Articles tagged with Statistics
A new study by Stanford psychologists reveals that race affects juvenile sentencing, with participants who imagined a black offender more likely to support life sentences without parole. The study's findings highlight the fragility of protections for juveniles when race is in play.
An economic model by Arzu Aysin Tekindor breaks down the value of great art, finding that artist style and subject have a significant impact on prices. The study found that works sold in New York tend to fetch more than those in London, and paintings with iconic subjects increase their value by over three-quarters.
The report emphasizes the need for more attention and resources devoted to issues facing older children. Adverse trends include early marriage and birth among girls, and high adolescent birth rates, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The rate of workplace deaths in Michigan remained steady in 2011, with the construction industry having the most deaths at 24. However, new research reveals a vast underreporting of workplace burns, with 1,461 work-related burns reported, more than three times the number reported by employers.
Chin augmentation saw a significant increase in 2011, with over 20,680 procedures performed, surpassing breast augmentation and Botox. The procedure was most popular among men and those aged 40 or older, with an increasing trend observed across all age groups.
A study by Penn State economists found a significant correlation between the number of Wal-Mart stores and hate groups in an area. The researchers suggest that the large-scale retail chains may contribute to the fraying of social bonds and promote intolerant attitudes, particularly through their promotion of typical Protestant values.
A study published in Significance magazine reveals three key factors that contribute to Usain Bolt's improved performance: optimizing reaction time, benefiting from favorable wind conditions, and running at altitude. By shaving off 0.13s from his world record, Bolt can achieve a faster time of 9.45s.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal disputes the notion that older drivers are inherently poor. Frailty and driving habits contribute to their overrepresentation in fatal crashes. Despite this, many physicians base licensing decisions on incorrect beliefs.
Researchers discovered that false killer whales can focus their echolocation beams on targets using a strategy called 'acoustic squint', increasing beam width when faced with harder tasks. By plotting the path of acoustic beams, they found that wider beams were focused furthest away, allowing Kina to target specific objects.
A retrospective study found that methylnaltrexone (MNTX) restored bowel function and improved feeding outcomes in critically ill patients with opioid-induced constipation. MNTX was well-tolerated and showed immediate effects, improving enteral feeding and reducing gastric residual volumes.
Research reveals that Rugby teams with taller backs, heavier forwards, and greater collective experience tend to perform better at the World Cup. The study analyzed data from 1987-2007 and found a significant correlation between team performance and these factors.
A study from North Carolina State University found that Toyota's safety-related recalls in 2009 made no significant dent in consumer perceptions of the brand. The average price of affected vehicles declined by approximately 2% relative to comparable models, a finding within the statistical margin-of-error.
A recent study by University of Toronto and Nipissing criminologists reveals that Canadian police departments largely do not report race in practice, despite only 20% having an explicit policy against it. This suppression of data hinders the development of effective initiatives to improve relations with racialized communities.
A study of 189,533 patients found that a BMI below 23.1 increased mortality risk by 40% compared to mid-range BMIs. Patients undergoing certain procedures, such as exploratory laparotomy, were also at higher risk of death.
A new study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal found daily smoking and low mastery to be significant risk factors for repeat episodes of depression. High levels of mastery appeared to be protective against further depression.
A Yale University study found a 29.5% decline in heart failure hospitalization rates from 1998 to 2008, resulting in an estimated 229,000 fewer hospitalizations. One-year mortality rates also declined slightly, with black men experiencing the lowest rate of decline.
A new statistical approach, stochastic frontier estimation (SFE), has been developed to address bias in self-reported medical research data. This technique can identify bias at specific times and individual levels, ensuring more robust double-blind placebo-controlled trials.
A new study from Temple University found that medical examiners and appointed coroners are less likely to underreport suicides compared to elected coroners. This suggests that insulation from public pressure can lead to more accurate suicide reporting.
A new study found that intensive multifactoral treatment for type 2 diabetes patients detected by screening leads to small improvements in risk factors, but no significant reductions in mortality and cardiovascular events. The study analyzed data from over 3,000 patients and suggested that earlier detection and treatment may be uncerta...
Theoretical physicists propose a new method to create and detect anyons, exotic particles with continuously variable statistics. This breakthrough could lead to the development of more efficient quantum computers.
Researchers found that when people use summary perception to perceive general properties of objects, they are unable to learn relationships between the objects. On the other hand, when there are relationships to be learned, people are worse at perceiving general properties.
A study from Romania highlights the importance of traditional agriculture in protecting amphibians, finding that roads have a direct and indirect negative impact on their populations. Preserving traditional agricultural practices could be key to protecting these species in Central and Eastern Europe.
A small study on yoga in rheumatoid arthritis patients showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity scores, while another study demonstrated positive effects on the quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia. Yoga practice has been found to reduce anxiety levels and improve overall well-being.
The study found a significant rise in US home births between 2004 and 2008, driven primarily by an increase in non-Hispanic white women's choices. Home birth rates for other groups remained low or showed little change.
A study by Bank of Spain's Research Department finds that Spanish inflation is more heavily affected by oil price changes, with changes in crude prices accounting for over 50% of variability. The study attributes this to lower indirect taxation in Spain.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology found a statistically significant increase in microearthquakes after the Chilean earthquake in February. The study suggests that seismic waves from distant earthquakes can trigger events on the other side of the Earth, with secondary and tertiary waves playing a key role.
The Fraunhofer Institute's Government Mashups research project utilizes mobile applications and GPS coordinates to facilitate the reporting of problems, such as potholes, to government departments. This allows for real-time tracking of communications and identification of duplicate reports, streamlining issue resolution.
Researchers developed a method to quantify player performance in team activities, ranking soccer players based on their contributions. This approach uses network analysis and statistical methods to evaluate player performance, producing results that closely match expert opinions.
Dr. Beverly L. Hall was recognized for her courageous leadership in enrolling the Atlanta Public Schools in the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment. The award also acknowledges her strategic use of education data to promote school reforms and increase student achievement.
Researchers found a higher likelihood of cataract diagnosis or surgery among patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), with varying degrees of risk depending on the specific drug. The study suggests a statistical association between SSRIs and cataracts, but does not prove causation.
The 2008 Organic Production Survey found that US organic farms had higher average sales ($217,675) and production expenses ($171,978) compared to conventional farms. California dominated the market with $1.15 billion in sales, accounting for 36% of nationwide sales.
Researchers found no statistically significant differences in post-transplant survival rates between cirrhotic patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and alcoholic liver disease. However, NASH patients were at increased risk for metabolic syndrome complications, including cardiovascular mortality.
Clinical studies show B&L's Lo-Torque design delivers better rotational recovery, resulting in more consistent vision. The design demonstrated statistically significantly better results compared to Acuvue's accelerated stabilization design.
The UC Davis program aims to develop methods to associate probabilities with forensic evidence, particularly in bullet matching and duct tape analysis. Researchers will create a bullet-matching database using confocal microscopy and identify key characteristics for comparison.
Area-wide traffic calming schemes have been shown to be effective in reducing traffic-related injuries and deaths in high-income countries. However, more research is required to determine their effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries, where the situation is expected to worsen over the next decade.
A recent study at the University of Illinois used computer models PnET-II and LANDIS-II to simulate possible forest landscape scenarios up to 200-400 years in the future. The study found that temperature and photosynthetic active radiation are the most important variables predicting forest landscapes, with uncertainties increasing afte...
A new adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) technique significantly reduces patient radiation doses during CT scans, enabling improved image quality. The study found that ASIR can reduce radiation doses by up to 65% without compromising diagnostic accuracy.
The US public spends billions annually on CAM therapies, including herbal supplements, meditation, and acupuncture. Approximately 11.2% of healthcare expenditures are attributed to CAM, totaling $33.9 billion out-of-pocket expenses.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that older cancer patients have higher rates of disability and frailty. As the population ages, this trend is expected to pose significant challenges for physicians, with older adults accounting for 70% of cancer patients by 2030.
Boston College has been awarded $11.5M to conduct the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011, a global assessment of fourth and eighth-grade student math and science achievement. The study's findings will help nations and states compare their children's math and science achievement with others.
Canada's persistent weakness in productivity growth is attributed to business strategy choices, including inadequate investment in information and communications technologies. The report highlights the need for Canadian businesses to adopt more innovative strategies to serve customers effectively.
A University of Washington computer scientist has led a statistical study comparing the pattern of symbols in the Indus script to various linguistic scripts and nonlinguistic systems. The results found the Indus script's pattern is closer to that of spoken words, supporting the hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports a nine percent drop in surgical procedures and a five percent increase in minimally-invasive procedures in 2008. Reconstructive procedures saw a three percent increase, with tumor removal and hand surgery being among the top performers.
A recent report by Professor David Spiegelhalter suggests that London's murder numbers follow a predictable pattern, with certain aspects being statistically expected. The study found that the number of murders in London is not unusually high and has remained stable over the past five years.
A new study reveals that socially desirable responding, where people present a more favorable image of themselves, affects the accuracy of surveys globally. Cognitive busyness and cultural orientation play a significant role in this phenomenon.
A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that despite strict abortion laws in Peru, nearly 12% of women reported having induced abortions. The study, which surveyed over 8,000 women aged 18-29, highlights the need for improved access to contraception and education to reduce abortion rates.
Researchers developed a precise orbit determination method for the Jason-1 satellite using on-board GPS data, achieving centimeter-level accuracy. The study found that the method provided highly accurate GPS-based solutions, with systematic biases between POE and orbit solutions and SLR residual statistics.
The 2008 financial crisis was a result of excessive risk-taking and lack of regulation, likened to the Tulip Mania of 1636. Experts recommend learning from past mistakes to avoid repeating them.
A study by University of Illinois economist Darren Lubotsky found that immigrants' earnings growth is slower than expected, with only a 10-15% annual increase over their first 20 years in the US. This challenges widely used census-based projections and highlights the need for more accurate data on immigrant earnings.
Most presidential election forecasts predict Senator Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 popular vote, with an average of 52% predicted. The forecasts, developed by nine different models, use various statistical and historical data to make their predictions.
Rice University's Connexions is making a popular elementary statistics textbook available free for fall classes, reducing costs for over 700 students. The book has been used in California community college courses accepted for transfer credit by the University of California.
A study using MRI found that lower eyelids get fatter with age due to increased orbital fat. Plastic surgeons also discovered the importance of excision in treating under-eye bags during eyelid surgery. Meanwhile, body contouring procedures after gastric bypass surgery are performed by only 11.3% of patients.
A recent study published in PNAS found that the human brain's perception of fast-moving objects is biased by the slow-paced world around us. This affects our ability to catch balls and make decisions in high-speed environments, with implications for road safety and robotic vision systems.
Research on British, French and Brazilian cuisines reveals they evolve slowly due to the founder effect, with idiosyncratic ingredients persisting over time.
New research published in 'Significance' magazine finds that UK school league tables are based on flawed methodology, leading to inaccurate judgments of a school's quality. The study suggests that the tables do not provide sufficient evidence to support institutional choice or accountability.
A study found no significant association between exposure to coarse particulate matter and emergency hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, there was a statistically significant association between fine particulate matter and increased risk of illness and death.
A new study published in PLOS ONE reveals that mice and humans exhibit similar behavioral patterns, with no differences in statistics between resting periods and activity durations. This discovery has implications for the development of new treatments for depression and challenges current models of human-specific disorders.
Despite increased life expectancy, Americans aged 65+ face disparities in health status, economic security, and education. Key findings include a widening gap in median net worth between white and black households, as well as lower life expectancies compared to other industrialized countries.
A study by Charlotte Radiology found that single reading of screening mammograms with computer-aided detection (CAD) is more efficient and yields higher sensitivity than double reading. The use of CAD resulted in a lower recall rate compared to double reading, making it an effective alternative for increasing sensitivity.
A new study by Georgia Tech predicts China will soon pass the US in technological standing, driven by its growing emphasis on research and development. China's rapid advancements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are expected to make it a major player in the global economy.