A recent study reveals that narwhals are highly affected by noise pollution from ships and seismic airgun pulses, triggering stress and altering their behavior. Researchers hope that better management of noise pollution will protect these unique Arctic animals.
A team developed statistical models to predict the risk of early death in patients with non-intensive AML therapy. The models incorporated various health measures and quality-of-life scores, showing modest success in predicting outcomes.
Researchers from Harvard University and others have found that large-scale COVID-19 vaccination surveys were off by up to 17 percentage points due to systematic biases in the data. The 'Big Data Paradox' highlights how big data sets can minimize one type of error while magnifying another, leading to misleading results.
New Cornell University research suggests that social connections can distort voting behavior, favoring minority candidates. The study found that complacency and dejectedness – conditions caused by social connections – can skew election outcomes.
A new statistical analysis supports the notion that COVID-19 became more lethal in the UK in late 2020, with increased lethality attributed to factors beyond just the alpha variant of the virus. The study used Bayesian inference to draw stronger conclusions from weekly data on cases and deaths.
SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 24, 2021
A Dartmouth study found that the stratified approach to statistical modeling in health services research can lead to inaccurate conclusions about disparities and inequities in healthcare. Joint modeling, on the other hand, provides a more accurate estimate of physician treatment patterns across different patient types.
Research in Japan found a link between financial knowledge, age, and gender, suggesting potential policy targets to improve financial health. While men had higher financial literacy, women reported more sound financial behaviors, indicating that policies may need to focus on supporting women's financial decision-making.
Eukaryotic plankton are highly diverse taxonomically, phylogenetically, and ecologically. The study found that ocean currents significantly influence their biogeography, with smaller organisms being more sensitive to local environmental conditions.
Researchers identified 23 genes contributing to congenital heart disease, including 12 previously unknown, using a new algorithm called M-DATA. This method combines genetic data from people with related conditions, increasing the power to identify risk factors and potentially leading to improved treatments.
SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Genetics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 4, 2021
Damaged coral reefs exhibit a two-phase recovery pattern, with the first phase lasting up to six years, and the second phase being faster. This pattern was observed in 60% of severely disturbed reefs on the Great Barrier Reef.
Researchers launched an open competition to benchmark existing and novel methods for quantifying anomalous diffusion. The analysis of results provided an objective assessment of method performance, contributing to the definition of standard tools for trajectory analysis.
Researchers at Boston University have developed a new online risk prediction model for breast cancer in Black women, suitable for use in primary care settings. The model is well-calibrated and discriminatory accurate, with the highest accuracy for women under age 40.
A study of 2,329 academic journals found a significant gender gap in manuscript submissions during the first COVID-19 wave, with women submitting fewer papers than men, especially in health and medicine.
A new analysis spanning 10,000 years of history and ten major world regions found that world population size, major technological advances, and geographical connectivity are key drivers of military technology evolution. The study's methodology employed a resource called Seshat: Global History Databank to empirically test prior hypotheses.
SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 20, 2021
The study found that advances in iron metallurgy, horse riding, and agricultural productivity played a significant role in the development of military machines. Mega-empires emerged as societies supporting tens of millions of inhabitants and covering vast territories.
The study identifies promising topics for scientific collaboration, including medicine, engineering, computer science, and agricultural sciences. BRICS Plus countries have significant growth potential in research and development, with some already ranking among the top 30 countries globally.
Researchers found that selecting the embryo with the lowest predicted risk score reduces disease risk more effectively than eliminating high-scoring embryos. However, polygenic embryo screening offers no guarantees about a baby's health and has limited effectiveness depending on factors like ancestry and age.
Researchers have developed a federated analytics system, FAMHE, that enables healthcare providers to collaborate on statistical analyses and machine learning models without exchanging underlying datasets. The system has been proven mathematically secure and accurately reproduced published studies in multi-centric settings.
Researchers found that males and females have different heat-sensing systems, which may be related to reproduction and offspring care. This difference leads to segregation between the sexes at certain periods during breeding cycles.
A new guideline, AGReMA Statement, provides recommendations for researchers to describe mediation analysis in their papers. The checklist aims to improve the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of reporting mediation analyses.
A study published in PLOS One found that stimulus checks largely reversed post-lockdown spending declines and stimulated spending among people making less than $35,977 per year. The research analyzed 5.6 million daily transactions and identified local 'hot spots' of spending changes.
The CAPTIVA trial will enroll 1,683 patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis and determine if two new prospective therapies are more effective than aspirin plus clopidogrel at reducing the risk of a second stroke. Intensive medical management and lifestyle modifications will also be provided to all patients.
A new study found that local mobility, primary care access, and limited contacts in contagion hubs can curb COVID-19 deaths. The researchers used novel statistical approaches to analyze mortality curves across 20 Italian regions, identifying a strong association between mobility and COVID mortality.
The study found that patients with low risk of exacerbations do not benefit from low to moderate dose inhaled corticosteroids, while high doses are associated with severe side effects. Tailoring treatment according to patient characteristics, such as age and blood cell count, can minimize over- and underuse of inhaled corticosteroids.
A new study estimates the intensity and frequency of extreme novel pandemics, finding that large pandemics like COVID-19 are relatively likely due to growing risks. The study suggests that a pandemic similar in scale to COVID-19 is likely within 59 years, highlighting the need for adjusted perceptions of pandemic risks.
Researchers analyzed social media connections of over 4 million users across 10 countries, finding common characteristics and behaviors, including follow ratios and profile length. These findings can help tailor data analysis to cultural differences, improving marketing and information sharing.
Research in the southern Murray-Darling Basin has found a downward spiral in water availability, driven by accelerated changes in climate. Since the 1990s, cool season rainfall and river heights have significantly decreased due to increased evaporation and changed precipitation patterns.
A big data study from UNSW Sydney found that Australian cancer patients kept up their pharmaceutical treatments during last year's COVID-19 lockdowns. The researchers attribute the good news to relatively low rates of COVID-19 infections in Australia, which minimally impacted cancer treatment patterns.
Researchers analyzed inner ear anatomy in extinct and living species to understand dinosaur sensory biology and behavior. The studies found clear patterns relating the shape of the semi-circular canal and cochlea to movement ability and hearing high-frequency sound.
Researchers analyzed California wildfire data from 2000-2019, finding the annual burn season has lengthened and the yearly peak shifted from August to July, fueled by climate change and human-caused ignitions. Small fires account for most incidents, but large fires have deadly consequences.
University of Groningen researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze the Dead Sea Scrolls, identifying two scribes who wrote the famous Great Isaiah Scroll. The AI tool separated text from background and analyzed handwriting patterns, revealing differences between the two scribes.
A state-by-state analysis of mask-wearing policies and COVID-19 rates reveals a strong association between high adherence to mask wearing and reduced spread of the virus. States with high mask-wearing rates had significantly lower COVID-19 rates, highlighting the importance of this public health measure in mitigating the pandemic.
Nilabja Guha, a UMass Lowell professor, received a three-year NSF grant to develop statistical tools for analyzing changes in data. The project aims to fill a gap in the analysis of changes in data and will focus on Bayesian change-point analysis.
Researchers found most British legal documents from this period were written on sheepskins, which allowed for easy detection of fraudulent changes. The high fat content of sheepskins made it difficult to alter text without leaving a visible mark.
The study analyzed subtitles of 2,000 films from the past seven decades to find consistent biases in Bollywood and Hollywood movies. Bollywood films consistently depicted fair skin as a beauty standard, while male characters made up about 60-65% of all pronouns used.
Analysis of 33,000 graves reveals a change in Western European burial practices from regionally specific grave goods to standardized, unfurnished burials between the 6th-8th centuries AD. This shift indicates a well-connected Europe with regular contact and exchange of ideas across vast areas.
Physicist David Wolpert developed a hybrid formalism to analyze far-from-equilibrium systems with explicitly distinguished subsystems. The formalism combines advances in nonequilibrium statistical physics and graphical models, allowing for the study of nanoscale systems like biological cells.
Researchers have developed a new statistical model that accurately analyzes electrodermal activity (EDA) signals, providing insights into internal cognitive states and physiological processes. The inverse Gaussian model matches the physiology of sweat production and offers a principled approach to modeling EDA signals.
Research shows that appointing a new leader just before an election leads to a higher turnover of MPs across Europe. The study analyzed statistics from 251 parties between 1945 and 2015, finding that the proportion of new and re-elected MPs is almost 5 percentage points higher for parties with a new leadership.
Most of Stonehenge's sarsen megaliths originate from West Woods, Wiltshire, according to a new analysis. The study used advanced techniques to determine the stones' chemical composition, revealing a common origin for the massive boulders.
A new study identifies weak concrete and heavy trucks as the top reasons for sewer line failure. The researchers used statistical analysis to show that these factors are most likely to trigger a problem among common causes of sewer pipe failure.
A Bayesian statistical analysis of life's emergence and development on Earth predicts that if history were repeated, life would likely emerge similarly early. However, the emergence of intelligence might not guarantee a repeat occurrence due to its rarity.
A new statistical method called distance multivariance can detect higher-order dependencies between multiple variables, even complex non-linear relationships. This method has been applied to a survey of school students, revealing a higher-order dependence including age and gender as influencing factors for missed school days.
Researchers are using RPPA technology to analyze ischemic stroke specimens, focusing on protein content and identification of specific proteins of interest. The project aims to demonstrate the utility of this approach in understanding thrombus formation.
Researchers analyzed over 4,000 Instagram photos from various cities worldwide and found that people tend to centre one of their eyes slightly to the left of centre of the selfie, with the left eye being more commonly centred than the right. This phenomenon is consistent with a previously observed cognitive bias known as pseudoneglect.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that speeding is a strong predictor of car crashes, while hard braking and acceleration had no statistically significant links. The analysis used data from 28 million trips and suggests that insurance companies should look at speed when assessing driver risk.
Researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have developed a software tool that can predict an athlete's level of fatigue and its impact on their performance. The tool uses statistical analysis to analyze data from countermovement jump tests, providing insights into metabolic and neuromuscular fatigue.
A new statistical analysis published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America has found no correlation between deep-sea fish appearances and earthquakes in Japan. Despite long-held folklore suggesting otherwise, researchers have only identified one potentially correlated event out of 336 sightings and 221 earthquakes.
Death rates from falls for US adults 75 or older rose significantly from 2000 to 2016, with a 128% increase in absolute deaths and a 131% increase in death rates per 100,000 people. This trend was observed across different age groups, particularly among men aged 75-79 and women aged 95 or older.
A new study published in Science Advances suggests that the South African fossil Australopithecus sediba is unlikely to be the direct ancestor of humans. Instead, researchers believe that Australopithecus afarensis, known for the 'Lucy' skeleton, is a stronger candidate.
A study analyzing nearly 57,000 US military casualties found that the use of tourniquets, blood transfusions, and faster prehospital transport significantly reduced mortality. These interventions accounted for a large part of the increase in survival rates among critically injured soldiers.
Researchers analyzed 2,400 languages to understand how human diets impact consonant prevalence. A biomechanical model revealed that a shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies led to changes in bite configuration and labiodental sound distribution.
A study published in JAMA Network Open reveals a slight increase in readmission rates among patients discharged from Swiss hospitals under flat-rate payment structures. The researchers found that the rate of 30-day readmissions rose from 14.4% to 15.0%, raising concerns about early discharges and potential impact on hospital quality.
Researchers analyzed data from professional sports leagues and online games to find that past shared success among team members boosts their chances of winning future games. The study's findings suggest that team chemistry is a crucial factor in determining team success, transcending cultural differences and industries.
A new study by San Francisco State University researchers found that offering job-related support and emotional support have roughly the same effect. Simply making resources available is often more consistently positive than overtly discussing it. Employers are advised to think carefully before providing support, considering whether it...
The article discusses the complexity of data ethics, emphasizing personal data ownership, consent, trustworthiness, and privacy. Researchers aim to strike a balance between harnessing data's potential benefits and mitigating its risks.
Researchers analyzed fossilized backbones and reconstructions to better understand the evolution of mammals' distinct spinal regions. The study found that forelimb reorganization played a crucial role in driving regionalization across the spine, leading to the varied forms of modern mammals.
The Analytics and Data Science Institute created nine research laboratories to tackle business and public service data problems. Students from various backgrounds collaborate to understand statistical and computer science perspectives, enabling them to communicate effectively with non-experts.
Researchers used data analysis techniques, including decomposing songs into musical features, to determine Beatles songwriting styles. The approach identified distinct patterns in Lennon and McCartney's compositions, allowing for the prediction of disputed authorship.
Home run numbers increased significantly between 2016-2017 due to a drop in vertical break of pitches, suggesting pitchers aimed to reduce home runs. However, this strategy failed to work as other factors contributed more to the surge.