Education Officers, school principals, teachers, PTA members, and dropout pupils. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the content analysis method for qualitative data. One of the findings of this study indicated that there was a high dropout rate in the study area. The findings from different respondents with different instruments showed that many factors contribute to students dropping out, which could fall under the dimensions of family-based factors, school-based factors, sociocultural factors, and economic conditions. Thus, the school management, in collaboration with stakeholders in the school, is expected to minimise the dropout rate by addressing the causes identified by the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2015, Germany participated in the International Moss Monitoring 2020 (MM2020). The German contribution to MM2020 aimed at pilot studies on the suitability of bioindication with mosses for recording the atmospheric deposition of persistent organic pollutants and microplastics. Results: This investigation was based on moss samples collected at 25 sites in Germany: Eight sites at which concentrations of persistent organic pollutants were determined in the Moss Survey 2015 were included. In addition, twelve sites were selected from the pool of the total of 400 moss collection sites in 2015. Further five sites of the German moss monitoring network 2015 were added, at which moss samples were collected in 2020 for developing the sample preparation and for preliminary investigations. The selection of the five test sites was based on the same criteria as for the 20 target sites of the 2020 monitoring to make the analysis data of the test phase usable for later evaluations. To ensure methodological transparency and objectivity, a procedure based on statistical methods and decision modelling was developed for this purpose. The decision algorithm enabled taking into account a large number of technical criteria. Selected features of the three subsamples comprising 8, 20 and 25 sites were compared with those of the full sample (n = 400 sites of Moss Survey 2015) and inferentially tested whether the thinning of the 2015 sampling network (n = 400) to 8, 20 and 25 sites, respectively, leads to significant changes in its information quality or not. Conclusions: Methods of decision modelling and inferential statistics have proven their worth for transparently restructuring the moss monitoring network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCurrent status data appear in many biomedical studies when we only know if an event of interest occurs before or after a specific time point. In this paper, we develop statistical inference for the estimation of parameters from current status data under the Lindley lifetime distribution, which is seen to work better than the exponential distribution in some lifetime contexts. We first develop an EM algorithm for Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation and derive the asymptotic confidence intervals for model parameters. Then, we address the problem of model misspecification and define a new family of robust divergence-based estimators as a robust alternative to ML. Finally, we illustrate these methods through a simulation study as well as a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractExpected shortfall is defined as the average over the tail below (or above) a certain quantile of a probability distribution. Expected shortfall regression provides powerful tools for learning the relationship between a response variable and a set of covariates while exploring the heterogeneous effects of the covariates. In the health disparity research, for example, the lower/upper tail of the conditional distribution of a health-related outcome, given high-dimensional covariates, is often of importance. Under sparse models, we propose the lasso-penalized expected shortfall regression and establish non-asymptotic error bounds, depending explicitly on the sample size, dimension, and sparsity, for the proposed estimator. To perform statistical inference on a covariate of interest, we propose a debiased estimator and establish its asymptotic normality, from which asymptotically valid tests can be constructed. We illustrate the finite sample performance of the proposed method through numerical studies and a data application on health disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Research questions about how and why health trends differ between populations require decisions about data analytic procedure. The objective was to document and compare the information returned from stratified, fixed effect and random effect approaches to data modelling for two prototypical descriptive research questions about comparative trends in toothbrushing. Methods: Data included five cycles of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2006 to 2022, which provided a sample of 980192 11- to 15- year olds from 35 countries. Using logistic regression models and generalized linear mixed models, toothbrushing daily was regressed on time, following the three approaches to analysis of trends. Results: The stratified approach suggested a positive but non-linear trend in toothbrushing from 2006 to 2022 in most countries but provided no statistical inference on the variation. The fixed effect and the random effect approach converged on a positive but flattening overall trend, with a statistically significant country variation in trends. Conclusion: Only the fixed effect approach and the random effects approach provided clear answers to the research question. Additional methodological considerations for making an informed choice of analytical approach are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies statistical inference for a Lindley random walk model when the increment process driving the walk is strictly stationary. Lindley random walks govern customer waiting times in many queueing models and several natural and business processes, including snow depths, frozen soil depths, inventory quantities, etc. The probabilistic properties of a Lindley walk with time-correlated stationary changes are first reviewed. We provide a streamlined argument that the process has a proper limiting distribution when the mean of the incremental changes is negative, and that the Lindley process is strictly stationary when starting from this stationary distribution. Next, the Markov characteristics of the process are explored when the change process has a Markov structure of first or higher order. A derivation of the model's likelihood is given when the change process is a Gaussian autoregressive time series. An efficient particle filtering method for evaluating and optimizing the likelihood with Gaussian changes is then devised and studied via simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Malaria in pregnancy is a global health problem because it causes anemia in the mother and may result in abortion, stillbirth, uterine growth retardation, and low birth weight in the newborn. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of HEI on knowledge and adherence to intermittent preventive treatment of malaria among pregnant women at secondary health facilities in Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: This quasi-experimental study included pre-, intervention, and post-intervention. The study recruited 871 pregnant women (436 study and 435 control) using multistage sampling. The study used a semi-structured questionnaire (pre- and post-test), follow-up checklist, and health education module. Participants self-administered the semi-structured questionnaire with 57 open-ended and closed-ended questions. Results: About 41% had high malaria awareness, but 93.9% did throughout pregnancy and intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) after health education intervention (HEI). The majority (93.8%) understood malaria transmission methods after HEI. 95.3% understood malaria symptoms after HEI. The HEI shows 95.6% of participants knew a lot about malaria during pregnancy. Post-HEI, 95% knew malaria prophylaxis. After HEI, 95.4% knew malaria-prevention drugs. Intermittent Preventive treatment (IPT) pregnancy dosages were known by 94.3% of respondents post-HEI. Post-HEI, 95.4% of responders knew the interval between IPT dosages, compared to 59.2% pre-HEI. After HEI, 95% of respondents were aware of IPT adverse effects, up from 29.2% pre-HEI. Pre-HEI showed. Conclusions: Results demonstrate HEI promotes malaria IPT adherence during pregnancy. A health education proves a veritable interventional strategy in influencing a mother's understanding of malaria IPT, level of adherence to IPT, and drug adherence to directly observed therapy of IP while pregnant. Thus, nurses and midwives should increase IPT health education during antenatal clinic visits to increase its uptake and adherence among pregnant women and reduce malaria burden and death. Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) for malaria in pregnancy (MiP) IPT must be distributed by the state health ministry to all health facilities—tertiary, secondary, primary, faith-based, and private. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thurstonian scaling, i.e., Thurstonian discriminal distance δ or d ′ , can be used as a sensory measurement index to measure and monitor food sensory difference/similarity between test and control samples due to potential food contamination. It can be obtained from any one of the sensory discrimination methods. Thurstonian scaling is theoretically independent of the methods or scales used for its estimation. This paper discusses statistical inference including estimations and tests of hypothesis for d ′ . Ten basic sensory discrimination methods including six forced-choice methods and four methods with response bias are used in this paper to estimate d ′ values and their variances. Statistical tests are conducted based on the estimated d ′ values and their variances. The statistical tests include difference testing and equivalence/similarity testing for individual d ′ values for test and control samples and for two or multiple d ′ values for test samples. The application and significance of Thurstonian scaling for sensory discrimination methods are discussed generally. R codes for estimations and tests for d ′ values are provided in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian trajectories are crucial for self-driving cars to plan their paths effectively. The sensors implanted in these self-driving vehicles, despite being state-of-the-art ones, often face inaccuracies in the perception of surrounding environments due to technical challenges in adverse weather conditions, interference from other vehicles' sensors and electronic devices, and signal reception failure, leading to incompleteness in the trajectory data. But for real-time decision making for autonomous driving, trajectory imputation is no less crucial. Previous attempts to address this issue, such as statistical inference and machine learning approaches, have shown promise. Yet, the landscape of deep learning is rapidly evolving, with new and more robust models emerging. In this research, we have proposed an encoder–decoder architecture, the Human Trajectory Imputation Model, coined HTIM, to tackle these challenges. This architecture aims to fill in the missing parts of pedestrian trajectories. The model is evaluated using the Intersection drone the inD dataset, containing trajectory data at suitable altitudes, preserving naturalistic pedestrian behavior with varied dataset sizes. To assess the effectiveness of our model, we utilize L1, MSE, and quantile and ADE loss. Our experiments demonstrate that HTIM outperforms the majority of the state-of-the-art methods in this field, thus indicating its superior performance in imputing pedestrian trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates and ranks the recruitment and selection criteria and methods for skilled labourers of the Tanzanian indigenous building contractors (IBC). A combined total of 15 selection criteria and selection methods were identified from literature, and data was then collected from 42 construction practitioners, and 8 semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (one sample t-tests) were employed for quantitative data and directed content analysis for the qualitative data. The results showed 'experience and past performance on similar nature of works', 'familiarity with construction methods, material and health and safety issues' and 'relevant knowledge in handling and use of tools and equipment' as the most considered selection criteria. In contrast, 'Recall former labourers', 'Employee referrals' and 'Walk in labourers' are the mostly used recruitment methods. The study provides useful insights into the selection criteria and selection methods for skilled labourers, and baseline for recruitment and selection practices policy directions in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is to improve simulation-based inference through improved denoising of experimental data. Statistical inference of parameters governing a complex physical process from observed data is an important task for several scientific domains. In a likelihood-free inference setup, the inference engine used to make inference from the experimental data can be trained using simulated data. In many scenarios, experimental data is corrupted by noise during the data acquisition process, which is either unaccounted for in the simulator or whose strength might not match with the one set in the simulator. This deteriorates the accuracy of the inference. While advances in denoising can be leveraged to address this challenge, many denoising techniques ignore the fact that experimental data in many scientific domains tends to be irregular/graph-structured. This paper addresses these two challenges by developing a kernel-based learnable graph (KBLG) denoiser, which can be used to denoise experimental graph-structured data. In order to exhibit the efficacy of the developed denoiser in simulation-driven inference problems, this paper considers the problem of inference of the position of an interaction in an astroparticle detector. The available simulated data in this case is the snapshots of the luminous responses of the photomultiplier tube sensors used within the dark matter detection experiment. In experimental situations, these measurements are corrupted by noise generated by secondary optical and electronic processes. The proposed KBLG denoiser is used to denoise the multiple snapshots of the experimental measurements, which are then used for position reconstruction using a multilayer perceptron trained using noiseless simulated data. Numerical results exhibit that the proposed KBLG denoiser outperforms a graph-agnostic denoiser in terms of MLP-based position reconstruction performances for different levels of noise (noise variance). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that spirituality and religiosity may be associated with improved health outcomes. However, few studies have examined maternal religiosity as a protective factor for perinatal outcomes. We explored the association between maternal religious attendance and pregnancy loss. Methods: Data were drawn from the Future Families & Child Wellbeing Study's first and second waves and medical records (n = 1874). Religious attendance was a self-reported response to the question "About how often do you attend religious services?" Pregnancy loss was measured from responses to the second wave survey question, "Since focal child's birth, have you had any miscarriages/abortions/stillbirths?" Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between maternal religious attendance frequency and pregnancy loss. Models were adjusted for sampling weights, religious preference, socioeconomic and behavioral factors. Results: 8% (n = 164) of mothers reported having a pregnancy loss. Of those with a pregnancy loss, 28% (n = 46) attended services hardly ever and 20% (n = 20) attended services once a week or more. Women who attended services more frequently had 58% increased odds of not experiencing a pregnancy loss (OR:1.58;95%CI:1.01,2.48) after adjusting for potential confounding. A post hoc analysis found no difference in pregnancy loss type or subsequent reproductive history based on attendance level. Conclusions: Results suggest that higher maternal religious attendance frequency may be a protective factor for pregnancy loss. Further research is needed to understand the association between maternal religious attendance and mechanisms for pregnancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to empirically test the 5-pillars of Fashion Education (FE) – design and creative proficiency, technical expertise, business and marketing skills, research and cultural awareness, and communication and soft skills as perceived by the stake holders of the FE. A sample of 158 stakeholders was considered comprising of students, teaching faculty, and industry experts. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The descriptive statistics provided information regarding the general perception of the stakeholders and the inferential statistics enabled the identification of the statistical significance in the differences of perceptions. The research has identified the individual, relative, and overall perceptions of the stakeholders to obtain deeper insights into the research. Accordingly, implications were drawn mainly in the form of suggestions to the policy makers to enhance the effectiveness of FE. The findings of the study could be of interest to both academicians as well as practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractU-statistics play central roles in many statistical learning tools but face the haunting issue of scalability. Despite extensive research on accelerating computation by U-statistic reduction, existing results almost exclusively focused on power analysis. Little work addresses risk control accuracy, which requires distinct and much more challenging techniques. In this paper, we establish the first statistical inference procedure with provably higher-order accurate risk control for incomplete U-statistics. The sharpness of our new result enables us to reveal how risk control accuracy also trades off with speed, for the first time in literature, which complements the well-known variance-speed trade-off. Our general framework converts the challenging and case-by-case analysis for many different designs into a surprisingly principled and routine computation. We conducted comprehensive numerical studies and observed results that validate our theory’s sharpness. Our method also demonstrates effectiveness on real-world data applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supportive policy is an important component of a whole-systems approach to increasing physical activity and reducing inequalities. There is a growing body of literature surrounding the design and effectiveness of national policy approaches to physical activity, but evidence related to local-level approaches is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine 'what works', and identify factors underpinning change, focused on work to embed physical activity in local policy and practice in Bradford, UK. Methods: A mixed-methods case study approach involved collecting data from cross-sectoral stakeholders directly or indirectly engaged in the physical activity agenda in Bradford over a period of three years (2021–2024). Data collection included focus groups, semi-structured interviews, researcher observations of key workshops and meetings, and surveys at two time-points (December 2021 and January 2024). Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Four themes were identified which embody conditions that appear to be critical for working towards physical activity being embedded in local policy & practice within the Bradford District. These included: collaboration and sector integration, co-productive working, governance and leadership, and cultivating a learning culture. The process of co-producing a district-wide strategy for physical activity was key to facilitating shared ownership of the physical activity agenda across different levels of the system, and for supporting and maintaining cross-sectoral collaboration. On average, survey respondents connected with four more local organisations in relation to the physical activity agenda in January 2024 than in December 2021. Conclusion: Taking a partnership approach, and fostering a culture of evidence-informed decision making, is key to embedding physical activity into policy and practice at a local level. Investing time to understand the aims and values of each partner, and potential synergies and tensions between them, can support the development of a positive and productive collaboration and, subsequently, more effective whole-system delivery and population-level increases in physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we consider statistical inference based on dependent competing risks data from Marshall–Olkin bivariate Weibull distribution. The maximum likelihood estimates of the unknown model parameters have been computed by using Newton–Raphson method under adaptive Type II progressive hybrid censoring with partially observed failure causes. Existence and uniqueness of maximum likelihood estimates are derived. Approximate confidence intervals have been constructed via the observed Fisher information matrix using asymptotic normality property of the maximum likelihood estimates. Bayes estimates and highest posterior density credible intervals have been calculated under gamma-Dirichlet prior distribution by using Markov chain Monte Carlo technique. Convergence of Markov chain Monte Carlo samples is tested. In addition, a Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to compare the effectiveness of the proposed methods. Further, three different optimality criteria have been taken into account to obtain the most effective censoring plans. From these simulation study results it has been concluded that Bayesian technique produces superior outcomes. Finally, a real-life data set has been analyzed to illustrate the operability and applicability of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe classic formula for estimating the binomial probability as the proportion of successes contradicts common sense for extreme probabilities when the event never occurs or occurs every time. Laplace’s law of succession estimator, one of the first applications of Bayesian statistics, has been around for over 250 years and resolves the paradoxes, although rarely discussed in modern statistics texts. This work aims to introduce a new theory for exact optimal statistical inference using Laplace’s law of succession estimator as a motivating example. We prove that this estimator may be viewed from a different theoretical perspective as the limit point of the short confidence interval on the double-log scale when the confidence level approaches zero. This motivating example paves the road to the definition of an estimator as the inflection point on the cumulative distribution function as a function of the parameter given the observed statistic. This estimator has the maximum infinitesimal probability of the coverage of the unknown parameter and, therefore, is called the maximum concentration (MC) estimator as a part of a more general M-statistics theory. The new theory is illustrated with exact optimal confidence intervals for the normal standard deviation and the respective MC estimators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ozonized olive oil with or without laser photobiomodulation (LPBM) on the healing process of traumatic ulcers in rat tongues. Sixty male Wistar rats underwent tongue ulceration using a six-mm diameter punch. Animals were divided into four experimental groups: control-G1, LPBM-G2, Ozonized olive oil-G3, and LPBM + Ozonized olive oil-G4. Euthanasia was performed on days three, seven, and 14. Clinical analysis of the wound size and histomorphological evaluation using hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining were conducted to identify edema, inflammatory infiltrates, fibroblastic cellularity, reepithelialization, and collagen characterization. Descriptive and exploratory analyses were performed using R and inferential statistics were calculated using Fisher's exact tests, with a significance level of 5%. G2 and G3 positively modulated the repair phases clinically (p < 0.05) and histologically, showing reepithelialization, fibroblastic population, and thick collagen fiber deposition from the 3rd day of the experiment. G4 exhibited a significant difference from G1 in the clinical parameters (p < 0.05), but did not demonstrate superiority in histomorphological terms of tissue repair. Isolated use of LPBM and ozonized olive oil improved tissue repair in rat tongues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalence studies about family meals, including large and representative samples of children and adolescents on this topic, are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was twofold: first, to determine the prevalence of daily family meals in large and representative samples of school‐going children and adolescents from 43 countries, and second, to identify the sex, age, socioeconomic status (SES), family structure, immigrant status and parental labour market status inequalities associated with this prevalence. Using data from the 2017/2018 wave of the Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children study, a total of 179,991 participants from 43 countries were involved in this cross‐sectional study. Family meals were assessed by the following question: 'How often do you and your family usually have meals together?'. Participants had five different response options: 'every day', 'most days', 'about once a week', 'less often', and 'never'. The meta package was utilized for conducting a meta‐analysis of single proportions, specifically applying the metaprop function. The analysis involved pooling the data using a random‐effects model and presenting the outcomes through a forest plot generated using the inverse variance method. Moreover, we applied generalized linear mixed models to explore the relationships between the studied sociodemographic factors as fixed effects, country as a random effect and the status of daily family meals as an outcome. Overall, the prevalence of daily family meals was 49.12% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.00–53.25). A greater probability of having daily family meals was identified for children aged 10–12 years (61.55%; 95% CI: 57.44%–65.49%), boys (61.55%, 95% CI: 57.44%–65.49%), participants with high SES (64.66%, 95% CI: 60.65%–68.48%), participants with both parents at home (65.05%, 95% CI: 61.16%–68.74%) and those with both unemployed parents (61.55%, 95% CI: 57.44%–65.49%). In the present study, which included large representative samples of school‐going children and adolescents from 43 countries, more than half of the participants did not have daily family meals. Key messages: In the present study, which included large representative samples of school‐going children and adolescents from 43 countries in Europe and North America, more than half of the participants were not having daily family meals.Given the potential benefits of daily family meals during adolescence, these results suggest that further global, national, regional and local actions are required to increase children and adolescents family meals.Policymakers should develop public awareness campaigns, supportive policies, and school‐based programs to emphasize the importance of daily family meals.Families should prioritize shared mealtimes, involve children in meal preparation, and create a distraction‐free environment to foster better communication and bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined fear, death anxiety, and religious coping in older adults during COVID-19, emphasizing the pandemic's psychological impact. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and April 2022 at a university-affiliated Research and Training Hospital Family Medicine polyclinic. The study included 284 voluntary participants aged 65 and above, with no communication issues, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Information Form, COVID-19 Fear Scale, Religious Coping Scale, and Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and analyzed with SPSS software for descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated a medium level of COVID-19 fear, with singles, those living alone, and individuals who had contracted COVID-19 showing higher fear levels. Female participants reported significantly higher death anxiety. Primary and secondary education graduates relied more on religious coping, which was less common among those who had experienced COVID-19. A negative correlation was found between social-religious coping and death anxiety, while a positive correlation existed between death anxiety and COVID-19 fear. The study highlights that older adults continue to experience moderate levels of COVID-19-related fear and death anxiety. High reliance on religious coping strategies effectively reduces death anxiety. Based on these findings, integrating spiritual support services in healthcare and implementing gender-sensitive mental health interventions are recommended to better support older adults' psychological needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To establish the reference interval (RI) of fecal calprotectin (fCP) and fCP:protein ratio in the feces of healthy horses and demonstrate preliminary clinical utility for the quantification of intestinal inflammation. METHODS Feces were collected from healthy horses (n = 103) and horses with colic (n = 15) or colitis (n = 13). Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant. Fecal calprotectin concentration was determined by ELISA, fecal total protein concentration was determined by bicinchoninic acid assay, and the fCP:protein ratio was calculated. Reference intervals for fCP and fCP:protein ratio were calculated from healthy horses. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to evaluate associations between fCP concentration and fCP:protein ratio with group and other clinical features. The study period was from September 20, 2023, through April 20, 2024. RESULTS The RI for fCP was 0.056 to 0.278 μg/mL; 4 of 13 colitis cases had fCP above the RI. The RI for fCP:protein was 6.6 X 10−6 to 4.9 X 10−5; 5 of 13 colitis cases and 2 of 15 colic cases had fCP:protein above the RI. Horses with colitis had significantly greater fCP (median [quartile 1, quartile 3], 0.234 [0.194, 0.279] μg/mL) than healthy horses (0.196 [0.138, 0.220] μg/mL) or colic cases (0.189 [0.164, 0.215] μg/mL). There was a greater difference in fCP:protein ratio between colitis cases (4.31 X 10−5 [3.19 X 10−5, 6.23 X 10−5]) and both healthy horses (2.19 X 10−5 [1.58 X 10−5, 2.88 X 10−5]) and colic cases (1.52 X 10−5 [1.22 X 10−5, 3.56 X 10−5]). CONCLUSIONS Both fCP and fCP:protein ratio were increased in horses in colitis; additional work is needed to establish clinical utility. CLINICAL RELEVANCE There are few reliable diagnostic modalities for inflammation of the equine large colon. With additional development of a clinically applicable test and validation in larger population, fecal calprotectin may facilitate noninvasive quantification of intestinal inflammation in horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of independence is a fundamental yet often disregarded assumption in statistical inference. It is observed that the implications of correlations, if not considered, can lead to a conservative estimation of Type I error in the presence of positive linear correlations when utilizing the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test. Conversely, negative linear correlations may engender a liberal estimation of Type I error. To address the impact of spatial autocorrelation in the analysis of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images, we have proposed an innovative methodology to reconstruct a grid map of human heart scans using spherical coordinates. We have examined the distribution of the KS test statistic under spatial autocorrelation through Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and have introduced a KS test with a spatial adjustment. The newly proposed KS test with spatial adjustment demonstrates a controlled Type I error and power that is not inferior when compared to the original KS test. This suggests its potential utility in the analysis of spatially autocorrelated data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stigma associated with sexual victimization (SV) can add to the psychological burden on survivors. We compared experiences of SV and SV stigma by survivor gender and sexuality and evaluated the relevance of public and internalized sources of this stigma to their psychological functioning. An online survey containing measures of SV type (sexual harassment and assault), public SV stigma, internalized SV stigma (self-blame, self-shame, anticipated-shame), and psychological functioning (depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptomatology) was completed by 877 women and 211 men aged 18 to 66 years (M = 30.2, SD = 8.06), of whom 73.9% were heterosexual and 26.1% identified as a sexual minority (same-sex-attracted, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual). Sexual harassment and assault were more prevalent in women and sexual minority men. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) with age and SV frequency as covariates also revealed poorer psychological functioning in sexual minority men, and higher levels of SV stigma in sexual minority women and men. Multigroup path analyses further showed that exposure to public stigma was associated with poorer psychological functioning, that internalized stigma partly mediated these associations, and that the magnitude of the associations (particularly those involving self-shame and anticipated shame) was often greater in men and sexual minorities. The results add to our understanding of the role of gender and sexuality in the experience, internalization, and psychological impact of SV-related stigma on survivors. The results also highlight the need for societal shifts toward acknowledging and validating experiences of SV in men and sexual minorities, alongside women, and the development of intersectionality-informed interventions for SV stigma in survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems thinking is recommended, but not required, for teaching food and water system sustainability in nutrition and dietetics education. This study investigated systems thinking and sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems (SRHFWS) in nutrition and dietetics programs. It examined program directors' practices, values, attitudes, confidence levels, and the relationships between systems thinking, teaching SRHFWS topics, confidence levels, and years of experience as a dietitian and program director. Conducted in September 2022, the study used a descriptive design with a validated 20-item Systems Thinking Scale and a researcher-designed survey with 1-5 Likert-type scales. The online survey was distributed to 611 Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics program directors, with a 27% (N = 163) response. Descriptive statistics (frequency or mean ± SD) were calculated using Excel. Inferential statistics were examined using R. Analysis of variance was used to compare experience as a registered dietitian nutritionist and experience as a program director to confidence levels in teaching each SRHFWS topic. Linear regression was used determine the relationship between total Systems Thinking Scale score and demographic and programmatic variables. Seventy-seven percent of program directors scored high on the Systems Thinking Scale (mean score = 65.2 ± 8.4 on a 0 to 80 scale), and more than 85% of directors agreed that including systems thinking in dietetics was important. However, only 32.1% reported teaching systems thinking. Less than half of program directors agreed that systems thinking was adequately addressed in Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics standards, and nearly 80% of program directors agreed there was room to strengthen systems thinking content. Directors neither agreed nor disagreed there are adequate Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics standards addressing SRHFWS and reported SRHFWS topics were inconsistently taught. Confidence levels were lowest for teaching economic and environmental topics. Awareness and use of resources developed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation was low. Integration of systems thinking in nutrition and dietetics education presents promising opportunities to address complexity in the field. Applying systems thinking to teach SRHFWS may narrow the disparity between educators' perceived importance and program coverage. Enhancing program directors' awareness and utilization of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation resources and improved alignment between practice standards and accreditation standards may empower program directors to use systems thinking to teach sustainability-related challenges in nutrition and dietetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neck pain is a health problem worldwide. To prevent it, experts recommend exercise and education. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a Back School-based intervention for the prevention of nonspecific neck pain in a healthy adult population. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with 58 participants with no history of neck pain within the past six months. The experimental group performed an 8-week Back School-based program. The control group maintained their usual lifestyle. Primary outcomes, which include the number of episodes, days and intensity of neck pain, and the number of medical visits, were recorded in a 1-year follow-up diary and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Secondary outcomes, such as neck flexor, neck extensor, and scapular muscles endurance, were analyzed using the ANOVA test. Results: In the analysis of the primary outcomes, no significant differences were found in the number of episodes (p = 0.068,d = −0.49), number of days (p = 0.059,d = −0.54), or the average intensity of neck pain (p = 0.061,d = −0.53). There were significant changes in the number of medical visits (p = 0.033,d = −0.57). Moving to secondary outcomes, significant interactions were observed in neck flexor (p = 0.045, ηp2 = 0.036) and neck extensor endurance (p = 0.049, ηp2 = 0.035), but not in scapular muscle endurance (p = 0.536, ηp2 = 0.003). Conclusions: The Back School-based program reduced the number of medical visits and increased the endurance of the cervical musculature. Trial registration in ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05260645. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the extent of policy implementation on strategic planning in secondary schools in Kenya. To achieve the aim of the study, all the 41 sary schools in Rangwe sub-county were included. The targeted respondents were school principals and deputy principals. A purposive sampling method was used to select the respondents from each school. A principal questionnaire (PQ) and a document analysis checklist were used for data collection. The data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study affirms that strategic planning has not been fully embraced in Kenya. This study, therefore, amplifies the need for policies implementation as stipulated and within a time frame to realize their effectiveness in different cultural backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals adopting health promotion behaviors benefit from improved health and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Patient engagement and a strong provider–patient partnership may play a role in health promotion. Purpose: This study examined the relationships between patient engagement, the nurse practitioner–patient partnership and health promotion behaviors among adults in a primary care setting. Methodology: A descriptive correlational study using convenience sampling to recruit 85 participants from a nurse practitioner primary care practice. Participants completed questionnaires measuring health promotion behaviors (Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II), the quality of the nurse practitioner–patient partnership (Patient Reactions Assessment), and a person's capacity to engage in their health care (Person Engagement Index). Results: Moderate to strong correlations were found among the main study variables. Multiple regression analysis found a person's capacity to engage in health care significantly predicted health promotion behaviors (R 2 = 0.362, p <.001) and explained 36.2% of the variance in health promotion behaviors. Conclusions: Patient engagement is a significant predictor of health promotion behaviors. The interactive care model can serve as a framework for nurse practitioners to build partnerships and facilitate patient engagement. Nurse practitioners can serve as a coach, navigator, collaborator, and trusted health care partner with their patients. Implications: Nurse practitioners in primary care may need to restructure the health care encounter to allow for adequate time to communicate, listen, educate, and enlist patients in the shared decision-making process. Nurse practitioners can provide the support patients need to engage in their health care as they accept greater responsibility for their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a response to comments on typographical errors in the original piece, emphasizing that the errors did not affect the overall findings. The authors critique the commentators' statistical analysis and lack of transparency, highlighting discrepancies in their conclusions. The response questions the commentators' motives and financial interests, suggesting bias in their defense of their work. The authors stress the importance of transparency and impartiality in scientific research and critique the commentators' selective reporting of data. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is crucial for safe return to play (RTP) and reducing the chances of a reinjury. Yet, there is no consensus on the ideal functional tests to assess rehabilitation progress in soccer players after ACLR. Purpose: The primary objective was to highlight the existing gap in the literature concerning the most effective standardized rehabilitation protocols and testing for facilitating successful RTP among soccer players. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) was conducted. Inclusion criteria encompassed original studies (level of evidence 1-4) that examined rehabilitation protocols, metrics of knee rehabilitation, and clinical outcomes after ACLR in soccer players. Results: This review incorporated 23 studies, predominantly retrospective case series, with a total number of 874 soccer players who underwent ACLR and rehabiliation. 5 (21.7%) studies utilized an accelerated rehabilitation protocol, while 7 (30.4%) of studies utilized a criterion-based rehabilitation. A wide heterogeneity of data was extracted including functional tests of rehabilitation and RTP such as strength test batteries, hop test batteries, and movement quality assessments. Of the 23 selected studies, 2 (8.7%) used all 3 test batteries, 8 (34.8%) used 2 test batteries, 12 (52.2%) used 1 test battery, and 1 (4.3%) used 0 of the test batteries. The mean time between surgery and RTP ranged from 3 to 8 months with only 2 (8.7%) studies reporting complications after ACLR. Lastly, out of the total studies examined, 9 (39.1%) assessed patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), all of which demonstrated significant improvement from the initial assessment to the final follow up. Conclusion: Soccer-specific rehabilitation after ACLR lacks standardization. Even though many studies have assessed protocols for optimal RTP and reduced secondary ACL injuries, there is a gap in the literature regarding the most effective protocols and RTP testing. The methodology reported by Kyritsis et al could serve as a foundation for future prospective randomized multicenter studies to establish a standard rehabilitation protocol and enable a successful return to soccer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One essential initial step in the analysis of ancient DNA is to authenticate that the DNA sequencing reads are actually from ancient DNA. This is done by assessing if the reads exhibit typical characteristics of post‐mortem damage (PMD), including cytosine deamination and nicks. We present a novel statistical method implemented in a fast multithreaded programme, ngsBriggs that enables rapid quantification of PMD by estimation of the Briggs ancient damage model parameters (Briggs parameters). Using a multinomial model with maximum likelihood fit, ngsBriggs accurately estimates the parameters of the Briggs model, quantifying the PMD signal from single and double‐stranded DNA regions. We extend the original Briggs model to capture PMD signals for contemporary sequencing platforms and show that ngsBriggs accurately estimates the Briggs parameters across a variety of contamination levels. Classification of reads into ancient or modern reads, for the purpose of decontamination, is significantly more accurate using ngsBriggs than using other methods available. Furthermore, ngsBriggs is substantially faster than other state‐of‐the‐art methods. ngsBriggs offers a practical and accurate method for researchers seeking to authenticate ancient DNA and improve the quality of their data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many multifractal models such as self‐similar and scaling law types have been proved to be efficient modellers and estimators in many fields such as financial time series where the data hide fractal and multifractal structures, allowing its processing without sophisticated models to be difficult. However, in statistical analysis, a necessary part that should take place for any model and estimator consists in tests of performance such as confidence intervals and generally statistical tests to confirm the adequacy of the model. The present paper provides the consideration of multifractal models based on wavelets and self‐similar type processes to study statistical tests. To test the efficiency, accuracy and robustness of the models, different inferential statistics are introduced, provided with some empirical examples due to the EURO/USD exchange rate time series with a sample covering the period 03/01/2000 to 30/08/2022. Contrarily to existing works, we showed in the present work that quasi‐self‐similar type models are better for many reasons. They indeed guarantee the well fitting of the data dynamics, the nonlinearity in both the model and the multifractal spectrum, the renormalization parameters which may differ from one scale to another and the preservation of the quasi multiplicative structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Hearing loss often coexists with various comorbidities and is commonly accompanied by tinnitus. Patients frequently report both tinnitus and hearing difficulties, posing challenges in distinguishing between the two complaints. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS) for distinguishing between tinnitus and hearing problems. Methods: A psychometric study involved 100 participants aged 18-60, categorized into four groups based on hearing status and tinnitus presence. The Persian translation of a questionnaire underwent content and face validity assessments. Convergent validity for tinnitus and sound tolerance sections was evaluated using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ) respectively, while pure-tone average assessed hearing section validity. Construct validity was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) respectively. Results: The Persian version had strong face and content validity, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.82 for tinnitus, 0.90 for hearing, and 0.80 overall. The ICC values for the tinnitus, hearing, and sound tolerance sections were 0.8, 0.83, and 0.82. Convergent validity using the THI and HQ scores were reported 0.76 and 0.6, and the correlation value of the THS score with the PTA was 0.82. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a good 2-factor structure of the THS. Conclusion: The Persian THS is a valid and reliable tool for separating tinnitus from hearing problems in Persian-speaking people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration-dependent cytotoxicity experiments are frequently used in toxicology. Although it has been reported that an adequate choice of concentrations improves the quality of the statistical inference substantially, a recent literature review of three major toxicological journals has shown that the corresponding methods are rarely used in toxicological practice. In this study the performance of different sets of concentrations, also called designs, are analyzed, while the overall goal is to promote the advantages of optimal design procedures and to present a user-friendly guideline for planning new cytotoxicity concentration-response experiments. We compare the frequently used log-equidistant design to a Bayesian design, which is constructed by methods of optimum design theory. Using both a dense data set of concentration-cytotoxicity data of valproic acid (VPA) and regular assay data of 104 substances, the performance of the different designs is analyzed in two scenarios, where detailed previous knowledge on VPA is available or not. The results show that it is critical to apply a specific design strategy to determine optimal concentrations for cytotoxicity testing. In particular, the Bayesian design technique with and without incorporating pre-existing knowledge of a specific test substance resulted in a more precise statistical inference than the other used designs. Finally, we present a guideline for upcoming experiments and an accessible user-friendly Shiny app (see http://shiny.statistik.tu-dortmund.de:8080/app/occe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of frailty and its predictors among Taiwanese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 188 AF patients aged over 20 years from a medical center in northern Taiwan. Participants were recruited from September 1 to December 30, 2022. Structured questionnaires were used to gather data on demographics, disease characteristics, Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Index, Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, Chinese Version Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Among Taiwanese AF patients, over two-thirds were at risk of frailty, with susceptibility increasing with age. Key potential predictors included sex, cognitive function, nutritional status, sleep quality, and depression, jointly explaining 47.6% of the variation, with nutritional status being the most significant. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive assessment and management strategies to address frailty in AF patients and improve overall health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with speech sound difficulties often require educational psychology services, yet systematic reviews examining the association between these difficulties and language or reading problems are lacking. This metaanalysis examines whether these children are at higher risk of language and reading difficulties compared to their peers. Method: The study analyzed 290 effect sizes from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that compared language and reading skills between children with speech sound difficulties and controls. Additionally, we evaluated 37 effect sizes from correlational studies in general populations to examine the relationship between speech sound skills and language or reading skills. Results: Children with speech sound difficulties showed significant concurrent language (Hedges' g = --0.60) and reading (Hedges' g = --0.58) problems. Correlational studies also demonstrated a relationship between speech sound skills and language (r = .23) and reading (r = .23) skills. Phonological awareness and study quality were significant moderators. Longitudinal studies showed persistent or increasing group differences over time in language (Hedges' g = --0.85) and reading (Hedges' g = --0.50). These findings were consistent regardless of the severity or types of speech sound difficulties, nonverbal IQ, country, age, and publication year. However, a precision-effect test and the precision-effect estimate with standard errors analysis suggested a potential decrease in effect size due to publication bias from small sample sizes in primary studies. Conclusion: Children with speech sound difficulties are at an increased risk of language and reading difficulties, emphasizing the need for broader language assessments and early interventions to mitigate future academic difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]